Aquatics director Alicia Kemnitz will discuss ‘Impact of the Cold War on Women’s Sports.’
by Duane Bonifer
COLUMBIA, KY. (02/18/2026) The Lindsey Wilson University Katie A. Murrell Library is offering patrons several opportunities this spring that involve more than checking out books.
The next edition of “Lunch and Learn” will be held at 11 a.m. CT on Tuesday, Feb. 25, in the Thomas D. Clark Reading Room. The Clark Reading Room is in the Holloway Building, which also includes the Murrell Library.
The topic of the Feb. 25 “Lunch and Learn” will be “The Impact of the Cold War on Women’s Sports,” which will be presented by Alicia Kemnitz, who is head coach of the Lindsey Wilson men’s and women’s swim programs as well as the aquatics director of the Doris and Bob Holloway Health & Wellness Center.
Kemnitz, who is in her 16th year as Lindsey Wilson’s head swim coach, holds a doctor of education in organizational leadership.
Kemnitz’s talk will be the third “Lunch and Learn” installment of the 2025-26 school year. The series’ purpose is to bring people together “to learn more about something that our faculty and staff are passionate about,” according to Public Services Librarian Erin Wolford, who is the event’s chief organizer.
Wolford said she and Assistant Director of Library Services Greg Blair came up with the idea after seeing the success of a similar program at sister Kentucky school Berea College.
“Berea has a fabulous lunch-and-learn program, and so we thought it would be something that could help bring our community together as well,” said Wolford. “It’s a great opportunity for students, faculty, staff and members of the community to socialize together while being exposed to an interesting subject.”
Future “Lunch and Learn” programs will be announced later in the spring semester.
In addition to the “Lunch and Learn” program, Katie A. Murrell Library staff members have also offered special events this semester in the building’s makerspace that was created last summer. Special makerspace programs have included creating buttons and sewing cloth bookmarks.
Wolford said the makerspace is another great way for patrons to build community while also working on small personal projects.
“Our hope is that these special events will remind our patrons that a library is more than a place for books,” said Wolford. “We all know the landscape of information has evolved, and it’s important for libraries to keep up with the changes. We’re not getting away from books, but instead we are becoming a place that helps build community on campus.”
Lindsey Wilson University Public Services Librarian Erin Wolford said the Katie A. Murrell Library’s “Lunch and Learn” series is one example of library programming designed to build community.
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.
(Duane Bonifer – Lindsey Wilson University)