Tag: events

Spalding’s annual spring chance has nearly arrived for students and alumni to network with employers, gain experience in the interview process and possibly land a job or internship.

About 30 employers (see list below) from around the region will be on campus on 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Feb. 20 for Spalding’s Spring Career Expo to meet and greet students and alumni, accept their resumes and explain openings they may have for full-time and part-time employment or internships.

The employers represented will include health care and hospital systems, social services organizations and other nonprofits, an accounting firm and the major corporations UPS and Amazon.

The university strongly encourages students to attend the Career Expo, which is sponsored by Spalding’s Career Development Center, and take advantage of this valuable opportunity.

“It’s just a really great chance to start networking and making connections with Louisville employers,” Spalding Career Development Coordinator Kimberly Palmore said. “A lot of these representatives will be in their current positions for a long time or could move to different places, and because Louisville is a small place, you never know who you are going to see again down the line. It’s a good chance to practice those networking skills, ask questions about employers in the community and see what kinds of jobs they hire.”

Palmore said students should engage all the employers – regardless of what their primary service or product may be – to see what kind of positions they have. Restaurants, for example, still need accountants, she said, and hospitals still need graphic designers and social media managers.

“It’s just looking into where you can fit into these businesses with your major,” Palmore said.

Palmore said several students have landed job interviews after connecting with employers at Career Development events like the Career Expo.

“It is useful,” Palmore said. “Students do get jobs from these (interactions).”

Palmore said students and alumni who attend the Career Expo should dress in business casual or business professional. (Information on proper business attire is available at the Career Development Center’s Pinterest page.)

Students and alumni should also bring copies of their resume to the Career Expo. Even if some of the employers prefer not collect paper resumes and instead direct students to go online to apply for position, it can still be helpful to have a resume on hand.

(Speaking of resumes, the Career Expo will also offer resume reviews and critiques from hiring professionals – a valuable service to help students understand what their resumes should include and how they should look.)

Palmore encourages students to have a elevator pitch about themselves prepared for when they meet employers, giving basic information such as their name, major, skills and interests and work goals. It’s also important to have a plan in mind of the kind of information you want to gain about an employer so that you can ask questions and start a nice conversation.

“Introduce yourself, shake hands – a nice, firm handshake is always good – take business cards when you can,” Palmore said.

Palmore said students should value the business cards they collect and follow up with the representatives with whom they had extensive conversations to thank them and ask if they have additional questions. It’s also smart to ask the employer reps if they have a LinkedIn account to follow.

Palmore has been at Spalding for about a year after previously working in academic advising at the University of Louisville and Jefferson Community and Technical College, and she said she’s always been interested in setting students on the right course to launch their careers.

The Career Development Center, which is located in the Egan Leadership Center, Suite 200, offers services and programs throughout the year.

Palmore said she wants to be a resource for students to become the best job candidates they can be upon the completion of their degrees – advising them on their resumes and cover letters, honing their interview skills and informing them of the types of places they should look for work as well as what kind of graduate programs they should be researching to meet their career goals. She also gives advice on the appropriate use of social media, with regard to how employers may view it.

The Career Development Center recently held its annual etiquette dinner, in which outstanding students nominated by faculty were invited to participate in what amounts to a formal business dinner and social setting. The students practiced navigating a menu and the etiquette for ordering and socializing when they’re the guest of a potential employer.

Employers participating in Spalding’s Spring 2019 Career Expo

Adecco
Amazon
Baptist Health Louisville
Bluegrass.org
Centerstone of Kentucky
Chick-fil-A of Glenmary
DMLO CPAs
ElderCare 4 Families
Enterprise Holdings
Episcopal Church Home
Frazier History Museum
Home Instead Senior Care Louisville
Homewatch Caregivers
Jefferson Memorial Forest
KentuckyOne Health
Maryhurst
Mike’s Carwash
National Processing Center, U.S. Census Bureau
Nazareth Home of Clifton
Owensboro Health
PhysAssist Scribes Inc.
ScribeAmerica
Semper Blue Professional Services Inc.
Speedway
SpringHill Camps
UPS

The Spalding University art department welcomes the entire Spalding community to an afternoon at the Speed Art Museum today, Friday, Feb. 8 for the first Winter Social at the Speed, with multiple activities organized by the Spalding art faculty and the Frazier History Museum.

The Winter Social will be held from 1-4 p.m. Like always, general admission to the Speed is free with a Spalding ID for all Spalding students and benefit-eligible faculty and staff through the university and museum’s educational institution partnership.

Spalding art history professor Dr. Flint Collins, who is in his first year as a full-time SU faculty member and who organized the Winter Social, said that the Winter Social serves as an invitation to students, faculty and staff from programs across the university to meet students and faculty of the art department while also enjoying the rich resources and art of the Speed, 2035 S. Third St.

“I would invite anybody to come out and just hang out, even if they don’t participate in some of the activities,” Collins said. “We invite anybody to come down and join us. We hope it’ll give folks a little break to get off campus and come hang out and interact with the art department. Community building is one of the goals of it.”

READ MORE: Information on Spalding’s Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Arts program

Activities planned included sketching, guided tours, an open-mic poetry reading and a screening at the Speed Cinema of Oscar-nominated animated shorts (extra paid admission required, though some free tickets are available for students, first-come, first-served). At 1:15, there will be an opportunity to sketch a live model, restaging a portrait from the collection, sponsored by the Frazier History Museum.

Collins hopes the Winter Social will raise awareness to the Spalding community of the benefit of its free access to the Speed. He said he takes students there all the time, hopping on the free TARC LouLift bus (stop on South Third Street near the Spalding Library) and making the short ride south to the museum.

“It’s a really great resource to have,” Collins said. “A part of this Winter Social is to help people understand that.”

Collins came to Spalding this fall after serving as an adjunct professor at multiple universities. He holds master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Louisville and also has worked at the Speed.

He has a background in museum education, “so I’m a big advocate for getting students in the museum and looking at actual artwork, as opposed to just slides,” Collins said.

Collins said he’s enjoyed his time so far at Spalding working under new art program director Deborah Whistler and teaching Spalding students. Collins is also working with art seniors on their senior theses and preparing for that year-ending show before commencement.

“It’s been great,” Collins said. “The students are real curious and responsive. We’ve dived right in.”

Here’s the full schedule of Spalding’s Winter Social at the Speed:

1-4 p.m. : Sketching in the galleries; gallery games; information table with “Slow Down at the Speed” mindfulness podcast; internship, membership and programming information.

1:15-2:15: Sketch a live model

2-3: “Secrets and Stories” guided docent tours

2:30-3:30: Open-mic poetry readings at the atrium.

3:30-4:30: Cinema screening of Oscar-nominated animated shorts (extra paid admission required, though some complimentary students are available first-come, first-served.)

Spalding is having a huge Spirit Week starting Monday, Feb. 4 and leading up to Homecoming on Saturday, Feb. 9! It’s a great time to let loose and have fun with everyone, and to cheer on our Golden Eagles’ men’s and women’s basketball teams during their Homecoming doubleheader against MacMurray.

The basketball games on Saturday will be at 1 p.m. (women) and 3 p.m. (men) at Columbia Gym, and that night, from 9 p.m.-1 a.m., we’ll have a Gatsby-themed Homecoming dance at the College Street Ballroom. Everyone should expect lots of awesome music, dancing, an amazing backdrop for pictures, endless snacks to keep your energy up, and, of course, we will find out who our kings and queens are!

This is a time for everyone to forget about school for a couple of hours and just hang out with all of your friends. At last year’s Homecoming dance, about 120 student attended. We want to double that number this weekend. The more people, the more alive the party can be.

Each day of Spirit Week has a theme:

Monday: PJ Day

Tuesday: Jersey Day

Wednesday: Duo Day

Thursday: Throwback Thursday

Saturday (Game Day): Blue and Gold

Saturday night (Dance Night): Wear whatever you feel comfortable dancing in, but with the Gatsby theme, it wouldn’t hurt to sport your best 1920s costume!

If you’re a Spalding student, here is the link to vote for kings and queens. (You must sign into your Spalding account to access the Google link.)

Homecoming and Spirit Week are organized by Spalding’s Campus Activities Board  (CAB), which seeks to make students’ campus-event ideas come to life. We try to provide students with things to do on a down week, and we want to build up school spirit. If you want to join CAB, contact me at jnelson03@spalding.edu.

I hope everyone gets into the spirit for Spirit Week and can make it to the games to support our Eagles on Saturday!

As part of Founders’ Weekend, Spalding University hopes alumni and the community at large will come get acquainted with its newest campus green space on Oct. 5-6 and take time to eat, drink and play some games.

Spalding welcomes the public to its inaugural free Founders’ Weekend Fall Festival at newly opened Trager Park from 4-9 p.m. that Friday and Saturday. There will be lawn games, including a nine-hole miniature golf course, inflatables, food trucks and beer served by Great Flood Brewing. AT&T Fiber is another sponsor.

The park is located at the corner of South Second and West Kentucky streets, and free parking will be available at the former Kroger building.

Bellissimo and Georgia Sweet Potato Pie Co. will offer food on Friday, and Street Food King will on both days.

“I think there will be a good variety of activities – food, games, music, the Spalding community and the nearby community, too, “ said Shaun McDonough, Spalding’s new director of student activities and recreation. “So I think it’ll be a great mixture for everyone.

“This being a big activity in Trager Park is really great, and I know in my role, I’m looking at what can we use that space for, whether it be intramurals or other things in the future.”

Trager Park is a 2.2-acre grassy park with 100 newly planted trees. It opened in November 2017 after the property was transformed from an unused asphalt lot. The fall festival will be one of the first official university events held at the park, and it’ll certain to be the biggest so far.

“We’re just seeing how things are growing at Spalding and how we’re just trying to do more,” McDonough said.

With alumni in town for reunion weekend and visiting prospects and their parents on campus, Spalding is hoping for a big festival crowd. The Spalding festival will also be the same weekend as the St. James Court Art Show, held up a short distance away in Old Louisville, and Spalding hopes St. James fans will stop by Trager Park afterward.

Spalding University will join a city-wide effort next month to train a world-record number of citizens in a suicide-prevention technique known as “QPR,” or “Question, Persuade, Refer.”

Spalding will be among the many sites around Louisville hosting free, public 90-minute training sessions during National Suicide Prevention Week, which is Sept. 9-15. The QPR course, designed for anyone 18 years or older, teaches the warning signs of suicide, how to offer help and how to refer people to get help.

Spalding’s sessions will take place in the Kosair Charities Health and Natural Sciences Building at the following times:

*Monday, Sept. 10, 12:30 – 2 p.m.
*Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2-3:30 p.m.
*Wednesday, Sept. 12, 12:30-2 p.m.
*Thursday, Sept. 13, 2:30-4 p.m.

To attend a Spalding session, participants MUST  register online.

As of Wednesday afternoon, more than 100 total people had registered for the Spalding sessions, with space limited, so those interested should register quickly to secure a spot.

Mayor Greg Fischer and city leaders are encouraging members of the public to share the word and get as many relatives, friends, coworkers, etc. as possible to participate in the training and try to establish a Guinness world record for the number of people trained in a single week. Registration information for the dozens of other free training sessions around Louisville can be found at qprlou.com.

No specialized mental health care training or expertise is required for those taking the training. Certified trainers will discuss myths about suicide, identify warning signs, outline how to talk to someone who may be thinking about suicide and how to persuade them to seek help.

QPR is similar to CPR in that it is designed to support an emergency response to someone in crisis, and to save lives.

Leaders from Spalding’s School of Professional Psychology, office of Counseling and Psychology Services (CaPS) and office of Residence Life are helping organize and conduct the training on this campus.

“Suicide prevention is everyone’s responsibility,” said Dr. Allison From-Tapp, director of Counseling and Psychological Services. “Anyone can learn to help prevent suicide with some questioning and compassion. QPR was designed to teach individuals to ask the question of suicide, persuade someone to get help, and make appropriate referrals. Through this 90-minute training you will learn the tools you need to help save a life and plant the seeds of hope.”

According to 2017 Home Equity Report, there were 584 suicide deaths in Jefferson County from 2011-15, compared with 333 homicides for the same period. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide rates are on the increase, and more than half of people who die by suicide do not have a known mental health condition.

“Suicide rates have been rising steadily over the past decade,” said Dr. Steve Katsikas, chair of the Spalding School of Professional Psychology. “Suicide cuts across geographic and demographic boundaries. It is an issue that can impact almost anyone. Learning how to intervene can make a difference and save a life. We are committed to providing training to our community to help make the widest impact possible.”

The city’s QPR undertaking has roots from 2016, when the Louisville Health Advisory Board’s Behavioral Health subcommittee held the Bold Moves Against Suicide Summit on Spalding’s campus.

Spalding University’s Columbia Gym Auditorium, 824 S. Fourth St., will be the site of the Courier Journal’s A Way Forward addiction panel discussion and information fair on Thursday, July 19 (5:30-8:30 p.m.). The event is underwritten by Find Help Now KY.

The free, public event is a part of the Courier Journal’s ongoing A Way Forward series examining solutions to Kentucky’s drug addition epidemic. According to the newspaper, the goal of the panel discussion is to “provide families with information on how to deal with addiction and how Kentuckians can find a way to solve this crisis — together.”

Here is a link to the Facebook event, and more schedule info is below.

Tiffany Cole Hall, an adjunct professor in the Spalding School of Social Work and a vice president for Volunteers of America Mid-States, will be one of the seven panelists. Hall, who oversees addiction recovery, HIV and homeless/housing services for VOAM, helped create Spalding’s addiction curriculum, and she now teaches in the program. Spalding offers a minor in addiction studies as well as numerous continuing education courses for the public that can be used toward the requirements of becoming a certified alcohol and drug counselor in Kentucky.

Hall and Volunteers of America Mid-States President Jennifer Hancock co-wrote a Courier Journal op-ed this month about addiction issues. The piece also describes the importance of college and universities like Spalding in training skilled, compassionate professionals to assist folks who are battling addiction.

If you or a loved one are battling addiction and looking for help, or just if you want to become more informed on addiction issues and the support services in our area, come check out the A Way Forward forum at Columbia Gym Auditorium.

Here is the event schedule for the evening of July 19:

5:30-6:30 p.m.: Information fair and naloxone training

Information fair participants: Centerstone, Find Help Now KY, The Healing Place, Kentucky Harm Reduction Coalition, Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness, Louisville Metro Police Department, The Morton Center, Our Lady of Peace, Renew Recovery, Spalding University, Young People in Recovery.

6:30-8:30 p.m.: Panel discussion addressing questions about prevention, recovery and solutions to our addiction epidemic, moderated by Laura Ungar, Courier Journal investigative reporter.

Panelists:

• Terry Bunn, University of Kentucky, Find Help Now KY
• Tiffany Cole Hall, Volunteers of America Mid-States and Spalding University School of Social Work
• Tara Mosely, Young People in Recovery
• Sgt. Paul Neal, Louisville Metro Police Department, Narcotics Unit
• Dr. Charles Noplis, Renew Recovery
• Stacy Usher, Wolfe County Coalition UNITED Against Drugs
• Maurice Washington, Chad’s Hope Teen Challenge

Here’s a summer invitation from Spalding University: Get some training on athletic training.

If you’re a teenage student who contributes to the athletic training staff of your high school’s sports teams, or if you’re just interested in learning about athletic training, an upcoming Spalding skills camp figures to be right up your alley.

Spalding’s Master of Science in Athletic Training program, partnering with the Kentucky Orthopedic Rehab Team (KORT), will host its second annual High School Athletic Training and Sports Medicine Workshop on Wednesday, June 20 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eighth-graders are also invited to participate. The cost is $30, and the deadline to register is June 15. Here is the link to sign up.

Spalding athletic training faculty member Sabrina Pletz said most of the students who attended camp last year were athletic training aides or team managers at their schools, or high school athletes, themselves, who have been hurt, gone through rehab and worked with an athletic trainer.

“People who attend the camp can definitely increase their skills,” Pletz said. “Taping is always something that students can do on the sideline at their high school. Basic first aid, assisting with spine boarding, splinting, these are all things they can learn and enhance their skills and take back with them if they’re helping out at their high school, or even middle school.”

The camp will include an overview of athletic training and demonstrations of taping, bracing, making splints, using a backboard and performing emergency procedures. Campers will also be introduced to some modalities and therapy devices such as an ultrasound machine, and they’ll learn some rehab techniques.

The Spalding athletic department’s strength and conditioning coach, Sarah Clinton, will meet with campers and explain the kind of work she does with athletes.

And the camp will conclude with the Athletic Trainer Olympics – a fun competition of relay races to test the campers’ skills.

The camp will start and finish at Spalding’s Columbia Gym, 824 S. Fourth St., which houses the university’s varsity basketball and volleyball gym upstairs and the athletic training room, fitness center and athletic department offices in the lower level.

There will also be a stop by Spalding’s athletic training lab in the Kosair Charities College of Health and Natural Sciences building., 901 S. Third St.

This is the first year Spalding and KORT, which employs many of the athletic trainers who work at area high schools, have partnered on the camp, and Pletz said she’s excited to have the KORT athletic trainers on hand to share their expertise.

The Spalding and KORT athletic trainers, such as Kevin Brown, who works with the Louisville Ballet, will explain the many kinds of job settings in which athletic trainers can work.

“There are military settings, industrial settings,” Pletz said, noting that Spalding has a couple graduates who are now ATs at GE. “It’s not always just taping ankles on the sideline. There is so much you can do. The settings are expanding by leaps and bounds.”

To the students who attend the camp and might want to make athletic training their profession, keep Spalding in mind for college. Spalding’s master’s in athletic training program was the first accredited athletic training graduate program in the state. And if you attend Spalding as an undergrad, you can begin taking courses toward your master’s during your senior year before you graduate. If you do it successfully, once you get your bachelor’s degree in natural science, you’ll need only one more year to get your master’s in athletic training.

“You can finish with a bachelor’s and a master’s in five years,” Pletz said. “That’s a big plus.”

RELATED: Commencement Q&A with Spalding track and field champ and future athletic trainer Katie Suiters 

Spalding commencement is almost here! On June 2, the university will continue its long tradition of holding a ceremony that celebrates the hard work and commitment of Spalding students who have completed their degree. Some of the same questions about commencement come up over and over from graduates, so we compiled what we hope is a helpful Q&A about the big weekend. Also visit Spalding.edu/commencement for information.

When and where is commencement?

Commencement is always held on the first Saturday of June; this year that’s June 2. The commencement ceremony will take place from 10 a.m.-noon, at Canaan Christian Church, 2840 Hikes Lane.

How many tickets do I get?

Four (not counting yourself).

Where do I pick up my tickets?

Follow the signs on the third floor of the Egan Leadership Center, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday.

How do I get extra tickets?

Sorry, Spalding can only guarantee four. Your best shot is to attempt to find classmates who are not using their full allotment and ask them if they have spare tickets.

When should I show up to the church on June 2?

Graduates must check in at 8:30 Saturday morning at Canaan, and the graduate lineup starts at 9. The actual commencement ceremony starts at 10.

When should my relatives show up?

Doors open at 8:30 a.m. Seats on the first floor and in the balcony of the sanctuary are available on first-come, first-served basis, and not every ticketed guest is guaranteed a seat. Guests arriving after 9:45, even if they have a ticket, will have to go to the overflow seating room (see below), so tell them to make sure not to be late if they want to sit in the sanctuary.

How does the overflow seating work?

If guests don’t have a ticket, they’ll be directed upstairs to the overflow room with seats where they can view a screen that shows the commencement ceremony. That said, there is also limited seating in the overflow room, so there’s no guarantee that every person who doesn’t have a ticket will get in the building. Spalding encourages only guests with tickets to come to commencement.

What about accessible seating at commencement?

Wheelchair and scooter-accessible space for guests with tickets is available on a limited basis within the direct viewing area in the sanctuary.  Please reserve one of these spaces in advance by emailing sdelaney@spalding.edu.

Do infants require a ticket?

No, so long as they don’t require their own seat. They must be sitting in an adult’s lap.

Where do I pick up my cap and gown?

The campus bookstore in the Egan Leadership Center. Students that placed their order at the Jostens Grad Fair on April 3-4 must have their student ID or driver’s license present during package purchase. As of May 17, there are also doctoral and master’s degree hoods there.

Can I still order a cap and gown?

Yes, a limited amount of extra regalia is available at the bookstore that be can purchased first come, first served while supplies last.

What should I wear under my cap and gown during commencement?

Whatever you want that feels comfortable. Be as formal or as casual as you want to be on your big day.

If my loved ones can’t make it, will commencement be livestreamed?

Yes, the home page of Spalding.edu will have a link to watch the same live video feed that is on screen in the sanctuary.

Is there a Facebook event for the commencement?

Yes, here’s our Facebook commencement event page. Click to let people know you’re coming. Speaking of Facebook, now that you’ll be transitioning from current Spalding student to proud Spalding alumnus, be sure to like the Spalding University Facebook page in order to keep up with everything going on at your alma mater.

How many are graduating?

As of May 17, the commencement list has 645 students.  This includes anyone who graduated in October 2017, November 2017, January 2018, March 2018 or May 2018 and anyone who is expected to finish in June 2018 or August 2018.  It also includes some doctor of clinical psychology (Psy.D.) students who will finish internships by October 2018. Of those nearly 650 total students, usually between 300-400 walk at commencement.

When do I get my diploma?

With its six-week schedules, Spalding actually is conferring degrees all year-round, so many of the people going through commencement already have officially graduated and received their diploma. This is now their opportunity to walk across the stage. For those just now completing degrees, assuming the students finish in good standing with the registrar – having paid their account balances and completed exit counseling with financial aid – paper diplomas will be mailed out and an email link to electronic versions of the diplomas will sent in about 2-4 weeks.

When you walk across the stage at commencement, you’ll receive a ceremonial diploma tube that includes various letters from the university and a coupon for a free transcript.

What other events are scheduled around commencement?

Friday is also a big day, with the annual Baccalaureate Celebration and College and School Awards Ceremonies and receptions being held. The ceremonies are a time for family and friends to commemorate the graduate’s accomplishments.

The Baccalaureate Celebration will be 9-10 a.m. Friday at the First Unitarian Church, 809 S. Fourth Street, right next to campus.

The awards ceremonies, held at different times and locations on or near campus, are personalized to the individual degree program or school and often feature visiting, faculty or student speakers. Degrees are not conferred at these events. Friends and family of graduates are welcome to attend a reception immediately following their graduate’s award ceremony.

11 a.m.

School of Professional Psychology (Calvary Episcopal Church, 821 S. Fourth St.)

Auerbach School of Occupational Therapy (Spalding University Auditorium, 824 S. Fourth St.)

College of Education (Greater Bethel Temple, 834 S. Third St.)

School of Liberal Studies & School of Natural Science (First Unitarian Church, 809 S. Fourth St.)

Athletic Training program (Egan Leadership Center Troutman Lectorium, 901 S. Fourth St.)

1 p.m.

School of Business & School of Communication (First Unitarian Church, 809 S. Third St.)

School of Social Work (Greater Bethel Temple, 834 S. Third St.)

School of Nursing (Spalding University Auditorium, 824 S. Fourth St.)

Kentucky College of Art and Design (849 Gallery, 849 S. Third St.)

Receptions
11:30 a.m.- 3 p.m. (following each College & School Awards Ceremony), College Street Ballroom, 812 S. Second St.

Should I wear my cap and gown to Baccalaureate and the awards ceremony?

Yes, to both.

What’s going on the day after commencement?

Take your family to Spalding’s 14th annual Day at the Downs! Spalding hosts a trip to Churchill Downs – and specifically Millionaire’s Row – every year on the Sunday after commencement. It’s a really fun event with a buffet lunch, cash bar, door prizes, silent auction and more. Tickets are $45 per person or $340 for a table of eight. Order your tickets. Hundreds of members of the Spalding community – and their families – will be there, so join the fun.

Great weather? Check.

Brand new park on campus? Check.

Friday afternoon was a perfect time to get outside at Spalding University.

In what the Office of Student Engagement hopes will become a tradition, Spalding held its first Field Day on Friday afternoon under sunny skies and warm temperatures at 7-month-old Trager Park. About 50 students, faculty and staff played dodge ball and kickball, had a water balloon fight and bounced around in a bouncy house all in the spirit of getting outside and enjoying college life together.

Anna Foshee, Spalding Director of Student Engagement, said the Field Day was organized in response to  feedback from lots of current and prospective students who have been wanting to see more intramural sports and activities on campus. She said her office hopes to develop more intramural programs next school year.

The Field Day was perhaps the first large campus event to take place at Trager Park, the 2.2-acre green space at the corner of Second and Kentucky streets that opened in November after being converted from an abandoned parking lot. The sodded lawn is now established and bright green, and more than 100 trees have been planted. The park was built with the idea in mind of being a site for intramural sports and campus events.

“This is amazing. It’s so nice,” Foshee said. “Besides using it for events, just showcasing it to students and making them aware of its existence and making them aware that they can access it whatever they want, that’s important. It’s going to be awesome for campus events, campus culture.”

Michaela Patton, Campus Activities Board president, said the entire third floor of Morrison Hall, where’s she’s the RA, was excited to come to Field Day.

“This is what Spalding is all about,” she said. “We’re family. It was a great chance for everybody to get together outside before the weekend starts, and with summer about to start and a lot of people going home for the summer, it was a great chance to enjoy being  together as a campus community.”

Patton, a junior, said the creation of Trager Park has made for a transformation in the lower part campus and that she believes the green space will benefit students and members of the neighborhood for years to come.

“It’s an amazing place,” she said. “It’s so open. It’s a great investment. It’s a great way to get the people on campus active.

“It used to be a big blob of parking lot and rocks. Now when I drive down this street with family or a friend, I point out the window at the park and say, ‘Hey, that’s my school!’ That’s amazing.”

Even some future Spalding students stopped by Field Day.

Spencer County High School seniors Andrea Nation and Sonyia Helton, who are committed to attend Spalding and study nursing next fall, accepted the invitation from the admissions office to come by Field Day to visit campus and meet some of their future classmates.

“I feel like it’s very welcoming,” Helton said. “It’s such a small-knit, tight college campus. Everyone knows everyone. I think this was a chance to get a jump and get a feel of how everyone treats each other and how friendly everyone is.”

Nation said she chose Spalding because it is close to home, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and has six-week block scheduling.

Visiting on Friday provided the chance “to meet new people, see new faces in making that transition from high school to college,” she said.

Four years of study in Spalding’s studio art program will culminate Thursday night, May 10, with the opening reception of the Senior Thesis Exhibition. The exhibit spans two galleries – the 849 Gallery at 849 S. Third St. and Huff Gallery across the street at the Spalding Library, 853 Library Lane. Pieces are also on display on the third floor of the library.

The opening reception is a free, public, ticketless event. The exhibit runs through June 3 – the day after Spalding Commencement. The Huff Gallery is always open to the public during library hours. After the opening reception, pieces at the 849 Gallery will be viewable by appointment by calling 502-873-4357

The Senior Thesis Exhibit will feature the work of 25 candidates for a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art, and it will encompass all facets of art instruction, from foundational courses in painting and drawing to the practical application of newly acquired skills in the use of modern technology and creative problem-solving.

The Senior Thesis Exhibit acts as a training ground of sorts for students to learn how to create and run their own art show. They have installed their own work and produced the supporting written descriptions, and the opening reception will be an opportunity to explain their work to the public and interact with collectors or other members of the art community.

Here are the exhibiting seniors:

Cindy Armendariz

Maria Armstrong

James Bixler

Jessica Booker

Allison Bratcher

Hollie Collins

Amanda H. Ellison

Annalise Fegan

Lucas Futrell

Shamia Gaither

Hannah Goodwin

Kristin Husk

Cody Johnson

Virginia Kavanaugh

Sarah Kinslow

Sarah Knoop

Lei Lorimor

Emily Meredith

Miguel Rodriguez

Desi Sallee

Mikky Shaffer

Elizabeth Stevenson

Aaron Storm

Jace Stovall

Damien Vines