THE COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS is the intellectual heart of the university, pursuing knowledge and creative expression…

PERSPECTIVESPERSPECTIVES

FIND YOUR PLACE.COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS

13th edition

Cover photograph by Melissa Humble, Photographic Services

As I look back on my first year at Auburn University, I am inspired by what I see—an accomplished faculty who love to teach and to create knowledge, intelligent and hardworking students who strive for excellence, and dedicated alumni who are proud of their liberal arts degree. I am fortunate to have joined such a fine university, and I am grateful for the support that I have received in this first year. I am even more excited about what is to come. In this issue of Perspectives you will get a glimpse about why I am so bullish about our future. You’ll meet many of the outstanding students, faculty, and alumni who make our College of Liberal Arts an exciting place to learn, conduct research, and engage with the people of Alabama and the rest of the world.

One of the most fulfilling aspects of being a dean is getting to know our successful alumni. I’d like to thank Jim Kay ’82 for recently hosting an alumni gathering in the Nashville area. I’m thrilled that you’ll get to meet a few of our exceptional alumni who now call “Music City” home. This past summer was an exciting one for our theatre department with the completion of the new 10,500-square-foot black box theatre and dance studio. You’ll read about this state-of-the-art facility, which will not only benefit our students but also delight audiences from around the region with its exciting shows and performances. I am especially proud of our stellar faculty who work tirelessly to inspire, encourage, and educate our students each day. In this issue you’ll meet Professors William and Rosephanye Powell, among others, who influence the lives of our students and offer support and direction to our leaders of tomorrow. Finally, I’d like to thank our dedicated supporters. Because of your belief in our mission, we are able to provide much-needed scholarship support, faculty support, and program enrichment.

We have much to be proud of here in the College of Liberal Arts. We are the college that prepares students to be leaders today and tomorrow through thoughtful engagement with a variety of experiences and people. I hope that you find as much joy in reading these pages as I did. It is great to be an Auburn CLA Tiger! War Eagle!

Joseph A. Aistrup, Ph.D.Dean

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4NEWS & EVENTSStay up-to-date with campus-wide news and events happening in the College of Liberal Arts.

14STUDENTSGet insight, hear stories, and meet a few of our successful CLA students.

38ALUMNIFrom Nashville to Atlanta, CLA alumni share their stories of success.

24RESEARCH & OUTREACHGet the inside scoop about cutting-edge research conducted by students and faculty, and discover the various outreach programs CLA has to offer.

54NEW & NOTABLEThe college celebrates new additions, innovative programs, published research and creative works, and career milestones of its distinguished faculty and staff.

Dean Aistrup, Aubie, and our students (pictured above) kicked-off National Arts and Humanities Month on October 1 with a barbecue celebration. The College of Liberal Arts hosted a number of events throughout October highlighting the arts and humanities at Auburn University.

perspectives · 13th edition

The cover image features the inside of the Black Box Theatre. Read more about the addition to the Department of Theatre on page 10.

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NEWS& EVENTS

In the College of Liberal Arts, there is always something new

and exciting around every corner—state-of-the-art classrooms

and facilities, award-winning students, and much more.

NEWS & EVENTS

Nooks instead of books. IPads instead of agendas. In an ever-changing, technological world with the next best thing around every corner, it’s only fitting that the traditional classroom setting be revamped to keep up with the times. For this reason, the Engaged Active Student Learning Classroom, or EASL classroom as it’s better known, was born.

The original EASL classroom is a colorfully redesigned room located in Haley Center, created to assist students in engaging with classroom material in a more open, discussion-based environment. Its vibrant appearance exists to promote imagination; its spacious atmosphere opens the floor to anyone ready to contribute to the conversation.

Last spring, the College of Liberal Arts launched the first class in the EASL classroom—Healthcare Quality Management taught by Dr. Cathleen Erwin. Caroline Newman, a senior in health services administration, says the class was one of her favorites at Auburn.

“The EASL classroom played a big part in the learning process by using the different technologies. Every week we would try out something different by using the projector or the glass boards,” she said. “I never really felt like I was stuck in the same routine because there was always something new to learn or use in the classroom, which helped me stay interested. The class was a more hands-on, interactive setting. It's not your typical learn by a lecture or PowerPoint atmosphere.”

Clayton Williams, a senior in communications, was also pleased by his experience in the EASL classroom during a World Literature I class with Dr. Scott Simkins. “[The EASL classroom] enhanced the discussions my class had throughout the semester. The arrangement allowed us to have productive sessions and to really mesh as groups. Circle arrangements have the potential to make discussions livelier, and this one definitely did.”

There has been overwhelmingly positive feedback from students and faculty who have already had an opportunity to take part in the EASL classroom. The university has built a second EASL classroom in the Science Center Classroom Building that seats seventy-two students as opposed to forty-five.

From a student’s perspective, Newman would encourage any discussion-based class to take place in the EASL classroom because it not only helped her grade, but also prepared her for the real world.

“I interned this summer, and I felt more comfortable when I had to go into board meetings because of the use of the table and technology in the classroom,” she said. “I was used to hooking up my laptop to a projector and had practice presenting to everyone around the table.”

For more information about the EASL classrooms at Auburn University, contact Wiebke Kuhn at 334.844.2056 or send an email to kuhnwi1@auburn.edu.

EASLEngaged Active Student Learning classroom, the new classroom for the tech-savvy student

BY | ANNA BETH JAGER

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NEWS & EVENTS

Preserving A Traditon

BY | VICKY SANTOS

Toomer’s Corner has changed a lot in recent years and Gary Wagoner, chairperson for the Department of Art and Art History, has played a big role in the new look. Wagoner had the enormous task of replicating the corner’s beloved eagles. Recasting the eagles is one of the first steps in renewing Toomer’s Corner before new oak trees are planted in 2015.

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In preparation for the grand unveiling of the much-anticipated, newly renovated Toomer’s Corner, Gary Wagoner, chairperson of the Department of Art and Art History, single-handedly took on a huge responsibility—to make replicas of the historic Toomer’s eagles.

Approached in June to recast the Toomer’s eagles, Wagoner had his hands full in every way imaginable. Facilities used a forklift to deliver the 400-pound eagles to the 3-D art studio. There were several discussions on the best way to replicate the marble pair; materials were ordered; a plan was developed; and finally, the iconic duo was covered in a complex silicon-rubber mold which was then peeled off to pick up all the details and recast with a stone compound. The eagles were completed in time for the Toomer’s Corner unveiling on August 22.

“We had some issues with materials being available and delivered, and there were a few other items that occurred in regards to processing and timing,” Wagoner said. “But the project came along well, and I think they sit atop their pedestals as majestic as the originals.”

According to The Auburn Plainsman and TheWarEagleReader.com, the original eagles were placed upon the columns in 1961 and were acquired from a century-old building in Philadelphia. According to these two sources, that makes the eagles approximately 150 years old.

“The marble eagles have withstood the elements in Philadelphia for the first hundred years or so,” Wagoner said. “They have experienced some erosion, and they are rumored to have been vandalized a time or two over the last fifty years they’ve been here at Auburn. So in order to preserve them, I created the replicas to be outside while the originals are housed inside Samford Hall.”

Wagoner said the marble eagles will be on display in the main hall area in Samford, which will make a fitting home for the dignified duo.

The installation of the eagles concludes the first phase of the Toomer’s Corner renovation. The second phase, which includes planting two new oak trees, will be completed in Spring 2015. A rendering of the project can be found at https://www.flickr.com/photos/auburnuniver-sity/8667015088/.

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NEWS & EVENTS

Jake Adam York is a name that might be familiar to you. If you

attended Auburn from 1990-1994, you may have shared a class with

him while he was a s tudent in the Col lege of Liberal Ar ts working on

his English undergraduate degree. If you’re a li fe- long Alabama

resident, perhaps you know York, who was a fi f th-generation

Alabamian, or his family, who s t il l reside in Gadsden. Perhaps he’s

familiar to you as an acclaimed poet and the celebrated author of

four col lec t ions of poetry. And las t ly, you may know his name

because you read his obituary in the Los Angeles Times or one of the

many other notable newspapers that published his obituary when York

died unexpec tedly of a s troke at the age of for ty in December 2012.

HONORING DR. YORK

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NEWS & EVENTS

BY | VICKY SANTOS

Although he passed away nearly two years ago, York continues to receive national acclaim. Natasha Trethewey, a Pulitzer-Prize winning author and former Auburn professor of English, described York’s collection A Murmuration of Starlings as “a fierce, beautiful, necessary book. Fearless in their reckoning, these poems resurrect contested histories and show us that the past—with its troubled beauty, its erasures, and its violence—weighs upon us all . . . a murmuration so that we don't forget, so that no one disappears into history.”

Trethewey, the 2012–2014 U.S. Poet Laureate, named York a Witter Bynner Fellow for 2014. This is one of the highest honors bestowed on a poet by the Library of Congress.

York received his bachelor’s degree in English from Auburn University and then earned his Ph.D. at Cornell. He taught at Auburn briefly and was a tenured associate professor at the University of Denver at the time of his passing.

Keetje Kuipers, an assistant professor of English at Auburn and Southern Humanities Review poetry editor, said, “Jake Adam York’s legacy as a writer of deep conviction and fearless examination recasts our gaze, both in Alabama and as a nation: Looking back into a difficult history can be a terrifying proposition, but, as his poems demonstrate, the tremendous reward is a richly renewed sight that allows not only for witness but also for compassion.”

York discovered his affinity for poetry while working with the faculty of Auburn’s Department of English and went on to write poems that, with both love and anguish, examined race relations in the South—celebrating the triumphs of the Civil Rights movement and questioning, as a native son of the South, his own complicity in its tragedies. The earliest versions of these poems, which went on to garner numerous awards and publication honors, can be found in York’s senior thesis, written at Auburn and housed in the Ralph Brown Draughon Library.

The Auburn Writers Conference held on October 17–18 honored York by awarding the inaugural Auburn Witness Poetry Prize, which is a tribute to him. The winning poem was awarded $1,000, publication in Southern Humanities Review, and an invitation to read at the conference.

“The Auburn Witness Poetry Prize honors not only York’s

work, but also his deep and enduring commitment to his home and community in Alabama and Auburn,” Kuipers said.

A recent collaboration between the Department of English in the College of Liberal Arts and the School of Industrial and Graphic Design in the College of Architecture, Design, and Construction not only honored York but also introduced another generation of students to his body of work. Students in Robert Finkel’s Introduction to Graphic Design class collaborated with creative writing students in Kuipers’ Poetry of Southern Witness class on a project commemorating the 50th anniversary of integration at Auburn University. The poetry class read several of York’s books in preparation for the project. Graphic design students were then paired with poetry students to visually interpret their own poems that related to the themes and issues surrounding integration and the Civil Rights movements. The designers spent three weeks concep-tualizing, sketching, and designing each poem, which resulted in sixteen broadsides. At the final presentation, poets read their works, and the designers discussed their process and design decisions.

“York’s work skillfully navigated both the pride and the shame of the Civil Rights movement, and, as all great poems of witness do, his work continues to light a way toward understanding. One of Auburn University’s great legacies is the poetry of its alum Jake Adam York. In asking my students to write about the history of integration at Auburn on this 50th anniversary of that great event, I hoped that their own poems would honor both our celebration of integration and the memory of Jake’s work,” Kuipers said. “Seeing the clean, crisp broadsides that Robert Finkel’s students produced from those poems was a revelation. Not only did it deepen the power of the work on the page, but I was so moved by the care and attention that both the writers and the designers took with this weighty material.”

The project was chosen to be displayed in the Auburn University Multicultural Office in the Student Center this fall. Kuipers concluded, “I am proud to have been part of a collaboration that brings art together with a greater awareness of social justice on our campus.”

A POET’S LEGACY

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NEWS & EVENTS

BY | VICKY SANTOS

The expansion of the

Auburn University Theatre

building includes a new black

box theatre and a dance

s tudio (pic tured below).

A Season for Change: Telfair Peet Theatre Expansion

Construction of a new black box experimental theatre and dance studio is complete at Auburn University’s Telfair B. Peet Theatre.

The $3.9 million project is a two-story, 10,471-square-foot addition to the existing theatre, featuring a 1,500-square-foot dance studio, a production space that will accommodate up to 150 patrons, and the first wire tension grid at a university in the state of Alabama. The new space will expand production possibilities and provide the latest theatre technology, training, and education for students.

“We have a growing music theatre program and dance minor, but didn’t have a full-sized dance studio until now. The room we had been using for dance classes was small and had a very low ceiling. It’s hard to do ballet lifts in a room with a ten-foot ceiling,” Department of Theatre chairperson Scott Phillips said.

The addition boasts a completely digital lighting control system; engineered sprung flooring in both the theatre and studio; a wire tension grid that allows safe access to lighting, cables, speakers and effects; additional lobby and office space; and a new drop-off drive for patrons of music and theatre events.

“The addition of a fully-functional black box space is huge for us,” Phillips said. “Not every production is suited for a traditional proscenium stage, so this will allow us much greater variety in what we can offer the public and will serve as an important and distinctly different training venue for our students and faculty.”

The musical-comedy “Nunsense,” directed by Professor Dan LaRocque, was the first production to take place in the new Black Box Theatre addition. “It is quite an honor,” LaRocque said of directing the first performance in the new space. “The addition to Auburn’s Telfair Peet Theatre facility brings a long-sought goal to fruition by providing a critical component for the education and training of our students.”

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NEWS & EVENTS

BY | VICKY SANTOS

A View from the SidelinesThe School of Communication and Journalism and Auburn Athletics have partnered to allow students the opportunity to learn about sports production, sports public relations and the ability to contribute content to the SEC Network. The SEC Network is owned by ESPN, and debuted on Aug. 14.

The channel is dedicated to coverage of college sports sanctioned by the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The network has committed to televising 45 football games, 160 basketball games, 75 baseball games and 50 softball games annually, in addition to original programming, to provide content 24 hours a day. Students are playing a big role in making these productions happen.

"THE FEELING YOU GET WHEN YOU KNOW THAT YOUR WORK IS BEING VIEWED LIVE BY 87,451 PEOPLE DURING FOOTBALL GAME IS QUITE THE ADRENALINE RUSH. THERE IS NO SECOND TAKE, AND YOU HAVE TO PERFORM AT A HIGH LEVEL EVERY SINGLE TIME."

Andrew Young, the assistant athletics director for video services, and Weston Carter, the director of video services, are teaching introduction to sports video production to twenty-four students, and in the spring semester will also teach advanced sports production. Cassie Arner, the associate athletics director for strategic communication, will teach a class in strategic communication this spring. The spring courses will meet in Athletics’ new facility that will house two state-of-the-art control rooms.

“It is fantastic when our students are able to supplement their educational coursework with real-world experiences, such as the ones that AU Athletics and the SEC Network are providing,” said Jennifer Adams, director of the School of Communication and Journalism. “These professional experiences and the ability to network with some of the best in the sports business while in school will undoubtedly prove beneficial to our majors when they graduate and are seeking full-time employment.”

Austin Lacy (pictured left), a senior in media studies, began working the Auburn University High Definition screen in Jordan-Hare Stadium in December 2013, and is now part of the student-production team for the SEC Network.

“It has been a remarkable experience,” Lacy said. “The feeling you get when you know that your work is being viewed live by 87,451 people during football games is quite the adrenaline rush. There is no second take, and you have to perform at a high level every single time.”

Auburn hired nine employees to oversee the on-campus operation. Under the banner of War Eagle Productions, the crew, which includes 40 students, will produce live events and coaches’ shows and develop video content for Auburn’s website, AuburnTigers.com.

The Auburn University Mock Trial Competit ion Team has won at leas t

one award every year s ince joining the American Mock Trial Associat ion

(AMTA) in 2008, and 2014 was no exception. Awards this year include

Bes t Attorney, Bes t Witness, and Spiri t of AMTA, not to mention placing

in the top t iers of competit ion agains t teams like Duke University,

UNC-Chapel Hil l , University of Alabama, University of Florida, and

University of Georgia.

Earlier this year, the Auburn University Mock Trial Competit ion Team won

firs t place in the third annual University of West Florida Argo Invitational

hos ted by the UWF Mock Trial Team and sponsored by Stetson University

Col lege of Law. In February, they par t icipated in the AMTA Regional

Tournament where the team t ied with the University of Georgia for third

place in the tournament, with two teams from Duke University winning

firs t and second place.

BY | VICKY SANTOS

LESSONS IN LITIGATION

MOCK

TRIAL

“These students are incredibly talented,” said Dorothy Wells Littleton, who is the practitioner-in-residence for the Auburn University Pre-Law Scholars Program and faculty advisor for the Auburn team. “They are hard-working and dedicated, and they work together as a team in the truest sense of the word.”

A mock trial is a simulation of a criminal or civil trial in which students portray witness or attorney roles. The trial consists of two teams who act as either the plaintiff/prosecution or the defense. Each team presents its side of the case in front of three judges who score the team members based on their performance. Each team has its own witnesses and attorneys and must be prepared to argue both sides of the case at the tournament. Most competitions consist of four rounds in which teams compete twice as plaintiff/prosecution and twice as defense. Rounds last approximately three hours each, and tournaments are held over a period of two or three days on weekends. Each team consists of 6–10 members who play both the prosecution/plaintiff and defense sides of the case.

An advisory board of attorneys and judges consisting of Auburn University alumni was organized for the 2014–15 season to mentor and coach the Auburn team. The mock trial competition class, which is offered by the Department of Political Science in the College of Liberal Arts each spring and taught by Littleton, gives interested students a chance to learn about the AMTA Rules of Evidence, a shortened version of the Federal Rules of Evidence, Procedural Rules, and trial advocacy skills.

“The team has to be thoroughly prepared because they don’t know whether they will be prosecuting the case or defending the case until the competition starts,” Littleton said. “Then there are these people they’ve never seen before judging them, and team members don’t know who will be called to the witness stand or who they will cross-examine.”

Alyson L. Smith, who graduated in May with a double major in political science and English, was the president of the mock trial team last year and was with the team her

entire four years at Auburn. Smith said that although training for competition is rigorous, she feels it was one of her most rewarding endeavors.

“There is so much preparation and intellectual stamina required for mock trial,” Smith said. “It’s such a commitment, and at times there’s a lot of stress. But you also learn a lot about yourself, and you learn that if you work hard enough, you will be successful.” Smith is currently attending the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University as a merit scholar.

The AMTA serves as the governing body for intercollegiate mock trial competition and also holds an annual competition season that runs from February through April. All teams from any undergraduate institution are eligible to register and compete. Students who engage in the trial simulations develop skills such as leadership, public speaking, critical thinking, rhetoric, and persuasion, as well as knowledge of legal practices and procedures.

To fund Auburn’s excellent Mock Trial Competition Team, development officers in the College of Liberal Arts help facilitate networking receptions and fundraisers by collaborating with alumni throughout the Southeast. The funds raised go toward the costs of attending invitationals and regionals. Expenses include travel, lodging, gas, food, participation fees, and demonstratives (graphics that are enlarged and enhanced for courtroom presentations).

“Currently, expenses are paid for through private donations,” Littleton said. “We’ve been able to fund the entire year through gifts to the Auburn University Foundation made with a Mock Trial designation, and we hope to continue to be able to do that because quite a few of our students would not be able to participate otherwise. We have very talented and deserving students who simply do not have the resources to participate on the Mock Trial Team without the private funding.”

To support the Mock Trial Team, please contact the College of Liberal Arts Office of Development by calling 334.844.1483 or emailing libart1@auburn.edu.

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NEWS & EVENTS

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STUDENTSStudents in the College of Liberal Arts are dedicated, passionate,

creative, and engaged. They are at the core of the Auburn family,

and these are just a few examples of our exemplary scholars.

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STUDENTS

There are very few places in the world that can preserve the past quite like a museum. Unlike scanning pictures in a textbook, visiting a museum and standing in front of tangible pieces of history can be a form of time travel. Museums, with their enormous,

towering marble walls, hold secrets of ancient civilizations, keep the legacy of heroes alive, and act as a tribute to fallen men and women of a different time. With all the mystery and intrigue enclosed behind museum doors, it’s no wonder Auburn University senior Kate Justement spent a majority of her summer working in one.

After studying abroad in Rome with the Department of Art and Art History, Justement, a Birmingham native, landed back at home for only one night before packing up her things once again to begin her adventure in Washington, DC, for an internship at the Smithsonian Museum.

“It was a curatorial internship, [but] it was a little bit different than regular curatorial work, which is just organizing exhibits and getting them all ready for show,” Justement said. “I started this new loan recovery project. I was at the archives of American art specifically, and from the 1950s through the 1990s a lot of artists loaned their materials to us to microfilm, which is an old version of copying, and we had to give them back because they wanted to keep them.”

As a history and anthropology double major with a classics minor, working at the Smithsonian was right up Justement’s alley. She spent a majority of her time attempting to find

Kate Justement: Her Future is Studying the Past

contact information for artists or the heirs of deceased artists so they could recover their microfilms.

“We wanted to reacquire them, conserve them, and organize them for our archives. I had to work on locating those artists, which was basically a lot of Internet stalking and being very creepy. [After I found them], I

BY | ANNA BETH JAGER

had to email them and reestablish that relationship and connection so we could hopefully get their materials permanently.”

After graduation, Justement hopes to find herself back in a big city with plenty of people and museums.

“I really love museums. I like what they entail and how they educate people about history. I also really love ancient history, so my ideal goal would be to combine those two interests and work in a museum that has ancient art or archaeology.”

In the end, the College of Liberal Arts has been a large factor in nurturing Justement’s love for studying the past.

“I’ve just really appreciated the opportunities [the College of Liberal Arts] has given me.”

STUDENTS

SEE A PLAYHead to Telfair Peet Theatre to watch theatre students bring down the house and show off their hard work in any performance throughout the school year.

GO TO BIGGIN ART GALLERYCheck out the unique artwork and projects created by art students and visit exhibitions by artists from around world.

GET AN INTERN-SHIPNot only will getting an internship help you learn about and navigate through possible future careers, it will look stellar on a resume and will definitely work as an advantage with potential employers.

SEE THE AU SINGERS CONCERTWatch the Singers tear up the stage with an always-eclectic performance of classic tunes and current hits alike.

WRITE AN ARTICLE FOR THE PLAINS-MANWriting for The Plainsman isn’t just for journalism majors. In fact, all majors are encouraged to submit ideas and articles for the weekly university paper, which is a great opportunity and something neat to add to a resume.

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CLAFEED///10 THINGS CLA STUDENTS SHOULD DO BEFORE GRADUATION

CLAFEED///10 THINGS CLA STUDENTS SHOULD DO BEFORE GRADUATION

STUDY ABROADDelve into a new culture, meet new people, see the world, and get class credit in the process. What could be better than that?

PULL AN ALL NIGHTER IN RBD LIBRARYEveryone eventually has that one test or paper that will keep him or her up into the wee hours of the morning.

TAKE A CLASS IN AN EASL CLASS-ROOMNot only is using an EASL classroom a unique opportunity, but it has also proven to be a better academic experience for students.

VISIT YOUR ADVISOR SOON AND OFTENYour advisor is your best friend when it’s time to sign up for classes, so don’t wait until the last minute to meet and create an academic plan for yourself. They are there to answer any questions and are always ready to help!

GET YOUR HEARING CHECKED FOR FREE Going to concerts and listening to bands is fun, but you might not realize that it can cause hearing loss. Get checked at the Speech and Hearing Clinic in Haley Center and catch any problems early.

678910STUDENTS

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STUDENTS

>>Close relationships with professors and advisors>>You never get lost in Haley>>Actually enjoying your classwork>>An education that gives you a more open mind and broader worldview >>An ability to connect learning across many different disciplines

“The best thing about being a liberal arts student is the warm sense of knowing that what we’re doing now will positively impact so many in the future.”

FAITH MOSTELLASENIORSOCIAL W0RK

THE GOOD STUFFWHAT'S THE BEST THING ABOUT CLA? OUR STUDENTS GIVEUS THEIR FEEDBACK.

DID YOU KNOW?

Source: Hart Research Associates. It Takes More Than a Major: Employer Priorities for College Learning and Student Success (Washington, DC, American Association of Colleges & Universities, How Liberal Arts and Sciences Majors Fare in Employment, 2014).

1/3 of all Fortune 500 CEOs have liberal arts

degrees.

Humanities and social science majors (including those with graduate degrees) at their peak earning ages, 56-60, earn $66,185 —some $2,000 more than professional and pre-professional majors.

80% of employers agree that, regardless of their major, all college students should acquire broad knowledge in the liberal arts and sciences.

9 out of 10 employers want those they hire to demonstrate ethical judgment and integrity, intercultural skills, and the capacity for new learning.

3 out of 4 employers want more emphasis on critical thinking, complex problem-solving, written and oral communication skills, and applied knowledge in real-world settings.

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When people think theatre, they think bright lights, big names, and the busy sounds of London, New York City, or any other place where college theatre students flock to after they graduate, prepared to start the grueling process of clawing their way through

theatre. He found his internship through the Southeastern Theatre Conference’s job fair and with the help of Auburn's Tom Aulino, an assistant professor of theatre who was a part of Weston Playhouse’s program in the past.

Through his position, Dyleski had the opportunity to interact with all of the departments within Weston, rather than just a specific one, which was one of the reasons he enjoyed it so much.

“[As production manager], you see all of the different pieces come together. A lot of times, if you’re working in a specific department, you just see what’s going on there, and as production manager you get to see the big picture and how that comes together,” he said. “There are some people that are just interested in stage manager or just interested in scenery, and I kind of have an interest in all of it, so this position in the theatre gives me the opportunity to be a part of all of it.”

Managing departmental budgets, taking notes at meetings, book keeping, and many other responsibilities kept him busy with 14–16 hour workdays all summer long. While the work was constant, everyone on staff worked as a collective unit to help keep things running smoothly and efficiently, and Dyleski enjoyed every minute.

“When everyone comes together, everyone is living and breathing for the company. It’s not like you go home and have your own life. We all live together, we all eat together, and some people actually live in the theatre.”

Through his internship and his job on campus, Dyleski has utilized his time in the College of Liberal Arts (CLA) by nurturing his passion for theatre. Dyleski’s experience with CLA has been a meaningful one that has allowed him to expand his horizons with a broader spectrum of knowledge than what he expected to receive.

“What I love about the College of Liberal Arts is it provides resources for us to be successful. I feel like most students don’t realize that, but they have everything you could possibly need to be successful, and a lot of places don’t have that,” he said. “Our college experience is very different than most. You could go to a school and learn to do just what you want to do, but we have the opportunity to learn lots of things.”

BY | ANNA BETH JAGER

minimum wage, part-time lifestyles to make it to the big time. That’s what happens in the movies, at least. But in reality, working in theatre doesn’t always have to be so cutthroat. Even with all the hype big cities have gained when it comes to theatre, for Auburn University student Taylor Dyleski, a playhouse tucked away in the mountains of Vermont would do just fine.

The little town of Weston, Vermont, sits contentedly with just over 600 people making up its quaint population. The rest, some 200 others, come around every summer to make up the dedicated staff of Weston Playhouse. This summer, Dyleski was one of those people.

Built in 1935, the Weston Playhouse, residing in the heart of Vermont, is the state’s oldest professional theatre. Over the course of a summer, it has seven shows in a little over 12 weeks with the help of a committed and ambitious staff. Dyleski, who works as the Department of Theatre’s production stage manager during the school year, had the unique opportunity to contribute to a much faster paced environment with many experienced staffers at Weston helping him along the way.

“The nice thing that I really love about this place is they invest in people,” Dyleski said. “There are some amazing people working up here…it’s kind of an oasis for people to get out of the city and work, because there’s a lot of stress in doing theatre in New York City. The people up here I’ve been working with, some are Tony winners, and they’re just incredible.”

Dyleski, a production management major, spent his summer at Weston Playhouse as the production management intern, which involved overseeing all departments within the

BEHIND THE SCENESSTUDENTS

STUDENTS

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Unfortunately, in today’s age, this isn’t the case anymore. Summertime is no longer just for bikinis, martinis, and Katy Perry tunes by the pool because summer is when internships are in full swing for college undergrads everywhere. With the very first tentative sips of bitter coffee, brand new Loft pencil skirts or Jos. A. Banks suits, and a top-of-the-world feeling, internships give college students everywhere a fresh chance to show their stuff in a way tests and quizzes can’t. In fact, according to Alan Seals, an associate professor of economics, internships are becoming increasingly more important than any other contributing factor on a resume, forcing all college undergrads to somehow find the motivation to ditch summer days by the pool and replace them with summer days in the office.

Seals, along with economics professors John Nunley and Adam Pugh from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and Nicholas Romero from the University of Pennsylvania, conducted a study to find out what was really going on in the job market for new graduates. Their findings, which were recently featured in The Wall Street Journal, may surprise you.

From January through July of last year, Seals and his fellow researchers created 9,400 fictitious résumés for supposed recent graduates and sent them out to more than 2,000 online job openings in Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Dallas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and Portland. The research results suggested that an internship could likely be more important for a career than actual classwork, and a major itself was significantly less important to employers than having an internship in a related field. For example, according to Seals, an English major with an internship at a bank proved more likely to get a job at a bank than a finance major with no experience at all. It’s not just about having a specific degree. You have to not only know your stuff but also have actually applied it somewhere, which Seals pointed out in a Wire Eagle article earlier this year.

“The internships have a remarkably large and long-lasting effect on subsequent employment opportunities. This explains why so many young people are willing to work as interns for so little or even, where allowed, for nothing at all.”

College of Liberal Arts health administration graduate Dillon Thompson can attest to how internships have benefitted him in the real world. Thompson completed an undergraduate internship in Prague at GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals as a

marketing trainee. “Employers are looking for a degree, but more importantly

they are looking for potential employees that have actual real-world experience,” Thompson said. “As a matter of fact, I have recently been granted an internship at the University of Kentucky. The director who interviewed me was impressed with the fact that I had actual meaningful work experience and had completed an internship in Prague.”

Alexander Mendez, a senior double-majoring in political science and history, also believes his internship was a successful networking opportunity for the future. Mendez interned in Miami for Republican Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen from Florida’s 27th Congressional District, working with the head of legal counsel and the director of communications.

“My internship with Congress has allowed me to meet political heroes of mine and also gain connections in various offices,” Mendez said. “It has opened the door for the possibility of being hired by a member of Congress and shown me the realities of political life—it’s not just shaking hands and kissing babies. Internships are extremely important for college students because you are able to gain experience in a field you find interesting while gaining experience working in a professional environment, something that cannot be taught in a classroom.”

Over the past couple of years, multiple curriculums in the College of Liberal Arts have added a required internship before graduation, and a vast majority of students can attest that this has been a successful strategy for building their future. Now, with Seals’ research, it is a proven advantage as well.

“Having a mandatory internship before graduation really helped me when I was deciding on how to further pursue my education and the field of study I was interested in,” Thompson said. “I am always asked in interviews, ‘How much experience do you have in this field?’ As college graduates, usually the response is none. Having the internship really helped me have a positive answer to that question.”

In the end, that exotic dream of a summer trip to Cancun or an extended vacation in Europe may need to be put on hold at least a little while longer.

Thompson added, “No one ever starts out on top; you have to work your way up. If the internship is in your field of study and for a company you want to work for, I say, go for it.”

BY | ANNA BETH JAGER

When summer vacation is around the corner, trash bins overflow with old papers and a post-apocalyptic silence settles over campus as students push responsibilities to the back of their minds for the next three months, because that’s what summer is for, right?

INVESTING IN AN INTERNSHIP

STUDENTS

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FavoriteProfessor

The College of Liberal Ar ts is full of passionate professors

who truly care that s tudents not only understand the course

material, but that they are excited about it as well. Don’ t jus t

take our word for it though. Here are a few of our s tudents

who confess that some of their all-time favorite professors

have made their college experience something special.

“Chase Bringardner has helped me further develop my love of theatre and has challenged me to think critically in the classroom and on the stage. I have taken many different classes with him, and he succeeds in making each one uniquely interesting. As a theatrical director, he has given me many opportunities to express myself and take risks that have made me a more confident person and performer.”

— Daley Browning, Senior, Musical Theatre

Chase Bringarder

“My favorite professor in the College of Liberal Arts is definitely a tie. First, my Drawing I and Drawing II teacher, Ty Smith, is the reason I am still an art major, and he helped me gain confidence in my artwork which then transitioned into life in general. The next professor that helped me was Chuck Hemard. I am focusing on photography, and he really gave me the encouragement I needed to find my passion in photography.”

— Emily Gaines, Senior, Art

TY Smith & Chuck hemard

“My favorite professor I’ve had so far is Dr. Gadzey from the Department of Political Science because he makes an effort to get to know his students, and if you make the same effort to get to know him, he is incredibly interesting and has lived an amazing life. Dr. Gadzey gives every student a chance to succeed in any of his international relations classes, and he always wants you to learn more.”

— Eleanor Hudson, Senior, Political Science

Anthony Gadzey

“In FLSP 4030 (Spanish Conversation for the Health Professions), Dr. Socarrás took a personal interest in each student, basing grades on individual improvement throughout the semester. This really forced me to work on my own weaknesses and become an overall better Spanish speaker. During a trip to Mexico this spring, I found myself speaking the language more freely than I ever had before. Dr. Socarrás is a phenomenal teacher, and I would recommend her to any student wanting to learn Spanish.”

— Kevin Lazarus, Junior, Spanish & Chemistry

Gilda Socarrás

“My favorite professor in the College of Liberal Arts is Mr. Jonathan Newman, my Principles of Macroeconomics teacher. He always went the extra mile to make the material in class and questions on tests relatable to the class. It really showed that he cared about our understanding of the topics we discussed, and he made sure that it was always in a form that we could all understand. It certainly made the class more interesting and fun!”

— Padric Lee, Sophomore, Economics & Marketing

Jonathan Newman

“I’m a double major in music performance and public relations, and my flute professor, Dr. Karen Garrison, was always there to offer support and encouragement, even if I wasn’t coming to her about music. She knew I was pursuing two degrees and wanted to help me excel in both, not just music. She pushed me to not only learn the music on the page but to want to learn more about it. Who was the composer and what are they trying to communicate? These questions made the music I was playing more understandable and much more enjoyable.”

— Brenna Seymour, Senior, Music Performance & Public Relations

Karen Garrison

BY | ANNA BETH JAGER

It's A Balancing ActFrom the classroom to the arena, Lucy Igoe—a senior political science major from Columbus, Ohio, and a member of the Auburn equestrian team—sets an example as a successful student-athlete. A three-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll, Igoe was an NCAA honorable mention academic all-American last year, was named first alternate for the NCEA national collegiate equestrian challenge in November, and has been a Top Tiger three years running (awarded to student-athletes with a 3.0 cumulative GPA or higher). Igoe’s main event is horsemanship, which earned her a Most Outstanding Player (MOP) award. After graduation, Igoe plans to attend law school and practice either family law or entertainment and sports law. I sat down with Lucy to talk with her about her achievements as a well-rounded student-athlete.

BB: How do you balance academics and athletics?LI: It’s a struggle sometimes, but mainly it’s time management and planning ahead. Our coaches really emphasize that you’re a student-athlete, so you’re a student before you’re an athlete. School and academics are something that we really value on our team.

BB: What have been the biggest challenges in balancing the two?LI: Not procrastinating. When you get home from practice it’s really easy to just lie in your bed and not want to do anything. And having self-discipline to get up and study. Even when I’m not required to go to study hall, I make myself go and get things done.

BB: What have been your biggest achievements?LI: Athletically, having a winning record last year in my junior season, high scores at nationals, and a MOP honor at Delaware Sate. Academically, consecutive Top Tiger awards and probably just having a steady GPA all through college and not letting it drop below what I wanted to achieve while I was here.

BB: What advice would you give to other students balancing multiple commitments?LI: Time management, but make sure you have fun also. Take it seriously, but don’t kill yourself over a test. If you get a bad grade, you can always bring it up with the next one. I know I did that a lot my freshman year; when I would receive a bad grade I would get so down on myself and then really not concentrate on the next one. As long as you stay focused, you’ll get through it. And have fun, because if you don’t have fun, then it’s not really worth it.

BB: How do you think being a student-athlete prepares you for your future professional and personal life?LI: Being ready for anything to happen; it’s kind of unpredictable sometimes. And really just believing in yourself and knowing that whatever you have to do, you can do it if you put your mind to it. Never give up on something you really want to do.

BY | BETHANY BRODERICK

A total of 215 Auburn student-athletes were named to the 2013–14 Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Rolls for the fall, winter, and spring. Almost 25% of those students were from the College of Liberal Arts. The following is a list of CLA recipients:

BaseballBrett BinningConnor ShortKeegan Thompson

EquestrianMargaret BarlowPiper DonnellyQuincy HayesLucy IgoeGriffin KnightRachel LinDanielle LongMorgan McQuayHailey MungerMary SmithJennifer Waxman

FootballCameron Artis-Payne Reese DismukesBen DurandTrent FisherCassanova McKinzyCody ParkeyGreg Robinson

GymnasticsBrittany Webster

Men’s GolfTimothy BentonMichael HebertVictor HenumWill LonBlake Messer Victor Wiggins

Women’s GolfCatherine QuinnMegan Wilshire

SoftballEmily CarosoneMcKenzie Kilpatrick

Men’s Swimming & DivingJames Disney-MayPeter Haas

Women’s Swimming & DivingSarah ReynoldsShanna Shuelein Hallie Stupp

Women’s TennisOlivia BennettPaula de Man

Men’s Track & FieldKane Grimster Clifford Lee

Women’s Track & FieldVictoria Bernardo Susan GivensEbony MorrisonAmber MurrellShelby O'Neill Samantha Scarlett

VolleyballCourtney McDonaldCiara RichardsChloe Rowand Sarah Wroblicky

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In keeping with Auburn’s mission to become a preeminent university, CLA faculty and staff

actively participate in research and outreach initiatives that have far-reaching impacts.

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Doctors Laura Plexico and Mary Sandage, both from the Department of Communication Disorders, along with Heidi Kluess (College of Education) and Rita Patel (Indiana University), received a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The grant from NIH’s National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders will award the researchers a total of $457,644 over the next three years. The funded proposal is titled “Multi-System Measurements of Hormonal Influence on Voice Production,” and focuses on understanding the influences of hormone fluctuation on voice function in pre- and post-menopausal women.

“Understanding how menstrual cycle affects women’s voice is a really important aspect of clinical assessment and clinical care,” Sandage said. “Women have more voice disorders than men, and one of the primary physiologic differences is hormones—so it seems like a logical place to explore.”

Plexico said that they had some expectations of when voice function would be optimal or less optimal in females, but that their initial data didn’t support their original hypotheses, which is why this study is necessary. “A lot of females engage in teaching jobs, and the vocal load is quite demanding,” Plexico said. “So if we know there are certain times of the month when they are more susceptible to experiencing problems, we can figure out what some recommendations could be in terms of helping to alleviate those issues.”

To learn more about the Department of Communication Disorders and their faculty and services, please visit their web site: http://www.cla.auburn.edu/communicationdisorders.

Mary Sandage (left) and Laura Plexico (right) from the Department of Communication Disorders received a grant from the National Institutes of Health to understand the influence of hormones on voice function in pre- and post-menopausal women.

BY | VICKY SANTOS

HORMONAL INFLUENCEON VOICE PRODUCTION

Dr. Kenneth Noe has taught Civil War history for a quarter of a century in classrooms but also in a host of public venues across the nation from Atlanta to Seattle. He is the author or editor of seven books and has

written many articles and essays. He was a Pulitzer Prize entrant and the winner of the 2003 Kentucky Governor’s Award, the 2002 Peter Seaborg Book Award for Civil War non-fiction, and the 1997 Tennessee History Book Award, as well as the recipient of several teaching awards. Noe, a former president of the alabama historicial association currently serves on the board of editors of civil war history and was a

consulant to the nbc series, “who do you think you are?” He was also the editor of the recenlty published book, the yellowhammer war: the civil war and reconstruction in alabama, so it seemed fitting to talk with noe about the most common questions he is asked about the civil war as we approach its 150th anniversary.

the Constitution was ratified in December 1865. Up to three million African Americans were still legally enslaved when the war ended. The Federal Congress had moved against slavery in various ways during 1861 and 1862, hoping to give slaves a reason to flee to Union lines while punishing slave owners. Then the Emancipation Proclamation announced that on January 1, 1863, all slaves held in areas still controlled by the Confederacy on that date would be declared free. Some people look at this and conclude that the Proclamation couldn’t free anyone. But in fact, there were already enough escaped slaves behind Union lines that Union army units proclaimed freedom to perhaps 25,000 people or more on January 1. By the end of the war it had directly freed about a half million souls as Union armies advanced it through the South. But it still took a constitutional amendment to end it everywhere for everyone. Although several of the facts were garbled, that was the point of the recent movie Lincoln.

Why did the Confederacy lose the war? When someone asked George Pickett this question once, he replied, “The Union Army had something to do with it.” But in general, historians divide into two groups when they answer it. “Externalists” agree with Pickett and Robert E. Lee at Appomattox, that the Confederacy was outmanned and outgunned on the battlefield, and, in the end, lost the war militarily despite general unity among the white population. “Internalists,” in contrast, argue that the Confederacy could well have won had it been more united, but that race, gender and class conflicts, and bad policies coming out of Richmond

What do you think caused the war? This is the question I get most frequently. I usually point out that this is actually two different questions. Historians disagree greatly about why men enlisted in the one of the two armies. Some point to slavery, but others stress a whole host of social and cultural issues—everything from peer pressure to questions of masculinity to bounty money. There’s no agreement, as I was reminded when I wrote my own book on the subject. But if you look at the entire series of events from the war with Mexico right up to secession and Fort Sumter, and watch the dominoes fall, the common denominator is always the potential expansion of legal slavery into the west and what that meant for its survival where it already existed. But don’t take my word for it. Several state conventions issued their own versions of the Declaration of Independence after secession, and they were quite clear about their determination to protect slavery from the Republicans, just as Lincoln was equally adamant that he believed secession was unconstitutional and he wasn’t going to accept it.

By the way, be wary of the statement commonly proclaimed on the internet that only 4 or 5 percent of white southerners owned slaves. Those figures don’t count the wives or children of legal slave-owning men. The percentage of white slave-holding families was more like 30 percent in 1860.

Did the Emancipation Proclamation free the slaves? Isn’t it true that it didn’t free anyone? The Proclamation didn’t end slavery nationally in the United States; that didn’t happen until the Thirteenth Amendment to

RESEARCH & OUTREACH

WITH DR. KENNETH NOE

Inside the Civil War

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divided the population and undermined civilian morale to the degree that the Confederacy imploded from within. To use the popular phrase from the time, the mass of southern whites came to see the conflict as “a rich man’s war but a poor man's fight.” In general, these interpretations seesaw through the decades, and right now “externalism” has risen back up in popularity. Auburn students, however, are very good at pointing out that battlefield and home front were connected, and that elements of both approaches have to be considered. I’m probably right in the middle myself.

The facts don't change, so why do revisionist Civil War historians keep changing their minds? The facts don’t change, but the questions that concern us sometimes do. After the war and Reconstruction, many people thought it safer for the survival of the republic to focus on the shared bravery of the battlefield rather than causes and effects. The veterans themselves created a fascination with “battles and leaders” that persists to this day. One prolific author was the former Confederate general James Henry Lane, who ended up as an Auburn professor and George Petrie's father-in-law. Coming out of World War I, a war that increasing numbers of Americans regretted, scholars started wondering if the Civil War also should have been avoided. Some of them came to believe so and focused on leadership in the 1850s. After World War II, a “good war” that, in contrast, seemed absolutely necessary, all the doubts about the Civil War seemed to disappear. The great historian Bell Wiley drew on studies of World War II soldiers to try to understand why Civil War soldiers fought. The Civil Rights revolution got

historians thinking anew about the role of race and gender in the Civil War, as well as about Reconstruction, while Vietnam stimulated research into matters such as dissent. Common soldiers also started receiving great attention. Not long after I arrived at Auburn in 2000, I noticed a sudden deep interest in religion and the war. Right now, I’d say that our experiences in Afghanistan and Iraq are leading directly to Civil War historians studying tragic issues such as refugee camps and veteran suicide while emphasizing the high cost that the Civil War levied. Every generation of Civil War historians has been a product of its times, in other words, and has constantly revised what came before.

What are you working on now? I’m writing a book that details the effect of weather and climate on the Civil War. While my interest in weather goes back to being a farmer’s kid in Virginia, I really started thinking about its role in the war when I wrote a book on the Battle of Perryville, which took place in the middle of a devastating drought. Weather conditions during the war were frankly unusual, sometimes extreme, and I think more important than we have admitted.

Did your ancestors fight in the Civil War? I’m descended from five Confederate cavalrymen, four in the 16th Virginia Cavalry and one in the 9th Virginia Cavalry. Four of the five were captured before the end of the war, so I assume they weren't any more graceful on horseback than I am.

The Yellowhammer War: The Civil War and Reconstruction in Alabama, is a collection of new essays that examine Alabama’s roles and experiences in the Civil War. The book is now available on-line and in bookstores.

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BY | VICKY SANTOS

RESEARCH & OUTREACH

Over 100 high-and mid-ranking officers arrived in Auburn in June and July to listen to lectures from Bowling and Sophocleus. As part of Air War College (AWC) and Air Command and Staff College (ACSC), the officers were here to experience an American university and fulfill educational requirements. Both AWC and ACSC are divisions of Air University.

On June 19, Sophocleus lectured on American economics and the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution to forty-five high-ranking international officers from forty-four different countries.

“I was indeed honored to be asked a third time to speak to this group of exceptionally bright young officers from across the globe,” Sophocleus said. “What I can teach them about how our economic system was designed to operate may get them to understand us, and better still, they may one day be in a position to explain and understand the merits of market allocation (over despotism) to adopt and improve in their nations. I can’t imagine many get the opportunity to lecture to such an esteemed international group who will be future world leaders.”

On July 16, a group of sixty-five mid-ranking international officers from approximately sixty different countries arrived to attend Bowling’s lecture about the American system of federalism and the division of powers between the federal, state, and local levels of government.

“Teaching people outside of the university benefits me as an instructor in what I learn by talking to constit-uencies,” Bowling said. “Whether it is election officials in our Election Administration Program or talking

with foreign officers, it is always crucial. They always end up teaching me something as well.”

The Air University, headquartered at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, is the USAF’s primary center for professional military education.

“My preparatory course is responsible for educating the officers on a number of different objectives,” said USAF Major Layla M. Sweet, director of the ACSC preparatory course in the International Officer School. “Our curriculum is designed to build partnerships as we prepare international military leaders for success as they graduate and go on to attend our professional military education programs.”

Sweet said that she typically brings the group to tour Auburn’s campus and wanted to offer them a unique experience in an American university setting through the College of Liberal Arts.

“Each year we take our international officers to Auburn and do the campus tour. We survey the officers after the trip, and the last three years the students expressed an interest in hearing a lecture from the College of Liberal Arts as part of their exposure to the American University and Education Field Studies Program,” Sweet said. “A lecture by a professor within the College of Liberal Arts can offer the international officers a perspective much different than that taught by the military instructors at Air Command and Staff College in regards to state politics.”

Both Sophocleus and Bowling said they find the lectures to be a positive experience and look forward to hosting lectures again next summer.

This summer, Cynthia Bowling, a professor in the Department of Political Science,

and John Sophocleus, an instructor in the Department of Economics, both gave

lectures to international military officers from the United States

Air Force’s (USAF) Air University.

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Music has the power to move people to clap, to shout, to cry, to come to their feet. Last summer one Auburn dynamic duo, music professors Rosephanye and William Powell, and their passionate choir gave an enraptured audience at Carnegie Hall

the opportunity to feel the power of music in an extraordinary way.

Rosephanye is the coordinator for voice studies and is renowned as one of the leading female composers in America. She has published an extensive repertoire of pieces with the nation’s most preeminent publishers. William is the the director of choral activities and a nationally esteemed conductor and arranger. He has guest conducted in concert halls, churches, and landmarks around the world.

“It’s all-consuming. We have colleagues who are in other areas, and they’ll talk about how they may teach on certain days of the week. Well, we teach every day, all day. And we’re here in the evening because that’s when the performances occur,” Rosephanye said.

Yet the busyness of this talented twosome’s schedule does not dampen their passion for igniting in students a love of music and bringing compelling performances to their audiences. This past year, Rosephanye was commissioned to compose a work based on the biblical prophet Jeremiah’s plea to God to fulfill his promise of justice for his people. She entitled this compelling, spiritual work The Cry of Jeremiah.

“It was exciting. On the front end, when you’re composing the work, it’s pulling teeth,” Rosephanye said. “There are points when you feel inspired, but composing those four movements and telling the prophet’s story was an adventure, a journey.”

The Power of MusicBY | BETHANY BRODERICK

William conducted the Auburn University Chamber Choir’s performance of The Cry of Jeremiah across Alabama, which led to an exceptional performance in Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City. With the moving narration by Rosephanye, the skilled conducting of William, and the unbridled energy of the Chamber Choir, the audience could not help but cheer in between each movement

and audibly express their amazement throughout the performance—both of which are normally inappropriate in a concert hall.

“The orchestra players were even stunned,” William said. “If you know orchestra players, you know that this doesn’t happen. They were putting down their bows and turning around when they

weren’t playing. They were that affected.” In addition to their stellar musical talent and exceptional teaching, the Powells radiate with love for one another and a love for Auburn and the College of Liberal Arts. This power couple has dedicated their lives to upholding the mission of the Department of Music and to the enrichment of the Auburn community.

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French culture has inspired sonnets, danced its way through every hopeless romantic’s dreams, and exists in a language of love. French culture is dripping with Nutella; it is berets catching a gust of wind and fashionable men and women sipping fine wine beneath a glittering Eiffel Tower. With all of the different ways to imagine what France has to offer, it’s hard not to fall in love. For Adrienne Angelo, associate professor of French in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, this love came swift, and she fell hard.

“After [studying abroad in Paris], I knew for certain that French was my true passion,” Angelo said. “Enjoying delicious and highly animated hour-long dinners with my wonderful host family, studying the nuances of language as well as some incredible texts, interacting with people from a culture other than my own, walking down cobblestone streets, picnicking in majestic gardens and not being afraid to venture off the beaten path—these are some of my fondest memories.”

Angelo, originally from a small town in Maryland, received her bachelor’s degree in communications and French from Goucher College in Baltimore before going on to receive her Ph.D. from Emory University in Atlanta. Soon after, she found her way to Auburn University, where she shares her love of French culture with all of her students.

Angelo teaches an array of French courses, ranging from elementary French language to survey of French literature. She even invented her own class, French cinema, which traces the history of French cinema by looking at iconic French films that represent what was going on in French cinema during a certain time period. The course analyzes how the

films respond to the social and historical context in which they were made.

“I love all of my classes for different reasons,” Angelo said. “I love teaching the elementary and intermediate language courses because you can very concretely measure students’ progress in the short three-month terms that we have. And the content courses? I’ve enjoyed every single one that I’ve taught.”

When it comes to research, Angelo has kept herself busy exploring contemporary women’s writing in France. Her work has been featured in multiple journals, including the Australian Journal of French Studies, the Irish Journal of French Studies, Women in French Studies, and the International Journal of Francophone Studies. She also recently co-edited a collection of essays in a book called Protean Selves: First-Person Voices in Twenty-First Century French and Francophone Narratives.

“Largely speaking, my area of specialty is contemporary French women’s writing. Although that heading is rather general, in a way that’s exciting because I have the opportunity to discover authors who have published maybe two or three books or who are just getting started,” she said. “The different themes that I’ve researched are also really varied, and they’re all very important to open a discussion about where women stand in French culture and what sort of legacy these contemporary authors will leave for years to come.”

After discovering her immense passion for French culture and language through a study abroad trip, Angelo believes it’s important for all students to study overseas if the opportunity presents itself.

A French Love AffairBY | ANNA BETH JAGER

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“I think that the study abroad experience is such an enriching, invaluable one, and it’s not only about language acquisition or honing your language skills. It’s really a life changing experience,” she said. “I would say that living in France also showed me what it means to be a bon vivant, someone who takes time to enjoy life and makes the most out of all that is possible each and every day.”

Angelo is a professor who is obviously enraptured by what she does. She understands the importance of learning a foreign language to enrich a student’s major and makes sure her students are well aware of the benefits. Angelo is a successful researcher and teacher who shares her passion for French culture with students who may likewise fall in love with the fascinating, eclectic culture at first sight.

Angelo's book, Protean Selves: First-Person Voices in Twenty-First Century French and Francophone Narratives, a collection of essays depicting multiple, first-person narrators

296SCHOLARSHIPS For academic year 2014–2015, the College awarded 296 scholarships to 248 students totaling $500,000. This includes 39 Dean’s Club Annual Scholarships, which totaled nearly $90,000.

Dr. Martha Escobar, an associate professor of psychology, is part of a collaborative group that received a National Science Foundation grant to increase the numbers of underrepresented minorities entering and completing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) graduate programs. The project, entitled "Collaborative Research: The Tuskegee Alliance to Develop, Implement and Study a Virtual Graduate Education Model for Underrepresented Minorities in STEM," is a multi- institutional project led by Tuskegee University in collaboration

LIBERAL ARTSADVANCEMENTS

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH GRANT

<<<<$2,813,318>>>>RESEARCH CONTRACTS AND GRANTS AWARDED

with Alabama State University and Auburn University. The total grant award across the three institutions is $2,593,384; Auburn’s portion of the award is $821,702. Escobar, who joined the Department of Psychology in 2002, is the director of the Animal Learning and the Human Learning and Memory laboratories. Other faculty members involved include Dr. Melody Russell (College of Education), Dr. Jared A. Russell (College of Education), Dr. Oladiran Fasina, (College of Engineering), and Dr. Curtis Shannon (College of Science and Mathematics).

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Dr. Polly Dunn received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Auburn

in 1999. Since then, she has served as the director of the Auburn

University Psychological Services Center (AUPSC), the training clinic

for the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program. In addition to her work

at AUPSC, she writes for local, regional, and national media on topics

related to parenting and psychology. More of her practical parenting

tips can be found on her website, ChildPsychMom.com. Polly and her

husband, Wesley (also an Auburn graduate), have four children and

are proud to call the loveliest village on the plains their home.

Instagram. Pinterest. Twitter. Facebook. Snapchat. Vine. These days it seems that as soon as we learn the ins and outs of one social media site another one gets introduced as the latest and greatest way for teens to stay connected with their friends. As overwhelming as it seems, parents (and grandparents) of teenagers need to be involved in social media. Just as we stay up to speed on our kids grades, friends, and activities, our teens need our supervision online, too. But to be an effective parent online, it’s important to behave in a way that won’t send your teen running off to set up a fake account that you don’t even know exists! Try these teen-approved tips for staying active with your kids on social media.

Social Media Etiquette for Parents BY | DR. POLLY DUNN

Guest Contributor

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Be a stalker. Not too long ago, my teenage daughter asked her dad if he was stalking her on Instagram. Truth be told, he probably was. But in this day and age, that’s not stalking, that’s called parenting! In our house, if our kids have a social media account, then both parents are going to follow and friend them. And it’s not so we can interact with them there. We can (and should) be doing that at home. Instead, it’s to help monitor their safety and teach them proper online social skills. To avoid any misunderstandings, let them know your purpose up front.

Don’t comment on their wall, status updates, or pictures unless they ask you to. Just because you’re their friend or follower, don’t think that you need to comment on everything (or anything) that they do! Instead, be a quiet passive observer. I’ll admit this is sounding pretty stalker-ish, but the goal is to be aware of what your kids are doing on social media sites without smothering them or drawing attention to your presence. If they ask you to be more involved, by all means go ahead. But otherwise just try to blend in with all of their other followers.

Don’t post embarrassing pictures of them on your social media account or tag them in your pictures without their approval. Ever been tagged in a not so flattering picture on Facebook? Posed for a few re-takes to get a shot Facebook worthy? If so, then you’ll understand why your teenagers don’t want you tagging them in your pictures. Be courteous to your children and let them approve their pictures before you post them. Save those naked baby bath pictures for their actual baby book (which hopefully resides on your bookshelf, not on the World Wide Web).

Act your age. If you’re going to be monitoring your teen’s online presence, take a good look at your own. Are you tagged in inappropriate pictures? Is your language G-rated? Does your online activity reflect your actual character? Would your online posts be suitable to show your boss, your grandmother, or your child? Take some time and review your own accounts. Delete any pictures or posts that seem questionable and think twice about what you share online in the future.

Talk often about social media etiquette. Have frequent and open conversations with your kids about how to behave online. For example, in the real world you wouldn’t want them to use bad language or participate in bullying. The same rules apply online. Keep the conversations real, reminding them (with examples) that how they behave online can stay with them for the rest of their lives. That’s especially true as they head off to college and eventually the job market.

To be honest, I love being involved with my teens on social media. It was hard to learn at first, but it has been well worth it. These interactions help me understand more about their interests, friends, and activities, and more importantly give me ideas for real life conversations that we can share. If you’ve been hesitant about taking social media plunge with your teenage children or grandchildren, give it a try. Like me, I’m sure you’ll be glad you did.

The Grandmother Test

Sometimes it’s hard

for teens to know

what is and what

isn’t appropriate

to share on social

media. My advice

is simple. Tell

your teen to ask

themselves if their

grandmother would

like their comment,

status update,

tweet, picture, or

video. If she’d

like it, and they

wouldn’t be

embarrassed

showing it to her,

then it’s probably

okay to share it

on social media.

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RESEARCH & OUTREACH

Alexander Richter, an assistant professor in the Department of Economics, was recently

featured on CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” with Rick Santelli and in The Wall Street Journal for his paper, “The Zero Lower Bound and Endogenous Uncertainty.” Richter and his coauthors found that when the Federal Reserve’s policy rate equals zero (known as the zero lower bound), it creates economic uncertainty. Richter said the rate was reduced to zero in 2008 to counteract

“Not only was the clinical audiology experience in Guatemala unparalleled, the gratitude and love of every child and their families was unforgettable. Bringing this gift of hearing was a far greater gift to me, both clinically and personally. I will treasure this experience forever.” —Kelsey Moody '16

Audiology Graduate Student

the recession, but the Federal Reserve’s inability to further reduce the rate has caused a strong negative relationship between real GDP growth and economic uncertainty.

“In times of economic normalcy, when the interest rate is above zero, the Fed will respond to demand changes in the economy. When demand falls, you can think of it as a change in consumer confidence. They will reduce the federal funds rate. When the interest rate falls to zero, they can no longer respond in the way they usually respond, so output falls faster. In this sense, there is greater uncertainty,” Richter said.

Richter says the zero lower bound is both good and bad in terms of the average American. Essentially, it’s good because mortgage and loan rates continue to be extremely low, so the average person is paying very little in terms of interest. The downside is that a prolonged zero lower bound typically signals that the economy is not doing well, and when that happens, people tend to hold onto their money because of the economic uncertainty.

“Raising the Fed’s rate will also affect everything else; if the Fed’s rate goes up, so too will the rates for the consumer,” Richter said. The findings also suggest that keeping the federal rate at zero for so long could equal bad policy.

Richter joined the Department of Economics in 2012 after completing his Ph.D. in economics at Indiana University. Richter’s primary research interests are in the fields of monetary and fiscal policy with an emphasis on entitlement programs and the macroeconomic consequences of fiscal uncertainty. He also has research interests in computational macroeconomics and open economy macroeconomics. Richter teaches graduate-level courses in macroeconomic theory and mathematical economics and undergraduate-level courses in macroeconomics.

Richter’s Research Goes National

BY | VICKY SANTOS

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RESEARCH & OUTREACH

The Auburn University Audiology Outreach in Guatemala Project recently completed its sixth annual trip to Guatemala, a trip that would not have been possible without our donors. Looking back on our outreach to the street children of Guatemala, I feel good about both the contributions we have been able to make and our efforts to transfer audiological expertise to our Guatemalan partners. Just as importantly, we have involved over twenty-eight audiology doctoral students and several alumni in the important work of serving the needs of these children. One noteworthy problem in Guatemala City is the significant number of children who, in order to survive, must work on the street during the day and are therefore unable to attend a traditional school. In response, the Municipality of Guatemala City has established nine schools for over 1,900 street children—schools that provide teachers and lessons as well as two meals a day. These schools also attempt to attend to the children’s health needs, but the resources of Guatemala are limited. Over the past six years we have tested and delivered hearing aids to all the children in these schools who were identified with educationally significant hearing loss. This makes it possible for these hearing-impaired children to benefit from their educational program.

During the last four years, at the request of former First Lady, Mrs. Patricia Arzu, we have also worked with children at the City’s School for the Deaf who cannot afford hearing aids. These children are not extremely impoverished yet are at a high risk of not having access to an education because their families do not have the resources to provide the hearing aids needed to hear their teachers and learn language. During our time serving these children, we have provided new hearing aids, and we return each year not only to test hearing but also repair, re-program, and replace hearing aids as needed.

This year we brought a new dimension of care to the children we are serving in Guatemala, care that would not have been possible without a Hearing Aid Test Box and Probe Microphone Measurement System purchased by the College of Liberal Arts. This portable equipment enabled us to verify that we were providing hearing aids that met amplification targets for soft and loud speech. For the past five years we have had to estimate these values, but having the equipment to verify was a great help to our team and improved the level of service we were able to provide to our hearing-impaired children.

In the words of Kahil Gibran, “Work is love made visible.” I am continually inspired by the evidence of love’s presence through the generous work of the Auburn University Audiology Outreach in Guatemala team.

Thank you again for your generous contribution to this program!

Sandra Clark-LewisProfessor Emerita

As a thank you to donors who graciously supported the Department of Communication Disorders’ Guatemala trip, Professor Emerita Sandra Clark Lewis wrote a letter

recognizing their gifts and the immense effect their generosity had on students involved. The trip to Guatemala was an opportunity for students to provide hearing aids, attend to children’s health needs, and work extensively

with the Guatemala City School for the Deaf.

A HEARTFELT THANK YOU

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RESEARCH & OUTREACH

Knights of the Round Table

Nathan Simone, a 2014 journalism graduate, recently embarked on a

journey to Collinsvil le, Ala., with Living Democracy, an initiative

dedicated to bringing Auburn students together to collaborate on issues

and par ticipate in service projects specific to Alabama communities.

While in Collinsvil le, Simone had the unique oppor tunity to get to

know esteemed members of the community, some of whom spent every

morning discussing community business in their local Jack’s.

BY | NATHAN SIMONEGuest Contributor

P

Every town has that early morning meeting spot for the local bigwigs. A place for the movers and shakers to have a cup of coffee, slap some gravy on a couple of biscuits and get local news the way it was disseminated for centuries before the printing press: conversation.

Jack’s, conveniently located on Highway 68 approximately a mile outside of town, is that special place in the moving political, social and (sometimes) economic gears of Collinsville. Two circular tables toward the back of the restaurant are consistently staffed in the mornings by the “Knights of the Round Table.”

From 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., the “first shift” of men can be found talking and eating at one of the circular tables before the “second shift” arrives sometime around 8 a.m. to join them at the adjacent table. Sometimes, they all arrive at once. Characters abound.

Roger Dutton, owner of Cook’s Barber Shop on Main Street, also affectionately refers to the group of perpetually conversing older men as “Liars Club International,” a play on the popular service group, Lions Clubs International. “You

being friendly. “Don’t know, just going,” the man says, before walking away.

Despite the hustle and bustle of daily life, Collinsville seems to be an oasis of calm that chugs along like the daily rail cars that pass by the downtown library. Everyone is busy with something, but always willing to stop for a minute to converse, help out or simply take a deep breath.

Jack’s, next to Interstate 59, will soon cease to monopolize the morning coffee market in Collinsville. Land has been cleared across the street for a McDonald’s. Smith is also talking to Waffle House about possibly building a franchise on the opposite side of I-59.

“It’ll be the first 24-hour establishment in Collinsville,” Smith said. “We’ll have quite the selection.”

All of the Knights of the Round Table admit that, although more Alabama fans live in the region, there are a few who support Auburn. Charlie Rowan, 83, is one of these scattered Auburn fans. Rowan sat down with a cup of coffee and recounted the time that he got into a severe automobile accident at age 66, the reason why he has little to no muscles

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RESEARCH & OUTREACH

can get your informal schooling in Collinsville two ways,” Dutton jokes, “with a bachelor’s at Jack’s or an associate’s at the gas station up the road. Take your pick.” Myles Smith, 79, is a community partner with Auburn’s Living Democracy program who attends most of these meetings to keep up with neighbors, friends and acquaintances. Smith has known many of the men sitting around the table for more than 50 years, some from his graduating class at Collinsville High.

Smith said that Collinsville’s Living Democracy fellow, sophomore Mary Beth Snow from Decatur, has been well received in town and at the early morning meetings. “You’re not going to find a person more friendly than Mary Beth,” Smith said. “We were lucky to get her.”

While Smith was talking about tough topics in Collinsville, including prejudice of some toward the Hispanic community, a lighter conversation happens, just for a second, that defines the aura of the town at 7 a.m. A man in his 20s, eating with a friend or relative (the lines are often blurred), gets up to leave and nods to one of the men sitting at a round table.

“Where you going?” one of the Knights asks, simply

in his abdomen. Rowan went on to explain that, while he was in the ICU, the doctors told his wife that even a young man wouldn’t survive his injuries. They were simply too severe.

“My wife looked at them,” Charlie said with a thoughtful smile, “and said ‘Yes he will. You don’t know Charlie.’” He was in a coma for four weeks. On the fifth week, he woke up. Little yet intensely personal

stories like this just seem to pop up unannounced at Jack’s.A 9-year-old named Clint bounced over to the table to

hear the tale of Rowan’s recovery and about his love for Auburn football. As Clint excitedly talks about this and that, his grandmother, a devout Alabama fan, comes over to tell him that it’s time to get going.

Clint then tries to get the impossible to happen. “Why would I say something silly like that?” his grandmother says, and men within earshot nod their heads in jovial agreement.

“Come on grandmamma, say ‘War Eagle!’” Clint begged. “Say it!” Finally, to the dismay of the Knights, the words were uttered. “WAAAR EAGLE!”

This article was originally featured in the Living Democracy magazine in August 2014 and was reprinted with permission. To read more stories by Nathan and other Living Democracy students, go to the Living Democracy digital magazine at http://www.cla.auburn.edu/livingdemocracy/magazine/.

38

ALUMNIFrom The Big Apple to Music City to right here in our own

backyard, CLA alumni have found their place and are proof

that a liberal arts degree is a worthwhile investment for success

in any career.

“It was a steep learning curve, since I had no prior knowledge of the financial markets/securities industry. However, it was an incredible and fun experience.”

After absorbing all she could in London, she moved to New York City where she pursued more knowledge of the markets and began working with a full-service broker-dealer in Midtown.

“I was learning about equities, corporate debt, municipal bonds, options, mutual funds, private placements, syndicates for international public offerings (IPOs), compliance, etc.,” Dziedzic said, “It was intense, but it was also very fun.”

Four years later, Dziedzic decided she needed a change. She began working for the NYSE full-time and taking law school classes part-time. In four years, she graduated with a law degree and passed the New York bar exam. “Though I do not practice law, I have no regrets about furthering my education. Knowledge is something that can't be taken from you; it is cumulative, and it is empowering.”

As a proponent of a liberal arts education, Dziedzic says her background in a variety of subjects, such as psychology, English, anthropology, and sociology, helped guide her success by providing her with a phenomenal foundation. “A liberal arts education gives you more than knowledge—it teaches you how to think. You can learn anything—any subject, any specialty—but being able to think critically is a skill.”

Dziedzic encourages current Auburn students to be adventurous and inquisitive with their education. “Having access to quality education is a privilege. Don’t take it for granted!” Dziedzic said. “Be a sponge! Take it all in and explore all your interests with various classes. You will never have the opportunity to have access to the breadth, scope, and scale of information and learning that you have in a liberal arts program.”

NYSEHow a liberal arts graduate found her place on the New York Stock Exchange

BY | VICKY SANTOS

Tara Dziedzic, ’96, graduated from Auburn University in three years with a degree in psychology and began her career in London working for an international bond-broker. She earned a law degree and passed the New York bar exam. She is now the managing director in the Global Corporate Client Group at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). She lives in Brooklyn, and her office is located in the iconic NYSE building at 11 Wall Street. This extraordinary alumna took some time from her hectic schedule to share her Auburn experience and her fantastic voyage to the trading floor.

Born in Germany, Dziedzic (pronounced “Judge-ick”) moved frequently because of her father’s military career but settled in Huntsville, Alabama, when she was eight years old. After graduating from high school, Dziedzic moved to Auburn.

“I decided to attend Auburn because it had great academic programs,” Dziedzic said. “I also liked the fact that it was close enough to home but just far enough away, so it felt like I was ‘going off to college.’” As a student at Auburn, Dziedzic attended classes year-round to make the most of the extensive curriculum options and diverse student population. After graduation, Dziedzic decided to explore.

“I was barely 21 when I graduated,” Dziedzic said. “I considered going straight into a graduate program but decided I needed a change of pace and to broaden my life experiences. Within weeks of graduation, I moved to London, England, very open-minded, and ended up taking a job that had nothing to do with my undergraduate studies.”

Dziedzic worked two years for Cantor Fitzgerald International, an inter-deal bond broker. She learned a lot very quickly and realized having an open and curious mind was the best way to approach opportunities and challenges.

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ALUMNI

40

ALUMNI

Small Town in a Big City

Music City lived up to its name when upon arriving at the Embassy Suites in Nashville, Tennessee, the first question we were asked was, “Are you here for the concert?” No, we were not there for the One Direction concert. We were there for an even more exciting opportunity—the chance to visit Auburn graduates from the School of Communication and Journalism who have collectively found their place in Nashville.

Small Town in a Big City

BY | VICKY SANTOS

41

ALUMNI

ALUMNI

Our first interview was with alumna Nicole Pope Gaia, a 2000 mass communications graduate. Gaia’s offices were being renovated, so she met us at the hotel located on Broadway for our interview. She is originally from Nashville and owns a company called NPG PR (www.npgpr.com), which she describes as a full-service firm based in Nashville that specializes in entertainment. Gaia says her company thrives on diversity, taking on clients ranging from big brands, corporate PR, food and wine, technology, market research, and sports. She also has an office in Los Angeles.

“My company advocates brands and individuals that we’re passionate about. We have a robust music division and work with mostly independent artists (Meghan Linsey, Ray Scott, Granger Smith, among others),” Gaia said. “We also have a thriving brand division and work on everything from the NCAA Women’s Final Four, to the CMT Music Awards and the upcoming American Country Countdown Awards, to BMI, a music venue/restaurant City Winery and a market research firm, Mizzouri.”

Gaia’s company is doing work for AT&T U-verse on a platform called Country Deep, and they also work with Make-A-Wish Middle Tennessee. “We do quite a bit in the non-profit space,” Gaia said. “Diversity is key, and we add value to any client because we can leverage across our roster, and it keeps us super competitive.”

Gaia started the firm five years ago and said her company continues to expand and grow strategically.

Gaia said that her education and experiences at Auburn helped prepare her for the success she is currently enjoying and that she feels like she owes a lot to Auburn. “Liberal arts was such an amazing foundation for what I’m doing now,” Gaia said. “I think so much of what goes on in any industry is communication, and it was the basis of what I learned at Auburn. The takeaway for me was that communication is key. Relationship building—a lot of my classes were rooted in forging relationships and making sure that you’re basing everything off of something true, authentic, and genuine. That for me was the number one takeaway.”

Gaia’s trajectory after Auburn took her to Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, and then back to Nashville. “The production classes I took were where I really found my place,” Gaia said. “I was offered an internship at Teen magazine in Los Angeles, and it was an incredible experience. I got to know so many people. When my internship was over, I turned down a job at the magazine for an opportunity to go to Utah to work with the director on an independent film. A couple months in, the investors pulled funding, and I was stuck in Salt Lake without a job.”

Gaia said that with her passion and persistence, she landed a job with Sundance Film Labs, where directors from all over the world are chosen to be mentored. While there, Gaia worked with Wes Craven, Sigourney Weaver, Danny Glover, Zoe Saldana and Kieran Caulkin, among others.

“I had an incredible summer,” Gaia said. “Through the film labs, I met someone who worked at E! (Entertainment Television) and started my career there, and that’s where I really earned my wings. I worked limitless hours—slept under my desk at time, worked my way up the ranks and ended up being a segment producer for all of E!’s live events (Academy Awards, Golden Globes, Grammys) and eventually landed at E! News as a talent executive for the duration of my time there.”

NICOLE POPE GAIA

43

"THE TAKEAWAY FOR ME WAS THAT COMMUNICATION IS KEY. RELATIONSHIP BUILDING—A LOT OF MY CLASSES WERE ROOTED IN FORGING RELATIONSHIPS AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU’RE BASING EVERYTHING OFF OF SOMETHING TRUE, AUTHENTIC AND GENUINE."

In 2005, Gaia returned to Nashville as PR manager for CMT (Country Music Television) and later became account supervisor at the world’s largest independent PR firm, Edelman, working on brands like Nissan and Mars, Inc. She started her own firm in 2010 and credits the Nashville market

I’m a Southern girl at heart, and Nashville is something special. I feel like Auburn was like that while I was there. Small town vibe, everybody shares a cohesive mentality, and Nashville is a lot like that. It’s collaborative and positive and a family, just like Auburn.”

While in Nashville, we had the opportunity to treat two recent graduates, Ali Hudson '13 and Kameron Cox '14, to dinner at Pinewood Social. Ali Hudson, our former intern, moved to Nashville after graduating with her public relations degree. She is currently a public relations coordinator at Gresham, Smith and Partners, one of the largest design firms in the US.

Kam Cox graduated with a double major in English literature and history and is now attending law school at Vanderbilt. He hopes to practice healthcare law one day, and says he’s aware of the long journey awaiting him. “Every journey starts with a single step, and I’m ready to take this one,” Cox said.

for much of her success. “Nashville is such an amazing place to be right now,” Gaia said.

“Nashville, for me, is home and Auburn was far enough away that I could spread my wings, but close enough to come home for holidays.

Top photo: Gaia and her staffBottom left photo: 2014 CMT Music Awards with Tyler Smith (manager), Gaia,

Amber Smith, Granger Smith (country music artist)Bottom center photo: Gaia and Wes Craven (director) at 2001 Sundance Film Lab

Bottom right photo: Gaia with her husband and two children

44

We met Derek Crownover in his office located in a seemingly quiet section of town

known as Music Row. We were greeted by Crownover, a 1990 speech

communication graduate, in the lobby, and he took us up to his office suite. The

walls were tastefully covered in framed photos, records, and CDs from famed music

stars such as Jennifer Lopez, Kenny Chesney, and Florida Georgia Line.

Crownover recently sold his company to Dickinson Wright PLLC, a growing full-service law firm of experienced, creative, diverse, and dedicated legal professionals. Crownover represents a number of musicians and other clients.

Competing for attention among the music décor in Crownover’s office is a plethora of Auburn memorabilia. On his wall hangs a photo of the 1989 Auburn Tigers baseball team. Crownover is among the happy faces in the photo as it was taken after the SEC tournament win that year.

“Looking back from 1987–1990, they were formative years,” Crownover said. “We had no idea who we were playing with (Bo Jackson, Frank Thomas)—some guys were incredibly important, maybe not the same skill set, but just as important. Some of them didn’t get to play, but they had this character and spirit and helped to build an Auburn baseball mentality.”

Crownover lights up when he talks about his time at Auburn and on the baseball field. He says he and a group of about twenty other guys remain friends and get together every year or so to honor a fallen friend, John Moorer. “John Moorer was from Greenville, Alabama,” Crownover recalled. “He was a tough little athlete, and he had a partial scholarship to Auburn. It was his dream to play there, but he didn’t get to play much. He became my stretch partner and egged me on and inspired me to try and be a better player.”

In addition to getting together with friends, Crownover is honoring his friend by establishing an endowment that provides scholarship support to young men and women who exemplify the Auburn character the same way Moorer did.

“A lot of athletes of varying skill want to play at Auburn, and with cutbacks in funding athletes have to figure out a way to make it work,” Crownover said. “We’re setting up the endowment so that we can help some of these athletes who may not have a full scholarship, or a scholarship at all, but represent the character that will help young athletes to be like John Moorer.”

In addition to playing baseball during his time at Auburn, Crownover did color commentary on WEGL. After graduating from Auburn, he tried out for professional baseball. “I did my best and they said, ‘The best you’ll ever play is Double A; you need to go back to law school.’”

So Crownover obtained his law degree from the University of Tennessee and started representing pro baseball players as their agent.

“At age 27, I had 27 players on a big league roster and realized that every player needed a lawyer,” Crownover said. “I decided I wanted to be a better lawyer so I started going to court more, getting involved with wills and trusts and business planning. I became a general practitioner for various entertainment-type folks, and in 2014, I sold my practice to a larger firm where I’m a partner and head up their entertainment law practice group. I got to keep my Music Row office and basically flip the sign and keep going.”

Through his endowed scholarship, Crownover hopes that Auburn student athletes will have more opportunities to learn and grow within the Auburn community, leading to similar future successes.

DEREK CROWNOVER

45

After her 6:00 a.m. news report, we had the opportunity to meet Dawn Davenport, a 2002 mass communications graduate. Davenport is a morning news anchor for

WKRN Channel 2 News in Nashville and a sideline reporter for ESPN. Originally from Texas, Davenport moved to Georgia with her family when she was young, and her mother (a Georgia graduate) had some expectations that her daughter would follow in her footsteps. However, a fateful trip to Auburn would change all that.

“I was being recruited by a number of universities for Division 1 volleyball, and Auburn was not on my radar at all during high school,” Davenport recalled. “I went with my best friend to visit her sister at Auburn, and the minute I stepped foot on campus, I just knew that was where I needed to be. It was home.”

When asked about her favorite Auburn memory, Davenport shared a unique story with us. “My junior year, I moved into a house on Gay Street with five other girls. There were two volleyball girls, two sorority girls, and a friend I met my freshman year during Camp War Eagle,” Davenport recalled. “We were involved in all different things, and there was always something going on, but whenever we had a chance, we would sit on the front porch and talk. We decided to put a wooden swing up in the front yard on one of the big beautiful old oak trees, and we all initialed the bottom of the swing. Every time

DAWN DAVENPORT

"MY CHOICE TO GO TO AUBURN WAS THE BEST DECISION I EVER MADE."

Davenport talked with Kris Grunwald, who was Auburn’s women’s volleyball coach at the time, at a junior Olympic volleyball tournament, and everything lined up so that Davenport would attend Auburn. “I felt like it was all meant to be.”

Davenport said that her Auburn experience was perfect in every way, she played volleyball, joined a sorority, and loved her classes. “My choice to go to Auburn was the best decision I ever made.”

Davenport said that keeping a full schedule, both academic and athletic, taught her the valuable lesson of time-management, which she described as vital in the news business.

I go back to Auburn, I go by that house and that swing is still there, 12 years later, and all of the Auburn women who have lived there have initialed it. In a school with so much tradition, it was neat to think we added a

teeny-tiny bit of tradition.” Davenport says it isn’t just her memories she carries with

her from Auburn. She said that when she left Auburn, she was ready for the job market. “When I started working in Wilmington (North Carolina), I was well-prepared,” Davenport said. “I did all the writing, standups, video, editing, everything. Auburn has been such a big part of my life; it helped to shape me personally and professionally and I love it.”

ALUMNI

ALUMNI

46

“I’m from Birmingham and going to Auburn was a family thing—my grandfather went there, my parents went there, and my sister followed me there,” Rotch said.

Asked how he chose his major, Rotch said that he had always been interested in films, and one experience in particular made it very clear what he would pursue as a major. “I remember making a cut (on a film set), and it took my breath away,” Rotch said. “From then I really focused on mass communication and radio, television, and film.”

Rotch recalled using the old linear editing machines Auburn had available at the time and even though it was difficult to work with, Rotch recalls the sense of satisfaction

was from, so I moved to Nashville to work on the pilot.” Shortly after the move, Rotch was hired by Country Music Television to write a live countdown video show.

“I had never written for live television before so I was a bit lucky to get that job,” Rotch recalled. “Fast forward to three years later, and I’ve written 1,500 hours of live television.” As a writer and producer in Nashville over the years, Rotch has met many high-profile musicians who were still early in their careers.

“I can remember being on a bus with Blake Shelton for three days, way before he was big on The Voice,” Rotch said.

A friend of Rotch’s talked him into working with a

As a freelance writer and producer, Jamison Rotch, a 1995 mass communications graduate, is constantly on the go. He met us at the hotel after being in the field all day, and we spent some time talking about family (he and his wife, Dottie, also an Auburn alumna, have two boys), and what brought him to Auburn in the first place.

"YOU HAVE A VISION, SHARE A VISION, AND PULL OFF THAT VISION…BEING ABLE TO COLLABORATE AND COMMUNICATE WITH PEOPLE DEFINITELY PAYS OFF."

he had after completing a project for class. He said experiences like that one prepared him to work at HBO Original Programming in New York City after graduation.

“We went around the room to introduce ourselves, and there were a number of people from schools in the Northeast and California, and when I introduced myself I held my own with all of them—it was an empowering experience.”

Rotch said he stayed at HBO for a while and then decided to move out to Los Angeles where he “stayed on a lot of couches,” as he worked as a production assistant for Comic Relief and then Politically Correct with Bill Maher.

When he had time, Rotch worked on a script that got him an agent. Although nothing came of the script, a producer in Nashville saw it and paired up with him to produce a television pilot. “I’d always wanted to move back to the South, and I wanted to see if I could pursue this business closer to where I

musician who had a record contract at the age of 15. “We ended up following Taylor Swift around with a camera, and I ended

up working for her Comcast channel and producing a special for her on NBC,” Rotch said. “Sometimes, you just have to take every opportunity you can.”

Currently, Rotch is working on a digital channel called My Country Nation with Brad Paisley and Walmart. Throughout the span of his career and the many diverse opportunities he’s encountered, Rotch says that his background of a solid liberal arts education has served him very well.

“A liberal arts education gives you this foundation,” Rotch said. “One of the things that helped the most were the collaborative projects I worked on at Auburn. You have a vision, share a vision, and pull off that vision…being able to collaborate and communicate with people definitely pays off.”

JAMISON ROTCH

47

After spending time in Music City, we ended our trip with an array of new stories to tell and an inside look into the music industry, broadcast journalism and freelance writing/producing. We returned to the Plains with new, fascinating and inspiring Auburn stories. Check out these Auburn Stories and more on our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/ AULiberalArts.

ALUMNI

ALUMNI

48

Auburn Alumni

Find Their Place in Atlanta

Restaurant image by Andrew Thomas LeeHeadshot by Emily Schultz

BY | VICKY SANTOS

49

Just under a two-hour drive from Auburn is The Optimist, a restaurant on the west side of Atlanta known for its sustainable seafood, creative menu, oyster bar, orange lobster, mini-golf course, and executive chef Adam Evans, a 2002 psychology graduate.

We were there to interview Chef Evans, and as we pulled into the parking lot, we stopped to admire the design and layout of The Optimist. A lush green courtyard awaits you before entering the restaurant, and it’s easy to envision this area full of patrons enjoying their food and the mini-golf course on a pleasant evening.

Once we pry ourselves away from admiring the outdoor area, we go inside. When we first walk in, we are greeted by the oyster bar—a large area adorned with surfboards, lifesavers, and a lobster tank. I take a few photos and try to capture the unique and welcoming atmosphere the oyster bar provides. Perhaps I find it so comforting there because of its soft hues of orange and blue —a combination of Auburn and oceanic colors. It’s a tranquil area at 9 a.m., but the servers and wait staff are all beginning to arrive and the energy is starting to build. The oyster bar doesn’t open until 5 p.m., so it serves as a waiting area for guests and is the perfect introduction to the rest of The Optimist. The restaurant has high ceilings and an abundance of windows. The dark wood custom fixtures (bar, tables, chairs) provide the perfect balance to the brightness provided by the large windows that stream in plenty of natural light.

Chef Evans arrives promptly for our 10 a.m. interview and is gracious with his time. He tells us he discovered a love for cooking through his mom, but it wasn’t until his sophomore year in college that he realized he wanted to seriously pursue it.

“I always had a passion for cooking—it’s always something I enjoyed,” Evans said. “I knew I wanted to cook when I graduated from Auburn but didn’t necessarily want to go back to school for that so I moved to Point Clear, Alabama, and worked in the Grand Hotel for about two or three months. I decided I loved cooking and worked with a great chef there who sent me over to New Orleans.”

After that, Evans, a native of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, said

it was a natural progression to move from New Orleans to New York City. He said the impetus for the move was to work on a grander scale in bigger restaurants—restaurants that were known nationally. Evans stayed in New York for about five years.

“I had a great opportunity to leave New York and help open a restaurant in Atlanta and that got me back in the South,” Evans said.

“When I moved back to Atlanta five years ago, it was an up-and-coming town, and it was a really good time for me to be here with my past experiences in New York and New Orleans,” Evans said. “It just seemed right, and I’ve really

enjoyed the restaurant scene here.” The Optimist is owned by

Houston-native Ford Fry, but as executive chef, Evans is responsible for the menu, the day-to-day operations, and overseeing a staff of forty people. He also works with the cooks to prepare the food in the way that he wants it to be presented in the restaurant.

“From the concept to now, it has sort of been my restaurant, and that’s something special,” Evans said. He uses his psychology background to manage his staff, and he still enjoys the psychological aspects of human behavior.

“The concepts of human behavior and how the mind works, I think it’s something all managers have to touch on every day,” Evans said. “I

absolutely apply it every day to my staff.” Evans gets back to Auburn occasionally and was the guest

chef for the Auburn Alumni Association’s tailgate at the Tigers’ season opener against Arkansas.

After our interview, Evans took us on a tour of the restaurant and introduced us to Hector, the orange lobster. “He’s extremely rare,” Evans said of Hector. “Only one in thirty million lobsters have this orange coloration. It took a lot of coordination to get him here, but this is his home and we’re proud to have him.” Evans assured us that Hector would never appear on the menu. War Eagle, Hector!

To see our interview with Evans, go to our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/AULiberalArts.

ALUMNI

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ALUMNI

Adam Evans wasn’t the only Auburn alumnus we met in Atlanta that day. Tuan Huynh, a 2007 public relations graduate, is the client services director for Melissa Libby & Associates, a public relations agency that handles marketing and communications for a number of restaurants in the Atlanta area. In fact, Huynh previously handled the marketing for The Optimist.

Huynh was born and raised in Huntsville, Alabama. Even though he’s been an Auburn fan his whole life, he decided to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill when the time came to choose a college. “During the one year I attended UNC, I noticed I kept coming back to Auburn,” Huynh said. “I felt like it was calling me back.”

organizations, agencies, and other people.” Taking advantage of internships also helped Huynh find

his place. After an internship on campus with the College of Education, Huynh went to Nashville and interned in the public relations department at GS&F, a full-service marketing agency, where he gained more experience working with clients such as the Nashville Predators, A.O. Smith Corporation, and LP Building Products.

In addition to his academic career, Huynh noted that many of his most memorable moments as a student involved attending football games with his friends. “I started at Auburn in 2004 and was there for the perfect season,” Huynh recalled. “I went to twelve of the thirteen games that year, and I still

Tuan Huynh '07

"ONCE I CHOSE PUBLIC RELATIONS, I NEVER WAVERED AND WAS EXTREMELY HAPPY ABOUT MY CHOICE."

In the summer of 2004, Huynh did come back to Auburn and enrolled as a full-time student majoring in public relations. “I always enjoyed speaking in front of people, and I liked helping others prepare speeches. I was also a solid writer, and I still consider myself to be a solid writer,” Huynh said of choosing his major. “Once I chose public relations, I never wavered and was extremely happy about my choice.”

Huynh credits the coursework and faculty in the School of Communication and Journalism for preparing him to be successful in the highly-competitive field of public relations. He said Dr. Brigitta Brunner’s campaigns class gave him a lot of hands-on experience which has benefitted him in starting and finishing a campaign. He also said that Dr. David Sutton and Robert French provided not only valuable knowledge but also made him want to learn. “All the classes were fun and super helpful,” Huynh said. “I was extremely happy in pursuing my degree, and I was looking forward to using it to help out

remember piling into cars to travel to away games and set-ting up our tailgate at 4 p.m. on Friday before home games.” Huynh said he and his friends would rotate going to classes so that someone was always occupying their tailgate spot. Huynh remains an avid fan and travels to Auburn as much as possible for games. He also went to both national championships as an alumnus.

“I went to Phoenix in 2010 and tried to get a ticket outside the stadium,” Huynh said. “Even though I didn’t get one, I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything. Just to be there with the group of people I was with and to be outside that stadium was an amazing experience.”

To see our interview with Huynh, go to our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/AULiberalArts.

BY | VICKY SANTOS

P

Through the years, Walt and Mary Lynn Porter have used their mutual interests and passions as a couple to help nurture and serve others around them, especially the many children who have come into their lives and grown by their side.

Walt Porter ’59, an Auburn University sociology graduate, and Mary Lynn Porter, a University of Alabama graduate, met at Ridgecrest Baptist Assembly in North Carolina and began “courting,” in 1959. They’ve been smitten ever since.

“I think some couples marry and grow away from each other in their interests and values, but somehow we have just grown together in that, and it’s wonderful,” Mary Lynn said.

The Porters have dedicated their lives to helping young people create a better future for themselves. Mary Lynn has taught Sunday school at Auburn First Baptist Church for 40 years and also coordinates the Lee County Partnership for children, a group that raises money to help low-income working parents pay for childcare. For Walt, working with the Baptist Student Union and later as a guidance counselor at Auburn High School are just a few of the ways he has been able to positively influence young people throughout his life.

The Porters continue to give back by creating endowed scholarships dedicated to assisting low-income students at both of their alma maters. “Not having children and being married 54 years gave us an opportunity to put aside money so that we could live comfortably,” Walt said. “We decided that what we had accrued, we would like to share with Auburn and with Alabama, with the Southern Poverty Law Center, and with our church.”

The Porters’ scholarship established in the College of Liberal Arts at Auburn University will not only provide tuition support but also emergency funds for students who don’t have enough money to finish out the semester. “The Porters’ endowment will make it possible for students to achieve their dreams of a college degree—students who may not otherwise be able. The Porters exemplify what true kindness and compassion are,” explained Dr. Joe Aistrup, dean of the College of Liberal Arts.

Walt and Mary Lynn are both aware of how important higher education has been to both of them and hope to help students have the same opportunities in the future. “All of that time at Auburn being in a leadership position and the course work I was taking helped me,” Walt said. “The seeds were planted; they just came to fruition a little bit later.”

The Porters encourage others to think about the abundant benefits that come from impacting the lives of future generations.

“To think about what their time at Auburn in [the College of] Liberal Arts meant to them, the experiences they had, they need to then pay that forward to help someone else to be able to have that same kind of experience,” Mary Lynn said. “You never know what a college experience will open up to someone, especially youths from small-town, low-income backgrounds. It can just mean a whole different world. The university experience can make a new person out of you if you let it. A person more open to new ideas. A better person.”

To find out more about how you can make a difference in the lives of our students, contact the CLA Office of Development at 334.844.1483 or libart1@auburn.edu.

“Oh gosh, she's passionate about everything!” Walt Porter laughs, his wife Mary Lynn close by his side as they sit in their Lake Martin home, surrounded by antiques and trinkets they collected throughout the years delicately adorning every wall.

“I just really enjoy being with and seeing young children grow,” Mary Lynn said. “Young children and early American antiques. Those are my passions.”

Paying it Forward: Walt and Mary Lynn Porter

BY | ANNA BETH JAGER

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ALUMNI

COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS DEAN'S CLUB MEMBERS

COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS DONORS

Dr. and Mrs. Jarred AbelMr. and Mrs. Jeff AfwoodMr. Jesse Fayne Alford IIIMr. and Mrs. Carleton AllenDr. and Mrs. Michael AndersonMs. Brenda Stowe ArgoMr. Kevin Frisz & Ms. Erin ArgoMs. Betty Borders BaccusMr. and Mrs. Glen Owen BaileyMs. Mary K. BairdDr. Sara Lynn BairdMr. and Mrs. Paul BarstadMr. and Mrs. Jere Locke Beasley, Sr.Mr. and Mrs. Paul Stacey BerthonDr. Lourdes BetanzosMs. Joyce BigbeeMs. Meredith Ann BirchfieldMr. and Mrs. Jim Black, Jr.Ms. Catherine Alison BoykinDr. Susan R. BradenMr. and Mrs. Roger Max BradfordMr. C. John BrewerMs. Janet Elaine BrinkworthMr. and Mrs. Andrew Bascom Brown IIIMs. Caroline A. Molchan BrownDr. Jennifer Lewis BrownMr. and Mrs. Pat BrownMr. and Mrs. Eric Shawn BrunerDr. Barry R. Burkhart & Dr. Mary Q. BurkhartMr. and Mrs. Christopher Pierre BurleyMs. Embry Burrus

The College of Liberal Arts gratefully acknowledges the generous annual support of our Dean’s Club members. Dean’s Club funds provide essential resources for student scholarships and programmatic support.

Summit ($5,000+)Drs. Joseph and Shelley AistrupMr. Javier C. Goizueta Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth L. Henderson Mr. and Mrs. Timothy L. Kirkpatrick Dr. and Mrs J. Patrick O'Brien

Circle ($1,000+)Drs. Nikolas and Paula BackscheiderDr. Brian L. Bellenger Mrs. Linda Berthon Ms. Joyce Bigbee Mr. Frederick O. Braswell III Mrs. Dannis Salter Byers Ms. Carrie G. Carpenter Mrs. Frances C. Chancey Mr. Christopher Collier Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Griffin Collins Mr. Sonny Cone Mr. John Word CrabbeMs. Aimee Davis Mr. and Mrs. Scott DavisMr. Armand DeKeyser Hon. John V. Denson Mrs. Elizabeth B. Edgar Mr. John FespermanMr. Richard H. Frederick Mr. Joseph R. Gilchrist Mr. Robert Allen Greulich Mr. Fred Marion Haston III Mrs. Windy Hillman Mr. and Mrs. Michael S. Jackson Sr.

Mr. Rhon E. Jones Mr. Brian C. Keeter Mrs. Trina Gordon McAllister Dr. and Mrs. Stephen C. McCutcheon Mr. Ed Milton Mr. and Mrs. David Morris Mr. James NakosMrs. Carol Sue Nelson Ms. Laura Y. Palmer Mr. Adam PeaseMr. Mark Alan Peycke Mr. William Smith Poynor IV Mr. Parker Rains Mr. James Chadwick ReamsMr. Robert Payne ReynoldsMr. John A. Roberts Jr. Mrs. Nancy Roberts Mr. and Mrs. David Rumbarger Jr. Mrs. Cynthia Ayers Sahlie Mrs. Rhonda H. Scott Hon. Steven D. Smith Hon. William J. Smith Ms. L. Kaye Wright Mrs. Gail D. Yates

Pyramid ($2,500+)Mrs. Randy Parris Kendrick Mr. Bob O'Neill Mr. Guy M. Spearman III Mr. Ronald E. Wenzler II

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The College of Liberal Arts wishes to thank the many donors whose generosity supports our deserving students, outstanding faculty and extraordinary programs. Below is a list of donors who gave $500 or more during the 2013 calendar year.

*As of October 15, 2014

Associate ($500+)Ms. Anne Womack

Ms. Margaret BurrusRev. and Mrs. John Craig Butler, Jr.Mrs. Dannis Salter ByersMr. and Mrs. Ronald David ByrumMr. and Mrs. Jim CalhounMr. and Mrs. Richard Carter Jr.Mrs. Frances C. ChanceyMr. and Mrs. Anthony ChannellMr. and Mrs. David Henry ClarkMr. and Mrs. Christopher Charles CollierMr. and Mrs. Stephen Griffin CollinsMr. and Mrs. Loui Pharr Cone IIIMs. Merrilyn Louise CookMr. and Mrs. Davis CooperDr. and Mrs. John William CottierMr. and Mrs. John Word CrabbeMr. and Mrs. James Michael CraterMr. John David CrowMr. and Mrs. Edward D'AntoniDr. and Mrs. Samuel E. DautchMs. Aimee Elizabeth DavisMr. and Mrs. Scott DavisMr. and Mrs. Armand DeKeyserHon. and Mrs. John DensonMr. Stanley G. DeShazoMrs. Susan Wilson DetwilerDr. Kevin Michael DownsMr. and Mrs. James Victor DoyleDr. and Mrs. Rod Michael DuraskiMr. and Mrs. John Mark EasterlingMaj Gen and Mrs. Charles Ernest EdgarMs. Mary Lou EwaldMr. and Mrs. William Ezekiel Jr.Dr. and Mrs. Kenneth Lloyd Farmer Jr.Mr. John FespermanMr. Steven David FlemingMr. and Mrs. Sean Patrick FlinnMr. and Mrs. Jimmy FloydMs. Mary FrankleMr. and Mrs. Richard H. FrederickDr. and Mrs. John GamMs. Kathleen GammillMr. and Mrs. Jerry Lovvorn GentryMr. and Ms. William Dewey GiarratanoMr. and Mrs. Reginald Don GilbertDr. and Mrs. David Louie GillilandMr. and Mrs. Danny Jerome GlazeMrs. Linda Halbrooks GlissonMr. and Mrs. George Godwin Jr.Mr. Robert Allen GreulichMr. Ari Sean GutmanDr. and Mrs. Robert Martin HaglerMr. and Mrs. Joseph Crandall Haney Jr.Mr. and Mrs. Fred Marion Haston IIIMr. H. Wilson Haynes Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Lee HendersonDr. Rebecca C. Hendrix & Charles M. HendrixMs. Laurel DeeAnna HendrixMs. Joyce HerringMr. Tom HillMr. Walter Eric Hitchcock & Ms. Stacey Lynn PowellDr. Bessie M. HollowayMaj and Mrs. James HoskinsMr. David E. Housel & Mrs. Susan M. HouselMr. and Mrs. Joseph Harold HugginsDr. Andrew Tye HuntMr. and Mrs. Dallas Aaron HurstonDr. and Mrs. Richard JaegerDr. and Mrs. John Dee Johnson, Jr.Mrs. Judith Wright JollyMr. Wesley William JonesMs. Amy Katherine JordanMr. James E. JowersMr. Brian C. KeeterCol and Mrs. Randolph Hill KellyMr. and Mrs. Earl G. Kendrick, Jr.Ms. Julia Margaret KerlinDr. Joseph A. KicklighterMrs. Ann Brodie KingMr. and Mrs. Timothy Lee KirkpatrickDr. Sara B. Kiser & Mr. Roy O. Kiser Jr.Dr. Ann Karen KnipschildDr. and Mrs. George Kozlowski Jr.Hon. and Mrs. John Langford Jr.Dr. and Mrs. Mark Andy LeeMs. Nelda K. LeeMr. and Mrs. John LehmanMr. and Mrs. James Ellis LesterMr. and Mrs. Roger LethanderMr. and Mrs. Curtis Liles IIIMr. Raeford B. LilesMr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Scott LoganMr. Randy Owen LutherDr. and Mrs. Dennis Jack MagregaDr. David L. Martin & Dr. Catherine R. PerriconeMr. David Douglas MartinMr. and Mrs. Gary Clements MartinMr. and Mrs. James Wilshire MartinMr. and Mrs. Robert Alan MarusterDr. and Mrs. Frederick Alan MasseyMrs. Amy Goddard MayMrs. Trina Gordon McCallisterDr. Paul E. McCrackenMrs. Madelaine O. McCrorieMr. Bradley James McCuneDr. and Mrs. Stephen McCutcheon

Ms. Keely Susan McFarlandMr. James William McFerrinMr. and Mrs. Donald Patrick McKenna Jr.Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Michael McMahon IIMr. and Mrs. Michael Morris McQuittyMrs. Minka MiljkovicDr. and Mrs. Jerry MilnerMr. and Mrs. Edward MiltonMr. and Mrs. Chris MitchellMr. and Mrs. Mark Bradley MoodyMr. and Mrs. Paul Randy MoonDr. and Mrs. Walter MooreMr. and Mrs. Timothy Francis Moore Jr.Mr. Benjamin William MorrisMr. and Mrs. Clyde Lecroy Morris Jr.Mr. and Mrs. David Allen MorrisDr. and Mrs. Kevin W. MossholderMs. Patricia MullinsMr. James E. NakosDr. Elizabeth T. Nance & Mr. R. Earl NanceMr. and Mrs. Daves R. NicholsDr. and Mrs. C. Lloyd NixDr. and Mrs. Joseph Patrick O'Brien Sr.Ms. Warrene OdenMr. and Mrs. Danny Jay O'LearyMr. and Mrs. Edin Camper O'NealMr. and Ms. Michael W. O'NeillDr. Estelle OwensMs. Laura Young PalmerMr. and Mrs. Adam R. PeaseMr. and Mrs. Mark Alan PeyckeCol and Mrs. Lawrence Paul PhelpsMr. and Mrs. Jerry Nix PhillipsMr. Joseph C. PiazzaMr. Constantine J. PihakisMr. and Mrs. William Morris PlottDr. Derek A. PopeMr. and Mrs. Willis PottsMr. Marc David PowersMr. and Mrs. Wilmer Smith Poynor IVMr. and Mrs. Keith Alan PritchardMr. and Mrs. Robert RaineyMr. and Mrs. Parker Marion RainsMr. and Mrs. David RanneyMr. James Chadwick ReamsMr. Emmett F. ReederMr. and Mrs. Robert Payne ReynoldsMrs. Nancy Hill RobertsMr. and Mrs. Matthew RyanMr. and Mrs. Tony SanksDr. William I. Sauser Jr. & Dr. Lane D. SauserMs. Ellen D. SchaeferMr. and Mrs. Randall Schrimsher

Mr. and Mrs. William Scott IIIMrs. Jana Walden SeemanMrs. Marilyn Roberson SeierMr. and Mrs. Arthur J. Sharbel IIIDr. and Mrs. Edward Creech Sherling IIIMr. and Mrs. Robert Brittain SimmsDr. Duane Howard Smith & Dr. Molly Easo SmithMr. John Nicholas SmithJudge and Mrs. Steven Douglas SmithDr. and Mrs. Thomas Alton Smith Jr.Hon. and Mrs. William John SmithMr. William D. Sockwell & Mrs. Deborah J. LongDr. and Mrs. William Elhannon Somerall Jr.Mr. Mark Samuel SparkmanMr. Joseph Lee SpruiellMr. and Mrs. Joseph William Stanfield Jr.Ms. Elizabeth Grey StanleyMr. and Mrs. Eugene Grant SteeleMr. and Mrs. James Joseph Stevenson Jr.Ms. Ella J. StewartMr. and Mrs. James Howard Stewart, Jr.Rev. Marcus C. Stewart Jr.Mr. and Mrs. Larry Henry TaylorMs. Kathryn Marie TeixeiraDr. Barbara M. ThompsonMs. Angelyn Rebecca TraylorMr. and Mrs. David George TraylorMr. and Mrs. Michael John TrentalangeDr. and Mrs. William TrimbleMrs. Laura Crowe TurleyDr. Marc L. UlrichMr. Dannie Lamar ViceDr. and Mrs. Johnnie Bedsole VinsonHon. and Mrs. J. Scott VowellMr. and Mrs. Michael WarnerMr. Marvin Key Warren IIIMr. and Mrs. Michael Alan WatsonMr. and Mrs. Joseph WeatherfordDr. and Mrs. Glenn WehtjeMs. Constance D. WhitfieldMr. and Mrs. Cecil Creighton WilderMr. and Mrs. George Edmond Williamson IIMr. and Mrs. Bertrand WilsonMr. and Mrs. Timothy Ray WilsonMr. and Mrs. Dawson Edward WoodMs. L. Kaye WrightMrs. Gail Devaney YatesDr. Stephanie Gardner & Mr. Michael M. Young

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NEW &NOTABLE

College of Liberal Arts, faculty, students, alumni and staff engage in

innovative programs and initiatives, publish dynamic research and

creative works, and reach noteworthy career milestones.

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NEW & NOTABLE

Living Democrary in action

Distance Education: Summer '15

Dr. Kelly Jolley, professor in the Department of Philosophy in the College of Liberal Arts, will soon release his highly anticipated book of poetry, Stony Lonesome. Jolley believes “…that we need poetry. We need to cultivate an intimacy with words that is stifled by our daily transactions with them. We speak them; we hear them; but we are mere acquaintances, hardly more than Facebook friends. We do not know them.” When asked about his decision as a scholar of philosophy to write a book of poetry, Jolley commented, “I find that nothing uncramps my mind so much as writing poetry. Poetry has its rigors, just as ordinary language does, just as philosophy does, but those rigors differ, and attempting to meet poetry’s allows me to assume a new mental posture.” Stony Lonesome is currently available for pre-order on the New Plains Press website.

Dr. Jolley: Philosophy & Poetry

The College of Liberal Arts is pleased to announce that several Auburn core courses will be offered online beginning Summer 2015. Courses in anthropology, art, economics, English, history, music, psychology, and others will be available to students who wish to complete their coursework from the comforts of home or while on vacation. For more information about online course offerings, visit the CLA Distance Education website at www.cla.auburn.edu/distance/.

Lowery McNeal, a history major, spent the summer in Selma, Alabama, as part of the college’s Living Democracy initiative. While in Selma, McNeal was cast as an extra on the set of Selma, a film based on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches. McNeal stated, “Being a small part of the Selma movie was a fantastic experience. Throughout the week, the film extras created a small community at the sets—we helped one another (usually trying to keep our crazy 60’s hairdo’s up), told stories, listened and learned about history, and shared common goals for a little while. I saw it as a lesson in how collaboration in community can lead to success. Being on the movie set also gave me a sense of the spirit of the original Selma marches and a chance to hear many fascinating stories of real Civil Rights experiences. It was a really unique way to learn about history and hear first-hand how the Civil Rights Movement changed so many lives.”

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Living Democracy brings together students and citizens to collaborate on issues of concern to Alabama communities. Coordinated by the College of Liberal Arts at Auburn University and the David Mathews Center for Civic Life, the project prepares undergraduate college students for civic life through living-learning experiences in the summer.

CLA's Top-NotchDr. Bill Franko, assistant professor of political science, was awarded a National Science Foundation grant to develop novel measures of skill-based technology inequality in the United States. These measures will allow researchers to better understand how recent advancements in broadband technology are creating a new system of social stratification based on access to electronic information and the ability to effectively use this information.

On Saturday, Sept. 6, Dr. Paula Backscheider and Dr. Robin Sabino, both professors in the Department of English, were recognized as two recipients of the 2014–2015 Alumni Association Awards at halftime of the Auburn vs. San Jose State game. Backscheider was selected as the 2014–2015 Distinguished Graduate Faculty Lecturer. Sabino received the 2014 Minority Achievement Award.

Dr. Peter Chen was recently appointed head of the Department of Psychology. He was previously a professor of management and the associate director of Australian Centre for Asian Business at the University of South Australia. Chen has published more than 90 articles and two books, with over 3,000 citations of his work.

On Wednesday, September 17, the College of Liberal Arts in collaboration with the U.S. District Court Middle District of Alabama hosted a Constitution Day event which included a naturalization ceremony followed by a Q&A and an interactive workshop led by Chief Judge W. Keith Watkins '72. The event recognized the 227th anniversary of the Constitution of the United States.

Dr. Ana Franco-Watkins, undergraduate program director and associate professor of psychology was named a fellow in the 2014–2015 Southeastern Conference Academic Leadership Development Program. Franco-Watkins will join other SEC faculty and administrators in the program, which seeks to identify, prepare and advance academic leaders for roles within Southeastern Conference institutions and beyond.

Rick Lowe was named the College of Liberal Arts Breeden Eminent Scholar for Spring 2015. Lowe, an Alabama native and founder of Project Row Houses, recently received a 2014 MacArthur Fellowship, one of the most prestigious awards in the nation dedicated to arts, sciences and humanities. He will spend spring semester at Auburn teaching a special topics community arts class for the Department of Art and Art History.

Dr. Mary Helen Brown, associate professor in the School of Communication and Journalism, was selected for the National Communication Association’s Teachers on Teaching series. The NCA Teachers on Teaching series celebrates exemplary teachers of communication at all academic levels. Brown will share her stories of classroom successes at a session of the NCA national convention in Chicago on Friday, November 21.

Carol E. Linde is the 2014 Political Science Leadership Award recipient. Linde is a senior pursuing a double major in political science and psychology, and minors in English and women’s studies. She has a 4.0 cumulative grade point average and is the recipient of many awards. She is on the Dean’s List, and is a member of Auburn’s Honors Congress, the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and several other honor societies.

Dr. Ann Knipschild, professor of music, and Dr. Paula Bobrowski, associate dean of research and faculty development, received a grant from SENCER for their innovative work demonstrating the interdisciplinary relationship between the arts and sciences.

Dr. Mary Helen Brown

Chief Judge W. Keith Watkins '72

Dr. Bill Franko

Chief Judge W. Keith Watkins '72

Dr. Bill Franko Dr. Peter Chen

Dr. Ana Franco-Watkins Rick Lowe

Carol E. Linde Dr. Ann Knipschild and Dr. Paula Bobrowski

Dr. Paula Backscheider

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Scholarships, innovative research, community service projects, and new facilities—these are only a few of the deserving causes you can support in the College of Liberal Arts. For more information on how you can make a difference, contact one of the Directors of Development below or visit the Development website, cla.auburn.edu/cla/development.

Opportunities to Give

Melissa HageDevelopment Coordinator

Allyson Dozier, Dean’s Club Coordinator

Suzan Syler, Travel Assistant

Mary BairdExecutive Director of Development

Carrie Carpenter, Director of Development

Vivian Langley, Director of Development

'8

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I started my internship in the College of Liberal Arts just after my sophomore year. It’s been quite the journey, and now, as a senior, I feel old and horrified and still somehow ready for someone to cut me loose, to let me really go out into the world so I can finally see what I can do with all that I’ve learned thus far.

Joseph A. AistrupDean

Paula BobrowskiAssociate Dean for Research &

Faculty Development

Charles IsraelAssociate Dean for Academic Affairs

Giovanna SummerfieldAssociate Dean for Educational Affairs

Wendy BonnerChief of Staff

Vicky SantosDirector of External Affairs

Adriene C. SimonSenior Art Designer

Michael Gutierrez Digital Content Producer

Bethany BroderickGraduate Assistant

Anna Beth JagerPublic Relations Intern

Austin Lacy Student Videographer

Designed and Produced by the College of Liberal Arts Office of External Affairs, November 2014.

Auburn University is an equal opportunity educational institution/employer.

www.cla.auburn.edu

Dean’s office

External Affairs

Excuse the corny analogy, but I imagine graduating will be similar to sky diving; the waiting, the anticipation for all of us is nearly suffocating, with “what if ’s” playing in an incessant loop throughout our brains the closer we get to the ledge. But then, all it takes is a little push, a little leap of faith, and we’re flying.

My time as the public relations intern has made me feel infinitely more secure in my future. The College of Liberal Arts truly invests in its students in every way, and I feel fortunate to have been a part of such a dedicated institution. I’ve had mentors who have pushed me, who have been my teachers and have allowed me to not only understand the business side of working with others, but the creative, innovative side of things as well. I’m a part of something that most never have the opportunity to say they’ve been a part of, and that is truly special.

I take all of my remaining time in small, day-to-day moments, trying to somehow mentally force the hands on the clock to tick slower, to give me just a little more time to stay and bask in the warmth of CLA. I’ve met so many wonderful, unique individuals through my experiences, and have had the absolute honor of telling their stories in publications that have become my own tangible source of pride. Physically holding something that exhibits all of our hard work is a really wonderful thing.

I’ll miss my little office, and I know cleaning out my desk some day in the near-future will be strange, but I feel confident that wherever I end up, the abundant experience I have received as the College of Liberal Art’s public relations intern will take me somewhere truly grand. I can’t wait to see where, exactly, that is.

Editors Note

College of Liberal Arts735 Extension Loop

Auburn, AL 36849-7350

NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDAUBURN, ALPERMIT NO. 9

An online version of Perspectives is available on claperspectives.com. Stay up-to-date with all of the college’s news, recent publications, and video and audio interviews with alumni, faculty, and students.

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