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Growing stronger through virtual connections

Molly Boudreaux and Barbara Staples got a late start, they like to say. The mentor and mentee met during Boudreaux’s sophomore year. The 100+ Women Strong mentorship match happened after the 2018 April meeting. And while Staples and Boudreaux met a few times on campus, their mentorship relationship grew to what it is today over the COVID-19 lockdown.

5/6/21 8:00 AM

Swimming to the top, Auburn Engineering alumnus sets example for the future

An engineering education takes dedication. Hard work. Perseverance. But for one alumnus, pursuing a degree in civil engineering was just one part of a highly awarded Auburn experience. Gary Schatz, ’78 civil engineering, didn’t hold back when it came to challenges. He matriculated into the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering with a full athletic scholarship. His sport of choice: swimming.

4/21/21 10:00 AM

Kenneth Kelly to address Auburn University graduates at spring graduation

Prominent banking executive and philanthropist Kenneth Kelly will address Auburn’s spring 2021 graduates at 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 30, in Jordan-Hare Stadium, kicking off the university’s commencement weekend.

4/7/21 10:00 AM

Auburn graduate school paves the path for an American Dream

In a small agricultural town in Taiwan, a family of seven struggled through World War II. The second youngest of five, Chin Fa Lin was in middle school when some of his siblings were called off to serve. The pressure was great for him to stay at home and help with the family farm. But Lin’s dreams were greater.

3/16/21 9:05 AM

Fifty years of giving back to Auburn Engineering

From the time he stepped into the country, it seemed almost destined that Pete Cerny, ’69 aerospace engineering, would work on rockets. “Pete’s dad came to the United States in 1957 to work with Wernher von Braun. He brought the family with him. Pete was 11 at the time and could not speak a word of English,” said Peggy Cerny, ’69 business administration. “My husband was smart and determined. He learned English quickly. He wanted to be an aerospace engineer like his dad.”

3/4/21 7:55 AM

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Pair of esteemed professors react to receiving Barkley Endowed Professorships

In 2010, Barkley, a College of Education major who starred on the men’s basketball team from 1981-84, established the Charles W. Barkley Endowed Professorship to celebrate a commitment to diversity among Auburn faculty. Cheryl Seals, an associate professor in the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, and William Powell, a professor and director of choral activities in the Department of Music in the College of Liberal Arts, were selected as the 2020 recipients of the prestigious endowment for their excellence in the classroom and commitment to the university.

2/26/21 11:05 AM

Chair of Auburn Alumni Engineering Council reflects on historic first year

For Kenneth Kelly, ’90 electrical engineering, giving back of his time, talent and treasure is something he considers a duty and an honor. Kelly, who serves as the first African American to chair the Auburn Alumni Engineering Council in its 55-year history, has supported Auburn in a myriad of ways since his graduation more than 30 years ago, but he considers his time with the council as something extra special.

2/22/21 3:05 PM

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NaphCare Charitable Foundation supports Auburn research

In support of Auburn University’s cutting-edge research initiatives, the NaphCare Charitable Foundation has pledged $453,000 for facilities and ongoing research within the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering. NaphCare Charitable Foundation’s generosity will specifically support Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering Assistant Professor Anh Nguyen and his ongoing research.

2/12/21 1:05 PM

Virtual Day of Thanks connects students, alumni, faculty and friends

Students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of Auburn University gathered virtually Friday, Feb. 5 to participate in a Day of Thanks. What would have been the annual in-person Evening of Thanks, hosted by the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, instead took place over Zoom in two different reception sessions.

2/10/21 10:05 AM

Alumni couple shape the future of engineering and business

A Naval ROTC scholarship led John Thomas (Tom) Walter, to the then Alabama Polytechnic Institute. Tom graduated in 1955 with a degree in engineering physics. “Auburn was the Navy’s choice,” said Tom but his experiences on campus, including meeting his wife Jean have kept him connected. Their passion for Auburn University has led them to give back to the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering and the university in a multitude ways. “We have always loved and wanted to support Auburn,” Jean said.

2/8/21 10:35 AM

Chemical engineering graduate sets example for future Black women in engineering

“If I can see you, I can be you.” This is the example Rodmesia Clarke, ‘08 chemical engineering, hopes to set for future women in engineering, particularly women of color. While Clarke was the first in her family to attend college, she says her life was shaped by the hard-working women in her life.

2/8/21 8:05 AM

Chemical engineering alumna lends lasting career advice

“Allow people to see your whole self and be proud of who you are.” This is the advice Shirley Boulware, ’91 chemical engineering, extends to fellow Black Auburn Engineers. It’s also a mantra that she has followed herself throughout her engineering career.

2/3/21 10:05 AM

Mechanical engineering senior awarded prestigious climate control industry scholarship

Christian Fauer, a senior in mechanical engineering, has received the Duane Hanson Scholarship presented by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air- Conditioning (ASHRAE).

11/20/20 8:10 AM

Alumnus, active Rotary Club member, gives back through scholarship

Stepping off the train at Auburn, Alabama for the first time, 17-year-old Bill Smith, ’67 bachelor’s and ’69 master’s in electrical engineering, had never been to Alabama before much less the campus. Luckily, there to help him find his way was a friendly face of the Auburn Family. “I stepped off the train and I had no idea where I was going. I know I looked totally lost,” Smith said. “This nice woman in a car stops and says, ‘Can I help you?’ I told her where I needed to go, I just didn’t know where it was, nor how to get there. She was very kind and gave me a ride.”

11/11/20 10:12 AM

Successful engineer and entrepreneur helps future generations

As a high school student, John Watson, ’60 mechanical engineering, received a call from Jennings B. Whitworth to play football at the University of Alabama on scholarship. The problem was, Watson had made up his mind to go to Auburn. “In ninth grade, I decided I was going to go to Auburn University, which was then Alabama Polytechnic Institute, study engineering and play football,” Watson said. “I had no money, and didn’t consult anyone on my decision. I just made up my mind and knew that was what I was going to do.”

10/12/20 8:02 AM

New Young Alumni Council member supports students through scholarship

When he was just a kid, Jeremy Woods, ‘16 software engineering, was taking computers apart and putting them back together again. He worked with as many electronics and machines as he could get his hands on. And as he grew older, his passion for computers grew. In seventh grade, he knew he wanted to study computer engineering at Auburn. Today, Woods is a successful software engineer at Google, and is a newly appointed member of the Auburn Engineering Young Alumni Council. He also recently established the Jeremy Woods Endowed Scholarship in engineering.

10/9/20 7:58 AM

Auburn Engineering’s Young Alumni Council welcomes new members

The Auburn Engineering Young Alumni Council (YAC) welcomed eight new members in the fall of 2020, the largest class of new members to date. Each of the new members was notified of the appointment in September, and they will participate in the upcoming YAC Spring 2021 activities.

10/5/20 8:02 AM

MartinFederal Consulting, LLC. announces new endowed scholarship

MartinFederal is strongly tied to both the city of Auburn and Auburn University. Corey Martin, founder & CEO, received his bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems and master’s degree in Computer Science from Auburn University. A key aspect of MartinFederal’s vision is to “work to improve our communities” and this scholarship will allow the company to provide opportunities for future engineers as they complete their undergraduate studies at Auburn University.

9/29/20 11:00 AM

New York native sends love to Alabama

Native New Yorker Mary Cordato has a heart for small town Alabama. Born and raised in Brooklyn, her affinity for one East Alabama town was inspired by her father, Joseph Cordato. A native of New York himself, Joseph traveled to Alabama on the train in 1933 to pursue his degree in engineering.

8/25/20 2:02 PM

First computer engineering graduate provides a lifetime of inspiration

One Sunday afternoon, Eldridge Cook went to visit his grandmother in Opelika, Alabama. Her church was having “dinner on the grounds,” and it was there that he met the love of his life, Rhonda. “We met at a church where my uncle was a minister and it was the church Rhonda attended. She was the pianist,” Eldridge said. “My aunt introduced us. She was still in school at Auburn at the time.”

8/10/20 1:06 PM

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Virtual New Student Welcome hosts students, parents and members

More than 100 incoming female engineering students, 60 parents, 60 alumni members of 100+ Women Strong, faculty and staff joined the New Student Welcome hosted by 100+ Women Strong on August 4. The event, which was hosted via Zoom rather than in person, allowed students to hear from Christopher B. Roberts, dean of engineering and interim vice president for development, as well as keynote speaker Susan Story, ’81 industrial engineering. Incoming freshman and current students were also welcomed with a surprise virtual visit from Aubie before joining group breakouts to talk with other students about their upcoming classes.

8/5/20 11:02 AM

Siblings establish endowed scholarship in honor of aunt who paved the way

The Auburn Family is a real phenomenon — any fan will tell you. It is a legacy of generosity, loyalty, hospitality and kindness that extends to anyone who believes in the Auburn Creed and emphatically embraces the “War Eagle!” battle cry. Patrick Duke is one such family member. A 1999 civil engineering graduate whose family grew up in Hueytown, Duke remains loyal to his alma mater and believes Auburn Engineering set him up for success. And in July, Duke and his sister — Auburn Shukla, who is named after the university and graduated in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in rehabilitation and special education — established the Janice Duke James Soaring Eagle Diversity Endowed Scholarship in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering.

8/5/20 9:02 AM

Alumnus, engineering donor awarded distinguished honor by the American Society of Civil Engineers

Auburn Engineering donor George “Edd” Gibson is a proud alumnus. A professor at Arizona State University, Gibson speaks to the ways in which his undergraduate and doctorate degrees in civil engineering prepared him for illustrious career—a career that was recently recognized with one of civil engineering’s most prestigious honors. In June, Gibson was designated a Distinguished Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers. And it is an honor he has not taken lightly.

7/29/20 10:02 AM

Young Alumni Council member inspires through service

Opelika native Joseph Moore, ’08 aerospace engineering, has always been fascinated by space. He recalls having a conversation in sixth grade with a friend about his future career – and how he wanted to be an astronaut.

7/22/20 1:02 PM

Melvin Brewing CEO, Auburn alumnus, talks Auburn Engineering

An expert in food production, Frank Magazine knows his way around a bushel of hops and a brewery. Which is a good thing, considering his current role as CEO of Melvin Brewing Company in Alpine, Wyoming. “It’s my runway to retirement job – my fun job. A small and growing company with great personnel, a great product and great branding,” said Magazine, a 1981 chemical engineering graduate.

7/20/20 11:02 AM

Nashville friends and Auburn alumni pave the way for future engineers

Put engineers in a room together and they will do what they do best: problem solve. Nashville natives Steve Cates, ’85 civil engineering, and Randy Chase, ’85 mechanical engineering, are members of the Auburn Engineering Alumni Council. They say that their experiences as active alumni has made a big difference, both for them and the students and faculty they have met.

7/13/20 12:01 PM

Love for Auburn rings true for two dedicated alumni

The loveliest village on the Plains was made even more welcoming when Ken and Joyce Ringer decided to move into town. The couple – both Auburn graduates – lived, worked and raised their kids in Atlanta. But for their golden years, they wanted to be near their alma mater.

7/8/20 2:02 PM

Passion for Auburn Engineering, communications inspires retired director to give back

A spark of creativity, a dose of imagination – these are the qualities that make an engineer an engineer, according to Jim Killian. Killian – or JK as he is affectionately known to students, colleagues and friends – is the retired director for the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering’s Office of Communications and Marketing. And he isn’t kidding about engineering. The distinct nature of the Auburn Engineering community is what kept him writing for the college for the majority of his illustrious career.

7/1/20 11:02 AM

From coin collecting to cruising, API graduates make a difference at Auburn

Jim and Bettye Ballenger are the retired couple everyone wants to be. They’ve moved across the country several times for work, they’ve traveled the world for pleasure, and now they are settled and living in Florida – the sunshine state. The Ballengers got their start at Auburn, which was then known by a different name.

6/11/20 10:02 AM

Tackling real-world problems, alumna partners with Auburn Engineering’s 100+ Women Strong and Corporate Relations

At a time when the future seems uncertain, Rekha Menon-Varma, a chemical engineering graduate, offers solutions. Vertaeon – the business she co-founded – provides assessment tools and mitigation solutions for risk management. More specifically, Varma’s business focuses on enterprise and supply chain risks and sustainable operations.

5/3/20 9:58 AM

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Auburn alumni couple give back to their alma mater

Michael and Kelly Keyser met on their very first day at Auburn University. Both Michael and Kelly are from Alabama – Kelly from Birmingham and Michael, Fairhope – and both did not originally plan on going to Auburn. Kelly had anticipated going to a smaller, out-of-state school, and Michael originally thought he wanted to go to school in the Northeast. But like so many others, the couple knew Auburn was the school for them after visiting campus in high school.

4/29/20 2:02 PM

Arnold named senior director of Auburn Engineering’s Office of Development

Margaret Arnold has been named senior director of development for the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, according to an announcement by Christopher B. Roberts, dean of engineering.

4/22/20 2:16 PM

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Young alumna advocates for Auburn Engineering

Jasmyne Brown, ’17 industrial and systems engineering, is an advocate for all things Auburn Engineering. As a student, she was a Cupola Engineering Ambassador, a member of the Academic Excellence Program and a mentee for 100+ Women Strong.

4/20/20 12:03 PM

Parents of Auburn Engineering student make first gift in support of RE-INVENT

Connor Taylor is a senior in computer engineering. His parents, Glenn and Sheila Taylor, have taken the lead and made the first philanthropic gift to the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering in support of the RE-INVENT project. The couple first reached out to the college’s Office of Development in early April, after reading about the initiative in one of the university’s online publications.

4/10/20 3:33 PM

Auburn Engineering online provides new opportunities for connection

Working in software development for the federal government in Huntsville, Tara Battle, ’18 mechanical engineering, is the chief engineer of her department. Her career in defense spans many years and areas of expertise. Battle has worked for the government since 2010, and after moving to Huntsville, she decided to go back to school. But she did not want to slow down with work to get her degree.

4/7/20 11:02 AM

Young alumna finds joy, connection in mentorship

As a student, Manda Tucker, ’16 industrial and systems engineering, loved Auburn Engineering. Looking back, she says she “doesn’t remember sleeping much,” with late nights spent studying and preparing for projects. But even with the hours of work she put into her engineering degree, she loved every minute of it.

3/26/20 11:01 AM

Engineering alumna talks Frito-Lay productivity

Making the drive from the largest Frito-Lay facility in North America, Katelyn Rheinlander came to Auburn to spend the day with current and perspective students during E-day. She then took the opportunity to sit down with the communications and marketing podcast team to talk about her position at Frito-Lay, her experience as an Auburn Engineering alumna and member of 100+ Women Strong.

3/6/20 1:07 PM

Vision-sharing 100+ Women Strong sponsor finds strength in diversity

AM/NS Calvert, a joint venture between ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel Corporation, had a lot to say about Auburn Engineering’s 100+ Women Strong program. As new Visionary Sponsors of 100+ Women Strong, AM/NS Calvert sees value in the program—value that aligns with their own vision and purpose.

3/2/20 9:03 AM

Auburn Engineering alumna, 100+ Women Strong member encourages students to soar

Next to the tall windows in Paula Marino’s office sits a bronze eagle. The statue – which rests proudly upon a nearly 3-foot high platform – is a lifelike replica. It’s not an Auburn eagle, “but it’s also not not an Auburn eagle,” said Paula Marino, ’92 and ’95 electrical engineering.

2/13/20 8:03 AM

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2019 in review: Top Auburn Engineering stories of the year

There’s no denying it was a big year for the Auburn University Samuel Ginn College of Engineering. From opening the brand new Brown-Kopel Engineering Student Achievement Center to enjoying a banner year in research, the college had no shortage of notable achievements.

12/31/19 9:13 AM

Sailing through life, civil engineering alumnus charts future for Auburn Engineers

John Steele Henley II, ’63 civil engineering, is not your average retiree. At 80 years old, he races his sailboat competitively. In mid-April, Henley takes his 21-foot racer Brat out of storage, dusts off the residual winter ice and gets out on the cold Virginia waters.

12/15/19 8:08 AM

Disney, speed mentoring match two 100+ Women Strong members

Disney+ may be all the new rage, but it has been connecting folks well before becoming a streaming service. Well, it’s connected two Auburn Engineers, anyway.

11/22/19 12:07 PM

From basketball to engineering to patent law – a philanthropic journey back to Auburn University

A student phone call sparked a philanthropic relationship for aerospace engineering alumnus.

11/21/19 1:18 PM

Drone researcher, alumna, surveys landscape and water systems, lands on 100+ Women Strong

Beth Prior is determined to change the world. And she’s using her Auburn education to do just that.

11/7/19 11:07 AM

Chemical engineering scholarship comes full circle, catalyzing philanthropy and student success

This year’s group of McMillan Family Endowed Scholarship awardees are not the first, nor will they be the last, to find themselves receiving financial support to pursue their educational aspirations. They are the continuation of a long legacy of scholarship recipients who have been touched by philanthropy.

10/30/19 11:07 AM

Gaining a global perspective, two female engineers find support from 100+ Women Strong

Two female Auburn Engineers receive travel awards from 100+ Women Strong to study abroad.

10/23/19 11:07 AM

College of Engineering dedicates $44 million Engineering Student Achievement Center

The Samuel Ginn College of Engineering dedicated the new, state-of-the-art Brown-Kopel Engineering Student Achievement Center on Friday, Sept. 13.

9/16/19 3:11 PM

College of Engineering dedicates the largest rooftop garden in Alabama

The Carol Ann Gavin Garden, the largest rooftop garden in the state of Alabama, was dedicated on Friday, Sept. 13.

9/16/19 2:12 PM

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Auburn wins SEC Engineering Challenge through alumni support

Auburn engineers show steadfast support of the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, resulting in a "W" for the SEC Engineering Challenge.

8/27/19 1:14 PM

Civil engineering faculty member awarded Auburn Alumni Engineering Council professorship

Dongye Zhao has been named the Auburn Alumni Engineering Council Professor in Auburn University’s Department of Civil Engineering.

8/14/19 2:15 PM

The Legend of Nelda

After becoming the second woman to earn an aerospace engineering degree from the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering in 1969, Nelda Lee went on to a phenomenal 45 years in flight and ground test engineering with Boeing. On April 29, 1980, Nelda Lee became the first woman to fly an F-15 Eagle, the plane she helped design and devoted nearly half a century to.

8/1/19 12:00 AM