Bucks County Community College hosts its fifth annual MLK Leadership Awards on Thursday to honor four individuals embodying Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy.
The honorees are selected for their work in corporate, community, humanitarian, and student leadership. They will be honored with a reception and ceremony held at the college’s Newtown campus in the Gallagher Room of the Rollins Center.
Patrick M. Jones, president and CEO of BCCC, said the institution is honored to recognize individuals who believe “education and opportunity are powerful forces” for improving communities and individuals.
“Dr. King challenged us not only to dream, but to act,” said Jones. “The recipients of this year’s Martin Luther King Leadership Awards embody that challenge through their commitment to economic mobility and civic engagement.”
READ: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Warnings Seem More Prescient Than Ever
Angèle Bell, community engagement lead for Merck, was selected for Corporate Leadership Award. In her career, Bell has led initiatives to strengthen medicine access in Senegal and helped design sustainable distribution models in Mozambique. She advocates for diversity and inclusion to drive business at Merck. She works to expand learning experiences and demystify the pharmaceutical industry for K-12 students by establishing relationships with two-year academic institutions and community-based organizations.
Marlene Pray selected for the Community Leadership Award is the founder and director of The Rainbow Room for Planned Parenthood Keystone. Pray has been a community organizer for topics such as LGBTQ+ issues, racial justice, sexuality education, social justice, human rights, and more for over 30 years. She led efforts to pass Doylestown Borough’s LGBTQ inclusive, anti-discrimination ordinance as a council member. She also serves on a number of local community groups, such as NAACP Bucks County, National Alliance on Mental Illness Bucks County, and Bucks County Historical Society.
Barbara Simmons, executive director of The Peace Center, will receive the Humanitarian Leadership Award. Simmons has created programs to address conflict, violence, racism, and bigotry in schools, businesses, and communities. As a professor at Arcadia University, she teaches advanced mediation, conflict facilitation, and restorative justice. She created and produced audio documentaries for awareness on peacebuilding.
“Dr. King challenged us not only to dream, but to act. The recipients of this year’s Martin Luther King Leadership Awards embody that challenge through their commitment to economic mobility and civic engagement.”
The student leadership award recognizes individuals who demonstrate a commitment to civil rights, equality for all, and the elimination of racism. Kayla Ann Wulffleff, early childhood education major at BCCC, was selected for her work supporting individuals in her church and local community facing homelessness, food insecurity, and poverty. In 2023, Wulffleff became the first woman in Upper Bucks to earn the rank of Eagle Scout and advocates for expanding opportunities for girls and women in scouting.
The event is sponsored by Parx Casino and will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. The ceremony will be livestreamed from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at bucks./edu.
