C A M P A I G N Q U A R T E R LY
FALL 2015
VOLUME 1 • ISSUE 2
Changing the campus landscape and learning environment New classroom facilities will transform the student experience SEE PAGE 2
Renderings courtesy: Williams Blackstock Architects | tvsdesign
Campaign Progress
GIVING DAY
$855 MILLION
85.5% of the $1 billion goal as of September 30, 2015
CAMPAIGN HOSTS METROPOLITAN EVENTS
STUDENTS TO BENEFIT FROM NEW SCHOLARSHIP
FIRST TIGER GIVING DAY SET FOR DEC. 1
Alumni and friends gather for first regional event held in Birmingham.
The Goizueta Foundation creates new scholarship endowment.
Special 24-hour fundraising event allows donors to support various campus projects.
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Find more campaign news, photos, and resources at
BECAUSE.AUBURN.EDU
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CAMPAIGN QUARTERLY | FALL 2015
ADVANCING AU B U R N AC A D E M I C S
T R A N S F O R M AT I O N A L . Remarkable. Unprecedented. Even these adjectives are inadequate to describe the tremendous momentum we have seen for Because This is Auburn — A Campaign for Auburn University. To date, we have exceeded $855 million in campaign contributions — nearly 86 percent of our $1 billion goal — through the generosity of more than 86,000 donors. Of this $855 million, more than 54 percent has come from alumni, with corporations and friends accounting for 17 percent and 11 percent, respectively. We have gained tremendous momentum, but we still have work to do. This is a campaign for all of us, and this level of philanthropic support embodies the power and potential that our collective giving holds for Auburn. We are confident in Auburn’s future and the generations of prospective students who are counting on the actions we take right now. Your support is vital to guaranteeing that those who follow us will have increased access to a quality Auburn education through new scholarships, outstanding faculty, worldrenowned programs that will bolster Auburn’s reputation, and world-class facilities of which the entire Auburn Family can be proud. Now is the time for each of us to join together by pledging support through Because This is Auburn. Ask yourself: How can my gift today help realize our goals and make possible the Auburn of tomorrow?
The $33 million, 69,000-square-foot Mell Classroom Building (above), which will house 12 new active learning classrooms and two large lecture halls, also will include the renovation of 38,000 square feet of existing library space and will retain the front façade of the Ralph Brown Draughon Library (right).
Wayne T. Smith ’68 Campaign Co-chair
Cheryl Glass Smith ’68 Campaign Co-chair
C A M PA I G N Q UA R T E R LY
Vice President for Development President, Auburn University Foundation Jane DiFolco Parker Senior Associate Vice President for Development Rob Wellbaum ’93 Assistant Vice President for Development Communications and Marketing Jason Peevy ’92 Editorial Staff Beth L. Smith ’88, Editor Lisa Lofland Michael Tullier ’98 Katie Wilder ’00 Designer Emily Wilkins Photography Jeff Etheridge FlipFlopFoto Melissa Humble
Daniel Lawson Nik Layman Steve Sniteman
Campaign Quarterly is published four times a year by the Office of Development Communications and Marketing. For editorial information, contact Beth Smith at smithel@auburn.edu or 334.844.2924.
METROPOLITAN EVENTS TAKE CAMPAIGN ON THE ROAD
As part of Because This is Auburn — A Campaign for Auburn University, metropolitan events are being hosted in major cities to share the purpose and goals of the campaign and its power to shape Auburn’s future. The first event, held at the Country Club of Birmingham in September, was attended by more than 300 Auburn alumni and friends. Bruce Pearl, Auburn’s head basketball coach, served as master of ceremonies and encouraged attendees to consider how they can support the campaign. Raymond and Kathryn Harbert, campaign co-chairs, celebrated the campaign’s progress since the public launch, and program speakers highlighted the impact of philanthropy at Auburn.
New classroom facilities will transform the student experience The construction of two new academic classroom facilities is set to create an additional 330,000 square feet of space, increasing the square footage of Auburn’s centrally managed classroom space by more than 40 percent. Construction of the Mell Classroom addition to Ralph B. Draughon Library (RBD) will begin in December, with a two-building Academic Classroom and Laboratory Complex to be constructed in 2017. Auburn is committed to remaining at the forefront of academic course delivery, and this commitment requires facilities that integrate the latest technology and teaching innovations. The university’s strategic plan calls for developing state-of-the-art classrooms and laboratories that support the teaching, learning, and assessment needs of Auburn students and faculty — both now and in the future.
A NEW APPROACH TO LEARNING Many of the classrooms in these facilities will be flexible team learning environments known as Engaged Active Student Learning (EASL) spaces. Unlike traditional, lecture-focused classrooms, EASL spaces allow students to participate in the learning process through group seating arrangements that foster project engagement and better utilize wireless technology to connect to class applications. These classrooms are designed to be flexible and userfriendly in order to accommodate evolving educational approaches, such as the “flipped classroom” model. In this approach, lectures and presentations are available online prior to class, with class time focused on discussing the material with the professor, working through problems in small groups, and collaborating on team projects — all aimed at requiring students to participate actively in the learning process.
Feedback from students taking classes in Auburn’s first two EASL classrooms suggests that the seating and interactive technology facilitate a more productive learning environment and allow them to learn effectively in groups. Student survey responses, such as “I loved how it forced us to interact with each other and share ideas,” and “This classroom is excellent for facilitating discussion — infinitely better than rows of desks,” indicate that these classrooms provide an enhanced learning environment.
critical to making these facilities a reality. Through Because This is Auburn — A Campaign for Auburn University, the university is raising $20 million in charitable funding to support these projects, which will include naming opportunities for a variety of classrooms, laboratories, and lecture spaces in both facilities, as well as the buildings themselves.
Large breakout study areas will be located adjacent to the EASL spaces, allowing for learning to continue outside the classroom. These areas will use an open design for student-faculty and student-student interactions, integrate spaces that encourage further discussion, and allow for immediate followup after class through informal encounters. The new classroom facilities will serve students across academic majors and programs and will create improved instructional spaces on Auburn’s campus. In addition, these facilities will house lecture halls, auditoriums, and problem-based learning classrooms and laboratories, as well as group and individual study rooms, lounges, and coffee shops. “As an institution, we recognize that student success depends heavily on innovative learning environments that encourage scholarship, enrichment, and community. Without question, these new spaces will embody Auburn University’s commitment to excellence in teaching and learning,” said Timothy R. Boosinger, provost and vice president for academic affairs. As Auburn continues to create the finest learning and research environments, private support, in conjunction with institutional funding, will be
“These new buildings are much more than brick and mortar. They are facilities that will transform how we define education at Auburn.” — Timothy R. Boosinger Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Construction of the $75 million Academic Classroom and Laboratory Complex, which will consist of two buildings, will begin in the fall of 2017 on the current site of Parker Hall and Allison Labs.
For more pictures of the metropolitan events, visit BECAUSE.AUBURN.EDU
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CAMPAIGN QUARTERLY | FALL 2015
PROGRAMS
DONOR SOCIETY EXPANDS MUSEUM’S EXHIBITIONS
E
ach year, donors to the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art’s 1072 Society provide funding for the 1072 Society Exhibition, one of Auburn’s innovative, out-of-theclassroom educational programs. The museum presents a selection of art made possible through the collective gifts of individuals who give at least $1,072 annually — the amount paid in 1948 for Auburn's first major art acquisition consisting of 36 modernist paintings from the Advancing American Art U.S. State Department exhibition.
IN APR IL, WE L AUNCHED the public phase of Because This is Auburn — A Campaign for Auburn University. What does it mean for a campaign to go public? It is the opportunity for us to share with the entire Auburn Family the purpose of the campaign and its potential to transform our institution’s future. It is our appeal to Auburn’s faithful to rise as one and join our efforts to raise private support that helps prepare our students, equip our faculty, build our programs, and create exceptional facilities — those things that shape a better Auburn. It also is the means by which we gauge excitement for, and commitment to, an initiative that truly depends on each and every one of us. The response to Because This is Auburn has been, in a word, overwhelming. In just a little more than the five months since the public launch, we have received gifts of more than $133 million and celebrated the largest gift in Auburn’s history from John and Rosemary Brown. This brings our annual fundraising total for Fiscal Year 2015 to $200 million — an amount that far surpasses last year’s record of $150 million. Our success is unprecedented, and it can be attributed to the dedication of so many who are making gifts of all sizes. The Auburn Family is indeed unique and this tremendous response speaks to its commitment to the success of our university. The public phase also incorporates a focused marketing effort that puts our message in front of people daily. We have a compelling story to tell and we are sharing it in many ways, including advertising in business journals, magazines, and online, as well as radio spots and graphics at Auburn’s sporting events. On December 1, we will take part in the nation’s annual Giving Tuesday by hosting “Tiger Giving Day” to seek funding for a variety of specific projects across the university within a 24-hour period. We also are hosting metropolitan events in major cities to share the story of this campaign. We already have held events in both Birmingham and Huntsville, with Houston, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., and others on the horizon. These events allow us to highlight the amazing impact this campaign will have on Auburn’s future. I encourage you to take part in this public phase and share the news of the campaign with others. I also ask you to consider how your own philanthropy can join the collective generosity of so many in helping us tell the Auburn story — a story we all can claim as our own.
Jane DiFolco Parker Vice President for Development President, Auburn University Foundation
Lynn Barstis Williams Katz, who supports the museum through charitable giving and gifts of artwork, is passionate about the 1072 Society. “This is a way I can help grow the museum’s collections and share them with tours or enjoy them for my own contemplation,” said Katz, who also serves on the JCSM Advisory Board and as a docent. The 1072 Society’s collection for 2015-16 is photography featuring historic, traditional, and contemporary examples, which are on view from Nov. 14 to Jan. 24. The current photography collection contains work by Diane Arbus, Andy Warhol, and William Wegman, among others. These collections enable art history students to observe the inner workings of a museum, research and interpret actual art objects, and discuss their observations. “The student feedback suggests these encounters are a favorite part of class,” said Emily Burns, assistant professor of art. “Access to the collections greatly enhances the student experience.”
“This is a way I can help grow the museum’s collections and share them with tours or enjoy them for my own contemplation.” — Lynn Barstis Williams Katz
STUDENTS
The Goizueta Foundation endows new scholarships A $1 million gift from The Goizueta Foundation is creating new scholarships for Auburn students who graduate from high schools in 10 metro Atlantaarea counties and demonstrate financial need. These counties include Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, and Rockdale. Administered by Auburn’s Office of University Scholarships, these scholarships will be available to qualified students regardless of their area of study. The Atlanta-based family foundation funds initiatives that inspire young people from the metro area to learn and succeed. “These scholarships and The Goizueta Foundation’s generosity create an enduring legacy that will make an Auburn education possible for thousands of Georgia students and provide them a wider range of options for their college education,” said Jane DiFolco Parker, vice president for development and president of the Auburn University Foundation. The endowed Goizueta Foundation Scholars Fund also supports the Office of Enrollment Services’ campaign goal of raising $40 million in new scholarship support. “There is no greater gift than an education,” said Cindy Singley, director of university recruitment. “We are thankful to The Goizueta Foundation for investing in generations of future students and the impact they will have on the world as a result of their Auburn education.”
FACULTY
Endowed chairs help recruit top faculty members Endowed faculty chairs play an important role in recruiting the finest educators — faculty members like David Paradice and Glenn Richey who are experts in their fields and recently were named new eminent scholar chairs in the Raymond J. Harbert College of Business. These new endowed chairs were made possible as part of a $40 million commitment from Raymond and Kathryn Harbert. Earnings from faculty endowments supplement a chair holder’s base salary and provide funds for research, equipment, and operational expenses, as well as support for graduate students. Paradice is the new eminent scholar in business analytics and serves as the chair of Auburn’s Aviation and Supply Chain Management Department. He comes to Auburn from Florida State, where he worked in a variety of capacities, including chair of the Management Information Systems Department, associate dean for undergraduate programs, and senior associate dean for all academic programs. “The endowed position that I hold is an investment that supports scholarship in all of its forms — teaching, research, and civic engagement — and my goal is to have an impact in all of these dimensions,” Paradice said. “I am proud of what this appointment says about my 30-year career, and I am
CAMPAIGN PROGRESS As of September 30, 2015
85.5%
OF $1 BILLION GOAL
76.9%
OF CA MPAIGN EL APSED Glenn Richey (left) and David Paradice recently were named chaired professors in the Raymond J. Harbert College of Business.
CAMPAIGN FUNDS RAISED PROGRESS BY CAMPAIGN FOCUS AREA
certainly honored by the implicit association with someone as successful as Mr. Harbert by being appointed a Harbert Eminent Scholar.” Richey is an eminent scholar in supply chain management and comes to Auburn from the University of Alabama, where he was a professor in marketing. In 2012, he earned the University of Alabama’s Top Teaching Award and the National Alumni Association’s Outstanding Commitment to Teaching Award. “It is both a great honor and opportunity to be an endowed chair at Auburn and be able to work with students, faculty, government, and industry,” Richey said. “I cannot express how proud I am to be a part of the Harbert College’s highly ranked Supply Chain Management program.”
27%
6%
14%
53%
Student Support $230.6 MILLION
Program Support $451.1 MILLION
Faculty Support $55.0 MILLION
Facilities Support $118.3 MILLION
ANNUAL VS. ENDOWED
66%
34%
FACILITIES
Annual $565.1 MILLION
Endowed $289.9 MILLION
PROGRESS TOWARD UNIT CAMPAIGN GOALS AGRICULTURE ALUMNI AFFAIRS ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION
East Alabama Medical Center leads giving for new nursing building Through a $1 million commitment, East Alabama Medical Center (EAMC) has made the largest gift to date for a new nursing facility at Auburn. The gift supports the School of Nursing’s effort to raise $4.8 million in private funding to match university funds for the new building. This investment represents a decades-long partnership with EAMC, located in Opelika, Ala., that has included student clinicals; funding for scholarships and professorships; and collaborations with academic, research, and outreach programs. “Our giving to Auburn makes good business sense,” EAMC President and CEO Terry Andrus said. “We know our support of this new facility will provide students with a top-notch
learning experience. It also will translate into an investment in the region’s, state’s, and nation’s healthcare infrastructure, not to mention our future nursing workforce.” Providing increased capacity for teaching, simulation, and research activities, the new building will more than quadruple the school’s current 11,700 square feet of space in Miller Hall and will help accommodate a growing enrollment. The building is slated for construction at the corner of South Donahue Drive and Lem Morrison Drive in the developing Health Sciences Sector, which includes the Auburn campus of the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine and plans for a future Harrison School of Pharmacy building.
ATHLETICS AUBURN UNIVERSITY MONTGOMERY BUSINESS
—Terry Andrus, EAMC President and CEO
85% 74% 80% 102% 91%
DIVERSITY & MULTICULTURAL AFFAIRS
73%
EDUCATION
87% 94%
ENGINEERING FORESTRY & WILDLIFE SCIENCES GRADUATE SCHOOL HONORS COLLEGE HUMAN SCIENCES LIBERAL ARTS LIBRARIES MUSEUM OF FINE ART NURSING OUTREACH PHARMACY RESEARCH SCIENCES & MATHEMATICS STUDENT AFFAIRS
“We know our support of this new facility will provide students with a top-notch learning experience.”
95%
UNIVERSITY FACILITIES UNIVERSITY INITIATIVES VETERINARY MEDICINE
102% 78% 63% 77% 93% 91% 98% 76% 96% 65% 85% 74% 84% 56% 114% 78%
0 100
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CAMPAIGN QUARTERLY | FALL 2015
Unit Campaign Updates COLLEGE OF
Agriculture
The Alabama Farmers Federation (Alfa) has given a powerful boost to the college’s scholarship program through a $90,000 outright gift and a pledge of an additional $250,000 over the next five years. The gifts ultimately could provide Alfa scholarships to 67 College of Agriculture students — one from every county in the state — each academic year. Paul Patterson, associate dean for instruction, noted that Auburn agriculture is fortunate to have such a long-standing relationship with Alfa. OFFICE OF
Alumni Affairs
Believing that scholarships are one of the best ways to give back to Auburn, Steve Inabinet ’78, and his wife, Teresa, recently funded an Alumni Scholarship. “Providing a student scholarship was important to us,” he said. “Having four children attend Auburn, we understand the value of higher education and realize that scholarships are crucial for securing the continuation of the Auburn tradition.” For more information about the Auburn Alumni Association scholarship program, visit aualum.org/scholarships. COLLEGE OF
Architecture, Design and Construction
The Jessie Ball duPont Fund’s gift of $100,000 for “DESIGNhabitat 5: Affordable Urban Housing Solutions for the Aging” is enabling the college’s Urban Studio, located in Birmingham, to create an affordable housing prototype for aging urban dwellers that can be replicated nationally by Habitat for Humanity affiliates. This project is part of Urban Studio’s Design for Health Initiative that harnesses the power of design to improve public health and well-being.
Athletics Department
The Oaks Society, the highest giving level in Tigers Unlimited, recently inducted 18 donors into its inaugural class. The society honors those who have donated more than $1 million in outright giving, above and beyond their ticket priority. “The Oaks Society is important because it gives us an opportunity to honor those families and individuals who have been loyal and generous in their support of Auburn Athletics,” Director of Athletics Jay Jacobs said. “They make it possible for us to compete for championships, graduate our student-athletes, and provide the best student-athlete experience in the nation.”
Auburn University at Montgomery
The recent academic reorganization of Auburn University at Montgomery resulted in the formation of the new College of Public Policy and Justice. Keivan Deravi, who has taught economics at AUM for more than 30 years, is the college’s first dean and its first major donor. The Deravi and Soltani Endowed Scholarship, named in honor of his family, will provide support to an outstanding student within the college.
RAYMOND J. HARBERT COLLEGE OF
Business
A new fund for excellence, established by a $100,000 commitment from marketing graduates Steven ’85 and Marian ’87 Phillips, will help transition students to their post-college, professional lives. The gift funds internships, training, and other educational opportunities, including basic personal finance and budgeting, investing in 401(k)s, relationship selling and networking, and other topics deemed important by the college. Students will work with Auburn’s Office of Professional and Career Development to expand their understanding of personal finance, behavioral finance, and consumer behavior. OFFICE OF
Diversity and Multicultural Affairs
This fall, the Provost Leadership Undergraduate Scholarship Program (PLUS) awarded 169 scholarships, supporting the largest number of students since its inception in 2006. Because of the program’s success, scholarship opportunities were expanded to include transfer students. Created to increase diversity among Auburn’s undergraduate student population, the PLUS program is unique because it not only provides students a $2,000 scholarship per academic year, but also supports them academically and socially with ongoing study and tutoring sessions, academic counseling services, and leadership training. COLLEGE OF
Education
The college recently set a record by awarding more than $400,000 in undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships to 220 students for the 2015-16 academic year. The college’s 14th annual scholarship ceremony in August included new student support made possible by College of Education alumni Michael ’97 and Jennifer ’97 Dugan; Dr. Jenny Barton ’89; Sharon Lovell ’64; Woody Norris ’80 and his wife, Gail; and Patricia Smith ’74; as well as St. Vincent’s Health System of Birmingham. SAMUEL GINN COLLEGE OF
Engineering
Melissa Brown Herkt ’77, civil engineering, has played a vital role in helping the college reach 92 percent of its $200 million campaign goal to date through her personal gifts of more than $3.3 million for endowed civil engineering scholarships and college-wide funds for excellence. Herkt, retired president of Process Systems and Solutions, is active with the college’s Engineers Without Borders organization and recently traveled with more than a dozen students and faculty to Bolivia to help a local village build irrigation, hydroponics, and wind power systems.
SCHOOL OF
Forestry and Wildlife Sciences
The school has exceeded its campaign goal of $19.8 million with a recent estate gift from Billy ’88 and Mary Ann Hooten of Glenwood, Ala. The Hootens have designated their gift for scholarships to benefit students majoring in forestry. Billy, who himself was a scholarship recipient, said he felt his scholarship had a positive impact on building his confidence as a student and wanted to share that experience with other deserving students.
Graduate School
Graduate fellowships, funded through donor gifts, are imperative to recruiting and retaining outstanding students who are committed to advancing their education at the graduate level. Such fellowships leverage Auburn University as a global leader for graduate education. Graduate fellowships allow merit-based, underrepresented, and need-based students to fulfill their ambitions of high academic achievement without financial burden or stress. To learn more about how to support graduate education, or graduate fellowships, visit because.auburn.edu/gradschool.
Honors College
A gift from Doug ’82 and Lisa Kilton supported a record class of prestigious national scholarship winners who were selected during the 201415 academic year. Auburn’s class of scholarship winners for the year included a Marshall Scholar, four Fulbright Scholars, two Goldwater Scholars, eight National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellows, a Boren Scholar, a Udall Scholar, an Oxford University Clarendon Scholar, a Phi Kappa Phi National Fellow, four Gilman Scholars, and an NCAA Walter Byers Award recipient. COLLEGE OF
Human Sciences
A collaboration among various industry partners who donated carpet, furniture, paint, and labor has enabled the college to restructure and renovate learning spaces for interior design students. The 11 new cutting-edge working labs function as a teaching tool, showcasing current developments in ergonomics, productivity, sustainability, and creativity in workplace design. Milton Bresler, Interior Design Advisory Board member and senior territory manager for Krueger International, notes that the collaboration isn’t about competition for these companies. “We aren’t just doing business with Auburn. We are investing in future interior designers.” COLLEGE OF
Liberal Arts
A new fund for excellence, endowed by siblings Ginger and J. Stern, will fund student scholarships, student travel to professional conferences, and a lecture series in the Department of Art and Art History. Their gift, made through the Henry J. Stern Family Foundation, memorializes their mother, Roslyn Brock Stern ’59, an Opelika City Schools art teacher for 26 years and, as an artist herself, a vital contributor to and patron of the arts community.
The Provost Leadership Undergraduate Scholarship Program awarded its largest number of scholarships this year.
AUBURN UNIVERSITY
Libraries
U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus ’69, history, has donated an estimated 100 cubic feet of congressional office records to the Ralph B. Draughon Library Special Collections and Archives Department. Bachus served in the U.S. House of Representatives for 21 years. He was a longtime member and onetime chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, playing a role in the highlevel negotiations and politics connected to the 2008 housing and financial crisis. The records contain information about the negotiations and will be made available to the public in 2020.
HARRISON SCHOOL OF
Pharmacy
The Auburn Pharmacy Alumni Association (APAA) recently established an endowed scholarship, moving the school closer to achieving its campaign goal of raising $3.9 million for student support. “We believe in Auburn and are continually impressed by the quality of students that come to the Harrison School of Pharmacy,” said Bobby Giles, APAA president. “It is exciting to be able to reward these students and assist them in their education now and for years to come.” OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR
Research and Economic Development
JULE COLLINS SMITH
Museum of Fine Art
Family, friends, and members of the museum are continuing the legacy of the institution’s namesake — Jule Collins Smith — through gifts in her memory. An alumna and passionate visionary for arts education at Auburn, Smith passed away on June 13. She and her husband, Albert, strived to provide the best cultural arts learning environment for the campus and community. “She was the epitome of a true lady,” said donor Fran Dillard. “For JCSM to endure as the premier fine art museum in the state would be the ultimate tribute.” SCHOOL OF
Nursing
The Hospice Home Health Fund of Alabama has established an endowed scholarship in memory of Remona Parrish Thrasher ’85 and her 25 years of home health industry service. Thrasher, who earned a bachelor’s of nursing, was a regional director for Alacare Home Health and Hospice for 15 years. The scholarship will assist Auburn’s nursing students who graduate from Alabama high schools with a GPA of 3.0 or better and demonstrate financial need.
University Outreach
A gift of $25,000 from the Hill Crest Foundation of Birmingham has helped grow the Encyclopedia of Alabama’s sustaining endowment fund. Available at www.encyclopediaofalabama.org, EOA is an Internet-based resource providing free, reliable, and accessible information about Alabama’s history, culture, geography, and natural environment to K-12 students and teachers, researchers, and the general public. By significantly increasing EOA’s endowed resources, the Hill Crest Foundation’s gift has helped build the site’s educational resources and classroom materials for Alabama teachers.
The Auburn University Research Advisory Board supports Auburn’s efforts to grow a robust research and scholarship culture in which faculty discover new knowledge, support economic development, and enrich the lives of others. One way in which they demonstrate this support is through the Research Advisory Board Advancement of Research Scholarship Achievement Award. When fully funded, this award will recognize the highest levels of excellence in research and scholarship and will provide a $25,000 stipend to fund the innovative research activity of one outstanding faculty member per year. COLLEGE OF
GIVING DAY
24 HOURS. 20+ PROJECTS. ONE BIG FAMILY.
AN AUBURN DAY OF GIVING In 2012, Giving Tuesday began as a nationwide movement to offer a counterpoint to the consumerism of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Its goal was to introduce a new tradition of generosity on a global scale. On Dec. 1, Auburn University will participate in this year’s Giving Tuesday by hosting Tiger Giving Day — a day designed to support various colleges, schools, and units from across campus by challenging the public to fully fund a specific project in 24 hours. Each project, ranging in need from $2,500 to $20,000, will be highlighted on Dec. 1 at TigerGiving.org, and donors can choose to give to one or more projects that appeal to their interests. Throughout the day, funding progress will be updated in real time and donors can see how their philanthropic gifts — combined with those of others — are advancing these fundraising opportunities.
Sciences and Mathematics Freddie Wade ’85, pre-med/chemistry, and his wife, Stacey ’86, education, have made a planned gift to benefit the college. Wade is an awardwinning hip replacement specialist at Middle Tennessee Bone and Joint Clinic. As a dedicated member of COSAM’s Campaign Committee, he serves as an advocate for the college and recently hosted an event for COSAM alumni in the middle Tennessee area in support of Because This is Auburn — A Campaign for Auburn University. DIVISION OF
Student Affairs
The Auburn University Veterans Resource Center, now a program within the Division of Student Affairs, helps transition veterans, active-duty service members, guardsmen, reservists, and their dependents receiving VA educational benefits to university life. New scholarships for veterans will help offset expenses the GI Bill and other military programs do not cover. Additionally, gifts will help support a new mentorship program that pairs these students with members of the Auburn Family who can provide career and life guidance. COLLEGE OF
Veterinary Medicine
Jim ’76 and Amy Streetman are investing in veterinary students by establishing scholarships to honor two special Auburn veterinarians — the late Dr. McKenzie Heath ’19, who was Jim’s uncle, and the late Dr. Donny Buster ’81, who was Jim’s fraternity brother and friend. Heath had a long, successful veterinary medicine career working in private practice and later teaching at Auburn. Buster was a veterinarian at Selma Animal Hospital and was active in the Selma community. Future generations of Auburn veterinarians will benefit from the Streetmans’ gift, which honors the legacy of these two veterinarians.
OFFICE OF GIFT PLANNING
Support Auburn while securing your future Charitable gift annuities positively affect future generations of students and faculty while ensuring your financial needs are not at risk. Upon your donation, you receive a fixed payout amount each year throughout your lifetime. Your rate of payment does not fluctuate with the stock market, interest rates, or inflation. After your lifetime, the remaining balance is directed toward your area of interest at Auburn. A similar option is a deferred gift annuity through which your payments are delayed, usually by five to 10 years. By deferring your payments to a later date, you receive a larger payout percentage and charitable tax deduction. This option is beneficial if your tax bracket is higher now than you anticipate it will be when you retire. You receive a current income tax deduction and your future payments are fixed for life. Gift annuities are an excellent way to help shape Auburn’s future while ensuring your own financial security. For information, contact the Office of Gift Planning at 334-844-7375 or plannedgiving@auburn.edu.
Find more campaign updates, news, and publications at
BECAUSE.AUBURN.EDU 7
Auburn University is an equal opportunity educational institution/employer.
Because now is the time for every member of the Auburn Family to join together for the future of this institution. Return service requested.
Auburn University Foundation 317 S. College Street Auburn, Alabama 36849-5153
Honoring Philanthropy
1856 SOCIETY RECOGNIZES DONORS In September, the 1856 Society, Auburn University’s most prestigious donor society, held its biennial induction ceremony in the Auburn Arena. During the event, 161 households and 51 organizations were inducted into the group, named for the year in which the East Alabama Male College — now Auburn University — was established. The society celebrates donors whose cumulative gifts to Auburn or Auburn Montgomery total $100,000 or more. Pictured above are some of the members of the Founders, Tower, and Presidents’ circles who attended the event. This year, the society recognized 19 households and four organizations rising to the Founders’ Circle, representing those who have contributed $1 million or more; two households and one organization to the Tower Circle with gifts totaling $5 million or more; and one household newly recognized at the President’s Circle level, with donations of $10 million or more.
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