With Commencement approaching on June 1, Spalding is publishing a series of stories and Q&A’s that highlight students from a range of degree programs who are set to graduate. Next up is Allison Campbell, who is earning the degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. She is also a Student Media Ambassador and has contributed guest blogs for this site on her decision to transfer to Spalding, her thoughts on attending MFA in Writing lectures and her experience in the study-abroad trip to Ireland.

What is your favorite Spalding memory?
My favorite Spalding memory is taking a giant leap out of my comfort zone and studying abroad in Ireland with fellow Spalding students, faculty, and staff.

Which accomplishments are you most proud of during your time at Spalding?
During my time at Spalding, I am most proud of my completion of an internship with Louisville Literary Arts, pitching a novel to two literary agents whom I connected with through my internship, and writing stories that have helped me develop my writing craft.

What’s your favorite spot on campus?
My favorite spot on campus is the Mansion because it’s antique and creaky like out of an old movie.

At Spalding, we like to say that, “Today is a great day to change the world.” For many of our students, Commencement is a world changing experience. After graduation, how do you plan to change the world, big or small, and who inspires you to be a #spaldingworldchanger?
After graduation, I plan to change the world with my writing by telling stories that can help inspire people, make them laugh and make them feel like they aren’t alone. My brother, Sean Campbell, who works in financial aid at Spalding) inspires me to be a #spaldingworldchanger because he always does the right thing, loves to help other people and challenges me to be the best person I can be.

With Commencement approaching on June 1, Spalding is publishing a series of stories and Q&A’s that highlight students from a range of degree programs who are set to graduate. Next up is Kay Vetter, who is earning the degree of Doctor of Education: Leadership (Ed.D.). She also serves as Spalding’s Executive Director of Institutional Effectiveness, overseeing matters related to the university’s accreditation and institutional compliance.

What is your favorite Spalding memory?
They day of the solar eclipse and a real sense of real community in sharing that experience with coworkers, students and families. It was a special point in time, a unique event that was made special by experiencing it with others around me. Celebration and learning came together, as was evidenced by the fun and interesting conversations I had that day.

Which accomplishments are you most proud of during your time at Spalding?
One would be leading Spalding through our last Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) regional accreditation process with fantastic outcomes.

Another would be finishing and successfully defending my doctorate last month.

What’s your favorite spot on campus?
Sitting under the arbor outside the ELC, especially when it is full of pink blossoms in the spring.

At Spalding, we like to say that, “Today is a great day to change the world.” For many of our students, Commencement is a world-changing experience. After graduation, how do you plan to change the world, big or small, and who inspires you to be a #spaldingworldchanger?
This is a really hard question to answer. The most honest answer to this question is that I will try to be the best person I can be, to challenge myself to be kind and to continue to grow and be self-reflective in terms of my actions and my words. To try and remember to bring positivity, critical thinking and fun to my job and to support my coworkers and students. In short, bring light into my world.
Who inspires me to be a world changer? Children, and their excitement at seeing the good in people and the world.

Is there anything else you would like to share about your Spalding experience?
I have been through some good times and some tough times while I have been at Spalding, and I am impressed with how resilient and creative the faculty and staff are when we are faced with challenges. There is something really special about this institution and the people and students who are a part of it. I cannot find the words to describe it, but you can feel it when you are here.

What is your favorite Spalding memory?
It’s hard to choose a specific memory. My entire time melded together to create an everlasting fondness that is literally unforgettable.

Which accomplishments are you most proud of during your time at Spalding?
The true friendships I’ve made and cherish, the outstanding grades I’ve worked so tirelessly for, and in general, just how much I’ve thrived here.

The tulip poplar tree in the Mansion Complex courtyard.

What’s your favorite spot on campus?
The giant tulip poplar tree between Mansion East and West. In the 1970s, my grandmother graduated from Spalding. She is one of the biggest reasons why I chose to transfer here. Every day I get to walk past that tree like my grandmother had, and it’s like I am following in her footsteps – looking up through those leaves like she did, knowing that I, too, am in this place and this moment for a reason.

Everyone here inspires me, from the custodians to the president of Spalding herself! Ms. Pat comes to work every day with a smile on her face, and she always asks me about my day. My professors challenge me to grow and examine the world. The president inspires me to push myself harder and make it farther every day.

Is there anything else you would like to share about your Spalding experience?
This is the most amazing institution. I am in awe of everything that is accomplished in this school and everything I have done here. Everyday I am reminded that being here is a privilege!

Spalding University’s Festival of Contemporary Writing, the state’s largest fall-spring reading series, takes place this Saturday, May 25, through Friday, May 31, with faculty and alumni of Spalding’s low-residency Master of Fine Arts in Writing program.

The MFA program’s Distinguished Visiting Writer, Terese Marie Mailhot, delivers a public presentation on Thursday, May 30. She is the New York Times-bestselling author of Heart Berries, a powerful, poetic memoir of a woman’s coming of age on the Seabird Island Indian Reservation in the Pacific Northwest. Her book was also listed as a Best Book of the Year by NPR, Library Journal, the New York Public Library, and the Chicago Public Library and was one of Harper’s Bazaar’s Best Books of 2018. Mailhot is the winner of the inaugural Spalding Prize for Peace and Justice in Literature.

Festival events will be held at Spalding’s Egan Leadership Center and the Brown Hotel, as noted below. Plenty of free parking is available for the campus readings. All readings and events are free, ticketless, and open to the public.

5-6 p.m. Saturday, May 25. (Egan Leadership Center, 901 S. Fourth St.) Reading by Spalding President and MFA alum Tori Murden McClure, author of A Pearl in the Storm, which was released 10 years ago and which recounts her solo row across the Atlantic Ocean 20 years ago. A book signing will follow. Books available for sale until 2 p.m. at the Follett campus bookstore, which is located out the south door of the Egan Leadership Center.

5:15-6:15 p.m. Sunday, May 26. Faculty Reading. (Egan Leadership Center, 901 S. Fourth St.) Greetings by Associate Program Director Lynnell Edwards.

● Greg Pape (poetry), Four Swans: Poems
● Kira Obolensky (playwriting), Why We Laugh: A Terezin Cabaret
● Fenton Johnson (creative nonfiction, fiction), Everywhere Home: A Life in Essays; The Man Who Loved Birds
● Keith S. Wilson (poetry), Fieldnotes on Ordinary Love
● Leah Henderson (writing for children & young adults), One Shadow on the Wall
● Eleanor Morse (fiction), White Dog Fell from the Sky
● Kathleen Driskell (poetry), Blue Etiquette

5:30-6:30 p.m. Monday, May 27. Faculty Reading. Celebration of Recently Published Books by Faculty. Book signing to follow. (Egan Leadership Center, 901 S. Fourth St.)

● Elaine Neil Orr (fiction, creative nonfiction;), Swimming Between Worlds, Gods of Noonday: A White Girl’s African Life
● Lynnell Edwards (poetry), Covet
● Kirby Gann (fiction, creative nonfiction), Ghosting; John Knowles’ A Separate Peace: Bookmarked
● Minda Reves (Bachelor of Fine Arts director)
● Robin Lippincott (fiction, creative nonfiction), Our Arcadia; Blue Territory: A Meditation on the Life and Art of Joan Mitchell
● Julie Brickman (fiction), Two Deserts: Stories
● Larry Brenner (screenwriting, playwriting), Bethlehem; Saving Throw Versus Love

5:30-6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 30. Presentation by Distinguished Visiting Writer Teresa Marie Mailhot, author of Heart Berries: A Memoir. Book signing to follow. Books must be purchased prior to the event at the Follett campus bookstore, located at the south door of the Egan Leadership Center. (Egan Leadership Center, 901 S. Fourth St.)

● Terese Marie Mailhot, Heart Berries: A Memoir

3:30-4:30 p.m. Friday, May 31. Session I. Celebration of Recently Published Books by Alumni. Book signing to follow. Books provided by Follett Bookstore. (Brown Hotel, 1st fl., Citation Room, 335 W. Broadway)

● Teneice Durrant (poetry), Glass Corset
● Angela Jackson-Brown (poetry), House Repairs
● Mary Popham (fiction), The Wife Takes a Farmer
● Karen George (poetry), A Map and One Year
● Katerina Stoykova (poetry), Second Skin

4:45-5:45 p.m. Friday, May 31. Session 2. Celebration of Recently Published Books by Alumni. Book signing to follow. Books provided by Follett Bookstore. (Brown Hotel, 1st fl., Citation Room, 335 W. Broadway)

● Paul Ruben (fiction), Terms of Engagement: Stories of the Father and Son
● Alice Gorman (fiction), Valeria Vose
● Heather Wyatt (creative nonfiction), My Life With(out) Ranch
● Phil Cohen (fiction), Stories in a Flash
● Savannah Sipple (poetry), WWJD and Other Poems
● Flora Schildknecht (fiction), Megafauna: Stories and Screenplay

The reading schedule may change without notice. Check Facebook.com/SpaldingSchoolofWriting for updated information under the “Events” tab. For more information, call 502-873-4400 or email [email protected].

The School of Creative and Professional Writing at Spalding University offers three low-residency programs, including the flagship 65-credit-hour MFA in Writing Program; a 35-credit Master of Arts in Writing, offering tracks in creative writing and professional writing; and a 15-credit graduate certificate in writing, also with two tracks. The School of Writing offers concentrations in fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, writing for children and young adults, screenwriting, playwriting, and professional writing. Students begin the semester in the spring, summer, or fall with a residency in Louisville or abroad, then return home for an independent study with a faculty mentor for the rest of the semester. Students may customize the location, season, and pace of their studies. See spalding.edu/schoolofwriting for more information, or find us on Twitter @SpaldingWriting.

With Commencement approaching on June 1, Spalding is publishing a series of stories and Q&A’s that highlight students from a range of degree programs who are set to graduate. Next up is Cameron Ferguson, who is set to receive a bachelor of science in accounting degree. He is also a member of the Student Government Association and the Social Media Ambassadors program.

What is your favorite Spalding memory?
I have a lot of great memories at Spalding University. I have met a lot of wonderful and awesome people here and have made a lot of awesome friends. I have also joined several campus organizations during my final year at Spalding, including the SGA Senate and the Social Media Ambassadors. I think that my favorite memory at Spalding would have to be when I had the opportunity to portray Spalding’s new mascot, Ollie the Eagle, this past year for the first time ever. I was able to reprise my role as a mascot for the first time since my senior year in high school, where I did it for 2 1/2 years. I had a lot of fun doing it back in high school and not only that, I did it as a way to work on my social skills because of how I have Autism. I was thinking of different ways on how I could work on improving my social skills, and I found that being a mascot was a great idea to do because I had great results each time I did it, I also learned a lot about being a mascot, and I found it to be rewarding. Not only was I able to bring a smile and a laugh or two to people, but I brought a smile to myself afterwards because of how fun it was for me to go out there as Ollie the Eagle and be the silly, goofy person that most people that know me, don’t get to see much in me at all. While I may have gotten to do it for only one time, it was the best time of my life, and I loved it.

What accomplishments are you most proud of during your time at Spalding?
There are a lot of accomplishments that I achieved at Spalding that I am very proud of, but I think one of my biggest was being invited to join the Spalding School of Business’ prestigious organization Sigma Beta Delta. It was such an honor to have joined this organization last year and become a member because of how I was recognized for all of my hard work and good grades. As a result of this selection, I was also given a special graduation cord that I can wear at Commencement. I will be very happy and proud to wear it.

What’s your favorite spot on campus?
That’s a tough one. I don’t know if I do have a favorite spot on campus. I have been to every building on campus, and I have seen almost every part of those buildings, too. It is hard to decide which place on campus is my favorite spot to hang out at. I do know that the library is one of my No. 1 places to go to and just work on stuff and hang out, so I guess you could say it’s my favorite place on campus.

At Spalding, we like to say that, “Today is a great day to change the world.” For many of our students, Commencement is a world changing experience. After graduation, how do you plan to change the world, big or small, and who inspires you to be a #spaldingworldchanger?
I have several different goals that I want to pursue after graduation pretty soon. I am thinking about coming back to Spalding to join the MSBC Program. But I know that I must find my first full-time job and pay off my student loans before I can think about coming back for grad school. I’m hoping that by getting my master’s degree, that I could expand my knowledge and try to make an impact or a difference in the world, by putting myself into new situations that I don’t know much about and try to find a solution to it.

And because I’ve enjoyed it so much, I want to hopefully try to become a professional mascot somewhere for one of the many pro sports teams in the United States, while also continuing to be an accountant, too.

Some of my biggest influences have been some of my closest friends and my family because they have believed in me and they are very proud of me for everything that I have done. Two people who I think are my biggest influences and inspirations for being a Spalding World Changer are fellow classmate, friend, and former SGA President Scotty Brooks, and fellow Spalding alumnus and former SGA President Chris Muncy. They are probably just the most down-to-earth, nicest people I have ever met, and I’m just so happy that I have gotten to know them for the past year I have looked up to these two guys each day since I started my last year here, and they have always believed in me. Scotty would sometimes give me pep talks every now and then, and I would also enjoyed listening to him give them to me because it wasn’t for him and for Chris, I never would have done all of the amazing stuff that I did this past year, and I thank them each day for it because of how awesome they are. Also, if it wasn’t for their hard work for serving on the SGA Executive Board as well, I never would have called Spalding a second home.

Additionally, Spalding Marketing Director Amanda Lucas has also become one of my biggest inspirations at Spalding because she was the person who persuaded me to come to the university five years ago, when I first met her at a college fair at my high school. So thank you, Amanda, for being an awesome person and one of my biggest inspirations. Lastly, I want to say thank you to everyone else whom I’ve met at Spalding throughout the last four years! You have also been a big influence on me and on my college journey, too. I also wish everyone the best of luck down the road and to always have fun! Once again, thank you, Spalding University, and go Golden Eagles!

What is your favorite Spalding memory?
My favorite memory at Spalding University was actually transferring from a different school to here. Everything was so organized and professional. When I needed the help or had any questions I was able to ask people, and within that same day I got the answer that I needed.

What accomplishments are you most proud of during your time at Spalding?
Graduating, of course! I’ve only been here two years to finish out my collegiate career, but graduating is something I am most proud of because I will be the first generation in my immediate family to graduate college.

What’s your favorite spot on campus?
My favorite spot would have to be the Egan Leadership Center, specifically the financial aid office, with the reason being that they work so hard behind the scenes to get everything handled without breaking a sweat. Also, I was able to gather valuable information about student loans and counseling from them as well.

At Spalding, we like to say that, “Today is a great day to change the world.” For many of our students, Commencement is a world-changing experience. After graduation, how do you plan to change the world, big or small, and who inspires you to be a #spaldingworldchanger?
After graduation, my way of planning on changing the world, big or small, would be to help reform employee rights within the workplace. I’ve learned the ins and outs of the human resources field, business ethics, etc. With the knowledge I have I will go forth and make sure that I will reach out to individuals that have been denied certain rights to get them the proper resolution they need in the workplace.

Is there anything else you would like to share about your Spalding experience?
My experience at Spalding University would not have been great if it was not for Jimmy Rowland, my academic advisor. When I first started I had a different advisor, who ended up having to leave, so I was assigned Jimmy. Jimmy literally jumped right into action; every question I had was answered. Every concern I had was turned around to a positive outlook. And his whole vibe sets the mood for it being “a great day to change the world.” Jimmy saw so much drive in me that when I first got there I didn’t see in myself right off the bat. However, he is very encouraging and down to earth and made being a student more enjoyable.

Read more
Commencement Countdown | MSBC student Kelsey Gunther
Commencement Countdown | Art student Maddy Ezell

With Commencement approaching on June 1, Spalding is publishing a series of stories and Q&A’s that highlight students from a range of degree programs who are set to graduate. Next up is Kelsey Gunter, a candidate for a master of science in business communication degree. Kelsey previously worked as an admissions counselor at Spalding and now serves as recruitment coordinator at Assumption High School.

What is your favorite Spalding memory?
As simple as it sounds, my favorite memories are spending time with the people who make up Spalding – staff members, students and faculty. Enjoying lunch on the second floor ELC patio, walking to Ollie’s Trolley for some fries or celebrating milestones together. You will notice food is a common theme, but really it was the kind individuals that made these moments stand out.

What was your favorite spot on campus?
Anywhere there were free SteelCity Pops giveaways (smiling), or the Admissions Office. The admissions counselors are pretty cool people.

At Spalding, we like to say that, “Today is a great day to change the world.” For many of our students, Commencement is a world changing experience. After graduation, how do you plan to change the world, big or small, and who inspires you to be a #spaldingworldchanger?
Currently, I work at Assumption High School. I am grateful to have the opportunity to build relationships with these amazing young women and to lead and encourage the Assumption students as they discover who they are. I learn so much from them; their passions, dreams and aspirations inspire me daily.

Is there anything else you would like to share about your Spalding experience?
My advice to any student is get to know the people around you. You can make such an impact on someone just by being kind and sharing a little bit of love.

With Commencement approaching on June 1, Spalding is publishing a series of stories and Q&A’s that highlight students from a range of degree programs who are set to graduate. First to be featured is Madison Ezell, a candidate for a bachelor of fine arts in studio art degree, who is also a Spalding residence hall advisor and social media ambassador.

What is your favorite Spalding memory?
My favorite Spalding memory is when I got the opportunity to go to New York with a group of art students. On that trip I was able to see so much cool art, eat some really unique food and made so many fun memories with my friends. This trip gave me the opportunity to see so much art in real life, and I loved being able to get inspiration from everywhere I looked. Having the opportunity through Spalding to travel helped me develop my work and expand my understanding of art and art history.

What accomplishments are you most proud of during your time at Spalding?
I am most proud of the work I have put into my job as an RA. I feel like I have had the opportunity to constantly learn and grow through doing, and I have been able to develop leadership and organizational skills that I will take with me into my future career. I value the work I have been doing to help residents and to make their campus living experience better.

What’s your favorite spot on campus?
My favorite spot on campus is the main gathering area of the Egan Leadership Center. I have spent so much time with my friends there eating lunch and hanging out. It’s always a good meeting spot for us, and of course the POD is very close by if we want to grab something to eat.

At Spalding, we like to say that, “Today is a great day to change the world.” For many of our students, Commencement is a world-changing experience. After graduation, how do you plan to change the world, big or small, and who inspires you to be a #spaldingworldchanger?
I want to be able to bring art to people. I hope that once I graduate I will have the opportunity to expose people to art that will inspire them. I also want to keep making art that communicates ideas and makes people think about important issues. I am inspired by my group of friends because we help one another to create and encourage one another to pursue ideas. I think having a good network of supportive and creative people in my life has greatly contributed to my development as an artist and as a person.

For those with cancer or other acute medical concerns, a diagnosis comes with a whole new vocabulary. Medical jargon can feel like a different language even for native English speakers, and for those who immigrated from elsewhere, understanding treatment options can be downright overwhelming.

Spalding University senior nursing student Valentina Nikic experienced these cultural challenges firsthand when her father, who fled Bosnia in the 1990s, was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2015. She said her parents often struggled to understand what the doctors and nurses were trying to tell them, and that they sometimes felt disrespected due to their cultural differences. Though her father is now cancer-free, the experience stayed with her.

“At a very young age, I noticed that doctor’s appointments and hospital visits were scarier for my parents because of the lack of translators, knowledge and comfort,” she said.

Sadly, this was not the first time Valentina endured the cancer diagnosis of a loved one. In late 2011, when Valentina was a junior at Presentation Academy in Louisville, a man who had been instrumental in helping the family get settled in Louisville after fleeing Bosnia—and had since become something of a father figure to Valentina and her three older siblings—was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. He passed away within months.

“It was the first person I had lost in that way, and it happened so fast,” she said.

But through that dark time, Valentina once again found a bright spot in the nurses who cared for her friend. She recalls their boundless compassion and small acts of kindness that helped ease some suffering—not just for their patient, but for his loved ones as well.

“They were here for his close friends and family members too,” Valentina said. “They turned something that was sad and scary into something a little better.”

Now, Valentina is using those difficult experiences to change the world for patients and their families by offering them the same kindness, support, and understanding that she appreciated.

“I want to be that person that reminds patients that they can overcome what they are going through, or, if they are coming to the end of their life, make their last few weeks a little better,” Valentina said.

Valentina, who will continue her job as a telemetry nurse at Norton Children’s Hospital upon graduation this spring, said that she credits her Spalding professors for not only teaching her the technical skills to provide expert nursing care, but also for reinforcing the importance of connecting with patients as well. As a transfer student from a larger nursing program, Valentina said she appreciates Spalding’s smaller class sizes, and the personal attention she has received from her professors.

“My professors have put an emphasis on the fact that compassion encompasses nursing,” Valentina said. “I want to fully acknowledge patients’ cultural differences and include their translators so that they completely understand their medical diagnosis and recommended courses of treatment. And if they don’t, I want them to feel comfortable enough to ask questions.”

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SPALDING SCHOOL OF NURSING