Spalding University
Founders’ Day 2021

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September 20, 2021 UPDATE

In an abundance of caution and due to increasing safety concerns regarding the surge of COVID-19, all events that were planned to be in-person for Spalding’s annual Founders’ Day Weekend are being canceled or moved to a virtual platform.

We look forward to seeing you in person next year!  In the meantime, please join us for the following virtual events (click links in event descriptions for session login information):

 

Saturday, October 2

  • 10:00 - 11:00 am - ONLINE/VIRTUAL

Alumni College:  "Meeting the Needs of the Times: A History of Spalding University" lead by Dr. Kurt Jefferson, Dean of Graduate Studies

  • 4:00 pm - LIVESTREAMED/VIRTUAL

Mass in Mansion Chapel  Fr. Isaac McDaniel, celebrant.  Fr. McDaniel will bless medallion medals for 50-year alumni at Mass

September 20, 2021 UPDATE

In an abundance of caution and due to increasing safety concerns regarding the surge of COVID-19, all events that were planned to be in-person for Spalding’s annual Founders’ Day Weekend are being canceled or moved to a virtual platform.

We look forward to seeing you in person next year!  In the meantime, please join us for the following virtual events (click links in event descriptions for session login information):

Saturday, October 2

  • 10:00 - 11:00 am - ONLINE/VIRTUAL

Alumni College:  "Meeting the Needs of the Times: A History of Spalding University" lead by Dr. Kurt Jefferson, Dean of Graduate Studies

  • 4:00 pm - LIVESTREAMED/VIRTUAL

Mass in Mansion Chapel  Fr. Isaac McDaniel, celebrant.  Fr. McDaniel will bless medallion medals for 50-year alumni at Mass

Celebrating 100 Years of
Education in Downtown Louisville

On October 4, 1920, five Sisters of Charity of Nazareth welcomed a handful of students to the Tompkins-Buchannan-Rankin Mansion at 851 South Fourth Street for the first classes held at Nazareth College. Dedicating themselves to an enduring tradition of education, service, and compassion, these women succeeded in laying the foundation of today’s Spalding University.
2020 was a special Founders’ Day Weekend as we kicked off our Centennial Celebration, reflected upon the remarkable history of our university, and imagined what the next 100 years will hold for our compassionate community of  world-changers.

Students sitting around table outside
Ollie with students

Spalding Firsts:

  • First Catholic four-year women’s college in Kentucky (1920), Nazareth College, Louisville. Founded as Nazareth Academy, whose heritage connects directly to Spalding University, opened in 1814 in Nazareth, Kentucky
  • First library science courses taught at a college for the first time in Kentucky (1929)
  • First nursing education outside a hospital in Kentucky (1933)
  • First American college to offer a course in cancer treatment (1946)
  • First undergraduate nursing degree in Kentucky (1949)
  • First to admit Black students in the city of Louisville (1950)
  • First college in Kentucky to offer a master’s degree in library science (1952)
  • First college to offer the doctorate in clinical psychology (PsyD) in Kentucky (1982)
  • Spalding offers the first Doctor of Education (EdD) degree in the state (1990)
  • First Master of Fine Arts program in Kentucky (2001)
  • Spalding becomes the first certified “Compassionate University” in the world (2011)
  • First master’s degree in Athletic Training in Kentucky (2015)
  • First Certified Financial Planning® program (School of Business) in the city of Louisville (2019)
  • First Doctor of Social Work degree at a private institution in Kentucky (2020)

Source: “Meeting the needs of the times: A brief history of Spalding University," By Dr. Kurt W. Jefferson, Spalding University

Highlights of the weekend will include:

    • Spalding’s Annual Giving Day - October 1
    • Class of 1970 Golden 50th Reunion Medallion Ceremony and Brunch - October 4
    • Class Reunions for each Spalding class celebrating a 5- or 10- year reunion (e.g. ‘15, ‘10, ’05, etc.)
    • “Alumni College”  - mini classes taught by SU faculty and alumni*
    • Much more to be announced.

    To volunteer to help plan your class reunion, contact David Clark at dclark07@spalding.edu.

    Stay tuned to SU Alumni  Facebook and Instagram pages for upcoming announcements about Founders’ Day Weekend activities and events.

    Ollie with students
    * If you have any suggestions for Alumni College course topics that may be of interest to you or fellow alums, please email Chief Advancement Officer Caroline Heine at cheine@spalding.edu.
    “As I try to imagine those early days, I know St. Paul’s reminder to Timothy to ‘bear your share of hardship for the Gospel with the strength that comes from God’ was equally true of the women who dared to open Kentucky’s first four-year, liberal arts college for women. We stand on their shoulders.”
    Miriam Corcoran, SCN