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Kathy Wallin Makes Spilman a Home
by Briteny Dies
Kathy Wallin
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Gazing out the pane windows, seeing so many old faces and quite a few new ones,
the woman watches everyone who passes. A few know her well. Others wonder who
it is that sits in such serene surroundings in the middle of the campus. She
has a history with Mars Hill College that few ever discover and many desire
to find out. Some students gain the courage to wave and say, “Hey!”
Others are unsure exactly what to do.
Though she has been one of the college’s best-kept secrets, the identity
of Kathleen (Kathy) Wallin, should by no means be concealed any longer. She
not only demonstrated years of dedication as a staff member, having worked for
the college for more than 35 years, but she is also a committed life-long resident
of the area.
Wallin was born in Madison County. She attended Mars Hill College from 1949
through 1951, when it was a two-year college, and received the equivalent of
a business degree. Her personality persuaded the college to ask her to stay
a little longer in the position of the Alumni Secretary for the college. She
graciously served the campus in that position from 1951 through 1988, when she retired, and she still has not worn out
her welcome.
Wallin lives in an apartment in Spilman Hall, where she is able to stay active
with the students and activities on campus. As you walk in, you immediately
see a dining room table set for tea and a cabinet with complete
sets of china inside. Green potted plants are placed all around the apartment,
and several porcelain dolls join her in watching out the window. Guests can sit in the wicker chairs or on the wooden porch swing that hangs in the middle of the room.
Wallin's apartment in Spilman Hall |
Shirley Brown, a dear friend, is seen spending time and assisting Wallin daily. Many students are drawn to Wallin and spend time with her when Brown is not there. Wallin’s brother and family also visit her often, and they also celebrate Christmas in her home.
A lot more visitor interaction goes on inside this welcoming home than people
realize.
Wallin says there have been many changes on campus since she went to school
here. She has witnessed the creation of many of the buildings, including Cornwell
Hall, Blackwell Hall, Moore Auditorium, Wren College Union, Broyhill Chapel,
Pittman Dining Hall, and several dorms.
She also sees a change in the students. “The students are more open now
than they were in the 50s," she says. "They were more reserved then, and of course they
[campus administrators] were stricter then.”
Wallin not only enjoys watching the campus grow with more buildings and people,
but she also observes how all of the students grow and mature during their four
years here. She said her inspiration is “seeing the young people
grow from when they come here until they graduate…They adjust…What
keeps us [the college] going is the student body.”
Kathy Wallin with Shirley Brown (left) and Senior Andrea Bailey
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She commends President Lunsford on his leadership of the campus. “I think
President Lunsford is the tops. He really gets the job done!” Wallin has
known many of the past presidents and even their families. She remains friends and keeps in contact with Doris Bentley, the wife of the late Fred Bentley, who was president from 1966 through 1996.
Wallin enjoys living on campus. “It’s an opportunity to stay with
people you worked with after you retire,” she says.
She has a funny experience with every student that passes her windows. “When
they get here, they are shy and they won’t look in. But when they finally
look in, they wave at me everyday."
Wallin indeed has many friends, and since she was the alumni secretary, she
looks forward to Homecoming weekend because “there are so many former
students I get to see.” Her biggest challenge in the beginning was adjusting
to the students leaving because she got so attached to them. She quickly came
to understand that it was a process, and now she has changed her perspective
and gets excited to see them come back.
Reflecting back on the job she held for so many years, she says, “Many students do not come in contact with the alumni secretary while
they are here, but when they leave, that is who they see the most.”
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