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Celebrate the Class of 2021

2021 Tributes

Learn about our mission coin tribute and award winners as they are announced.

2021 Ceremonies

Find your program’s ceremony and watch a livestream of the event.

Commencement Program

Check out our 2021 Commencement Program.

Spalding University Commencement tradition began when Henry Clay presented a diploma to the first graduate of Nazareth Academy, founded and operated by the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth. For years, the first Saturday of June has marked the day of celebration for our graduates. Even though the pandemic has forced us to break tradition, we will resume smaller in-person Commencement ceremonies this year..

Accessible video link

Celebrating our Graduates June 3-5

The accomplishments, perseverance and determination of this year’s graduates are worth celebrating. For our 2021 Celebration, we will host a series of smaller, in-person ceremonies by academic discipline on Thursday, June 3; Friday, June 4; and Saturday, June 5. See individual ceremony event pages and more details about regalia, guest tickets and masks on our Commencement information page.

2019 Spalding grad
Spalding graduate with family member at Commencement

Follow Us

Follow us on social media. Use the hashtag #SpaldingGrad so we can share your post with our followers.

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Spalding graduate in cap and gown blowing confetti towards camera.

Shining Bright

The Big Four Bridge will be lit up blue and gold June 3-5. Take a photo and tag us on social media.

Big Four Bridge lit up red and blue
Shannon Cambron poses with graduate daughter Caroline
Spalding graduate in cap and gown
bucket of bronze-colored coins engraved with the Spalding mission statement

Spalding’s Director of Student Leadership and Service Learning, Anna Foshee, discusses the tradition of the Spalding mission coin and asks graduates to give a shout out to those who have inspired and supported them throughout their college career.

This Mother Catherine Spalding Service Learning Award is given to a graduating senior who embodies the spiritual values of faith, hope, and charity, exemplified by our founder, Mother Catherine Spalding. The recipient will have distinguished themself through outstanding service to the community, personal leadership, and witness to the dignity of human life as a person committed to meeting the needs of others in the spirit of Christ’s invocation to love one another as you love yourself.

2021 Recipient | Jaz’Myne Ware BS in Social Work

Read more about Jaz’Myne in “Commencement 2021 | A Rundown of Spalding’s University Award Recipients.”

2020 Recipient | Sally Rother BFA in Creative Writing

See more on Sally and our other 2020 Award Winners.

Jaz'Myne Ware accepts Mother Catherine Service Learning Award from Tori Murden McClure at Commencement
Kristen Garren accepts Mother Rose Meagher Senior Award from President Tori Murden McClure at Commencment

The Mother Rose Meagher Senior Award is presented annually to a graduating senior with an outstanding scholastic record who also displays exceptional qualities of maturity, judgment, and leadership in academic and co-curricular affairs. The award recipient is an individual who works diligently to achieve harmonious human relations and exhibits outstanding promise of becoming a worthy member of their chosen profession and a leader in the community.

2021 Recipient | Kristen Garren BS in Social Work

Read more about Kristen in “Commencement 2021 | A Rundown of Spalding’s University Award Recipients.”

2020 Recipient | Kasim Alsalman BS in Health Science

See more on Kasim and our other 2020 Award Winners.

The highest award bestowed by Spalding University, the Caritas Medal has recognized the alumna or alumnus of the year since 1961. “Caritas,” meaning “charity” in Latin is a central element of the motto of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth: “Caritas Christi Urget Nos,” or “The Charity of Christ Urges Us.” As such, the Caritas medalist is recognized for his or her contributions in a particular field and for exemplifying a spirit of service consistent with the mission and tradition of Spalding.

In 2020, we posthumously honored a graduate of our College of Education. In 2021, at a time when the nation and world continue to celebrate the contributions of nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic, we honor two distinguished graduates of the Spalding University School of Nursing.

Spalding Alumna of the Year Vicki Hines Martin with Tori Murden McClure at Spalding Commencement

2021 Medalist | Vicki Hines-Martin BSN ’75, M.A.Ed. ’83

Spalding Alumna of the Year Mary Romelfanger with Tori Murden McClure

2021 Medalist | Mary Romelfanger BSN, ’76

Read more about Vicki and Mary in “Commencement 2021 | A Rundown of Spalding’s University Award Recipients.”

2020 Medalist | Perry Sangalli, Ed.D. ’98

See more on Dr. Sangalli and our other 2020 Award Winners.

The criteria for this prestigious award include the completion of at least four years of full-time faculty service with an emphasis on activities that embody the mission of Spalding University. In the spirit of the Spalding mission, the recipient of the Outstanding Faculty Award will have made a significant impact on students in areas such as teaching, advising, facilitating student research, promoting peace, justice and cultural understanding, providing support services, encouraging extracurricular activities, or in any other aspect of student life, both in and out of the classroom.

2021 Recipient | Donna Elkins, PhD Professor, School of Communications

Read more about Dr. Elkins in “Commencement 2021 | A Rundown of Spalding’s University Award Recipients.”

2020 Recipient | Brenda Nash, PhD Chair & Professor, School of Professional Psychology

See more on Dr. Nash and our other 2020 Award Winners.

Donna Elkins accepts Outstanding Faculty Award from President Tori Murden McClure at Commencement
Online student working on laptop while dog watches

You can follow our Countdown to the 2021 Celebration Facebook event. Here are some of the things you can expect to see happening on social and online:

We’ll be announcing our 2021 Award Winners.

Spalding grads can use our social media accessories (PDF) to customize your graduation photos.

  • To use our Facebook frame, just click on your Facebook profile image and hit “add frame” then search for Spalding University Graduate.
  • To add school spirit to your Instagram stories with our animated stickers and GIFs, search Spalding University.
  • To use our Snapchat geofilter, create a Snap and swipe left through the filters. Our event filter will be available on campus June 3, 4 and 5, so make sure to enable location services.
  • Don’t forget to tag our Spalding University social media accounts, and use the hashtag #SpaldingGrad so we can share your post with our followers

We’ll light up the Big Four Bridge blue and gold.

We’ll share a recap video of Commencement.