Celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

January 16, 2026

Dear Campus Community,

In a 1947 essay about the purpose of education, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote that learning must do more than prepare students to achieve life goals. It must show them how to see through half-truths, prejudice and propaganda.

“We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education,” he wrote.

As we near the celebration of Dr. King’s birthday, this philosophy remains more relevant than ever.

Every day across our campuses, our dedicated faculty and staff work to build future leaders at Chaffey College. Our students are learning to think critically, regardless of their academic focus. And many of them will take their skills to go out into the world to lead others.

I am proud that what we do here at Chaffey College aligns with Dr. King’s dream – that we are working to create a more just and equitable world.

We look forward to seeing you throughout February for a series of events on our campuses in celebration of Dr. King’s legacy, Black History Month and the Hip Hop Studies Summit.

In observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, all Chaffey campuses will be closed Monday January 19. Regular schedules will resume on Tuesday January 20.

Sincerely,

Henry D. Shannon, Ph.D.
Superintendent/President