On June 1, 763 undergraduate and graduate students of Spalding University participated in commencement exercises at Canaan Christian Church. It was the school’s largest graduating class.
Spalding’s Board of Trustees and the university community honored two individuals for “significant contributions in their fields of service,” a news release from the school said.
Nana Lampton, a businesswoman and artist, received a Doctor of Public Service, an honorary degree. Mary Haynes, chief executive officer and administrator of Nazareth Home, was awarded Spalding’s highest honor, the Caritas Medal alumni award.
The release said the two recipients “exemplify service, philanthropy, leadership and a dedication to the greater good.”
Lampton is the chairman and chief executive officer of Hardscuffle, Inc., and its subsidiary, American Life & Accident Insurance Company of Kentucky. She is also a poet and painter and works to advance the arts on the local and national level, the release said.
Caritas medalist Haynes is a 1977 nursing graduate from Spalding. She currently oversees Nazareth Home, a long-term care facility founded by the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth. According to the release, Haynes has been active in education and advocacy for patients with dementia and their caregivers.
Tori Murden McClure, president of Spalding University, introduced the inaugural Compassionate Partner Award. This honorary degree is the highest honor the university can bestow upon an organization. The 2013 recipient of this award is Kosair Charities. The charity group was honored for their “commitment to compassion and community-wide enrichment.”