Falcon Alum Inspires Students with a Message of Service

On January 27, Ralph Emerson ’01 returned to campus for the first time in nearly 20 years to speak with Middle and Upper School students about the lasting impact of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Nicole Masole-Rose, Director of Community Engagement and Inclusion, introduced Emerson, a Fort Worth faith leader and Falcon graduate. She also provided historical context, noting that Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was signed into law as a federal holiday in 1983 and is the only federal holiday that is also a national day of service.

Emerson spoke passionately about Dr. King’s message, emphasizing that charity, service and justice should serve as the blueprint for how we live. As he read excerpts from Dr. King’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech, his powerful delivery commanded the attention of every fifth through eighth grade student and faculty and staff member in Amon G. Carter Foundation Commons, as well as ninth through 12th graders in the Upper School commons. 

He underscored the importance of putting others first, telling students, “The greatest among us are those who give and put the needs of others above their own. This embodies Dr. King’s mission—a shining example of service as a way of life.”