Longhorn Wellness Center Staff Member Graduates with Master’s in Health Behavior and Health Education

Published: May 20, 2025

Kayleigh Spaulding, M.Ed., CHES, the Longhorn Wellness Center’s Health Promotion and Communication Coordinator, recently graduated with her Master’s in Health Behavior and Health Education.

Kayleigh has served full-time in various roles in the Longhorn Wellness Center (LWC) for three years, but her journey with LWC started more than five years ago when she was an undergraduate student at UT Austin.

As an undergraduate student, Kayleigh majored in nutrition. While she wasn’t totally sure what career path she would take, she knew that she wanted to help people and populations with their health. She eventually declared a minor in health communication and discovered a way to incorporate public health through health promotion into her plans. This discovery and newfound interest led her to the LWC, which as a department of the Healthyhorns health and well-being portfolio, fosters a culture of student and campus well-being through programs, education, health messaging, student engagement and collaborative initiatives.

Kayleigh first learned about the LWC through a summer internship program. She applied to be the Health Communication Intern for the summer of 2020 and got the job. Despite the unprecedented circumstances of that year, she was able to complete her internship virtually.

Kayleigh Spaulding at tabling event — Kayleigh Spaulding and James Butler tabling at the annual LWC Fuel Up for Finals event.

After completing her internship, Kayleigh continued her work at the LWC and stepped into the role of Health Communication Student Assistant as she finished her final undergraduate year. When the time came to apply to full-time positions, Kayleigh applied to be a Student Development Specialist at the LWC and got the opportunity to continue working in the realm of public health on campus.

In the Fall of 2022, Kayleigh stepped into the role of Health Communication and Outreach Coordinator and began pursuing a master’s degree while simultaneously working full-time at the LWC. She was recently promoted to Health Promotion and Communication Coordinator.

“Support from the university, leadership and the team really helped me balance it all,” Kayleigh said.

She added that completing her master’s while working full-time in health promotion allowed her to apply the skills and materials she was learning in the classroom, helping to develop her knowledge efficiently.

“I had classes like program planning, research methods and social determinants of health, and those are all things we’re thinking about as staff members in the LWC,” Kayleigh said. “We’re also a public health office, so we’re already using the behavior change theories I was learning in grad school, so a lot of it was really interwoven.”

Kayleigh’s experience with the LWC not only shaped her academic and professional path but also provided a space where she could grow personally and professionally. What began as a summer internship evolved into a meaningful career.

Working at the LWC opened my eyes to the fields of health promotion and public health and solidified my goals to pursue a career in those fields. I am thankful to have had both the academic and professional experience. Being able to grow as a professional while also working towards my master’s has been an extremely valuable experience, and I am excited to continue growing.

- Kayleigh Spaulding

Brittany O’Malley, Associate Director of Prevention & Wellness at the LWC, explained that Kayleigh’s impact can be felt throughout the Healthyhorns organization.

“As a student she created a virtual wellness workbook which served as a great student resource during the pandemic,” Brittany said. “She expanded our safer sex supply distribution program, and using evaluation data ensured students had access to more inclusive safer sex supply options. In addition, she supported Student Health Advisory Committee members in the development of sexual health Canvas modules, creating an option for asynchronous learning on sensitive topics.”

Brittany said Kayleigh also led the process of content development and iteration for the updated LWC website that debuted in Summer of 2024. Additionally, Kayleigh has served students further by training the Longhorn Wellness Peer Educators each semester in effective health messaging, feeding the organizational goal of student centeredness.

Kayleigh Spaulding graduation — Kayleigh Spaulding poses with her graduate student cohort.

“Kayleigh is a vital member of our LWC and Healthyhorns team,” Brittany said. “She has exceptional health communication skills. She is kind, compassionate and one of the best project managers I know. She keeps what we are working on going and is trusted by colleagues campus wide. She has truly shown the value of what having someone with her expertise can bring to our work at the LWC.”

Kayleigh’s story is a testament to how involvement with Healthyhorns can open doors and provide practical experience that complements classroom learning. For students looking to explore health promotion or simply seeking a supportive environment to develop their skills, the LWC offers invaluable opportunities to learn, lead and thrive.