Camp War Eagle

CAMP W A R E A G L E

Story By Tucker Massey Photos Contributed By Camp War Eagle

For nearly 30 years, Auburn University has provided a program for incoming freshmen to ensure that they come onto campus feeling comfortable and prepared. That program is known as Camp War Eagle, which takes place at Auburn before each fall semester.

Camp War Eagle is Auburn’s orientation program. Each year, thousands of incoming freshmen are welcomed by camp counselors who are tasked with showing the future students around Auburn’s campus, giving them information about what to expect in the coming semester, introducing them to their academic advisors and allowing them to interact with one another.

“What we’re trying to do with Camp War Eagle is really just let the students and their families leave feeling comfortable, having all their questions answered and knowing the academic and social sides of college,” said Melissa Dunn, assistant director of First Year Experience orientation.

Though this is a college orientation, a large focus is creating a network for students who may feel uncomfortable coming to a new place or are worried about how to make friends in a new environment.

Dunn said Camp War Eagle has changed a lot from its origins. She said that Camp War Eagle was first piloted in 1994 at the 4-H Camp in Columbiana, Alabama. This first trial of Camp War Eagle was centered on Auburn’s history and traditions from the university.

“The president at the time, Dr. William V. Muse, brought in some ideas from his previous experience at Texas A&M,” Dunn said. “Dr. Muse was fundamental in seeing that Auburn turned their orientation into a fun, spirit-filled program.”

After V. Muse’s suggestions, the first official Camp War Eagle was hosted on Auburn’s campus in 1995. The program has been expanding ever since, having initially hosted just 100 students in its pilot run.

The insistence that Camp War Eagle be focused on

Auburn and what it has to offer can still be felt to this day. Many of the camp counselors spend their day hyping up the wonderful academic and social programs that the university offers and try to form bonds with those in their group.

“I think for a lot of freshmen, this is their first real opportunity to experience Auburn’s culture, our welcoming nature, our family orientation,” said Camp War Eagle Head Counselor John Boles Jr. “We want everybody to feel like they’re a part of our family.”

Since these freshmen are essentially in a new world, the work done by the counselors to make them feel welcome and at home is especially important. Many of these students have never had as fresh a start as what they receive when they come to college.

“We can make a huge difference to students who have really only read about Auburn or have just been here for a day on a campus tour,” Boles said. “But now they’re really able to buy into that family and culture and can eventually contribute to it themselves.”

By providing a welcoming atmosphere, counselors are creating a campus where students can feel comfortable. When counselors make an effort to interact with their groups and allow them to get to know one another, these students are given a head start on making Auburn their home.

Along with the connections that students make at Camp War Eagle, this program is also a very energetic experience. Camp War Eagle seeks to make students excited about the choice they’ve made and wants them to be excited for their upcoming school year.

“I think a lot of students feel excitement when they come to camp,” said Camp War Eagle Head Counselor Jared Peters said. “Getting them excited during the summer and getting them into some of the traditions and culture kind of allows them to jump right in.”

Creating an atmosphere that students want to be a part of is vital to Camp War Eagle’s success. When the students feel like they can have fun and be themselves in this new environment, they will be better oriented into the Auburn community.

What most people do not realize about Camp War Eagle is that it is not only beneficial to those in attendance and their families, but the First Year Experience office is actively providing their student counselors with a professional work environment and skills while putting on this program.

“This has really improved my professional skills within a work setting,” said Camp War Eagle Head Counselor Blake Spradlin. “We’re getting a chance to work in the First Year Experience office, and it’s different from other types of involvement on campus.”

Spradlin noted that the work done by him and his fellow counselors is more like a real job, rather than a campus club. He said that they were fortunate to be working with a very professional group who actively guide them through the work that they do each summer.

After two years of Camp War Eagle being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Dunn and Chris Landry, assistant director of First Year Experience Orientation, said that they were happy to be incorporating new features in the program, as well as restarting some past features that had to be paused.

“Our family program is coming back,” Landry said. “It will be helpful for families to see more of what campus looks like, especially since we largely kept them away last year.”

Dunn also said that students will be staying on campus this year, which was avoided entirely in 2020 and was optional during 2021’s Camp War Eagle.

Despite efforts to return to normal Camp War Eagle sessions, Landry said that they are trying their best to make sure that no student who wants to attend is left out. A virtual option for the camp will remain for those who can’t attend in person.

“We also are continuing an element of virtual programming for those who can’t come to campus for whatever reason,” Landry said. “So trying to give those students and guests a pleasant experience is important. We want them to know that it may look a little different, but we want them to still feel welcome.”

No matter through which medium students attend Camp War Eagle, they will still be introduced to the many programs and organizations that Auburn has to offer. Camp War Eagle Head Counselor Sydney Williams said that the First Year Experience office works effortlessly to provide students with plenty of information about what happens at Auburn.

“I think the best feature of Camp War Eagle is how many opportunities it highlights,” Williams said. “The First Year Experience office has amazing relationships with all the campus partners, and there’s a chance for students and their guests to speak directly to these partners.”

Williams said that it was beneficial for students to see the countless involvement programs at the university. She also said that having so many of these programs set up in a specific space was a special opportunity. Williams described Camp War Eagle as a “onestop-shop for all of your questions to be answered.”

Though the camp

hosts approximately 5,000 students, Camp War Eagle Head Counselor Isabelle Scott described the program as “intentional.”

“We try to make sure that all 5,000 students know at least one person when they come back to campus,” Scott said. “I feel like every student is more than a number; I feel like they’re really connected to someone.”

Scott also said that the counselors are very personable when interacting with the students. The intentionality of the program is what it is all about.

Much of the intentionality of the camp is due to the small group setting. Each counselor is assigned a group of students and leads breakout sessions, referred to as “Tiger Talks,” throughout the day where the students get to ask questions and interact with one another.

In these small groups, many students can find a companion. They often find people with things in common with them in these groups, which Camp War Eagle Head Counselor Emmy Beason said was her favorite feature of the program.

“I think there is something really special about getting into a group and meeting people your age who are going through the exact same process as you,” Beason said. “Though you may have grown up miles away from one another, you’ll often find that you have a lot in common with someone during the camp.”

Camp War Eagle is a special event for Auburn University. It is often incoming freshmen’s first experience of the university. The connections they make here could last a lifetime and often help assimilate them into college life.

Chloé Dwyer, a graduate student working with First Year Experience, said that camp was a great time for students to challenge themselves and set a tone for what their upcoming year will be like.

“Their experience at camp is going to be kind of challenging and a little uncomfortable for them,” Dwyer said. “But they quickly catch on that their counselors are trying to help them figure things out.”

Landry noted how pivotal this program was for incoming freshmen.

“For everybody, Auburn is something new,” Landry said. “Camp War Eagle is a chance for them to see ‘what am I going to be like in college,’ ‘who do I want to be’ and ‘who do I want to be well beyond my time at Auburn.’”

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