LOUISVILLE, Kentucky, (June 2, 2023) – Barbara Kremer Schmall, a Spalding BSN Class of 1969 alumna, has been named as the recipient of the 2023 Spalding University Caritas Medal for her accomplishments in geriatric nursing care.
The Caritas Medal is Spalding University’s highest honor, awarded to graduates of the university who have made a significant contribution to their professional field and who embody the qualities and spirit of service encompassed in the philosophy, tradition, and mission of Spalding University.
Barbara Kremer Schmall graduated in 1969 with a BSN in Nursing that led her into a career in Long Term Care Nursing leadership. Her servant leadership style, involvement in social justice issues, love for learning and international travel, and an evolving Christian Spirituality journey, reflect her recognition for this prestigious Caritas Award. A native Louisvillian, she and her husband find additional fulfillment and joy in being engaged in the lives of their eleven grandchildren.
Schmall points out that Spalding made a great impact on her personal and professional life: “My love for learning, compassion for people, social justice, and my adoption of servant leadership management for myself and the staff at Parkway are all examples of outcomes infused into my education. As a first-generation college graduate, Spalding values, teachers, and staff provided a firm foundation that shaped my life.”
Schmall’s journey in the field of geriatric nursing has been nothing short of inspiring. After working as a hospital nurse for the first seven years of her career, she transitioned to geriatric long-term care, rehabilitation, and sub-acute care management. Of this Schmall exclaims “I realized this was totally nursing!! And I possessed the knowledge and skills I needed to be successful because of my Spalding education.”
Barbara Kremer Schmall, the recipient of the 2023 Spalding University Caritas Medal, will be honored on Friday, June 2, 2023.
“I was incredulous, humbled, and then proud when I was notified that I had been chosen to receive Spalding’s Caritas Medal,” Schmall said. “I declared I would accept the Caritas Medal on behalf of Spalding’s BSN Class of 1969, and the rarely recognized nurses involved in geriatric nursing care.”
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About Spalding University: Established in 1814 and located in downtown Louisville since 1920, Spalding is a historic, private institution that offers graduate, undergraduate and accelerated programs in a range of areas of study. The regionally accredited university offers an innovative schedule of seven six-week sessions per year, allowing students to earn a bachelor’s degree at their own pace. Its athletic teams compete in NCAA Division III. Spalding was recognized as the world’s first Compassionate University. More information is available at spalding.edu.