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Aug 26, 2023

VR gives Shawnee students a front

Sophomore Janyia Williams (left) watches Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech using VR technology. ULLIN, Ill. — Monday marked 60 years since Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke

Sophomore Janyia Williams (left) watches Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech using VR technology.

ULLIN, Ill. — Monday marked 60 years since Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke the famous words “I have a dream” in front of 250,000 people at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.

King gave the speech, which is said to be his most famous, during the Civil Rights March on Washington — one of the largest political rallies in U.S. history.

Last weekend, thousands of people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial to celebrate the anniversary of the march and King’s speech. Civil rights leader Al Sharpton and King’s son, Martin Luther King Jr. III, were among those speaking.

Closer to home, Shawnee Community College celebrated the anniversary by using Virtual Reality technology to give students and staff a front-row seat to the historic speech.

Participants said it wasn’t just a cool experience, it reminded them of the efforts required to provide them the freedom they have today.

“You can actually experience what Martin Luther King did and what he was trying to fight for, you can understand it a little bit better,” sophomore Janyia Williams said. “I felt the emotion.”

Williams said the experience was more than she expected.

“So, you can actually see how it felt while like. They was out there doing it, I wasn’t expecting it to be as real as it was. It was a good experience,” she said.

Student Success Director Mindy Ashby said that take-away was their goal.

“What a great way to show cultural awareness through VR and celebrate the day together,” Ashby said.

This isn’t the first time Shawnee has used VR technology for educational purposes. But Ashby said using it to immerse students in a historical moment before was something new.

“It’s important because it can be an inclusive way of learning, but also it provides you a different way of learning and experience,” Ashby said.

That inclusivity is why Williams won’t soon forget what she saw, heard, and felt. “It felt good and it made me feel like I shouldn’t take stuff for granted,” Williams said.

Leaders say the event had a good turnout, with 76 people participating. Ashby said Shawnee plans to offer VR experiences for historical events in the future.

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