Honors College case statement

HONORS COLLEGE

B

ecause This is Auburn is a $1 billion campaign to propel our university forward through a renewed commitment to our students, a continued promise to our state, and a shared responsibility to the world. As part of the overall campaign, the Honors College has set a goal of $2.8 million to benefit our students and programs.

The Honors College cultivates excellence in undergraduate education by recruiting outstanding students and providing them with rigorous, individualized, integrated academic experiences in small classes taught by Auburn’s best faculty. Along with enriching extracurricular activities, Honors students — approximately 10 percent of Auburn’s total student population — benefit from an intensive, high-quality education that promotes critical thinking, advances learning, and develops leadership skills.

TOTAL GOAL FOR THE HONORS COLLEGE:

$2.8 million

“Honors College students excel in the classroom, laboratory, performance hall, and in the field. Your gifts provide the needed scholarships and programs that help them to become tomorrow’s leaders.”

— Melissa Baumann

Director, Honors College

PRIORITIES

for the Honors College

An Honors College education is about combining the best students with academic opportunities to create individualized programs that meet the dreams of each student.

Honors College students are challenged to fulfill their academic potential through a rigorous curriculum that cultivates ideas, develops critical thinking skills, and immerses them in a community of scholars. These extraordinary students go above and beyond the average curriculum requirements to earn 30 hours of credits at the honors level while also performing undergraduate research, participating in service learning opportunities, and often pursuing multiple majors and minors. They also are involved in extracurricular activities at Auburn, such as varsity athletics and Greek life. In addition to a demanding academic schedule, a significant number of our students work to help defray the cost of their Auburn education.

$1 MILLION

in programmatic support

$150 THOUSAND

to support our National Prestigious Scholars leadership program

20

NEW ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIPS

Students

$1,650,000

to support high-achieving students

Programs $1,150,000

10

NEW ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIPS

for undergraduate research and study abroad

CATER HALL Cater Hall, the home of the Honors College, is celebrating its centenary in 2015 with a renovation. This historic building, which sits at the head of the Quad, once housed the Social Center and the Dean of Women, the most beloved being Katharine Cooper Cater, for whom the hall is named. As part of this campaign, long-term support for this historic facility will ensure the Honors College’s ability to meet the academic and social programming needs of our 2,000 students.

Students

Programs

Scholarship support is imperative to recruit and retain the best Honors College students, thereby enhancing the overall quality of the educational experience for all Auburn students. Scholarships allow our students to focus on their education instead of how to pay for it. In addition to their coursework, students often engage in research and seek out unique study abroad opportunities. Research and study abroad scholarships are vital tools that provide access to these experiences for our high-achieving, deserving students. Scholarships also play a crucial role in helping our students prepare to compete in national prestigious scholarship competitions. The Honors College is home to Auburn’s National Prestigious Scholarship Program, and our students have a rich history of winning prestigious honors, including the Rhodes, Marshall, Mitchell, and Fulbright scholarships. Support for Honors College students is important in assisting our exceptional students as they prepare and compete for these distinguished awards.

Support for programs within the Honors College is critically important to provide our students with a high-caliber, comprehensive educational experience outside the classroom. Gifts earmarked for programs fund initiatives that include special lectures, seminars, and cultural events. Through these events, Honors students grasp the “bigger picture” and gain a greater understanding of how their individual disciplines are applied in the real world.

They experience how research relates to real life.

Through special Honors College symposia, they have access to the social, cultural, and political leaders who visit campus and who shape our world. From study abroad opportunities that provide a holistic college experience, to engaging in undergraduate research under the direction of distinguished faculty, gifts that support Honors College programs enable our students to have an enriched academic experience beyond the classroom.

$1.65 million

$1.15 million

Your gift to Auburn has

REAL IMPACT

“My scholarships, particularly in my final year, have allowed me to focus much more energy and time on my education and activities.”

— TeKisha Rice

Senior, Human Development and Family Studies

TeKisha Rice, a senior majoring in human development and family studies, knows firsthand how incredibly transformational scholarships can be. “It’s not just about the money,” she said. “It is about the opportunities that an Auburn education opens up after graduation, and it is about realizing the value and importance of giving back, helping someone you may never meet or see again, and making a meaningful difference in someone’s life.”

For Rice, scholarships have contributed to her academic success by teaching her how to manage her time and study while supporting her personal and professional development. An Honors College scholarship recipient, Rice’s hard work and dedication have earned her a number of other scholarships.

They also have allowed her to expand her involvement beyond just attending class. A 2015 President’s Award recipient,

Rice participates in the Diversity in Honors organization, the Alabama Healthy Marriage and Relationship Education Initiative, and is active in an undergraduate research program.

“My scholarships, particularly in my final year, have allowed me to focus much more energy and time on my education and activities. Scholarships release the stress of feeling that I need to work more to cover the cost of books and other school-related experiences,” she said.

“Although I still have to work to support myself, my scholarships have freed me from the concern of additional costly student loans during my senior year.”

Because of this scholarship support, Rice’s academic performance has resulted in a full scholarship to the top graduate program in her discipline.

For Jane and Sherman Pitts, the personal attention and counsel their daughter receives as part of the Honors College has been invaluable to her success while at Auburn. When Sarah, a sophomore with a double major in English literature and political science, had difficulty with a class her freshman year, Sherman encouraged her to sit down with her Honors College advisors who steered her through the class. “We were just so impressed early on with the help Sarah received,” Jane said.

“It was not a hard decision to want to help out and give back to something as effective, meaningful, and worthwhile as the Honors College.”

— Jane and Sherman Pitts

Parents of Honors College student Sarah

In addition to the hands-on advising, Jane and Sherman learned about the other opportunities available to Honors College students, including undergraduate research initiatives, study abroad programs, and support when applying for national prestigious scholarships. They also appreciate that Sarah benefits from Auburn’s large-scale academic and social offerings while also benefiting from the smaller, more nurturing environment of the Honors College. “We’re so thankful that she can get the one-on-one academic focus and advice that she needs,” Jane said.

Sarah’s experience with the Honors College led the couple to look for ways to get more involved. Sherman serves on the Honors College Development Council and the couple recently made a gift to support programs within the Honors College. “It was not a hard decision to want to help out and give back to something as effective, meaningful, and worthwhile as the Honors College,” Sherman said.

Honors College 200 Cater Hall, Auburn, Alabama 36849 (334) 844-5860 | honors@auburn.edu www.auburn.edu/honors B E C AU S E@AU B U R N . E D U | B E C AU S E . AU B U R N . E D U Auburn University is an equal opportunity educational institution/employer.