ED UCATION EXTR A Pilot program works to save at-risk students | page 3 Truman Pierce Institute’s initiative receives $400,000 boost from AT&T Foundation
Youthful exuberance | page 6 Helping children lead healthy lifestyles energizes Dr. Leah Robinson
IN TERN ATIONA L A summer to remember | page 12 Four COE alums enjoy Olympic experiences
Everywhere but Antarctica | page 16 Internships, classes abroad offer world of opportunity for students
R ESEA RCH A ND O UT RE AC H Flipping out | page 30 World audience takes note of biomechanics research about popular casual footwear
K EYSTONE LEAD E R Pills of wisdom | page 48 O n th e Cov e r : Cambre Prater, a senior elementary education major from Hoover, Ala., and a College of Education student ambassador, helped bring the Keystone’s cover concept to life. Her footwear pays tribute to the research done by Dr. Wendi Weimar and doctoral candidate Justin Shroyer on the orthopedic risks of wearing flip-flops to their breaking point. Her luggage provides a snapshot of where College of Education students have been as well as where they are going on a global scale.
every issue 3-10 11 18-19 20-27 28-29
Education Extra Retired Faculty and Staff University Highlights Student Success Awards and Recognition
Keystone Leader Brenda Smith Sanborn knows what it takes to succeed in corporate America
A lu mni Education sensation | page 54 Suzanne Freeman ’92 garners national acclaim
in this issue
departments 30-35 47, 80 52-53 54-69 70-80
Research and Outreach College Knowledge National Advisory Council Alumni/Alumni Notes Donor Recognition/ Development
36-37 38-39 40-41
Curriculum and Teaching Educational Foundations, Leadership and Technology Kinesiology
42-43 44 45 46
Special Education, Rehabilitation, Counseling/School Psychology Learning Resources Center Truman Pierce Institute Office of the Dean
A Key s t one in Buil d ing a Bet t er Fu t ure f o r A l l
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D e a n ’s W e lco me
A Welcome from the Dean
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his has been a year of significant reflection as our faculty, staff, and alumni came together to finalize our five-year strategic plan. This plan, which builds on the strategic plan recently proposed by Auburn President Jay Gogue and adopted by Auburn’s Board of Trustees, has charted a course for the college as we move toward the completion of our first century as an entity in the university.
Co r e value s • Excellence • Ethics and Dignity • Diversity • Student Focus
Knowing where we want to be was not enough, however. Paramount in our academic, collaborative and scholarly responsibilities is knowing who we are as educators and professionals. Therefore, in the fall, our faculty and staff worked together to establish a set of core values to guide our efforts in pursuing our mission, improving society and building better futures for all. Both documents complement our mission, vision and conceptual framework — not to mention each other. Strategic priorities at the college level resonate within the university’s strategic plan. And themes from both of these can be found throughout this edition of the Keystone. I invite you to pay special attention to: • programs like Holmes Scholars and expanded efforts to expose students to the world and bring the world to our college advance our diversity, international and intercultural programming while teaching our students to respect the concepts of ethics and dignity.
• Collaboration and Public Engagement
• student accomplishments and alumni success bringing to fruition our emphasis on excellence, student focus and high-quality academic programs. S t r at e g i c P l a n • High-quality Academic Programs
• enhanced administrative support is leveraging faculty research, exploration and innovation that is also garnering additional financial support and national and international attention to the college.
• International and Intercultural Engagement
• outreach programs that strengthen and create partnerships with and service to schools and communities and lead to opportunities for financial prosperity.
• Financial Prosperity to Realize College’s Mission and Vision
With all that is occurring in our college, the true challenge we have each year is finding space to highlight everything in the Keystone. Since we couldn’t fit all our good news in this edition, I invite you to visit our Web site often to read news and stay informed.
• Research, Exploration and Innovation
Warmest regards … and War Eagle!
• Collaboration and Partnership Engagement
Frances K. Kochan, Ph.D. Dean and Wayne T. Smith Distinguished Professor edudean@auburn.edu
T he full text of our core values and strategic plan is available at education . auburn . edu / aboutus .
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AT&T Foundation’s $400,000 gift supports Truman Pierce Institute pilot program focused on student retention A $400,000 gift from the AT&T Foundation will fund an initiative by the college’s Truman Pierce Institute to reduce the dropout rate in Alabama high schools, but it also stands as an investment in the state’s future economic well-being. According to a recent study by the Southern Educational Foundation, a lagging state economy over the course of the last three decades stems in part from an alarming high school dropout rate. The study found that Alabama’s high school dropout rate soared to 39 percent in 2006-07, a statistic that contributes to the state ranking 42nd in the nation in per capita income. The SEF reported that almost two-thirds of Alabama’s income gap with the rest of the nation is entirely attributable to educational shortcomings. In order to combat the problem, TPI will use its funding from the AT&T Foundation to introduce a pilot program, “Building Individual Capacity for Success,’’ at Opelika High School, Dadeville High School, Bullock County High School, a Hale County high school and Loachapoka High School in Lee County. Dr. Cindy Reed, TPI director, said the program will identify 50 at-risk children each year and assist them as they make the transition from eighth to ninth grade. Each cohort will receive services throughout their high school career. The components of the initiative include mentoring, leadership training, service learning, action research, and exposure to a global awareness curriculum. Dr. Jeffrey Brooks, co-director of the project, and Dr. Lisa Kensler, evaluator for the project, are both faculty members in the Department of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Technology, and will help Reed implement the program. “It’s a non-traditional program,’’ said Reed, a professor in the college’s Department of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Technology. “We believe very strongly that rather than doing more remediation with young people, we need to be looking at ways to be building them up as individuals, to really help them understand the opportunities they have to be successful and to build from one success to the next.’’ Kensler, a former middle school and high school teacher in urban and suburban settings, said that the students will be inspired to envision possibilities they might not have previously imagined. “We’re really trying to connect kids with the world beyond themselves and help them see and understand how what they have to contribute to the world is needed,’’ she said. The $400,000 gift from the AT&T Foundation reflects the communications holding company’s commitment to education. AT&T
Alabama President Fred McCallum said the grant is a byproduct of the ASPIRE Program, a nationwide philanthropic endeavor that will provide $100 million to schools and nonprofit organizations aimed at retaining high school students, preparing them for college and equipping them for the workforce. McCallum and Auburn President Jay Gogue stressed the importance of student retention during remarks at a December reception hosted by the university at the The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center to honor AT&T representatives and highlight “Building Individual Capacity for Success.’’ In its study of
The AT&T Foundation’s $400,000 gift will enable the Truman Pierce Institute to reach 50 at-risk children per year.
high school students during the 2006-07 school year, the Southern Educational Foundation labeled the 39 percent dropout rate the state’s “number one’’ educational and economic obstacle. “It gets to be a really scary number,’’ Gogue said of the state dropout rate. “We know it’s important for our state and it’s important for our families to know that those kids can stay in school and they can go to college and they can be successful.’’ Dr. Marvin Lowe, principal of Bullock County High School, and Darren Douthitt, assistant superintendent of secondary education, curriculum and instruction for Lee County Schools, said the peer connection component of the “Building Individual Capacity for Success’’ program may prove to be its most powerful asset. Students assisted by TPI will be called upon to act as mentors by sharing lessons they learn with future classes in the program. “It’s going to be a phenomenal experience to work with these students and watch them grow,’’ Lowe said. “You start a peer connection that will keep other students in school.’’ Added Douthitt: “If we can save five, six or seven kids a year with this initiative, it will have a huge impact.’’
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College reaffirms commitment to research and establishing global reach and systems as related to the adoption of new technologies by individuals and organizations. He has directed more than $785,000 in state and national research funding.
In addition to welcoming 13 faculty members during the 200809 academic year, the College of Education solidified its commitment to supporting enterprising research and global learning by establishing two new offices. To lead these efforts, the college welcomed Rodney Greer as director of the Office of Research and Innovation and Melanie Brooks as coordinator of the Office of International Programs. Created with the help of a $1 million gift by 1968 Education graduates Wayne T. and Cheryl Glass Smith, the Office of Research and Innovation supports faculty research efforts to identify, cultivate and pursue state, regional, national and international funding opportunities. Under Greer’s guidance, the office also facilitates grant preparation and completion of funded projects. Before Auburn, Greer served for four years as the assistant to the dean for teacher education partnerships, professional development and technology in Western Illinois University’s College of Education and Human Services. Previously, he taught courses in educational psychology, assessment and human development for seven years as a faculty member in Western Illinois’ Educational and Interdisciplinary Studies Department. He has also worked as a school psychologist in rural Southern Illinois. He holds a master’s degree in educational psychology from Southern Illinois University and a bachelor’s in psychology from Monmouth (Ill.) College, and is a doctoral candidate in educational psychology at SIU. His research interests include the role of educational technology in the teaching and learning process, learning strategies and tactics,
Carey Andrzejewski Assistant Professor Educational Foundations Educational Foundations, Leadership and Technology
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Jeffrey S. Brooks Associate Professor Educational Leadership Educational Foundations, Leadership and Technology
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Margaret M. Flores Assistant Professor Special Education Special Education, Rehabilitation, Counseling/School Psychology
Brooks joined the College of Education faculty through a joint appointment with Auburn’s Ralph Brown Draughon Library to coordinate the Office of International Programs. She comes to Auburn from The Florida State University, where she worked as the education subject specialist for the main library. In her current library appointment, she is a reference and instruction librarian and library liaison for the university’s UNIV courses that help students transition to university life and employ successful study habits. As the college’s coordinator for International Programs, Brooks will direct the Consortium for Overseas Student Teaching program (COST), expand study abroad programming and promote research and service-learning opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, not to mention college faculty and staff. She possesses first-hand international experience having been a student in Rennes, France, and Perth, Western Australia, as well as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand. Brooks is currently pursuing a doctorate in international education from Florida State. She holds master’s degrees in both curriculum and instruction and library science from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Her current research is focused on the personal lives and professional work of American teachers working in international settings. Her interests also are aligned with international school library development, information literacy and information equity.
Pam Hardie Administrative Support Associate Professional Education Services
Troy Johnson Communications Editor External Relations Office of the Dean
Lisa Kasmer Assistant Professor Mathematics Education Curriculum and Teaching
Staff d n a y lt u c a F w Ne
Lisa Kensler Assistant Professor Educational Leadership Educational Foundations, Leadership and Technology
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Strutchens earns first university Distinguished Diversity Researcher Award Dr. Marilyn E. Strutchens, a professor of mathematics education in the Department of Curriculum and Teaching, received a 2008 Distinguished Diversity Researcher Award from the Auburn University Research Initiative for the Study of Diversity and Auburn’s Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs. Strutchens, who also serves as co-director of TEAM-Math, and the other award recipients gave a lecture at the Celebration of Diversity Research in October 2008. The overarching session was entitled, “Understanding Differences That Matter: Diversity Research at Auburn University.’’ Strutchens’ research focuses on factors that affect students’ mathematics achievement, particularly among African-American students. She studies such factors as socio-economic status, access to mathematics courses, teachers’ beliefs about students, parental influence and students’ expectations and beliefs. Through her research, Strutchens pursues ways of affecting positive change in mathematics achievement.
Saye receives alumni professorship Dr. John W. Saye Jr., a professor in the Department of Curriculum and Teaching, received an alumni professorship from the Auburn Alumni Association in 2008. The association sponsors 25 five-year, non-renewable alumni professorships, which carry an annual salary supplement of $3,500. Saye has been among the Curriculum and Teaching faculty since 1994 after completing his doctorate in social science education at the University of Georgia. He also serves as the program coordinator for the college’s Secondary Social Science Education program. Saye, along with Indiana University’s Dr. Tom Brush, directs the Persistent Issues in History project. Saye’s list of Auburn accolades includes the 2006 Outstanding Faculty Award for Research from the College of Education and the 1999 Outstanding Professor Award from the Auburn Panhellenic Council. Nominations for the alumni professorships were sought from department heads through college deans by the Provost’s Office. The awards are presented on the basis of research, publishing and teaching. The 2008 alumni professors were honored at a university-wide awards ceremony last fall.
D i d yo u k n ow ? A s of fall 2008, the C ollege employed 121 full - time faculty — including 15 distinguished professors and one alumni professor — and 58 staff .
N e w F ac u lt y a n d S ta f f G et to know the C ollege of E ducation ’ s new faculty and staff members by logging on to education . auburn . edu / facultystaff / newfs
Angela Love Assistant Professor Early Childhood Education Curriculum and Teaching
Deborah L. Morowski Assistant Professor Elementary Education Curriculum and Teaching
Julie Nolen Director of Development Office of Development
Brian Parr Assistant Professor Agricultural Education Curriculum and Teaching
Jonghee Shim Assistant Professor Early Childhood Education Curriculum and Teaching
Carolyn Wallace Associate Professor Secondary Science Education Curriculum and Teaching
T. Lee Williams Assistant Professor Reading Education Curriculum and Teaching
DaShaunda Patterson Assistant Professor Special Education Special Education, Rehabilitation, Counseling/School Psychology
John C. Quindry Assistant Professor Exercise Science Kinesiology
Tammy Sanabria Administrative Support Associate Learning Resources Center
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r. Leah Robinson’s most effective tools in positively influencing the lives of Auburn Day Care Centers preschoolers may be her ready smile and an effusive personality that encourages the children to match her own seemingly inexhaustible energy level. “I’m a kid myself, so it’s pretty easy to relate to them,’’ said Robinson, who joined the Auburn University College of Education’s Department of Kinesiology faculty in 2007. Robinson’s enthusiasm for fostering healthy lifestyle habits in young children may only be rivaled by their willingness to participate in any activity she leads. When Robinson made an off-campus visit to the Moton Center in fall 2008 to lead its preschoolers in their weekly exercise program, Auburn Day Care Centers director Ethel White couldn’t help but marvel at the hive of activity stirred up by her presence. “We don’t have any children sitting down,’’ White said. “We don’t have any children who are unhappy or who are bored.’’ Robinson, whose research focuses on early childhood motor skill development, hopes her work translates into a decrease in the amount of children who are unhealthy. She derives an immense amount of satisfaction from seeing a room full of 3- to 5-year-olds in a running, jumping frenzy because a consistent routine of such activities will shape healthier lifestyles in adulthood. While the Auburn University College of Education’s partnership with the Auburn Day Care Centers positively affects preschoolers at the local level, Robinson’s investigation of physical and motor competence among at-risk children could have statewide and national implications. The National Association for Kinesiology and Physical Education in Higher Education named Robinson as the winner of its 2009 Hally Beth Poindexter Young Scholar Award. Robinson, the first Auburn professor to be selected as a Hally Beth Poindexter Young Scholar, received her award and presented her research on “Perceived Physical Competence and Actual Motor
Competence in Children Who Are At-Risk’’ at the January 2009 NAKPEHE Conference held in Sarasota, Fla. The Hally Beth Poindexter Young Scholar is selected through a blind review by leaders in the association and presented to one higher education professional in his or her first five years of work at the university level. The award is named after Dr. Hally Beth Poindexter, professor emeriti and former chair of the Department of Kinesiology at Rice University, who boasts more than 50 years of professional service. Robinson said receiving such a prestigious award will inspire her to continue exploring the workings of the human body and seeking answers to some of the health issues plaguing pediatric populations. Through her involvement with the Department of Kinesiology’s Motor Behavior Center, Robinson encourages children to be lifelong movers. She has worked with Drs. Mary Rudisill, Mark Fischman and Danielle Wadsworth to positively affect the wellness of young children from rural, underserved areas. According to recent data released by the state, 18 percent of Alabama’s young children are classified as obese. The percentage has risen each year and has grown to include an especially high number of African-American children in Alabama’s rural counties. “All of my research is dealing with populations who are in need or are at-risk,’’ she said. “I really want to help those who are underserved, who need the work and the assistance. “Any time I see a kid improve in terms of their skill development or engaging in more physical activity, that is encouraging. It might be a small group that I’m working with and making the change in now, but hopefully as my research and lab continue to grow, we can hit larger populations of kids.’’ Since arriving at Auburn, Robinson has received the College of Education’s Outstanding Faculty Early Career Award for excellence, research and outreach and the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance’s Young Professional Award. Rudisill, a Wayne T. Smith distinguished professor and head of Auburn’s Department of Kinesiology, said Robinson’s acclaim as a scholar stems from her blend of energy and authenticity.
“I think she’s so effective because she’s so genuine,’’ Rudisill said. “She genuinely cares about the children she’s working with and she really wants to help them meet their full potential. What’s really driving Leah is she wants to bring about positive change.’’
Auburn ‘Young Scholar’ demonstrates wealth of experience
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Martin and Hastie receive endowed professorships
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he College of Education welcomed Dr. Peter Hastie and Dr. W. Gary Martin to its ranks of honored professors in 2008.
Hastie, a professor and graduate program officer in the Department of Kinesiology, received the Wayne T. Smith Distinguished Professorship. Martin, a professor of mathematics education in the Department of Curriculum and Teaching, is the inaugural recipient of the Emily R. and Gerald S. Leischuck Endowed Professorship. Since their creation, the college’s four endowed professorships have honored 21 faculty — 15 of whom remain members of the college’s faculty.
deepen his understanding of higher education administration. Through the fellowship, Martin developed a proposal to establish a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics center (STEM) at Auburn University. Martin has been active in a number of state and national organizations, serving as chief education officer and director of research for the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and on the board of directors for the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators and the Alabama Council of
Hastie joined the College of Education faculty in 1994 and teaches pedagogy in the department’s physical education-teacher education program. His research interests include the ecology of physical education settings, as well as sport education curriculum and instruction model. Last year, he received the college’s Outstanding Faculty Award for Research — the second time he was selected for it by his peers. Hastie has been the author or co-author of six books and has published his work in numerous practitioner and refereed journals. In 2002, Hastie was elected a fellow to the Association Internationale d’Ecoles Superieures d’Education Physicque. Before coming to Auburn, he served as a faculty lecturer at the University of Queensland in Australia, where he also completed his bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. Martin, a member of the college’s faculty since 2000, serves as the project director for the National Science Foundation-funded TEAM-Math program, which bolsters mathematics education in 15 East Alabama school districts. His research interests include geometric knowledge and problem-based instruction. Auburn President Jay Gogue recently named Martin the university’s first presidential faculty fellow, an appointment enabling Martin to
Dr. Dr. Dr. Dr. Dr.
W ayne T. S mith P rofessors Dr. Joseph Buckhalt, 2003 Dr. Mark Fischman, 2004 Peter Hastie, 2008 Frances K. Kochan, 2005 E. Davis Martin, 2007 Randall McDaniel, 2002 Mary Rudisill, 2004
H umana -G ermany S herman P rofessors Dr. Craig Darch, 1999 Dr. Bruce Gladden, 1999
Drs. Peter Hastie (left) and Gary Martin are among the 15 faculty members who have earned endowed professorships.
Teachers of Mathematics. As a project director and writer, he was instrumental in the publication of Principles and Standards for School Mathematics, sponsored by NCTM.
Both professorships reflect the generosity of the college’s alumni and friends. The newest of the college’s professorships, the Emily R. and Gerald S. Leischuck Endowed Professorship for Critical Needs in Education, was established in 2007 by Dr. Gerald and Mrs. Emily Leischuck, both emeriti Auburn administrators and 1964 College of Education graduates. The Leischuck Endowed Professorship has equipped the college to identify and retain faculty members in the Dr. David D. Pascoe, 2007 most critical and understaffed disciplines in Dr. David M. Shannon, 2007 grade levels K-12. Dr. Bonnie White, 2002
M ildred C heshire F raley P rofessors Dr. Glennelle Halpin, 2003 Dr. Marie Kraska, 2003 E mily R. and G erald S. L eischuck P rofessor Dr. W. Gary Martin, 2008
The Wayne T. Smith Distinguished Professorship was first awarded in 1998 with assistance from the Humana Foundation. Smith, a College of Education graduate who was serving as chief operating officer of Humana at the time, recognized the need for a distinguished professorship to help recruit, reward and retain outstanding professors for the college.
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College maintains strong relationships with federal and state policymakers
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number of College of Education initiatives have captured the attention and gained the support of state and federal policymakers in recent years.
2008 effort was an effort led by Dr. Jamie Carney, a professor of counselor education and adviser of the college’s chapter of Chi Sigma Iota international counseling honor society.
Elected officials at the local, state and national levels have been involved in a variety of ways — as keynote speakers at College of Education events, as members of the National Advisory Council and champions of a number of causes that matter to university and K-12 educators as well as students.
Higher E du cation A dvocates
S tate Leaders as T rusted A dvisers The college’s 33-member National Advisory Council provides an important service in not only advocating for the college, but advising those who oversee its academic and administrative efforts. Alabama State Treasurer Kay Ivey ’67, who was among the council’s first members and in 2005 was the college’s first female Keystone Leader-in-Residence, continues to support the college through her membership in the Dean’s Circle and 1915 Society. Ivey Appointed to the council in 2007, Dr. Victor Gaston ’80, representing the 100th House district (Mobile, Ala.) in Alabama’s House of Representatives, now lends his counsel as a retired school administrator. B e n efitti n g from E x perien ce Gaston
Through their work on behalf of Alabama citizens, state and federal lawmakers can offer a perspective that directly benefits College of Education students’ efforts to prepare for their chosen careers and to appreciate the differences among those around them. U.S. Rep. Artur Davis of Alabama’s 7th Congressional District, has long supported efforts by the college’s Truman Pierce Institute to enhance opportunities for students in his district — including the state’s Black Belt region — and throughout Alabama. A frequent speaker at such events, Davis’ most recent service in January 2009 as the keynote speaker for TPI’s Leadership in Action Network Winter Conference supported initiatives to boost student Davis achievement in school districts with high poverty rates. Ivey, a Wilcox County native, has also been a staunch supporter in the region through her work with the Truman Pierce Institute’s West Alabama Learning Coalition and Leadership Action Network. State Sen. Ted Little of Alabama’s Senate District 27 — which is home to Auburn University — along with leaders of state advocacy groups, addressed the issue of understanding poverty in Alabama during “Poverty Awareness Week” (see page 42). The November
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Many of the college’s programs not only prepare students to be professionals, but directly serve Alabama individuals, schools and communities, are enhanced through the advocacy for and support of state and federal policymakers. As state and federal lawmakers look to the college as a source of expertise, the college equally benefits from the time they take to become better acquainted with our academic, research and outreach efforts — not to mention needs.
Ward
State Rep. Cam Ward of Alabama House District 49 and a father of a child with autism, has brought much awareness to the seriousness of autism in Alabama and the country. His efforts in 2007 to establish the Alabama Autism Task Force has elevated the Auburn University Autism Center’s role in serving and supporting children and adolescents with autism.
Ward, along with local state Reps. Mike Hubbard (House District 79) and DuWayne Bridges (House District 38), toured the college’s Autism Center and visited with college leaders to better understand the demand and needs of families for services. Autism is not the only area that benefits from Hubbard’s support. Through his advocacy, the Auburn Transition Leadership Institute has been able to help youth with disabilities flourish in post-school educational, vocational and social roles.
Hubbard
Support of the college’s scholarship opportunities and educational partnerships has been Bridges at the forefront of Little’s efforts. Recent support of the college’s K-12 Master’s Instructional Leadership Preparation Program in the Department of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Technology, and the Evelyn Moore Endowed Scholarship, will mean enhanced opportunities for students and professionals alike. Members of Alabama’s congressional delegation, including Davis, Rep. Mike Rogers, Rep. Joe Bonner, Sen. Richard Shelby, Sen. Jeff Sessions, former Rep. Terry Everett and members of their respective staffs met with representatives of the College of Education in June 2008 during the American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education’s annual“Day on the Hill.’’
Rogers
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Martin: One of four Auburn faculty selected as Academic Leadership Development fellows Dr. Gary Martin was among four faculty members named Academic Leadership Development fellows for the 2008-09 academic year by the Office of the Provost — part of a program developed by the Southeastern Conference Academic Consortium. Martin is a Leischuck distinguished professor in the college’s Department of Curriculum and Teaching and TEAM-Math co-director.
The fellows attended two workshops during the academic year. The first was in October at the University of South Carolina and the second was in February at the University of Arkansas.
The program is part of an effort by consortium member institutions, including Auburn, to offer training to tenured faculty members who are interested in future administrative positions such as graduate program chair, department head or chair, assistant or associate dean or other similar roles.
He also assisted President Jay Gogue and Executive Vice President Don Large with administrative responsibilities and joined those executives in meetings with a cross-section of Auburn constituents.
During the spring semester, Martin served in the Office of the President as Auburn’s first presidential faculty fellow. There, he worked on developing a proposal to establish a science, technology, engineering and mathematics initiative at Auburn as part of a nationwide coalition widely known by its acronym, STEM.
Collaboration, $98,000 grant hold key to improving reading education in nearby schools Students and educators in the nearby Chambers County school district will soon receive assistance from the Strategic TIPS in Reading program, a joint project involving faculty members in Auburn University’s College of Education and College of Liberal Arts, the Auburn University Montgomery School of Education and the Alabama Reading Initiative (ARI). The program will be facilitated by a $98,000 grant awarded by the Alabama Commission on Higher Education in response to Dr. Edna Brabham’s proposal entitled, “Strategic Teaching for Improved Performance of Students (TIPS) in Reading.’’ The reach of the ACHE’s grant will be extended by $25,768 of in-kind support from Auburn University. The Strategic TIPS in Reading program will expand the ARI professional development model, a statewide K-12 initiative whose goal is to improve reading instruction and achieve 100 percent literacy among public school students. The Strategic TIPS in Reading project will serve Chambers County educators in 2009-10 and, if funding is available, will be offered to Tallapoosa County the following year. Both school systems were identified by the U.S. Department of Education as high-need local education agencies. Brabham, an associate professor of reading education in the Department of Curriculum in Teaching, said the Strategic TIPS in Reading program will initially reach 50 teachers, paraprofessionals and principals from public and private schools in Chambers County. “We’re working with research-proven methods that have been around for some time, but these teachers may not have had the opportunity to experience them in active, hands-on ways or to really put them into action in their classrooms,’’ Brabham
said. “We hope that there will be additional funding through the Alabama Reading Initiative and other sources to make this happen in many more middle schools and high schools. There is an effort now to put more funds in those directions and to improve adolescent literacy instruction and achievement across the content areas.’’ Other individuals involved in the collaboration include Dr. Alyson Whyte, associate professor of English language arts education, Dr. James Ryan, associate professor in the Department of English, Dr. Connie Buskist, assistant professor of reading education at AUM, and Jennifer Hall, an ARI education consultant. The ACHE grant will enable the project to focus on accomplishing four major goals: • providing resources to support a professional learning community in which educators build knowledge and skill for using literacy and inquiry as tools for teaching English language Arts. • engaging teachers and administrators in hands-on experiences with activities, materials and technologies proven to be effective in improving student learning of core content and text comprehension. • increasing student learning in core academic subjects and improving performance on state-mandated reading and writing assessment tests. • providing participants with three options for involvement that will support and extend adult learning and collaboration — participation in summer workshops and in-school sessions, opportunities for teachers to earn continuing education credit for recertification by completing online assignments and discussion on strategic teaching, and university course credit that can be applied toward a graduate degree.
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College merges two departments, names Martin as new head
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Martin serves as project director of $2.5 million grants from the U.S. Department of Education.
n February 2009, the College of Education named Dr. E. Davis Martin as department head for the newly formed Department of Special Education, Rehabilitation, Counseling/School Psychology. Martin, who had served as the interim department head since the beginning of the 2008-09 academic year, emerged as the final pick after a comprehensive national search. He will lead the department that resulted from an August 2008 merger between two previous departments — Counselor Education, Counseling Psychology and School Psychology; and Rehabilitation and Special Education. Merger stren gthe n s e n rollme n t, research The merger provides for a particularly strong and versatile department by bringing a balanced enrollment and creating opportunities for research and outreach collaborations since faculty members now under the SERC umbrella often have complementary skills and objectives. Before the merger, the former Department of Rehabilitation and Special Education featured strong undergraduate enrollment, while the enrollment in Counselor Education, Counseling Psychology and School Psychology was solely comprised of graduate students. After the merger, fall 2008 joint enrollment stood at 365 students (122 undergraduates and 243 graduate students). The combined resources result in a department with 26 faculty serving students pursuing one of its three undergraduate and seven graduate degree options — three of which may also be earned through distance education. Martin k n ow n for state , n ation al service Martin, a recipient of the college’s Wayne T. Smith Distinguished Professorship, came to Auburn in 2003 as a professor of rehabilitation and special education. He is a licensed counselor, as well as a national certified rehabilitation counselor and vocational evaluator. Martin also holds diplomate status with the American Board of Vocational Experts and serves as editor of the Journal of Forensic Vocational Analysis. In addition to those professional credentials,
Martin has received a number of honors for his professional and academic service, including recent recognition by the Alabama Rehabilitation Counselors and Educators Association. The organization presented Martin with its Distinguished Service Award to acknowledge his service as vice chair of the Alabama State Rehabilitation Council and chair of its Program Evaluation and Consumer Services Committee, chair of the Advisory Committee for the Governor’s Office on Disability, his development and presentation of Certified Rehabilitation Counselor workshops for the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services and other presentations on ethical behavior to rehabilitation personnel. In 2008, Gov. Bob Riley reappointed Martin to the Alabama State Rehabilitation Council, citing his “honesty and integrity.’’ “I know that you plan to embody these two virtues while serving the people of Alabama ,” Riley wrote. Martin earned his doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Virginia after completing his master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling at Virginia Commonwealth University. He completed his bachelor’s degree at Richmond Professional Institute of Psychology. Martin is the author, co-author or editor of five textbooks relating to rehabilitation counseling and significant disability.
Stadler accepts Roosevelt University deanship After 11 years of service to the college, Dr. Holly Stadler, professor and head of the former Department of Counselor Education, Counseling Psychology, and School Psychology, accepted an appointment as dean of education at Roosevelt University in Chicago in May 2008.
Dr. Debra Cobia (left) presents Dr. Holly Stadler with a memento.
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Stadler joined the college in 1995 as professor and department head following faculty and department chair appointments in the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s
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School of Education and School of Medicine. She began her career at the University of WisconsinOshkosh in 1975 as an assistant professor remained on the faculty until 1982. A three-time Purdue UniverStadler, Kochan sity graduate, she completed a bachelor’s in psychology, a master’s in counseling and student services and a doctorate in counseling education, counseling and student personnel services.
Ret ired Facult y and S ta ff T he C ollege of E ducation bid farewell to four of its own during the past academic year . we wish them well in retirement .
C urriculum and T eaching D r . S teve S ilvern L earning R esources C enter Y vonne C hamblee
P rofessional E ducation S ervices S andra H arris
rehabilitation and special education D r . philip browning
Education family grieves loss of three former professors In the last year, the College of Education has mourned the passing of three former professors — Doug Alley, J. Boyd Scebra and Earl P. Smith. Alley, a retired English education professor, passed away in March 2008 at 83. During the 1980s, Alley, a creative writer, served as the college’s coordinator for English education for several years and retired in 1990. Scebra, associate dean emeritus, died in March 2009 at the age of 76. He retired in 1989 after serving as a professor in the Department of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Technology. After retiring, Scebra worked in Auburn University Admissions as a part-time adviser who met with prospective students and their families. Smith, former faculty member in the College of Education, died in January 2009. He was 77. Smith taught at the University of Virginia before joining the College of Education faculty in 1976. He eventually left to become chair of Troy University’s Department of Arts and Classics and remained there until his retirement in 1994.
Spirit on display Visitors to the Dean’s Office in Haley Center will see the college’s spirit on display in the lobby thanks to the generosity of Dr. Jack Blackburn.
Blackburn, who served as the college’s dean from 1975-90, donated a framed drawing of an eagle to the college in August 2008. It hangs next to a framed copy of the college’s mission statement and provides a stunning backdrop for photos taken of special visitors to the college.
Browning retires after 19 years of Auburn service Dr. Philip Browning, Wayne T. Smith distinguished professor and Rehabilitation and Special Education department head, retired in August 2008 after a career in higher education that spanned 40 years. During his 19-year career at Auburn, Browning was known for his scholarly works and leadership. He touched many lives as the director of the Alabama Transition Leadership Institute, which was created from conferences initiated by Browning in 1991. Through his ATLI contributions, Browning helped many of Alabama’s youth and young adults with disabilities — and the many professionals serving those individuals — make the transition from work to school and community life. His efforts and outreach through this program have affected the lives of thousands throughout Alabama and across the nation. Before joining the Auburn faculty as department head in 1989, he served as a faculty member at the University for Oregon for 21 years, where he did extensive research. He served first as training director, then research director, of the university’s Rehabilitation Research and Training Center in Mental Retardation, as well as director of the Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation’s doctoral program in Rehabilitation Research and Interdisciplinary Studies. Among his many professional accolades and honors is the college’s Wayne T. Smith distinguished professorship (1999); Auburn University’s Excellence in Faculty Outreach award (2005); the Distinguished Career Award in Rehabilitation Education from the National Council on Rehabilitation Education (2003); the College of Education’s Outstanding Faculty in Research (2000) and Outreach (1994) awards; the Outstanding Special Educator of the Year award from the Alabama Federation Council for Exceptional Children (1996); and the Governor’s Certificate of Commendation.
“It is a beautiful gift and we shall treasure it always,’’ Dean Frances Kochan said.
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O lympi c Odys s e y Jeremy Knowles dived into classroom teaching immediately after competing for the Bahamas in Beijing.
College of Education Olympians achieve excellence in Beijing and in the classroom
TM
A
fter pushing his body to its limits in order to be ready to swim in three events at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Jeremy Knowles ’05 found it being pulled in so many different directions on his first morning back home. The tiny hands of insistent fourth graders tugged him this way and that as soon as he walked through the door at Hickory Grove Baptist Christian School in Charlotte, N.C.
Come see our classroom, Mr. Knowles!
They led him inside the room that, unbeknownst to the students, Knowles had decorated with a poster featuring the Olympic rings just before leaving for Beijing. They peppered him with questions about what he did and saw while in China. Nevermind the fact that Knowles, an elementary education graduate, happened to be operating on only a few hours of sleep after the 20-plus hours of travel from Beijing to Charlotte. “Mr. Knowles’ Ninjas,” as the students call themselves, were crackling with excitement because their teacher was back in the classroom after competing for his native country, the Bahamas. Knowles, one of four College of Education graduates to participate in the Beijing Games, left competitive swimming behind in China and immediately plunged into a new career pool as a teacher of science, math and religion at the private school.
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Int ern at i o n a l
D i d yo u k n ow ? I f A uburn U niversity had been classified as a nation in the 2008 B eijing O lympic G ames , its 18 medals would have tied for 14 th place with C anada and S pain . T he total haul included three gold medals , 10 silver and five bronze in 13 events .
Kerron Stewart (left) and Maurice Smith contributed to an unforgettable effort by Jamaica’s Olympic track and field team.
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O msse pi cy co ntinue d Oly dy
“That whole week was kind of a blur,’’ Knowles said of the first week he spent with his fourthgraders. “It has been an awesome transition. I’ve been swimming my whole life. I knew I wanted to be a teacher and was passionate about it, but didn’t have a whole lot of experience. It helped me to jump right into it. Jeremy Knowles (right) took in the Opening Ceremonies with his father, Andy, who coached the Bahamian swimming team.
“I hit the ground running.’’
Some of his fellow College of Education graduates who were in Beijing last summer can certainly relate to that last statement. Kerron Stewart ’08 and Maurice Smith ’05, a pair of adult education graduates, helped Jamaica’s track and field team put together an incandescent and wholly unforgettable Olympic performance. Stewart, a sprinter, captured a silver medal in the women’s 100 meters and a bronze in the 200 meters, while Smith, a decathlete who won a gold medal at the 2007 Pan American Games and a silver medal at the World Championships, had the honor of serving as Jamaica’s team captain.
Knowles made sure his fourth grade class learned about the Olympics while he was competing in Beijing.
Meanwhile, Harvey Glance ’91, a gold medalist in the 1976 Montreal Olympics, put his know-how to good use in coaching the U.S. track and field team’s sprinters and hurdlers in Beijing. Under the guidance of Glance, a human exercise science graduate who now coaches the track and field team at the University of Alabama, the U.S. swept the medals in the men’s 400 meters and the men’s 400-meter hurdles. S tewart a n d Smith help highlight J amaica’s historic effort
Knowles and his wife, Heather, got away from the pool long enough to see the Great Wall of China.
The medals Stewart carried home from Beijing serve as symbols of sweat equity. They resulted from innate athletic ability as well as numerous hours spent training at Hutsell-Rosen Track, where she competed as a member of the Auburn University track team and continues to train in preparation for the international circuit. Another component of Stewart’s success in Beijing proved to be her ability to learn from her first
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Olympic experience, the 2004 Athens Games. That meant skipping out on the Opening Ceremonies and sight-seeing. “In 2004, I experienced everything,’’ Stewart said. “I decided that at the next Olympics I was going to be focused, take it seriously and see what I could get out of it. When you’re at that level, you have to think twice about what is going to mean more to you — going to the Opening Ceremonies or getting a medal.’’ Stewart didn’t spend a moment second-guessing her approach after gobbling up 100 meters in 10.98 seconds and sharing second place with Sherone Simpson to round out an all-Jamaican medalist stand alongside first place finisher ShellyAnn Fraser. “I went there with a mission and accomplished what I wanted to accomplish,’’ Stewart said. Besides, most of her fun came on the back end when she went home to Kingston. The nation’s capital welcomed members of the Jamaican track team like royalty because of its unprecedented success in the Summer Games. While Stewart found herself signing plenty of autographs, much of the buzz was generated by Usain Bolt, a long-striding, 6-foot-5 sprinter who blew away his competition while setting Olympic and world records in the 100 and 200 meters and teaming up to do the same in the 4 x 100-meter relay. Some of the credit for Bolt’s breakthrough performance may belong to Smith who, as team captain and Bolt’s roommate, helped inject some much-needed levity in high-pressure moments. When they weren’t competing, the duo was often trolling the Olympic Village and venues in search of scenes to capture on Smith’s video camera. “It was a really fun experience,’’ said Smith, a two-time Olympian who finished 14th in the decathlon in Beijing. “I was given [the position of] captain of a team that created history and did something that may never be outdone. That’s going to be hard to top. “The team spirit was there from the get-go. You could tell everyone wanted it.’’
Int ern at i o n a l
R ead more about J eremy K nowles ’ O lympic and classroom experiences at education . auburn . edu / blogs
Knowles reached his competitive limit after competing in the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympics and undergoing a rigorous training regimen that sometimes included the unconventional approach of a catch-and-release chase of sea turtles in the crystal waters off the Bahamas. Retirement was not treated lightly by the 27-year-old since the
T wo athletes look forward to 2 012 , o n e moves o n
Smith has an exit strategy when he nears the finish line to his current career. He comes from a family of teachers — his mother, Daphne Burke-Smith, is vice-principal at St. Mary’s All-Age School in Above Rocks, Jamaica — so he can see himself coaching track and field one day. Stewart, who earned one of the College of Education’s outstanding undergraduate student awards in “I was named the captain of a team that created history 2008, wouldn’t mind continuing her and did something that probably will never be outdone. education in sports medicine.
Maurice Smith captured the Southeastern Conference heptathlon title in 2004.
That’s going to be hard to top. … The team spirit was
Their immediate plans, however, inthere from the get-go.’’ volve events like track and field’s World Maurice Smith, Championships — any opportunity to get a leg up on the competition in prepdecathlete and captain of Jamaica’s Olympic team aration for the 2012 Summer Games in Olympics exist as a part of the Knowles family London. After coming so close to claiming a world legacy. His father, Andy, coaches the Bahamian championship last swim team and once competed for it while his year, Smith wouldn’t grandfather and great uncle made multiple mind crossing that Olympic teams in sailing. Knowles also established milestone off his list himself as a sporting legend in his native country before capturing an as a 16-year-old by becoming the first individual Olympic medal. to complete a risky 30-mile open ocean swim from “I think at the Exuma to Nassau. (2007) World The thickness of Knowles’ athletic portfolio Championships I was made his ultimate decision easier to accept. A little definitely prepared — more than a month before the Olympics, Knowles not just mentally but accepted a job offer from Hickory Grove Baptist physically,’’ he said. Kerron Stewart was named Christian School. “In the decathlon, the nation’s top college track and field athlete in “I’m completely out of the pool by choice,’’ he you have to be menKerron Stewart and Maurice Smith (below) voting for the Collegiate still train at Auburn’s Hutsell-Rosen Track. said. “It’s a difficult thing to retire from competiWomen Sports Awards tally strong because in 2007. tive sports. I wanted to be clear in my plans as far it will break you. as what I wanted to happen. My plan was to jump There’s no doubt in my mind that I will be around right into a new career.’’ for another four years.’’ By the time the 2012 Olympics arrive, Stewart plans to be even faster than she was in Beijing. Being separated from a gold medal by a mere fraction of a second will fuel her preparations. “I compete for and against time,’’ she said. “My opponents are just there to help push me, but I don’t focus on them. I work hard not to stay on top, but to be one of the best. I train hard to keep what I have and I train to my limits.’’
So there he was in the lobby of his school, fresh off an airplane after his Olympic odyssey, immersing himself in a new career. “Now I’m just Mr. Knowles,’’ he said. “That’s how I want it.’’ His new form of competition, far removed from the pool and the Olympic stage, involves winning over young minds.
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d a o r b a s e s r u o c d y n t a i s n p u i t r h s o n p r p e t o n f I o d l r o w a p open u
tica
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efore embarking on a semester-long teaching internship, Jenny Sallee knew the age group of the students she wanted to work with after graduation. However, the senior elementary education major has re-examined where that work will take place based on her experience teaching fourth graders at Oakes Field Primary School in the Bahamas.
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Her dream job may exist on Andros, Great Exuma or one of the other slices of paradise that make up the 700-island archipelago.
Jenny Sallee’s
“Originally, I was planning on applying for a teaching position in Charlotte, N.C.,’’ said Sallee, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio. “Now I’m interested in possibly teaching in a primary school on one of the ‘Family Islands’ in the Bahamas.’’
willingness to step out of he r comfort zone extend ed to local se a creatures.
The sugary beaches and warm crystal water provide ample incentive to stay, but Sallee said her epiphany came courtesy of the 34 children she taught during the internship. R ead about J enny S allee ’ s internship and look for updates on future student travels by visiting education . auburn . edu / blogs
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“I wanted to step out of my ‘comfort zone’ and submerge myself into another culture to gain a completely new perspective on things and ultimately grow as an educator,’’ she said. “I believe that experiencing and understanding this diversity
Int ern at i o n a l
S e e i n g t h e wo r l d through its participation in the consortium for overseas student teaching (COST), the college of education enables students to take courses and complete internships all over the globe .
L earn more at education . auburn . edu / internatl .
in general is something that is crucial for every educator to do in order to work with students from different backgrounds.’’ Thanks to the College of Education’s efforts to expand its international partnerships, students now have a plethora of colorful settings where they can hone their teaching skills and encounter new cultures. Melanie Brooks, who coordinates the college’s Office of International Programs, said such travel experiences can make future educators more marketable to prospective employers and better equipped to lead increasingly diverse classrooms. “One of the things that is a real focus with education now is globalization and the understanding that we are living in a much smaller world,’’ said Brooks, who traveled to France and Australia as a student before heading to Thailand as a Peace Corps volunteer. “When students go abroad, they are challenged in ways they have never been challenged before culturally, socially and analytically. Their senses are tapped in ways they’ve never been tapped. They can bring their experiences back.’’ Through its participation in the Consortium for Overseas Student Teaching (COST), the College of Education enables students to take courses and complete internships in 14 countries. Brooks said the college is also working to create opportunities in Hungary and the Philippines. Some locations offer more creature comforts than others. For instance, Sarah Cooper ’08, now a graduate student in the English for Speakers of Other Languages program, will spend the summer in San Marcos La Laguna, a rural village in Guatemala, teaching English to children in grades second through eighth. Cooper, who completed a bachelor’s degree in Spanish education, will stay with a host family that includes eight children.
“Do it!’’ said Cooper, a Summerdale, Ala., native. “As an educator it is important to be able to relate to your students no matter who they are. Almost all teachers will encounter students who have just moved and it’s nice to know what they feel like. You’ll be like them, in a new place, new friends, maybe a new language and culture. You’ll be a better teacher if you can anticipate your students’ anxieties and help them relax.’’ Speaking of relaxation, don’t think for a moment that Sallee’s location affords her non-stop recreation. Although she couldn’t have asked for a more picturesque classroom setting, Sallee said her internship kept her busy with work — just as she had hoped.
ently completed d Jasmin Bean rec a. Corine Lamas an beth, South Afric za Eli rt Po in s hip teaching interns
“When I walked in the room on my first day of teaching practice, I was initially overwhelmed by the large class size and did not think I would be able to truly develop relationships with all of these children, let alone remember all of their names,’’ she said. “This assumption ended up being false and I was able to not only learn their names, but also get to know each one personally within the first week. “I’m also amazed at how much they appreciate everything I do with them in the classroom, whether it’s incorporating an activity into a lesson or raffling off something small for ‘good behavior.’ “I’ve had such an amazing experience and would have ended up regretting it if I hadn’t come.’’
Cooper offered some advice for current students who may be on the fence with regard to international internships.
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U n i v e rs i t y H i ghli ght s
A Message
from the President
Dear Auburn Alumni and Supporters,
T
he economic downturn is having a dramatic impact on businesses, families and government. The same is true at Auburn University and all of higher education.
Because of the sluggish economy, cuts to the Auburn budget are substantial. Support to Auburn from the Alabama Education Trust Fund was reduced this year by almost $69 million, the steepest cut in our history, and we expect lean budgets again in the future.
S t r at e g i c P l a n • Elevate academics and enrich the undergraduate experience • Build the foundation for a stronger and larger research enterprise • Redesign extension and outreach for greater impact • Support, develop, and strengthen our people • Commit to ongoing improvement of programs and activities • Build the financial resources needed to advance
Auburn is fortunate in that sound financial management through the years has put us in a position to thus far avoid severe cost-cutting measures such as employee furloughs or hiring freezes. Some of the ways we are cutting expenses is by slowing the pace of hiring, reprioritizing capital expenditures, improving the way we pay for goods, services and travel, and reviewing ways to decrease healthcare costs. We also see ways in which Auburn will excel during these tough economic times. For example, we are reviewing our internal procedures, looking for ways to do more with less, and embracing sustainability practices, helping to both protect the world around us and cut costs. Through it all, a key objective guiding our actions is Auburn’s commitment to providing first-class education. Our budget decisions will minimize impact in the classroom as we instead cut expenses primarily from administrative and non-instructional areas of campus. In other news, we welcome Dr. Mary Ellen Mazey as Auburn’s new provost and vice president for academic affairs after a national search to replace Dr. John Heilman. She has an extensive background in teaching and administration, most recently as dean of the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences at West Virginia University. Dr. Mazey brings to Auburn a vision in higher education administration, and her expertise in strategic planning will help us achieve the ambitious goals we have laid out for our future. On the subject of Auburn’s strategic plan, we are making good progress. If you have not read the plan, it is available on our Web site at www.auburn.edu/strategicplan. In the upper right corner of that page is a link to a “report card” detailing the progress that is being made in each of the initiatives covered in the plan. Although we face economic obstacles, the strategic plan will keep us focused on enriching our academic environment, building the foundation for a larger and stronger research enterprise and expanding the impact of our outreach activities. War Eagle!
Jay Gogue
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Universit y Hig h l i g h t s
Student Center celebrates opening with a parade Auburn University officially dedicated its new Student Center in November 2008 with a parade led by two spirited grand marshals, dean emeritus James Foy and Aubie. The $50-million Student Center, which opened in time for the start of the 2008-09 academic year, offers 185,000 square feet of space that includes a ballroom, conference rooms, e-mail kiosks, ATM machines, a copy center, TV and study lounges, a game room and several food venues. Eateries include Chickfil-A, Starbuck’s, Au Bon Pain, Coyote Jack’s, the Chef ’s Table, Mamma Leone’s pizzeria and Outtakes. The building houses office space for a number of student organizations and media outlets, including the Student Government Association, the University Program Council, Greek Life, the International Student Organization, the Black Student Union, IMPACT, WEGL FM radio, the Glomerata, the Plainsman, the Auburn Circle, Eagle Eye and the Tiger Cub. The state-of-the-art facility also includes the James E. Foy Information Desk, named in honor of the parade’s grand marshal. In the past few years, the Foy Information Desk received national acclaim, including recognition on “The Today Show’’ and in Oprah Winfrey’s magazine, “O.” The building’s dedication was celebrated by a number of university and student representatives, including Auburn President Jay Gogue and Dean of Students Johnny Green.
Auburn welcomes provost, two new VPs Auburn University has hired a new provost, as well as two new vice presents to oversee development and research. Dr. Mary Ellen Mazey, former dean of the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences at West Virginia University, assumed the position of provost and vice president for academic affairs. Jeffrey P. McNeill, formerly president of a South Carolina-based fundraising and higher education management consulting firm, became Auburn’s vice president for development. John M. Mason, formerly dean for graduate studies, research and outreach at Penn State University, now serves as AU’s vice president for research. Mazey was responsible for 28 academic units, more than 1,000 employees and more than 50 academic programs at West Virginia while serving as a professor and dean for West Virginia’s largest and most diverse academic unit. McNeill managed Clemson University’s first capital campaign and led the development office to win the U.S. Steel Award for sustained giving in a national competition.
Mason directed the Thomas D. Larson Pennsylvania Transportation Institute and served as executive director of the Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center.
Auburn maintains status as top-50 public university Auburn University ranked 28th nationally among land-grant universities and in the top 50 of public universities overall for the 16th consecutive year, according to an annual survey released in August 2008 by U.S.News & World Report. Auburn placed 45th among the top 50 public universities.
institutions, plus a highly ranked medical school. This is a major achievement.”
“The comparison to other land grants is critically important to us, because land grants share certain common academic qualities,” said Jay Gogue, Auburn University president. “Our strategic plan calls for us to steadily increase our measures of quality among this distinctive group.
The undergraduate program of Auburn’s Samuel Ginn College of Engineering is ranked 51st nationally overall and 28th among public universities that offer doctoral programs in engineering, moving up from 57th and 34th, respectively, from the previous year. The College of Business ranked 30th among public institutions and 52nd among national universities.
“Beyond the specific rankings, having worked in other states for much of my career, I am astounded at what higher education in Alabama has been able to accomplish. The state has two universities ranked in the top 50 of public institutions, and two ranked private
Gogue said that Auburn’s new strategic plan calls for increasing its selectivity of prospective students and increasing its graduation rates, both of which could positively impact future rankings.
The annual rankings do not score undergraduate education programs. Auburn’s various national rankings can be found on the university’s Web site at www.auburn.edu/rankings.
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Education Interview Day offers one-stop shopping for potential employers and graduating students Given the hectic paces of their internship experiences, elementary education majors Sarah Anne Wilkes ’08 and Ashley Forster didn’t have any trouble keeping their energy levels up for a marathon day of job interviews with prospective employers. “I didn’t get tired because I’m used to keeping up with kids all day long,’’ said Wilkes, an Andalusia, Ala., native who graduated in December 2008. Wilkes and Forster were among the 144 Auburn and Auburn University Montgomery students who attended the first of two Education Interview Day sessions held in during the 2008-09 academic year. They came dressed to impress representatives of 35 school systems who came to the October 2008 event looking for potential educators. Wilkes and Forster were counting on far more than smart business suits and carefully polished resumes to stand out in the
Education Interview Day, hosted by Auburn’s Career Development Services, has proven to be an essential resource for Auburn University College of Education students in recent years. By the end of the fall session, 580 interviews had been conducted. A second interview day was held in March 2009.
“It gets your face and your name out there,’’ Forster said.
Melvin Smith ’87, special events coordinator for Career Development Services and three-time College of Education graduate, said many of the school systems represented at the fall and spring are repeat customers. “We’ve got a lot of school systems interested in filling positions,’’ Smith said. “It’s a very good opportunity for students to come to one location and network. It’s one-stop shopping for prospective employers. A lot of Auburn graduates are coming back to recruit.’’
“It’s a very good opportunity for students to come to one location and network. It’s one-stop shopping for prospective employers. A lot of Auburn graduates are coming back to recruit.” Melvin Smith ’87, special events coordinator for Career Development Services minds of interviewers. They came ready to discuss the experiences gained during their internships. Wilkes worked with sixth graders at Samford Middle School, and Forster, a Hope Hull, Ala., native, worked with third graders at Ogletree Elementary School. “I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I’d be,’’ said Wilkes, who is substitute teaching full-time while pursuing a master’s degree.
“The College of Education prepared us well.’’
While job interviews can be stressful, Education Interview Day was set up in a manner that calmed nerves. The lobby in front of the ballroom used as a hospitality area for employers was decorated with orange and blue balloons, as well as inflatable crayons and apples. During their breaks between interviews, students could retreat to a conference room to prepare themselves for their next meeting or simply relax by watching a large screen TV.
Wilkes and Forster didn’t have time for lounging or for TV viewing. Both students each completed 10 job interviews, but the schedule didn’t seem especially hectic compared to what they had already experienced in a classroom. “There aren’t any kids,’’ said Forster, who is currently a senior. “You just have to take care of yourself.’’
Learning Communities helping prepare first-year students for long-term success Learning and Living-Learning Communities are unique academic opportunities for first-year Auburn students. By participating in a Learning Community, students are involved in an environment that helps them transition to college through faculty interaction, which improves student retention and academic success. Each Learning Community consists of 20-25 students sharing several classes. The Education Learning Community offers incoming students opportunities to connect with other students, faculty and administration within the College of Education.
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Courses being offered for fall 2009 include: “UNIV 1000: Auburn Experience,’’ “HIST 1010: World History I’’ and “ENGL 1100: English Composition I.’’ Spring 2010 offerings include: “UNIV 1050: Success Strategies,’’ “HIST 1020: World History II,’’ “ENGL 1120: English Composition II’’ and “EDUC 1010: Orientation to Teacher Education.’’
S t u dent S uc c e s s
Phi Kappa Phi recognizes 59 students for excellence
Blevins, Sam to complete yearlong internships
Phi Kappa Phi welcomed 59 College of Education students to its ranks in 2008.
Teresa Blevins and Thomandra Sam, doctoral candidates in the Department of Special Education, Counseling/School Psychology’s counselor education program, were successfully matched to an internship site for as part of a one-year, full-time program beginning in the fall of 2009.
Founded in 1897, Phi Kappa Phi is the nation’s oldest, largest and most selective multi-disciplinary honor society. Memberships are extended by invitation-only to the top 10 percent of seniors and graduate students and the top 7.5 percent of juniors. Faculty, staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction may also qualify.
Blevins and Sam competed with more than 3,800 psychology students for a limited number of American Psychological Association-accredited internship positions. Blevins is interning at Texas A&M University’s student counseling center. The internship will entail providing counseling services for groups and individuals, outreach programming, and supervising beginning therapists.
The Auburn University chapter was established in 1914 and initiates more than 400 students annually. Phi Kappa Phi promotes the pursuit of excellence in all fields of higher education, recognizes outstanding achievement by students, faculty and others through various awards and engages the community of scholars in service to others. Emily Abston Andrew Barranco Gary Bell Jr William Brazelton Francis Brokenshaw Whitney Brooks Victoria Burns Kimberly Burrell Kaitlin Costello Kelli Cox Bryn Culpepper Lauren Davis Danielle Diehl Jodi Drummond Whitney Dykes Elizabeth Eden Melissa Flowers Catherine Foster Dana Freeman Doris Giles
Lora Haghighi Meredith Hart Kendra Haywood Katherine Henderson Stephanie Holmes Kenneth Jackson Ambra Johnson Lydia Jost Kaitlyn Karcher Lindsey LaMarque Laura Langham Ashley Mant Samantha McClendon Eleanor McDavid Brittney McKissick Matthew McLaughlin Kati McWatters Emily Mitchell Angela Mustain Christina Nolan
Kathleen Pease Shannon Perman Shelby Pope Adam Powell Maria Powell Cambre Prater Marianna Reynolds Megan Robertson Margaret Saye Rachel Sherbakoff Claire Smith Hanna Taylor Katelin Tyra Lauren Vercelli Amy White Chandler White Sarah Wilkes Megan Williams Cynthia Wyatt
She believes that this opportunity will serve as a career stepping stone by providing comprehensive training and supervision experience. Sam is interning at Clemson University Counseling and Psychological Services at Redfern Health Center. The internship will involve working with both individual and group therapy and Clemson University Cares intervention and prevention education programs. She believes that this program will offer her the experience needed for counseling under-represented groups; including victims of domestic violence, homeless and minority students.
Blevins and Sam will both graduate in the summer of 2010.
Harold A. Franklin Sister Society, Auburn City Schools select Exford as mentor liaison TJ Exford, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Kinesiology and a Holmes Scholar in the College of Education, was appointed mentor liaison for the Harold A. Franklin Sister Society and Auburn City Schools. The Harold A. Franklin Society is named in honor of Auburn University’s first AfricanAmerican student. The organization promotes academic and social advancement, and fosters professional development of underrepresented students. In accordance with its mission, the society employs a series of community outreach initiatives, including the university and Auburn City Schools mentoring program.
The mentoring outreach program pairs volunteers with underrepresented middle school and high school students to provide positive role model support, advice and guidance. Mentors and mentees build interpersonal relationships by engaging in activities such as reading together, playing games or doing homework. The goal is to improve the lives of students in the surrounding community while increasing the leadership qualities and communication skills of Auburn University students. Exford’s position entails serving as a mediator between volunteers, Auburn City Schools and Dr. Johnny Green, Auburn’s dean of students, as well implementing program initiatives.
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Peoples helping preschoolers follow healthy path As the first student from the Department of Kinesiology to earn an Auburn University Undergraduate Research Fellowship, senior Christina Peoples can’t help but shoulder a sizable load of selfimposed expectations.
stipend of $4,400 and $1,400 in project funds for each recipient while affording students the opportunity to perform research under the guidance of mentors and provides for a stipend to assist with projects and related travel.
“I feel like I have to set the standard,’’ said Peoples, an exercise science major from Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Peoples’ project relates to the childhood obesity epidemic in the United States and the sedentary lifestyles that have factored into it. Because few studies have explored physical activity participation by preschoolers, Peoples is investigating children’s activity levels during the school day. She is also examining the relationship of physical activity level to gender, motor ability and body weight. Robinson and Dr. Danielle Wadsworth, an assistant professor of kinesiology, are providing guidance as her faculty mentors. As part of her descriptive study, Peoples used pedometers to measure the amount of steps preschoolers took during each of the three daily play periods held over the summer at a day care center.
According to one of the faculty mentors who will help guide her through the yearlong fellowship program, the College of Education would be hard-pressed to find a better representative. “She’s very inquisitive and she’s a hard worker,’’ said Dr. Leah Robinson, an assistant professor of kinesiology. “She really goes beyond what the typical undergraduate student demonstrates. She has great qualities as a young researcher.’’ Peoples and 19 other students were selected for the fellowships sponsored by Auburn’s Office of the Vice President for Research. The competitive program began summer 2008 and continues for the entire academic year. The fellowships provide an annual
Doctoral candidate receives Riley Memorial Scholarship
Education students selected for Who’s Who
Ten College of Education students were among the 142 Auburn undergraduate and graduate students recommended by the Dean of Students office for inclusion in the 2008-2009 Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities. Recommendations are made by institutions based on, among other criteria, a student’s grade point average, and participation and leadership on campus and in the community.
Georgia Bennett senior elementary education Mary Lawrence Chandler senior early childhood education Kelli Crumpton junior business/marketing education Kara Delvizis junior secondary social science education Adam Elder junior secondary mathematics education
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“What we’re trying to do is come up with some kind of program that can be implemented into day care centers and childcare centers where children are actually getting physical activity that will help them developmentally with their motor skills,’’ Peoples said.
Ashley Erickson junior early childhood education Wendy James senior exercise science Lauren Jones junior secondary mathematics education Brittney McKissick senior elementary education Myra Minor master’s student higher education administration
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Lorie Johnson, a doctoral candidate in reading education, quickly found a use for the $1,000 Jenice Riley Memorial Scholarship awarded to her by the Alabama Humanities Foundation last September.
Johnson, a reading teacher at Richland Elementary in Auburn, channeled her good fortune back into her school. She used the scholarship to help fund Richland’s Living History Museum and purchase biographies from the “Alabama Roots’’ series. Johnson, who earned a master’s degree in reading education in 2008 and bachelor’s degree in corporate journalism (1999) and early childhood education (2003) from Auburn, was one of six Alabama educators selected in 2008 to receive Jenice Riley Memorial Scholarships. The scholarship was created in memory of the late daughter of Alabama Gov. Bob Riley and his wife Patsy and honors teachers committed to professional development. Johnson has received a number of honors, including a $2,000 ING Unsung Heroes Award that funded a science lab for Richland, two Foundation for Auburn’s Continuing Enrichment in Schools grants totaling $1,200, a Sports Illustrated for Kids community grant and artwork for her school through the “Picturing America’’ program sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
S t u dent S uc c e s s
Grad student Armstrong wins APA award Starla Armstrong, a doctoral candidate in counseling psychology, will be recognized at the 2009 American Psychological Association (APA) convention as the winner of its award for outstanding graduate student paper on psychology and ethics. Her paper is entitled, “Managing Nonsexual Multiple Relationships in University Counseling Centers: Recommendations for Graduate Assistants and Practicum Students.’’ Armstrong will receive $1,000 and have her expenses paid to the 2009 APA convention in Toronto. The award is a national honor bestowed to just one graduate student annually. The APA ethics committee and the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students (APAGS) select the recipient. Armstrong earned her master’s degree in clinical psychology from Georgia Southern University.
Wright receives Alpha Delta Kappa Scholarship Amber Wright, a senior elementary education major from Decatur, Ala., received the Alpha Delta Annual Scholarship in 2008. The international teacher sorority awards a $1,000 scholarship each year to a female student seeking a degree in education. Wright serves as a member of the College of Education Student Council.
Hunter receives doctoral student award from AABHE Cheron Hunter ’00, a doctoral candidate in the reading education program, received one of three Doctoral Student Awards presented at the 2009 American Association of Blacks in Higher Education Annual National Conference in March. Hunter, who followed up her bachelor’s degree from Auburn with a master’s degree in early childhood education in 2002, was honored in Atlanta along with Lenwood Hayman of Wayne State University and Adriel Hilton of Morgan State University. Auburn University has been well represented over the years in the AABHE awards program. Dr. Rynetta Washington ’05 and Dr. Januela Burt ’94 received awards from the organization in 2005 and 1996, respectively.
Shroyer earns graduate student honors Justin Shroyer, a doctoral candidate in exercise science, was a multiple winner at the 2009 Auburn University Graduate Scholars Awards Ceremony. In addition to being selected by the Auburn University’s Graduate Council as one of its 10 Outstanding Doctoral Students for 2008-09, he received one of four Harry Merriwether Fellowships for 2009-10. The fellowship was established by an anonymous donor in honor of an outstanding graduate of the Class of 1943. Shroyer, a native of Coshocton, Ohio, will receive a $2,000 stipend as a Merriwether Fellow.
Tylon Crook building reputation for leadership Tylon Crook, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Special Education, Rehabilitation, Counseling/School Psychology’s counselor education program, was selected by the Alabama Association for Counselor Education and Supervision as an “Emerging Leader.” The Alabama Counseling Association, a state branch of the American Counseling Association, is an organization of counselors who are devoted to the highest standards of professional development. The organization aims to promote advocacy, leadership training and continuing education opportunities among its members. Crook was selected as an “Emerging Leader” based on his academic con-
tributions, including publications, teaching, supervision, leadership service, advocacy and membership in counselor education and supervision. He received a stipend to represent Alabama and conduct a roundtable discussion on the subject of impairment within counselor education or doctoral students at the Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision Conference in Houston. Crook believes that this experience “will definitely help me to enhance my own professional development and contribute to the profession of counseling and supervision now and in the future.” Crook will graduate the spring of 2010 and hopes to have a career within counselor education and train the next generation of school counselors.
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S t u d e n t S u c c e ss
College of Education recognizes Holmes Scholars The six students recognized by the college at last November’s Holmes Scholar Induction Ceremony have distinguished themselves as principals, classroom teachers, journal editors, researchers, organizational leaders and volunteers. Graduate students Tonja Jacobs Exford, Sydney Freeman, Cheron Hunter, Sheila Moore, Thomandra Sam and Jennifer Wells each earned recognition as Holmes Scholars by standing out in a competitive selection process. The Holmes Scholars Program provides graduate students from underrepresented ethnic groups and students with disabilities who aspire to higher education careers with enriched academic experiences, career training and concentrated professional mentoring. Scholars are selected for a three-year term that provides resources for networking with and mentoring by peers through the Holmes Partnership network and others within academia. Candidates must have a minimum grade point average of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale.
Tonja Jacobs Exford, 2008-10
Sydney Freeman, 2008-10
Cheron Hunter, 2006-08
Degrees: Pursuing doctorate in exercise physiology; master’s in secondary biology from Alabama State and bachelor’s in cytology from University of AlabamaBirmingham Research interests: The physiological and health benefits of mindfulness training Work experience: Former science teacher in Montgomery Public School system Organizations: Auburn University Black Graduate and Professional Student Association, mentor liaison for Harold A. Franklin Society/Sister Society and Auburn City Schools Objective: Using mindfulness outreach interventions to positively affect health in Alabama’s rural communities
Degrees: Pursuing doctorate in higher education administration; master’s degree from Auburn University in higher education administration and bachelor’s from Oakwood (Ala.) University Research interests: The preparation process for college presidencies and its implications on graduate curriculum in higher education programs Work experience: Assistant editor of the Journal of School Leadership, Center for Creative Leadership, Mayor’s Office, Philadelphia Organizations: Adult and Higher Education Graduate Curriculum Committee, National Advisory Board for the National African American Student Leadership Conference, National Scholars Honor Society Objective: To become a professor of higher education administration
Degrees: Pursuing doctorate in reading education program; master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Auburn’s College of Education and educational specialist and leadership certificate from Troy University Research interests: Early childhood and elementary literacy, multicultural literature, instructional conversation Work experience: Former second grade teacher in Opelika City Schools Organizations: National president of Holmes Scholar program, College of Education Student Ambassador, former vice president of Auburn’s Black Graduate and Professional Student Objective: To make a difference in the lives of the elementary school children and pre-service teachers she instructs.
Sheila Moore, 2007-09
Thomandra Sam, 2007-09
Jennifer Wells, 2008-10
Degrees: Pursuing doctorate in educational leadership; master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Tuskegee University Research interests: Professional development of school leaders, university-school collaborations and partnerships and school reform Work experience: Served as a teacher and school administrator with the Buffalo Public Schools system in New York from 1990 to 2001 Organizations: National vice president, Holmes Partnership Objective: To become a tenure-track professor in K-12 instructional leadership
Degrees: Pursuing doctorate in counseling psychology; dual bachelor’s degrees from Louisiana State University Research interests: Identity development of mental health practitioners, multicultural competencies, self-empowerment, social justice orientation of helping professionals Work experience: Clinical intern at Pastoral Institute in Columbus, Ga., instructor, first-year programs, practicum at Auburn University Medical Clinic Division on Student Counseling Services Organizations: President of the Auburn University Black Graduate and Professional Student Association, college representative for Association of Counseling Psychology Students, state representative for National Black Graduate Student Association, advisory board member for Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs Objective: To provide outstanding clinical service to clients and excellent contributions to the academic field as a university professor or researcher/ clinician
Degrees: Pursuing doctorate in educational psychology; master’s degree from Auburn (human development and family studies); bachelor’s degree from Tuskegee University (psychology) Research interests: Program development, implementation and evaluation focused on human development, family studies and their impact on childhood outcomes Work experience: Parent educator and case manager with Family and Children’s Services in Opelika, regional extension agent for Alabama Cooperative Extension System who has directed state-level projects and provided professional development for individuals in the areas of family life and early childhood education. Organizations: Alabama Cooperative Extension System Objective: To join a land-grant institution as a professor of educational psychology and a state extension specialist in program development and evaluation
The selection process involves nomination by a university administrator, faculty member, staff member, school personnel or a community leader and consideration of at least three letters of recommendation, as well as consideration of additional written material and an interview process. The Holmes Scholars Program operates under the umbrella of The Holmes Partnership, a network of universities, schools, community agencies and national professional organizations designed to stimulate professional development and school renewal while striving “to improve teaching and learning for all children.’’ Established in 1991, the Holmes Scholars Program is comprised of a select group of graduate students who are preparing for careers in the education professorate and in professional development schools. The program works to ensure that Holmes Scholar graduates obtain positions as faculty members, K-12 administrators or with education policy organizations. The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education and the George Washington University Graduate School of Education and Human Development assumed joint management and coordination responsibilities for the national program in 2001. Since its inception, the Holmes Partnership has engaged more than 400 students nationally.
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T o view a photo gallery from the H olmes S cholar I nduction C eremony , log on to education . auburn . edu / gallery
S t udent Co unc i l
2008-2009 Student Council Mary Lawrence Chandler President Senior, Early Childhood Education
C o m m i tt e e s : A ctivities S ilver drummond L aura L awson , chair K alyn L owe M allory P ledger H annah P axton K aris A nderson
S ervice A shley B aker M arlene B arun L inday D ensmore D rew M organ J ulia R usk M aria S anders , chair
P ublicity A manda G luckman , chair A manda M c C lung A bby S ibley
W ar on H unger B ecky M acintire , chair A mber W right
Caroline Peek Historian Senior Elementary Education
Bria Pete Vice President Junior, Early Childhood Education
Joanna Everett Secretary Senior English Language Arts Education
Brennan Wade SGA Senator Junior Mathematics Education
Katie Swanson Camp War Eagle Liaison Senior, Early Childhood Education
Amanda Gluckman Publicity Chair Junior Elementary Education
Maria Sanders Service Chair Senior, Early Childhood Education
L earn more about the S tudent C ouncil and the C ommittee of 19 by visiting education . auburn . edu / studentcouncil and auburn . edu / hunger Laura Lawson Activities Chair Junior English Language Arts Education
Becky Macintire Campus Chair, Committee of 19 Senior Elementary Education
Not Pictured: Virginia Collins, SGA Senator Senior, Elementary Education
Rachel Cummings, Treasurer Senior, Early Childhood Education
Macintire fills critical summer menu gap for area children During the school year, 26 percent of students in Auburn and 60 percent of students in Opelika receive free or reduced-cost meals. However, when school is out of session during the summer months, many of these students are left without nutritious meals.
lunch. Church representatives provided children with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, lunch meat sandwiches, vanilla wafers, chips, applesauce, juice and milk. Children were often sent home with extra sandwiches to eat as a snack later or to share with their family. Between five and 20 children were served each day.
Becky Macintire, a senior elementary education major, wanted to help these underprivileged students. As a future teacher, Macintire felt personally connected to the cause as she knows she will encounter children in such situations in her own classroom one day.
The program serves as testament to Macintire’s willingness to serve others, whether it’s in the classroom or at the table. Macintire is the campus chair for the Committee of 19, a campus-wide student-led group that helps raise awareness of international hunger and encourages donors to contribute 19 cents a day to help feed children. As co-committee leader for Domestic Hunger — a Committee of 19 sub-group concerned with local hunger issues — Macintire spearheaded the effort to locate an organization in the Auburn/Opelika area willing to open its doors to underprivileged members of the community.
Macintire found a way to make a difference by developing a partnership with a local church to provide healthy meals to hungry students. In June 2008, True Deliverance Holiness Church in Auburn opened its doors three days a week to children looking for
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Student Leaders
Stellar students serve as graduation marshals Exemplary students like Jenna Valaer ’08, Lora Haghighi ’08 and Lisa Vogel ’09 carry the banner for the College of Education — figuratively and literally. Each semester, college administrators select a student to carry the College of Education banner ahead of their graduating peers at the start of commencement ceremonies. Valaer, who earned her bachelor’s degree in exercise science after winning an outstanding undergraduate award, Valaer served as the college’s marshal in summer 2008. She is currently enrolled in graduate school at Elon (N.C.) University, where she hopes to eventually earn a doctorate of physical therapy. Haghighi, who earned a degree in elementary education, represented the college at the fall 2008 ceremony. A native of Pelham, Ala., Haghighi returned there to teach fourth grade at Valley Intermediate School. During her senior year at Auburn, Haghighi received the Patrons of the KeyHaghighi with college’s Kochan, Tullier stone-Dean’s Circle Annual Scholarship and served as a member of the College of Education’s Student Ambassadors. A member of the organization from 200608, she served as the president during the 2007-08 academic year. As a member of the top five percent of her graduating class, Haghighi was also a member of Phi Kappa Phi. Vogel, an exercise science major selected as the college’s spring 2009 marshal, served on Auburn’s Student Alumni Board in 2008. She plans to attend graduate school in the hopes of becoming a physical therapist. Vogel studied abroad in Salamanca, Spain, and earned the Department of Kinesiology’s Vogel Outstanding Undergraduate Student award in 2009. She was involved in a number of campus organizations, including Chi Omega sorority, Campus Crusade for Christ, intramural sports and the Auburn University Physical Therapy/ Occupational Therapy Club. Gwendolyn Gray ’08, who earned a doctorate in special education and rehabilitation, served as the student marshal for Auburn University’s Graduate School in fall 2008.
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Elementary, math ed duo takes on ambassadors’ co-presidency While the college’s Student Ambassadors organization is typically led by a single president each academic year, senior mathematics education major Kendall Griffin and sophomore elementary education major Rachel Anderson shared the title of co-presidents in 2008-09. Griffin, a Hoover, Ala., native, was the fall semester president before beginning her spring internship at Smith Station (Ala.) High School. She became an ambassador in 2007 as a junior already active in other activities, including the college’s Auburn Mathematics Education Society, the university’s Student Alumni Association and the area’s Auburn Christian Fellowship. She graduates in May 2009 and hopes to teach math in Birmingham, Ala., and inspired by those she’s worked with as an ambassador. “I have been amazed at the willingness of the Auburn family and the sacrifices students, faculty, staff and alumni have made to support our college,” Griffin said. “I was not raised as an ‘Auburn Tiger’ and never fully understood what the ‘Auburn family’ was all about. … I am proud that I am now a part of it.” Anderson, who hails from Oneonta, Ala., is active in a number of campus organizations — and it’s no surprise that she’s taken the lead in many of them too. She also serves as vice president of the college’s Student Council and activities coordinator for Alpha Gamma Delta. “Being an ambassador has gotten me more involved in the college and more excited about what is to come in the next two or three years,” Anderson said. “I have learned time management and how to dedicate myself to what I truly love, which is being an educator and helping others in all that they want to achieve.” The Student Ambassadors include undergraduate and graduate students who represent the college and host events for alumni, donors, prospective students and other college guests. Ambassadors are competitively selected through an annual application and interview process. In return for their service, they develop relationships with distinguished alumni and friends, leaders in education and other fields and campus faculty and administrators. More than 110 Education students have served as members of the organization, now in its sixth year. Find out where many of our ambassador alumni are today in the Alumni Notes section of the Keystone. L earn more about the college ’ s S tudent A mbassadors at education . auburn . edu / ambassadors
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S t u dent Am ba s s a do rs
Rachel Anderson Spring 2009 President Sophomore Elementary Education Oneonta, Ala.
Georgia Bennett Senior Elementary Education Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
Laura Boyd Senior Elementary Education Vestavia Hills, Ala.
Casey Breslin Doctoral candidate Exercise Science Hagerstown, Md.
Katy Bugg Senior, Early Childhood Education Auburn, Ala.
Mary Lawrence Chandler Senior, Early Childhood Education Carrollton, Ga
Kelli Cox Senior Mathematics Education Millbrook, Ala.
Bonnie Dean Junior, Social Science Education Franklin, Tenn.
Bailey DeBardeleben Sophomore Elementary Education Prattville, Ala.
Kara Delvizis Junior, Social Science Education Franklin, Tenn.
Adam Elder Junior Mathematics Education Madison, Ala.
Joanna Everett Senior English Language Arts Education Nauvoo, Ala.
Katie Freeman Junior Elementary Education Huntsville, Ala.
Kendall Griffin Fall 2008 President Senior Mathematics Education Hoover, Ala.
Lora Haghighi ’08 Senior Elementary Education Pelham, Ala.
Bailey Harvard Senior, Early Childhood Education Thomasville, Ga.
Cheron Hunter ’00 Doctoral candidate Reading Education Fultondale, Ala.
Lacey Little Junior Exercise Science Germantown, Tenn.
Brittny Mathies Doctoral candidate, Educational Psychology New Orleans, La.
Meredith McCoy Senior Mathematics Education Lanett, Ala.
Ashley Morgan Senior Elementary Education Richmond, Ken.
Lowery Oaks Senior, Early Childhood Education Selma, Ala.
Katie Oliver Junior, Early Childhood Education Lanett, Ala.
Caroline Peek Senior Elementary Education Hoover, Ala.
Shannon Perman Junior, Social Science Education Kenosha, Wis.
Cambre Prater Senior Elementary Education Hoover, Ala.
Julie Rush Junior, Early Childhood Education Lineville, Ala.
Justin Shroyer Doctoral candidate Exercise Science Coshocton, Ohio
Brittany Spillman ’08 Master’s candidate Elementary Education Auburn, Ala.
Brennan Wade Junior Mathematics Education Memphis, Tenn.
Kimberly Wasserburger Junior Rehabilitation Services Hartselle, Ala.
Claire Wilkinson Senior Early Childhood Special Education Selma, Ala.
Amber Wright Senior Elementary Education Decatur, Ala.
2008-2009 Student Ambassadors
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S c h o l a rs h i p Ce r e mo ny
Scholarship opportunities attempt W to keep pace with needs
ant to help?
S upport students by creating new
While the economy finds itself in the midst of a profound downturn, there has been a sharp increase in university students seeking sources of financial relief from tuition increases. According to a 2008 survey by the College Board, a nonprofit association of educational institutions that provides assistance to college-bound students, federal student loans increased by 6 percent over the previous year. The U.S. Department of Education reported that the popular Pell Grant Program received 800,000 more applications in the first seven months of 2008 than it had during the same period in 2007. A perfect storm of declining tax revenues and gridlocked credit has made scholarships even more essential for university students as they try to keep pace with rising tuition costs nationwide. A National Association of College and University Business Officers report released in partnership with the Commonford Institute and TIAA-CREF, an asset management firm, reported that endowment values nationwide experienced a 3 percent decline during the 200708 fiscal year. A follow-up study for the first half of 2008-09 reported an additional decline of 23 percent. Through new support and its portfolio of existing endowments, the College of Education created an unprecedented level of opportunity for its students during the 2008-09 academic year through scholarships, graduate fellowships and assistantships. More than 150 of these awards were presented during the college’s seventh annual Scholarship Ceremony and Reception in August 2008. The generosity and financial support of alumni and
New forms of support T he C ollege of E ducation offered seven new scholarships and assistantships in
2008:
G rant and N ancy D avis S cholarship for E ducation
H onor R oll S cholarship
H ach S cientific F oundation C hemistry T eacher
R. W ayne M c E lrath E ndowed S cholarship in A griscience E ducation
M ary L. H all F loral and H orticultural I nspiration A ward
D r . I mogene M athison M ixson E ndowment for A dministration of H igher E ducation
D r . F loreine G. H udson E ndowed S cholarship
friends enabled the College of Education to offer more than 30 additional awards and more than $93,000 above the amount awarded during the 2007-08 academic year.
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scholarships or contributing to
existing ones by contacting the college ’ s O ffice of D evelopment at
334.844.5793.
“Identifying and assisting so many deserving students is paramount for our college,” Dean Frances Kochan said, “and is made possible by the generosity of donors. We are delighted to honor those who have helped create an enduring legacy through the support of these student awards.” Such strong financial support provided for seven new scholarships and assistantships: The Grant and Nancy Davis Scholarship for Education, The Hach Scientific Foundation Chemistry Teacher, the Mary L. Hall Floral and Horticultural Inspiration Award, The Honor Roll Scholarship, the Dr. Floreine G. Hudson Endowed Scholarship, the R. Wayne McElrath Endowed Scholarship in Agriscience Education and the Dr. Imogene Mathison Mixson Endowment for Administration of Higher Education. Scholarships and awards such as these are critical in helping College of Education students realize their professional goals. The recipients for the 2008-09 academic year all shared very definitive career aspirations. Abigail Cutchen, an elementary education major from Vestavia Hills, Ala., who received the inaugural Grant and Nancy Davis Scholarship for Education, said the college’s support is vital in building the foundation for her career. “One of my goals is to work with children so that I may positively affect their lives,’’ she said. “I want to help shape not only their minds, but their character.’’ With more than 2,300 students, the College of Education has established scholarships as an objective in its five-year strategic plan. And with the university’s largest graduate enrollment, it’s no doubt that the college has its sights set on increasing funding opportunities for graduate students through new fellowships and assistantships. Teaching and research assistantships at the college level can offer such advantages as out-of-state tuition waivers. There are also resources at the university level that provide financial aid while also enabling students to advance toward their career objectives. Courtney Blair Chalker, who is pursuing a master’s degree in Spanish education, said graduate scholarships set the stage for crucial professional development. “Thanks to the outstanding education I am gaining through my degree program at Auburn, I will return to the classroom a much more confident and knowledgeable teacher,’’ said Chalker, a Dothan, Ala., native and a 2008 recipient of an Albert Hamilton Collins Annual Graduate Fellowship.
Awards and Recognit ion Cere mo n y Department of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Technology Outstanding Undergraduate Student
Selena Day Adult Education
Outstanding Graduate Student
Robin Taylor Educational Psychology
Department of Special Education, Rehabilitation, Counseling/School Psychology Outstanding Undergraduate Student
Sara Dowling Collaborative Teacher Education
Margaret Shippen Emily and Gerald Leischuck Outstanding Undergraduate Faculty Teaching Award Special Education, Rehabilitation, Counseling/School Psychology
Alyson Whyte Outstanding Faculty Award for Outreach Curriculum and Teaching
Outstanding Graduate Student
Department of Curriculum and Teaching Outstanding Undergraduate Student
John Smith Music Education
Bethany Stewart Elementary Education
Outstanding Undergraduate Student
Lisa Vogel Exercise Science
Outstanding Graduate Student
Justin Shroyer Biomechanics
Spring awards ceremony spotlights high achievers Now in its 28th year, the Spring Awards Ceremony allows the College of Education to recognize the students, faculty members and staff deemed “outstanding’’ during the 2008-09 academic year. The ceremony was held April 6. Each of the college’s four departments selects a graduate student and undergraduate student for outstanding student awards. The recipients are selected by department heads with input from faculty members. College-wide faculty and staff awards are submitted by individuals in the college and are considered by an awards committee. The awards committee also reviews nominations for two additional awards salute outstanding work in undergraduate and graduate teaching. Dr. Gerald ’64 and Mrs. Emily ’64 Leischuck, both graduates of the College of Education and retired Auburn University administrators, established the awards in 2000.
Cynthia Vasilas Counselor Education
Wendi Weimar Marilyn Strutchens Emily and Gerald Outstanding Faculty Leischuck Outstanding Award for Research Graduate Faculty Curriculum and Teaching Teaching Award Kinesiology
JoEllen Sefton Outstanding Faculty Early Career Award Kinesiology
Outstanding Graduate Student
Department of Kinesiology
Judith Lechner Faculty Award for Outstanding Commitment to Diversity Educational Foundations, Leadership and Technology
T o view a photo gallery of the 28 th A nnual A wards and R ecognition C eremony , log on to education . auburn . edu / gallery
Cynthia Duffie Nancy Evans Robin Martin Staff Award Outstanding Staff Award Outstanding Staff Award Office Administration for Outstanding Administrative/ Commitment Professional Office of the Dean to Diversity Kinesiology Special Education, Rehabilitation, Counseling/School Psychology
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Leaving footprints worldwide How a biomechanics study of flip-flops became Auburn University’s most well-traveled story of 2008
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Research and O ut re ac h
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Leaving footprints worldwide
cont inu ed
T
he phone calls came in a torrent, from other time zones and other hemispheres, from media outlets in some previously unheard of places and from others that stretched the boundaries of belief. There were inquiries from USA Today and the Brunei Times on another day, from the BBC to radio stations tucked way Down Under in Australia. So many reporters in so many countries flipped out over a 2008 study of flip-flops conducted by researchers in the Department of Kinesiology that it occasionally made the authors wonder if they
were being subjected to some serious leg-pulling. Justin Shroyer, the lead researcher on the project, remembers his initial reaction the day he learned that a producer from ABC’s “Good Morning, America’’ was on hold to discuss his findings regarding the biomechanical performance and safety of flip-flops. “We thought it was a joke,’’ said Shroyer, a doctoral candidate in exercise science from Coshocton, Ohio. The only prank played on Shroyer and Dr. Wendi Weimar, associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology and director of its Biomechanics Laboratory, unfolded a few months later. In January, they were lured to the Auburn President Jay Gogue’s board room under the guise of presenting their research to administrators. When they walked through the door, they were surprised to find the room festooned with tiny beach umbrellas, Hawaiian-style leis and hors d’oeuvres. Deedie Dowdle, executive director of Auburn’s Office of Communications and Marketing, presented the unsuspecting guests of honor with “OCMmie Awards’’ — plaques fittingly decorated with golden flip-flops — as the result of their study being the most heavily covered and well-traveled news to originate from the university in the last year. “We lost count at over 600 million (Internet) impressions,’’ Dowdle said. “We love people who make publicity easy.’’ ‘ Geek’ research proves chic Shroyer and Weimar, who directed the research team, still struggle to understand how their study gained a strong foothold with such a large and diverse audience. “We’re geeks, we don’t do this sort of thing,’’ Weimar joked in reference to the barrage of interview requests. It started with a study of 39 college-age men and women who alternately wore thong-style flipflops and traditional athletic shoes while walking on a platform that measured vertical force as their feet hit the ground. Their stride length and limb angles were also captured on a video camcorder
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“Good Morning, America’’ • The New York Times • USA Today • The Chicago Tribune • The Washington Post • The Jerusalem Post • The Brunei Times • The Sydney Morning Herald • The Honolulu Advertiser • Newsweek • Canada.com • MSNBC
and analyzed. The study found that flip-flop wearers took shorter steps and that their heels hit the ground with less vertical force than when they wore traditional sneakers. Shroyer and Weimar became interested in studying flip-flop wearers’ gait patterns because of the prevalence of the footwear on college campuses and the complaints many students expressed about experiencing foot and lower leg pain after wearing their thongs for extended periods of time. Shroyer presented the study’s findings at the American College of Sports Medicine’s annual meeting in Indianapolis in May 2008 and quickly found a receptive audience for it. Once reporters from USA Today and WebMD reported on the study, interview requests came pouring in from as far away as Jerusalem. The interest resulted in an unprecedented level of media coverage for research presented at the 2008 ACSM convention. “This is such a neat thing because you have a graduate student and a professor working together on something so terrific,’’ said Dr. Frances Kochan, dean of the College of Education. Research collaborations involving faculty and students are common in the Department of Kinesiology, but the results of this particular partnership produced some amazing aftershocks. “I’ve presented at conferences before and normally you would stand there and somebody working in the same field would come by and ask you questions — maybe one or two people,’’ Shroyer said. “This last time, everyone who walked by wanted to talk about it.’’
day-glow colors. Any health problems wearers experience likely stem from overuse. “People have a tendency to wear them so far past their limits,’’ Weimar said. Subsequent research involving children has indicated that, while perfect for the pool deck, flip-flops may not provide the best support for developing bodies. They are far more practical for lounging than for running or jumping. “We’ve learned that you really ought to wear tennis shoes or athletic shoes if you’re learning how to move,’’ said Dr. Mary Rudisill, Wayne T. Smith distinguished professor and head of the Department of Kinesiology. “A lot of the work that comes out of the Biomechanics Lab is applicable to injury and prevention.’’ The research led by Shroyer and Weimar may have inspired people around the world to look at flip-flops more carefully and wear them less frequently, but footwear companies aren’t complaining. When Shroyer and a fellow doctoral student, Joanna Booker, were married last year, a shoe company sent a gift for them to take on their honeymoon to Hawaii.
His and hers flip-flops, of course.
Pushi n g the limits Occasionally, Shroyer and Weimar had to bridge misunderstandings regarding the intent of their research. On News-Medical.net, a Web site based in Sydney, Australia, for instance, beach-going readers were chided by the following headline: “Now what do we do? Thongs condemned!’’ Shroyer and Weimar were quick to point out that their research doesn’t portray flip-flops as a public menace disguised in spongy soles and
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R e s e a rc h a n d Outr e ach
Four faculty members receive Seed Grants from the College of Education After conducting a rigorous review of submitted research proposals, the College of Education and its Scholarship and Innovation Committee awarded a combined $9,773 in Seed Grant funding to four faculty members in December 2008.
The faculty members who received project funding included:
Dr. Annette Kluck, assistant professor in the Department of Special Education, Rehabilitation, Counseling/School Psychology — $2,500 for “Parental attitudes and behaviors: Do they hinder treatment progress?’’
Dr. DaShaunda Patterson, assistant professor in Department of Special Education, Rehabilitation, Counseling/School Psychology — $2,460 for “An analysis of parents’ perceptions of their child’s disability and their satisfaction with service delivery.’’
Dr. Leah Robinson, assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology — $2,313 for “Determining the relationship between cardiovascular disease, health and fitness behaviors in school-age children: A preliminary study.’’
Dr. JoEllen Sefton, assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology — $2,500 in for “Effect of massage therapy on peripheral blood flow and EMG in healthy adults.’’
Sun Belt Writing Project increases contact with teachers, impact on regional communities If Dr. Alyson Whyte ever had any questions about the reach or effectiveness of the Sun Belt Writing Project, they have been answered by the following statistic:
More than 40 educators participated in the Sun Belt Writing Project’s 2008 summer institutes, a 350 percent increase over the previous summer. “We hope that participation indicates interest,’’ said Whyte, who serves as director of the outreach program.
Since 1981, the Sun Belt Writing Project has worked to help K-16 educators improve student performance through writing by elevating their own knowledge of and comfort level in teaching the craft. In August 2007, the Sun Belt Writing Project began a two-year initiative to increase the capacity of its summer and school-year programs. From the fall of 2007 through the summer of 2008, the project offered six summer institutes, 19 youth and community writing programs, 29 continuity programs and 30 school-year inservice programs. At the midpoint of its self-study, Whyte reported that: • more than 40 educators participated in the Sun Belt Writing Project’s 2008 expanded summer institute. • the Sun Belt Writing Project’s summer institute reached 680 students in 2008. • the total number of Sun Belt Writing Project-related programs increased from 53 during 2006-07 to 85 in 2007-08, an increase of 62 percent. • the total number of contact hours increased from 15,537 in 2006-07 to 36,748 in 2007-08, an increase of 236 percent. • The Sun Belt Writing Project’s programs from the fall of 2007 through summer 2008 were conducted at a cost of $2.56 per contact hour with $1.14 supplied by federal reserve funds.
Kohlmeier receives Teaching Tolerance grant Dr. Jada Kohlmeier, associate professor of social science education in the Department of Curriculum and Teaching, received a $2,100 grant from Teaching Tolerance, a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center based in Montgomery, Ala. Kohlmeier is examining the potential role gender and race may play in shaping high school students’ reasoning
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about controversial subjects relating to democracy. The project team includes Dr. Steve Brown, a political science professor in Auburn University’s College of Liberal Arts, Blake Busbin ’06, a government teacher at Auburn High School, and Jamie East ’01, a government teacher at Opelika High School. Kohlmeier and Brown are especially interested in analyzing the role gender and race may play in students’ interpretation of issues involving justice, common good and equality.
Research and O ut re ac h
TEAM-Math welcomes six educators into inaugural Teacher Leader Academy Dr. W. Gary Martin knows full well the stereotype of what teaching and learning mathematics entails at the K-12 level. “Don’t question why, just invert and multiply,’’ said Martin, a professor of mathematics education in the Department of Curriculum and Teaching and the inaugural recipient of the Emily R. and Gerald S. Leischuck Endowed Professorship. Martin, Dr. Marilyn Strutchens and Dr. Stephen Stuckwisch, co-directors and principal investigators of TEAM-Math’s (Transforming East Alabama Mathematics) Teacher Leader Academy, are
intimidating. Six East Alabama educators were welcomed into the newly-established TEAM-Math Teacher Leader Academy established through the grant. The overarching purpose of the academy is retaining quality educators, keeping them engaged in classroom instruction and in the schools where they can do the most good. The first six Teacher Leader Academy fellows received an annual stipend of $10,000 for three years, as well as tuition reimbursement, to assist in the completion of advanced degrees in mathematics education. The current fellows are Catherine Culleton ’07 of Southside Middle School (Tallassee City Schools), Debra DavisHarris of Millbrook Junior High School (Elmore County Schools), Nancee Garcia of Auburn High School (Auburn City Schools), Lisa Lishak ’89 of Loachapoka High School (Lee County Schools), Christie Nestor of Lafayette High School (Chambers County Schools) and Denise Peppers ’90 of Sanford Middle School (Lee County Schools). The academy will eventually grow to include 12 fellows.
The TEAM-Math’s Teacher Leader Academy will eventually grow to include 12 fellows.
confident a new $600,000 National Science Foundation grant will enable educators in the region to more effectively engage students in learning mathematics they may have considered uninteresting or
TEAM-Math has been at the forefront of improving mathematics education in East Alabama schools. The partnership of 15 school districts, Auburn’s College of Education and the College of Sciences and Mathematics, and Tuskegee University previously received awards of $9.4 million from the National Science Foundation to provide intensive professional development and other support systems. TEAMMath strives to improve math education in elementary, secondary and university settings.
Auburn Transition Leadership Institute plots next step for those it helps When a group of state and national experts met in March at the 19th Annual Alabama Transition Conference, they added to an ongoing dialogue about how to better prepare youth with disabilities for the challenges they will face in adulthood. “We’re helping them get prepared for that next step,’’ said Dr. Karen Rabren, director of the Auburn Transition Leadership Institute (ATLI) and an associate professor in the Department of Special Education, Rehabilitation, Counseling/School Psychology. That next step can be difficult to negotiate, with a January 2009 U.S. Department of Labor study revealing that the unemployment rate for persons with disabilities stands at 13.2 percent. Rabren said expanding the abilities of the state and communities to help youth with disabilities reach their goals remains vital. “Do they have equal access to jobs and opportunities and are they prepared?’’ she asked. “Hopefully what we’re doing will bring about improvement.’’
The Alabama Transition Conference, hosted by ATLI, brought together a wide range of professionals interested in assisting young adults with disabilities as they pursue employment and educational opportunities. Diane Glanzer (left) and Dr. Karen Rabren The two-day conferorganized the conference. ence included a keynote address by the Reader’s Digest 2008 Best of America “Dream Team’’ of Ellen Porter-Levert, Mavis Crawford, Patricia De’Shazior Hill, Letitia Lewis and Cheryl Best — five Georgia educators who work in special education, administration and career technical education.
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C u rri c u l u m a nd Te achi ng
Future science, math teachers use summer to hone skills Aspiring teachers usually have to wait to put their newlyacquired skills to the test in the formal classroom setting. However, undergraduate students in Dr. Charles Eick’s summer science methods course and doctoral student Kimberly Nunes-Bufford’s mathematics methods course recently received hands-on experience teaching outside the formal structure of traditional classrooms. Eick, an associate professor of science education, works with junior- and senior-level students as they help teach at the Summer Ecology Camp and Camp Invention — two academic summer camps in the Auburn area. NunesBufford and her undergraduate students work with the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Lee County to help children develop a more meaningful understanding of mathematics. The informal camp settings, which lack the structured learning and testing environment of school-year classrooms, allow students and teachers to learn and have fun at the same time. Summer camps serve as excellent service learning sites, according to Eick. Children are able to learn about science — a subject often neglected in today’s test-oriented classrooms — and future science teachers gain valuable hands-on experience in applying the methods and techniques learned in their own studies.
“Many young children are inspired by science and engineering if given the opportunity to do it and learn it.’’ Summer Ecology Camp, a half-day summer camp for rising first through sixth graders, is conducted by Auburn’s School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences. The camp is held at the Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve in Auburn, and teaches children about national standards dealing with environmental science and ecology. The camp touches on a number of themes, includ-
K e y s t o n e V o l u me VI, 2 0 0 9
E lementary education , early childhood education and E nglish language arts education represent three of the college ’ s five most popular undergraduate majors .
ing the outdoors, ecology and awareness of the affect humans have on the environment. Camp Invention, a local branch of the national Inventors Hall of Fame program, is an all-day camp run by area teachers for rising first through sixth graders, and is held at Wrights Mill Road Elementary School in Auburn. Students learn about science,
“The knowledge and experience I gained from participating and teaching was wonderful. As a future elementary teacher, being exposed to the ‘hands on’ approach in teaching will benefit me for many years to come.” Ashley Roy, elementary education major
“The camps help prepare future elementary teachers to feel more comfortable in teaching science and to want to do it,’’ Eick said. “In doing it, their students (K-6 children) will benefit with helping spur a possible interest in science (and engineering) for their ongoing studies and possible future careers.
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technology and engineering lessons at an elementary level through inventing, creating, building and problem-solving. In all, the Forest Ecology Preserve and Camp Invention provide students with a solid science foundation by presenting the subject matter in a fun and creative light. The camps also allow novice teachers to gain hands-on experience testing out their instructional skills, which prepares them for their internships. Math methods students teach 6- to 12-year-olds at the Boys and Girls Club about concepts such as measurement, geometry and number sense. The additional exposure to and involvement in mathematics outside the traditional classroom setting is especially important to these children. Ninety percent of the campers are minority students, and minorities are under-represented in the math and science fields. Ashley Roy, a senior elementary education major, said she benefited from her participation in the camps. “The knowledge and experience I gained from participating and teaching was wonderful,” she said. “As a future elementary teacher, being exposed to the ‘hands on’ approach in teaching will benefit me for many years to come.”
Cu rricul u m and T e ac h i n g
Summer enrichment program serves two generations Although they are separated in age by decades, Lavaris Thomas ’06 and his son, LaQuavious, had the unique opportunity to share similar childhood experiences by attending the College of Education’s Early Childhood Summer Enrichment Program.
I n B rief
an integrated curriculum model and works to help children connect the pieces between math, science, social studies and language arts. It also gives future early childhood education teachers practicum experience with pre-school and primary age children during the summer months, when access to children in schools is limited. Master’s and doctoral students take on supervisory roles, evaluating the undergraduates’ lesson plans and teaching skills, and troubleshoot any day-to-day issues that arise. Comprised of two three-week sessions, the camp runs four days per week. Lavaris holds fond memories of his time at the summer enrichment program; he even recalls a special monkey he constructed out of cotton balls and construction paper. He decided to enroll LaQuavious in the program because of his own experience as a child. “It’s an opportunity for him to do something constructive during the summer, and it will also help his network of friends,” Lavaris said.
Hosted by the Department of Curricu Lavaris’ experience with the College of lum and Teaching, the enrichment program, Education did not stop with his time in the designed for children ages four to eight, has been held every “It’s an opportunity for him to do something summer since constructive during the summer, and it will also help his the mid 1980s. network of friends.’’ Lavaris attended the program for Lavaris Thomas, discussing the benefit his son, two summers LaQuavious, receives from the when he was 7 and Early Childhood Summer Enrichment Program 8 years old in the summer program. He later returned to Auburn late 1980s, and 8-year-old LaQuavious attended to major in business and marketing education, camp for the first time in the summer of 2008. completed his bachelor’s degree in 2006, and Lavaris attended Auburn’s Dean Road Elemenis currently pursuing a master’s in the same tary School at the time of his camp experience, field. Still a student, not to mention a computer while LaQuavious attends Yarbrough Elemenapplications teacher at Opelika Middle School, tary School. Lavaris clearly demonstrates the value of educa The enrichment program provides children tion. He says he “enjoys learning,” plans to with a safe and educational environment durtake the LSAT and is considering pursuing an ing the summer break when school is out of administration degree in the future. session. Centered on a general theme — this past summer’s being magnetism and attraction — children visit various stations such as reading, writing, art, physical knowledge (science) and dramatic play. The program employs
An advocate of learning, Lavaris hopes to inspire his son to always pursue education.
“Learning never stops,” Lavaris said.
Walls named V.P. of music technology association Dr. Kimberly Walls, professor and program coordinator of music education, is in the midst of a two-year term as vice president of the Association for Technology in Music Instruction. Formed in 1975, the association is an independent professional organization with more than 200 members worldwide. Walls teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in music education and music technology and heads Auburn’s innovative graduate distance learning program in music education. SGA recognizes McCormick, White As part of its 2008 spring awards, Auburn’s Student Government Association recognized Dr. Theresa McCormick and Amy White ’08 for outstanding teaching and student contributions. McCormick, an assistant professor of elementary education, received SGA’s Outstanding Faculty Member award. The award is presented to one faculty member from each of the university’s schools and colleges. Nominated by students, recipients have demonstrated respect of their peers and students, excellence in teaching, and concern for and involvement with students White, who graduated in spring 2008 with a bachelor’s in elementary education, received SGA’s Outstanding Student Award. White, an active member of the college’s Student Ambassadors, served as Student Council president in the 2007-08 academic year.
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Ed u c ati o n a l F o undatio ns, Le a de r ship and Techn ol ogy
EFLT grad students show appreciation for local community leaders Master’s students in the Instructional Leadership Preparation Program took the initiative to recognize community leaders who are willing to go the extra mile to help local youth. The graduate students in the program, based in the Department of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Technology, honored Leon Brown and Sally Granberry in July 2008 for their work on behalf of area children. Brown has worked as a mentor for at-risk youth for the past five years, and his other community service efforts in Macon County and Tuskegee, Ala., gained the class’ attention. He is the mentor coordinator for the Macon County Board of Education “Choices 4 Success,” a school-based volunteer mentoring program. During the past four years, he has coached youth basketball teams and mentored youth for the Tuskegee Housing Authority. He has made a difference in the lives of children by encouraging healthy social development and providing positive feedback on their strengths and areas for potential improvement. Granberry, the Christian education director at Auburn United Methodist Church, has bettered opportunities for students at Loachapoka Elementary School. She established a memorial for
her mother as an outreach vehicle, gained support from respected groups and coordinated volunteer programs — all to benefit the school. She organized volunteers to tutor students, offer enrichment activities, arranged and chaperoned field trips, provided new and used books for the library, and hosted special events for the school. The ILPP students developed the awards program and planned the presentation ceremony as part of EDLD 7520: “Leadership in Learning Organizations.’’ “Students developed their own rubric to judge the merits of each nominee and discussed each nominee’s qualifications, which included volunteerism and direct student interaction, said Dr. Tim Havard, assistant professor and course instructor. The idea of learning organizations, also known as learning communities, is an important element of the master’s program. As one of only three state-approved programs of its kind in Alabama based on Alabama’s Instructional Leadership Standards, ILPP seeks to model student experiences after real-world, school-based collaborative processes in the schools where students will later serve as administrators and leaders.
Institute, new degree program focus on school leadership As budgets tighten, enrollments swell and policy continues to shape every aspect of education, Auburn University is striving to equip K-12 administrators with the tools needed to lead in an increasingly demanding environment. The inaugural Educational Leadership Summer Institute, held in June 2008, brought together administrators from around the state of Alabama to address issues of school accountability and quality systems. The institute was brought to life by faculty in the Department of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Technology and supported by Auburn University’s Outreach Program Office. The college has scheduled a second summer institute, “Educational Leadership During Economic Hardships,’’ for June 8-10, 2009, at Opelika Middle School. During last summer’s inaugural institute, coordinators helped participants identify the behaviors of an accountable school leader and ways in which administrators can employ instructional, moral, value-added and transformational leadership in establishing quality systems, improving student learning and addressing accountability in schools. School leaders were also introduced to the department’s redesigned, state-approved K-12 master’s level Instructional Leadership Preparation Program (ILPP). Recruited from the best-qualified
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instructional leaders in the nation, ILPP faculty worked with 15 school-based coaches from eight school districts to teach, advise and mentor cohorts of no more than 25 students. During the accelerated, one-year program, students engage in intensive field-based experiences and comprehensive assessments.
Alabama Superintendent of Education Joe Morton ’69 addresses the crowd at the 2008 institute.
A recent study by the department indicated that more than 1,500 Alabama school principals are planning their retirements to occur within the next five years. “Research demonstrates that the principal is the key element in school success,” said Dr. Jose Llanes, head of the Department of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Technology. “The principal can change schools and change lives.’’
Educ at ion al F oundat ions, Leadership and Techn o l o gy
Regional educators discuss philosophy of education When the Southeast Philosophy of Education Society (SEPES) met for the first time in 1948, it consisted of a handful of professors and deans from universities and colleges in a twostate region.
I n B rief
Dr. James Kaminsky, professor of social foundations, presented a paper on age-appropriate sex education as part of a session entitled, “Rethinking How We Approach Morality and Civics in the Classroom.’’ Kaminsky is a past president of SEPES. Auburn University and the University of Alabama-Huntsville co-sponsored the 2009 conference.
When the organization held its 61st annual meeting in Auburn in February 2009, the membership and the topics it discussed covered a broad spectrum. Representatives of 15 different colleges and universities from 10 different states convened at The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center to discuss such topics as home and charter schools, social justice, teaching methods, neoliberalism and education, the creation of culturally engaged curriculums, qualitative research, the education of teachers and the discussion of morality and civics in classroom settings.
According to the SEPES Web site, members seek to promote the philosophic treatment of problems in education, advance and improve teaching in the philosophy of education in postsecondary institutions, encourage promising students to enter and participate in the field of philosophy of education, promote the clarification of agreements and differences among different philosophies of education through discussion and cultivate fruitful relationships between philosophy of education and other areas of philosophy. The organization’s membership originally included scholars from South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Alabama. Its ranks now include members from as far away as Illinois.
Hur receives Faculty Mentoring Program Award Dr. Jung Won Hur, assistant professor in the Department of Education Foundations, Leadership and Technology, was among seven Auburn University faculty members named recipients of the Faculty Mentoring Program Award by the Office of the Vice President for Research in 2008.
The goal of the Faculty Mentoring Grant Program is to provide mentorship to new faculty, resulting in the production of an extramural research proposal, published articles or other scholarly and creative works. Hur, whose area of expertise is educational media, researches such topics as online teacher professional communities, designing online learning environments and designing technology tools for teachers and students.
D i d yo u k n ow ? H igher education administration and educational administration (P-12) represent the college ’ s two most popular graduate majors . A dult education currently ranks fourth .
Reed elected to UCEA executive committee Dr. Cynthia Reed, director of the Truman Pierce Institute and a professor in the Department of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Technology, will serve on the executive committee of the University Council for Educational Administration. The UCEA, a non-profit corporation dedicated to improving the preparation and practice of educational leaders in order to enrich schools and children, is the top scholarly association in the field of educational leadership. As a member of the executive committee, Reed hopes to use her three-year term to improve leadership preparation and ensure that legislators are aware of critical educational issues. Dean Frances Kochan and the late Dean Truman Pierce are former UCEA presidents. Llanes named trustee for school of psychology Dr. José Llanes, department head, has been named to the board of trustees of Pacific Graduate School of Psychology. Pacific Graduate School of Psychology is a private, independent institution of higher education located in Palo Alto, Calif., that offers undergraduate programs in business psychology and psychology and social action, as well as master’s programs in forensic psychology and distance learning. PGSP also offers a joint consortium with Stanford University’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.
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K in e s i o l o gy
I n B rief Fischman to become editor-in-chief of research journal Dr. Mark Fischman, a Wayne T. Smith distinguished professor, will become editor in chief of Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, the official journal of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) Research Consortium, in August 2009. Fischman will oversee the publication of a comprehensive professional journal that features peer-reviewed research articles and notes on such topics as biomechanics, epidemiology, growth and motor development, motor control and learning, measurement and evaluation, physiology, pedagogy, psychology, history and philosophy, sociology and cultural anthropology. faculty, student honored Regionally Two faculty members and one graduate student were honored at the annual meeting of the Southeast Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine (SEACSM) held in February in Birmingham, Ala. Dr. Pete Grandjean, associate professor of health promotion and director of the TigerFit program, was elected president of the Southeast chapter. Dr. Bruce Gladden, a HumanaGermany-Sherman distinguished professor in exercise physiology, received the organization’s Service Award. Lindsey Schreiber, a doctoral candidate in Kinesiology, received an award in the SE-ACSM Master’s Student Presentation Competition.
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Graduate ATC program helps everyone from tailbacks to tuba players For students in the College of Education’s graduate Athletic Training Program, Saturdays in the fall begin with intensive discussions of dislocated knees and broken bones over breakfast. The certified athletic trainers participating in the twoyear, research-based programs bring the X-rays and MRI results they’ve accumulated while working the sidelines the night before at local high school football games. Dr. Bob McAlindon and Dr. Win Lyle of East Alabama Orthopedic and Sports Medicine bring questions and advice for the students to digest over breakfast. The session, known as the “Bumps and Bruises’’ clinic, provides more nourishment than the biscuits and bagels. “Going out for your first time to be a head athletic trainer can be a little overwhelming,’’ said Dr. JoEllen Sefton, ATC program director and an assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology. “But going out with this type of support behind you, if you have an injury that you don’t understand, there’s always somebody to ask.’’ The year-old graduate Athletic Training Program, which is on track to meet accreditation standards, offers a mix of learning from research and clinical settings. Graduate students attend classes and work on projects in an effort to earn a master’s degree in exercise science with an athletic training specialization, but much of their learning takes place on the sidelines “...With this type of football stadiums or an injury that you inside gymnasiums.
former Auburn Head Athletic Trainer Kenny Howard ’48, provide on-site care for high school athletes at Reeltown, Beauregard, Beu-
Graduate ATC students interact with the fellowship’s namesake, Kenny Howard (middle).
lah, Notasulga, Loachapoka, Dadeville, Russell County and Booker T. Washington in Tuskegee. On Friday nights, they will mend the injuries of everyone from tailbacks to tuba players. “They’re professionals,’’ said Chad Abrams ’92, program director of sports outreach at RehabWorks and clinical coordinator for the fellowships. “They are, in a sense, totally responsible for the sports medicine program at the area high school we place them in.’’ The varied experiences pay off for the students who, in addition to taping up the ankles and treating the concussions of teen-age athletes, also provide care at Auburn University intramural sports events and clinical assessments at the department’s TigerFit Program. Sefton said that, between answering parents’ questions and treating athletes and cheerleaders alike, the graduate students have contact with 8,000 to 10,000 people per year.
of support behind you, if you have don’t understand, there’s always somebody to ask.’’ Dr. JoEllen Sefton, ATC program director
The Kenny Howard Athletic Training Fellowship Program, a non-profit venture of Auburn University, East Alabama Medical Center and RehabWorks, enables the graduate students to apply their skills in service of local high school students. Students in the program, named for
“Typically, their research ideas come from what they see in the field,’’ Sefton said. Meanwhile, local athletes are well served by their professional care on and off it.
Kine s i o l o gy
Kinesiology puts best foot forward with preschoolers and prospective grad students Morehouse College senior Lee Norris didn’t expect to fall in love with Auburn when he visited campus last October as a guest of the Department of Kinesiology. Over the course of a trip that included lunch with Auburn President Jay Gogue and a tour of the Department of Kinesiology’s labs, Norris left a changed man. “It really impressed me,’’ said Norris, a kinesiology major at Morehouse, a historically black college in metro Atlanta. “Auburn wasn’t really on my list at all for graduate schools, but I can definitely say that feeling has changed.’’ Norris was among the dozen students from Morehouse College’s Department of Kinesiology, Sports Studies and Physical Education who visited the department for graduate school recruitment. During their visit, the students observed and assisted with motor skills assessments of preschoolers from Auburn Day Care Centers. They saw biomechanics doctoral student Justin Shroyer recreate the study of flip-flops that received international acclaim, met several faculty members and learned about the department’s graduate
school offerings in exercise science, health promotion, physical education and athletic training. “We’re hoping to inspire a couple of those Morehouse students to consider kinesiology for their master’s program,’’ said Dr. Mary Rudisill, Wayne T. Smith distinguished professor and department head. “The No. 1 goal is recruitment of students, but we also want to start a partnership with Morehouse and allow students and faculty members to see what kind of research activities go on here.’’ Rudisill said the department has made a concerted effort over the last three years to recruit potential graduate students from Morehouse, the nation’s only all-male, historically black institution of higher learning. Rudisill and Dr. Jared Russell, an assistant professor in Kinesiology who received his bachelor’s degree at Morehouse, have worked to strengthen the relationship between the two schools. Norris couldn’t help but be impressed by the personal touch shown during his visit.
“It has that connectedness and that family feeling,’’ he said.
D i d yo u k n ow ? T he doctoral programs in the D epartment of K inesiology are ranked 28 th nationally by the A merican A ssociation of K inesiology and P hysical E ducation .
Opelika High School athletes learn science behind their sport
As a science teacher and the head basketball coach for Opelika High School, John Wadsworth tries to stress to his players the importance of being fundamentally sound in the classroom as well as on the court.
He didn’t have to look far to find help in promoting both causes. He enlisted the help of his wife, Dr. Danielle Wadsworth, an assistant professor of health promotion in the Department of Kinesiology, in exposing his team to the academic side of a university and to the biomechanics of basketball. The Bulldogs toured the Department of Kinesiology in February, visiting Dr. Wadsworth’s sport and exercise psychology class and the biomechanics and exercise physiology labs. They also learned about the department’s undergraduate and graduate school offerings.
“This program hopefully helped them see the science behind the sport,’’ said Dr. Mary Rudisill, department head. “All of them attended Dr. Wadsworth’s class and talked about some of the techniques and strategy they use. She did a great job of getting them to interact with the college students.’’ Dr. Wendi Weimar, associate professor of biomechanics, took video of each player performing various basketball shots and worked with them in the lab to develop a deeper understanding of their form. “The kids really learned a lot from seeing themselves visually,’’ Rudisill said. “They started to analyze their technique, which was a sign that they were getting it.’’
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S p e c i a l Ed u c ati o n, Re ha b ilitati o n, Cou nsel ing/ School Ps ychol ogy
I n B rief Governor reappoints Martin to State Rehab Council Gov. Bob Riley recently reappointed Dr. E. Davis Martin to the Alabama State Rehabilitation Council.
Poverty Awareness Week trains future educators and counselors The slogan on the T-shirts spoke to the sense of unease created by rising foreclosures, failing businesses and falling stock prices. The sentence started on the front — “The new face of poverty’’ — was completed on the
Martin, a Wayne T. Smith distinguished professor and department head, serves as chair of the council’s Program Evaluation and Consumer Services Committee. The council draws its 28 members from the ranks of employers, people with disabilities and parents of children with disabilities. McDaniel named regional rep Dr. Randall McDaniel, a Wayne T. Smith distinguished professor, has been elected the Region IV representative for the National Council of Rehabilitation Education. The NCRE is a professional organization devoted to providing quality services for persons with disabilities through research and education. McDaniel will serve on the board of the organization, which represents rehabilitation educators, trainers, researchers, doctoral students and others in the field. It includes more than 90 higher education institutions and 600 individual members.
State Sen. Ted Little speaks during the first session.
back by the sobering conclusion that it “might be you.’’ “There are countless children, adolescents and families who are economically struggling,’’ said Dr. Jamie Carney, Community Agency Counseling Program coordinator. “The events of the last few months (with the economy) have brought home the idea that this affects more people.’’ Those events have also trickled down into K-12 classrooms, where more and more children are coming from families who fall below the federal poverty line and are harboring their own anxieties regarding the future. Carney and the students she advises in Iota Delta Sigma, the Auburn chapter of international counseling honor society Chi Sigma Iota, wanted to do their part to ensure that the next wave of Education graduates would be equipped as teachers and counselors to assist children and families affected by poverty.
Their vision resulted in the debut of “Poverty Awareness Week,’’ which brought several guest speakers and experts to campus in November 2008 for four days of education, discussion and advocacy. “Educators and counselors are not traditionally trained to understand poverty and understand the implications of poverty for children and adolescents in an educational and mental health setting,’’ said Carney, who coordinated the week’s events along with counselor education graduate student Kathy Robinson. “It’s critical that educators and counselors understand the social, psychological and educational impact of poverty and the challenges it presents.’’ Guest speakers for the kickoff event included State Sen. Ted Little, Dr. Cindy Reed, director of Auburn University’s Truman Pierce Institute, Kristina Scott from the Alabama Poverty Project, Linda Tilly of Voices for Alabama’s Children and Shakita Jones and Melissa Oliver from Alabama Arise. The speakers addressed poverty as it relates to public policy, the demographics and systemic causes of poverty, child poverty in Alabama and educational responses to poverty. The initiative shown in organizing the forum resulted in awards for Iota Delta Sigma and Carney. Iota Delta Sigma received the Outstanding Program Award from Chi Sigma Iota. Carney received the Tom Sweeney Distinguished Professional Leadership Award. The Tom Sweeney Distinguished Professional Leadership Award is named for the founder of Chi Sigma Iota and professor emeritus of counselor education in Ohio University’s College of Education. The award holds special significance for Carney because she was one of his last doctoral students at Ohio.
D i d yo u k n ow ? T he D epartment of S pecial E ducation , R ehabilitation , C ounseling /S chool P sychology had the first online program in the nation within the field of rehabilitation . E ight degree offerings are currently available through distance education .
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Spe ci a l Educ at ion, Rehabil itat ion, Cou nsel ing/ School Ps yc h o l o gy
Alabama Rehabilitation Association honors Brown, Martin The Alabama Rehabilitation Association honored one former and one current College of Education faculty member at its 2008 meeting in Auburn. The ARA established the Clarence D. Brown Diversity Award in honor of the emeritus professor of rehabilitation counseling, who served as graduate program officer from 1991-2003. Dr. E. Davis Martin, head of the Department of Special Education, Rehabilitation, Counseling/School Psychology, received the Distinguished Service Award on behalf of the Alabama Rehabilita-
Ern, Shippen receive Auburn competitive outreach grants Two faculty members in the Department of Special Education, Rehabilitation, Counseling/School Psychology were among the Outreach Scholarship Grant Program Award recipients announced by Auburn’s Office of University Outreach in July 2008. Dr. Gregory Ern, an assistant professor of school psychology, received a grant for his proposal “Alabama Partnership for Research and Training on Positive Academic and Behavior Supports.”
tion Counselors and Educators Association, a division of the ARA. The award recognized Martin’s service in a number of capacities — as vice chair of the Alabama State Rehabilitation Council and chair of its Program Evaluation and Consumer Services Committee, chair of the Advisory Committee for the Governor’s Office on Disability, his development and presentation of Certified Rehabilitation Counselor workshops for the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services and other presentations on ethical behavior to rehabilitation personnel.
Evans receives Outstanding Mentor Award from honor society Nancy Evans, office associate in the Department of Special Education, Rehabilitation, Counseling/School Psychology, received the 2008 IDS Outstanding Mentor Award from the Iota Delta Sigma Honor Society. Iota Delta Sigma is the Auburn University chapter of Chi Sigma Iota, an international honor society for students, professional counselors and counselor educators.
Dr. Peggy Shippen, an assistant professor of special education, received a grant for her proposal “Enhancing the Educational Skills of Alabama’s Prison Population (EESAPP).”
This award recognizes professionals and students who have been mentors to and supporters of students in their development as counselors, advocates and professionals. It has been presented to supervisors, counselors, students and educators.
Both grants were approved for a preliminary budget of $15,000.
Evans was nominated by students in IDS for this award. In their nominations, students discussed not only Evans’ ability and desire to help students, but the manner in which she was consistently encouraging, supportive and enthusiastic. They noted her positive outlook and the genuinely caring manner in which she interacts with students.
The competitive Outreach Scholarship Grant Program funded six proposals out of the nearly 30 applications received. Research proposals were evaluated on their potential to increase the quality of lives and services for individuals, organizations, counties and/or towns throughout the state of Alabama.
Pipes receives national Raymond D. Fowler Award Dr. Randolph Pipes didn’t consider the most meaningful component of winning the 2008 Raymond D. Fowler Award to be a plaque or the mention in the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students magazine. “The thing that I felt most flattered by and deeply honored by was not the award itself, but the fact that my students put the effort into nominating me,’’ said Pipes, a professor of counseling psychology.
the award. Pipes was nominated by several current students, as well as graduates of the Counseling Psychology program. Dr. Raymond D. Fowler, the award’s namesake, is a psychologist and professor emeritus at the University of Alabama. He served as president of the American Psychological Association and as the APA’s executive vice president and CEO. Fowler, who built his professional reputation in the areas of personality assessment, substance abuse and criminal behavior, directed a court-ordered prison reform program in Alabama in 1976.
Students who are members of APAGS submit nominations for
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L e a rn i n g R e s o urce s Ce nte r
I n B rief Earnest receives UCDA professional Development scholarship Amanda J. Earnest, the college’s graphic designer, received the 2008 University & College Designers Association Professional Development Scholarship. Only four scholarships are awarded each year and are used to cover the recipient’s conference registration fee. The Professional Development Scholarships are designated for new members who have never attended UCDA’s annual design conference and long-term members who would also benefit from the professional development opportunity. Recipients were selected by the UCDA Foundation Board of Directors, based on their professional development benefit potential. UCDA was founded in 1970 as the nation’s first and only association for professionals involved in the creation of visual communications for educational institutions. It includes more than 1,000 members throughout the U.S. and Canada. The 2008 conference was held in Savannah, Ga., and co-sponsored by Savannah College of Art and Design. Earnest, a 2005 graduate of Morehead State University, joined the college in 2006. As the college’s graphic designer, she is the creative force behind the College of Education’s award-winning Keystone magazine, a collaborative effort with Michael Tullier, APR, and Troy Johnson of the Office of External Relations.
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EduTech Blog provides answers to common questions Asim Ali’s parameters for what he includes on the technology blog he maintains have largely been shaped by the contents of his e-mail inbox. Ali, an information technology specialist for the college’s Learning Resources Center, covers a wide range of topics on the EduTech Blog (blog.auburn.edu/aliasim/ wordpress) he started in 2007. It doesn’t matter if blog visitors swear by the collective might and megabyte of Apples or PCs. If they have a burning question regarding technology, Ali will do his best to answer it. “If I feel like I’m writing the same thing over and over in an e-mail, then I’m going to write a blog post about it,’’ Ali said. Ali, who earned a bachelor’s in software engineering from Auburn, has worked for the college since 2004. He founded a university Macintosh users group in 2006 and was invited to Apple’s annual employee conference for account executives and system engineers in Santa Clara,
Calif., in November 2008. While there, he gave a presentation on the college’s implementation of multiple operating systems in its labs. Some of the recent topics Ali has addressed include embedding video in blog posts, upgrading anti-virus software and participating in social networking groups. Ali said he developed the blog to provide news and information to College of Education faculty and staff members who use instructional technology. The blog became an especially helpful outlet for answering recurring faculty and staff questions about everything from e-mail to spyware. “Instead of rewriting the same answer every single time, there should be a central repository where people could go to look up the answer,’’ Ali said. Ali said security issues, such as password and identity protection, are a frequent subject of questions. “It’s a constant challenge because you have to keep educating people — here’s how you avoid being a victim of identity theft or phishing attempts,’’ he said.
LRC helps showcase technology for teaching outside the classroom Today’s university students are nimble enough to catch on to emerging technology. They grew up using Wi-Fi internet, cell phones, iPods, Facebook and MySpace. A significant number of them arrived on campus already well-versed in the art of blogging, texting and “tweeting.’’ In its capacity as the college’s technology hub, the Learning Resources Center is doing its part to ensure that students aren’t the only ones who see potential applications for digital tools in the classroom. LRC personnel shared their expertise during the “iTeach: Outside the Classroom’’ conference hosted in March 2009 by Auburn’s Office of Information Technology’s Instructional Multimedia Group. The conference focused on using technology to engage students outside the classroom. Dr. Susan Bannon, associate professor in the
Department of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Technology and LRC director, delivered a presentation on the fair use of mobile technology. Information technology specialists Asim Ali and Brian Phillip guided workshop participants through podcasting.
The conference was facilitated by contributions from the College of Education, Apple Inc., and Auburn University’s Instructional Multimedia Group, with additional support from the College of Liberal Arts, Distance and Outreach Learning Technology, and the College of Agriculture.
Trum an Pierce In s t i t ut e
Student tutors refresh, renew and reflect After preparing 42 students to become more effective afterschool tutors through a pair of summer camps, the Truman Pierce Institute took the opportunity to learn a few things from them. Fifteen students who visited Auburn University to participate in educational camps returned to campus in November for a Leadership Skill Development event entitled “Refresh, Renew and Reflect.’’ In addition to gaining ideas in sessions on tutoring, skill development, mentoring, leadership and continuous program improvement, the students will have the opportunity to share their best tutorial practices.
beyond what they could have imagined. Then, to meet people from all around the state, it’s a life-altering experience for them. They learn things about themselves that they never realized. Because we’re teaching them in a different area, we’re teaching them content area knowledge as well as skills to be a tutor. The best way to learn things sometimes is to teach someone else.’’
“The intent of it is to really have a chance to all come back together, renew friendships, renew their skills, but then to reflect on what worked, what didn’t and help us start planning for next year’s summer camps,’’ said Dr. Cynthia Reed, TPI director and a professor in the Department of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Technology. The students’ feedback helped shape the offerings for the 2009 summer training camps hosted by the Truman Pierce Institute. The camps are open to rising high school students who are interested in improving their skills in order to become more effective after-school tutors in their 21st Century Community Learning Center and after-school programs. While the camps enable students to build their bases of knowledge in natural science, math, art and writing, the experience is transformative in many other ways. “Part of the intent of the summer camps is to encourage more young people to go into teaching,’’ Reed said. “It’s truly a lifechanging event for many of the people that come. Many of them have never spent time on a college campus before. It’s an experience
Dr. Tony Thacker engages student tutors in a discussion about best practices.
The November event allowed the peer tutors to interact with Dr. Tony Thacker, an education administrator for the Alabama State Department of Education and project administrator for the Governor’s Commission on Quality Teaching. Thacker engaged the students in a discussion about the difficulties of tutoring, as well as the rewards they derive from providing such a service. “They never cease to amaze me with the ideas they generate,’’ Reed said of the student tutors.
The Professional Educator updates Web presence
The Professional Educator has a fresh new look.
Now in its third year as an online journal, The Professional Educator has an updated Web design and a growing editorial board with more than 30 contributing editors from research institutions across the United States. “We are very proud of the growth of the journal, and it is largely due to the excellent support we have from our editor, Anna Weinstein, and our contributing editors,” said Dr. Cindy Reed, executive editor of The Professional Educator and director of the Truman Pierce Institute. Amanda Earnest and Ricky Lee Whittemore II assisted with constructing a Web site and developing an identity mark, while Altamese Stroud-Hill provides formatting and editing support. All three are part of the college’s Learn-
The Professional Educator
ing Resources Center. The Professional Educator started out as a print publication of the Alabama Association of Teacher Educators in the late 1970s. In its early days, the journal published articles on education issues in Alabama. The Professional Educator has since developed into a nationally disseminated, peer-reviewed publication with articles focused on educational partnerships. Submissions are accepted from education scholars conducting research in the United States, Canada and abroad. Reed shifted the journal’s focus to educational partnerships in 2003. “Research has consistently shown that when educators collaborate with others, they are challenged to stretch their thinking and practice and, in most instances, the quality of education provided is improved,” Reed said. For more information about The Professional Educator, or to find out how you can submit an article for publication consideration, visit the Web site at www.theprofessionaleducator.org. — Submitted by Anna C. Weinstein
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Off i c e o f th e De a n
Dean Kochan receives distinguished alumnus award from alma mater
Johnson joins college as communications editor Troy Johnson joined the College of Education staff as communications editor in August 2008 after a 16-year career as a newspaper journalist. In addition to coordinating the construction and release of news items by the college’s Office of External Relations, he serves as editor of its annual magazine, the Keystone. Johnson develops content for the college’s Web site and various other publications and promotional materials. Before coming to Auburn, Johnson worked for the Columbus (Ga.) Ledger-Enquirer for 11 years. While he most recently served as the newspaper’s sports columnist, with a special emphasis on Southeastern Conference athletics, his former job enabled him to be a world traveler. Johnson’s special assignments included the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, and frequent trips to the Masters golf tournament, the Super Bowl and NCAA Final Four. He received numerous national writing awards during his career, including recognition by the Associated Press Sports Editors on three occasions as one of the top five columnists in the nation in the 40,000- to 100,000-circulation category. In 2006, his reporting contributed to a newsroom project that earned McClatchy Newspapers’ President’s Award. Johnson graduated from Troy University in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in print journalism and public relations.
Dean Frances Kochan makes frequent visits to Tallahassee, Fla., to visit family. But a recent return trip reinforced her status as a valued member of The Florida State University College of Education family. During Florida State’s 34th annual homecoming celebration on Nov. 15, Kochan received one of the College of Education’s Distinguished Alumni awards. Kochan, who earned a doctorate in adult education and policy studies from the school in 1991, was selected as the college’s outstanding alumnus in higher education. Kochan received one of two awards presented by the college to recognize achievement in postsecondary education. The other award recognizes excellence at the community college level. According to the selection criteria, nominees must be current or former holders of teaching or leadership positions with local, state or national educational organizations, a postsecondary educational institution or an educational policy-making or review board. Nominees must also have published articles, book chapters, books and/or technical reports that reflect scholarship and research into or advancement of the profession. Florida State’s College of Education honors graduates who have distinguished themselves in service to their profession or through scholarly, creative and humanitarian pursuits. Kochan received the college’s Distinguished Educator Award in 2002. After earning her doctorate from Florida State, Kochan served on FSU’s College of Education faculty and as department chair before coming to Auburn in 1994. Kochan became dean of Auburn’s College of Education in 2005 after serving in an interim capacity for three years. She had previously served as director of the Truman Pierce Institute.
Campaign participation by faculty, staff exceeds 80 percent The Auburn University College of Education again set the pace among other colleges and schools on campus during the 2008 Faculty Staff Campaign with nearly 82 percent of faculty and staff participating. The college’s 81.8 percent participation rate ranked second among Auburn’s 13 academic units. Faculty and staff participation in the college rose by 9 percent from 2007. Six College of Education units achieved 100 percent employee participation: the Dean’s Office, Learning Resources Center, Professional Education Services, Truman Pierce Institute, Department of Kinesiology and former Department of Counselor Education, Counseling Psychology and School Psychology.
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Sixty percent of Auburn’s faculty and staff participated in the campaign — up five percent over 2007 participation numbers. In 2007, the campus-wide faculty and staff participation rate — 55 percent — placed Auburn at the top of employee participation among Southeastern Conference schools and as one of the top schools in the country for supportive faculty and staff. For 2008, Auburn retained the No. 1 place in the SEC in faculty and staff giving. In the three years of the Faculty Staff Campaign, giving by College of Education faculty and staff has increased by nearly 148 percent. Before 2006, giving by faculty and staff outside a campaign effort was 33 percent.
Col l ege Kn o w l e d g e DEGREES CONFERRED, all levels, since 2004
615 25
44
9
8
557 13
41
500
7,000,000 6,000,000 207
175
196
193
400
5,000,000
300
4,000,000 3,000,000
200
Doctoral
Full
FACULTY LEVELS, by department, as of fall 2008
STUDENT ENROLLMENT, by department, as of fall 2008
Departments
$4,576,726
$5,195,938
02-03 03-04 04-05 05-06 06-07 07-08
Graduate
Master’s
Specialist
Associate
Undergraduate
0
$6,739,544
07-08
Undergradue
339
06-07
$4,708,286
360
05-06
Instructor
368
04-05
Assistant
328
1,000,000
$3,200,000
2,000,000
100 0
EXTRAMURAL FUNDING, since 2002
$4,069,167
600
603
34
613
48
700
Departments
Curriculum and Teaching
7
10
12
10
Curriculum and Teaching
1215
231
Educational Foundations, Leadership and Technology
10
12
8
9
Educational Foundations, Leadership and Technology
8
242
Kinesiology
5
5
5
1
Kinesiology
454
64
Special Education, Rehabiliation, Counseling/School Psychology
11
4
7
5
Special Education, Rehabiliation, Counseling/School Psychology
122
243
Faculty Levels
Student Enrollment
2% STUDENT ENROLLMENT, classification, by collegewide 12% 16% as of fall 2008 16%
23% 15%
STUDENT ENROLLMENT, collegewide by classification, as of fall 2008
27%
16% 73%
Male Female
Freshman
Master’s
Sophomore
Education Specialist
Junior
Doctoral
Senior/Second Degree
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Key s t one L e a de r
A prescription fo effective leadership 2009 Keystone Leader Brenda Sanborn’s advice to students comes with no harmful side effects
B
renda Smith Sanborn ’68, the College of Education’s 2009 Keystone Leader, grew up in the quintessential small-town Alabama family. A good bit of her development took place inside the Baptist church across the street from her family’s Albertville home because it always seemed to be open and because the hymns and sermons that resonated within were powerful enough to pull her through the doorway.
She grew up as a bit of a paradox, ingrained with the sense that Southern women were sugar, spice and everything nice but also imbued with the understanding that she could achieve loftier goals than making a perfect pie crust. She gained that latter perspective from her parents, from a father who vowed his four children wouldn’t one day follow him to the steel mill where he punched in and punched out and from a mother who dearly valued education despite not finishing high school. “We listened very closely to what the minister was saying about women being submissive and took it literally, but couldn’t quite live up to that entirely,’’ said Sanborn, a 1968 science education graduate and its seventh Keystone Leaderin-Residence. “It was so ingrained in us to be the nice, quiet, Southern lady. … You are forever fighting your culture.’’ In many respects, Sanborn learned to fight for what she wanted because of that culture. She learned to prize education, thanks to her father buying war bonds and saving to ensure his four children would attend college. But that internal conflict Sanborn described, the pushing and shoving against the traditional Southern ethos of womanhood, led her to carve out
what was then regarded as a most non-traditional career path, blazing a trail from an elementary classroom to the corporate boardroom of a pharmaceutical giant. When Sanborn visited Auburn University’s College of Education in January to deliver a campus lecture and meet with student leaders, she spoke of the challenges she faced during a 25-year career with Pfizer Pharmaceuticals and the values that enabled her to meet them. Ex perie n ce as ed u cator worked in her favor Sanborn, who retired from Pfizer in 2006 as senior director and group leader of its national Sales Operations office based in the company’s New York City headquarters, found that the first obstacle involved misconceptions about her first career choice. After earning a master’s degree from Purdue University in physiology and animal science, Sanborn taught in high schools and middle schools for nine years in Pennsylvania and Illinois. But her service as science department chair at Washington Junior High in Naperville, Ill., wasn’t immediately viewed as
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A prescription fo effective leadership
cont inu ed
About the Keystone Leader-in-Residence program Since its inception in 2003, the College of Education’s Keystone Leader-in-Residence has introduced students to successful leaders in education, government, human services, community services and health services. Keystone Leaders spend a day on campus visiting students, faculty and staff and sharing their personal and professional experiences in such forums as a campus-wide lecture, classroom- and smallgroup settings. The keystone provides a fitting symbol for the program because education — like the keystone of an arch — serves a central, supporting role in society. The Keystone Leader-in-Residence program enhances the College of Education’s efforts in developing competent, committed and reflective professionals who utilize education in building better futures for all. 2008 Rev. Chette Williams ’86 author and Auburn University football team chaplain 2007 Susan Dryden Whitson ’91 former press secretary for First Lady Laura Bush 2006 Kathy Langois Munro ’70 principal of San Diego-based BridgeWest LLC
the sparkling jewel of her resume when she interviewed with Pfizer for a job as a sales representative in 1981. The regional manager of the Chicago office, after noting Sanborn’s nine years of teaching experience, asked her if she felt as if she could handle the demands of an 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. job.
resentative, assistant regional manager and district manager. “You need to learn how to be assertive, how to stand your ground and how to make your points without being overly aggressive.’’
“You’re talking about having cold water thrown in your face,’’ said Sanborn, a member of the College of Education’s Dean’s Circle. “It made me mad as heck. I looked at him and said, and I’m sure there was anger blazing from my eyes, ‘I get (to school) around 7 or 7:30 in the morning and I also coach. So I get out of there at 7 or 7:30 at night, then I spend two or three hours doing paperwork, then I get in bed around 12 o’clock, then I get up and do it all over again the next day. Yeah, I think I can handle an 8 to 5.’’’
As the College of Education’s seventh Keystone Leader, Sanborn joins an elite group of professionals in healthcare, public administration, banking, government communications and religion who have earned the designation. The program emphasizes that education — like the keystone of an arch — serves a central, supporting role in our society. It also reaffirms the college’s goal of developing competent, committed and reflective professionals who utilize education in building better futures for all.
She thought the fiery response had cost her the job, but it actually clinched it for her. On that day, she learned that a firm handshake, steady eye contact, preparedness, intelligence and unshakable self-confidence were critical components for women trying to negotiate a male-dominated corporate culture.
While Sanborn compares favorably to her predecessors in that regard, there is one anecdote that may separate her from some of her other accomplished Keystone Leader counterparts.
“They (male co-workers) are looking for you to stand your ground, to have an opinion and to state it articulately,’’ said Sanborn, whose career spanned five states and included experience as a sales rep-
2005 The Hon. Kay Ivey ’67 Alabama State Treasurer 2004 Gordon Sherman ’57 retired Social Security administrator and current principal for Atlanta-based Lamon & Sherman Consulting LLC 2003 Wayne T. Smith ’68 chairman, president and CEO of Tennessee-based Community Health Systems
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A leadership mix of assertiven ess an d resolve
“My sister and I have laughed several times over the fact that (Pfizer) sent me to assertiveness training one time only to turn around and tell me I was too assertive,’’ she said. If there’s one thing Sanborn and her siblings acquired from their parents, R.C. and Eloise
Key s t one L e a de r
T o view S anborn ’ s K eystone L eader - in -R esidence lecture , log on to : education . auburn . edu / pubs / video . html
Smith, it was the ability to hold their ground in the classroom and the workplace. The mill worker’s children all possess spines of steel and a zeal for leadership. Sanborn’s sister, Barbara Calhoun, is the dean of continuing education at Kennesaw State University near Atlanta. One brother, Bill, was the dean of continuing education at Mississippi State University, while the other, Gerald, worked for NASA during its exploration boom in such capacities as manger of the solid rocket booster program at Marshall Space Flight Center and as deputy director of Stennis Space Center. They all grew up understanding the value of integrity and the importance of preserving it. “That’s the way they raised us,’’ Calhoun said while spending the day on campus with her sister. “Nothing less than our best was acceptable. It was ingrained in us from a very “Don’t early age.’’
Sanborn elevated herself to one of the top rungs on Pfizer’s corporate ladder by adhering to her principles and holding herself to a high professional standard. Even though Sanborn gave up her place near the pinnacle of Pfizer’s hierarchy when she retired, she remains an active businesswoman in her new home of Greensboro, Ga. She sells Bolivian art as the co-owner and vice president of Kusillo Gallery and remains active in the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club among other organizations.
let some other person or some other entity tell you, ‘You can’t do that.’ I firmly believe that whatever you set your mind to, if you push hard enough and persevere, you can get where you want to go. It doesn’t hurt to ask for help along the way either.”
While meeting with student leaders, Sanborn and Calhoun used the experiences of their brother Gerald as a way to communicate the importance of leadership in the face of adversity. In the aftermath of the Space Shuttle Challenger tragedy on Jan. 28, 1986, when seven crew members died after the craft broke apart 73 seconds after launch, Gerald Smith was called upon to help NASA pick up the pieces. Sanborn and Calhoun remember how their brother traveled the country, visiting parts and assembly facilities in Texas and California in an attempt to make sense of what went wrong and to resurrect the infrastructure of the space program.
The components that shaped her growth as an educator, sales representative, manager and group leader remain intact because, after so many years of fighting her culture, she learned to embrace it. “Everything you do for the rest of your life will be based on those core values,’’ Sanborn said. “If you go against them, you’ll be miserable. You’ll be in a constant battle between what’s on the inside and what you’re doing.’’
“They had to rebuild the morale of the people who worked on that and who felt they had been a failure,’’ Calhoun told students. “Part of your career will be having those kinds of challenges. There are many things you’re going to encounter in your life that you’ll wish you hadn’t. If you make it through, and you maintain your high standards and your principles, you’ve elevated yourself to another level.’’
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N ati o n a l Adv iso ry Co uncil
A Message
from the Chair
H
opefully by this part of the magazine, you’ve seen the wonderful activities and accomplishments of our students and faculty through their academic, research and outreach pursuits. Our mission is to build better futures for all, and our people are truly putting that motto into action! One more group worth mentioning is using its Auburn connections to build better futures for all. If you’re holding this magazine and reading these words, then chances are you’re among that group — our alumni. Today, our 30,000-plus alumni are in all 50 states and more than 35 countries — all using education to improve the lives of others. Many of you give back through distinguished teaching, health and public service careers. Some of you enter health professions like athletic training, physical and occupational therapy, and health promotions. Still others of you are human service leaders in special education, rehabilitation, and counseling and school psychology. From the boardroom to the classroom — and from Auburn to the world — you’re putting our mission into action too. More importantly, the alumni accomplishments highlighted here — and the many we look forward to learning about in the future — build awareness of our college and Auburn University, and demonstrate to our students the potential their future education degree holds for them. So, thanks for what you do every day to elevate education to its place as a keystone in building better futures for all.
War Eagle,
James “Jim” Manley ‘60 Chair, National Advisory Council
W ant to share your news for next year ’ s K eystone ? T hen log onto education . auburn . edu / alumniupdate today !
Co u n c i l n omi nati ons ar e sou ght fo r alu mni who wish to: • Provide alumni representation and insight in college planning and programs • Advocate on behalf of the college through other university service and activities external to the university • Lend professional perspectives and experiences as class lecturer, student mentor, conference volunteer, awards evaluator, college committee member or student recruiter • Contribute to council efforts to enhance or lead college academic programs, internal and alumni relationship building, and fundraising activities • Interact with alumni, contributors, students, faculty and staff through college events and council activities • Learn more about council activities and service guidelines online at education.auburn.edu/alumni/nac • Submit nominations to Michael Tullier, APR, by e-mail to mtullier@auburn.edu.
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N at ion al Advisory co unc i l
2008-20 09 Council M embership ive Execut e tte Commi
James “Jim” Manley ’60 Council Chair Retired banker, SunTrust Bank Decatur, Ga.
Dr. Carol Edmundson Hutcheson ’69 Chair, Internal Relations Retired principal Columbus, Ga.
William D. “Bill” Langley ’63 Chair, External Relations Business Owner, Sidewinder Inc. Columbus, Ga.
Dr. Joyce Reynolds Ringer ’59 Chair, Development Retired executive director, Georgia Advocacy Office Auburn, Ala.
Dr. J. Carlton Smith ’67 Chair, Academic Affairs Retired superintendent Vestavia Hills, Ala.
Dr. Katrice Albert ’02 Vice Provost for Equity, Diversity and Community Outreach, Louisiana State University Baton Rouge
Dr. Tim Alford ’68 Consultant, workforce/economic development Pelham, Ala.
Donna Carpenter Burchfield ’71 Lawyer, King & Spalding Atlanta, Ga.
Nancy Culpepper Chancey ’62 Chairwoman, CH&B Inc. Enterprise, Ala.
Dr. Cynthia Ann Cox ’77 Special Education Teacher, Coronado Unified School District Coronado, Calif.
The Hon. Victor Gaston, Ed.D. ’80 State Representative, Alabama House of Representatives, 100th District Mobile, Ala.
Mary Chambers Gross ’65 Retired high school educator Melbourne, Fla.
Dr. Nathan L. Dr. J. Floyd Hall ’48 Hodges ’74 Retired school superintendent and President, Bowling Green Technical College professor Bowling Green, Ken. Greenville, S.C.
Susan McIntosh Housel ’73 Retired elementary educator Auburn, Ala.
Dr. J. Terry Jenkins ’83 Superintendent, Auburn City Schools Auburn, Ala.
Dr. Wright L. Lassiter Jr. ’75 Chancellor, Dallas County Community College District Dallas, Texas
Sharon R. Lovell Past member, Vestavia Hills School Board Vestavia Hills, Ala.
Hedy White Manry ’71 Vice president, IBM Client Value Initiative Cornelius, N.C.
Dr. Imogene Mathison Mixson ’63 Retired community college academic dean Ozark, Ala.
Col. Hollis Messer (US Army-Ret.)’55 Agent, ONO Realty Orange Beach, Ala.
Dr. Byron B. Nelson Jr. ’57 Retired school superintendent Union Grove, Ala.
Patsy Boyd Parker ’70 Education consultant and retired school counselor Opelika, Ala.
Dr. Harold Patterson ’54 Retired school superintendent Guntersville, Ala.
Kym Haas Prewitt ’86 Executive director, Children’s Literacy Guild of Ala. Birmingham, Ala.
Dr. Frances Skinner Reeves ’71 Retired mental health counselor West Point, Ga.
Dr. Ron Saunders ’70 Superintendent, Barrow Co. Schools Winder, Ga.
Dr. Shirley Kelley Spears ’71 Director, B.B. Comer Memorial Library Sylacauga, Ala.
Dr. Thomas N. Taylor ’60 Retired superintendent Clinton, Miss.
Dr. W. Mabrey Whetstone Jr. ’73 Director, Special Education Services, Alabama State Dept. of Education Titus, Ala.
Susan Dryden Leslie S. Woodson ’80 Whitson ’91 Trainer/technical writer, EDS Corporation Former White House press secretary, Alabaster, Ala. Office of the First Lady Washington, Va.
Catherine Cary Zodrow ’72 Media instructional assistant, Ogletree Elementary School Auburn, Ala.
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Open-door policy serving Freeman ’88 as superintendent
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oon after being named superintendent of the newly formed Trussville (Ala.) City School System in 2004, Dr. Suzanne Freeman ’88 began a whirlwind tour of the community that included informal chats on living room sofas and backyard porches. “We spent a lot of time having structured conversations and some unstructured conversations with our community, our parents, our teachers and our students,’’ said Freeman, who was selected as Alabama’s 2009 Superintendent of the Year. That spirit of openness, which extends to a weekly online newsletter and a superintendent’s blog, is one of the many ingredients that factored into Freeman being selected as one of four finalists for the National Superintendent of the Year award presented in February by the American Association of School Administrators. Freeman, who earned a doctorate in early childhood education from Auburn in 1992 after receiving a master’s degree in elementary education, discussed the value of her Auburn education and the unique challenges of her job during a recent interview. Your tenure as superintendent has been quite eventful. What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?
Probably the biggest challenge is navigating change. We really worked hard when I first came to Trussville to gather the community’s voice. We wanted their voice in their schools. We had this great opportunity with it becoming a new school system to talk about hopes and dreams and expectation with student learning. We sat on people’s back porches and around their swimming pools and in their living rooms. I shared my thoughts and then in turn opened it up to parents, senior citizens, teachers, administrators.
You seem to embrace new technology. How has your superintendent’s blog been received?
It has been really positive. We realized we needed to do a better job of explaining classroom practices and what good learning looks like. We survey our parents a lot, twice a year now. We want everybody to be connected and feel ownership of their school.
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You have two degrees from Auburn’s College of Education. What do you value most about your experience at Auburn and how did it prepare you for your job?
Two things specifically stand out, and that is really going deeper in my own learning and understanding of how children learn and understanding depth versus surface knowledge. I had numerous opportunities with really great people, with professors and students, to talk about ideas. There was a real push and feel for how we can make things better for children in public schools. That’s where I was really exposed to bigger, grander ideas and was really inspired to make things better for children in public education. When I started my master’s program, I was a beginning teacher. I had Janet Taylor, who was one of my main professors, and Paula Short, a major professor for me in educational leadership. I’m still very fond of (some of the readings). The seed of continuous improvement was planted there.
What advice would you give to current College of Education students who aspire to careers in education administration?
I would say, at every level of education, be a continuous learner. There is never an end to our learning and many a use for what you’ve learned. If you are constantly learning and improving at your craft and going deeper in your own understanding, you can achieve your goals. You have to be brave too. You sometimes have to have hard conversations about how we can make things better for students while also looking at what doesn’t work. Always have the obligation to do what is best for students.
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Three COE graduates selected for Opelika’s ‘20 under 40’ program The City of Opelika (Ala.) welcomed three College of Education graduates as members of its “20 Under 40’’ program, an initiative designed to develop young professionals from the community into business and governmental leaders. The 2009 class includes Dorsey Tippett ’06, Hillary Nowland ’02 and Vertrina Grubbs ’92. Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller said the “20 Under 40’’ initiative, now in the midst of its fourth class, enables members learn what it takes to run a cohesive community and allows for an exchange of ideas that can benefit current civic leaders. Members of the “20 Under 40’’ class will be well prepared to serve on community boards and commissions or to eventually run for elected offices. Tippett, a 23-year-old elementary education graduate, teaches second grade at Jeter Primary School and strives to enhance her students’ learning through quality instruction, parental involvement and character development. In addition to her involvement as a College of Education student ambassador, she participated in Auburn University’s Show Choir and in the Gold Key National Honor Society. Her community service includes serving food at a local soup kitchen and participation in the “Friends International’’ program, which helps international students adjust to American culture. “Leaders lead by serving,’’ Tippett said. “Through serving our community, I hope to be a part of developing a better place to live.’’ Nowland, 28, serves as assistant director of donor services and annual giving for Tigers Unlimited, the fundraising arm of Auburn University’s athletics program. Since earning a master’s degree in administration of higher education/sports management from the College of Education in 2004, Nowland has been involved
in a number of community service projects and has been honored for her work in the athletic department. In 2006, she received an “Above and Beyond’’ award — presented to Auburn athletics employees who go beyond the call of duty in their respective jobs. She is in her second year as adviser to the Dunkin’ Darlings, the official hostesses of Auburn basketball, and has served as computer coordinator for the National Youth Sports Program. Her community work has included coordination of a food drive to benefit the Battered Women’s Shelter of East Alabama and membership on a 50-person Auburn University team that traveled to Enterprise, Ala., to assist in clean-up efforts in the wake of devastating tornados in 2007.
Grubbs, 37, became director of Greater Peace Child Development Center in 2003. In addition to managing day-to-day operations and supervising 17 employees for the center, she formulated operational guidelines and policies and helped secure state licensing for it. Grubbs, who graduated from the College of Education in 1992 with a degree in audiology and speech pathology, is seeking accreditation for the center through the national Association for the Education of Young Children. Grubbs secured grant funding from the Alabama Office of School Readiness to operate a pre-K program for 4-year-olds and secured membership as a United Way agency. She remains heavily involved in community service, including the ministries of Greater Peace Baptist Church and membership on Southern Union Community College’s Child Development Advisory Board, the Child Advocacy Center of East Alabama Board of Directors and several Opelika City Schools committees.
Elementary education grad named one of nation’s top 10 librarians A passion for students and an understanding of the educational applications of technology represent some of the components that resulted in Jennifer Dempsey ’91 receiving one of the 10 national “I Love My Librarian’’ awards. Dempsey, the library media specialist and technology coordinator at Wrights Mill Road Elementary in Auburn, earned a master’s degree in elementary education from the College of Education. One of the factors that led to her selection for an “I Love My Librarian’’ award was her creation of the Tech-Know Expo, which affords Wrights Mill fifth-graders the opportunity to make pre-
sentations on technological aspects they felt they have mastered. Dempsey, who serves as the school’s team leader for the 21st Century Learners Project, also hosts voluntary “Tech Tuesdays.’’ On those occasions, teachers receive guidance on how to best enhance their classroom teaching with the help of modern technology. The “I Love My Librarian’’ awards are administered by the New York Times and the Carnegie Corporation in conjunction with the American Library Association. The winners received $5,000 prizes and were honored at a December 2008 reception in New York City.
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Peace Corps official discusses benefit of international educational experiences As the College of Education makes its presence known around the globe, one of its graduates has endeavored to assist citizens of developing nations through his work in the Peace Corps. Dr. Kyo “Paul’’ Jhin ’71, formerly director of special initiatives for the Peace Corps, visited the College of Education in November 2008 and delivered a campus lecture on the benefits of international experiences and the opportunities available in the Peace Corps. Jhin earned a doctorate from Auburn in mathematics education. He left his post with the Peace Corps in January 2009 after nearly eight years of service and now lives in Malibu, Calif. The timing of Jhin’s visit to Auburn, his second since 2006, coincided with the college’s efforts to expand its international presence and create additional teaching, research and service learning opportunities for students and faculty. Jhin represents an authoritative source on the subject of how international travel can create more well-rounded students and educators. In addition to having served as the director of special initiatives for the Peace Corps, Jhin functioned as the organization’s official representative to the office of United Nations SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon. He worked closely with the secretarygeneral on the 500/12 Initiative, which the U.N. developed to provide 500,000 computers to 10,000 schools and serve 33 million students in 60 countries by 2012.
Morton ’69 receives State Policy Maker Award Alabama State Superintendent of Education Dr. Joe Morton ’69 has received the 2008 State Policy Maker Award from the State Educational Technology Directors Association in November 2008. Morton guided the creation and implementation of a number of programs, including the Alabama Reading Initiative, the Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative, ACCESS: Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators and Students Statewide and the Alabama Learning Exchange (ALEX), which recently received a national “Best of the Web’’ award. Morton also facilitated the expansion of advanced placement courses to every high school in the state through improved educational technology.
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Online communities keep COE graduates connected College of Education graduates can stay in touch through a few simple clicks of a computer mouse thanks to online social and career networking sites like Facebook.com, LinkedIn.com and Auburn University’s own Tiger2Tiger. The college’s Office of External Relations created online groups in 2008 in order to alert alumni to upcoming events and college news. Facebook, a free social networking site with more than 175 million users, allows members to share exchange e-mail and instant messages, as well as links, videos and an unlimited number of photos. LinkedIn, an online network of more than 25 million professionals representing 150 different industries, allows members to find former colleagues, clients and business partners. Users can also add more connections by inviting trusted contacts to join their LinkedIn professional networks. Tiger2Tiger, a free online community provided by Auburn’s Office of Alumni Affairs, is exclusively for all Auburn alumni, no matter their alumni association membership status. Graduates can use the site to invite other Auburn alums to their social circles or network. Find links to these groups at education.auburn.edu/alumni.
Andrews ’99 takes charge of Muscogee County School District Dr. Susan Andrews ’99, who earned a doctorate in educational leadership from the College of Education, became superintendent of the 33,000-student Muscogee County (Ga.) School District in February. The Muscogee County School Board voted in December 2008 to offer the position to Andrews, who had worked in the neighboring Harris County (Ga.) school system since 1977. She began her career as a first-grade teacher at Harris County Elementary School in Hamilton, Ga., and has served as superintendent of the 5,000-student system for the last eight years. Andrews also served as co-principal of Harris County’s Carver Middle School, principal of Cataula Elementary School, principal of Pine Ridge Elementary School, interim assistant superintendent of Harris County Schools and assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction.
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Senior pageant winner and Education alum proves you can have fun at any age Inspired by a quote from American writer Richard Bach, 81-year-old Dr. Frances Skinner Reeves ’71 set out to determine her next step in life after her husband died in November 2006. That mission brought her to the runway of the Ms. Southwest Georgia Senior pageant in June 2008 — vying for the eventual crown of Ms. Georgia Senior. Recently widowed and for the first time unattached and without obligation to look after anyone else, she prayerfully told the Lord she was up for anything He had in mind for her. “I asked the Lord to give me a year to get my emotions in order and then I would be ready to do anything,” she said.
ning. The song “Hey there, Georgy Girl” came on. “That’s when I knew,” Reeves said. That’s not to say Reeves was not anxious about the endeavor though. “I was nervous that I would not be able to physically keep up with the pace,” she said. “I was also nervous that my mind would go blank and I would not be able to think of anything to say in response to my onstage question.” On June 21, Reeves was crowned Ms. Southwest Georgia Senior after a contest featuring five contestants who competed in five categories: individual interview, talent, evening gown, statement of principle and onstage question. Through her participation, which she called “very exhilarating,” Reeves hopes to show others that age is just a number.
However, even the retired mental health “It doesn’t matter your age,” she said. “You can still be active, fun counselor was surprised by what came next. and of use.” “I never thought this would “Here is the test to find whether your mission Reeves applies be it.” that same spirit “This,” referred to by Reeves, on earth is finished: if you’re alive, it isn’t.” in her support was the Ms. Southwest Richard Bach of the College Georgia Senior Pageant. She was approached and encouraged by her of Education — of which she is a three-time graduate. She is a friends in the West Point (Ga.) Woman’s Club to participate in the long-time member of the college’s National Advisory Council and upcoming pageant. Reeves, who had never participated in a pageant remains a member of the college’s Patrons of the Keystone-Dean’s before, said, at the time, competing in such an event was “the furCircle — an effort she began supporting with her late husband thest thing from (her) mind.” Charles, a 1949 AU alumnus. She received the “sign” she was praying for several days later while watching the Lawrence Welk program one Saturday eve-
Reed ’65 receives Pamela Wells Sheffield Award Carolyn Brinson Reed ’65, an elementary education graduate, received the 2008 Pamela Wells Sheffield Award presented by the Office of the President and the Auburn Athletic Department. The award, coordinated by the Office of Alumni Affairs, recognizes women Carolyn Brinson Reed ’65 who exemplify the grace, character and receives congratulations from Auburn athletic director community-minded spirit of the late PaJay Jacobs. mela Wells Sheffield ’65, an elementary education grad whose husband and children also attended Auburn. The university established the award soon after her death in 1991. Reed, a Birmingham, Ala., resident received the award at last September’s Auburn-LSU football game. She displays her commitment to Auburn through a number of university and community activities, including her memberships with the Auburn University
Foundation Board and the Auburn Alumni Association. She has been heavily involved in student recruitment, particularly at Mountain Brook High School in Birmingham, and has been a significant contributor to the Tigers Unlimited Fund. Her philanthropy on behalf of the university includes a $1 million real estate gift for the “It Begins at Auburn’’ campaign.
Pamela Wells S h e f f i e l d A wa r d A look at the previous winners with College of Education connections: 2008 Carolyn Brinson Reed ’65 2006 Sandra Bridges Newkirk, Kinesiology 2004 Dr. Susan Sorrells Hubbard ’87 2000 Dr. Debbie Shaw ’84, Auburn Alumni Association
1999 Kym Haas Prewitt ’86 1998 Dr. Jean Welsh ’85 1996 Dr. Jane Moore, Kinesiology 1991 Pamela Wells Sheffield ’65
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L et us know what ’ s happening in your life ! S ubmit your news , as well as updates to your contact information , by visiting education . auburn . edu / alumniupdate .
1956 Dorcas “Dot” Saunders [B, English language arts education; M, general education ’61; EdS, general education ’70] was honored by the Saunders and Eilert families through the College of Education’s Honor Roll.
1958 Paul Susce [B, physical education] was among the six former Auburn University athletes and coaches inducted into the Tiger Trail of Auburn in
2008. Susce, who played baseball at Auburn from 1953 to 1956, never went a season with fewer than 53 strikeouts, and threw a college career best of 70 in 1955. He holds Auburn’s single-season ERA record with a mark of 0.99 set in 1954 — the same season he went 7-1 on the mound. An All-SEC selection in 1954, he went on to play for the Pittsburg Pirates and Cleveland Indians. He and other inductees are honored with an engraved granite plaque placed in Downtown Auburn sidewalks.
Dean Frances Kochan invites 1958 and 1959 Education grads and their guest
to a come-and-go Dean's Luncheon Friday, May 15 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Ballroom A The Hotel at Auburn University
For more information or to make reservations, contact Michael Tullier, APR at eduinfo@auburn.edu or 334.844.1324.
1963 Kenneth Henson [B, general science education] received the Franklin Silverman Lifetime Achievement Award from the Text and Academic Authors Association. Henson, who holds an education doctorate from the University of Alabama, is a Fulbright Scholar, National Science Foundation Scholar and founding dean of The Citadel’s School of Education, where he is now a full-time professor. During his seven-plus years at The Citadel, he has published dozens of national and international publications, and his books now number in the 40s. Eric Carr Smith Jr. [B, speech and theatre education] is a managing partner of NETA Consulting in Tallahassee, Fla. The company provides management consultation, executive search services, organizational audits and other operational assistance services.
1965 Carolyn Brinson Reed [B, elementary education] received the 2008 Pamela Wells Sheffield Award presented by the Office of the President and the Auburn Athletic Department (see page 57). Fannie Clark Taylor [M, general education] was memorialized by Jim ’62 and
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Sharon ’64 Lovell through the College of Education’s Honor Roll. She passed away in 2004.
1968 Brenda Smith Sanborn [B, general science education] joined the College of Education’s Patrons of the Keystone/Dean’s Circle (see page 54). Wayne T. Smith [general education: B ’68; M ’69] was selected to serve on the Auburn University Foundation board of directors. Smith is chairman, president and chief executive officer of Community Health Systems in Franklin, Tenn (see page 60). Lynda Vowell Tremaine [B, elementary education] serves as principal of Wrights Mill Elementary School (Auburn, Ala.), which was one of five schools in Alabama — and nearly 300 nationally —named as a 2008 No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Schools. The program honors public and private K-12 schools that are either academically superior or demonstrate great gains in student achievement.
1969 Nancy Pritchett Hood [B, music education] has been serving as music coordinator for the Lake Magdalene United Methodist Church Early Learning Center in Tampa, Fla., since
helping to initiate the position in 1984. Kathleen Bush Logan [B, art education] of Marietta (Ga.) City Schools is among the 9,600 teachers nationwide who achieved National Board Certification in 2008. Joseph B. Morton [B, general social science education] was awarded the 2008 State Policy Maker’s Award by the State Educational Technology Directors Association and the College of Education’s 2009 Outstanding Alumnus Award (see pages 56, 58).
Legend B: bachelor’s (B.S./BMED) M: master’s (M.S./M.Ed.) D: doctorate (Ph.D./Ed.D.)
1970
Susan Lewis Hinds [B, health, physical education and recreation] retired from Auburn University after 30 years of service to Auburn University Libraries. At the time of her retirement, Hinds was library’s head of circulation, reserve and security. Ron Saunders [B, social science education], the superintendent of Barrow County Schools in Winder, Ga., was honored as the College of Education’s Outstanding Alumnus in 2008. He was also named
Al u mn i No t e s the 2008 Georgia superintendent of the year (see page 69).
1971 Nancy Young Fortner [B, human exercise science; M, education ’73], was selected as president of the Auburn Alumni Association. Fortner, a retired Huntsville, Ala., educator, will serve a two-year term ending in 2010 (see article on this page). Deborah Barnes Harwell [B, vocational and adult education] retired in 2005 from the Indian River County School District in Vero Beach, Fla., as assistant principal for curriculum and instruction at Vero Beach High School. She now resides in Dadeville, Ala., and is a guidance counselor at Opelika (Ala.) High School. Frances Skinner Reeves [counselor education: M ’71; EdS ’73; D ’77] was crowned Ms. Southwest Georgia Senior during the area’s July 2008 pageant. Reeves is a long-time member of the college’s National Advisory Council and Patrons of the Keystone/ Dean’s Circle (see page 57).
1974 Patricia Smith Sanders [B, English language arts education] retired in May 2008 after teaching for 33 years at schools that included South Girard High School (Phenix City, Ala.), Alexandria (La.) Senior High School and Alexandria (La.) Country Day School. Most recently, and for more than half her career, she taught at Tioga (La.) High School. In addition to teaching English and French, her other school duties included serving as cheerleader, stu-
dent council and yearbook sponsor. Friends, family and former students honored her upon her retirement with membership in the College of Education’s Honor Roll.
1975 Mike Jones [B, general social science education], now retired, earned national board certification and was the 1993 Alabama state teacher of the year during his career.
tion in 2008.
1978 Beverly Jo Davis [B, mental retardation; M, learning disabilities ’80] is a teacher at Silverdale Baptist Academy in Chattanooga, Tenn. Betsy Noll Logan [B, art education], art teacher at Auburn (Ala.) Junior High School, was awarded the 2008 Art Educator of the
Year by the Alabama Art Education Association. The state award is presented to the outstanding AAEA member for service and contributions to art education that merit recognition and acclaim. Logan has been an art teacher for Auburn City Schools for 14 years. She was previously recognized as the 1996 National Middle Level Art Educator of the Year and 1995 Alabama Middle Level
Art Educator of the Year. Edwin D. Smith [music education: B ’78; M ’80] was named by Georgia Gov. Sunny Perdue to the state’s Professional Standards Committee in January 2009. Smith, who also holds a doctorate from the University of West Georgia, is superintendent of Troup County (Ga.) Schools. Susan Suchacek-Ottavi[M, counselor education] is an RN-intake
ano Kelly
1976 Donna Carter Morrison [B, music education] of Birmingham (Ala.) City Schools is among the 9,600 teachers nationwide who achieved National Board Certification in 2008.
1977 Julie Winchester Hosier [B, elementary education] recently completed a doctorate in elementary education at the University of Alabama and is teaching fourth-grade with the Decatur (Ala.) City Schools system. Pattie Neill [B, mental retardation] has returned to Alabama as a professor at Samford University after a 30-year career in the Tennessee educational system, which included positions as a teacher, principal, central office supervisor and school superintendent. She is now an assistant professor of teacher education in the university’s Orlean Bullard Beeson School of Education and Professional Studies. Lindsay Osteen Sanders [B, general education] of the Greenville County (S.C.) Schools District is among the 9,600 teachers nationwide who achieved National Board Certifica-
Alumni Spotlight
burn ’71 alum brings spirit to Au y Alumni Association presidenc As a fourth-generation Auburn graduate, N a n c y Y o u n g F o r t n e r ’ 7 1 felt the powerful gravitation pull of The Plains at an early age and the sense of family the university inspires.
After 38 years spent as a teacher, guidance counselor and administrator for Huntsville (Ala.) City Schools, Fortner will do her part to ensure Auburn graduates remain true to their school. Fortner began a two-year term as president of the Auburn Alumni Association in November 2008. Fortner earned a bachelor’s degree in history and political science education and followed it up with a master’s degree in counselor education in 1973. She was named one of the Outstanding Woman Graduates at Auburn’s Centennial Celebration in 1992. In her capacity as alumni association president, Fortner’s priorities include increasing the association’s scholarship endowment for life members’ children, augmenting the Auburn University Office of Enrollment Services’ student recruitment efforts and using Web-based approaches to connect with alumni residing internationally. Fortner follows Ralph Jordan Jr., son of the late Auburn football coach Ralph “Shug’’ Jordan, as president of the association. While Fortner retired from Huntsville City Schools in July 2008, she remains an active educator. She serves as an adjunct professor at Alabama A&M and as a trainer and consultant for schools and community agencies in the areas of team building, mentoring, leadership development, facilitation skills, counseling, workplace wellness and emotional crisis management.
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t h g i l t o p S mni ASmluith ’68 named to AU Foundation Board
W ay n e T. S m i t h ’6 8 , who has presided over the steady growth of the Tennessee-based Community Health Systems as its chairman, president and CEO, will offer a guiding hand in Auburn University’s future financial development. Smith was elected to serve a three-year term on the Auburn University Foundation’s Board of Directors. The Auburn University Foundation is a support organization that works on behalf of Auburn and Auburn University Montgomery to generate charitable contributions. The board of directors, which consists of no more than 22 voting members, manages the affairs, property and business of the AU Foundation. Smith has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to careful planning and management since joining Community Health Systems in 1997. Since Smith’s arrival in 1997, the company’s net revenue has jumped from $742 million to more than $10.8 billion in 2008 — an industry-leading 28 percent improvement. The company owns, operates or leases more than 120 general acute care hospitals in 29 states. Smith has been named by readers of Modern Healthcare Magazine as one of the “100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare’’ for six consecutive years. He was ranked No. 36 in the magazine’s 2008 poll, coming in behind such public figures as President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Sen. John McCain and billionaire Bill Gates. Smith earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in general education from the College of Education and was its inaugural Keystone Leader-inResidence in 2003. Two distinguished professorships and an endowed undergraduate scholarship are credited to Smith through contributions made on his behalf by the Humana Corporation, where he worked for 23 years as president and chief operating officer.
coordinator for VNA Western Pennsylvania. Marie McCann Zaminer [B, speech pathology education] is a speechlanguage pathologist with the Woonsocket (R.I.) Education Department.
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1979 Myra Gooden Austin [B, home economics education] is an educational media specialist at Williams Avenue Elementary School in Fort Payne, Ala. Susan Russell Elemore ’79 [B, elementary educa-
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tion] was named the 2009 teacher of the year by Lee County (Ala.) Schools’ Smiths Station Elementary School, where she teaches second grade. A national board certified teacher, she was later selected as the district-wide elementary teacher of the year.
1980 Gayle Morgan Holladay [B, health, physical education and recreation], a sixth-grade math teacher at Opelika (Ala.) Middle School, was honored as the November 2008 Alfa statewide Teacher of the Month. She is a district leader and presenter for TEAM-Math, a program of the Auburn University College of Education. Kay Johnson Whaley [B, English language arts education] of Eufaula (Ala.) High School is among the 9,600 teachers nationwide who achieved National Board Certification in 2008.
1981 Lisa Jordan Mars [B, elementary education] is now teaching in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Ed McDaniel [B, recreation administration] is now the recreation director of the City of Daleville (Ala.). He spent the 22 years after leaving Auburn working for the City of Dothan, and then worked in another line of work before his recent return to public service. Julia Robison [B, rehabilitation and special education] is vice president of human resources for CheckFree Corporation in Norcross, Ga.
1982 Denise Dark [B, elementary education; M, early childhood education ’85], a first-grade teacher from Jeter Primary School in Opelika, Ala., was among the “Sweet 16” finalists for Alabama’s 2008 Teacher of the Year title. She was selected to be in the top 16 from among 143 teachers
who submitted applications for the award. Linda C. Young [D, vocational and adult education] chairs the Dothan (Ala.) Area Chamber of Commerce. She is president of George C. Wallace Community College in Dothan, and is a 2000 graduate of Leadership Alabama.
1983 Teresa David Hill [B, recreation management] works in instructional support for Hoover (Ala.) City Schools.
1985 Yvetta Lynch Abercrombie [B, elementary education] is a second-grade teacher at West Point (Ga.) Elementary School. Linda Moss Caldwell [B, elementary education] is a teacher with the Tallapoosa County (Ala.) Schools system. J. Arthur Northrop [B, distributive education] of Strom Thurmond High School (Edgefield County School District) in Johnston, S.C., is among the 9,600 teachers nationwide who achieved National Board Certification in 2008. Kelley Butler Rouze [B, mathematics education] is a teacher with the Montgomery (Ala.) Public Schools system.
1986 Cassandra Smith Butterworth [B, behavior disturbances] is a teacher with Cleburne County Schools in Ranburne, Ala. Laura Sellers Hughes [B, office administration/ business education] is now teaching business education in the Career Tech Department at Lee High School
Al u mn i n o t e s in Montgomery, Ala. Previously, her career included 20 years with The United Methodist Church and a brief career in sales.
Janet Elizabeth Powers [B, elementary education] began teaching at Northside Elementary School in Opelika, Ala., in August 2008.
Cameron J. Martindale [D, vocational and adult education] was named senior vice president of community development for the Montgomery (Ala.) Area Chamber of Commerce in 2008. She had previously served Troy University in a variety of capacities, which most recently was senior vice chancellor for advancement and external relations, and included the institution’s third president of Troy State University Montgomery and the system’s vice chancellor for advancement. In her new position, Martindale leads many of the chamber’s new initiatives under its “Imagine a Greater Montgomery” economic development strategy.
Don Sinyard [exercise science: B ’87; M ’88], a physical therapist in the rehabilitation department of Haywood Regional Medical Center in Clyde, N.C., was named its March 2008 employee of the month. Sinyard has worked as a physical therapist at HRMC for more than 15 years.
Legend B: bachelor’s (B.S./BMED) M: master’s (M.S./M.Ed.) D: doctorate (Ph.D./Ed.D.) Warren Weeks [B, exercise science] completed a doctorate in curriculum, leadership and technology from Valdosta State University in August 2008. He is the assistant superintendent of Calhoun (Ga.) City Schools. While at Auburn, Weeks donned the Aubie mascot outfit from 1985 to 1986.
1987 Dana Washburn Daniel [B, elementary education] was named the 2009 teacher of the year at Morris Avenue Intermediate School in Opelika, Ala., where she teaches fifth grade.
1988 Jo Ann Hill Burkhalter [B, speech pathology education] of Atlanta, Ga., was promoted in 2008 to vice president of sales for Transfirst, one of the nation’s top 15 payment processing companies. Prior to that, she was with John Harland as a senior sales representative for six years. Susan Bell Castleberry [B, elementary education; M, early childhood education ’91] of Vestavia Hills (Ala.) City Schools is among the 9,600 teachers nationwide who achieved National Board Certification in 2008. Gina Moore Eagerton [B, speech language education] is a speech language pathologist employed by the Montgomery (Ala.) Board of Education. Suzanne Freeman [M, elementary education; D, early childhood education ’92] was selected as Alabama’s 2009 Superintendent of the Year and was one of four finalists for the National Superintendent of the Year award presented by the American Association of School Administrators. Freeman, the superintendent of Trussville (Ala.) city schools, was the first finalist from Alabama (see page 54).
James Albert “Jim” Lovell [B, health and physical education; M, human exercise science ’92] is an athletic trainer for the Atlanta Braves professional baseball team. Elizabeth Lundy [M, English language arts education] became a media specialist at Cary Woods Elementary School in Auburn, Ala., in August 2008.
1989 Glenn Copeland [B, mathematics education] was named 2009 teacher of the year by Lee County (Ala.) School’s Beauregard High School, where he currently teaches algebra and geometry. He has been at Beauregard High School since 1998, and also during that time has coached varsity football, cross country and track and field. Kristi Boutwell Pair [B, English language arts education] is a community education coordinator for Albertville (Ala.) City Schools.
1990 Mary K. Forbus [B, elementary education] of Talladega County (Ala.) Schools is among the 9,600 teachers nationwide who achieved National Board Certification in 2008. Beth Anne Loudon King [B, elementary education; M, learning disabilities ’92] became a collaborative teacher for 10th grade in the Jacksonville (Ala.) City Schools system in August 2008. Tracey Baynes Oprandy [B, elementary education] began teaching second grade at Richland Road Elementary School in Auburn, Ala., in August 2008.
Lisa P. Thorington [B, early childhood education] of Huntsville (Ala.) City Schools is among the 9,600 teachers nationwide who achieved National Board Certification in 2008.
1991 Kellie O. Armstrong [B, foreign language/English language arts education] of Mobile County (Ala.) Schools is among the 9,600 teachers nationwide who achieved National Board Certification in 2008. James Aulner [general social science education: B ’91; M ’97] became assistant principal at Horseshoe Bend School (Tallapoosa County Schools), a kindergarten through 12th grade school in New Site, Ala., in July 2008. Nancy S. Crutchfield [early childhood education: B ’91; M ’93] was named 2009 teacher of the year at Ogletree Elementary School in Auburn, Ala., and Auburn City Schools’ system-wide elementary teacher of the year. Jennifer Lankford Dempsey [M, elementary education], a library media specialist and technology coordinator at Wrights Mill Elementary School in Auburn, Ala., was among 10 recipients — and the only one from Alabama — to receive the Carnegie Corporation of New York/New York Times “I Love My Librarian” Award. The award is given to librarians nationally for their service to communities, schools and campuses. More than 3,200 library users nationwide nominated a librarian. The award made in conjunction with the Alabama Library Association (see page 55). Harvey Glance [B, human exercise science] served as
sprint and hurdles coach for Team USA during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The former “fastest man in the world” has been one of the most recognized coaches in track and field. Currently, the head men’s track and field coach at the University of Alabama for 11 seasons, Glance is slated to also serve as head coach for the U.S. at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin. He is the recipient of the most prominent award of all — the Congressional Gold Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest and most distinguished civilian award presented for both singular acts of exceptional service and for lifetime achievement (see page 14).
1992 Terry Williams [B, mathematics education] completed his residency training in obstetrics and gynecology at the Chattanooga Unit of the University of Tennessee’s College of Medicine. In July 2008 he started as a clinical instructor in the college.
1993 Stacy Lanier Danley Jr. [B, adult education; MEd. administration of higher education ’96] became athletic director at Tuskegee University in April 2008. Danley played football at Auburn from 1987-1990 and was previously associate athletics director at Auburn. He oversees the university’s 12 intercollegiate athletics programs. M. Grant Garner [physical education: B ’93; M ’95] is director of basketball operations for the University of Tulsa’s women’s basketball team. He works with former Auburn basketball player and now-coach Charlene Thomas-Swinson ’92.
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A l u m n i n o te s Cristen Pratt Herring [elementary education B ’93; M ’94] served as principal for Auburn (Ala.) Early Education Center during the 2008-2009 school year. She has worked in the Auburn City Schools system for 15 years in positions that include principal of Ogletree Elementary School and the system-wide director of elementary education. She will return to her central office position at the end of the academic year. Robert Karcher [M, community agency counseling; D, educational psychology ’08] was promoted in October 2008 to assistant dean of engineering student services in Auburn University’s Samuel Ginn College of Engineering. Karcher served as the college’s director of engineering student services for 10 years prior to his promotion. Amelia “Amy ” McNider Van Allen [B, elementary education] of Huntsville (Ala.) City Schools is among the 9,600 teachers nationwide who achieved National Board Certification in 2008.
Deborah Irene Rodgers [D, early childhood education] has been associate dean for student services at the University of Oklahoma since January 2005. She is a former assistant production manager of the Journal of Search in Childhood Education and was the director of the University of Northern Illinois Day Care Center for four and a half years. Jason Yohn [B, social science education; D, administration of elementary and secondary education ’07] has been the principal of Smiths Station (Ala.) High School since May 2007. He was previously the principal of Dadeville (Ala.) High School for three years.
1994 Melanie Hoffman Bass [B, early childhood education] was named the 2009 teacher of the year at Southview Primary School in Opelika, Ala. Pamela Pitman Brown [B, elementary education] is pursuing a doctorate at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
Debbie Sue Donaho [B, elementary education; M, early childhood education ’96] of the Broward County (Fla.) School District is among the 9,600 teachers nationwide who achieved National Board Certification in 2008. Katie Pattillo Fisher [higher education administration: M ’94; D ’98] is an educational consultant and adjunct faculty member in the Lenoir-Rhyne College School of Education in Hickory, North Carolina. Phillip Johnson [B, English education] is now the superintendent of schools for Lanett (Ala.) City Schools. Audrey Peters Marshall [business education: B ’94; M ’99] was named 2009 teacher of the year at Auburn (Ala.) High School, and 2009 system-wide secondary teacher of the year by Auburn City Schools. Debra Smith Teague [B, early childhood education] is currently self employed with Mary Kay Cosmetics and has been a consultant for eight years. Previously, she taught from 1994-2008
in Auburn, Ala.; Burke County, N.C.; CharlotteMecklenburg Co., N.C.; and Prince William County, Va.
1995 Alan “Keith” Fender [M, health occupations education] was named 2009 teacher of the year by Lee County (Ala.) Schools’ Beulah High School, where he teaches healthcare sciences. Matt Kendrick [B, general social science education] was named 2009 teacher of the year by Lee County (Ala.) Schools’ Wacoochee Junior High School, where he teaches eighth-grade world history. Dee Anna Williams Peck [B, early childhood education] is the district technology teacher for Jacksonville (Ala.) City Schools and teaches in the technology departments at both Kitty Stone Elementary School and Jacksonville High School. Roderick Durand Perry [B, health promotion; M, administration of higher education ’88] is senior associate athletics director and
director of administration for Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. Adam Sheppard [B, exercise science] began working as a physical therapist after completing a master’s in physical therapy at the Medical College of Georgia in 1999. Now working as a physical therapist with Careerstaff Unlimited in Fresno, Calif., Sheppard was honored with the company’s National Customer Service Recognition Award.
Legend B: bachelor’s (B.S./BMED) M: master’s (M.S./M.Ed.) D: doctorate (Ph.D./Ed.D.)
1996 Elizabeth Barbery Dunn [M, elementary education] of Hoover (Ala.) City Schools is among the 9,600 teachers nationwide who achieved National Board Certification in 2008.
Play your cards right
and you reward yourself and Auburn students. The new Spirit of Auburn credit card featuring the WorldPoints® program contributes to Auburn’s scholarship fund while building rewards for you, too. By using this card for all your everyday purchases, you share the Auburn spirit by benefiting students who most deserve academic scholarships – at no additional cost to you – and you ultimately help shape the future of Auburn. Even more reason to enjoy redeeming all the points you earn for cash rewards, travel or merchandise. One good turn deserves another.
For more information and to apply for this card, visit www.auburn.edu/spiritcard. The Spirit of Auburn credit card is made possible by the Auburn Spirit Foundation for Scholarships (ASFS), which is affiliated with Auburn University. This advertisement was paid for by the ASFS. For information about the rates, fees, other costs, and benefits associated with the use of this card or to apply, visit www.auburn.edu/spiritcard and refer to the disclosures accompanying the online credit card application. This credit card program is issued and administered by FIA Card Services, N.A. Bank of America and the Bank of America logo are registered trademarks of Bank of America Corporation. MasterCard is a registered trademark of MasterCard International Incorporated, and is used by the issuer pursuant to license. Platinum Plus and WorldPoints are registered trademarks of FIA Card Services, N.A. © 2009 Bank of America Corporation. KeystoneAd_0309.indd 1
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Alumni Spotlight
Melinda Burkhart Trawick [B, elementary education] a fifth-grade teacher at Copper Mill Elementary School of the Zachary (La.) Community School District is among the 9,600 teachers nationwide who achieved National Board Certification in 2008.
grads Moran ’74 proves education track don’t always follow same Benjamin Roger Moran ’74 proves that there are careers
1997 Jeremy Fischer [D, educational psychology] is the director of public and institutional banking for RBC Bank in Hickory, N.C. Jerlando F.L. Jackson [M, administration of higher education] has been selected by the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) as the editor for its ASHE Reader Series, beginning in November 2009. The associate professor of higher and postsecondary education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison will serve a five-year term as editor of the association’s popular compendium series. Lee Ann Jung [special education: M ’97; D ’01] was recently promoted to associate professor with tenure at the University of Kentucky. She joined UK’s Special Education faculty in 2002. Jung is a leading expert on family service planning for young children with disabilities or developmental delays and has conducted the largest study of the quality of service plans for this population to date. She is a frequent national speaker to early childhood special education programs and systems. Her publications in Young Exceptional Children are among the most cited in the journal and are used by numerous programs nationally.
Roger Moran ’74 with Dean Frances Kochan and department head Nancy Barry at the “Auburn on the Hill’’ social with D.C.-based alumni and interns
for education majors outside of the classroom. After working as a middle school math teacher for 22 years, he left the school system for a full-time job in the corporate world.
Moran works for Amtrak in Washington, D.C., as a statistical fuel management analyst. He started his corporate career as part-time statistical analyst with U.S. Airways before moving into a management position. He transferred companies in 2007 when U.S. Airways moved its corporate headquarters to Phoenix.
Moran believes that Auburn’s rigorous education program prepared him for both teaching and the corporate world. While conducting an analysis training session for Amtrak, a senior director commented that Moran must have learned something from all of those education classes he took. Moran credits his success to Auburn’s math and education professors for “knowing their subject matter and training students for the working world.” Moran suggests that current students work hard and enjoy their time at Auburn. He advises graduating seniors to use all available resources, such as alumni and university placement, to get their foot in the door. He encourages students to “seek a job that you like because it will feel less like a job and more of a fun place.” Moran earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary school mathematics from Auburn and a master’s in education from Auburn University Montgomery in 1980. He is an active member in the Metro Washington, D.C., Auburn Club.
Jack “Tre” Munger III [B, English language arts education] teaches at Liberty Park Middle School in the Vestavia Hills (Ala.) Schools system. Farrell Seymore [B, secondary schools education; M, elementary administration ’01] was named the 2009 Central Region Principal of the Year by the Alabama Community Education Association. Seymore, the principal at Opelika Middle School, was selected on the basis of his dedication to community
education and his support of the 21st Century Community Learning Center activities at Opelika Middle School. Jamie Michael Shelton [B, early childhood education; M, special education ’88] was named 2009 teacher of the year by Auburn (Ala.) Early Education Center, where she teaches kindergarten in the Orange Pod.
1998 Evelyn Taylor Baldwin [M, elementary education] was named 2009 teacher of the year by Lee County (Ala.) Schools’ Smiths Station Intermediate, where she teaches fourth grade. Sandra Eloise Bodiford [B, general science education] was named the director of the Troy-Pike Center
for Technology, located in Troy, Ala., in August 2008. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in K-12 educational administration in Auburn’s College of Education. Pepper Hilleke Dellinger [rehabilitation and special education: B ’98; M ’00] is a special education teacher at Sanford Middle School in Opelika, Ala.
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A l u m n i No te s Laura Elizabeth Hall [B, mathematics education] of Jefferson County (Ala.) Schools is among the 9,600 teachers nationwide who achieved National Board Certification in 2008. John Scott Hethcox [M., general science education] of Autauga County (Ala.) Schools is among the 9,600 teachers nationwide who achieved National Board Certification in 2008. Karen Stechman Hickok [M, music education] was named Opelika (Ala.) City Schools’ 2009 elementary
teacher of the year, and 2009 teacher of the year at Northside Intermediate School, where she teaches music. Shelly McKee Munger [M, special education] teaches at Liberty Park Middle School in the Vestavia Hills (Ala.) Schools. Jamie Vann Pruett [B, mathematics education] teaches eight grade science and physical education and coaches varsity boys and girls basketball at Ider (Ala.) School.
Shannon Elaine Pruett [B, early childhood education] teaches second grade at Ider (Ala.) School. Orletta Jackson Rush [B, elementary education] is assistant principal for Clay Elementary School in Clay, Ala. Jennifer Sand Spencer [elementary education: B ’98; M ’08] is a teacher at Montgomery (Ala.) Academy.
Alumni Spotlight
art Burrows ’03 gets to the he ities of helping youth with disabil B r i a n B u r r o ws ’0 3 knows how to captivate an audience as a public speaker. After completing a presentation at the 2007 Alabama Transition Conference hosted by the Auburn Transition Leadership Institute, Burrows turned to his fellow presenter, Trisston Wright, produced an engagement ring and proposed marriage. The moment symbolized the sort of self-determination the happily married couple advocates when touching the lives of youth and young adults with disabilities. Burrows serves as a peer advocate for Independent Living Resources of Greater Birmingham, an organization whose mission is to empower people with disabilities to fully participate in their communities. “The most rewarding aspect is just that, impacting someone’s life in a positive way,’’ said Burrows, who earned a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling at Auburn after completing at bachelor’s degree in special education at the University of Alabama in 1995. “The greatest reward is to see somebody succeed in his or her own life. I try to give them a way to help themselves.’’ Burrows’ current agency provides advocacy, peer support, information, referral services and independent living skills training to people with disabilities of all ages. Burrows said peer support is essential in helping young adults with disabilities face challenges and realize ambitions.
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1999 Susan D. Andrews [D, administration of elementary and secondary education] was selected in December 2008 as superintendent of the 33,000-student Muscogee County Schools district, which is based in Columbus, Ga. (see Page 56). Michael Blankenship [M, marketing education] teaches at Walker High School in Jasper, Ala. George Blanks [D., higher education administration] has been appointed executive director of the Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology (BEST) Robotics program by the BEST board of directors. The program, which began in Texas in 1982 and will now be headquartered at Auburn University, is a nonprofit, volunteer-based organization whose mission is to inspire middle and high school students to pursue careers in engineering, science and technology through participation in a sports-like, science- and engineering-based robotics competition. Blanks will retain his current campus duties as director of K-12 engineering outreach in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering. Sara Elisabeth Boone [elementary education: B ’99; M ’04] was named 2009 teacher of the year by Lee County (Ala.) Schools’ Sanford Middle School, where she teaches eight-grade algebra and pre-algebra. Amanda Jean Farris [B, health promotion] of the St. Tammany Parish (La.) School Board is among the 9,600 teachers nationwide who achieved National Board Certification in 2008. Christopher Haon [B, elementary education] is
a teacher and head coach in the Cobb County [Ga.,] School District. Jill Hughey Harper [B, early childhood education] began teaching kindergarten in the Jacksonville (Ala.) City School system in August 2008. William “Van” Muse Jr. [D, administration of higher education] is director of MBA programs for California State University, Fullerton. In this role, he oversees marketing and recruitment for the MBA and other master’s programs, as well as operations for all MBA programs. Lisbeth Daniell Pierce [M, reading education] currently teaches 11th and 12th grade reading at Auburn High School while pursuing a doctorate in reading education in Auburn’s College of Education. Kelly Cooper Smith [B, elementary education] of Oak Mountain Intermediate School Shelby County (Ala.) Schools is among the 9,600 teachers nationwide who achieved National Board Certification in 2008.
2000 Charles “Chuck” Cooper [physical education: B ’00; M ’04] was named 2009 teacher of the year by Cary Woods Elementary School in Auburn, Ala., where he teaches physical education to first through fifth graders. Melissa Jeffcoat Evans [B, mild learning and behavior disorders] is a teacher with Dothan (Ala.) City Schools. Deanna Faith Marshall [music education: B ’00; M ’04] began teaching middle school band at Drake Middle School in Auburn, Ala., in August 2008.
Al u mn i No t e s Meredith Morrow McClanahan [B, elementary education] of Muscle Shoals (Ala.) City Schools is among the 9,600 teachers nationwide who achieved National Board Certification in 2008. Valerie Stephens Whitt [B, elementary education] is a fifth-grade teacher and assistant principal at Saint Rose Academy in Birmingham, Ala.
2001 Robert “Ward” Miller [B, music education] was named the University of South Alabama’s first-ever band director in July 2008. He was previously an instructor and director of the wood wind ensemble for the Southeast Iowa Concert Band. In addition to his band-direction duties, Miller also teaches marching band techniques for music education majors and oversees the basketball pep band. The creation of the institutions’ band program is in concert with its new NCAA-sanctioned football program. The band and football team will debut in fall 2009. Kimberly Lewis Watson [B, general science education], a seventh-grade teacher at Homewood (Ala.) Middle School, is among the 9,600 teachers nationwide who achieved National Board Certification in 2008.
2002 Chip Arrington [B, health promotion; M, physical education ’08] is a teacher
Legend B: bachelor’s (B.S./BMED) M: master’s (M.S./M.Ed.) D: doctorate (Ph.D./Ed.D.)
and coach with the Eufaula (Ala.) City Schools system. Jonathan Matthew Finch [B, general social science education; M, administration of elementary and secondary education ’07] was named 2009 teacher of the year at Auburn (Ala.) Junior High School. Elizabeth C. Flatt [B, early childhood education], a kindergarten teacher at Euharlee (Ga.) Elementary School, was named the school’s 2008 teacher of the year. Callie Merrill [elementary education: B ’02; M ’04] was named 2009 teacher of the year at Yarbrough Elementary School in Auburn, Ala. James “Jim Bob” Striplin [B, physical education] was named head coach of the New Brockton (Ala.) High School Gamecocks football team in April 2008. He was previously a defensive coordinator at Wadley (Ala.) High School, where he worked for six years. He served as quarterback at Auburn University from 1997 to 1999. James “Jay ” Williams [B, general science education] was named 2009 teacher of the year at Drake Middle School in Auburn, Ala.
2003
Jennifer Edwards [M, school psychometry] earned her doctorate in school psychology from Auburn’s College of Education in August 2008. She is now a school psychologist with the Muscogee County (Ga.) School District. She previously earned a bachelor’s in psychology [2000] and Ed.S. in school psychology [2003] while at Auburn. Russell Hathcock [B, instrumental music education; M, music education ’08] is a band director with the Clay County (Ala.) Schools system. Candice Howard-Shaugh[D, exercise science] was recently promoted and tenured as an associate professor in Troy University’s Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion. In addition to also serving as the department’s interim chair, she was also selected as a chancellor’s fellow, a program that simulates the ACE Fellowship Program. nessy
Jessica Ann Jordan [B, elementary education] teaches eighth grade in the Muscogee County (Ga.) Schools system. Lorie Johnson [B, early childhood education; M, reading education ’08] is a Title I reading teacher at Richland Road Elementary School in Auburn, Ala.
April Threatt Brock general social science education: B ’03; M ’08] teaches in the Opelika (Ala.) City Schools system.
Jennifer McClellan Moon [collaborative teacher special education: B ’03; M ’07] is a teacher in Shelby County (Ala.) Schools.
Greg Crager [B, general social science education] is a teacher in the Baldwin County (Ala.) Schools system.
Chuck Riddle [B, elementary education] is a state conservation officer with the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries.
James Riley Edwards [B, elementary education] is a teacher and coach in the Dekalb County (Ga.) Schools system.
2004 Regina Lynn Bentley [D, adult education] was named
S ince the college created the S tudent A mbassador program in 2003, 110 students have served the college as ambassadors . T he program now allows undergraduate and graduate students to interact with faculty , current and prospective students , alumni and donors . L earn where many of them are now by keeping an eye out for the F, starting with our 2004 alumni notes !
associate dean of academic affairs for Texas A&M Health Sciences Center’s College of Nursing in August 2008. Also a registered nurse, Bentley was previously an associate professor in Auburn’s College of Nursing. Daniel Michael Boatman [B, mathematics education] began teaching at Opelika (Ala.) High School in August 2008. Willieneil French [M, school counseling] is a school counselor in the Fulton County (Ga.) Schools system. Amanda Kirkland LeCompte [M, elementary education] began teaching science at Drake Middle School in Auburn, Ala., in August 2008. FLaura Smith Solomon [B, general science education] is a science teacher at Columbus (Ga.) High School College Preparatory Magnet school. Melissa Ensley Sul[D, early childhood education] is an assistant professor of early childhood education in Columbus State University’s College of Education, Department of Teacher Education.
livan
2005 FAmanda Owens Bain [B, early childhood education] was named 2009 teacher of the year at Wrights Mill
Elementary School in Auburn, Ala. FBlair Bledsoe Bennett [B, exercise science] is a marketing project coordinator with Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc., in Montgomery, Ala. FSarah Miller Brown [B, collaborative teacher special education] has been teaching at Mountain View Elementary School in Cobb County (Ga.) Schools since 2007, after completing her master’s in early childhood special education at Georgia State University in 2006. At Georgia State, she received the Outstanding Master’s Student Award. FCendy Burbic [B, elementary education] completed a master’s in elementary education at the University of Montevallo in 2008. She is a second-grade teacher with Shelby County (Ala.) Schools’ Oak Mountain Elementary. She was awarded the Shelby County First Year Teacher of the Year award. FKemberli Holmes [B, mathematics education] is a junior Web applications programmer for Blue Cross Blue Shield in Birmingham, Ala. Previously, she worked as a math teacher, as well as for Johns Hopkins University working with talented youth at camps held at both Princeton and Stanford universities. FHolly McIndoe [B, business education] is manager
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t h g i l t o p S lumni helping Amazon.com ACla rk ’96 hit right notes
After years as a music education major and a member of almost every Music Department band on campus — including the Auburn University Marching Band — D av i d C l a r k ’96 eventually marched his way to Amazon.com. After earning an MBA in logistics and transportation at the University of Tennessee in 1999, he joined up with Amazon and has been with the company ever since. Now the director of operations and engineering, Clark is responsible for the design and operation of Amazon’s Midwest fulfillment centers and oversees a workforce of several thousand Amazon employees. The Seattle-based Clark credits his experience on The Plains as the foundation of his professional success. “What I do every day ties back to Auburn, my music education and my leadership role there,” the musc education alum said. “Teaching has easily transferred to my career at Amazon because much of what I do involves training and leading others.” “My earliest experience with logistics involved helping [retired director of bands] Dr. Johnny Vinson and [current director of bands] Dr. Rick Good move people, equipment and instruments all around the country” he added. Clark’s work at Amazon.com also includes international components, when shortly after joining the company he led the start up of its first Japanese fulfillment center, from zero to fully operational within six months. More recently, Clark directed the Amazon Customer Excellence System (“ACES”) – Amazon’s global Lean and Six Sigma program. The ACES team also develops training programs designed to help teams improve their processes while reducing waste which allowed Clark to leverage his education training. “Too many people think education degrees only equip you to teach,” Clark said. “My experience proves that it can provide a platform to do much more.”
Learn more about Clark at education.auburn.edu/alumni/spotlights.
can Olympic team during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games (see page 12).
2007
Nell Fleming Womack [B, elementary education] is a sixth-grade teacher at Christ Methodist Day School in Memphis, Tenn.
FCharles “Oliver ” Aaron [M, administration of higher education] is the director of orientation and an admissions adviser with Troy University.
2006 FWilliam Blake Busbin [general social science education: B ’06; M ’07] teaches 12th grade American government and advanced placement U.S. government and politics at Auburn (Ala.) High School (see page 34). FEmily “Anne” Joseph Busbin [B, early childhood education; M, school counseling ’08] began serving as school counselor at Richland Road Elementary School in Auburn, Ala., in August 2008. Andrew Garrett [B, exercise science; M, exercise physiology ’08] is an exercise physiologist with Cardiovascular Medicine P.C. in Marietta, Ga. Stacy Lide [B, early childhood education] is the artistic director for Variations dance studio in Auburn, Ala. Amy Pendleton Stockton [rehabilitation services: B ’06; M ’08] is a rehabilitation counselor in Florida’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Area 2, in Jacksonville, Fla. Lavaris Thomas [B, business education] began teaching at Opelika (Ala.) Middle School in August 2008.
of the Nashville Chamber Public Benefit Foundation in Nashville, Tenn. Mary Rebecca Bracken Etheridge [B, early childhood education] teaches
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second grade at Jeter Primary School in Opelika, Ala. FPenny Helms [B, exercise science] graduated from the University of Alabama Birmingham with a doctor
K e y s t o n e V o l u me VI, 2 0 0 9
of physical therapy degree in December 2008. She is a physical therapist at Children’s Hospital in Birmingham. Maurice Smith [B, adult education] was selected as team captain for the Jamai-
Suzanne Tew-Washburn [D, rehabilitation services] is the coordinator of the Rehabilitation Counseling Graduate Program at Troy University’s Phenix City (Ala.) campus.
FKira Ledbetter Aaron [B, English language arts education] teaches English at Elba (Ala.) High School while pursuing a master’s at Troy University. She remains active with Alpha Gamma Delta through its Troy Chapter. Patricia Lynette Adams [elementary education: B ’07; M ’08] began teaching at Morris Avenue Elementary School in Opelika, Ala., in August 2008. FAshley McCullough Brock [B, general science education] is a science teacher at John Essex High School in Linden, Ala. Emily Coker [early childhood special education: B ’07; M ’08] is a preschool special education teacher with Fulton County (Ga.) Schools. Holly Currie [B, exercise science] is now assistant softball coach at Auburn University Montgomery. She is coaching with Head Coach Christina Steiner Wilcoxson ’99 [B, physical education]. Katherine Elizabeth “Katie” Davis [B, general science education] began teaching science at Drake Middle School in Auburn, Ala., in August 2008. Terra Dixon [business education: B ’07; M ’08] is a teacher with the Mobile County (Ala.) Public School System. Dawn Gamble [early childhood special education: B ’07; M ’08] is a K-6 special education teacher for Wilcox County (Ala.) Schools.
Al u mn i No t e s Kathleen Nicole Gard [M, collaborative teacher special education] began teaching special education at Ogletree Elementary School in Auburn, Ala., in August 2008. Hailey Porter Fant [B, elementary education] is a first-grade teacher with Shelby County (Ala.) Schools. FLaura Haywood Harris [B, elementary education] is teaching first grade at Parkway Elementary School in Tupelo, Miss.
fourth grade at Richland Road Elementary in Auburn, Ala., in August 2008.
2008 Erin Aholt [D, counseling psychology] is a postdoctoral fellow in clinical psychology at Emory University. Rebecca Brower [M, administration of higher education] is pursuing a doctoral degree at Florida State University.
Amy McElroy Henderson [B, music education] began teaching music at Auburn (Ala.) Early Education Center in August 2008.
Tamikia Newman Brown [M, early childhood special education] is a special education teacher and department chair at Troup County High School in LaGrange, Ga.
Joshua Lackey [B, general social science education] began teaching at Opelika (Ala.) Middle School in August 2008.
Nicholas Derzis [M, rehabilitation counseling] is pursuing a doctorate in rehabilitation in Auburn’s College of Education.
FByrne Sanders [early childhood special education: B ’07; M ’08] teaches three and four year olds in Creek View Elementary School’s (Maylene, Ala.) ECLIPSE program.
Caitlin Fuller [M, special education] is a special education teacher with Opelika (Ala.) City Schools.
FBrittany Wright Von Kanel [B, elementary education] lives in Harvest, Ala., and teaches kindergarten at Covenant Classical School. FClarissa Tyon Williams [elementary education; B ’07; M ’08] began teaching second grade at Ogletree Elementary School in Auburn, Ala., in August 2008. Ashley Roberts Wood [elementary education: B ’07; M ’08] began teaching
Legend B: bachelor’s (B.S./BMED) M: master’s (M.S./M.Ed.) D: doctorate (Ph.D./Ed.D.)
Christopher George [B, general social science education] began teaching world history at Auburn (Ala.) Junior High School in August 2008.
She was commissioned by Houston County Elementary School chorus to write a choral piece that debuted at the Georgia Music Educators Association convention in January 2009. Elise Presley Johnson [D, counselor education] is a counselor in the Walton County (Ga.) School System. Amanda Kelley [EdS, elementary education] teaches sixth grade at Opelika (Ala.) Middle School. Ashley Long [B, general science education] began teaching at Opelika (Ala.) Middle School in August 2008. FMartha Manley [B, general science education] will begin teaching eighth-grade science at Liberty Park Middle School (Vestavia Hills, Ala.) in August 2009. Bindu Mathews [M, collaborative teacher special education] began teaching at the Opelika (Ala.) Learning Center in August 2008. FMark McGhee [B, business and marketing education] is a teacher with the Elmore County (Ala.) School System.
FLora Haghighi [B, elementary education] teaches fourth grade at Valley Intermediate School in Pelham, Ala.
Geana Watson Mitchell [D, career and technical education] is an assistant professor at Alabama A&M University in Normal, Ala.
Adriane Harden [B, elementary education] began teaching second grade at Wrights Mill Road Elementary School in Auburn, Ala., in August 2008.
Colby Caroline Nicholson [B, elementary education] began teaching fourth grade at Wrights Mill Road Elementary School in Auburn, Ala., in August 2008.
Christie Leigh Hill [B, exercise science] is now pursuing a master’s degree in exercise science in Auburn’s College of Education. Zoe Hobby [M, vocal music education] is an adjunct music faculty member at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, Ga.
Potential discounts: Annual dues:
$148.50 $45.00
Potential 1 month savings:
$103.50
Kevin Penn [B, physical education] is a combat systems officer with the U.S. Air Force and stationed at Randolph Air Force Base in Texas. Margaret “Maggie” Johnson Saye [B, elementary education] began
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Alumni teaching third grade at Dean Road Elementary School in Auburn, Ala., in August 2008. Ken Scott [D, higher education administration] is a senior instructor of computer information systems at Trenholm State Technical College in Montgomery, Ala. He received the 2008 Southeastern Association for Community College Research Outstanding Paper Award and was a nominee for the 2008 Alabama Community College System (ACCS) Chancellor’s Academic Faculty of the Year award. Brett Self [B, business and marketing education] is pursuing a master’s degree in adult education in Auburn’s College of Education while serving as a graduate assistant coach with Auburn’s women’s basketball team. Michael Sinnott [M, English language arts education] began teaching English at Auburn (Ala.) High School in August 2008. Mary Alice Smeal [D, mathematics education] is an assistant professor at Alabama State University in Montgomery. Jennifer Teel [B, exercise science] is currently with The Orthopedic Clinic in Opelika, Ala. Emily Young [B, elementary education] is a sixthgrade teacher with Talladega County (Ala.) Schools.
IN MEMORIAM Theresa Rushton Robertson [B, elementary education, 1964] passed away October 2008. She and her husband, Richard ’64, long supported the college. Robertson recently concluded two terms of service on the college’s National Advisory Council.
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College’s 2009 outstanding alumnus shapes state educational policy
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uring his tenure as Alabama’s superintendent of education, Dr. Joseph Morton ’69 has served as the driving force behind a number of programs designed to better prepare students for the challenges and opportunities presented by emerging technological tools. Morton has guided the creation and implementation of such measures as the Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative, the Alabama Reading Initiative, ACCESS: Alabama Connecting Classrooms, the Alabama Learning Exchange (ALEX), which received a national “Best of the Web’’ award, and the Alabama Supercomputer Authority, which facilitates connectivity at the K-20 levels. Morton has also facilitated the expansion of advanced placement courses to every high school in the state through improved educational technology. Alabama currently leads the nation in the number of students taking advanced placement exams. As a result of his commitment to improving the scholastic achievement of and building better futures for Alabama’s children, Morton was named the College of Education’s outstanding alumnus for 2009. Morton was honored at the college’s 28th Annual Awards and Recognition Ceremony in April. Morton, who earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Auburn before completing his master’s degree and doctorate at the University of Alabama, became the state superintendent of education in 2004. Before his appointment by the Alabama State Board of Education, he served for eight years as deputy state superintendent of education. During his tenure as state superintendent, Alabama has made significant gains in reading and math assessment scores and has been recognized as a national
K e y s t o n e V o l u me VI, 2 0 0 9
leader in training future teachers and principals. In an effort to combat high childhood obesity rates, the Alabama Department of Education has also implemented initiatives to improve student nutrition and exercise. Morton, a former superintendent for Sylacauga City Schools and Sumter County Schools, has received national acclaim for his work in the last year. In November 2008, the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) honored Morton with its State Policy Maker Award. SETDA represents state directors for educational technology and focuses on using technology to improve student achievement. “The use of technology, combined with effective teaching, is what is necessary to keep students
competitive with their counterparts and prepared for life after high school,’’ Morton said. Morton has been named as the of the top 100 school executives in North America by The Executive Educator magazine. He was also a member of the inaugural classes of Leadership Sylacauga and Leadership Alabama.
D i d yo u k n ow ? E ach year , the college recognizes a graduate who has made outstanding contributions to the profession or the college during the year .
S ee the faces of our past award recipients online at education . auburn . edu / alumni / alumniaward
A l umn i
Tech-savvy superintendent honored as college’s outstanding alumnus for 2008
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r. Ron Saunders ’70, known as the 2008 Georgia’s superintendent of the year and a “techsavvy” K-12 administrator, added the title of College of Education outstanding alumnus to his extensive list of accolades in 2008.
centage and increased the professional learning opportunities for teachers. In May 2007, the school system received an “exemplary” rating from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. All of this has come amid a demographic transformation by the county.
Saunders, who earned a bachelor’s degree in social science education, has held many positions during his career in education. Currently superintendent of Barrow County Schools in Winder, Ga., since 1998, he has been a teacher, assistant principal, principal and staff development director. Before coming to Barrow County Schools, Saunders served as superintendent of Huntsville City Schools for seven years.
Saunders’ work has hardly gone unnoticed. He was selected by the Georgia School Superintendents Association as its 2008 Georgia Superintendent of the Year. Saunders was nominated for the award by the nine-member Barrow County Board of Education on the basis of teacher and student learning, teacher recruitment and retention and partnership development. During his time has superintendent, the teacher turnover rate has dropped from 25 percent to 6 percent and the average SAT score has improved by 42 percent.
Barrow County Schools has greatly benefitted from Saunders’ guidance and vision. Under his leadership, the school system has dramatically increased its teacher-retention rate, reduced the student dropout per-
C o l l e g e o f E d u c at i o n O u t s ta n d i n g A l u m n i : A look at the previous recipients: 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983
D r . J. P hillip R aley ’71 D r . J. T erry J enkins ’83 H edy W hite M anry ’71 G ordon M. S herman ’57 D r . J oyce R eynolds R inger ’59 D r . S hirley K elley S pears ’71 D r . B etty M c C lendon D e M ent ’71 D r . W ayne T eague ’50 D r . J. F loyd H all ’48 A lice “R uthie ” B olton ’90 D r . E arl “B uddy ” W eaver ’62 K ay E. I vey ’67 W ayne T. S mith ’68 D r . J ohn M. G off ’72 no recipient
R eita E thel C lanton ’74 D r . M arilyn C lark B eck ’66 J eanne S wanner R obertson ’67 D r . J ohn H. “P ete ” M osley ’58 D r . G erald S. L eischuck ’64 D r . A nn M. N eely ’77
Once a bucolic, rural community, Barrow County consistently ranks among the top five fastest-growing counties in Georgia and among the top 25 fastest-growing counties in the nation. During Saunders’ tenure, the school system has grown from 11 schools with 7,400 students to 16 schools with more than 12,000 students.
Saunders was also named one of the nation’s top 10 most “techsavvy” K-12 executives in 2008 by eSchool News for his outstanding ed-tech leadership and vision. One of the initiatives he has supported, the Internet2 project, enables Barrow County schools to connect with research universities to expand learning opportunities for students and teachers. Saunders has also been active within Auburn University’s College of Education. He has served on the college’s National Advisory Council since 2002, and he and his wife, Kathy are members of the Dean’s Circle. In 1994, with his mother and siblings, he helped establish the Ronald Saunders Endowed Scholarship, which honors the memory of his father, a 1947 College of Education graduate and a 1985 recipient of the college’s Outstanding Alumnus Award.
no recipient
D r . R obert L. S aunders ’47 D r . M erle R oyston F riesen ’76 D r . W ayne T eague ’50
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Development
Gatorade gift helps quench thirst for research resources Located on the second floor of Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum, the Department of Kinesiology’s Thermal and Infrared Labs represent places where sport and science converge on a daily basis. There are treadmills and cycle ergometers, a heat chamber and shimmering silver capes that enable wearers to block heat absorption. In these labs, researchers can use an infrared imaging system to take non-invasive skin temperature measurements and study such wide-ranging topics as oxygen consumption and physiological responses to exercise. It’s a treasure trove of discovery, and the results of the research conducted within can make a difference in everything from pandemic prevention to sportswear performance. It’s no wonder companies like Gatorade, Dupont, Russell, Under Armour, Nike, L.L. Bean and the Southern Company, as well as the U.S. Navy, take note of the Department of Kinesiology’s findings. Gatorade did its part to aid the department’s cause in 2008 by presenting it with a $57,000 gift that enabled the purchase of new equipment and broadened the lab experiences of graduate students. “We have a wonderful working relationship with [Gatorade],’’ said Dr. Mary Rudisill, head of the Department of Kinesiology and a Wayne T. Smith distinguished professor. It’s a relationship fueled by a shared interest in human performance as well as personal connections. Dr. JohnEric Smith ’00, who earned his doctorate from Auburn in exercise science in 2008 after completing bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the same field at the university, now works for the
Gatorade Sports Science Institute as a senior scientist. He worked under Dr. David Pascoe, Humana-Germany-Sherman distinguished professor and head of the Thermal Lab, while completing his doctorate. Plus, one of Pascoe’s colleagues from the doctoral program at Ball State University works for Gatorade as well. “We have some pretty strong connections,’’ Pascoe said.
They also possess strong reputations for research.
Gatorade and its Sports Science Institute study ways to help athletes improve performance through proper nutrition and hydration. The company’s $57,000 gift to Auburn has helped provide research opportunities for Department of Kinesiology graduate students, as well as some from the College of Sciences and Mathematics who have sought lab experience in the Thermal Lab. Pascoe said it’s not uncommon for major corporations to be keenly interested in what’s cooking inside the Thermal Lab. Over the course of a few years, it has developed research on a number of topics relevant to sports drink and apparel companies — the carbohydrate content of sports drinks, the efficiency of running in the heat and the performance of athletic clothing. “The lab has become very well known for some of the infrared and hydration studies we’ve done so we have these opportunities where companies want to interact with us through grants and gifts,’’ Pascoe said.
Holladay ‘41 enriched lives as extension agent As a child of the Great Depression, Alma Holladay ’41 understood that the value of a college education transcended the money spent on tuition fees. The opportunity to earn a degree came as the result of sacrifices made by her parents during the most trying economic circumstances. She didn’t enroll at Auburn University immediately after graduating from high school because her parents couldn’t afford the $50 a year tuition fee at the time, but they scraped, saved and prepared for a day when they could. “Mother and Daddy decided if we had to do without everything, we’d do it,’’ Holladay said in an interview for the 2004 Keystone. “I was going to Auburn.’’ Holladay, who passed away in January 2009 at 93, made the most of her time on The Plains. The Chambers County, Ala., native earned three degrees from the College of Education, including bachelor’s degrees in mathematics education and home economics education and a master’s degree
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in 1964. After teaching in Gadsden, Ala., for two years, Holladay found her career calling as a home demonstration agent for the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service. The job entailed helping Alabamians develop successful households, whether it involved developing and adhering to a budget or learning how to sew. She worked all over the state, making stops in Conecuh, Baldwin and Russell counties before retiring in 1971. Even in retirement, Holladay continually demonstrated her capacity for helping others. She was a dedicated supporter of the College of Education and other Auburn University academic departments and programs. In addition to being recognized by the College of Education’s 1915 Society as a Pillar of Dedication for contributions in excess of $500,000, including an estate gift, Holladay’s generosity extended to the College of Liberal Arts, the College of Architecture, Design and Construction and the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art.
D evel o p me n t
Coss estate provides permanent endowment for graduate scholarship The late Dr. Arthur Coss and his wife, Ruth, believed in the transformative power of education. The two of them were able to ignite the flame of curiosity in an incalculable number of students through the passion of their teaching and the depth of their caring. They believed in shaping lives and serving others. Arthur Fulton Coss, who passed away in 2002 at the age of 83, accomplished both as head of the Auburn University’s College of Education former Department of Elementary Education for 20 years. Ruth Jarvis Coss, who passed in 2007 at 86, did the same while volunteering with the Lee County Literacy Coalition and in local schools. Arthur and Ruth Coss’ generosity will continue to make a difference in the lives of students. Through a planned gift to the Auburn University Foundation, the couple funded a permanent endowment that will provide graduate awards for students in the College of Education. The Coss estate provided for more than $286,000 in scholarship money. Dr. Kenneth Cadenhead ’64, a former faculty member in the college’s Department of Curriculum and Teaching who retired in 1992, served as executor of the Coss estate. The Arthur and Ruth Coss Graduate Scholarship Fund will support select students who are pursuing either a master’s degree or doctorate in elementary education. According to the graduate award guidelines, recipients must demonstrate “a commitment to teaching, learning and student success,’’ as well as “leadership ability and a concern for the welfare of children.’’ The first Arthur and Ruth Coss Scholar will be selected during the 2009-10 academic year. Arthur Coss, a native of Paw Paw, Ill., came to Auburn University in 1962 after teaching at the University of Mississippi. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Northern Illinois University, his master’s degree from Northwestern and his doctorate from Indiana University. He held teaching and administrative positions in Illinois and Indiana public schools before transitioning into both roles in higher education. A combat infantryman during World War II, Coss earned the Bronze Star, awarded to soldiers for acts of bravery and meritorious service. Ruth Coss, a native of Rhinelander, Wisc., earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and music from Wisconsin State College and a master’s degree from Indiana University. She taught in public schools in Wisconsin and Illinois, as well as in Caracas, Venezuela, and Frankfurt, Germany.
C o l l e g e o f E d u c at i o n E n d ow e d S c h o l a r s h i p s : T he C ollege of E ducation ’ s offered an abundance of scholarship opportunities
in the 2008-09 academic year , including 32 endowed awards for undergraduate students and 11 endowed awards for graduate students . T he list will grow to include 10 more undergraduate awards and six more graduate awards . T he scholarships awarded in A ugust 2008 included :
u n d e r g r a d uat e
H ester W ear A tchison M artin L uther and E xa B eck D r . R alph C arroll and W illie M ae B oles M arsha L ynn B urns B urney G rant and N ancy D avis S cholarship for E ducation L illian C ross D avis B etty M c L endon D e M ent J ohn R. D yas J r . M ildred C heshire F raley M argaret G raves F razier D r . J. F loyd H all H umana F oundation in honor of W ayne T. S mith S am L ong H utchison R ichard C. K unkel J ames W. and E laine B. L ester R. W ayne M c E lrath E ndowed S cholarship in A griscience E ducation R.W. M ontgomery K athryn F lurry and H arrell R ay M organ M ary E lizabeth M organ M emorial J o A nn G ranberry M urrell B.B. and F rances N elson A nnie L aura N ewell S andra B ridges N ewkirk L ucy B. P ittman C harles M. J r . and F rances S kinner R eeves R obert L. S aunders
C ynthia M arvin C oleman S cott P residential S cholarships A ngelo and J oy L ove T omasso in honor of A nna H. and J ames P. L ove E arly H. “B uddy ’’ W eaver R onald J. W eaver Y vonne W illiams T heodore F ranklin and W innifred P hillips Y ancey g r a d uat e
B arbara B ooth B aird E ndowment W endy B aker M emorial E ndowment E lizabeth W illiams B razelton F und for E xcellence C ontinuous I mprovement G raduate A ssistantship D r . F loreine H. H udson E ndowed S cholarship D r . I mogene M athison M ixson E ndowment for A dministration of H igher E ducation J ames R. and F rances R. M olnar E ndowment J o A nn G ranberry M urrell E ndowment D r . D ennis J. S abo M emorial F ellowship P aul W. S cheid M emorial G raduate S tudent A ward G. D ennis W ilson E ndowed G raduate A ward
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Development
2010 Inspiration Awards to shine light on outstanding educators
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o bring focus and honor to those who utilize education in building better futures for all, the College of Education is currently planning a May 1, 2010, event and presentation of its inaugural “Inspiration Awards.’’ The awards, as well as the entire gathering of educators, will bring visibility and honor to teachers, not to mention all those who use education as a means of bettering the lives of others. “This event will stress the nobility of education while highlighting the work of teachers, and those we often overlook as ‘educators’: youth leaders, religious leaders, professional mentors,” said Education Dean Frances Kochan. “There are many inside and outside the classroom who demonstrate how education truly is a supporting keystone in our society.” The awards event will give credit to educators in several ways. An Inspiration Award will be presented to individuals of distinction — one within the state of Alabama and one at the national or international level — who have advanced education through their professional, philanthropic or volunteer efforts. “It is about teachers, but it is also about all people who educate,’’ said National Advisory Council member Kym Haas Prewitt ’86, who is leading the event’s planning committee.
“This event will stress the nobility of education while highlighting the work of teachers, and those we often overlook as ‘educators’: youth leaders, religious leaders, professional mentors. There are many inside and outside the classroom who demonstrate how education truly is a supporting keystone in our society.” Dr. Frances Kochan, College of Education dean
Finally, the broadest way through which the college will honor educators is among the event’s attendance. The college looks forward to this event becoming the largest gathering of educators in Alabama. Prewitt said the event will recognize individuals who are “bright, shining lights,’’ beacons of hope in classrooms and communities as a whole.
School administrators, business leaders, civic organizations and other community and professional groups will be invited to honor educators by inviting those who make a difference in their areas. Educators can be “sponsored” through the purchase of individual tickets or entire tables. Proceeds will ultimately shape future student success since they will support university, school and community improvement partnerships. “This is about partnership for the good of all because that is what education is all about,’’ Prewitt said. The luncheon event is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. in Birmingham, Ala., at the Cahaba Grand Convention Center. The center is easily accessible from I-459 and U.S. Hwy. 280.
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Honoring Educators and Those Who Support Them
May 1, 2010 Cahaba Grand Convention Center Birmingham, Ala. 11 a.m. awards luncheon with ticketed Patrons Reception immediately following Individual tickets, tables and sponsorships available Frequent updates and event contacts are online at education.auburn.edu/giving/inspire
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D o n o r R e co g ni ti o n
1915 Named for the year in which the Department of Education (now the College of Education) was established, the 1915 Society recognizes donors whose lifetime contributions and commitments to the college have reached a cumulative total of $25,000 or more (including outright gifts, pledges and planned gifts).
Pillar of Honor: $1,000,000 or more The Humana Foundation (in honor of Wayne T. Smith) John P. Manry and Hedy White Manry Wayne T. Smith and Cheryl Glass Smith Paul J. Spina Jr. and Bena Spina Anonymous
Pillar of Dedication: $500,000 - $999,999 Charles Fraley* and Mildred C. Fraley* Alma Holladay* Anonymous
Pillar of Commitment: $100,000 to $499,999 AB Dick Company The Alabama Power Foundation AT&T Foundation Martin L. Beck Jr. Ralph Carroll Boles* and Willie Mae Boles The Caring Foundation The Caroline Lawson Ivey Memorial Foundation Jon E. Chancey and Nancy C. Chancey Estate of Arthur F. and Ruth J. Coss Betty T. Freemen Beryl McCann Hathcock* David E. Housel and Susan McIntosh Housel Sam L. Hutchison* The Jessie Ball DuPont Foundation Gerald S. Leischuck and Emily R. Leischuck James W. Lester* and Elaine B. Lester* The Malone Family Foundation James A. Manley and Harriett Manley R. Wayne McElrath John L. Moulton and Betty F. Moulton James L. Murrell Bill W. Newton and Sarah B. Newton Sue Atchison Pearson Joseph J. Russell and Elizabeth Russell Beth Sabo Richard T. Scott Jr. Albert James Smith Jr. and Julia Collins Smith Jerry F. Smith Angelo Tomasso and Joy Tomasso Earle C. Williams and June A. Williams Anonymous
Pillar of F riendship: $25,000 to $99,999 James E. Baker Jr. Ralph W. Banks and Barbara Yancey Banks* Anne Brooks
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The Coca-Cola Foundation The Comer Foundation Laura Haley Creel Edmund C. Dyas IV (in honor of Betty McLendon DeMent) David S. Elder and Judy V. Elder C. Warren Fleming Paul E. Flowers and Barbara M. Flowers Nancy Y. Fortner Byron P. Franklin Sr. and Meriam L. Franklin Ronald O. Gaiser and Judi. B. Gaiser Gatorade T. Gordy Germany* and Gloria Germany J. Floyd Hall and Martha S. Hall William R. Hanlein Floreine H. Hudson James W. Hutcheson and Carol E. Hutcheson Kay E. Ivey Kay Hathaway Jones William Kochan and Frances K. Kochan Donald B. Lambert and Betty V. Lambert Terry C. Ley and Helen M. Ley The Ligon Foundation Carolyn G. Mathews Imogene M. Mixson Jane B. Moore Kathryn Flurry Morgan* Byron B. Nelson and Carolyn Nelson Sarah E. Newell* Sandra Bridges Newkirk Harold Patterson Sr. and Shirley Patterson James Roger Payne and Angela Payne Elizabeth A. Ponder Richard A. Price and Barbara M. Price Charles M. Reeves* and Frances Skinner Reeves Deborah L. Shaw Barry N. Straus and Denise H. Straus H. Earl Turner* John W. Turrentine and Jane H. Turrentine Lila Lansing White J. Knox Williams and Jean Pierce Williams Robert J. Williams and Yvonne Williams Jo Williamson G. Dennis Wilson and Dianne Wilson Mark T. Wilton and Cynthia L. Wilton Anonymous
(members as of December 31, 2008) *deceased
Don or Recog n i t i o n
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Col. Hollis ’55 and Jo Messer ’56 became Patrons of the Keystone.
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Dr. Joan E V. Newman ’78 A Mrs. E JuneNS. ’Nichols ’54R C A C I’70 andC Dr. G Patsy BoydSParker U Mr.EWilliam A. Sr. O F Parker, ED Mr. John R. Parrish ’35 and Mrs. Isabel W. Parrish Dr. Harold D. Patterson ’54 and Mrs. Shirley B. Patterson Mr. Joseph C. Piazza ’62 Mr. Charles M. Reeves, Jr. ’49* and Dr. Frances S. Reeves ’71 Mr. Kenneth W. Ringer ’59 and Dr. Joyce Ringer ’59 Mr. Richard J. Robertson ’64 and Mrs. Theresa R. Robertson ‘64* Dr. Robert E. Rowsey ’73 and Mrs. Luella D. Rowsey ’75 Dr. Joseph J. Russell ’67 and Elizabeth H. Russell ’64 Mrs. Brenda Smith Sanborn ’68 Dr. Robert R. Saunders ’70 and Mrs. Kathleen H. Saunders Dr. Deborah L. Shaw ’84 Ms. Kathryn M. Shehane ’56 Mrs. Marcia L. Sheppard ’60 Dr. J. Carlton Smith ’67 Mr. Jerry F. Smith ’64 and Mrs. Joanne C. Smith Mr. Wayne T. Smith ’68 and Mrs. Cheryl G. Smith ’68 Dr. Ted C. Spears and Dr. Shirley K. Spears ’71 Dr. Tom Taylor ’60 and Mrs. Laura Ann Taylor Dr. Edwin A. Thompson ’73 Mrs. Carol C. Varner ’57 Mr. Harry R. Wilkinson ’64 Mrs. Cynthia L. Wilton ’04 Dr. James E. Witte Dr. Maria M. Witte Ms. Leslie S. Woodson ’80
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Dr. James S. Bannon ’69 and Dr. Susan H. Bannon ’71 Mr. Herman G. Broughton ’05 Dr. Philip L. Browning Mrs. Donna C. Burchfield ’71 Mrs. Nancy T. Campbell ’69 Mr. Jon E. Chancey ’61 and Mrs. Nancy C. Chancey ’62 Mrs. Terrell S. Cheney ’69 Dr. Elizabeth S. Cheshire ’62 Dr. Cynthia A. Cox ’77 Mr. H. Joe Denney ’61 Mrs. Connie B. Forester ’57 Mrs. Betty T. Freeman ’55 Mrs. Judi B. Gaiser ’60 Mrs. Barbara D. Gosser ’60 Dr. J. Floyd Hall ’48 and Mrs. Martha S. Hall Mr. George S. Hall ’89 and Mrs. Nora S. Hall ’99 Dr. Virginia Hayes Dr. James W. Hutcheson ’66 and Dr. Carol E. Hutcheson ‘69 Mrs. Kay E. Ivey ’67 Dr. James Terry Jenkins ’83 THE K E Kennedy ’54 OF Mrs. Martha M. S Dr. William R. Kochan and Dr. Frances K. Kochan E Mr. William D.CLangley ’63 and A N’ S CIR Mrs. Sharon S. Langley Dr. Gerald S. Leischuck ’64 and Mrs. Emily R. Leischuck ’64 Mr. James A. Manley ’60 and Mrs. Harriett E. Manley Mrs. Hedy W. Manry ’71 Dr. Imogene M. Mixson ’63 Col. Hollis D. Messer ’55 and Alyce Jo Messer Dr. Jane B. Moore Mr. Edward F. (Zemmie) Murray ’70 Mr. James L. Murrell ’58 Dr. Byron B. Nelson ’57 and Mrs. Carolyn L. Nelson
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V E future for all. Patrons of the Keystone believe that education is centralNto building a better R R HE T F Patrons of the Keystone demonstrate their support by committing KE Uof theOCollege of Education a multi-year pledge of financial support to the Dean’s SCircle Fund. Each year, donations to the Dean’s Circle Fund provide the resources necessary for the college to exceed current levels of excellence in advancing its tri-fold mission of academic instruction, research and outreach. All alumni and friends of the College of Education are invited to become Patrons of the Keystone by committing a pledge of at least $1,000 per year for a minimum of three consecutive years.
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Katie Bolt discussed the significance of receiving a Keystone-Dean’s Circle Annual Scholarship.
T o see more photos from the 2009 D ean ’ s C ircle D inner , log on to education . auburn . edu / gallery Dr. Debbie Shaw ’84, Dr. David DiRamio and National Advisory Council chair Jim Manley ’60
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of Trust r ecognizing donor s w h o ha ve cont r ibut ed at l eas t $1,000 and mo r e
Anonymous AT&T Foundation Dr. & Mrs. Andrew Baird Dr. Susan Hall Bannon Mr. & Mrs. Ralph Preston Bolt Estate of Dr. Anne Brooks* Mr. Herman G. Broughton Dr. Philip Litimer Browning Mrs. Donna Carpenter Burchfield Mr. & Mrs. Robert Burkholder Mrs. Nancy Tilden Campbell Mrs. Nancy C. Chancey
Mrs. Terrell Smyth Cheney Dr. Elizabeth S. Cheshire Mr. David Henry Clark Dr. Debra Cobia & Mr. Don Adams Comer Foundation Estate of Arthur F. & Ruth J. Coss* Dr. Cynthia Ann Cox Dr. Laura Haley Creel Mr. H. Joe Denney Mr. & Mrs. Wesley Wilkerson Diehl Jessie Ball DuPont Foundation Mr. C. Warren Fleming Mr. & Mrs. Paul Flowers Mrs. Connie Bomar Forester
Meet the college’s new director of development Julie Rogers Nolen ’85 joined the Elizabeth Ponder ’83 in April 2009 as the college’s second director of development. A 19-year Auburn University veteran, she previously served as director of donor relations in the university’s Office of Development. Nolen established a central office for donor relations in 1995 and has chaired and served on several task forces charged with evaluating procedures and increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of development initiatives. During her time with the Office of Development, she managed a staff of three full-time employees and was responsible for overseeing special-event planning, donor reporting and donor agreements. Nolen, who graduated from Auburn with a degree in public relations, served as a conference facilitator for The Hotel at Auburn University & Dixon Conference Center from 1989-94 before briefly working for McGraw-Hill, Inc., as a college sales representative. To read more about Julie and other new College of Education staff and faculty members, log on to education.auburn.edu/facultystaff/newfs.
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Rev. & Mrs. Byron Paul Franklin Mrs. Betty Thrower Freeman Gatorade Mrs. Barbara D. Gosser The Hach Scientific Foundation Mr. & Mrs. George Stafford Hall Mr. & Mrs. William Hanlein Dr. Joseph A. Hastings Estate of Mrs. Beryl McCann Hathcock* Dr. Virginia Hayes Hecht Burdeshaw Architects, Inc. Dr. Nathan L. Hodges Mrs. Susan McIntosh Housel Drs. James & Carol Hutcheson Mrs. Kay E. Ivey Dr. James T. Jenkins Mrs. Laura C. Jinright Mrs. Martha McQueen Kennedy Dr. Maxwell Clark King Mrs. Mina Propst Kirkley Dr. Frances Kochan & Dr. William Kochan Mr. William Dupont Langley Dr. & Mrs. Gerald Leischuck The Ligon Foundation Maj. Gen. & Mrs. Theodore Franklin Mallory Mr. & Mrs. James Autrey Manley Mrs. Hedy White Manry Mr. R. Wayne McElrath Col. & Mrs. Hollis Messer Dr. Imogene Mathison Mixson Dr. Jane Barton Moore Mrs. Kathryn Langlois Munro Mr. Edward F. Murray Jr. Mr. James L. Murrell Dr. Byron B. Nelson Jr. Mr. & Mrs. J. Kirk Newell Mrs. Sandra L. Newkirk Dr. Joan Vignes Newman Mr. William & Dr. Patsy Parker Dr. & Mrs. Harold Dean Patterson Mr. & Mrs. James Roger Payne Mrs. Sue Atchison Pearson Mr. & Mrs. William Frederick Pepper Dr. Frances Skinner Reeves Mr.Kenneth Ringer and Dr. Joyce Ringer
The Auburn University College of Education expresses its gratitude to the many alumni, friends and organizations who are key contributors to the college and its mission. This support helps the college in building better futures for all through its academic, research and outreach initiatives. This list of contributors recognizes cumulative calendar year outright gifts made to the College of Education during 2008.
Mr. and Mrs. Richard J. & Theresa* Robertson Dr. & Mrs. Robert Ellis Rowsey Dr. & Mrs. Joseph Julius Russell Dr. & Mrs. Robert Ronald Saunders Mrs. Lucy T. Scott Dr. Debbie L. Shaw Mrs. Marcia Loftin Sheppard Mr. & Mrs. Albert James Smith Mr. Jerry Franklin Smith Dr. John Carlton Smith Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Thomas Smith Southern Poverty Law Center Drs. Ted & Shirley Spears Estate of Mrs. Frances Moore Stolar* Dr. & Mrs. Barry Straus Dr. & Mrs. Thomas Newton Taylor Dr. Edwin Alfred Thompson Lt. Col. H. E. Turner* Mr. & Mrs. William Jefferson Turner Mr. & Mrs. John Wayne Turrentine Mrs. Carol Cherry Varner Ms. Lila Lansing White Mr. Harry R. Wilkinson Mr. Robert J. Williams Drs. James & Marie Witte Ms. Leslie S. Woodson
Pillars o f L oya lt y r e co g n i z i n g do n o r s w h o h a ve g i ve n $ 5 0 0 t o $ 9 9 9 Mr. Frank Barbaree Ms. Alice Beattie Ms. Linda Louise Bomke Dr. Richard E. Brogdon Dr. Pamela Sissi Carroll Mrs. Wanda F. Coffman College of Education Student Council Dr. & Mrs. Eldridge Ruthven Collins Mrs. Jane Floyd Colvin Mr. & Mrs. Steven Craig Compton Mrs. Jo Teal Davis Mr. Robert Gannon Mr. Phillip L. Garrison Dr. Thomas Earl Harrison Mrs. Brenda J. Hartshorn Mrs. Joan Mize Holder Dr. Bessie Mae Holloway Mr. & Mrs. R. Kenneth Johns Ms. Kate Kiefer
Mrs. Gail Cartledge Laye Mr. & Mrs. Jeff Eugene Leatherman Dr. José R. Llanes Mrs. Lucia Alston Logan Col. William Long Jr. Mrs. Sharon R. Lovell Ms. Frances M. Matters Mr. & Mrs. Wallace Alfred McCord Mr. & Mrs. Dow McDaniel Dr. C. William McKee Ms. Luellen Nagle Mr. & Mrs. C. Ben Nevins Mrs. Karen Stapp O’Brien Mr. & Mrs. Wynton Rex Overstreet Mr. & Mrs. Donald Ray Parmer Dr. & Mrs. Richard Polmatier Mr. & Mrs. David Scott Poole Mr. & Mrs. John Prien Mrs. Marilyn Fletcher Ray Mrs. Brenda Smith Sanborn Dr. James Boyd Scebra Mr. John Major Schuessler Dr. Suhyun Suh Mr. & Mrs. Todd Pershing Thornell Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Hawley Tuberville Mrs. Joan Dickson Upton Dr. & Mrs. Joseph Fredrick Wade Mrs. Susan Carr Wadsworth Mr. & Mrs. Charles Wear Mr. & Mrs. John Michael Weigle Mrs. Teresa F. Wetherbee Mrs. Susan Dryden Whitson Ms. Jane Kerr Williamson Mrs. Edna Hulme Willis Mrs. Cynthia Lee Wilton Mr. & Mrs. Kevin Yoxall
Pillars
of Hope r e co g n i z i n g do n o r s who h a ve g i ve n $ 100 t o $499
Mr. & Mrs. James Lee Adams Mrs. Joyce Adkins Adams Dr. Katrice Annette Albert Rev. Walter M. Albritton Jr. Mrs. Julia Smith Alexander Dr. Lydia L. Alexander Mr. Syed Asim Ali Ms. Holly Ann Allen Mrs. Claire S. Andrews Mrs. Katherine Dixon Anglin Ms. Mary Ann Pugh Arant Ms. Elizabeth Mae Armistead Dr. & Mrs. Richard Crump Armstrong
Key Cont ri b ut o rs Mrs. Anne Marie G. Asbill Dr. & Dr. James Serenous Austin Mrs. Carol Dent Auten Ms. Laurie E. Averrett Dr. Richard B. Backus Mr. David Anthony Baffa Mr. & Mrs. Larry Bailey Mr. William M. Barge Jr. Dr. Diane Ledbetter Barlow Dr. Pat Harris Barnes Mrs. Peggy Walker Barnes Dr. & Mrs. Issac Cornelius Barrett Dr. Mary Sue Barry Mrs. Patricia Brown Baughman Mr. James R. Beardsley Ms. Janis Mills Beavin Mrs. Miriam Rhyne Beck Mr. & Dr. Raymond Beck Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Bennett Ms. Kimberly Bennett Ms. Marian Collins Bentley Mrs. Kitty Adams Bergin Mrs. Barbara S. Berman Mrs. Patricia J. Bethel Mr. David K. Blacklidge Lt. Col. Daniel Wilson Bloodworth Jr. Mrs. Nikki Martin Bodie Ms. M Diane Boss Dr. Robert Ralph Bouchard Jr. Mr. Roger Wayne Bowen Mrs. Camilla H. Bracewell Dr. Carol Campbell Bradshaw Mr. & Mrs. Perry Branyon Ms. Thelma P. Braswell Mrs. Virginia T. Braswell Dr. Kimberly Braxton-Lloyd Mrs. Debra Rowe Brazell-Price Dr. James A. Briley Mr. & Mrs. William Broadway Mr. James Wesley Brooks Mrs. Judilyn Brooks Ms. Beverly E. Brown Dr. & Mrs. Donald Frank Brown Mrs. Kathy Zeigler Bruce Mr. & Mrs. R. Bryant Mrs. Tina Frazer Buchner Dr. Joseph A. Buckhalt Mrs. Karla M. Buffington Mrs. Kathryn W. Bugg Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Bumpers Dr. & Mrs. Ernest Burdette Ms. Kathryn Burnett Lt. Col. Samuel M. Burney Jr. Mrs. Leslie Maloney Burns Mrs. Pallie J. Butler Mrs. Rose Marie Butler Mr. & Mrs. Rodney William Byard Mrs. Maureen Sheppard Byrd Ms. Melanie Ann Cadenhead Mr. Milton Fred Cadenhead Mr. Kermit Caldwell Mr. & Mrs. Frederick Callahan Mrs. Donna McClung Camp Mrs. Charlotte C. Campbell Mrs. Priscilla Pace Cannon Mrs. Linda Mason Carleton Mrs. Molly M. Carmichael Mrs. Donna McArthur Carmon Dr. Jamie Carney Mrs. Deborah Hopkins Carter Ms. Patsy M. Carter Dr. & Mrs. Paul Lewis Cates Mrs. Lea Crumpton Chaffin
W a n t t o g i v e b ac k ? E ndowments T hese invested donations are truly the gift that keeps on giving to the C ollege of E ducation . E ach year , only a portion of the investment income and earnings is spent while the remainder is added to the original principal . A n endowment is a great way to link your legacy with our college ’ s future , as these investments can support students , faculty and programs . M inimum endowment levels begin at $25,000, payable over five years or through a planned gift . T o learn more about establishing an endowment , contact the college ’ s D evelopment O ffice at 334.844.5793 or log on to education . auburn . edu / giving . Mrs. Martha Cox Champion Dr. Russell L. Chandler Ms. Charlene T. Chapman Mrs. Tanya Densmore Christensen Mrs. Julia Parker Clark Mr. Dwight L. Cobb Mrs. Jo Nichols Cochran Dr. Daniel Joseph Codespoti Mrs. Janet Paley Coggins Mr. & Mrs. Charles Jackson Cole Dr. Claudette T. Coleman Mr. Mitt Seymour Conerly Jr. Mr. James O. Conway Mrs. Janice Jones Cook Dr. Milton Olin Cook Mrs. Martha R. Cooper Mr. & Mrs. John Dudley Copham Mrs. Lettie Green Cornwell Mrs. Andrea Duddles Couch Mrs. Lori Dammes Cowley Dr. & Mrs. Julius Grady Cox Mr. & Mrs. John Word Crabbe Dr. Franklin R. Croker Mrs. Diane Myrick Cropp Mr. & Mrs. James Rudolph Culbreth Mrs. Martha Meadows Culley Mrs. Marcia Hilliard Dabkowski Dr. & Mrs. John Carl Dagley Mrs. Beatrice D. Dallas Mr. Joseph Franklin Daniel Mrs. Linnie Luker Daniel Ms. Amber Nicole Darnell Mr. James Carl Darnell Ms. Olivia A. Davis Mrs. Rochelle Morriss Davis Dr. Joseph J. Day Jr. Mrs. Marjorie Sellers Day Mr. & Mrs. David Dean Mr. Dennis Lee Dean Mrs. Jane Gheesling Deaton Mrs. Ann Harris De Hart Mr. & Mrs. S Eugene Dekich Mr. James N. Dennis* Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Dignam Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Dixon Mrs. Faye Hicks Doane Ms. Mildred Dollar Mrs. Almena Fletcher Doss Ms. Dorothy Wilson Doten Mr. Sylvester Van Dowdell Ms. Kathryn R. Driscoll Mrs. Sheila R. Duffield Mr. & Mrs. Michael Howard Dugan Mrs. Elise Petersen Dunbar Dr. Marla Hooper Dunham Mr. Darell Payton Dunn Dr. Patricia Lenora Duttera Mrs. Kimble Manley Eastman
Mrs. Barbara Ham Eilers Mr. & Mrs. Claude Lee Eilert Mr. Mark D. Erb Mrs. Sharon Muse Eswine Ms. Kimberley P. Evans Mr. James A. Everett Mrs. Jodie Brantley Faith Capt. & Mrs. Allen Fancher Mrs. Judith Jones Faris Dr. & Mrs. Charles Edward Farmer Mrs. Rebecca L. Farris Mrs. Martha M. Featherston Mrs. Susan M. Fell Ms. Ann Marie Ferretti Mr. John Arnold Fitzgerald Mr. James L. Flatt Mr. Wade H. Fleming Mrs. Ellen C. Flenniken Dr. & Mrs. Walter Floyd Dr. Jenny G. Folsom Ms. Leigh A. Forman Mr. & Mrs. Glenn Wayne Forrester Capt. Marvin F. Forrester Mr. Rex Frederick Mr. & Mrs. Edwin Fuller Dr. Raymond Bernard Furlong Mrs. Melissa T. Gambill Ms. Joyce L. Garrett Mr. Ronald L. Garrett Dr. Henry Victor Gaston Mr. John W. Gilbert Mr. Thomas A. Glanton Dr. John M. Goff Ms. Carolyn Campbell Golden Drs. Richard & Jennifer Good Mrs. Anne Carpenter Goodell Mrs. Ann Clay Gordon Mrs. Doris Jones Graves Dr. Richard L. Graves Mrs. Anna Holmes Greene Mrs. Sue W. Gresham Dr. Kathryn Uzzell Griffin Mrs. Mary Chambers Gross Mrs. Sylvia Ballow Gullatt Mrs. Candis Hamilton Hacker Mrs. Cindy Nunnelley Hafer Mrs. Helen Johnson Hall Dr. Jane Nelson Hall Mr. Thomas Lynn Hall Mr. Lynwood Hector Hamilton Ms. Helen Frances Hanby Mr. & Mrs. David Timothy Hanes Mrs. Dottie W. Hankins Mrs. Wendy K. Hanle Mr. & Mrs. Ambers Hanson Dr. Jacqueline T. Harbison Mrs. Jennifer Sims Hardison Mrs. Amy Peinhardt Harley Lt. Col. Edgar Harlin Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Roy Harrell
Mrs. & Mr. Jeanne Steinbrenner Harrison Ms. Gwendolyn Elaine Hatcher Mrs. Mary Hunt Hayes Mrs. Cynthia H. Haygood Mr. & Mrs. Roland Shaefer Heard Mrs. Sue R. Hearn Ms. Ann Wynell Helms Mrs. Linda K. Hemming Dr. Mary Catherine Henderson Dr. & Mrs. Elbert Henson Mrs. Sylvia Hickman Hess Mrs. Barbara Reed Hester Mrs. Carolyn Kerr Hickerson Mr. Roger Alan Hildebrandt Mrs. Sara Wade Hill Capt. & Mrs. William Harlan Hinson Mrs. Cathy H. Hoefert Ms. Leah Dawn Hoffman Mrs. Mary Shoffeitt Hoffman Mrs. Deanna Lee Holley Mrs. Kathryn Sansocie Hoppe Mrs. Michal Hearn Hopson Mr. William Patrick Horton Mrs. Vicki Evans Hough Mr. J. Richard Huckaby Mrs. Linda Thompson Hudson Ms. S. Grace Hudspeth Mrs. Nancy F. Huey Mrs. Harriette H. Huggins Mrs. Martha Poarch Huie Mrs. Betty T. Humphrey Mrs. Kathleen Hogan Ingram Hon. Kenneth F. Ingram Dr. Teresa Singletary Irvin Mr. Levyn Wayne Ivey Mr. Charles Timothy Jackson Mrs. Joyce L. Jackson-Noble Mr. & Mrs. Luther Burl James Mr. & Mrs. Lawson Jaquith Mrs. Susan Shaw Jensen Dr. Harold Johnson Mrs. Penelope D. Johnson Mrs. Kittie Helms Johnston Mrs. Susan Johnston Mr. Carlton Richard Jones Ms. Doris Jeanne Jones Mr. & Mrs. Ronald McBryde Jones Mr. & Mrs. Eddy Keel Ms. Susan Regan Keith Mrs. Mary Jane Kelley Dr. Betty Harrison Kennedy Mr. & Mrs. James Thomas Kerr Mrs. Sarah Petit Kerrick Mr. & Mrs. Jack Botts Key Mrs. Catherine P. Kirkpatrick Mr. & Mrs. Timothy Lee Kline Dr. Jane G. Knight Mrs. Lena Smith Knight Dr. John Stephen Kush
Mrs. Judy Liles LaFollette Dr. & Mrs. Donald Lambert Mrs. Barbara Jean Lammon Mrs. Kathleen High Land Mr. Stephen Paul Landram Dr. Wright L. Lassiter Jr. Mrs. Carolyn Ennis Latham Mrs. Karen Leigh Old Lathram Mrs. Deborah Cottle Lawley Rev. Lowell Ledbetter Mr. Sam F. Ledbetter Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Charles Vernon Lemmon Mr. Thomas M. Lesley Mrs. Mary Neill Lester Mrs. Betty Parkman Letlow Mrs. Carol Thompson Lewis Dr. Eddie T. Lindsey Mrs. Elizabeth M. Little Mr. James Alton Lockett Ms. Robin Michelle Long Mr. & Mrs. James Howard Lott Mr. James Albert Lovell Ms. Ellen G. Lucy Dr. Cynthia Rolen Lumpkin Mrs. Jeanne Hall Lynch Mr. D Dale Mann Mr. & Mrs. Steve Leslie Mann Mrs. Vicki Morgan Marley Mr. Mark Elwood Marshall Dr. Everett Davis Martin Jr. Dr. Wayne Gary Martin Mrs. Jan M. Mason Mr. & Mrs. Robert Laird Mayo Mrs. Linda Kay P. McCartney Dr. Theresa Marie McCormick Dr. William T. McCown III Mr. & Mrs. Jim McCracken Mr. Gary D. McCrory Dr. Randall Scot McDaniel Mrs. W. Kaye McDonough Rev. Byron R. McEachern Mrs. Rebecca Burdette McKay Mr. & Ms. James Michael McKee Mr. & Mrs. Robert Darley McLeod Mrs. Anne Garrett McMahan Mr. Stephen Almy McMath Mrs. Paula Stapp McMillan Mrs. Mary Elizabeth McNair Mrs. Virginia P. McPheeters Mr. & Mrs. John Clayton Metcalf Mrs. Joanne Webb Michael Mr. Chipley Shaun Miller Mr. Walter Sammy Miller Mr. Joseph Marvin Mims Rev. & Mrs. Donald Minton Dr. F. Joseph Mitchell Dr. James Carleton Mohan Mrs. Barbara Mull Moore * deceased
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K e y Co n tri b u t o r s Mr. Hal Lamar Moore Mr. Harry Virgil Moore Mrs. Joanna Y. Moore Mr. Sheldon L. Morgan Mrs. Diana Steele Morris Dr. Joseph Bruce Morton Mr. James Herbert Motos Mrs. Karen H. Mullins Mr. & Mrs. Donald Wayne Murphy Mr. Michael Peeples Murphy Mrs. Robin Clemans Murphy Mr. & Mrs. William Tom Nabors Mrs. Lisa Parker Napier Dr. & Mrs. James Nave Mr. Harry E. Neff III Mrs. Brenda Bowen Neisler Mrs. Sandra M. Nesbitt Mrs. Dianne Kimbell Newman Mr. & Mrs. Bradford Nix Dr. Norma L. Norton Mrs. Joy Camp Nunn Ms. Barclay A. O’Brien Col. Dalton H. Oliver Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Russell Julius Olvera Mrs. Alma J. O’Neal Mr. Bob Osborne Mrs. Susan Z. Owen Mrs. Emily Jones Parham Mrs. Dorothy Crump Parker Mr. & Mrs. Howard Parker Mr. & Mrs. J. Dale Pass Mr. & Mrs. Mark Adams Pass Mrs. Mary Jeanette Pate Dr. Rodyna Lynne Patrick Mrs. Susan McKay Peacock Mr. & Mrs. Joe Douglas Pearson Mrs. Virginia Boyd Pearson Mr. & Mrs. Jack Jones Pease Mrs. Mary Reese Peeples Mrs. Gail Roberts Pellett Mr. & Mrs. William Pennington Mr. & Mrs. Jack Peters Mrs. Sharon K. Peterson Mrs. Lucinda O. Petway Mrs. Leigh Farrar Pharr
Mr. Brian John Phillip Mr. & Mrs. Brian Keith Phillips Col. & Mrs. Walton Phillips Mrs. June Neely Piedmont Mr. James Edward Pierce Mrs. Adelia P. Pittinger Mrs. Sherri Hill Plant Mr. & Mrs. William Pollak Mr. Donald B. Powers Jr. Mrs. Glenda Arnette Presley Mrs. Louise Gandy Price Mr. Walter R. Pridmore Mrs. Erma Carlisle Proctor Mrs. Mayrelizbeth P. Pryor Mr. John David Puckett Mrs. Thelma Williams Purdie Ms. Janice R. Pylant Dr. Karen Jackson Rabren Dr. Michael Roy Ragsdale Mr. John Belton Ramage Dr. Ellen Hahn Reames Dr. Cynthia J. Reed Ms. Gwendolyn Ferris Reid Mrs. Jean Brown Reid Mrs. Susan Howes Retzlaff Mr. Mark Richard Dr. & Mrs. Edward Ray Richardson Mr. & Mrs. Dieter Rietz Mrs. Dorothy Laumer Risley Mrs. Patricia F. Robbins Mr. Robert R. Roberson Mrs. Lillian Hussey Roberts Mr. & Mrs. Pat Roberts Mrs. Peggy Frew Roberts Dr. William Ladon Roberts Mrs. Jeanne S. Robertson Mrs. Katie Jones Robertson Mrs. Barbara Bond Robinson Mrs. Christina Graham Robinson Mrs. Carole Pierce Rogers Mrs. Rachel H. Rogers Mr. & Mrs. J. Wayne Roquemore Mrs. Joan Rose Mrs. Tracie C. Rosencrance Lt. Col. John Ross Jr.
Mrs. & Mr. Kelley Lane Rote Mrs. Cynthia B. Rothstein Mr. Michael L. Russell Mrs. Sue Thomason Rye Dr. & Mrs. John Saidla Ms. Linda M. Sand Mrs. Donna Tatom Sanders Mr. Robert L. Sanders Mr. & Mrs. James Sands Mr. & Dr. Alfred Danny Sanspree Mrs. Susan Harris Saudek Mrs. Shirley King Scarbrough Mr. Roger P. Schad Mrs. Elizabeth H. Schmitt Ms. Elizabeth Ann Scott Mrs. Marilyn Roberson Seier Mrs. Kay Richardson Selah Ms. Amelia Leigh Senkbeil Mrs. Martha Jones Senkbeil Mrs. Maura Frances Shaffer Mrs. Elizabeth T. Sheppard Mrs. Carol Curtis Sheridan Mrs. Alisa Walker Shivers Mrs. Kathleen B. Shivers Dr. Lois Angela Silvernail Mrs. Laurie Maurer Simons Dr. Robert G. Simpson Mrs. Ann Blizzard Sims Mr. & Mrs. Charles Eugene Skinner Mr. & Mrs. Kay Slayden Mr. Robert N. Smelley Mrs. Bonnie Lavonia Smith Mrs. Emily Sellers Smith Mrs. Natalie Boman Smith Ms. Rebecca Sanders Smith Mrs. Susan C. Smith Dr. Ernest Clayton Spivey Mr. Robert B. Stacy Jr. Dr. Holly A. Stadler Mrs. Christina Graham Stamps Mrs. Gloria C. Standard Mrs. Jo Spencer Stanfield Mrs. Susan Hester Stanley Ms. Debra M. Starling Mrs. Patricia H. Stemsrud
Mrs. Virginia B. Stephens Ms. Abby Steverson Mrs. Helen Leverette Stewart Mr. John Homer Stewart Jr. Mrs. Linda Long Stewart Mrs. Bonnie Lawler Stinson Mrs. RoseLyn G. Stone Mr. & Mrs. Robert Howard Stowers Mrs. Jane Paxton Street Mrs. Kathleen G. Strickland Ms. Altamese Stroud-Hill Dr. Marilyn E. Strutchens Mrs. Holly Whitt Sutherland Mr. Randall Harold Swann Ms. Julie Louise Swartz Mrs. Patricia H. Swecker Dr. & Mrs. T. Lavon Talley Mrs. Loren Waller Tanner Ms. Deborah Elaine Tatum Mrs. Gayle Jones Taylor Ms. Sonja Kim Taylor Mr. Michael Douglas Tedder Dr. John Waits Teel Mrs. Virginia Perry Teem Mr. & Mrs. Richard Graham Tenhet Mrs. Julie Hundley Terrell Mr. Calvin E. Thames Ms. Patsy Arant Thomas Mr. & Mrs. Sam Thomason Mrs. Deborah W. Thompson Mr. Foy Campbell Thompson Thompson, Garrett & Hines, LLP Dr. Martha Williams Thompson Mrs. Joy Love Tomasso Mr. & Mrs. Elmo Torbert Mrs. Mary Townsend Mrs. Julie A. Tran Dr. & Mrs. James Trott Ms. Evelyn Bibb Tuck Mrs. Durelle Lamb Tuggle Mr. & Mrs. Michael Joseph Tullier Mrs. Debra Usry Turner Ms. Fay Turner
Mrs. Toni Thompson Turpen Dr. John B. Vance Mrs. Rhonda Burks Van Zandt Dr. Martha Hay Vardeman Mrs. Jan Christman Vowell Mrs. Martha M. Wallace Mrs. Amy Lawrence Walton Mr. Marvin Jackson Ward Dr. Douglas Delano Warren Mrs. Virginia Barnett Warren Mrs. Deb Joyner Watson Mr. Harold Otto Watson Dr. Jacquelynn Wattenbarger Mrs. Marilyn A. Watts Mrs. Giscene Rister Weaver Mrs. Laurie McKinney Weitzel Dr. Walton M. Whetstone Jr. Mrs. Nancy Wood Whitaker Ms. Barbara Brown White Ms. Marilyn L. Whitley Mr. Donald Earl Whitlock Mrs. Melissa Bearden Wilber Mrs. Carol S. Williams Mr. & Mrs. J. Knox Williams Mr. & Mrs. James Stephen Williams Dr. Linda Yates Williams Mr. Jeffrey Wade Williamson Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Rowe Willis Mr. & Mrs. Larry Wilson Mrs. Vickie Mayton Wilson Mrs. Carolyn Sutton Wingard Mrs. Sabra Phillips Winkle Mrs. S. Lynn C. Wolfe Mr. Marvin R. Woodall III Mrs. Theles S. Woodfin Dr. Shirley H. Woodie Mr. & Mrs. L. Shelton Woodson Mrs. Emily Corcoran Woste Mrs. Beth Morgan Wright Mrs. Lissa McCall Wright Mrs. Jeanette Milton Wyrick Mr. & Mrs. Luther Young Ms. Lilian U. Zekeri Mrs. Catherine C. Zodrow Mrs. Kathy Zoghby
Put a Tag on your Jag... ...or your Honda, Buick, Mazda or Ford. You’ll immediately be a cool cat. Because your AU tag purchase provides scholarships to Auburn students, you’ll be shaping the future of those who have worked hard to earn it. Personalize your tag with up to six characters. Buy your license plate at the local county tag office and make a difference—you can share the spirit while welcoming new students to the Auburn family. Orange and blue never looked so cool!
www.auburn.edu/cartags New tag design available spring ’09. LTL_KeystoneMagazine_0309.indd 1
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3/9/09 9:06:21 AM
D evel o p me n t
Gift annuity provides a way to say ‘thank you’ to educators
He’s a retired stock broker from Mobile, Ala., who happens to have earned his degree from Auburn University’s Samuel Ginn College of Engineering. He hasn’t turned his back on that college even though he never put his slide rule to use in a professional setting. He continues to support the College of Engineering, but wanted to find an additional way to give back to Auburn. “I couldn’t think of a better way than education,’’ said Hanlein, a World War II veteran who worked his way through Auburn as part of its Co-Op Program. Hanlein’s reasons for supporting the College of Education through a gift annuity were two-fold. He wanted to pay tribute to the educators who helped him build the foundation for a career as a stock broker. Hanlein opened the first E.F. Hutton office in Alabama and 1962 and retired from Shearson, Lehman, Hutton Inc. as a vice president in 1990. He credited the teachers at Mobile’s Murphy High School for shaping his future.
“We really didn’t realize what a good education we were getting until later,’’ he said. A gift annuity represented a particularly beneficial way to say thanks because of the significant tax savings it offers. A charitable gift annuity is a contract between a donor and the Auburn University Foundation. The foundation agrees to pay a fixed annuity to a maximum of two beneficiaries immediately or at a later date in exchange for a transfer of assets by the donor to the foundation. Annuity payments are based on the market value of the assets contributed and the ages of the income beneficiaries. An income tax deduction is allowed for the difference between the value of the gift and present value of the annuity. A portion of the annuity payment may be considered a tax-free return of principal.
Gift Annuities
Bill Hanlein ’47 didn’t graduate from the College of Education, but he still decided to support it through a gift annuity.
Planning for tomorrow
. . . T o d ay
Looking for a fixed income with no market risk?
A charitable gift annuity may be the answer to your search.
By creating a charitable gift annuity, you’ll enjoy dependable and fixed payments you won’t outlive. At the same time, you’ll be supporting the College of Education.
The deferred gift annuity works in much the same way, with a donor making a gift and receiving an immediate income tax deduction. In this case, however, the donor begins receiving his or her annuity payment at a predetermined future date. The amount of the annuity payment may be at a much greater rate than of the standard charitable gift annuity.
• Fixed and secure payments to you and/or a loved one • A current income tax deduction
• Annual income savings
• Future financial resources for Auburn
One Life (Rates Effective February 1, 2009)**
“I love the concept of a gift annuity, considering the financial benefits for both the contributor and the college. It is a wonderful way to secure a steady income stream and make a tax deductible gift to the College of Education at the same time. I invite you to establish one for yourself or a loved one.’’
Frances K. Kochan, Dean College of Education
Your Age
Rate of Return
65
5.3%
70
5.7%
75
6.3%
80
7.1%
85
8.1%
90+
9.5%
**For illustration purposes only: Rates are recommended by the American Council of Gift Annuities, effective February 2009, and are subject to change. Gift Annuities are not offered in all states.
For more information, please contact:
Office of Planned Giving
334-844-7375 / plannedgiving@auburn.edu
A Key s t one in Buil d ing a Bet t er Fu t ure f o r A l l
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Co l l e g e Kn o w le dge
NUMBER OF OVERALL DONORS, by donor category
2008
28
2421
2376 41
17
2007
2162
2093
28
0
500
1000
Individuals
1500
2000
Corporations
2008
2007
Number of Alumni Donors
2,202
1,934
Number of Alumni on Record
29,410
29,909
Percentage of Alumni Donors
7.4%
6.6%
2500
Foundations
COMPARISON OF GIFTS 2008
2007
Outright Gifts and Pledge Payments
$1,463,848
$1,438,431
Outstanding Pledges
$407,095
$330,280
Planned Gifts (FV)
$252,103
$625,000
$2,123,046
$2,393,711
TOTAL
GIVING BY ALUMNI DONORS
OVERALL GIVING, by donor category
2008
2007
$1,440,610
$1,681,452
Corporations
$82,203
$25,437
Foundations
$600,233
$686,822
$2,123,046
$2,393,711
Individuals
TOTAL
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION ENDOWMENTS 7,000,000
DONOR FUNDING DESIGNATIONS
6,000,000
32% 65%
Faculty
3%
Capital (0%)
2008
Programmatic
DONOR FUNDING DESIGNATIONS
3,000,000
80
K e y s t o n e V o l u me VI, 2 0 0 9
$4,766,565.79
$6,142,950
0
$6,718,598
2007
$5,121,026.93
1%
1,000,000
$4,312,963
12%
Capital
2,000,000 $3,749,643.61
36%
50%
Faculty
Programmatic
4,000,000
$2,835,922.96
Student
5,000,000
$2,969,444.36
Student
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008