Presenter: Conference, Retreats, and Workshops
Background
Brief Bio
Thomas Malewitz is an Assistant Professor and Director of the Ed.D.: Leadership Program at Spalding University. He has also taught as a Catholic secondary educator and as an adjunct lecturer in the fields of Education and Theology at Brescia University, Bellarmine University, and St. Meinrad Seminary & School of Theology.
Tom has led over 150 professional presentations, including scholarly papers and workshops at the College English Association (CEA), International Thomas Merton Society (ITMS), and National Catholic Education Association (NCEA) conferences.
Tom has also led ministry formation for deacons, laity, and priests through courses, retreats, and workshops for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, Diocese of Evansville, Archdiocese of Louisville, Diocese of Owensboro, and St. Meinrad Seminary & School of Theology. He serves as a consistent presenter for ministry formation with the Archdiocese of Louisville and St. Meinrad School of Theology.
Recognition:
- Best in Section - Merton Studies: Thomas Merton: Transformation in Life and Text at the 53rd Annual College English Association Conference, Atlanta, GA (2024)
- Best in Section - CEA President Forum Panel: Justice Rhetoric through Time and Place at the 51st Annual College English Association Conference, Birmingham, AL (2022)
- Religious Educational Excellence Award, Archdiocese of Louisville, KY (2016)
Upcoming Events:
2026
- 8/11 - Workshop: Humanism, Catholic educators, and the Era of AI, St. Martha School, Louisville
- 9/3 - Guest lecture: Qualitative Methodologies, Spalding University
- 10/8 & 10/9 - Workshop: Ministry with Young Adults, St. Meinrad School of Theology
- 11/21 - Workshop - online: Praying through Mary in Advent (w/ A. Zoeller)
Recent Events - 2026
- 7/28 - Papal Leadership, Archdiocese of Louisville Summer Institute
- 7/22 - Grad. guest lecture: AI and Philosophy of Education, Spalding University
- 6/9 - Young Catholic Saints, Archdiocese of Louisville Summer Institute
- 6/9 - Thomas Merton & Christian Humanism, Archdiocese of Louisville Summer Institute
- 6/2 - Decoding Apocalyptic Literature, Archdiocese of Louisville Summer Institute
- 6/2 - Genesis: Birth of the Cosmos and Nation, Archdiocese of Louisville Summer Institute
- 4/29 - Podcast recording: Hollywood or History? Comic-Based Film episode
- 4/23 - Alum Guest Speaker: College of Education Awards Dinner, Bellarmine University
- 3/31 - Psy.D. guest lecture: Qualitative Methodologies, Spalding University
- 3/30 - Grad. Education guest lecture: YA Literature, Film & Graphic Novels, Spalding University
- 3/30 - Psy.D. guest lecture: Qualitative Methodologies, Spalding University
- 3/27 - Academic Paper: College English Association Conference, Charlotte, NC
- 3/19 - Women of the Bible, Part 3: Almsgiving, Irvington, KY
- 3/12 - Women of the Bible, Part 2: Fasting, Irvington, KY (w/ B. Malewitz)
- 3/7 - Archdiocese of Louisville Catechist Lent Retreat, Elizabethtown, KY
- 3/5 - Undergrad. Education guest lecture: Philosophy of Education, Spalding University
- 2/26 - Women of the Bible, Part 1: Prayer, Irvington, KY (w/ B. Malewitz)
- 2/24 - Ed.D. guest lecture: Leadership & Diversity, Spalding University
- 2/5 - Jesse Tree, Part 3, Holy Guardian Angel Parish, Irvington, KY (w/ B. Malewitz)
Courses Taught
Graduate Courses
o EDD901 Academic Writing & Leadership Theory
o EDD904 Leading Innovative/Creative Change Across the Organization & Within the Community
o EDD907 Identifying and Analyzing Organizational Issues
o EDD908 Research Methodology and Problem Solving
o EDD920 Leadership Capstone 1
o EDD921 Leadership Capstone 2
o 40:420 Introduction to Youth Ministry
o 44:300 Evangelization and Catechesis
o 44:430 Adolescent Spirituality
o 44:435 Becoming a Religious Educator
Undergraduate Courses
o TH101 Introduction to the Old Testament
o TH105 Introduction to the New Testament
o TH241 Introduction to the Catholic Liturgy
o TH302 Christian Marriage & Family
o TH318 Faith & Justice
o TH320 The Church
o THEO200 Ultimate Questions
Secondary Courses
o Christian Scriptures
o Christology
o The Church
o Hebrew Scriptures
o Philosophy
o Sacraments
o Statistics
Presentations (most recent)
Conference Presentations
- 2026 - Borges, Merton, and Generative OpenAI: Using Analogies of Babel to Make Sense of Algorithmic Madness and Technological Absurdity [paper]. College English Association Conference (CEA), Charlotte, NC
- 2025 - Thomas Merton's novel My Argument with the Gestapo as an example of early North American magical realism: A confluence of surrealism and traumatic imagination [paper]. College English Association Conference (CEA). Philadelphia, PA.
- 2024 - Art as the voice of authentic human resistance in an era of algorithms: Revisiting Thomas Merton's Message to Poets and Answers on Art and Freedom [paper]. College English Association Conference (CEA). Atlanta, GA.
- 2023 - My Argument with the Gestapo: Exploring Merton’s traumatic and imaginative narrative through the lens of magical realism [paper]. International Thomas Merton Society General Meeting (ITMS). St. Mary’s College Notre Dame, IN.
- 2022 - A nonviolent response to tragedy: Learning from the 16th Street Bombing through the lens of King and Merton [paper]. College English Association Conference (CEA). Birmingham, AL.
Institutional Presentations
- 2025 - Hollywood or History: Using Comic-Based Films in the Classroom for Critical Thinking and Dialogue. Innovation & Discovery [panel lecture]. Spalding University. Louisville, KY.
- 2025 - AI and Higher Education: A Philosophical Lens [workshop]. Center for Teaching and Learning. Spalding University. Louisville, KY.
- 2025 - Assessment, Dialogue, and A.I.: The Role of Higher Education in the Technological Age [workshop]. Technology Showcase. Spalding University. Louisville, KY.
- 2023 - Cultivating Conversion in Catechetical Ministry [workshop]. Parish Catechetical Leadership Institute (PCLI), St. Meinrad School of Theology, St. Meinrad, IN.
- 2023 - The Vatican II Documents [plenary session]. Parish Catechetical Leadership Institute (PCLI), St. Meinrad School of Theology, St. Meinrad, IN.
Invited Speaker
- 2026 - Hollywood or History: Comic-Based Films [podcast]. Hollywood or History? Podcast. Virtual.
- 2026 - College of Education Doctoral Reception and Celebration [alum speaker]. Bellarmine University. Louisville, KY.
- 2025 - Hollywood or History: World Religions [podcast]. Hollywood or History? Podcast. Virtual.
- 2024 - Truth and Reconciliation: Exploring Servant Leadership within Divided Nations [keynote]. President's Colloquium. Spalding University. Louisville, KY.
- 2019 - College of Education Doctoral Reception and Celebration [alum speaker]. Bellarmine University. Louisville, KY.
Retreats
- 2026 - Approaching the Book of Signs in the Gospel of John as a Guide and Renewal [5 hr]. Catechist Lent Retreat. Archdiocese of Louisville, St. James, Elizabethtown, KY.
- 2025 - Eucharist: Source and Summit of Our Catechetical Ministry [3 day]. Catechist Retreat. Diocese of Owensboro, Whitesville, KY.
- 2024 - Forgiveness: The Only Path Forward [6 hr]. Men's Lent Retreat. St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church. Mt. Washington, KY.
- 2023 - Listening with a Gospel Heart [4 hr]. Parish Staff Retreat. St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church. Earth & Spirit Center. Louisville, KY.
- 2020 - Emerging with Grace: Exploring a Post-Pandemic Pastoral Ministry and Spirituality of Hope [5 hr]. Pastoral Formation. St. Meinrad School of Theology. Virtual.
Previous Presentation/Workshop Topics (selected)
Education
- A.I., Assessment, and Higher Education
- Art as the Voice of Authentic Human Resistance in an Era of Technology
- Education through Experience: Understanding Human Encounter in the Classroom
- Film and the Classroom
- Humanism and Learning Differences in the Classroom
- Literature as a Catalyst for Reconciliation as a Response to National Tragedy
- Meaningful Literacy in the Technology Era
- Philosophy of Education
- Storytelling through Original Musical Compositions
- Youth & Young Adult Literature: Film and Graphic Novels in the Classroom
Leadership
- Introduction to Leadership Theory
- Papal Leadership
- Perspectives on Nonviolent Resistance
- Research Ethics
- Servant Leadership
Popular Culture
- Hope: Pope Francis's Autobiography
- Lyrics/Poetry of Leonard Cohen
- Magical Realism
- Secret Path (Gord Downie & Jeff Lemire) in the Classroom
- Storytelling through Song and Music Videos
Religious Education/Catechesis
- The Arts and Catholic Education
- Autism and Catholic Schools
- Catholic Educators and the New Evangelization
- Christian Anthropology
- Church History: The Reformation to the Present
- The Constitutional Documents of Vatican II
- Encounter & Engagement: Relationship as the Heart of Catholic Education
- The Life of Rev. Augustus Tolton
- Marks and Models of the Church
- Pope Francis's American exemplars: Day, King, Lincoln, Merton
- Religious Art and Architecture
- Solidarity and Student Diversity
- Technology and Catholic Education
- World Religions in the Catholic High School Curriculum
- Young Saints
Retreats
- Catholic School Faculty
- Day of Reflections (Catholic Schools; Parish)
- Diocesan Catechist Formation
- Confirmation Preparation
- Parish Staff
- Seasonal: Advent, Lent
- Youth & Young Adult
Sacraments/Liturgy/Rituals
- Eucharist: Our Source and Summit
- The Canonization Process
- The Liturgical Year
- The Paschal Mystery
- Pilgrims of Hope: Embracing Reconciliation and Forgiveness in a Jubilee Year
- The Sacraments of Initiation
- The Sacraments of Healing & Vocation
Scripture
- Apocalyptic Literature
- The Golden Age of Israel
- The Gospels
- The Major Prophets
- Media Literacy & Scriptural Exegesis
- Messengers of Hope: The Accounts of Angels in Scripture
- Overview of the Torah
- The Role of the Spirit in the Church
- Storytelling Techniques and Parables
- Violence in the Hebrew Scriptures
- Wisdom Literature and Traumatic Imagination
- Women of Faith in Scripture
Spirituality
- Athletics and Spirituality
- Christus Vivit: Pope Francis and Young People
- Introduction to Prayer
- Laudato si' and Stewardship
- Post-Pandemic Spirituality of Hope
- Spirituality of Forgiveness and Mercy
- Spirituality of a Jubilee Year
- Spirituality of Vatican II
- Spirituality in the Era of Technology
Thomas Merton
- Merton and Adolescent Spirituality
- Merton, Humanism, and A.I.
- Merton and the Arts
- Merton and the Blessed Mother
- Merton and Christian Leadership
- Merton and Civil Rights
- Merton and Creativity/Humor
- Merton and a Culture of Charity
- Merton and Education
- Merton and Latin American Authors (Magical Realism; Surreal Poetry)
- Merton and Peace/Non-violent Resistance
- Merton and Poets/Songwriters (Gord Downie; Leonard Cohen)
- Merton and Pope Francis
- Merton's novel My Argument with the Gestapo