Rutherford and Lodi, NJ – January 2019 – Felician University announced today that New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver is the recipient of their 2019 Martin Luther King, Jr. Legacy Award. The Lieutenant Governor will accept the award on Felician’s Rutherford Campus in the Education Commons building on January 30^th, 2019 at 1:00 pm.

Lt. Governor Oliver took oath of office as New Jersey’s 2^nd Lieutenant Governor in January 2018. She has chaired the New Jersey Assembly Human Services Committee and served as Development Director for the New Jersey Literacy Campaign. Ms. Oliver was one of the founders of the Newark Coalition for Low Income Housing and has also served on the boards of non-profit organizations such as the Global Women’s Leadership Collaborative of NJ and the Programs for Parents. She is the first woman of color to serve in a statewide elected office in New Jersey history.

“We are so proud to name Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver as the 2019 recipient of our Martin Luther King, Jr. Legacy Award,” said Felician University President Dr. Anne Prisco. “Sheila’s commitment to fighting for educational and economic opportunities for all of New Jersey’s residents makes her an ideal choice for Felician’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Legacy Award.”

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Legacy Award was developed by Felician to honor Dr. King and recognize individuals who help to fulfill the Felician’s mission and vision of equality and justice. Past Legacy Award recipients include Senator Cory Booker, Joetta Clark-Diggs and Carla Harris.

In selecting Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver for this year’s award, Felician employed the following criteria:

• An individual whose life’s work reflects and promotes the University’s core values – especially passion for issues related to social justice, civil rights and economic equality
• A personal mission in life that also embodies the mission and values of the University’s Felician/Franciscan heritage – compassion, justice and peace, and finding goodness in all creation
• A person who compels all people to give the gift of hope

Martin Luther King Jr once said, ‘The time is always right to do what is right.’ We applaud Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver for an exceptional life of helping to improve the world’s condition. As a champion of equality, justice and compassion, “she truly embodies the legacy of Dr. King,” Dr. Prisco said.