Retired computer science professor uplifting women, diversity in computing through scholarship support

A retired Northwest Missouri State University faculty member is continuing her passion to assist and support underrepresented students in the computer science field by investing in two scholarship funds.

Dr. Carol Spradling, a computer science and information systems faculty member for 32 years at Northwest, recently established the Diversity in Computing Scholarship endowment and provided additional funding to the University’s Women in Computing Scholarship, which she established in 2016.

“Dr. Spradling made an incredible impact on the School of Computer Science and Information Systems when she taught at Northwest,” Dr. Joni Adkins, director of the School of Computer Science and Information Systems, said. “She often mentored and championed both students and faculty, helping to develop their confidence, leadership and knowledge. Her incredible work ethic and willingness to work with others was well-known across campus. She was an early advocate for increasing the diversity in computing fields. Funding these scholarships for women and underrepresented students reinforces her commitment to helping students achieve their goals of working in technology.”

The inaugural Diversity in Computing Scholarship will award $1,000 to a student for the 2024-25 academic year. Recipients shall be sophomores, juniors or seniors enrolled full-time at Northwest with a minimum 2.00 GPA, and preference will be given to Black, American Indian, Alaska Native, Hispanic, Latino, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students. Applications will be available Sept. 1.

Additionally, Spradling’s recent gift to the Northwest Foundation increases the Women in Computing Scholarship’s annual award to $1,000. It is awarded to an undergraduate female with a minimum 3.00 GPA and a preference to students who have made significant contributions to the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), Cyber Defense Club or the School of Computer Science and Information Systems through their involvement or technology-related employment on campus.

Both scholarships are available to eligible students with declared majors in computer science, cybersecurity, data science, digital media or management information systems. 

“The tech sector lacks a diverse pipeline as it relates to women and minority populations,” Spradling said. “One way to address this issue is to provide scholarship funding that encourages diverse populations to enroll and remain in a variety of computing majors in the School of Computer Science and Information Systems. The Women in Computing and Diversity in Computing scholarships are my attempt to provide tangible and sustained progress toward a diverse pipeline goal.”

Spradling, who began her career in the accounting field and worked for an Iowa hospital system, only came to Northwest when her husband, Dr. Kim Spradling, an art faculty member from 1984 to 2014, joined the University. At that time, Carol decided to enroll in some computing courses to enhance her accounting work. That led to her pursuing a master’s degree in computer studies, which she completed at Northwest in 1988.

“The next thing I knew, I just fell in love with computer science,” Spradling said. “I really enjoyed it.”

In the midst of her master’s work, Northwest flipped the switch on its “Electronic Campus” in 1987, which placed a computing station in every residence hall room and office, making the University the first public university with a comprehensive networked campus. Subsequently, Spradling began her employment at Northwest in its information systems office, teaching employees and students how to use word processing, email and other computer programs. In the fall of 1988, she joined the computer science faculty and launched her teaching career.

Spradling went on to earn a Ph.D. in instructional technology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and climbed the faculty ranks at Northwest. She also served as a provost fellow in 2014 and as director of the School of Computer Science and Information Systems in 2016 until her retirement in 2020.

Simultaneously, Spradling developed a passion for helping people who were underrepresented in the computing field, particularly women. In 2011, she co-founded the biannual Missouri Iowa Nebraska Kansas Women in Computing Conference, bringing together students, faculty and technology leaders to discuss the role of women in computing and technology fields and share their experiences. The conference continues and will convene again in October in Kansas City.

“Women were not well-represented when I entered the field of computer science,” she said. “I felt the need to prove myself repeatedly and often felt that others assumed I could not cut it and remain in the computing field.”

Throughout, Spradling adopted a hands-on approach to teaching that emphasized mentoring students and spending the necessary time to help them with supplemental instruction outside the classroom. Teaching evaluations lauded Spradling as a competent and caring instructor. Among her numerous accolades, she received Missouri’s Governor’s Award for Excellence in Education in 2012, and she received the Northwest Alumni Association’s Distinguished Faculty Award in 2015. Last spring, the Alumni Association honored her again with its Distinguished Faculty Emeritus Award.

In retirement, Spradling continues to inspire and advocate for women and people of diverse populations to study and work in the computing field. Additionally, she encourages people to support Northwest with their time, their gifts or in other ways. 

“All of it is important if you value what you saw when you were at Northwest, and there was so much for me,” Spradling said. “I really value all the mentorships that I receive from people, and people like (retired computer science faculty) Drs. Merry and Gary McDonald were so important to me during my time at Northwest. They pushed me in ways that I had never even imagined.”

In giving of her time, Spradling also served as a faculty representative on the Northwest Foundation Board of Directors from 2016 until 2021. Among her contributions to that organization, Spradling helped initiate and chaired the Foundation Board’s cybersecurity subcommittee. 

“The Northwest Foundation Board is made up of remarkable people who are experts in their field,” she said. “It was an honor to observe their work on fundraising, scholarships and governance. I witnessed true brilliance during the Forever Green campaign and learned so much from the Foundation directors.”

As she reflects on her association with Northwest, Spradling says she is most proud of the collaborative work in which she was involved, not only with faculty but with other professionals in the computing field. That work included the School of Computer Science and Information Systems’ professional advisory team, which dates back to the mid-1990s.

“(The professional advisory team) became a significant piece of our programs growing and changing because of the contact that we had with industry,” Spradling said. “These were people who would come back and share their expertise and time. In the beginning it was alumni, and then it branched out to people who weren’t alumni but who almost became like alumni because they became so devoted to Northwest.”

The Diversity in Computing Scholarship and Women in Computing Scholarship are capable of receiving additional contributions at any time. For more information or to make a gift to support these scholarships or other needs at Northwest, contact the Northwest Foundation at 660.562.1248 or advance@nwmissouri.edu.