To honor the University’s first African-American student, Campus Way on the second floor of the Anderson Student Center has officially been renamed to Dorsey Way.

Dorsey Way was officially opened at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday. The event included a performance by the St. Peter Claver gospel ensemble, as well as speeches from university senior, Cory Kemp and President Julie Sullivan.

“Father Dorsey represents a significant moment in this university’s rich history,” Sullivan said in her speech at the reception. “At St. Thomas, diversity is one of our core convictions and it is important that we honor the contributions of members of our community.”

Kemp has been behind the push to get the walkway renamed after John Henry Dorsey, who enrolled in 1888 as the first African-American student at what was then St. Thomas College. Dorsey later became the second African-American ordained priest in the U.S.

“I thought it would be a great way to promote inclusiveness on campus and acknowledge the leadership” that came through St. Thomas, Kemp said when the petition was approved in May 2016.

Kemp initially became interested in getting Dorsey recognized after the priest was brought up in a Purple Bench meeting with Student Diversity and Inclusion Services.

After coming up with the idea, Kemp started a petition to get the name changed and had 50 signatures of people who agreed with him within six hours.

Once he came up with the signatures, Kemp made an oral presentation to Undergraduate Student Government, and they approved of the change quickly.

“This hits both the diversity and the strong Catholic tradition and morals,” USG member and sophomore Tobias Knight said in May. “I think it’s great, and everyone seems to be on board and happy.”

Taylor Smith can be reached at smit9660@stthomas.edu.