C A M P A I G N Q U A R T E R LY
SUMMER 2015
ISSUE 1 • VOLUME 1
Campaign gala brings together Auburn’s faithful Former Auburn quarterback Cam Newton and Auburn University President Jay Gogue welcome guests to historic evening SEE PAGE 2
Campaign Progress
$780 MILLION
78% of the $1 billion goal as of May 31, 2015
PUBLIC LAUNCH AT A-DAY
SCHOLARSHIPS CHANGE LIVES
GIFTS ENABLE EXHIBIT
A call for every member of the Auburn Family to join together for our future.
Scholarships enable students like Sarah Stephenson to pursue their dreams.
Thanks to donor support, the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art will open its second installment of “Out of the Box.”
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BECAUSE.AUBURN.EDU
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CAMPAIGN QUARTERLY | SUMMER 2015
A U B U R N is a place where incredible things happen — where new interests take root, careers take shape, and enduring relationships begin. For most of us, we can trace many of our personal and professional milestones to people or events connected to Auburn. As we celebrated the launch of the historic Because This is Auburn campaign, we witnessed another milestone in the life of Auburn University. Honoring the year of their graduation and marriage in 1957, as well as their 57th wedding anniversary, John and Rosemary Brown announced a personal commitment of $57 million to Auburn, the largest gift in the university’s history. Their support of the vision for a new performing arts center, as well as a new student achievement center in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, will transform the cultural and academic landscape of our institution while providing Auburn with a new level of prestige. Their gift is one example of the spirit of generosity that will make this campaign a success. Years from now, we will trace additional opportunities and accomplishments back to the support shown during this campaign. We are honored to serve as co-chairs of this significant campaign with others who believe in a greater Auburn. Our collective commitment and philanthropic support will ensure an exciting future for Auburn. Because of your giving, our greatest days lie ahead.
C A M PA IGN G A L A
In an evening that celebrated Auburn University and expressed a deep appreciation for private philanthropy, the Beard-EavesMemorial Coliseum was transformed into an elegant venue for nearly 550 guests. With imagery that represented campaign priorities and the university’s global reach, the reception area invited guests to consider the impact of their gifts to Auburn. During the evening, donors, guest speakers, and performers spoke of the significant influence that Auburn University had on their lives and the importance of preserving the Auburn experience for the next generation.
Raymond ’82 Harbert Campaign Co-chair
Kathryn ’81 Harbert
Khari Allen Lee ’02 performs “Stars Fell on Alabama.”
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 John Deputy Jeff Etheridge Melissa Humble 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.
CAMPAIGN KICKS OFF AT A-DAY GAME As fans gathered for the start of the 2015 A-Day game on April 18, they witnessed a kickoff of a different kind — the public launch of the Because This is Auburn comprehensive campaign, the largest fundraising effort in the history of Auburn University. To a crowd of more than 62,000, Thom Gossom Jr. ’75, chair of the Auburn University Foundation, called on the Auburn faithful for their support. “Today we rise as one,” Gossom announced from the 25-yard-line of Pat Dye Field during the pre-game campaign program. “By the end of 2017, we will have raised $1 billion in support of students, faculty, programs, and facilities. Yes, I said ‘billion,’ with a ‘B.’” The campaign, which already has raised $780 million, will support four major areas
across the university, creating thousands of new scholarships for students, endowing new chairs and professorships to support faculty, enhancing academic programs, and building new facilities while re-imagining existing ones. Following the announcement, hundreds of campaign volunteers and donors formed the tunnel welcoming the Auburn football team to the field. Gossom, a former Auburn football player himself, put his own twist on the need for continuing support from alumni and friends. “We need every member of the Auburn Family to suit up with us to reach the end zone,” he said. “Now we’re in the fourth quarter and still need a touchdown to win the game. It will take every gift and the support of everyone for this campaign to succeed.”
Wayne ’68 and Cheryl ’68 Smith, Beth and Rick ’77 Stukes
Beth ’93 and Scott ’93 Sprayberry
Leta and Mike ’76 DeMaioribus
Thomas Gossom Jr. ’75, Mary and Michael ’74 O’Neill
Mike ’57 and Virginia McCartney
Connie and Bill Neville
Commander Michele Kane ’92
Joe ’71 and Gayle ’70 Forehand, Lynn and Benny ’82 LaRussa
Lee Jenkins, Overtoun and Claudine Jenda, Bruce Pearl, Elizabeth Huntley ’93, Gus Malzahn, Walt ’69 and Ginger Woltosz, Tony Huntley’85, Angela Jenkins ’94
David Housel ’69 inspires the next generation of Auburn students.
For more pictures of the kickoff weekend, visit BECAUSE.AUBURN.EDU 3
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CAMPAIGN QUARTERLY | SUMMER 2015
STUDENTS
FOR STEPHENSON, SCHOLARSHIPS PUT COLLEGE WITHIN REACH Perhaps the most significant outcome of the Because This is Auburn campaign will be the increase in student scholarships and fellowships. This form of private support creates possibilities that have lifelong implications for students. For Sarah Stephenson, a poultry science major, scholarships ultimately determined whether she could attend college. W E L C O M E to the inaugural issue of the Because This is Auburn quarterly campaign newsletter — a publication that enables us to share with you exciting updates from Auburn University’s largest and most ambitious fundraising effort in its history. I hope it will provide you with information, but more importantly, I believe it will allow you to see the incredible impact that your gifts are making on our university. The stories are compelling, the people are real, and this campaign already is positioning Auburn for a promising future. This is a meaningful story, one that we are telling in a variety of ways to a vast number of people. We kicked off this campaign on A-Day to a crowd of 62,143, the fifth-largest spring football game attendance in the country, and to hundreds of thousands of viewers on the SEC Network. We placed ads about John and Rosemary Brown’s transformational $57 million gift in the prestigious Chronicle of Philanthropy and Chronicle of Higher Education, reaching a national audience and elevating Auburn’s reputation. Our campaign website had 37,000 page views in its first 45 days with a returning user rate of 36.4 percent. Additionally, in this short time, we received 337 online gifts averaging $256 per donation. We also were fortunate to have more than 20 pages dedicated to the campaign in the summer issue of the Auburn Alumni Association’s Auburn Magazine, which was mailed to more than 45,000 subscribers, and we will continue to have a philanthropy section in each of its upcoming issues. All of this means you will have a variety of opportunities to learn about our progress, our accomplishments, and our success. We welcome your input on our efforts to create a better Auburn through this campaign.
Growing up in Morgan County, Ala., where poultry production is a major industry, Stephenson knew she wanted to attend Auburn, get a degree in poultry science, and become a plant manager in food manufacturing. “But I knew going to Auburn was only possible if I could finance it myself,” she recalls. “So I researched scholarships, wrote essays, and received enough scholarship money to attend Auburn. I had about six or seven separate scholarships to get me through my freshman year.”
“The more involved I became, the more my worldview changed.” Stephenson is keenly aware that those scholarships were made possible by a number of donors — and that their generosity changed the course of her life. “Because I didn’t have to work my way through school, I was able to get involved with college activities, such as the Agriculture Council. The more involved I became, the more my worldview changed,” she said. “I saw that there are bigger problems in the world that need to be addressed, such as how to feed a growing, global population with limited resources.” She now plans to work in international development for food production in order to influence policy decisions. “My time at Auburn has shown me that I want to learn and serve,” she said. “I also added minors in hunger studies and agriculture business, which are arming me with practical, usable knowledge for my future career.”
PROGRAMS
Study abroad endowment helps prepare business leaders for an international job market In support of the university’s commitment to offer students an exceptional education through relevant programs and opportunities, Lou Bifano ’15 and his wife, Marge, have established the Marge and Lou Bifano Endowed Fund for Excellence for the Study Abroad Program in the Raymond J. Harbert College of Business. Lou, who recently completed an Executive MBA at Auburn, understands that international study is an important element of effectively educating today’s business students. His career experience in sales, marketing, business development, and acquisitions with IBM, and more recently with The Hill Country Group, affirms the value of experiencing firsthand the cultural and economic diversity of today’s global economy.
We will continue to seek ways to share the story of this significant $1 billion fundraising effort. And although we describe this endeavor in terms of numbers, it actually is a campaign about people. It is about your story — and the story of an Auburn Family that stands together for something greater.
Jane DiFolco Parker Vice President for Development President, Auburn University Foundation
“We are happy to join other donors in supporting opportunities that enable Auburn graduates to be competitive in today’s job market.”
“We’re supportive of international opportunities because technology has enabled commerce and business to evolve to the point where the economies of countries interact on a global scale,” he said. “We are happy to join other donors in supporting opportunities that enable Auburn graduates to be competitive in today’s job market.” This endowment provides funding for the mission and operation of the study abroad program and offsets the expenses of those who participate. Through this opportunity and others, business students can study in countries including Italy, France, Germany, Spain, England, China, Japan, South Korea, and Switzerland. The Bifanos claim an additional interest in the success of Auburn students as their daughter, Megan, currently is a senior majoring in marketing. She is a member of the university’s awardwinning equestrian team, which they also support through their philanthropic giving.
FACILITIES
CAMPAIGN PROGRESS As of May 31, 2015
78%
OF $1 BILLION GOAL
Gavin gift will renovate textile building One of Auburn’s classic buildings soon will be renovated into a state-of-the-art research laboratory, thanks to a transformational gift from Carol Ann and Charles Gavin. The $15 million project — with $8 million coming from the Gavins and the remainder from the university — will result in the renaming of the Textile Building to the Carol Ann and Charles E. Gavin III Engineering Research Laboratory.
73.5%
OF CA MPAIGN EL APSED
CAMPAIGN FUNDS RAISED PROGRESS BY CAMPAIGN FOCUS AREA
The building, originally constructed in 1929 to prepare engineers for the textile industry, has served as a vital component of economic development in the region for more than eight decades. “The Gavins’ generous gift will enable the college to retrofit the new laboratory with advanced technologies to serve students for the next 80 years,” says Christopher B. Roberts, dean of engineering.
Program, as well as a new wind tunnel system and a series of hands-on student project areas and collaborative meeting spaces. The Gavins’ gift also will allow the college to raze the L-Building and shop buildings, paving the way for a new engineering student achievement center that will enhance a multitude of student support services.
An additive manufacturing facility will be incorporated into the building to allow students to gain experience with emerging fabrication technology, as well as a new polymer and composite laboratory to continue the college’s research in this area. The facility also will house traditional research laboratories, a paper machine used in microfibrous materials, and a lab for the Nuclear Power Generations Systems
Charles Gavin ’59, textile management, has enjoyed a distinguished career in the carpet, polymer, and chemical industries, and has been responsible for numerous technical achievements which have become industry standards. In 1980, he formed MFG Chemical, Inc., a highly successful specialty chemical manufacturer that serves a broad segment of the chemical market.
26%
7%
15%
52%
Student Support $203.4 MILLION
Program Support $407.7 MILLION
Faculty Support $52.0 MILLION
Facilities Support $116.6 MILLION
ANNUAL VS. ENDOWED
66%
Annual $516.6 MILLION
34%
Endowed $263.1 MILLION
PROGRESS TOWARD UNIT CAMPAIGN GOALS
FACULTY
AGRICULTURE
Endowed professorship supports faculty excellence
ALUMNI AFFAIRS ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION ATHLETICS AUBURN UNIVERSITY MONTGOMERY BUSINESS
Donor support, in the form of faculty endowments, enables Auburn to recruit and retain high-quality faculty members. These endowments help enhance faculty salaries and provide operational support such as research costs, laboratory equipment, and assistance from graduate students. For Christopher Easley, the C. Harry Knowles associate professor of chemistry, endowed professorships are vital to maintaining competitive research programs and providing strong incentives for faculty. “I greatly appreciate the support and recognition provided by the Harry Knowles Professorship,” said Easley. “It motivates me to do my best work and provides me with more freedom to carry out my research and teaching at a higher level.” Easley teaches undergraduate courses in fundamental chemistry, analytical chemistry, and instrumental analysis, as well as graduate courses in advanced analytical chemistry and bioanalytical chemistry. His current research with colleague Curtis Shannon, the Andrew T. Hunt professor of chemistry, is focused on developing a hand-held device similar to a blood glucose meter that may be used in the future to quickly test for liver disease, cancer,
73% 76% 60% 70% 98% 89%
DIVERSITY & MULTICULTURAL AFFAIRS
73%
EDUCATION
82% 88%
ENGINEERING FORESTRY & WILDLIFE SCIENCES
87%
GRADUATE SCHOOL
78%
HONORS COLLEGE HUMAN SCIENCES
inflammation of the heart, Alzheimer’s disease, tuberculosis, and numerous other diseases. This technology could prove to be a breakthrough that would allow health care professionals, first responders, and individuals to quickly test for a variety of illnesses and conditions.
LIBERAL ARTS
Easley’s professorship is made possible through a private gift from C. Harry Knowles, who earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from Auburn in 1951 and was awarded an honorary doctorate in 2008. Knowles founded Metrologic Instruments in 1968 and retired in 2006. Named on 400 U.S. patents, Knowles invented the first programmable bar-code scanner, the first hand-held laser scanner, and the first mini-slot scanner, among others.
PHARMACY
LIBRARIES MUSEUM OF FINE ART NURSING OUTREACH
RESEARCH SCIENCES & MATHEMATICS STUDENT AFFAIRS UNIVERSITY FACILITIES UNIVERSITY INITIATIVES VETERINARY MEDICINE
62% 72% 84% 89% 68% 64% 39% 63% 85% 71% 82% 56% 106% 75%
0 100
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CAMPAIGN QUARTERLY | SUMMER 2015
Unit Campaign Updates COLLEGE OF
Agriculture
The College of Agriculture has raised more than $6 million in student scholarship support, reaching 87 percent of its campaign goal in this area. Achieving this goal will increase the college’s number of scholarship recipients each year by 50 percent. For the 2014-15 academic year, the college awarded $617,454 in scholarship assistance to 232 deserving students. Reaching and surpassing the $7 million goal for student scholarship support will ensure more agriculture students will receive scholarships, which will help make Auburn agriculture degrees more affordable.
RAYMOND J. HARBERT COLLEGE OF
Business
Business partners Ryana Takaki, Philip Hasha, and Brian Wardlaw, all 2012 graduates of Auburn’s Master of Real Estate Development (MRED) program, recently contributed $25,000 to establish a fund for excellence to benefit the MRED program. The trio’s full-service commercial real estate firm, The Redmont Group, provides its clients the same diversity in asset management, acquisition, design, valuation, development, finance, and construction as Auburn students receive through the MRED program, which is a joint endeavor between the Harbert College of Business and the College of Architecture, Design and Construction. The group’s gift was doubled as part of the matching gift commitment made in 2013 by Raymond and Kathryn Harbert, leading to $50,000 in funding for the graduate program. OFFICE OF
Diversity and Multicultural Affairs
OFFICE OF
Alumni Affairs
The Auburn Alumni Association hosted its first Senior Send-Off in April with more than 400 graduating students attending and 20 campus partners participating in the event. Co-sponsored by the Office of Development, the event featured pictures with Aubie, free professional portfolios for students, and post-graduate resources. Attendees also learned about staying connected to Auburn after graduation and ways they can begin giving back to the university. COLLEGE OF
Architecture, Design and Construction
Hal Goyette ’50, architecture, credits his mother, Pearl Batiste, with instilling in him a love for music and learning. In memory of her impact on his life and success, Goyette and his wife and professional partner, Doris Cole, established the Goyette, Batiste and Cole Endowed Scholarship in the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture. The $1.2 million endowment will support architecture students who also are involved in a musical organization on campus. “I am deeply grateful for the education that I received in Auburn’s architecture program, and we give back to the school to provide the same opportunity for future students,” Goyette said.
Athletics Department
Tigers Unlimited and Auburn Athletics have unveiled their newest and most prestigious giving society to honor donors whose cumulative lifetime contributions have reached $1 million, above and beyond their ticket priority. Named for one of the most revered traditions in all of college athletics, the Oaks Society represents the philanthropic commitment of these donors and the strong foundation that they provide for Auburn Athletics. Members of the new society will be recognized at a reception on August 1.
NBA legend Charles Barkley is a firm believer in the important role that faculty members play in the lives of Auburn students. This belief led Barkley to fund the Charles W. Barkley Endowed Professorships in support of underrepresented minority professors at Auburn with superior credentials in teaching, research, and service in their disciplines and a commitment to promoting diversity. These professorships create vital resources to recruit and retain exceptional faculty members through salary enhancements, research support, and professional development. COLLEGE OF
Education
Sharon Lovell ’64, education, recently established the Jim Lovell Memorial Endowed Scholarship in memory of her late husband, a 1962 business graduate. “It would please Jim to know that his work ethic would enable someone to achieve his or her goal of obtaining a quality education from Auburn University,” Sharon said. The college will present the inaugural scholarship this August at its 14th annual scholarship ceremony. Scholarships and fellowships in the College of Education provide support for students who aspire to build better futures for all as leaders in the educational and health professions. SAMUEL GINN COLLEGE OF
Engineering
Through a generous gift from Leslee Belluchie ’83, mechanical engineering, the cyber laboratory in the Shelby Center for Engineering Technology was named the Lieutenant General Ronald Lee Burgess Jr., USA, Retired, Cyber Laboratory. This state-of-the-art lab will enable the university to unify its cyber research and development efforts, while also providing students an interdisciplinary environment in which to produce innovative solutions to real-world problems. Belluchie and her husband, J. Richard Knop, also endowed a fund for excellence in mechanical engineering, benefitting the educational needs of students, research efforts of faculty, and technological advancements in research facilities. SCHOOL OF
Forestry and Wildlife Sciences
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) Foundation
recently donated $30,000 to the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences to support the Dan Moultrie Fund for Excellence. The funds from this endowment will be used to support undergraduate scholarships, graduate fellowships, graduate research assistantships, and student participation in professional meetings and related professional development activities. During the last 15 years, the ADCNR Foundation has contributed more than $580,000 to support wildlife undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships within the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences.
Graduate School
Jim Spearman ’83, hospital administration/ political science, invests annually in graduate students in the School of Kinesiology through a fellowship. “The work of the Graduate School has a positive impact not just on Alabama, but on our nation. I am proud to be a donor knowing this fact and seeing how lives are affected by these types of fellowships,” he said. “I continually see the impact graduate students are making in all areas of our lives, across many disciplines, and throughout each of the colleges. Fellowship dollars do make a difference, and they are truly an investment in our future.”
Honors College
Because of private support, Seth Rankin, a sophomore in forestry and wildlife sciences, and Madeline Parks, a sophomore in nursing, are recipients of undergraduate research scholarships. Working with faculty in their respective schools, they are conducting research important to Alabama and the nation. Rankin is examining new methods to monitor deer populations in Alabama, and Parks is researching the socio-economic causes of obesity. COLLEGE OF
Human Sciences
The Oskar Blues Brewery has established an endowed fellowship to benefit students in the brewing sciences and operations certificate program. The Colorado-based brewery, founded by Auburn alumnus Dale Katechis ’92, business, partnered with the Department of Nutrition, Dietetics, and Hospitality Management in the College of Human Sciences, as well as the colleges of veterinary medicine, business, and agriculture, to offer the graduate-level program. The newly created endowment will provide financial assistance to students who are enrolled in the Auburn University Graduate School and have been accepted into the brewing science program. The Auburn program is the first of its kind in the southeast.
COLLEGE OF
Liberal Arts
Julie Kerlin ’82, international trade, recently created an endowed study abroad scholarship through a $25,000 gift. Kerlin’s endowment provides students like Spanish major Spencer Kerns the
The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art purchased “Dreams of Flying” for the permanent collection through charitable giving.
opportunity to gain a greater world perspective. Kerns credits the scholarship and the two months he studied in Spain with motivating him to learn more about the Spanish language and culture outside the classroom. The College of Liberal Arts provides more opportunities to study abroad than any other college on campus. These experiences provide students with enriched academic and intercultural experiences, as well as personal, life-changing outcomes such as increased self-confidence, a better understanding of cultural values, and a greater appreciation of diversity. AUBURN UNIVERSITY
Libraries
Auburn University Libraries have achieved 87 percent of their overall campaign goal of $4.55 million. With nearly 2 million library visitors annually, these contributions directly enhance academic learning for every student and faculty member on campus and abroad. The libraries’ donors make possible special projects such as new study spaces, the digitization of rare and archival material, and scholarships for deserving student workers. Donor support also allows the libraries to stay on the cutting edge of library technology and acquisitions. Auburn University Libraries are grateful for the generosity of each of their supporters who further their reach and mission. JULE COLLINS SMITH
Museum of Fine Art
With program support from Julian Roberts Haynes ’59, in memory of Dr. Lucile McGehee Haynes’58, and Grace ’82 and David E. Johnson ’82, the Jule Collins Smith Museum is opening the second installment of “Out of the Box.” This installment involves acclaimed artist Willie Cole selecting 10 outdoor sculptures from nationwide submissions for display on the museum grounds Oct. 2, 2015, through Oct. 2, 2016. Cole’s campus visit will include a workshop with Auburn students and a lecture during a free community celebration Oct. 2. The museum purchased two sculptures from the inaugural program through charitable donations. SCHOOL OF
Nursing
Jennifer Dixon ’87, nursing, recently established the Dr. Carl F. Dixon Endowed Scholarship in memory of her father. Carl was an associate professor of zoology and wildlife sciences at Auburn from 1964 until his retirement in 1991. During his 27 years on the Auburn faculty, Dixon befriended and mentored many students and was recognized for his love of teaching. Jennifer, who is a clinical care coordinator at the University of Virginia Heart and Vascular Center’s Cardiology Clinics, noted that her father was universally kind and encouraging to all he met and that he was her biggest fan, always proud of his Auburn nurse. HARRISON SCHOOL OF
Pharmacy
Continuing his support of pharmacy scholarships, Darrell Craven ’82, pharmacy, recently made an additional gift to the Craven Scholarship Endowment, which he established in 2013. The gift reinforces Craven’s ongoing commitment to assist the Harrison School of Pharmacy in recruiting top pharmacy students. He utilized the employee matching gift program of Eli Lilly, from which he is retired, as well as his current employer, Sanofi, to maximize the impact of his investment. His gift to increase support for outstanding students is a vital component of one of the school’s top campaign priorities.
OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR
Research and Economic Development
Known as the “Valley of Death,” the gap between basic research and a viable product can be a graveyard for great ideas and real solutions. One of the key ways to bridge this gap and move research into the marketplace is through funding for discovery and innovation. Private gifts to assist Auburn research catapult brilliant ideas into the commercial arena, positively impacting our economy and our society. Gifts to support LAUNCH: The Fund for Research Innovation at Auburn University help accelerate the most promising research and ideas into real products in the marketplace. To learn more, visit: auburn.edu/externalengagement.
COLLEGE OF
Sciences and Mathematics
East Alabama Medical Center’s recent gift of $150,000 to benefit the EAMC Anatomy & Physiology Laboratory supports two senior-level courses — mammalian/biomedical physiology and animal physiology — taken by students in preprofessional and health sciences curriculums. The gift has enabled upgrades of the laboratory’s dataacquisition system and a switch to a new electronic oscillographic chart-recorder system, allowing students to become active learners with modern technology. This support provides students and faculty members the ability to pursue research in an updated and well-equipped laboratory. OFFICE OF
Student Affairs
After creating the Student Success Fund in 2014, Heather and John Shemilt have made an additional gift to the fund. The Student Success Fund makes financial resources available to students facing unforeseen economic hardships and enables them to maintain their studies without disruption by assisting them in paying for food, clothing, shelter, living expenses, academic fees, medical expenses, and transportation costs. Such hardships often affect students’ academic success and retention, and helping these students is important to the Shemilts, who are the parents of an Auburn student and active members of Student Affairs’ Development Board. COLLEGE OF
Veterinary Medicine
An endowment created by Dr. Gerald Leischuck and his late wife, Emily, will benefit the College of Veterinary Medicine and its students, as well as the Lee County Humane Society. Their endowed professorship will support a faculty position that links the college and the shelter, enabling veterinary students to learn shelter medicine and assist at the shelter. “Emily, who passed away two years ago, served on the shelter’s board,” said Gerald. “I am interested in the plight of homeless animals and this professorship developed out of conversations we had with Calvin Johnson, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine.”
OFFICE OF DONOR RELATIONS
1856 Society Fall Event The 1856 Society, Auburn’s most prestigious donor society, will host its biennial induction ceremony on Sept. 11, 2015, at the Auburn Arena in recognition of those whose cumulative gifts to Auburn or Auburn Montgomery total $100,000 or more. These supporters demonstrate the same unshakeable commitment and belief in Auburn and its educational mission that their predecessors did more than 150 years ago. Their gifts create student scholarships and fellowships, endow professorships, make funds available for facilities and improvements, and provide unrestricted support for critical university needs and priorities. Auburn maintains three additional societies to recognize donors: the Samford Society, recognizing cumulative gifts of $25,000 to $99,999; the George Petrie Society, recognizing planned gifts; and the newly formed James E. Foy Loyalty Society, recognizing consecutive-year giving. For information regarding membership in Auburn’s giving societies, please contact 334.844.1322 or donor.relations@auburn.edu.
OFFICE OF GIFT PLANNING
Yours, Mine, and Ours ESTATE PLANNING FOR THE BLENDED FAMILY As blended families become more common, it is important to establish a will or living trust that accurately reflects your family situation. The legal relationships within blended families introduce a layer of complexity that makes planning for the future of your loved ones critically important. Without a will or living trust, state law determines who gets your assets. With a blended family, however, the issues are more complex, and the risk of disinheriting children from a previous marriage is much higher. Your plan should address your family structure and the needs of loved ones at your death, regardless of your net worth and marital status. When you are creating or updating your plans, please remember your other extended family — Auburn University. Contact the Office of Gift Planning today at 334.844.7375 or plannedgiving@auburn.edu. For more information, please visit auburn.edu/plannedgiving.
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Historic announcement
BROWN GIFT BUILDS CAMPAIGN MOMENTUM
The announcement of Auburn University’s largest private gift in its history was met with a standing ovation at the campaign gala when John and Rosemary Brown, both 1957 graduates, revealed their commitment of $57 million. The gift will fund a new performing arts center and an engineering student achievement center. “We wanted to do something that not only impacts Auburn students, but also something that would impact the entire community,” said Rosemary. “We are very happy to give back to Auburn,” said John. “Auburn was a transformative educational experience for us, preparing Rosemary for her career in teaching and laying the foundation for my various roles in industry.”