Lindsey Wilson University Malvina Farkle Day 2025 a Day of Firsts

Area high school students take part in university's iconic day of service.

COLUMBIA, Ky. (09/25/2025) — Waking up early is not a practice usually associated with college students.

But that is what happened on Wednesday, Sept. 24, at Lindsey Wilson University as students were up early to take part in the university's annual Malvina Farkle Day.

Named after a mythical Lindsey Wilson graduate and employee known for her dedication to service and good times, classes are dismissed on Malvina Farkle Day while students, faculty and staff spend the morning working on community service projects on campus and in the region and then enjoy an afternoon of campus games and activities.

This year's Malvina Farkle Day was different for several reasons -- it was the first celebrated as Lindsey Wilson University, the morning gathering featured a short performance by the Lindsey Wilson Singers, and it also included students from area high schools.

"There are giving days and there are taking days," Lindsey Wilson President William T. Luckey Jr. told a packed Roberta D. Cranmer Dining & Conference Center in the morning. "Most of us have 'taking days,' but today we are going to give back to Adair County and the region through our service. You're going to feel really good about it at the end of the day."

In total, Lindsey Wilson students, faculty and staff participated in nearly two dozen community-service projects throughout the region.

Demi Serman '29 of Auburndale, Florida, joined fellow members of the women's soccer team who spent their day helping clean the university's A.P. White Campus. She said it felt good to give back.

"I've never done something like this," said Seman, a nursing major who is also a member of the women's flag football team. "Like President Luckey said, in this world, where everyone takes, it feels good to give back."

Early to rise

Sabrina Ruiz '26 of Louisville, Kentucky, was among the first Lindsey Wilson students to wake up on Malvina Farkle Day. A resident adviser, Ruiz got up around 5:30 a.m. CT to rouse her residents in Henry and Mary Ellen Lilly Hall and have them in the Cranmer Dining & Conference before 8 a.m. CT, earlier than when the day's first classes usually begin.

Ruiz dressed for the day beyond the commemorative T-shirts given to students -- she sprinkled blue glitter in her hair and on her face and arms. When retired communication professor Susan Minton led the crowd in singing the "Malvina Farkle Day Song," Ruiz celebrated by shooting bubbles into the air.

"I love that it's a day about service and school spirit," said Ruiz, who is a theatre and arts administration double major. "Everyone is so happy and glad to help one another. I love that the entire school is given an entire day to help and serve others."

Before the day got underway, the Lindsey Wilson Singers treated the early-arriving crowd to a performance of four songs, which one member said helped set the tone for the day.

"It was a beautiful experience to not only perform with our choral group for the first time, but to also see the effect we could have on others," said Briana Frey '29 of Breeding, whose service project was to help at 3trees Church in Columbia. "The assembled students seemed to brighten when we began to sing, and several sang along with us or even danced, adding motion to accompany our song. Somehow, even though this was our gift to them, I think their reactions gave us more of a boost than we could have ever attained otherwise."

Ruiz said the Singers' performance added to a day that is "my version of Christmas at Lindsey Wilson."

"It's just so unique that our campus does this. No other school does this," said Ruiz, who is also a member of the Lindsey Wilson Singers. "It's probably one of my favorite days of the school year -- maybe even more than Couch Night (held annually at a home soccer match) and Midnight Breakfast (held during the week of final examinations)."

For her service project, Ruiz was among a group of Lindsey Wilson theatre students who spent the morning at the Adair County High School choir room where they held a workshop with the high school's choir and theatre students.

Shiane Lussier '26 of Bremen, Kentucky, said one reason she enjoys working with Adair County High School students on Malvina Farkle Day is because it helps strengthen the bonds between the two schools.

"It's such a special thing to be able to work with them and get to know the things they are working on, as well as let them in on what we are doing," said Lussier, who has worked with the Adair County students for the last three Malvina Farkle Days. "It's a great way to build connection and community with them."

Involving area high schools

This year's Malvina Farkle Day expanded to include area high school students for the first time. More than 40 students who are members of the Beta Clubs at Adair County and Green County high schools came to campus to decorate T-shirts for the Lake Cumberland Children Advocacy Center, assemble toiletry bags for Joy Ministries and write letters for four organizations that work with people in need.

"Last year, I was thinking, 'What is a day that highlights who Lindsey Wilson is?' So I reached out to high school groups that have service components as part of their activities," said Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions Hannah Peck '12. "The students have been super engaged."

For chemistry teacher Lydia Tiller '13, who is sponsor of the Adair County Beta Club, bringing students to take part in one of her alma mater's special days brought things "full circle."

"I absolutely love the fact that I get to bring my students to a day that meant so much to me as a Lindsey Wilson student," said Tiller. "It's just amazing to see how this day has come full circle for me."

Cecily Wisdom '23, who teaches social studies and advises the Green County High School Beta Club, said "we were super excited when we got this opportunity."

"Our kids are super excited about serving, and they are passionate about it," said Wisdom.

Among those students who were excited to make the trip to Lindsey Wilson was Green County Beta Club freshman John-Connor Pannell. And he said the day did not disappoint.

"It's been amazing. It's pretty unique," said Pannell.

Frey pointed out that while some of the organizations who were served on Malvina Farkle Day will know where the help came from, for others the work will have been done almost anonymously.

"Even though I didn't see a single soul belonging to the group of people we served, this experience touched my heart," Frey said of her group's work at 3trees Church. "There was something lovely about helping someone who would never know exactly who I was or that would feel socially obligated to thank me. In my eyes, this kind of service perfectly encapsulates Marvina Farkle Day -- giving without expectation of return."

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