Dear Colleagues,
With the spring semester now well underway and the 15th class day behind us, I hope the term is off to a strong start for you. I am thankful that our campus was spared the worst of the recent winter weather and, like many of you, I too am looking ahead to the spring months.
Yesterday, we officially launched America 250 at Auburn University, a yearlong commemoration of the nation's 250th anniversary. Through this initiative, we will have numerous opportunities to consider how the nation's founding ideals continue to inform teaching, research, and engagement across our campus. In the weeks ahead, as our campus units continue adding programs and events, I look forward to the opening of our signature speaker series next month, featuring a moderated conversation with the 66th Secretary of State, Sec. Condoleezza Rice, and analyst and author Margaret Hoover. Their discussion will catalyze thoughtful dialogue about leadership, citizenship, and democratic life.
As part of these celebratory programs and events, the Honors College is also launching a Foundation Faculty Fellows Program, which brings faculty and students together to explore the ideas, texts, and traditions that have shaped American democracy. In parallel to a student cohort of fellows, the program offers faculty opportunities to engage students in sustained dialogue across disciplines and to reflect on citizenship, free inquiry, and civic life.
Our students will have numerous avenues to participate in such activities and events, including directly through the Common Book program. This year’s selection, Ben & Me: In Search of a Founder’s Formula for a Long and Useful Life, invites our incoming students to think about civic responsibility, service, and purposeful learning as part of their Auburn experience. Incoming students receive this book during Camp War Eagle as a prompt for thoughtful reflection and for building community.
Our emphasis on providing exceptional student experiences continues to be reflected in the strong demand for our academic programs, and last month, applications for the fall 2026 first-year class exceeded 60,000. Such interest is further reinforced by national recognition through last week’s release of the U.S. News and World Report Best Online Programs rankings, which highlight the strength of our graduate offerings in business, education, engineering, and nursing. Additional recognition of the Harbert College of Business Online MBA by Poets and Quants further affirms our shared commitment to rigorous instruction and meaningful student engagement.
Of course, much of this momentum is driven by our faculty's activity within and across disciplines. A recent example is the partnership between our physics and aviation programs, which led to a course that reframed core physics concepts in aviation-specific contexts. The course has seen strong enrollment growth and recently received FAA approval for R-ATP certification. This work is now serving as a model for future collaborations, including a new Physics for Builders sequence in development with the College of Architecture, Design and Construction, with the same goal of supporting students' academic and professional pathways.
Finally, I am pleased to share that Auburn’s Army ROTC cadets have been invited to compete at the United States Military Academy at West Point in this year’s Sandhurst Military Skills Competition. The invitation follows an exceptional performance at the Brigade Ranger Challenge at Fort Benning, where Auburn placed third out of forty-three teams and earned one of only three spots awarded within the brigade. Please join me in congratulating them on this achievement.
Thank you, as always, for the important work you do each day in support of our students and our mission. |
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Key Spring 2026 Dates for Faculty: February 19 — Early Alert Grade Deadline; February 26 — Midsemester; March 9–13 — Spring Break, No Classes; April 17 — Last Day to Withdraw; April 24 — Classes End; April 25–26 — Studying/Reading Days; April 27–May 1 — Final Exam Period; May 1–4 — Commencement Ceremonies.
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