Dear Colleagues,
As we approach the end of the semester and gear up for final exams, I extend my heartfelt gratitude for the extraordinary work you have accomplished this year. Your dedication to educating our students, providing transformative learning experiences, conducting impactful research, scholarship, and creative works, supporting our campus operations, and advancing our mission is truly remarkable.
This year, our academic community made significant strides that position Auburn for continued success. We graduated over 8,100 students—a campus record—and welcomed the largest, most academically accomplished first-year class in Auburn’s history. As our physical campus continues to evolve to meet the needs of our students, faculty, and staff, we look forward to completing several major facilities projects and starting new ones in the coming months. In addition to two new deans, we also welcomed more than 80 new faculty colleagues and academic administrators. This year, we achieved another record in extramural proposals and funding, with over 1,700 proposals submitted and $344 million in new contracts and grants awarded.
We also celebrated the achievements of our faculty and students, whose academic excellence, service, and contributions have expanded our institution’s footprint across Alabama and beyond. Recent examples include our McWhorter School of Building Science faculty and students who were part of a collaboration to create a virtual tour
for the USS ALABAMA Memorial Park, providing physically impaired visitors with the opportunity to explore areas of the historic battleship that they would otherwise be unable to visit in person. This initiative also offers educational resources for students and teachers. Additionally, the College of Liberal Arts and the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for Arts & Humanities co-sponsored Big Bad Con, a nonprofit game convention, which hosted the “Big Bad Academy” last month. Led by Dr. Emily Friedman, this initiative enabled nine early career researchers from around the world to visit our campus for field research and presentations with industry professionals and leading game studies scholars. These efforts are just a few of the many points of pride that fuel our
collective optimism and momentum as we transition into a new year.
As we enter the last week of classes and prepare for final exams, we are also gearing up for our fall commencement ceremonies. This is a wonderful time to celebrate our students' academic and professional achievements, including our 20 graduates who will be commissioned into the Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marines. During the ceremonies, we also honor our graduates who are members of prestigious academic societies, including Phi Kappa Phi and Phi Beta Kappa. Last month, I announced that Auburn’s chapter of Phi Beta Kappa will transition
to the leadership of the Honors College, aligning with our efforts to elevate our Prestigious Scholars Program through increased competitive merit scholarships and fellowships. Recently, the Honors College also initiated an internal faculty search for an Assistant Director for National Prestigious Scholarships to support these efforts.
Finally, I want to congratulate our colleagues in the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, as Auburn’s Entrepreneurship program earned a spot in the prestigious Princeton Review’s Top 50 Undergraduate Schools for Entrepreneurship Studies, ranking No. 43 nationally, No. 24 among public institutions, and No. 2 in the SEC.
As the holidays and winter break approach, it's a time to pause, reflect on what brings us happiness and gratitude, and take time to rest and recharge. I hope you have a wonderful break, and I look forward to another successful year in 2025! |
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