Tag: events

March 12, 2020

The outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) has led to an unprecedented past few days in our country with widespread cancellations and closures creating large- and small-scale disruptions to daily life. Governments and institutions are working hard to prevent the spread of the virus, and Spalding is no exception.

There remains no known case of COVID-19 on campus, but the safety of our students, faculty and staff remains our paramount concern. In addition to moving all face-to-face classes online from March 16 to April 5 and having on-campus residential students move out of the of the residence halls, Spalding has canceled or postponed many campus events in the coming weeks.

Spalding’s Commencement ceremony at Canaan Christian Church is still on schedule for June 6, 2020.

Below is a list of list of cancellations and postponements that will be updated here, on the university’s coronavirus info page as needed. It will also be pinned to Spalding’s Facebook page.

March 14 Zeta Phi Beta Informational meeting

March 16 Bracketology fundraiser at Cardinal Stadium (canceled)

March 17 Future Business Leaders of America Region 3 meeting (canceled)

March 17 Campus Activities Board Meeting (canceled)

March 17 Hip Hop Dance Class (canceled)

March 18 Yoga (canceled)

March 19 Open Gym (canceled)

March 19 Kickboxing Class (canceled)

March 23 Phi Beta Lambda Meeting (canceled)

March 24 Campus Activities Board Meeting (canceled)

March 24 Hip Hop Dance Class (canceled)

March 25 Celebration of Student Writing (postponed, new date TBA)

March 25 Yoga (canceled)

March 26 Open Gym (canceled)

March 26 Kickboxing class (canceled)

March 27 A Way Forward: Dismantling Institutional Racism Conference (postponed, new date TBA)

March 28 Spalding University Nursing Students (SUNS) Blood Draw Ball

March 30 Phi Beta Lambda Meeting (canceled)

March 30 Underground Artists Movement Bake Sale (canceled)

March 31 Hip Hop Dance Class (canceled)

March 31 Countdown to Graduation (canceled)

March 31 Campus Activities Board Meeting (canceled)

March 31 Underground Artists Movement Bake Sale (canceled)

March 31 Army ROTC Information Session (canceled)

March 31 Keenan Lecture (canceled)

April 1 Countdown to Graduation (canceled)

April 2 MSN-FNP Information Session (canceled)

April 2 Red Cross Blood Drive

With a big crowd in attendance on a perfect, clear night, Spalding University broke in its new athletic fields complex on the evening of Oct. 23 with a grand opening celebration that won’t be forgotten anytime soon.

About 800 fans gathered under the lights of the 7.3-acre complex between South Eighth and South Ninth streets to watch the Golden Eagles’ men’s and women’s soccer doubleheader, as well as a grand opening ceremony and ceremonial “First Kick” of soccer ball between games.

It was the culmination of nearly six years of private fundraising for the complex and about six months of construction, which was overseen by general contractor Schaefer Construction. The finished product will be a source of pride and achievement for the university for years to come.

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer praised Spalding President Tori Murden McClure, Athletic Director Roger Burkman and the entire university community for being unafraid to take on big projects.

“And this was a big project,” the mayor said.

“What I love about Spalding is that you guys work hard each and every day,” Fischer said, before alluding to McClure’s most famous individual athletic feat. “It’s kind of like rowing across the Atlantic Ocean, one stroke at a time. If there’s something to be done, you can bet on this team here at Spalding. The kind of hope that you all represent, the persistence that you represent, it’s come true here tonight with this great facility. It’s a wonderful bridge for hope for our entire community. Tori, Roger, and the entire team, thank you very much on behalf of our great city. Wonderful job.”

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FIELDS PROJECT AND HOW TO SUPPORT IT

VISIT THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF SPALDING ATHLETICS 

Located on the site of a former unused industrial brownfield and about four blocks west of the primary campus, the athletic complex provides for the first time an on-campus home for Spalding’s men’s and women’s soccer and softball teams, which have previously had to travel to high school facilities around the city to practice and host games.  The complex includes two turf soccer fields and a turf softball field that are lighted and can be used year-round. The Spalding softball team will begin playing at the complex during the upcoming spring 2020 season.

“Now (the soccer and softball programs) have a place that they can call their own,” Burkman said. “It’s a game-changer. You think about it from a recruiting standpoint and how it’s going to level that playing field, so to speak. And you can already see on the faces of our athletes how excited they are. When you talk to them about it, they just start smiling, and they just light up. And in the prospects who come to campus, you can see their eyes light up as well.”

New Spalding sports programs are set to make the complex their home as well.

Spalding is already in the early stages of adding men’s and women’s lacrosse, utilizing the soccer field that is also lined for that sport. Though a full plan for the creation of men’s and women’s lacrosse programs is still being developed, the university recently posted job openings for a men’s coach and women’s coach.

The other soccer field is lined for field hockey, allowing Spalding to explore adding a program in that sport, too.

The complex will also be available for outside clubs and schools to rent.

Surrounded by dozens of new trees and extensive landscaping, the fields complex also helps beautify the neighborhood at a site where there was previously nothing but asphalt and weeds. It continues Spalding’s effort to green and transform urban spaces south of Broadway. In recent years, the school turned a 2.2-acre parking lot into Trager Park – a grassy public recreational space at the corner of South Second and West Kentucky – and built the Mother Catherine Square green space in the center of campus at South Third and West Breckinridge.

More photos | Look back at months’ of the athletic fields’ construction progress and the grand opening on Spalding’s Facebook page.

The 47th Annual Running of the Rodents was simply magical. We had the wizarding gowns and wands to prove it.

And a white rat named Luna, trained by students from the School of Nursing, took home the coveted garland of fruit-flavored candy as the champion of the Spalding Derby, the grand finale of Spalding’s card of rat races at the College Street Ballroom. This year’s theme was the Harry Potter-inspired “Ratly Hallows.”

“Last year, the School of Nursing’s rat tied, and I was pretty confident that we could come out in first this year,” smiling student trainer Amanda Jewell said as she held the winning rat. “I was glad that we were able to come out on top. … She got lots of conditioning and lots of treats.”

Jewell said she was a little concerned when Luna, named for the Harry Potter character Luna Lovegood, decided to turn around during the homestretch of the .024-furlong track and run in the opposite direction. But she righted herself and got going back in the right direction in plenty of time to reach the finish line first.

“I knew she would pull through,” Jewell said.

Spalding faculty, staff and students were decked out in Hogwarts-style robes and costumes to mark this year’s  theme, and the ballroom was dimly lit, like the Hogswarts Great Hall. President Tori Murden McClure, who was dressed as Professor Minerva McGonagall, used retired commencement regalia to create robes for herself, the Presidential Leadership Team and Academic Council as well as members of the Student Government Association and Student Media Ambassadors.

“I don’t wear this every day,” McClure said with a laugh. “But this is a fun time in the spring. … Every year the students pick the theme, and they get to pick which character the president gets to play. Last year I was Maleficent. One year I was the Wizard of Oz.”

Held every spring around Kentucky Derby season, the Running of the Rodents is one of Spalding’s oldest, proudest traditions.

It was created in 1973 by Sister Julia Clare Fontaine, a Spalding biology professor, who overheard a senior student complain about the “rat race” of finals week. She immediately had an idea for a stress reliever before spring exams. The fun-filled Louisville tradition was coined as “The Most Exciting Two Seconds in Sports” by Trivial Pursuit®.

“The Sister realized that at about this point of the spring, students need a little pick-me-up before they make that last push to Commencement,” McClure said. “And she wanted something fun.”

Mission accomplished again.  Thanks to everyone who took part in the 47th Running of the Rodents.

President Tori Murden McClure made Harry Potter-themed costumes for the Leadership Team and Executive in Residence Jerry Abramson for the 2019 Running of the Rodents. Photos by Meghan Holsclaw

On Thursday, April 18, Spalding University will host its 47th Annual Running of the Rodents with the Harry Potter-inspired theme, “Ratly Hallows.” The public is invited to attend.

The rat races start at 11:20 a.m. in the third-floor ballroom of the College Street Building, 812 S. Second Street. A public parade through campus will precede the event at 10:45 a.m., starting at Mother Catherine Square, located at 318 W. Breckinridge St. between South Third and South Fourth streets.

In one of Spalding’s oldest, proudest traditions and in a twist on the Kentucky Derby, trained rodents will compete for the coveted garland of fruit-flavored ring cereal as they speed around a miniature racetrack—.024 furlongs in length (about 16 feet).

During Thursday’s festivities, participants will be dressed in Harry Potter-inspired attire, or in Kentucky Derby tradition, decorated hats. Spalding President Tori Murden McClure has used retired commencement regalia to create Hogswarts-style costumes for herself, the Presidential Leadership Team, the Student Government Association and the Spalding student Social Media Ambassadors.

Lunch (cash-only) will be offered after the races.

The Running of the Rodents is organized by Spalding’s student-led Campus Activities Board in partnership with the Department of Student Development and Campus Life.

Check out the Facebook event for the rat races.

47th Annual Running of the Rodents

WHEN: Thursday, April 18 – Rat Parade, 10:45 a.m. (starting at Mother Catherine Square, 318 W. Breckinridge St.), Running of the Rodents rat races to follow, 11:20 a.m. “Call to the Post” (College Street Building third-floor ballroom, aka Spalding Downs, 812 S. Second St.).

RAT RACE ORIGIN: When Sister Julia Clare Fontaine overheard a senior student complain about the “rat race” of finals week, she immediately had an idea for a stress reliever before spring exams. Since 1973, the Running of the Rodents has been a fun-filled Louisville tradition around Derby season. It was coined as “The Most Exciting Two Seconds in Sports” by Trivial Pursuit® after 1987’s Deep Throat won the Rodent Derby in 1.8 seconds.

Spalding University’s field of dreams project is officially off and running on S. Ninth Street, with shovels in the ground and ballgames not far off.

On Friday, April 12, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer and Metro Council President David James  joined Spalding President Tori Murden McClure, Athletic Director Roger Burkman and Spalding Board of Trustees Chair Jim Rissler in the official groundbreaking of the 7.4-acre athletic fields complex between Eighth and Ninth Street. All the coaches and student-athletes from the Golden Eagles’ soccer and softball programs surrounded them and helped celebrate the start of the construction phase of the project that will give those teams an on-campus home for the first time.

Spalding is building two turf soccer fields – expected to be ready for competition by mid-fall 2019 – and a turf softball field (ready by spring 2020) that will be lighted and available for use year-round.

“I want you all to think about the impact all of you are having on our university, our community and all of these young people you see standing behind me (thanks to your support of the fields project),” Burkman said. “They’re really the reason why we do what we do. … I’m so thankful that (the softball and soccer teams) will have a place to call their homes.”

To be built on the site of a former industrial tract that had long been unused, the new Spalding fields will also beautify the Ninth Street corridor while providing a community resource. The fields, which could also be used for field hockey and lacrosse, will be available for other schools and clubs to rent. Men’s soccer coach Adam Boyer said he envisions the fields being the site of future youth clinics and camps and other types of service events.

“There is no doubt about it that this will be one of the coolest Division III facilities in the country and provide a wealth of benefits to our student-athletes,” Boyer said. “It’ll be a huge boost to our overall student-athlete experience in addition to improving our ability to recruit players to our programs. We’re looking forward to seeing the impact these fields have on our entire student population at Spalding – from intramural opportunities to being a unified source of school provide.

“These fields are a dream come true.”

McClure has said that the athletic fields are, literally, a game-changer for Spalding’s student-athletes and will position them to grow and succeed.

“When you’re a Division III student-athlete, you’re truly a student first and an athlete second. But I firmly believe that college athletics is not extra-curricular; it’s extra curriculum,” she said. “You learn the persistence, the endurance, the resourcefulness that it takes to make a difference not just on the field but in the real world.”

Spalding purchased the property, located between South Eighth and South Ninth and bounded by West Kentucky and West Breckenridge streets, in 2014, and it is using raised funds to build the fields complex. Fundraising continues, and information on how to support the project is available on the Ninth Street: Field of Dreams page.

The fields complex is the latest example of Spalding’s initiative of transforming urban spaces, including ones covered with impervious surfaces, into community resources that beautify campus and the neighborhood. In 2017, Spalding transformed an unused 2.2-acre parking lot at the corner of S. Second and W. Kentucky streets into Trager Park, a public green space with 100 new trees. Other recently created green spaces include Mother Catherine Square in the center of campus.

“This is one of those projects you dream of not just as a president of a university or as a student but also as a mayor, to say, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we had a great big green swath in our city, right here by Ninth Street, a gateway to the west, an extension to a college campus?’ It’s awesome, and it’s here,” Fischer said. “The persistence and the tenacity of Spalding that you all demonstrate each and every day has led to this tremendous announcement we have today. This is a wonderful thing.”

Fischer spoke at Spalding on the eve of the start of the mayor’s Give A Day week of service program, and he praised Spalding for becoming the world’s first certified compassionate university  and he noted that Spalding will be a partner with the city in the Lean Into Louisville program.

Fischer said the city celebrates “what Spalding has done for our city in terms of the soul of our city, the conscience of our city.”

“The Sisters at Spalding and the staff and faculty have really helped set the pace for so much of what we do,” Fischer said. “… Spalding is always there when it comes to making a statement, whether it comes to commemorating Muhammad Ali and the Columbia Gym, or Lean Into Louisville, or being a compassionate university, or in helping make our city an even more beautiful place. This complex is a great win for Spalding and a great win for our city.”

Schaefer Construction is the general contractor for the project. Sabak, Wilson and Lingo Inc. is Spalding’s architecture and civil engineering partner for the fields. Schaefer Construction also announced it is making a $50,000 donation to the fields project on Friday.

Other comments from Friday’s groundbreaking

*Mirza Ugarak, men’s soccer player: “The new sports facility will be a tremendous resource for current and future students to mature into adults who will make the world a better place.”

*Kayla Strehle, women’s soccer player: “Spalding has shown us all just how much it cares about women’s sports with two-thirds of this complex being dedicated to women’s teams.”

*Ally Klein, softball player: “Coming to Spalding has allowed me to build friendships with my teammates and create memories on the field that will last a lifetime. … Having our own field is honestly the one missing piece in what has been an amazing college athletic experience. … It’ll make us better students and better athletes and help bring our community together.”

A crowd of about 1,000 college basketball fans and friends of Spalding University packed Cardinal Stadium’s Brown and Williamson Club Monday night to get the lowdown on March Madness while supporting the NCAA Division III Golden Eagles’ athletic department.

Spalding’s 11th annual Bracketology fundraiser featured a star-studded panel of basketball analysts –  former Louisville stars Luke Hancock and Milt Wagner, former Kentucky stars Mike Pratt and Dan Issel and former U of L assistant Jerry Jones – on stage to reflect on their playing and coaching days and to make their picks for the upcoming NCAA Tournament.

For those who couldn’t make it out, we’ve got you covered. Here are the Final Four and national champion picks of the panelists.

Mike Pratt
East: Duke
West: Gonzaga
South: Tennessee
Midwest: Kentucky
Title game: Duke over Tennessee

Luke Hancock
East: Duke
West: Florida State
South: Virginia
Midwest: North Carolina
Title game: North Carolina over Florida State

Dan Issel
East: Duke
West: Michigan
South: Tennessee
Midwest: North Carolina
Title game: North Carolina over Duke

Milt Wagner
East: Duke
West: Florida State
South: Tennessee
Midwest: Kentucky
Title game: Duke over Kentucky

Jerry Jones
East: Duke
West: Buffalo
South: Virgina
Midwest: Houston
Title game: Duke over Houston

Bracketology is the largest annual fundraiser for Spalding’s athletic program. In addition to fans hearing from and taking with the celebrity bracketologists, the event also featured a buffet dinner, a bar, a silent auction with a trove of sports memorabilia and other cool items and a $20,000 cash raffle.

We hope to see you next year!

DONATE TO SPALDING’S PROPOSED ATHLETIC FIELDS COMPLEX ON NINTH STREET

Spalding University, in partnership with Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS), will host the second annual Summit on Restorative Practices March 13-14, with the first day open to the public. The summit, to be held at Spalding’s College Street Center, 812 S. Second St., will showcase JCPS schools that have implemented restorative methods as an intervention strategy to manage student behavior and improve school safety, climate and culture.

Restorative practices, which are a social science designed to mediate conflict and ease tensions by repairing harm and restoring relationships, have contributed to a reduction in suspensions at many of the restorative practice-trained JCPS schools.

“Restorative practices have been a valuable tool in helping us improve the climate and culture inside our classrooms, which is one of the key pillars we’ve committed to for our district,” JCPS Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio said.

Wednesday’s first day of the summit will be held 8:30-11 a.m. and is free and open to the public. Attendees are asked to register at www.spalding.edu/rjsummit.

The event kicks off with remarks by Dr. Pollio and Spalding President Tori Murden McClure, followed by the showcase of restorative practice schools.

JCPS Chief Communications and Community Relations Officer Renee Murphy will then moderate a panel discussion on the impact of restorative practices in schools, and the university will present its inaugural Spalding Restorative Practices Awards, honoring individuals and community organizations that have advanced and promoted the use and understanding of restorative practices.

The award categories and recipients are:

● Impact Award: Saundra Hensel, JCPS Behavior Support Systems Coordinator
● Community Advocate Award: Judge Angela Bisig, Jefferson County Circuit Court
● Collaboration Award: Restorative Justice Louisville
● Innovation Award: Jefferson County Public Schools
● Legacy Award: Ishmon Burks, former Kentucky State Police Commissioner, former Kentucky Justice Cabinet Secretary and former interim Louisville Metro Police Department Chief.

The conference will continue Thursday, March 14, with a closed session of training for JCPS faculty and staff.

By the start of the 2019-20 school year, there will be 33 JCPS schools implementing restorative practices, and the district will be accepting applications this spring for schools to be trained in restorative practices in the summer of 2020.  Schools that become JCPS restorative practices schools go through two days of training, attended by all adults in the building – from nutrition workers to administration.  They then receive ongoing training and support from the district during their implementation.

Spalding uses restorative techniques and methods, including talking circles, on its campus in a range of settings to help facilitate difficult, educational conversations and to find solutions. From an academic standpoint, the university will launch a criminal justice studies program this fall, pending approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, that will include required introductory courses in restorative justice and criminal justice reform. The university also offers a minor in restorative justice studies.

“We look forward to hosting JCPS leaders on our campus to learn more about restorative practices, and we thank the award recipients for all they’ve done to support thoughtful, innovative methods of conflict mediation and relationship-building,” McClure said. “At Spalding, we’ve made restorative practices a priority and believe they are a powerful, compassionate tool.”

Spalding and JCPS Summit on Restorative Practices

When: March 13-14; open to public on first day, 8:30-11 a.m.
Where: Spalding’s College Street Center, 812 S. Second St.
Registration: Free at www.spalding.edu/rjsummit

Audience members of Saturday morning’s inaugural session of the Abramson Leadership Exchange heard from a panel of some of Louisville’s most accomplished communications leaders about best practices for crisis communication and management, and the panelists offered multiple examples of how their organizations responded to past crises.

About 100 people attended the session at the Egan Leadership Center’s Troutman Lectorium to hear from moderator Jerry Abramson, the former Louisville mayor who now serves as Spalding’s Executive in Residence, and panelists Chad Carlton, President of C2 Strategic Communications; Laura Douglas, retired Vice President of Corporate Responsibility and Community Affairs for LG&E and KU Energy; Phil Lynch, retired Vice President and Director of Corporate Communications at Brown-Forman; and Thomas Noland, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications for Humana.

Each panelist gave a presentation detailing a few real examples of crises they’ve encountered in their careers. Then there was a lengthy Q&A session with audience members.

“I’m really pleased with how our first Exchange session went, and our panelists provided so much wisdom and insight,” Abramson said. “I think the members of the audience were entertained and heard a lot of valuable information that they can apply to their own organizations should a crisis occur.”

The Abramson Leadership Exchange is presented by Spalding’s Ed.D.: Leadership program in partnership with the Young Professionals Association of Louisville (YPAL) and Ignite Louisville.

The panel discussions are designed to align with the kind of high-level dialogue and idea-sharing that takes place in the Ed.D: Leadership program.

READ MORE ABOUT THE DOCTORAL PROGRAM IN LEADERSHIP

All 2019 sessions of the Abramson Leadership Exchange will have topics related to media and communications. The next session is tentatively scheduled for Aug. 3 and will focus on finding authentic information in the era of social media and fake news. The final session of 2019 is tentatively scheduled for Nov. 9.

View more Abramson Leadership Exchange photos from the album on the Spalding University Facebook page.

The new Spalding University Visiting Artist Series, sponsored by the Spalding art department, will continue with its second installment, Wednesday, Feb. 27, with a trip to campus by sisters Colleen and Maggie Clines, who are the entrepreneurs, social activists and textile artists behind the Louisville-based Anchal Project, which sells fair-trade textiles created by women artisans from other countries who are facing exploitation. (See full bio below.)

The free, public lecture by Colleen and Maggie Clines will take place 5-6 p.m. at the Egan Leadership Center’s Troutman Lectorium, 901 S. Fourth St. Food will be provided.

“I think (the lecture) will probably be about where the (Anchal Project) came from,” said Spalding associate professor of painting and drawing Aaron Lubrick, who helped organize the Visiting Artist Series. “They really care a lot about the artisans who work for them, so they may do a good bit talking about the artisans as well and the design process they go through to make these amazing quilts and other awesome textile pieces.”

The art department began the Visiting Artist Series this spring after receiving a donation to support it.

The artists meet with students, offer critiques and give public presentations or lectures about their work. Graphic novel illustrator Danica Novgorodoff was the first visiting artist on Feb. 19.

READ MORE ABOUT SPALDING’S UNDERGRADUATE ART PROGRAM

Here is the schedule for the remainder of this spring’s Spalding Visiting Artist Series, along with bios on the artists:

Feb. 27: Anchal Project (textile artists)

With backgrounds in design, sisters Colleen and Maggie Clines lead the brand by placing design at the center of Anchal Project’s everyday practice. Colleen earned her Master of Landscape Architecture degree from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in 2010. During Colleen’s time in graduate school, she was inspired to start Anchal with three classmates after traveling to India and learning about the extreme oppression women faced as commercial sex workers and the economic opportunity presented by the region’s rich textiles.

“We felt compelled to take the project beyond the classroom with the conviction that our design training in collaboration with local leadership could address seemingly intractable social and environmental systems. The women we met became our sisters, sisters we had to fight for.”  – Colleen Clines, Co-Founder & CEO

Shortly following the class trip to India, the co-founders raised $400 by selling handmade notebooks and note cards. These humble beginnings facilitated the purchase of a sewing machine, sewing instruction, materials, and a stipend for the artisans. During 2010, Anchal officially received 501(c)3 non-profit status in the United States and expanded the project by partnering with a second NGO, Vatsalya, in Ajmer, India.

In 2012 after graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from the University of Kentucky, Maggie Clines joined her sister Colleen to co-lead Anchal as Creative Director. Together with our partners and artisans, Anchal creates innovative programs and eco-friendly textiles that facilitate impact.

The Clines sisters’ designs explore the synthesis of vernacular imagery, heritage artwork and a maker’s journey to empowerment. The contemporary geometric designs are defined by sophisticated patchwork and aggregated stitch patterns, revolutionizing traditional kantha quilting techniques.

March 6-7, 1 p.m., ELC: Aubrey Levinthal (figurative painter)

Philadelphia-based painter Aubrey Levinthal transforms the often mundane and routine into the revered. Using the content of her refrigerator as inspiration, she creates still lifes from her leftovers, milk jugs, and fruit salad. As a student of art history she incorporates an appreciation for traditional composition while altering the surface by scraping, sanding, stroking, and glazing. These techniques inject motion and temporality into her pieces. Working with such a relatable subject matter, her paintings conflate the human experience and fine art.

March 21: Archie Borders (filmmaker)

Archie Borders is a director, producer, and screenwriter working out of Louisville, Kentucky. He has built a niche as a regional filmmaker with work that has been distributed nationally and that usually has showcased his home State of Kentucky. In addition to his role as a director and screenwriter, Archie has also produced works for other filmmakers from around the country. HIs work has been featured at the Sundance Film Festival, Slamdance, South by Southwest, San Francisco Film Festival and many others.

April 1: Julie Leidner (gallery owner/artist)

Drawing from mythologies found in the Appalachian landscape, Julie Leidner is a Louisville-based  artist who creates paintings and drawings that are part fantasy and part history. The character of the artist-cavewoman recurs in her work as an archetypal adolescent who moves through environments while learning to be human, and making/desiring things. Using paint as a primary medium, along with collage, performance, and publishing projects, Leidner’s practice digs into the layers of shared human impulses, and posits an alternate reality where time and distance can be collapsed.

Julie Leidner has participated in group exhibitions at KMAC Museum (2015) and Zephyr Gallery (2015) in Louisville, ACNY Spattered Columns in Brooklyn (2013), Samson Projects in Boston (2011), and UnSmoke Projects in Pittsburgh (2010). In 2013 she had a digital solo exhibition in 57Cell, curated by Gregory Kalliche, sponsored by Blonde Art Books, in Brooklyn, NY. She is currently a long-term Artist-in-Residence at St. Francis High School in downtown Louisville, and runs an experimental exhibition space in Old Louisville called Sheherazade. In addition to being awarded a grant from the Great Meadows Foundation to fund her participation at Residency Unlimited in 2018, Julie was recipient of a Mary Hadley Prize in 2015 and a Kentucky Foundation for Women Grant in 2014 and 2011.

April 8-9: Ben Santiago (graphic designer)

Benjamin Santiago is a multi-disciplinary performance artist. He recently graduated from the Cranbrook Academy of Art,from the 2D Design program under Elliott Earls.

He is currently exploring a body of work involving Spaundou, a language of his own creation. Spaundou is expressed in performance, music, and video, most recently troh-seht whah-zhej ee-woon-doo-zha-mah ah-yoo-ohb, a 30 minute performance at the Cranbrook Art Museum.

For this performance he received the Mercedes-Benz Emerging Financial Services Emerging Artist Award, for which he will be in Berlin for two months at Künstlerhaus Bethanien.

April 24: Rebecca Norton (Painter/sculptor and Spalding art adjunct professor)

Rebecca Norton, born 1981, received her BFA from the University of Louisville in 2004 and her MFA from Art Center College of Design in 2010. Norton’s studio practice encompasses 2D and 3D design, collaboration, digital modeling and animation. Her work explores theories of synthesis and connectivity as they relate to the activity of reconstructing reality in vision and thought. She takes a special interest in the formal mapping of mathematical and generative forms, color theory, the study of perspective in art and architecture, and theories of attraction. Norton has exhibited nationally and internationally, including shows at California State University, Long Beach, CA, The Carnegie Center for Art and History, New Albany, IN, and Schneiderel.Home.Studio.Gallery, Vienna, Austria. She has been a contributing writer for The Brooklyn Rail, Arts in Bushwick and Abstract Critical. Rebecca Norton currently lives and works in Louisville, KY.

May 15: Douglass Miller (Illustrator/printmaker and Spalding art adjunct professor)

Douglas Miller is a professional artist whose drawings are exhibited regionally and in galleries across the United States. Additionally, Douglas does freelance illustrations as well as private and corporate commissions. His artwork is in the collection of the Evansville Museum of Arts and Science, the University of Louisville, the Speed School of Engineering, and numerous private collections. Douglas lives and works in Louisville, Kentucky.

Spalding University’s Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Leadership Program, in partnership with Ignite Louisville and Young Professionals Association of Louisville (YPAL), welcomes the public to the launch of the Abramson Leadership Exchange – a series of executive panel discussions moderated by former Mayor Jerry Abramson and featuring leaders from public-sector, corporate and nonprofit organizations.

The first Abramson Leadership Exchange discussion will be held 9-11 a.m., Saturday, March 2 at Spalding’s Egan Leadership Center. The topic will be crisis management and communication, and the panelists will include Chad Carlton, President of C2 Strategic Communications; Laura Douglas, retired Vice President of Corporate Responsibility and Community Affairs for LG&E and KU Energy; Phil Lynch, retired Vice President and Director of Corporate Communications at Brown-Forman; and Thomas Noland, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications for Humana.

Audience members will have an opportunity to ask question to the panelists and Abramson, who now serves as Spalding’s Executive in Residence.

The event is free and open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis, but because space is limited, attendees must register online on the Abramson Leadership Exchange: Crisis Management event page or at spalding.edu/edd under the EVENTS label. Coffee, donuts and free parking next to the building will be provided.

REGISTER FOR THE ABRAMSON LEADERSHIP EXCHANGE ON MARCH 2

“We want to give folks some real-life insight into why and how leaders in a variety of fields make the kind of decisions that they do for their organizations,” Abramson said. “Our panelists have high-level experience participating in the process of decision-making that required them to take into account budgetary considerations, safety concerns, politics and public relations, as well as the interests of a wide range of stakeholders.”

Future sessions of the Abramson Leadership Exchange are scheduled for Aug. 3 and Nov. 9. Topics for the other 2019 sessions will also be related to media and communication.

“The thoughtful conversations that will take place through the Abramson Leadership Exchange align with the kind of dialogue and sharing of ideas that are a key component of Spalding’s Ed.D.: Leadership Program,” said Dr. Linda LaPinta, director of the doctoral program. “Mayor Abramson is one of the most experienced and respected leaders in our state, and this is a fantastic opportunity for current and aspiring leaders from all sorts of organizations to engage with him and these distinguished panelists.”

LEARN MORE ABOUT SPALDING’S DOCTORAL PROGRAM IN LEADERSHIP

Abramson has been in his role at Spalding since last spring. He serves as a guest lecturer for undergraduate and graduate courses, helps develop programs such as a continuing-education certificate for city and county managers, and represents the university in the community.

Nicknamed “Mayor for Life” for having served five total terms as the leader of Louisville’s city government before and after its merger with Jefferson County, Abramson has also served as Kentucky’s Lieutenant Governor and as Deputy Assistant to President Obama and the White House Director of Intergovernmental Affairs.

About Spalding’s Ed.D.: Leadership Program: Spalding’s doctoral degree in Leadership is a terminal degree designed for senior or mid-management organizational leaders. The program prepares students with the knowledge, skill and evidence-based practice to impact policies and advance for-profit and not-for-profit businesses and educational organizations. The program has numerous community and global partners. The Ed.D. in Leadership is well-suited for individuals with careers in business, health care, social services, the arts, education and more. Additional information is available at spalding.edu/edd

About Young Professionals Association of Louisville (YPAL): YPAL provides leadership development, educational opportunities and philanthropic support to Louisville’s Young Professionals for the benefit of the local community. The mission of YPAL is to connect, engage and develop metro Louisville’s young professionals through community, professional and social opportunities. Additional information is available at ypal.org

About Ignite Louisville: Ignite Louisville, a program of the Leadership Louisville Center, prepares high-potential professionals, typically between 25-45 years old, for expanded opportunities in career and community leadership. Offered twice a year, Ignite Louisville is a six-month life-changing personal and professional development experience that produces the skills, confidence, problem-solving abilities and connections essential to realizing leadership potential. Participants gain hands-on experience in civic leadership and working effectively as a team through the Ignite Louisville Challenge. They also gain heightened visibility within the community. Additional information is available at www.leadershiplouisville.org/ignite-louisville