hed0026 – On The Lawn

March 29, 2024March 28, 2024

What is SGA at Auburn?

At Auburn University, every individual student is valued, and their voices are prioritized. The Auburn Student Government Association (SGA) exists to enrich each student’s experience by serving and advocating for them, and aiming to unify all aspects of the Auburn community. Through every decision and goal we make, we strive to uphold our mission of “Serving and promoting the individual student, unifying all that is Auburn.”

SGA comprises of the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches, and all SGA teams work diligently throughout the year to fulfill its mission. As we transition into the spring term, our new SGA team for the 2024-2025 school year is enthusiastic about formulating our goals to serve the student body while enhancing the Auburn experience and fostering a sense of family.

In late summer, our Freshman Forum applications are available to incoming first-year students to get plugged in to SGA as they are stepping foot on campus. Freshman Forum serves as representatives of the freshman class, with their main objective to gather feedback from peers and ensure their concerns and experiences are heard. Members of the Freshmen Forum participate in a mentorship program alongside Cabinet members, acquire various aspects of professional development, and collaborate on projects dedicated to enhancing the freshman experience.

Additionally, students are encouraged to apply for the Lobby Board, which serves as a crucial link between the University and governmental entities. Lobby Board members play a pivotal role in advocating for positive change at Auburn University, fostering relationships with local, state, and federal representatives, and educating one another on contemporary issues affecting our community, state, and nation.

Everything SGA works to do lies in the efforts of wanting to amplify the voices of Auburn students and improve the student experience for each individual. We have established Auburn Answers (aub.ie/auburnanswers) as a platform where students can voice their concerns, suggestions, and feedback. All Auburn Answers submissions are reviewed by members of SGA and taken to upper administration.

In the upcoming year, we are dedicated to expanding upon these initiatives and strengthening our outreach efforts to better serve the Auburn community.

April 8, 2022

Volunteer and Service Opportunities

Auburn has over 500 on-campus student organizations to choose from. Many of these organizations provide opportunities to serve the campus and the city of Auburn. We’ve highlighted a few below. You can learn about each of these organizations and more on the AU Involve website.

The Big Event

https://auburn.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/bigevent

The Big Event is one giant day of service in the Auburn-Opelika area. Students in the organization will lead teams to complete service projects all over the community. You can serve as a project leader or just volunteer the day of. Around 1,000 students participate in The Big Event each year.

Project Uplift

Project Uplift provides the opportunity for Auburn students to serve as a mentor to a child in the Auburn area. Students will be assigned a mentee between the ages of 5-12. Their role is to spend time with their mentee every week. They can go to a park, go on a walk, get ice cream, watch a movie, or just hang out. This is a great way to be a friend and positive influence to a child in the community.

Auburn University Dance Marathon

https://auburn.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/audm

Who doesn’t love a big party where you get to dance all day long AND raise money while doing it? The students involved in AUDM raise money throughout the year for the Children’s Miracle Network hospital. “The year culminates with a 12 hour long event where the students stay on their feet through dancing, games, and entertainment in order to celebrate the total amount raised that year.” Dance Marathon, which is a nationwide event, has the motto “We dance for those who can’t.” Auburn students love participating in Dance Marathon and have raised over $3 million through their involvement with the organization.

IMPACT

Through IMPACT, Auburn students are able to serve in the community on a regular basis. Students can be a Project Coordinator or attend IMPACT volunteer projects whenever they would like. There are many locations in the area including food banks, retirement homes, after-school programs, the humane society, and more. Students volunteer in each of these areas through IMPACT on a weekly basis.

Beat Bama Food Drive

The Auburn-Alabama rivalry runs deep, and it doesn’t just stop with sports. Through Beat Bama Food Drive, Auburn students compete against Alabama students to see who can collect more cans for their local food bank. In 2021, Auburn students were able to collect 352,389 pounds of food for the Food Bank of East Alabama.

February 25, 2022

Life as an Auburn Naval ROTC Student

Auburn has Navy/Marine, Air Force, and Army ROTC branches for students to join. We interviewed four Naval ROTC students to learn more about their experiences.

http://www.auburn.edu/academic/rotc/nrotc/

Zachary Mutty

The life of an Auburn University Midshipman starts at New Student Orientation (NSO). Yourself and all other newly appointed MIDN show up to Nichols Center donning their best khakis pants and white polo to kick off your training to become a Navy or Marine Corp Officer. I viewed my time in Naval ROTC as a part time job. In a part time job, you show up to work, get the job done and go about your day. The same can be said about Naval ROTC. You attend morning PT sessions, afternoon leadership labs, and drill practice. However, at the conclusion of each event you maintain your status as a normal Auburn college student. You have the ability to join clubs, participate in IM sports, and be a member of a Greek life chapter.

Auburn Naval ROTC has given me countless opportunities from exploring naval aircraft to being at the controls of multimillion dollar warships during summer cruise and Naval ROTC club trips. These training and club trips have afforded me the opportunity to travel all around the country as part of Auburn Naval ROTC. There are a variety of clubs in the Auburn Naval ROTC program that help you advance your knowledge about the respective warfare areas you will someday enter. They include the Naval Aviation Society of Auburn (NASA), Arleigh Burke Honorary Fraternity (ABHF), Semper Fi Society, and the Drill Team. I was a member of NASA and the Drill Team with created fond memories from trips to Pensacola, FL to tour Naval Aviation Squadrons, and New Orleans, LA for the Tulane Drill Competition. Here at Auburn, we have a semester long sports competition against the Army ROTC and Air Force ROTC where the winner earns the coveted Commanders Cup. We compete against each other in various sports such as football, soccer, basketball, ultimate frisbee and more. At the end of the year, the branch with the most overall points wins the Commander’s Cup.

Every summer you will attend a different summer cruise. Your first summer you will go on CORTRAMID where you will spend a week with each potential warfare community you might someday join after commissioning at the end of your Naval ROTC career. Your second summer you will go on Second Class Cruise where you will be assigned an enlisted running mate and learn about life in the navy as an enlisted sailor. Your third and final cruise will be a First Class Cruise where you will be assigned an officer running mate and learn about life as a naval officer. All of these cruises build upon each other to give you a strong base to start your Naval career.

As a student at Auburn University, you will quickly learn everyone loves Auburn sports. If you have been to a sporting event you have probably noticed the service members carrying the national ensign and rifles known as the color guard. Auburn NROTC performs color guards for Auburn football games, Auburn basketball games, Auburn soccer games, and Auburn baseball games. As a member of the color guard, you have the ability to stay after your performance to enjoy the event. If you have been to an Auburn football game you may have noticed the field being covered in all 50 state flags. We call this freshman flags where every freshman has the opportunity to carry one of the 50 flags onto the field and then stay after and enjoy front row seats at an Auburn football game. I was blessed to perform freshman flags during the 2017 Iron Bowl and was one of the first students to be able to rush the field after Auburn’s dominating win.

Auburn NROTC has afforded me opportunities I never thought possible in college. I have now commissioned into the Navy and will attend flight school in Pensacola, FL all thanks to the Auburn Naval ROTC program.

ENS Rosinko

When thinking about the military and Naval ROTC the first things that comes to mind are discipline, physical fitness, rigidity, and getting yelled at by an angry Gunnery Sergeant. All things that seem to be quite the opposite of what you associate with college. While some of those things hold true to Naval ROTC, the reality of it is that life as a Naval ROTC student is not all that different from the average Auburn college student. There are certainly a few sacrifices that you’ll have to make, but the benefits far outweigh those tradeoffs.

The price you pay for Naval ROTC is assumed to be much more than it actually is. If you’re on a Naval ROTC scholarship, you will serve in the military for a few years after graduation. If you do not meet the standards for the Physical Fitness Test (PRT) then you’ll have to wake up early to work out four days a week. Men will need a short haircut and fresh shave to stay within grooming standards. Occasionally, you will have to wake up early for a fun field day with our consortium unit at Tuskegee. You will need to maintain a minimum of fifteen credit hours each semester and take certain classes for the program that will not be part of your degree.

What are the benefits of Naval ROTC? As a Naval ROTC student, you will get access to classes and training designed to help you learn and hone your leadership abilities. A skill that will be useful to you in any career you choose after the military. You will have the opportunity to participate in freshman flags which will give you free access to football games. Personally, I was able to go to the Georgia and Alabama games my freshman year because of this. There are numerous clubs associated with the unit like our aviation society, submariner society, surface warfare society, color guard (which will get you free access to all kinds of sporting events like football and basketball), drill team (which takes a trip to New Orleans for Mardi Gras to compete in a competition and experience the festival), and commander’s cup (which is an intramural sports competition between the ROTC branches). There are also field meets where we compete in friendly competitions with the Tuskegee unit. For those who are on scholarship, there are also many financial benefits and opportunities for great experiences. Every summer you will have the opportunity to explore the different components of the Navy and different parts of the US and the world. Places like San Diego, Pensacola, Pearl Harbor, Norfolk, Camp Lejeune, Guam, Spain, etc. You will have the opportunity to fly in jets, sneak through the ocean on a submarine, watch the sunrise from a destroyer, or experience the floating cities known as aircraft carriers. Financially, the benefits are incredible, as your entire tuition is covered by the Navy. You receive a book stipend every semester, you get a monthly stipend that increases every year you are in the program, and you have a guaranteed job immediately after graduation. For me personally, between the Navy and university scholarships, I was able to pay for my entire college experience by myself.

All in all, while there are some sacrifices to being a Naval ROTC student, the benefits far outweigh the costs. You will have opportunities to experience things most people can only dream of while still being able to experience Auburn to its fullest.

Andrew Lewis

Since I was four years old, it has been my dream to be a naval officer and an Auburn graduate. I came to Auburn as a third-generation Auburn student not knowing what to expect. By far, joining Auburn Naval ROTC was the best thing I have ever done. Normal college experiences seem boring in relation to the experience I have had in Auburn Naval ROTC. From the camaraderie created at morning PT events to experiencing Auburn football games in Jordan-Hare front row, my time here at Auburn flew by. In addition to all the good times I have had at Auburn, there was work that had to be done.

The battalion does a great job of ensuring that we are successful both on and off the drill field. From tutoring to study hours, Naval ROTC creates an environment that aids in a student’s studies and academic success. The fun never stopped, continuing right into the summer. The stereotypical motto of “Join the Navy, See the World,” definitely has merit. I spent my first summer in San Diego, CA doing some of the coolest things a 19-year-old can do. We were either underway on nuclear submarines, shooting guns with Marines, zipping around the skies in aircraft, or seeing what it’s like to be a Surface Warfare Officer. It doesn’t stop with the first summer, during the next one I was able to experience New York City during Fleet Week as a midshipman. Finally, if I hadn’t had enough fun yet, I was able to go to the Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 1 (VX-1) and fly with Naval Aviators almost daily on a wide range of aircraft. If someone were to ask me which experience was my favorite, I would not be able to tell them because choosing one just isn’t possible. When we weren’t doing all these cool things, we were building bonds with fellow midshipmen from around the country that will last a lifetime.

Jackson Weyhe

At about six o’clock in the morning, on any given Wednesday, someone could drive along S Donahue Drive, and they would see a group of ROTC students formed up on the lawn in front of the Nichols Center. They are still tired, having only been up thirty minutes or so, and the coffee has not kicked in yet. Following an hour or so of physical training, everyone leaves and goes about their normal class day as a college student. On Wednesdays, however, Naval ROTC students are required to wear a prescribed uniform that day on campus and usually attend an afternoon leadership lab with their fellow midshipmen. Here, they learn about traits necessary to be a successful naval officer and even put these lessons into practice.

While there are many more obligations beyond these when you join NROTC, life is not too different than any other normal college student. Some days may be longer than others, but the general principles are to show up on time, in the right place, with the right uniform on and armed with a good attitude. If you are able to this, you are well on your way to becoming a strong naval officer. Like every other college student, you still go to class, have fun, and enjoy being a student at Auburn University. Some of the benefits include the possibility of a free education, an opportunity to serve your country, and strong friendships. Along with these, being a midshipman offers you the chance to do many fun things including summer cruise, drill team, Commander’s Cup, color guard, and freshman flags. These opportunities give you the chance to have fun, get into Auburn sporting events, and travel the country to places like California, Hawaii, and Guam. While NROTC does require hard work and dedication, people get out of it what they put into it and the rewards definitely make it worth it.

September 24, 2021

Making the Most of Campus Resources

Auburn wants to see students succeed, and there are SO many resources available for students on campus to help with this. Many of them are free of charge and easy to access. However, it’s the student’s job to take advantage of the opportunities available to them. Here’s how to make the most of campus resources.

University Career Center

https://www.theplainsman.com/multimedia/_mmo7719

Whether you have no idea what you want to major in or you have a very specific career goal in mind, the career center is for you! They are here to support you from start to finish of your college career. The career center is something that I used throughout my time at Auburn. My first semester freshman year, I was very undecided on what I wanted to major in, so I set up an appointment with a career coach to discuss various majors, what I thought I would enjoy, and different career paths available. I ended up changing my major that semester to the major I graduated with. A little later in college, I needed a summer internship, so I went back to the career center. They helped me with knowing how to job search, creating a resume and cover letter, and interview preparation. Another incredible resource of the career center is the career closet available to students. The career closet is filled with business professional clothes in a variety of sizes and styles, and students can get up to 4 free items from the career closet per year. This means that students could leave Auburn with 16 free items of business professional clothing by graduation! Finally, when I was graduating from Auburn and interviewing for my current job, I set up a mock interview with the career center. They ask common interview questions and give feedback for each interview question and response. It was super helpful in preparing and feeling more comfortable for my interview. In addition to all of this, the career center hosts internship and job fairs throughout the year. They are a great resource for students to utilize at any stage of their college career.

Academic Resources

https://www.theplainsman.com/multimedia/634a1876

Auburn is filled with academic resources to help students succeed. Aside from professors offering individual office hours each week, there are plenty of additional ways to help students stay on track in their classes. One great resource is Supplemental Instruction. Many core classes at Auburn have an SI Leader who is a current student that did well in the course in a previous semester. The SI Leader will hold study sessions each week to review the material with students in a smaller setting. These are optional, but I attended SI sessions early in college and found them extremely helpful in reinforcing what I had learned in class. Another great resource is Study Partners. Study Partners offers free one-on-one peer tutoring to students in a variety of courses. The Miller Writing Center offers one-on-one feedback from graduate and undergrad students on papers or writing assignments of any type. Finally, Learning Communities are a great resource for helping students adjust to college by giving them an automatic group of peers with similar interests and the same class schedule. You can read more about Learning Communities here.

Recreation and Wellness Center

Athletic Business - Athletic Business — https://www.athleticbusiness.com/project-1066.html

The Recreation and Wellness Center on campus is an incredible facility available to students, faculty, and staff. Most of the amenities within the rec are free to use and are something I wish I had taken advantage of more as a student. There’s a 1/3 indoor track with elevation changes, 6 regulation sized basketball courts, a PGA golf simulator, a giant pool and hot tub, a rocking climbing wall, and state of the art equipment. You can read more about the rec center on a previous blog post here.

Health and Wellness

Finally, there are lots of resources on campus for keeping students healthy both mentally and physically. Student Counseling Services provides students with free individual or group counseling sessions. The Medical Clinic on campus is available for students to visit when they need to see a doctor. There are massage and chiropractic services, a women’s health clinic, and a student pharmacy all within the med clinic as well.

July 2, 2021

Get to Know the College of Architecture, Design and Construction

By Katherine Buck Chastain

The College of Architecture, Design and Construction, or as we call it the CADC, is a community of designers and thinkers, builders and makers, leaders and stewards. We have more than 100 faculty and staff teaching and supporting about 1,550 undergraduate students studying in six programs.

Our students learn to create, design, and build the world around us. Learn more about our programs from some of our faculty and students below:

Allie Pelafos — Architecture and Interior Architecture

Auburn’s Architecture program, founded in 1907, is the oldest Architecture program in the south and is consistently ranked among the top 15 Bachelor of Architecture programs in the country by DesignIntelligence. Allie Pelafos is a 5^th year senior from Champaign, Illinois and she says she chose Auburn because of how many opportunities the program offered. “I instantly felt at home on campus. I was looking at the top ranked Architecture and Interior Design programs in the country. The Architecture/Interior Architecture concurrent degree gave me the opportunity to achieve both goals within 5 years. Learning the ins and outs of a building while creating so many connections so early on in my career was a chance I could not pass up.”

As a third year student Allie was selected for our degree program in Interior Architecture, which is offered concurrently with the Bachelor of Architecture degree. She also traveled to Rome through the Architecture program’s study abroad opportunities. “Being able to immerse yourself as a student allows you to learn so much about yourself and others that you can apply to projects long term.”

Allie is the 2021-2022 CADC Ambassador President. “I recommend prospective students who are looking at Architecture school to also consider the university as a whole. You want to pick a place that offers enough opportunities where your education will flourish through your individual interests and goals.”

Upon graduation in May Allie hopes to serve others through architecture. “I want to use my degrees to better the lives of others. Maybe healthcare design? I am keeping options open and looking forward to thesis year!”

Logan Bozeman — Building Science

Our Bachelor of Science in Building Construction degree focuses on construction management and teaches students how to execute, plan and manage construction projects from beginning to end. McWhorter School of Building Science alumni become estimators, project managers, virtual design construction managers and superintendents at construction companies all over the world. Logan Bozeman, a senior from Wetumpka, Alabama, is soon to be one of those alumni!

Logan will graduate from Auburn Building Science in December and is looking forward to his transition into industry. “One of the biggest things I am looking forward to is getting to work on a project from the ground up. I can’t wait to see something come together and look back on it for years and say, ‘I was a part of building that.’ ”

During his time in the program Logan has been involved in student organizations like Associated General Contractors (AGC) Student Chapter and is a CADC Ambassador. He has also been a member of three regional and national competition teams. “I enjoy competition teams because they give you real world experience on what you will be doing after college: things that range from estimating to making a schedule to running a company.”

Upon graduation Logan hopes to move into a pre-construction or project management role with a general contracting company. When asked why he chose Auburn’s Building Science program Logan said, “I grew up playing with Legos and games like Minecraft and thought that would lead to architecture, but I realized the hands-on component that existed in Building Science was my true passion.”

Katie Henry — Environmental Design

Environmental Design is the broadest, most flexible degree offered in the CADC. Students in the program learn core knowledge of all design and construction fields as well as business practices related to human-designed environments. Sustainability is woven throughout the curriculum, and together these subjects lead our students to become extremely versatile and prepared for anything the industry could throw at them. Katie Henry, a senior from Hartselle, Alabama, is finishing her final studio this semester. “I chose to major in Environmental Design because I am the type of person who likes to know a lot about everything. Environmental Design allows me to scratch every itch when it comes to my desire for knowledge. We specialize in systematic thinking and systematic design. I believe everything is connected and my degree allows me to find those connections.”

It is a common theme among Environmental Design students to want to positively impact the world with their creations. Katie is no exception. “I hope in 10-15 years I can be a part of starting a non-profit organization that serves orphans in third world countries. So much of what we learn in Environmental Design focuses on understanding sustainable design. There are many third world countries who do not use their resources to the fullest extent. I hope to work with world leaders to improve the designs of orphanages throughout the world through my non-profit. “

As President of the Environmental Design Student Organization, Katie participated in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Rainwater Challenge. “Competitions are not for the faint of heart! Patience, team collaboration, managing others, typography, time management and most of all leadership skills. I recommend everyone to take the opportunity, if given, to manage a design team because it allows you to become a better designer.”

Kaiyah King — Graphic Design

Graphic Designers use words, pictures, typefaces and graphics to convey messages, often to large groups of people. From logo and stationery design to interactive media like website design and motion graphics, visual communication is their specialty.

Kaiyah King, a senior from Energy, Illinois, holds two on-campus jobs, served as the VP of Marketing and Communications for the Black Student Union (BSU) for the past two years, is the on the Board of Directors for the Student Alumni Association and is a CADC Ambassador. When asked about how she manages all her involvement and a design major she says, “I am consistently working on my time management skills. You never achieve perfect time management. It requires constant attention. If you love what you are doing and what you are involved in, you make time for it all.”

As a CADC Ambassador Kaiyah gives tours to prospective students and her favorite piece of advice to share is about exploring options for student involvement. “Experiment freshmen year joining different organizations and networking throughout campus. There is a chance what you are involved with in freshmen year will be different than senior year. It’s okay to allow your interests to evolve as you grow and mature. Every experience or group helps mold who you become.”

Recognized as one of Graphic Design USA’s top programs, Auburn Graphic Design pushes students to become the best designers they can be. Kaiyah believes that the rigor of the program is why our alumni are successful upon graduation. “During one of my visits to campus, I saw the Senior Design Show. It inspired me because I knew if I graduated as an Auburn Graphic Designer, I would leave with the education that taught these students to do this incredible work. Now that I am a rising senior, I realize there are so many different career pathways in Graphic Design. The curriculum has taught me a little bit of everything. I look forward to using what I have learned in industry.”

Roshani Trivedi — Industrial Design

Consistently ranked among the top ten Industrial Design programs in the country, Auburn’s Industrial Design program is known for its unique curriculum in product design and product innovation. Roshani Trivedi, a senior from Knoxville, Tennessee, chose to major in Industrial Design because it combined artistic creation with helping others. “I knew I wanted art as a part of my career, but a fine art degree would have lacked a technical, functional aspect which I was also seeking. I wanted to help people with my work.”

When it came to choosing a school, Roshani looked all over. Finding a program that had the perfect combination of art and engineering was no small feat, but Auburn fit that search perfectly. Roshani has worked on a number of different projects in her studios. In just the past year she has designed packaging with Pratt Industries; worked with the Marine Discovery Center in New Smyrna Beach, Florida on master planning; designed and fabricated a chess set in collaboration with students in Ireland; designed, fabricated and installed a bike rack for Innovation Portal in Mobile, Alabama; and most recently designed guitar mounts and completed the exhibit design for the Fret Haus Senior Design Thesis Exhibit at the Alabama Contemporary Arts Center in Mobile, Alabama. Roshani says the Fret Haus Guitar Exhibit Design was her favorite. “I really enjoyed starting with the big picture concept and then working through it until seeing it on opening night. It was very fulfilling to see the senior students show off their work to friends and family through the exhibit we created. Exhibit design is a subtle aspect of design as people are there to see the work in the exhibit not how you set it up, but it is such a crucial aspect of the exhibit.”

This summer Roshani served as a student assistant for the Industrial Design summer camp at the futures studio in Mobile, Alabama. When asked about her favorite part of sharing the Industrial Design program with the campers she said, “I love getting to know people. Getting to introduce the students to something that I love so much was an honor. I personally struggled as a high school student trying to figure out what I wanted to do. Being able to help these students start their journey to find their passion was amazing.”

Professor David Hill — Landscape Architecture

We are excited to launch our Bachelor of Landscape Architecture program in the fall 2021 semester. Landscape Architecture students will learn to imagine, design and build the 21st century’s landscapes during their time with us. Our program will teach students how to engage many of the most pressing issues the world faces today through intentional design of outdoor spaces.

Program Chair David Hill says, “The discipline of landscape architecture continues to expand in its ability to make meaningful, positive impact in people’s lives and we look forward to continuing to explore how our students can engage the dynamic relationship between society and the land.”

With so many wonderful things going on in the CADC, we know the fall 2021 semester will be one of our best yet. We look forward to starting another year of creating, designing and building.

March 26, 2021

Learning Communities

If you’re anything like me, coming to college is a little scary and outside of your comfort zone. Meeting new people, making friends, and navigating college classes are all things you hope to conquer during your freshman year. Luckily, Auburn offers Learning Communities which help create a smooth transition to college.

What is a Learning Community?

A Learning Community is a group of about 20 other Auburn freshmen who are grouped together based on either a common interest or major. The “A Sound Mind” Learning Community focuses on mental health and wellness. The “Global Ambassadors” Learning Community is designed for students who are interested in exploring other cultures. There are also Learning Communities specific to the different colleges/schools on campus such as the “Hello Harbert” for business majors and the “Engineered for Success” for our future engineers. You can view a full list of Learning Communities here.

Within your Learning Community, you’ll be placed into one First Year Seminar class based on the theme of your Learning Community. For example, the “A Sound Mind” Learning Community will take a class on how to manage stress and practice self-care. The major-specific Learning Communities will explore career options within their major and create connections with faculty, staff, and alumni within the program. In addition to the FYS class, you’ll also be placed into core classes with your Learning Community.

Why join a Learning Community?

Learning Communities are a great way to meet people! You’ll automatically have 3-4 classes with the people in your Learning Community during both semesters of your freshman year, so you will have at least 20 familiar faces in class. This is such a big benefit if you’re coming from out of state or just don’t know a lot of people at Auburn. I was in a Learning Community, and I became great friends with several of the students in my group. We were able to sit next to each other in class and study together outside of class.

You’re also going to be pre-registered for the core classes that are connected with your Learning Community. This is so helpful when you’re signing up for classes at Camp War Eagle because you’re able to build your schedule around the classes already on your schedule through your Learning Community. It takes away some of the stress of registering for classes for the first time!

Sign me up!
Ready to join? Accepted students can fill out an application in AU Access. You can find more information on our website at this link.

January 15, 2021

The Auburn Creed: Part V

Here at Auburn, we love the Auburn Creed. It embodies the values we hold dear and describes who we strive to be. In Auburn, Alabama, we see the Creed everywhere. Classic lines such as “I believe in work, hard work” are worn on t-shirts, “I believe in the human touch” is commonly quoted, there are health and wellness classes at Auburn named after the line “I believe in a sound mind, in a sound body,” and hype videos at football games often contain the line “a spirit that is not afraid.” You can’t go far on campus without finding a trace of the creed. However, there’s one line that often goes unnoticed.

“I believe in obedience to law because it protects the rights of all.”

This is a line that we don’t often quote or think about, but it’s an important one. As Auburn men and women, we believe in the rights of all being protected. George Petrie wrote the Creed in 1943, and it’s evident that the values and ideas that he wrote about have transcended the test of time. Today in Auburn in 2021, this line holds just as much relevance and importance as it did in 1943.

As the Auburn family, we have a responsibility to adhere to the guidelines set in place for us for our own protection and safety. Obeying the law means not only doing so for ourselves but for the safety of those around us. We strive to do what is best to protect the rights for all the members of our family.

I’m not even sure I knew this line existed until the summer before my senior year of college. It was during Panhellenic Recruitment. I was driving through campus after a long day, and I was the only car in sight. As I turned right at a stop sign on campus, I was waved down by a police officer on a bicycle. That’s right- I was pulled over by a bike cop.

He approached my car and told me that he pulled me over because I didn’t come to a complete stop at the stop sign. He asked me what a stop sign indicated, and of course I answered, “to stop.” However, his next question caught me off guard. “What’s the fifth line of the Auburn creed?”

I had no idea, and when I told him I wasn’t sure, all he said was “You might want to look into that. There’s some good stuff in there.”

Luckily, he didn’t give me a ticket. I returned home and looked up the creed to find out just how clever this police officer was. As funny as this incident is looking back, I’ve never forgotten the fifth line of the Auburn Creed.

Next time you’re driving around campus, don’t forget to stop at stop signs!