May 2009
War Eagle and welcome to
eCommons, the
electronic version of
Auburn Commons.
Here's a look at what is happening this month:
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Bo Jackson speaks at Auburn University's Spring 2009 Commencement
 Vincent Edward "Bo" Jackson, Auburn University's second Heisman Trophy winner and 1995 Auburn graduate, delivered the commencement address to this year's Auburn graduates at spring ceremonies May 9.
Auburn awarded an estimated 2,823 degrees during two ceremonies in Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum. Of those degrees, 2,164 are bachelor's degrees, 357 are master's degrees, 222 are professional degrees, five are specialist degrees and 75 are doctorates.
Watch Bo Jackson's Commencement address: 10 a.m. | 2 p.m.
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Auburn selects Carry as Vice President for Student Affairs
 After a national search, Auburn University President Jay Gogue has announced that Ainsley Carry has been named Vice President for Student Affairs. Carry comes to Auburn from Temple University, where he served as Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students.
"We are excited to welcome Dr. Carry to the Auburn family as he brings with him a demonstrated passion for working with students and student programs as well as developing student leaders," said Auburn University President Jay Gogue. "His tenure as an administrator at other Southeastern Conference institutions combined with his experience in the area of strategic planning will prove invaluable for leading Auburn's division of student affairs."
Carry, who will begin his new position June 15, has an extensive background in student affairs and is a strong advocate for student leadership and personal development.
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Auburn's College of Business receives endowment for professorship
 The Auburn University College of Business has received a gift from Wendy S. Wilson of Huntsville to establish a professorship endowment in honor of her first accounting professor, and current associate dean of undergraduate programs, Gary Waters.
The president of Auburn University recently identified raising funds for 81 endowed professorships as a key strategic initiative for the university. Professorships reward faculty with exceptional merit. These funds offer a huge morale boost by providing salary enhancements to faculty who stimulate young minds and contribute to building programs that enhance the university.
Professorships can be established for $150,000, half the normal amount, from now until Sept. 30, 2009. Auburn will match the annual spendable funds ($7,500) into perpetuity.
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Auburn researcher studying enzyme pathways for possible cures of infectious diseases
 An Auburn University professor has received a $424,000 National Science Foundation grant for research in the fight against infectious diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis and anthrax, as well as staph infections.
Evert Duin, an assistant professor of biochemistry in the College of Sciences and Mathematics, is focusing his research on the different steps that biological cells use in making a group of lipids, called isoprenoids. These are fatty substances that are essential for the survival of all organisms including humans.
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Five simple words help student work past severe disability to earn finance degree
 Jake Giambrone lives by five little words: "Don't sweat the small stuff."
Yet for Jake everything from brushing his teeth to going to class is anything but a small task.
In December 2000, when he was 15, Jake broke his neck in an Auburn High School wrestling accident, leaving him paralyzed below the neck. Through years of experimental treatments and surgeries, though, he has regained partial use of his upper body.
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Honors College students excel nationally and internationally
 Auburn University students have garnered numerous awards and scholarships throughout the history of the university. This spring, three students from the university's Honors College received prestigious recognition that places them among the nation's best and brightest academic achievers. Rebecca Ludvigsen (left) of Lilburn, Ga., has been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study in Germany; Anne-Marie Hodge of Chattanooga, Tenn., earned a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship; and Lauren Hayes of Abbeville, Ala., was named to the second team in USA Today's All-USA College Academic Team competition.
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Auburn graduate programs show improvement in annual U.S. News grad school rankings
 Several Auburn University graduate programs in engineering and education improved their standings in the recently released U.S. News and World Report "Best Graduate Schools" rankings.
The graduate program in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering moved up to 69th from 73rd nationally, is rated 41st among public universities and 24th among the 53 land-grant research universities. Also improving in that college is chemical engineering (50th nationally, 32nd among public universities) and mechanical engineering (62nd nationally, 37th among public universities).
Auburn's doctoral program in the College of Education saw a jump to 71st from 77th nationally, is rated 50th among public universities and 24th among the 53 land-grant research universities.
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Auburn University and Fultondale working on plan to convert 'green' waste into electricity
 A new environmental partnership in Alabama could provide municipalities a way to convert their "green" waste into energy while reducing the amount sent to landfills.
Auburn University is collaborating with the City of Fultondale, Alabama Power Company and the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs to develop a plan for using the city's green waste – such as trees, tree limbs, leaves and grass clippings – as a source of clean, renewable energy.
"Fultondale, like other communities, sends tons of green waste to the city landfill each year," said Steve Taylor, director of Auburn's Center for Bioenergy and Bioproducts. "By using innovative gasification technology available through Auburn University, those limbs and branches could be used to power as many as 500 homes. The first step is making sure the process can be carried out in a manner that is cost effective."
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Auburn University Faculty Staff Campaign ends with record participation
Auburn's annual Faculty Staff Campaign recently concluded with a record 70 percent participation. This is an increase of 10 percent from last year and is the highest giving rate in the SEC and one of the highest in the nation among public universities. The active phase of this year’s Faculty Staff Campaign ran from March to May. Recognizing faculty and staff members who contributed at other times during the year, the campaign counts all donors from June 2008 to present. In addition to the direct benefit that faculty and staff contributions provide, campaign leaders noted that the on-campus support makes a statement to alumni and friends that a significant percentage of faculty and staff supports the university.
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Participate in the Vault College Buzz Book Survey
Dear Student/Alumnus/Alumna,
Auburn University has agreed to participate in the Vault College Buzz Book Survey. The information from this survey may be included in the sixth edition of Vault's College Buzz Book and will appear online on the Vault.com website. Your participation will help countless prospective students make key choices during the application process.
In completing this survey, we encourage you to be candid, as your identity will remain anonymous. Vault may quote your survey responses, in full or in part, in its College Buzz Book.
Below are instructions for taking the survey. Please read all of these instructions carefully before beginning the survey.
Click on the link below or copy and paste it into your browser (do not add "www" or anything else to the URL): http://www.vault.com/graddegree/graddegreesurvey.jsp?referer=17
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Stay up-to-date with Wire Eagle
Sign up for Wire Eagle -- this free news wire will keep you informed about what's happening at Auburn each week, including news and announcements our Wire Eagle subscribers are the first to hear. Visit wireeagle.auburn.edu.
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ESPECIALLY FOR ALUMNI |
Local alumni clubs hold summer gatherings
Summer is the height of Auburn's "club season," when the university's 99 alumni clubs around the nation typically hold their annual meetings and scholarship fundraising drives. Auburn clubs are located in 23 states, from California to New York, and offer networking opportunities as well as a chance to learn about what's happening on campus. To find a club near you and check summer meeting dates, see www.aualum.org/clubs.
Online career resources available for alumni
Want to use your Auburn University connections to land a job? "Tiger2Tiger," a free online community for Auburn alumni, allows graduates to network with other Tigers around the world. Individuals can form discussion groups in areas of interest, look for jobs and help other alumni find open positions in specific career fields. Tiger2Tiger is open only to AU alumni and employers who want to advertise job openings to AU graduates; alumni are not required to be members of the Auburn Alumni Association in order to use the site. To get started, see the Tiger2Tiger link at www.aualum.org/careers/
career_resources.html.
Give to scholarship fund, own a Toomer's brick
For a limited time, alumni who give at least $100 to the Auburn Alumni Association's endowed scholarship fund will receive an authentic Toomer's brick - a memento of Auburn University's victory celebrations through the years. University staff recently excavated the red-clay bricks from underneath the twin oak trees at Toomer's Corner in order to install new pervious sidewalks that allow water, air and nutrients to reach the root systems. The bricks are bagged, tagged and plated with the words "Toomer's Corner" and the university's interlocking AU logo. For more information or to make a gift, contact Toni Littleton-Rich at (334) 844-7420 or tonilittletonrich@auburn.edu.
Alumni association seeks award nominations
The Auburn Alumni Association needs your input on candidates for several annual awards recognizing alumni achievements, faculty teaching excellence and commitment to Auburn University:
- The Lifetime Achievement Award honors members of the Auburn family - including alumni and former faculty, coaches or administrators - who have obtained professional prominence or have served their communities or Auburn in an exemplary way. Nomination deadline: June 12.
- The Pamela Wells Sheffield Award recognizes women who have faithfully served the university and the Auburn family. Nomination deadline: June 30.
- The Minority Achievement Award recognizes Auburn faculty who go the extra mile to recruit minority students or improve race relations on campus. The award carries a $1,000 honorarium. Nomination deadline: Aug. 28.
- The Alumni Undergraduate Teaching Excellence Award honors faculty who create exceptional classroom experiences for Auburn students. The award carries a $1,000 honorarium, and nominations must be seconded by the appropriate college or school dean. Nomination deadline: Aug. 28.
Online nomination forms may be viewed at www.aualum.org/awards. For more information, contact Tanja Matthews at (334) 844-1113 or tanjamatthews@auburn.edu.
Game-day parking benefits scholarships
Want to secure a parking space during home football games this fall? Members of the Auburn Alumni Association can reserve a spot near the Auburn Alumni Center in exchange for a scholarship donation. Call (334) 844-ALUM for information.
Go tripping with fellow alumni
If you like to soar with the eagles, you'll love touring with the War Eagle Travelers. Next year's destinations span the globe and include a new-graduate trip to Europe in May, plus a pair of singles cruises to the Caribbean in January and February. Call (334) 844-1143 or see www.aualum.org/travel for a complete tour list.
Golden Eagles start new scholarship fund
Auburn's 1958 and 1959 graduates began paving the way for future students during this year's Golden Eagles reunion in May. The classes together contributed more than $8,000 to a new Golden Eagles Scholarship to be awarded for the first time in fall 2010 along with about 60 other Auburn Alumni Association scholarships. Alumni attending future 50th class reunions will also get a chance to contribute to the Golden Eagles scholarship fund. Contributions made before Dec. 31 this year will count toward the 1958 and 1959 classes' giving efforts. Visit www.aualum.org/events/golden-eagles.html.
Alumni Professors named
Your Auburn Alumni Association honors 25 outstanding professors each year, rewarding them with a substantial stipend from the association's endowment. The organization recently named its newest Alumni Professor Award recipients: Frank "Skip" Bartol, professor of animal sciences, College of Agriculture; Curtis M. Jolly, chair, Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, College of Agriculture; Mary T. Mendonca, professor of biological sciences, College of Sciences and Mathematics; Subhash C. Sinha, professor of mechanical engineering, Samuel Ginn College of Engineering; Wei Wang, professor of graphic design, College of Architecture, Design and Construction; and Mark G. Steltenpohl, professor of geology and geography, College of Sciences and Mathematics. Each Alumni Professor receives $3,500 annually for five years.
South Carolina offers Auburn vanity tag
Thanks to the Greenville, S.C.-based Palmetto Auburn Club, AU's 3,000-plus alumni residents of South Carolina now can buy license plates sporting the Auburn logo. The specialized tag is available from the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles for $70 every two years plus regular registration fees. Available in field DMV offices as well as by mail, proceeds from tag sales benefit scholarships for South Carolina students attending Auburn. For more information, see the club's Web site at www.auburnclub.com/palmetto.
Tiger Cubs - Welcome to the pack
Do you have a new addition to your family? Tiger Cubs are an important part of the Auburn family, too, and we want to help celebrate your new arrival and welcome him or her to the pack. Auburn Alumni Association members can request a Tiger Cub Certificate for any child under age 1. To receive your certificate, e-mail Kate Hancock at hancoka@auburn.edu. Provide your name and address, along with the baby's name and birth date. Also, don't forget to share your cub's photo with other alumni on Tiger2Tiger, an online social network for Auburn alumni. Log on at www.aualum.org, or send Kate the photo to post on our Web site.
New members join the team
The Auburn Alumni Association welcomes our May 2009 graduates as members. More than 1,500 graduates have taken advantage of the "new grad - free year" program. If you haven't registered, do so today at www.aualum.org/
membership. If you are a May 2008 graduate, now is the time to renew your commitment by joining the association. Membership is the best way to remain connected to your alma mater.
Toomer's Coffee available now
The Auburn Alumni Association has a new affinity partner: Toomer's Coffee. This Auburn family roasts its own coffee, and now you can get it wherever you are. Check out our shop page for more partners and membership benefits: www.aualum.org/shop. |
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