On the cover After turning a backyard garden into a veggie empire, Brenton Johnson is changing the way Austin eats. Photo by Tommy Lavergne.
Fall 2013 F R O N T 4 From the Editor
Transforming lives, in Auburn and around the world. 10 College Street
Raymond Harbert ’82 ushers in a new era in business education at Auburn. Also: Four departments grow up to become schools, and odds and ends from the era of Gettysburg in its sesquicentennial year.
What football players do all year round.
26 Tiger Walk
Strength and conditioning coach Ryan Russell keeps the Tigers in shape, mentally and physically. Also: a new SEC network and a new baseball coach. B A C K 49 Alumni Center
Tents and tailgates: it must be fall! And a’one and a’two...Clarinet practice in the round.
16 Research
A bedbug tale that will give you insomnia (hint: suitcases go in the bathtub). Also: adaptive fitness and historic growth rings. 20 Roundup
What’s happening in your college? Check it out.
Wearing the signature hat worn by many women of the region, this Quichua native of Quito, Ecuador, is one of hundreds receiving a rare checkup from one of the nursing students and faculty who spend their spring breaks in the Andean capital each year.
F E A T U R E S
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22 Concourse
Through a minor in community and civic engagement, Auburn students learn to be citizens of the world. Also: distance learning.
Clearing the Air
As an aviation investigator for the National Transportation and Safety Board, Lorenda Ward’s job is to ferret out clues from crash sites, twisted bits of metal and data recorders, all with the goal of safer air travel. by clay omainsky photograhy by jeff etheridge
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From Brokedown Palace to JBG
It’s been a long, strange trip for Brenton Johnson as he segued from Deadhead to waterresource specialist. Then he took a left turn into farming and transformed a backyard garden into one of the South’s largest community-supported agriculture farms. by robyn ross photograhy by tommy lavergne
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52 Class Notes 56 In Memoriam 64 The Last Word
Alumna Susan May doesn’t worry about aging. She knows the perfect way to dip into the “Fountain of Youth”—by making a pilgrimage to the Plains.
Life, No Fences
In Quito, a city where children are often tied inside their homes to keep them safe while their parents work, Auburn building science and nursing students break down the barriers. by summer austin photography by jeff etheridge
a u a l u m . o r g Auburn Magazine
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