COSAM News Articles 2020 February Message from Dean Giordano – February 2020

Message from Dean Giordano – February 2020

Published: 02/04/2020

Giving back to the Auburn community not only enrichens the lives of our students and local residents, it creates a positive impact and promotes helping the common good among everyone.

Tiger Giving Day, which began in 2015, provides an opportunity for a 24-hour, university-wide platform to encourage members of the Auburn family to give back. This initiative has brought out our best and sets an example for students to embrace values for the greater good.

People who generously donate during Tiger Giving Day can select projects that make a difference throughout our university and our entire community. The College of Sciences and Mathematics (COSAM) has two projects for this year’s Tiger Giving Day on February 19, 2020.

First, Auburn’s Arboretum is seeking to build an outdoor instructional and educational amphitheater that can hold approximately 40 students. Local schools, organizations, and university classes will utilize this amphitheater for hands-on learning opportunities. With rows of seating, faculty and staff will be exceptionally engaged in an outdoor environment creating memorable teaching moments.

Secondly, students taking anatomy and physiology labs, will have an elevated Auburn experience through the use of a SynDaver anatomy lab model synthetic cadaver. This unique learning tool is similar to an authentic human body and includes life-like muscles, organs, arteries, and nerves. Students will be able to see and touch realistic body parts, which will create a lasting learning experience to help our students prepare for medical and professional schools. During Tiger Giving Day, supporters will be able to provide students with an arm and a leg to use during these labs.

Giving back has always been an important trait for all COSAM students, faculty, and staff.

Each semester, COSAM Peer Advisors and Research Ambassadors help students navigate their way answering questions and providing help in Student Services. COSAM Leaders represent the college at events throughout the year offering a positive and welcoming atmosphere for event guests. COSAM faculty and staff provide numerous opportunities to teach and inspire the next generation through interactive outreach events.

During study abroad trips, COSAM staff and students, helped local families in underserved communities by measuring blood pressure and volunteering in local clinics. During a Tiger Giving Day supported STEM Global Learning Immersion for Diverse Experiences (GLIDE) trip last year, participants helped to provide a new source for clean drinking water for residents in the Dominican Republic. Moreover, numerous COSAM students volunteer, help tutor their peers in an array of subjects, and learn how they can make positive contributions.

The impact that our college makes truly is not just educating tomorrow’s scientists and leaders, but making a difference for everyone in our entire community today.