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Lindsey Wilson University 2025 Malvina Farkle Day T-Shirt Celebrates Service, Begley Chapel and an Opossum

Design by student Camryn Reece '26 of Edmonton, Kentucky, chosen in online vote.

by Duane Bonifer

COLUMBIA, Ky. (09/09/2025) — Lindsey Wilson University students never know when the university's Malvina Farkle Day will be held.

But this year, they will know the design of the T-shirt celebrating the iconic day.

A design by Camryn Reece '26 of Edmonton, Kentucky, was selected in an online vote to grace the front of this year's Malvina Farkle Day T-shirt.

Malvina Farkle Day is an annual celebration of a mythical Lindsey Wilson alumna and staff member who lived a life of service and fun and had a pet opossum. Classes are dismissed for the day so students can spend the morning working on community-service projects. The afternoon includes campus games and activities. All Lindsey Wilson students and employees are given a special T-shirt commemorating the day, which is traditionally announced early on the morning of the day it is held.

The 14 students in the "Computer Graphics I" class taught by art instructor Karly Flynn '17 submitted designs for this year's Malvina Farkle Day; Reece's work was selected from among five finalists.

Reece's winning T-shirt includes three images spread out horizontally across the chest of the T-shirt: a pair of hands supporting a heart to represent service; the university's new logo, which is based on the university's historic John B. Begley Chapel; and an opossum wearing a cowboy hat with the letters "LWU." Below the images appear the words "Malvina Farkle Day 2025" over "Lindsey Wilson University."

Reece said the inspiration for her design came from the day's history as well as the university's heritage.

"I wanted to do something with the past T-shirt designs, but I wanted to do something new without losing the old parts," said Reece, who is a communication and media studies double major with an emphasis in journalism.

Reece said it's especially an honor to have her design chosen for the first Malvina Farkle Day in the history of Lindsey Wilson University. Lindsey Wilson College became Lindsey Wilson University on July 1.

"It's going to be crazy and overwhelming to see everyone wearing a T-shirt with my design," she said. "It's like getting a nice little pat on the back."

Even more important, however, is that she said she hopes her design will bring attention to a day that is a big part of the Lindsey Wilson ethos.

"The day means helping the community out, and I think that's what Lindsey Wilson is all about -- just helping people," she said. "The day is so special to our community. It makes Lindsey Wilson more than a university. It's a place that is dedicated to helping people."

Lindsey Wilson University is a vibrant liberal arts university in Columbia, Kentucky. Founded in 1903 and affiliated with The United Methodist Church, the mission of Lindsey Wilson is to serve the educational needs of students by providing a living-learning environment within an atmosphere of active caring and Christian concern where every student, every day, learns and grows and feels like a real human being. Lindsey Wilson offers 28 undergraduate majors, five graduate programs and a doctoral program. The university's 29 intercollegiate varsity athletic teams have won more than 120 team and individual national championships.

Media Attachments

Lindsey Wilson University student Camryn Reece ’26 of Edmonton, Kentucky, shows her design, which was selected for this year’s Lindsey Wilson Malvina Farkle Day T-shirt.

The Lindsey Wilson University 2025 Malvina Farkle Day T-shirt design by student Camryn Reece ’27 of Edmonton, Kentucky. The images are, from left, a pair of hands supporting a heart to represent service; the university’s new logo, which is based on the university’s historic John B. Begley Chapel; and an opossum wearing a cowboy hat with the letters “LW.”

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