Category: Campus Life

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.

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.

Well, I am so glad you asked! Being a Student Recruiter at Auburn (STUD for short) was my favorite thing I was a part of during my undergraduate years, and the main reason that I am in my current job. Being a part of Student Recruiters at Auburn changed the trajectory of my time at and after college. So, what does it mean to be a “Student Recruiter”?

Student Recruiters are the official tour guides of Auburn University. As a prospective student coming to visit Auburn, your tour of campus will be guided by a Student Recruiter. They are the backbone of Auburn University’s recruitment team. Being a STUD entails giving tours, helping with prospective student visit days, meeting with students one-on-one, and other recruitment activities.

From rigorous knowledge tests to learning how to walk backwards successfully, many different things go in to being a winsome Student Recruiter. One thing is common between all Student Recruiters and that is a deep love for Auburn and an even deeper love for prospective students. Our group of Student Recruiters consists of about 60-70 undergraduate students from all different parts of campus and all different kinds of majors. These students are skilled leaders, public speakers, and some of the most passionate students you will come across on campus.

I was a Student Recruiter from the Fall of 2018 to the Spring of 2020 (cut short because of COVID-19). Being a STUD provided me with friends that I would have never met outside of being a Student Recruiter. It confirmed and strengthened my love for Auburn University, and having the opportunity to share that love with incoming students was such a joy.

The job of a Student Recruiter is not an easy one. These students are juggling taking classes and preparing for tests, and on top of that, they come to give a tour for students from all over the nation twice a week. Our Student Recruiters do a great job of focusing in on the tour group and the time they have with the students. Nothing else matters during the hour and fifteen minute walking tour that they lead. This is one of the most important walks prospective students will do during their life, so we expect our Student Recruiters to always bring their best.

For prospective students reading this, know that when you visit campus and get to meet one of our Student Recruiters, they want to help you with your college decision making process. You will receive a handwritten postcard from your recruiter thanking you for coming to campus and those postcards will have your Student Recruiter’s email on there. Reach out to them! Ask them any questions that you might have about college life and specifically, Auburn college life. I speak from personal experience when I say that hearing from a student after a tour brings much joy and delight.

I love Student Recruiters. I think they have one of the best volunteer jobs in the world, walking around a beautiful campus like Auburn and sharing their love of Auburn through facts and rankings and personal stories of their own. “Auburn’s campus sells itself. I am just here to navigate you through the beauty of it all,” is something I would often tell my tour groups. Please come visit our beautiful campus and meet one of our Student Recruiters. I promise you will not regret it.

By Mary Davis Kennedy

Who wants to live on campus?! At Auburn University, about 4,800 students live on campus in 30 residence halls spread out in 5 different neighborhoods. Every dorm has at least 1 Resident Assistant, which is an upperclassman who helps create a warm, welcoming, and safe living environment. While it is optional for students, including freshmen, to living on campus, we always encourage students to live in the dorms their first year. We suggest this because it’s a great way to feel connected to campus, meet new people, and get involved! Living on campus as a freshman tends to be the culture at Auburn. As students become upperclassmen, they typically move off campus. That’s what I did and I’m so glad I got both experiences! I lived in the Quad my freshman year, and I lived in the Village my sophomore year. Below, I’ll detail the different on-campus neighborhoods where students can live.

The Hill and the Quad are very popular options for incoming freshmen. Rooms in both the Quad and the Hill are configured as suites with two double-occupancy rooms connected by a bathroom (4 people per bathroom). There are a limited number of single rooms available. Each room is furnished with an extra-long bunkable twin bed, desk and chair, and chest of drawers. 

In the Quad, there are 2 all-female dorms with the rest being co-ed. In the Hill, there is 1 all-male dorm, 1 all-female dorm, and the rest are co-ed. The Quad houses about 1,000 and is located in the heart of campus. The Hill is home to about 730 students and is located off West Samford Avenue, which is about a 5-10 minute walk to the Student Center and main classroom buildings.

Cambridge Hall is a co-ed dorm and has 5 floors of double occupancy rooms with a shared bathroom and in-room sink. Each room is furnished with an extra-long (80″), bunkable twin bed, desk and chair, and chest of drawers for each resident. Located next to the Auburn University Hotel and Conference Center, Cambridge Hall is home to about 300 students. Similar to the Hill, Cambridge is also about a 10 minute walk to the Student Center and other buildings.

The Village and South Donahue are the apartment style living options on campus and are each about a 10–15-minute walk to the heart of campus. The Village is home to about 1,500 students and South Donahue houses about 400 students. While South Donahue is co-ed, the Village has 4 all-female dorms and 4 co-ed dorms. The Village is also where sorority housing is located and normally members have an opportunity to live on the hall their sophomore year. Most Village suites are configured with four single bedrooms, two bathrooms and a common living/dining area. There are a limited number of suites with three single bedrooms with a bathroom or two single bedrooms with a bathroom. Each bedroom is furnished with an extra-long (80″) twin bed, desk and chair, chest of drawers, and open closet. The living/dining areas are furnished with a sofa and side chair, dining table with two chairs, microwave, refrigerator, sink, and counter and cabinet space. 

In South Donahue, most suites include two bedrooms with a private bathroom and a shared living room and kitchenette. There are also a limited number of one bedroom/one-bathroom suites and four bedroom/two bathroom suites. South Donahue is the newest residence hall and definitely the fanciest on-campus living option. Compared to a twin extra-long bunkbed, each bedroom is furnished with a queen-sized bed, desk and chair, chest of drawers, and open closet. The living room/common area is furnished with a sofa and side chair, entertainment unit, a wall-mounted 42” flat screen TV, and a quartz counter with two chairs (or a table and two chairs in ADA units). The kitchen area includes a microwave, refrigerator, sink, cabinet space, and a front-loading, high-efficiency washer and dryer unit. 

To live on-campus, students must apply separately through University Housing. Also, students must be accepted for admissions before they can apply for on-campus housing. For that reason, we encourage students to apply for admissions early. Once accepted, students receive more information to their Tigermail (Auburn email) about applying for housing. For step-by-step instructions, please click here.

For information about rental rates, please click here.

University Housing is offering residence hall tours Monday-Friday. To register for a housing tour, please click here.

For more information about living on-campus, the housing application process, room selection, room dimensions, design inspiration and more, please visit www.auburn.edu/housing or contact University Housing at housing@auburn.edu or 334-844-4580. Also, follow University Housing on Instagram @ housingatau.

Close your eyes. You are underneath Jordan-Hare Stadium. Another sellout crowd of 87,000+ are roaring in anticipation. You hear the chants echoing from sideline to sideline “AU-BURN…TI-GERS…AU-BURN…TI-GERS”. The most epic tradition in college football starts, the eagle flight. You can’t see it but you can hear it. You can feel it. You know as soon as the eagle lands it’s your turn. That hype video is about to play and your heart is pounding. Open your eyes. You think you’re a part of the Auburn Football team right? Wrong. This is the Auburn University Marching Band.

I was fortunate enough to be involved in several organizations and extra-curricular activities as a student at Auburn. Without a doubt, I had some of the most fun as a member of the AUMB. Some of my dearest, life-long friends, came from the marching band. If you are debating making that leap from high school band to collegiate marching band…I am here to tell you to go for it! Yes, it is a time commitment, but it is 110% worth it.

Pre-season camp is definitely a grind. For a little over a week you are working non-stop. By the end of camp, you have pretty much all of the half-time show and pre-game show on the field. Not to mention learning stands tunes, the “horn rocks” that go along with them, Auburn traditions, etc. It can be a lot to take in. Once you get through camp, the fun really starts.

When the season arrives, a typical week is a breeze. Traditionally, we got Monday’s off. Practice was Tuesday through Friday from around 3:30 to 5:00. Saturday is what it’s all about though. For a home game, we’d have a game-day rehearsal. That rehearsal is typically around 2 hours long. My favorite part about game day rehearsal was always the speech we would get from Dr. Spurlin at the end. He would get us all pumped up and ready for the game before we’d all lock arms and sing the alma mater. Afterwards, we’d have a pretty good break where we would eat, get dressed into our uniforms, and get ready for Tiger Walk. There are pep-rallies and other appearances that segments of the AUMB alternate and perform at each week. We’d all reconvene for one last big pep rally called “four corners” before entering the stadium.

Once we arrive in the stadium we do what’s called the “march-around” where we snake around the field playing our fight song (appropriately titled “War Eagle”) and “Glory to Ole Auburn.” Once that’s over, we have a few minutes to collect ourselves before we line up under the stadium for pre-game. The pre-game show is absolutely electric. Hearing the crowd sing along as we play the fight song, the star spangled banner, tiger rag, will give you goosebumps. Our job is to get the crowd ready for the team’s entrance. One of the coolest parts of pre-game is the team’s entrance. We make what we call the “tunnel AU” and the team runs through it through a cloud of smoke and fireworks. Now it’s game time.

During the game we play stands tunes, A LOT. To me, this was one of the biggest differences between high school and college marching band. Be ready to play a stand tune after almost every play. As we play and cheer our Tigers on to victory, you’ll recognize several fan favorites as you hear the crowd start to sing along. Our half time shows are always fun and unique. As a fan, the Vegas show from a few years ago comes to mind. This shows you the type of innovation and entertainment the AUMB is always trying to achieve.

After halftime, our job is not finished. We have to be ready to will the crowd to support our beloved Tigers. I will give you a warning though, often times being an Auburn fan can give you a heart attack…but the magical moments you’ll witness make it oh so worth it.

 Speaking of magical moments… I specifically remember the post-game day rehearsal speech by Dr. Spurlin before the Auburn/LSU game in 2010 (our National Championship season). That was a HUGE game. We were ranked as the #4 team in the country, while LSU was #6. We didn’t quite realize it then, but the Heisman CAMpaign hype train was about to take off full steam ahead. The national television show, College Game Day, was in town. People had been tailgating/camping since Wednesday night. You could feel the buzz around campus all week. That kind of atmosphere just gives you goosebumps to think about. That day, during that speech, I remember Dr. Spurlin urging us to soak it all in. To not take that day for granted. To appreciate the opportuntity that we had to wear our uniform and represent Auburn. I did just as he instructed. Not only that day, but that entire season. I tried to sit back and really appreciate what was going on around me. Dr. Spurlin told us “days like these don’t come around all that often, soak it in, enjoy it.” Ever since that speech, and that day in particular, I have tried to implement those wise words in to my every day life. The Auburn University Marching Band gave me so many moments: my best friends, my wife, and so many life lessons. I didn’t realize it then, but the experiences and lessons of discipline and hard work in the AUMB were setting me up for life. To this day when I experience a special occasion I try to just pause and soak it all it. “Don’t let it pass you by.” I can promise you, if you decide to become a member of the Auburn University Marching Band it will be one of the best and most rewarding experiences of your life.

When I was approached to write this blog post a few months ago, I honestly had no idea if college football season would happen, or what it would look like if it did happen. One day away from Auburn’s first game of the 2020 season, I could not be more thrilled to say that football is officially back! Rather than focusing on the differences that will take place during the upcoming season, I want to highlight what Saturdays in the fall normally look like as an Auburn student, and why football is so meaningful to the Auburn family.

Football season in Auburn is so much more than the memorable wins and crushing defeats that take place. It’s more than just something to do on a Saturday. It’s more than a free meal at a friendly face’s tailgate, or an excuse to put off studying for that dreaded midterm. You see, football season in Auburn is where the Auburn Family comes together seven times each fall for a reunion of sorts leading to memories that last a lifetime.

Saturdays in Auburn really start a few days before. A sea of white tents begin to take over campus in preparation for Saturday tailgates, and the city of Auburn grows in population as fans, alumni and families of students begin to take over the city. The smell of barbeque begins to engulf the campus on Fridays before the game, as fans of all ages gather at the Athletic Complex to send off the Tigers during “Reverse Tiger Walk.” This is when the football team departs Auburn to spend the night in Montgomery, Alabama before the game.

Saturdays start bright and early regardless of the kickoff time. Everyone is welcome at each other’s tailgate in Auburn, regardless of which team they’re rooting for. If fans aren’t stopping by a tailgate, it’s probably because they’re in downtown Auburn enjoying a legendary Toomer’s Lemonade from Toomer’s Drugs (enjoying a Toomer’s lemonade is listed in Southern Living’s Top 100 Things to do Before you Die).

Two hours before kickoff, thousands of Auburn fans line Donahue Drive for Tiger Walk, where the football team and coaches walk from the Athletic Complex into Jordan-Hare Stadium to prepare for the game. It’s also about this time that many students begin to enter the stadium and fans around the campus begin to pack up their tailgates in preparation for game time. Over the next two hours, 87,451 fans pack Jordan-Hare Stadium in anticipation for kickoff. Roughly 15 minutes before kickoff, Auburn’s eighth War Eagle, Aurea, circles the stadium as 87,451 excited fans yell, “WAARRRRR EAGLE! HEY!”

From that point, Jordan-Hare Stadium turns into the fifth largest city in the state of Alabama, and the loudest in all of America. Everyone does their best to cheer our Tigers onto victory, and sometimes the victories are so exciting that they only take one second before thousands storm Toomer’s Corner to celebrate a hard fought victory in the greatest rivalry in all of college football.

There is no experience quite like standing on Pat Dye Field, looking up into a stadium of over 87,000 screaming fans and cheering on Auburn’s team to a victory! Being chosen as an Auburn cheerleader was one of the most exciting moments of my college experience. As a cheerleader at Auburn, you get the opportunity to participate in hundreds of on-campus and community-wide events each year. These events range from cheering at basketball games, gymnastics meets, and volleyball tournaments to reading books and doing pep rally’s at elementary schools and nursing homes. Being an Auburn cheerleader means representing Auburn both on and off the field.

My favorite memory as an Auburn cheerleader was in 2011 during my senior year. Cam Newton was the quarterback. Auburn had won every game of the season up to that point, including the SEC Championship. It was January 10^th, and we were in Glendale, Arizona, at the National Championship game. The time on the scoreboard slowly ran down from 5, 4, 3, 2, 1….then Auburn University was declared the 2010 National Champions! Confetti fell from the sky; newspapers were passed around with the headline “TIGERS WIN”, and Auburn’s football team, cheerleaders and fans erupted in excitement! I remember feeling so lucky to be there and to be a small part of something so awesome in Auburn’s history.

Being a cheerleader at Auburn University holds so many wonderful memories that I will be able to cherish forever!

GO GREEK!

With 4 different councils and 50 chapters to choose from, Auburn has a wide variety of ways you can get plugged in to Greek Life. Click on the video links below to hear from our Council Presidents and see how you can get involved today.

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Alena Crews

President, Multicultural Greek Council

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Mason Blevens

President, Interfraternity Council

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Madison Birckhead

President, Panhellenic Council

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Ronny Isaac

President, National Pan-Hellenic Council, Incorporated

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Greek Life Facts

Demographics:

• 7,682 men and women make up the Auburn Greek Community.  
• Greek men and women represent approximately 31% of the total undergraduate population.

Service and Philanthropy

• Greek students annually donate over $500,000 to local and national philanthropic efforts and charities as well as over 120,000 hours of service to local, national, and international organizations.

History:

• The first fraternity founded at Auburn University was Sigma Alpha Epsilon – founded in 1878. 
• The first sorority founded at Auburn was Kappa Delta founded in 1922. 
• Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. was founded in 1972 becoming the first NPHC organization to join the Auburn Greek community. 
• The Multicultural Greek Council’s first organization was Omega Delta Phi Fraternity, Inc. founded in 2016.

Are you ready to go Greek?