JTC 25: A Story of Resilience and Advocacy
Stacey Spiehler uses storytelling to amplify voices of families navigating special education
This story is part of the 2025 Journey to Commencement series, which celebrates the pinnacle of the academic year by highlighting University of ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ students and their outstanding academic and personal journeys from college student to college graduate.
Stacey Spiehler never thought she’d be back in a college classroom — certainly not at 44, not as a major and definitely not as the recipient of one of the University of ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ’s most prestigious transfer scholarships.
Reflecting on a rocky academic start in 1998 at the University of New Orleans and a personal history marked by addiction to drugs and alcohol, Spiehler was not sure if she was cut out for college.
“I know better now,” said Spiehler, who is set to graduate in May from the University of ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ.
Stacey Spiehler (right) and her son, Ace, have inspired each other on parallel paths to graduation this spring. Submitted photo
Spiehler is clean and sober, having fought her way through more than just the ordinary barriers of re-entering college as a nontraditional student. She is a mother, an advocate and a voice for children with disabilities in a state whose public education system, leaves too many behind — including, she said, her own son.
“Children with disabilities fall through the cracks, and the cracks in the ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ public school system are wide,” she said.
Her son, Ace, almost 19, has cerebral palsy and autism. Spiehler recalls a specific altercation at his old school that left her shaken and resolute.
“I knew I wasn’t going to send him back to a place where he wasn’t safe,” she said.
That decision sent her down a path she never expected. She became a tireless advocate, not just for Ace, but for other children and families navigating ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ’s often-overlooked special education landscape. Her mission was clear: make sure no child like her son is left behind because the system doesn’t know what to do with them.
Before enrolling at Ole Miss as a journalism major, Spiehler enrolled at to rebuild her GPA.
Her dedication paid off when she was awarded the Lyceum Scholar Award, a competitive honor given to transfer students who show academic achievement, community service, leadership and, most importantly in Spiehler’s case, perseverance.
Along the way, she met Anna Lauren Heavener, then a transfer admissions counselor and now a success coach at Ole Miss. The two formed a quick bond, one that went beyond college paperwork and transcripts.
“We stayed in contact, rallying behind her while she was taking care of her son,” Heavener said. “I keep up with her work, and I know she will be a great journalist one day. I’m very proud of her.
Stacey Spiehler, 44, is graduating from Ole Miss as a journalism major and Lyceum Scholar. Submitted photo
“I knew advocacy was her calling when she got here, especially with journalism. She is fierce, and she does not stop.”
Spiehler hopes to use what she has learned about storytelling to amplify the voices of marginalized families and highlight systemic failures in education.
It was during her time on campus that she met Lynn Wilkins, work-life resources program manager at the university.
“When we first began serving student parents, the very first thing we did was conduct a series of listening sessions, and surveys and conversations to hear from student parents about the concerns that were most pressing for them,” Wilkins said. “And it was in one of those listening sessions that I met Stacey for the first time.”
Wilkins immediately recognized the power of Spiehler’s insight and experience.
“Sometimes being a parent is in direct competition to academic obligations, and there is just no way around that,” she said. “She has a huge heart and is a really thoughtful, interesting person. From the beginning she has been very helpful to me in understanding the concerns of student parents.
“Stacey and Ace are a couple of really tough individuals.”
As she continues her studies and advocacy work, Spiehler is redefining what it means to come back — not just to college, but to life — with purpose, strength and a voice that refuses to go unheard.
And when she crosses the stage to receive her diploma, it will be more than a personal milestone.
Just a few days later, she will sit in the audience and watch her son receive his GED.
Top: Stacey Spiehler overcame addiction, returned to college at 44, and will graduate from the university as a journalism major and Lyceum Scholar. Her journey has been fueled by a passion for advocacy on behalf of children with disabilities, including her son, Ace. Photo by Srijita Chattopadhyay/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services