Oregon State University junior Brittany Joseph is black, and for her, the election of Barack Obama symbolizes hope and change.

"I never thought the day would come where I'd see an African-American president," she said after OSU's annual Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Breakfast on Monday.

About 300 people, including Joseph, attended and heard speakers draw connections between King and Obama, who is scheduled to be sworn in as president of the United States today.

For those old enough to remember the Jim Crow laws and the civil-rights movement King led to overturn them, Obama's inauguration is "breathtaking," said OSU President Ed Ray.

"We can celebrate Dr. King's vision, but we can never forget the people who worked hard and continue to work hard to make his dream a reality," Ray said. "The journey is far from over."

The election, he added, doesn't erase racism or inequality in America or Oregon.

While OSU is striving to promote diversity, it still isn't diverse yet, said Joseph, a Portland resident.

"Lots of times you might be the only minority in your class," she added. "I think it's welcoming, but I wish there were more people who looked like me. -. I think we can reach that one day."

The 27th annual Peace Breakfast is a highlight of OSU's yearly celebration to honor the slain civil-rights leader. The event included a recitation of King's "I Have a Dream" speech by emeritus faculty member LaVerne Woods, a performance by American Indian flutist and OSU instructor Jan Michael Looking Wolf Reibach and a trio of awards.

The Frances Dancy Hooks Award goes to people who build bridges across cultures and show courage in promoting diversity. This year's winners were Vananh Nguyen, a student in bioresource research, and Dwaine Plaza, an associate professor in sociology.

The Phyllis S. Lee Award, for a dedication to social justice and the teachings of King, was presented to Joseph Krause, chairman of the foreign languages and literature department. Krause, after a speech, stepped down from the podium and found Lee in the audience to give her a hug.

After the breakfast, Lee, the former director of OSU's Office of Multicultural Affairs, said John Byrne, the university president from 1984 to 1995, deserves credit for starting the school's efforts to promote diversity.

"Each successive president took on that same commitment," she said. "If it doesn't come from the top, you haven't got it."

Terryl Ross, director of the Office of Community and Diversity, said many people at OSU were doing things right when it came to diversity. He added that employees were working with the Corvallis School District so it could create its first diversity action plan.

Ross also announced a one-page essay contest where applicants submit a paper on how to make OSU a destination of choice for people who are committed to diversity on campus.

The winner will get a year's worth of tuition at the in-state, undergraduate rate. For more information on the essay contest, contact Ross at 737-4381 or Terryl.Ross@oregonstate.edu.

OSU has several additional events planned to celebrate King this week. For a full schedule, see oregonstate.edu/diversity/mlk.html.

Kyle Odegard can be reached at kyle.odegard@lee.net.

F.Y.I.

Oregon State University has several additional events planned to celebrate King this week. For a full schedule, see oregonstate.edu/diversity/mlk.html.

Today's events

7 a.m. - Festivities begin, as does much network and cable coverage

8:30 a.m. - The official program is planned to start

About 9 a.m. - The new President is scheduled to take the oath of office and deliver his inaugural address

11:30 a.m. - The inaugural parade is planned to begin

- The Associated Press

Local events

OSU broadcast, starting at 7 a.m., the Memorial Union Main Lounge, Oregon State University. Refreshments will be served at 8 a.m. Accommodations for people with disabilities can be made by calling 737-2650.

Live broadcast, 8 a.m., Enoteca, 136 S.W. Washington Ave. The wine bar opens early for people who want to have coffee or champagne to celebrate.

Poets and musicians Inauguration Day gathering, 5 to 7 p.m., Old World Deli, 341 S.W. Second St. No. 4. Signups for open mic begin at 4:30 p.m. Sponsors are Marys Peak Poets, Old World Deli and the International Exchange for Art. Information: 207-6096.

Obama inauguration party and wine tasting, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., WineStyles, in the Timberhill Shopping Center, 2333 N.W. Kings Blvd., Corvallis. Admission: $5. Information: 738-9463.