2013-14 auburn university graduate school magazine
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Graduate School
Battling BreastCancerArtificially Engineered Cancer Tissue Offers Platform for Drug Testing
F A L L 2 0 1 3 / S P R I N G 2 0 1 4
� A Digital Discovery � Online, Any Time: Distance MBA Program Gets High Marks From Students � Embodying the Auburn Creed
CONTENTS
Publication TeamEditorsGeorge Flowers, DeanGeorge Crandell, Associate DeanChris Anthony, Managing EditorDesign, Photo and Production: Office of Communications and Marketing staffDownload this Auburn Graduate School publication online at www.grad.auburn.edu/magazineAuburn University Graduate School 106 Hargis Hall, Auburn, AL 36849 Phone (334) 844-4700 Fax (334) 844-4348 Postmaster, please send address changes to 106 Hargis Hall, Auburn, AL 36849-5122.Contents 2013 by the Auburn University Graduate School, all rights reserved.
4 Message from the Dean
5 Top Rankings
6 Research Highlight: MRI Research Center Contributes to Groundbreaking Research
7 International Wives Club
8 Battling Breast Cancer: Artificially Engineered Cancer Tissue Offers Platform for Drug Testing
12 A Digital Discovery
15 International Recruitment Highlights
16 Online, Any Time: Distance MBA Program Gets High Marks From Students
18 Embodying the Auburn Creed
22 Prospective Students: Admission Requirements
23 Areas of Study
24 Distance Education & Tips for Applying to Graduate School
25 ABM Program
26 Estimated Cost of Attendance
27 Graduate Student Gets Creative When Paying for School
28 Graduate Education is an Investment
29 Auburn, Alabama
30 Providing a Home for Student Veterans
31 This Year in the GSC
32 The Gift of Excellence
33 Show Your Belief in Auburn's Graduate Students
34 Graduate School Staff
Message from the Dean Dr. George Flowers
As technology speeds change throughout the globe, a graduate degree is increasingly necessary. Graduate degree holders are not only more competitive in the job market, but have the knowledge and skills to shape the future.
We at Auburn University are charged with making a positive difference in people’s lives as part of our land-grant mission. You will find that this spirit of service, combined with academic rigor and a quest for knowledge, permeates the Auburn campus.
In this issue of the Graduate School Magazine, you will read about Auburn graduate students who are living examples of the Auburn Creed. These students’ exploits clearly demonstrate Auburn’s three-pronged mission of education, research and outreach.
Shantanu Pradhan is artificially engineering breast cancer tissue with the goal of using it to test anti-cancer drugs. Through her research and work with the Graduate Education Development Council, Bridget Peters is doing her part to promote the “exercise is medicine” philosophy and advocate on behalf of graduate students. Using 21st-century tools, Meagan Gacke has redefined how literary scholars look at 18th-century British author Mary Deverell. And finally, Auburn’s highly ranked distance MBA program is allowing students such as Russell Wong and Kelly Schmidt to hone their business skills without setting foot on campus.
These are just a few of the outstanding students pursuing graduate study at Auburn University. Please join me in supporting their scholarly and creative efforts that have the potential to make a positive difference in all of our lives.
George FlowersDean of the Graduate School
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Top Rankings
“ I’m completing my doctorate in bio-energy at Auburn University and enjoying every minute of it. Graduate study not only refreshes my mind and strengthens my ability to explore the world, communicate with people, and solve scientific issues, but it also prepares me for the responsibility of contributing to society’s well-being.”Mi Li, Wuhu, China
Doctoral student in the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences
Auburn is included in a distinctive group of 18 universities designated as Land, Sea, and Space Grants and receives many accolades from accrediting agencies and ranking publications.
• Auburn has been ranked among the top 50 public universities in the U.S. for 20 consecutive years, ranking 37th in the 2013 edition of U.S. News & World Report.
• Modern Healthcare ranked the Raymond J. Harbert College of Business as the 16th best graduate school and 5th among MBA programs for physician-executives.
• College of Education’s Rehabilitation Counseling Program ranked 17th in U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Graduate Schools,” 2010 edition.
• College of Education’s School of Kinesiology doctoral program nationally ranked 28th by the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education, 2010 edition.
• Aerospace Engineering ranked 34th in U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Graduate Schools,” 2012.
• Industrial Systems Engineering ranked 21st in U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Graduate Schools,” 2012.
• The College of Liberal Arts’ Audiology program ranked 45th in U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Graduate Schools,” 2012.
• Auburn University has been named by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance as one of the top 100 Best Values in Public Colleges for 2011-12
• Distance education graduate programs in Auburn University’s College of Education and Samuel Ginn College of Engineering were named honor roll programs in U.S. News & World Report’s Top Online Education Program rankings.
• A comprehensive list is available at www.auburn.edu/rankings.
A W I S E I N V E S T M E N T
Auburn University researchers are contributing to advances in cognitive neuroscience and cardiovascular research thanks to the university’s MRI Research Center.
The $21 million, 45,000-square-foot facility houses two of the most powerful research and clinical MRI scanners in the world.
The Siemens MRI scanners include a 7 Tesla, or 7T, scanner – which is one of fewer than 35 in the world and is used by researchers to conduct structural MRI scans, as well as functional MRI, providing dynamic images of how the brain works – and a 3T scanner, the most powerful MRI certified by the FDA for clinical use.
MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, uses magnetic signals to create images showing the inside of the body, helping doctors pinpoint problems affecting the body’s organs.
“The MRI Research Center brings together Auburn University’s expertise in engineering, science, pharmaceutics, agriculture, veterinary medicine and business with Siemens’ expertise in magnetic resonance imaging as one of the world’s largest suppliers to the health care industry,” says Tom Denney, the center’s director and the Ed and Peggy Reynolds Family Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering. “We’re conducting research that focuses on cardiovascular and brain imaging as well as advancing MRI technology.”
Auburn researchers and their collaborators use the 7T scanner for research in areas such as brain function, metabolic imaging, pharmaceuticals, diabetes and heart disease. The scanner is one of two in the Southeast and one of 18 in the United States.
The clinical 3T scanner is shared by the university and Opelika’s East Alabama Medical Center, which uses the scanner during the week to help diagnose patients.
MRI Research Center Contributes to Groundbreaking Research
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On any given Tuesday morning in the Auburn University Student Center, a group of women can be seen immersed in deep conversation marked by intermittent fits of laughter. On its face, the group may seem like a typical social club, but its roster reads like a miniature United Nations. The club’s membership includes women from the United States, China, Turkey, Iran, South Korea, Malaysia, Egypt and Ecuador.
Auburn’s International Wives Club may seem like a light-hearted affair, but the group fills a serious need in the community. When international students come to Auburn, many of them have spouses who often give up professional careers to move to a foreign country where they have no friends, a limited knowledge of the language and may not be able to work.
About a year ago, Len Vining, special projects coordinator for the Graduate School, approached Rhonda Cattley and Mayra Ruiz about starting a group for the wives of international students.
“My husband and I moved here two years ago from California, and it was a very difficult move for me,” says Cattley, whose husband, Russell, is a professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine. “I was no longer working, and it was hard to meet people. So I understood when Dr. Vining asked me to start this group what it was like to move to a new area and how difficult it was to make friends.”
Club members typically meet once a week and swap stories while sampling cuisine from around the world.
For many of the women, the club serves as an opportunity to simply get out of the house and practice speaking English. Ruiz, an Ecuadorean whose husband, Oscar, studies at Auburn, says her English skills have improved and she has a more positive outlook in her day-to-day life.
She says the club provides a much needed outlet for many of the women, which in turn benefits the women’s husbands.
“Nobody wants an angry, depressed or stressed wife at home,” Ruiz says. “It doesn’t contribute to a peaceful relationship, and it can influence the performance of husbands in their jobs and research.”
INTERNATIONAL WIVES CLUB Fills a Need in the Auburn Community
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By Chris Anthony
BattlingBreastCancer
Artificially Engineered Cancer Tissue Offers Platform for Drug Testing
10
B iologists and pharmaceutical scientists may be the face of the war on cancer, but Shantanu Pradhan
knows he and his colleagues in the field of engineering will play a pivotal role as that war rages on.
Yes, other branches of science have contributed a wealth of knowledge to cancer research, Pradhan acknowledges. But biomedical engineers can do what other scientists can’t – engineer a 3-dimensional model of cancer tissue.
Pradhan, a doctoral student in the Department of Chemical Engineering, and assistant professor Elizabeth Lipke are part of a research team that is engineering artificial breast cancer tissue with
the goal of using it to test anti-cancer drugs.The team’s research is part of a growing focus
worldwide on engineering cancer tissue in a 3-D format, rather than the 2-D format biologists
have traditionally used to grow cancer cells. Anti-cancer drugs may kill cancer cells grown in a 2-D
format, “but when the same drug is applied to a tumor growing in a 3-D format in the human body, it might not have the same effect,”
says Pradhan, an international student from Kolkata, India. “It might be much weaker. It might not be able to kill off all the cells as it did in
the 2-D format. Going forward, I think the way to go is to culture cancer cells in the 3-D format, which is similar to what happens in the human body.”
“ In terms of understanding cancer
biology, we’re really at the beginning
of applying the things we know from
other organ systems to understanding
cancer in three dimensions. ” — Elizabeth Lipke
Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering
11
Artificially creating tissue isn’t new in the field of biomedical engineering, but Pradhan’s method of engineering the breast cancer tissue is unique. He is the first to create cancer tissue using a biomaterial called PEG-fibrinogen, which is made of the synthetic polymer poly(ethylene glycol) and fibrinogen, a protein produced by the liver that is critical to the blood-clotting process.
After combining cancer cells with the PEG-fibrinogen biomaterial in a substance called a hydrogel, Pradhan kept the sample at a temperature similar to that of the human body and observed over a period of 28 days that the cancer cells were growing, much like a cancerous tumor in the human body.
Now that he has been able to engineer the cancer tissue, Pradhan is performing various tests to examine how the cells respond to the surrounding environment and to characterize the different properties of the cancer cells, such as specific genes or proteins that cause the cancer-like behavior.
Pradhan’s research is starting to get noticed around Auburn’s campus. In February, he presented a research poster titled “An Artificial Breast Cancer Tissue for Drug-testing Applications” at the Graduate Scholars Forum and earned a spot in the 2013 Research Week, a campus-wide event that celebrates research and creative scholarship at Auburn University. At Research Week, his poster won first place in the Graduate Engineering poster category, garnering a $400 prize. He plans to continue presenting his research, including to a Biomedical Engineering Society conference in the fall.
While many of the graduate students in Lipke’s lab research ways to engineer cardiac tissue or develop cardiac regeneration techniques, Pradhan is the first to focus his research on engineering a model for breast cancer. Lipke says the two areas share many similarities and the researchers have been able to apply concepts from the cardiac research to the breast cancer research.
“Cancer is an area that biomedical engineers, and in particular tissue engineers,
are just starting to get into modeling, but people have been working on tissue engineering for cardiac and other applications for a lot longer,” Lipke says. “In terms of understanding cancer biology, we’re really at the beginning of applying the things we know from other organ systems to understanding cancer in three dimensions.”
Upon coming to Auburn in fall 2010, Pradhan quickly found that the university was a place where his research and academic pursuits could grow and prosper thanks to the wealth of resources at his disposal.
As he embarked on his cancer research, Pradhan found that his colleagues within the Department of Chemical Engineering were very supportive of his research and had valuable knowledge that could be applied to his own work. “It’s a closely knit group and we interact with ourselves a lot,” he says. “My entire research group is also very supportive of me.”
Another valuable tool Pradhan has found in his research endeavors has been the Auburn University Research Initiative in Cancer, or AURIC. AURIC is an interdisciplinary collaboration that brings together researchers from around Auburn’s campus to focus on a university-wide cancer research effort.
Not only has AURIC awarded a $20,000 competitive grant to fund Pradhan’s cancer research, but it has also given Pradhan and
Lipke access to collaborators in the College of Veterinary Medicine, the Harrison School of Pharmacy and other units on campus.
“It has definitely been a great help,” Pradhan says. “I consider myself fortunate that I have lots of people around campus who have a deeper understanding of the biological aspects of cancer.”
Many of these collaborators have already expressed an interest in testing the anti-cancer drugs they are developing on Pradhan’s 3-D breast cancer model. One of the biggest advantages to testing on the artificial tissue, Pradhan says, is that drug trials performed on animals may eventually become redundant. That could potentially reduce drug costs and the amount of time it takes cancer drugs to come to market in the future.
Under the current trial system, cancer drugs are tested on mice or rats that have cancerous tumors, and if the drug has a positive effect, it may then be applied to human trials. Pradhan says a better model would be to test the cancer drugs on his artificial model, which is designed to simulate human tissue, rather than on an animal whose physiology is much different than that of a human.
“We are trying to make it a better model,” Pradhan says. “We are still in the process. We cannot claim that it is a better model right now, but we are definitely on the way toward it.”
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Meagan Gacke knows the words “Google”
and “scholarly research” are seldom
paired together in the field of English, where
graduate students pay their dues through
the hours spent poring over archives and
examining texts with a critical eye.
But the master’s student in the Department
of English found the search engine to be
a useful tool as she unearthed a treasure
trove of information that now has literary
scholars revising their encyclopedias.
After exhausting library archives, Gacke
took her research project on 18th-century
English author Mary Deverell to Google.
Through a Google Books search, Gacke
discovered digitized periodicals containing
biographical information about Deverell that
was previously unknown to literary scholars.
As a result, the Oxford Dictionary of
National Biography, the authoritative source
on the people that shaped British culture,
has published the information Gacke found
and listed her as a contributing author.
The finding represents a major academic
victory for Gacke, but it also allows literature
buffs to take a closer look at Deverell,
whom scholars know little about.
By Chris Anthony
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“When you have faculty that are well
known in the field, it makes your life that
much easier because then they’re able to
give you that good name and good reputation
that you need to succeed in the field. They
go above and beyond to prepare us for Ph.D.
programs and then for academia beyond.” — Meagan Gacke
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“She’s a huge contributor to women’s
studies, but she has been sort of disregarded
in the past just because people don’t know
how to talk about her,” Gacke says. “They
didn’t know what her religious faith was.
They didn’t know what parts of England
she was coming from. Now we can begin
to actually analyze her, put her in places
and put her in certain cultural situations
that we were unable to do so before.”
Gacke was assigned the project in
professor Paula Backscheider’s feminist
theory seminar and chose to research
Deverell, who most notably authored a
book of sermons. Gacke quickly found that
traditional academic sources offered little
biographical information on Deverell.
“And so I did one of the most inventive
things that they tell you not to do: I
Googled her name,” Gacke says.
After wading through pages of results, she
found an interesting hit — a 19th-century
periodical that showed Deverell died in
1805 in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire.
Upon finding the periodical, Gacke
showed the information to Backscheider,
who in turn provided it to her contacts at the
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
“That Meagan found the information and
then supplied enough evidence to the editor
of the ODNB to have her work included is
extraordinary; it demonstrates not only her
academic skill but perseverance and ingenuity
in research,” Backscheider says. “Contributors
to the ODNB are always invited; as a
contributor, I was able to bring Meagan’s work
to the editor’s attention, and delighted when
it stood up to the rigid tests for inclusion. It is
hard to express how extremely rarely young
scholars have anything worthy of inclusion,
and her achievement is most impressive.”
Gacke continued her research on other
online outlets, finding Deverell’s baptism
record with the Church of England on a
genealogy website. A reference librarian at
Auburn’s Ralph B. Draughon Library was
able to confirm the record’s authenticity.
With Gacke’s information, researchers with
the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
were able to locate non-digitized church
archives in England, including one record
that listed Deverell as an unmarried woman.
Gacke says the new information about
Deverell offers scholars the opportunity
to analyze how her life influenced her
work as an author.
“She talks about the inequalities that
women face and we sort of have to take
her writing and understand why she didn’t
get married,” Gacke says. “We have to
take her writing and the picture that she’s
painted of society back then and just figure
out what she’s telling us not only through
her writing but through her actions –
her decision to not marry someone.”
While her research on Deverell began as
merely a seminar paper, Gacke believes she can
incorporate the research into a larger master’s
thesis on how transatlantic women in the 17th
and 18th centuries redefined the sermon.
Gacke sees an opportunity to continue
publishing on Deverell and become an
authority on the author. In fact, as of press
time, she had an article titled “Minds,
Money and the Middle Class: A Study of
Mary Deverell’s Fight for Socio-Economic
Independence in Eighteenth-Century
England” under review for publication in
Tulsa Studies in Women’s Literature, a leading
feminist journal.
Gacke earned her bachelor’s degree in
English literature from the University of
North Texas and took some graduate-level
courses there before transferring to Auburn.
She says a big factor in her decision to
come to Auburn was being able to study
under professors such as Backscheider.
“When you have faculty that are well
known in the field, it makes your life that
much easier because then they’re able
to give you that good name and good
reputation that you need to succeed in
the field,” says Gacke, adding, “They go
above and beyond to prepare us for Ph.D.
programs and then for academia beyond.”
Gacke plans to pursue a doctorate and
hopes to eventually teach literature at
the college level.
“We have to take her writing
and the picture that she’s
painted of society back then
and just figure out what she’s
telling us not only through
her writing but through
her actions – her decision
to not marry someone.”
15
The Graduate School is continuing its recruitment efforts in the
Middle East. Early in 2013, Graduate School Dean George Flowers
and Baker Ayoun, an assistant professor in the College of Human
Sciences, traveled to Jordan and signed a cooperative agreement with
Yarmouk University. The agreement will allow as many as 15 Yarmouk
University students to come to Auburn each year to receive a graduate
education. The agreement also establishes an Auburn undergraduate
study abroad program at Yarmouk University in addition to a faculty
exchange program, joint research projects and other cooperative
activities between the two universities. Auburn has established a
similar agreement with Jordan Applied University of Hospitality and
Tourism Education and is pursuing agreements with other Jordanian
universities, including the University of Jordan. It’s one of the many
steps the Graduate School is taking to bring exceptional students
from around the world to the Loveliest Village on the Plains.
INTERNATIONAL RECRUITMENTHIGHLIGHTS
Russell Wong is the Audit and Consulting
Services Manager at the Southern California
Edison Company in Los Angeles. He is also a
student at Auburn University.
Kelly Schmidt is a former director of human
resources for the Media Division of the NFL
and is now the Human Resources Leader at
KFC. She, too, is a student at Auburn University.
How so? The Auburn Raymond J. Harbert College
of Business’ distance MBA program – ranked
seventh nationally among public universities
by U.S. News & World Report.
How does it work?“There are TV cameras in the classroom
and we record the lectures delivered to
the on-campus students, so the distance
students get exactly the same lectures as the
on-campus MBAs and other master’s students
get,” says Dan Gropper, associate dean for
graduate and international programs.
“They (students) get online and can stream
it down to their computers wherever they
are. There are proctored exams, working
with our graduate outreach office. The
distance students follow in parallel exactly
what happens on campus. The courses are
all taught by regular Auburn faculty, not by
adjuncts that are hired out on the street. The
distance students get the same lectures and
same materials as the on-campus students. It’s
convenient to working professionals everywhere.”
For Schmidt, that could be any time and
anywhere. Sometimes she studies at 35,000 feet.
“Auburn provides a high value program.
The cost of the program ($750 per credit
hours based on 36 credit hours) was very
attractive in comparison to other programs
that I considered; Arizona State, Oklahoma
State and University of Florida. I wanted to
go to an institution with name recognition.” — Russell Wong
nline, Any Time
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“My job now involves so much travel. I’m
on a flight every week,” says Schmidt, who
believes she will complete the MBA program
in 2014. “Whether it’s on an airplane or in
airports, I access videos wherever I have time.
It’s not easy, but if you want to make it happen,
you just make it happen. I put on a headset,
listen to class and take notes.
“I’m in the exact same classes that Auburn
students are in. Professors do a great job of
preparing students for real-world situations.
In the virtual classroom, people are a lot more
tenured and converse on the same level. I’m an
avid learner. I needed a challenge. Learning is
fun to me.”
Wong, who earned a bachelor’s degree
in Business Administration from California
State Polytechnic University at Pomona,
prefers the “accessibility” of the Auburn
distance MBA program.
“Getting the material is very easy. Books
and material are readily available. In most
cases, the lecture notes are available so that
you can print and follow the video; much like
being on campus,” he says.
“The material covered is very current. The
pace of the classes is just right and the material
encourages critical evaluation.”
Why Auburn?“Auburn provides a high value program,”
Wong says. “The cost of the program ($750
per credit hours based on 36 credit hours)
was very attractive in comparison to other
programs that I considered; Arizona State,
Oklahoma State and University of Florida.
I wanted to go to an institution with name
recognition. My undergraduate university has
local recognition and no football team.
“Also, the program is very flexible. You
can take one, two, three or four classes, and
they don’t push you. That flexibility was very
attractive to me.”
Schmidt, who lived in Los Angeles when she
began the program, chose Auburn over nearby
Southern California, Pepperdine and UCLA.
After a career that has already involved stops
at Continental Airlines, the NFL and KFC,
Schmidt knows an MBA from Auburn can lead
to greater career options.
“The great thing about my career is I’m
open to anything,” she says. “If I have limited
myself to airlines, then I never would have
looked at the NFL. KFC is an awesome
company. I will come out of KFC as a much
stronger HR partner.”
Wong, who completed the MBA program in
May and is seeking a second master’s degree in
Information Systems Management, said he was
inspired to take what he learned at Auburn into
the board room in Los Angeles and apply it to a
current project.
“Last year at this time, I was taking Dr.
(Daniel) Butler’s marketing class,” he says. “At
the same time, the company’s Audit Services
Department had a strategic initiative to establish
an internal brand identity which required
establishing a brand definition and developing
an implementation strategy for internally
promoting the department’s brand. Dr. Butler’s
class helped me identify that a brand is not a
logo but is more of ‘How are we known by our
(business) consumers?’ The class discussions
were immediately applicable to my project
and allowed me to develop a brand strategy
for the department and present it to the senior
management team and my vice president. The
brand definition and implementation strategy
was also submitted as my class project.”
What makes Auburn’s online graduate program so strong?
“The faculty is top-notch. All of the material
is current and immediately applicable to
work. Questions are answered in a very timely
manner,” Wong says. “The support structure
is very good. The registration process is easy.
Getting to class material (notes and lecture
videos) is also easy. This aspect of the process
has become easier over the last couple of years.
“The material covered is very current. The
pace of the classes is just right and the material
encourages critical evaluation.”
For Wong and Schmidt, school at
Auburn has already made an impact on
them professionally – long before they have
completed the program, which typically takes
three-and-a-half years.
“I think differently about business now than I
did before taking the program,” says Schmidt, a
2001 Auburn graduate with a bachelor’s degree
in Aviation Management who previously
worked as Director of Human Resources for the
NFL from 2006-2012. “You dissect companies
more. I’ve applied what I’ve learned and it’s
helped change the way I think about my job.
You analyze more and look for other ideas. You
think about business for the better.”
By Joe McAdory
Distance MBA Program Gets High Marks From Students
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By Chris Anthony
Auburn Creed
19
Embodying the
“The Kinesiology School’s graduate students,
they were like a little family in itself. Even though,
I came to a bigger university, it was a smaller feel.
The culture was really good.” — Bridget Peters
Being an advocate comes naturally to Bridget
Peters. Whether she is championing the “exercise
is medicine” philosophy, evangelizing the College
of Education’s diversity programs or promoting the
beneficial work that graduate students are involved in
to potential donors, Peters advocates on behalf of many
different constituencies.
But her message usually returns to one central theme:
the importance of graduate education.
A doctoral student in the School of Kinesiology,
Peters wasn’t even sure if she wanted to come to Auburn
just a few years ago. In 2011, she was finishing up her
bachelor’s degree in biology with a public health minor
at Spelman College in Atlanta when she heard about
the College of Education’s Future Scholars Summer
Research Bridge Program. The diversity program brings
undergraduate students from historically black colleges
and universities (HBCUs) to Auburn for an intensive,
six-week research experience in hopes that they will
enroll at Auburn and enjoy a successful transition to
being a graduate student.
As it turned out, that program ended up playing a
huge part in Peters deciding to pursue her graduate
education at Auburn. But it was when she met with
John Quindry, director of the Cardioprotection
Laboratory, just before the program began that she
knew she had found a good school.
“The spiel he gave me was kind of a tough sell,” Peters
says. “He said, ‘This is not an easy program. You’re going
to come, I’m going to give you this stack of papers to
read and it’s not going to be simple.’ But he outlined
what the lab did, how they went about publishing, what
he expected as a doc student or even a master’s student
coming into this lab. He even sat me down and asked
me what I want out of it. That was the conversation
with him that persuaded me that I really like this guy
because he wants his doc students not to just come here
and be a number in the program. He has an agenda for
you and he wants you to check it off your list so that
you are actually going to have a long list of marketable
accomplishments when you leave Auburn.”
During that summer, Peters learned the ins
and outs of lab work and became immersed in the
various projects that the lab’s graduate students were
working on. She quickly learned how closely knit the
Auburn Family is.
“The Kinesiology School’s graduate students, they
were like a little family in itself,” she says. “Even though,
I came to a bigger university, it was a smaller feel. The
culture was really good.”
After enrolling at Auburn, Peters joined Quindry in
the Cardioprotection Laboratory, where researchers
work to understand why just a few days of aerobic
exercise decreases heart attack damage. This is an
20
important public health issue because there
are almost 1 million heart attacks in the U.S.
each year. The lab was a perfect fit for Peters,
who believes strongly that exercise is a key
factor in preventing many diseases.
She and her fellow researchers subject
mice and rats to various exercise regimens
and then study the animals’ heart cells
following a heart attack. Particularly, the
researchers try to pinpoint the biological
properties at play when exercise prevents
heart attack damage.
After completing her doctorate, she would
like to take the knowledge she has gained in
Auburn’s Cardioprotection Laboratory to
earn a medical degree.
“I would like to act as a researcher and
physician who can educate from both sides
of academia and the medical field to pub for
‘exercise is medicine.’ That’s my overall goal,”
Peters says. “For someone who’s asking,
‘How can we know if we’re going to have a
heart attack?’ Well, you don’t know. You’re
never going to know. Yes, you may have
risk factors, but you can beneficially alter
those risk factors if you exercise for as little
as 30 minutes a day at a moderate intensity.
And our research shows that even when a
heart attack occurs, hearts from exercised
individuals are protected.”
Peters’ advocacy efforts aren’t only
confined to the health field. As a member
of the Graduate Education Development
Council, she plays an active role in an
organization that advocates on behalf of
graduate students to potential donors.
In this role, she had the opportunity to
speak to the Auburn University Foundation
Board of Directors about the Future Scholars
Summer Research Bridge Program and
the overall value of graduate education.
The Auburn University Foundation is
the nonprofit organization that receives
charitable gifts intended for the university.
Not only does Peters feel that her
membership on the Graduate Education
Development Council helps secure vital
funding for Auburn’s graduate students, but
she says it provides graduate students with a
voice on the council.
“It’s kind of like voting,” she says. “If you
want a say, you should go out and have your
point heard instead of sitting on the sidelines
and waiting for someone else to do it.”
Peters says it only makes the Graduate
Education Development Council’s job
easier when potential donors can come to
campus and see that the university is already
investing in its students. She points to the
School of Kinesiology’s new building as
an example. Opened in March 2013, the
building offers state-of-the-art lab space
and equipment, even down to automated
centrifuge machines used to process lab
samples.
“These new facilities make research more
efficient,” she says. “It’s not that you want
to speed up the process of research, but
it’s putting us on the level of top research
institutions, whereas we can be more efficient
and get our research done, analyzed and
published and be at the top of the margin.”
While Auburn is widely known for
its athletics, Peters knows there is much
more to the school. After all, she sees the
groundbreaking work Auburn researchers
are engaged in every day on campus. It’s
why she’s such a staunch advocate on behalf
of graduate students.
“When people say ‘All In,’ most people
think of football,” Peters says. “But the
Auburn Family lines go deeper than
someone saying, ‘All In. We’re here for
football.’ Education is very valued.”
“When people say ‘All In,’ most people think of football,” Peters says. “But the Auburn Family lines go deeper than someone saying, ‘All In. We’re here for football.’ Education is very valued.”
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A W I S E I N V E S T M E N T
Top 15 countries represented by international student population:
1. China 2. India 3. Turkey 4. Bangladesh 5. South Korea 6. Iran 7. Nepal 8. Taiwan 9. Nigeria 10. Canada 11. Thailand 12. Brazil 13. Egypt 14. Ghana 15. Sri LankaFall 2012 data
Desmond Delk, Atlanta, GA Doctoral student in the College of Education
“Enlightenment, transformation, and globalization are three
traits that describe the graduate school experience at Auburn
University. As a future faculty member, it is important that I am
challenged by and exposed to an array of theories and practices
of my field. This in turn will polish my outlook and ability to make
an indelible impact on my students. Transitioning from Auburn to
anywhere in the world will be a seamless move due to the global
perspectives that are central tenets of the courses. The School of
Kinesiology, with its world-renowned faculty and newly constructed
building, has presented me with international travel and research
opportunities, one-on-one mentorship, and a variety of sources to
conduct extensive research. The right university coupled with the
right school equals the perfect graduate school. Auburn is the ideal
fit for me.”
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PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS
22
An Auburn University gradu-ate degree can help you achieve your goals for the future. Alumni with a graduate degree stand out to potential employers and exhibit the advantage of a global education.
Nationally, the projected num-ber of job openings increases with the level of education, as does the level of potential earn-ings. In the state of Alabama, where many graduates choose to remain after graduation, the projected earnings reflect the national forecasts.
Apply Online at grad.auburn.edu Admissions to any graduate degree program is granted by the dean of the Graduate School upon the recommendation of the department of proposed study. Deadlines are listed in the Auburn University Bulletin (www.auburn.edu/bulletin). However, most academic units make admission decisions several months in advance. Thus, applicants should check with the department to which they seek admission to determine when materials should be submitted.
Resources for International Students
� Office of International Programs International Orientation Document processing
� International Student English Center � Free English language tutoring for
enrolled international students � International Student Organizations � Social support � Airport pickup for new students
Graduate Education:
A Wise Investment
Contact Us
Auburn University Graduate School106 Hargis HallAuburn, AL 36849-5122334-844-4700fax 334-844-4348e-mail: [email protected]
General Admission Requirements
� Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
� Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate coursework from each school previously attended
� GRE or GMAT (if required by program of interest)
� Complete the online application. � Application fee: $60 for domestic
students, $70 for international students � Three letters of recommendation (to be
sent to your department)
Additional Requirements for International Students
� TOEFL Scores: 550 on the paper TOEFL (pBT), 213 on the computer TOEFL (cBT), and 79 on the internet TOEFL (iBT)–minimum of 16 in each section, or a 6.5 Overall Band Score on the IELTS
� Proof of ability to finance graduate studies, if accepted
All documents and fees should be submitted at least 45 days (domestic students) or 90 days (international students) prior to the desired date of enrollment.
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Areas of StudyCollege of AgricultureAgricultural Economics (Interdepartmental)
Agronomy and Soils
Animal Sciences
Applied Economics (Interdepartmental)
Biosystems Engineering (Interdepartmental)
Entomology
Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures
Food Science
Horticulture
Plant Pathology
Poultry Science
Rural Sociology (Interdepartmental)
College of Architecture, Design, and Construction
Building Construction
Community Planning
Integrated Design and Construction
Industrial Design
Landscape Architecture
Real Estate Development (Interdepartmental)
Raymond J. Harbert College of Business
Accountancy
Business Administration (with Executive and Physicians MBA options)
Finance
Management
Management Information Systems
Real Estate Development (Interdepartmental)
College of EducationCurriculum and Teaching
Educational Foundations, Leadership, and Technology
Kinesiology
Special Education, Rehabilitation, and Counseling/School Psychology
*Visit the Graduate School website for detailed program listings for the College of Education.
Samuel Ginn College of EngineeringAerospace Engineering
Biosystems Engineering (Interdepartmental)
Chemical Engineering
Civil Engineering
Computer Science and Software Engineering
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Industrial and Systems Engineering
Materials Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Polymer and Fiber Engineering
School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences
Applied Economics (Interdepartmental)
Forestry
Natural Resources
Wildlife Sciences
College of Human SciencesConsumer and Design Sciences
Hotel and Restaurant Management
Human Development and Family Studies
Marriage and Family Therapy
Nutrition
College of Liberal ArtsApplied Economics (Interdepartmental)
Audiology
Clinical Psychology
Communication
Communication Disorders
Economics
English
History
Psychology
Public Administration
Public Administration and Public Policy
Rural Sociology (Interdepartmental)
Sociology
Spanish
Technical and Professional Communication
School of NursingNursing (Nurse Educator and Primary Care Practitioner options)
Harrison School of PharmacyPharmacal Sciences
Pharmacy Care Systems
*Professional program also available
College of Sciences and Mathematics
Biological Sciences
Chemistry
Geography
Geology
Mathematics
Physics
Statistics
College of Veterinary MedicineBiomedical Sciences
*Professional program also available
For an extensive list of specific programs or program advisor contact information, please scan the QR code or visit the Graduate School website at www.grad.auburn.edu.
PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS
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Distance EducationAuburn University is committed to addressing the needs
of the modern student. The educational opportunities you
will find through the Distance Education program meet
the same exacting standards as do on-campus offerings.
Courses are carefully designed by Auburn faculty
with the aid of distance education professionals who
assist in the development of instructional materials,
academic resources, technical support systems,
telecommunications, and student services.
In addition to the opportunities listed below, numerous
Independent Learning and Professional Development
courses are offered through Distance Education.
Auburn offers nearly 50 distance learning programs,
with many consistently ranked in the top 10 in the
nation by U.S. News and World Report. Distance
learning programs are offered in these colleges:
• College of Agriculture
• College of Architecture, Design & Construction
• Raymond J. Harbert College of Business
• College of Education
• Samuel Ginn College of Engineering
• College of Human Sciences
http://grad.auburn.edu/distance.html
Tips For Applying To Graduate School Letters of Recommendation
� Select writers who know you well, who can comment on your potential as a researcher and a scholar.
� Choose writers who can also speak to your goals, your motivation, and your commitment to graduate study.
� Even better, if possible, select individuals who are known to the people at the institution where you are applying.
Personal Statements
� Convince your audience that you have what it takes to succeed in graduate school.
� Provide evidence that you are motivated and eager to learn.
� Show that you are familiar with the program to which you are applying and that you are a good fit.
� Proofread: typographical errors and grammatical mistakes can undermine your best efforts.
General Advice
� Take the GRE early, in case you want to take it again.
� If possible, gain undergraduate research experience.
� Apply as early as possible, and confirm your department’s priority deadline.
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PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT
ABM programGraduate CertificatesThe Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's program offers
outstanding Auburn students the opportunity to earn
both the bachelor’s and the master’s degrees in less
time and at less cost than usual. It does so by allowing
these exceptional students to count up to nine hours (in
a 30-hour master’s program) or 12 hours (in a 36-hour
master’s program) to count toward both degrees.
Current ABM programs
• Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology
• Agronomy and Soils
• Apparel Merchandising, Design, and Production Management
• Biosystems Engineering
• Community Planning
• Consumer and Design Sciences
• Fisheries
• Geography
• Horticulture
• Industrial and Systems Engineering
• Materials Engineering
• Nutrition, Dietetics
• Nutrition, Hotel Restaurant Management emphasis
• Poultry Science
• Public Administration
Other programs are currently under development.
http://grad.auburn.edu/abm.html
Auburn University offers a variety of Graduate Certificates
for working professionals who want to enrich their
personal knowledge, educators who aim to enhance
their teaching credentials, as well as students considering
the possibility of a graduate degree. Graduate certificate
programs consist of a minimum of 9 and a maximum of
21 hours of graduate-level course work. Auburn offers
certificates for the following programs:
• Accountancy
• Adult Education and English Language Teaching
• Archival Studies
• Automotive Manufacturing Systems
• Brewing Sciences
• College/University Teaching
• Communication
• Construction Management
• Elections Administration
• Extension Educator
• Information Systems Management
• Global Hospitality and Retailing
• Medicinal Chemistry
• Movement Skills Analysis
• Non-profit Organizations and Community Governance
• Nursing Education
• Occupational Safety and Ergonomics
• Program Evaluation
• Public History
• Rehabilitation Leadership and Management
• Teaching English as a Second Language/Foreign Language
• Technical Communication
To learn more about Auburn’s certificate programs, visit http://grad.auburn.edu/certificates.html
Room/board, books/supplies, personal, and transportation amounts from this expense budget are estimates. These
amounts will vary depending on where you live and your personal spending habits.
There are no additional charges for credit hours above 9 for graduate students.
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2013-2014 Academic Year - Fall & Spring Semesters
PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS
Estimated Cost of Attendance
AL Resident(9 hours)
Non-Resident(9 hours)
Tuition & Fees $9,858 $26,382
Room & Board $11,552 $11,552
Books & Supplies $1,200 $1,200
Personal $2,678 $2,678
Transportation $2,816 $2,816
TOTAL COST $28,104 $44,628
Professional Tuition & FeesAL Resident
(9 hours)Non-Resident
(9 hours)
Architecture $14,172 $30,684
Pharmacy $20,424 $36,948
Veterinary Medicine $17,858 $42,382
FeesRegistration fee $598
Proration fee $200
Auditing fee $459 (resident)
$1,377(non-resident)
GRA/GTA enrollment fee $349
International student fee $130
Raymond J. Harbert College of Business fee $200 per credit hour
Professional Books & SuppliesArchitecture $5,150
Pharmacy $4,040
Veterinary Medicine $3,329
For more information, visit http://grad.auburn.edu/tuition
27
Jonathan Hood was 15 when he first took
advantage of a mail-in rebate deal on a video
game he wanted from the CompUSA store in
Huntsville, Ala. He didn’t know it then, but
his savvy rebating skills would help him pay
for graduate school without working multiple
jobs or accruing a mountain of debt.
As a doctoral student in the Department of
Computer Science and Software Engineering,
Hood paid for 90 percent of his tuition and
fees during the 2012-13 academic year using
debit cards and checks from mail-in rebates.
That amounted to more than $11,000. He
spent less than $1,000 out of pocket.
Over the years, Hood has perfected the art
of rebating. Using his graduate education from
Auburn, Hood developed a software program
that helps him keep track of the status of his
rebates. “Whenever one is overdue, I know to
call the company and usually they’ll handle
getting the rebate to me,” he says.
During a typical week, he will spend about
three or four hours doing rebates. Even after
mailing in hundreds of rebates over the years,
he has only ever lost one.
Hood frequents deal site Fatwallet.com to
find the best rebates. After buying items and
submitting the paperwork, he will often sell
the merchandise on eBay and turn a profit.
So what can you learn from Hood and his
ability to stretch a buck?
“The main thing is just letting people know
that you don’t always have to rely on your
parents or the government to be able to pay
for your tuition,” Hood says. “If you put your
mind to it, you’ll be able to find a way to pay
for your education.”
Photo by Sarah Cole and al.com
Graduate Student Gets Creative When Paying For School
Are you not as creative as Hood? Don’t worry. Here are a few of the more common ways Auburn’s graduate students pay for school:
•Graduate Tuition Fellowships About half of Auburn’s graduate students receive either a full tuition waiver or 50 percent tuition support through their service in a qualified graduate assistantship. Graduate students can work as teaching assistants, research assistants, agricultural extension assistants and general graduate assistants in a departmental office. To find detailed eligibility criteria for the Graduate Tuition Fellowships, visit http://grad.auburn.edu/ps/aid.html.
•Departmental Fellowships Different departments and units on campus offer about 100 fellowships providing full or partial tuition support for graduate students. Check with your department of interest about financial aid opportunities. To find opportunities available through the Graduate School, visit http://grad.auburn.edu/ps/aid.html.
•Competitive grants Many units on campus, including the Graduate School, offer competitive grants to offset the cost of thesis and dissertation research expenses as well as travel costs to present at conferences.
•Student loans Several types of long-term, low-interest loans are available for Auburn’s graduate students. Graduate students must enroll at least half time (5 hours) each term in order to qualify for student loans. To find more information about student loans, visit http://www.auburn.edu/finaid.
•Check with your employer Many companies offer tuition assistance or tuition reimbursement programs for their employees. If you are pursuing a graduate degree that will bolster your skill set in your current job, your employer may deem that a prudent investment.
28
Having an Advanced Degree means Higher Pay & Prosperity
Holders of Advanced Degrees will be in high
demand in the next 5 years
Projected Earnings Differential for Alabama MS and Doctoral Graduates during 2009-2010
Average Annual Earnings of Adults 25 or Older in the United States during 2009
Projected Increase of Job Openings by Education or Training in the United States
from 2006 until 2016
GRADUATE EDUCATION IS AN INVESTMENT
Professional degree
Doctoral degree
Master’s degree
Bachelor’s degree
Associate’s degree
Some college, no degree
High school diploma or GED
Some high school, no diploma
Less than 9th grade
$128,600
$103,400
$74,200
$58,800
$41,500
$38,600
$32,800
$24,300
$19,800
$46,600All
Doctoral Degree
Professional Degree
Master’s Degree
Associate’s Degree
Bachelor’s Degree + Work Experience
Bachelor’s Degree
Postsecondary Vocational Certificate
Work Experience or on-the-job Training
10%
22%
19%
19%
19%
17%
17%
14%
10%
All
Degree Total Degrees
Projected Lifetime Earnings Differential
MS + Post MS
8,313 $3.3 Billion
Doctoral 1,584 $1.6 Billion
Total: $4.9 Billion
If 64% of these 2009-2010 graduates remain in Alabama after graduation, it wouldmean that $3.1 billion more would be earned
in and spent in the state of Alabama.
SREB Factbook 2011, p. 67
Data on Degree Completions 2009-2010 taken from the Alabama Commission on Higher Education and includes graduates of public and private universitiesSREB Factbook 2009, p. 94
For southern charm with collegiate vigor, consider Auburn. This diamond on the eastern Alabama plains has a population of just under 58,000 and is home to Auburn University. On football Saturdays, when die-hard fans arrive in droves to cheer their beloved Tigers, Auburn swells to the state’s fifth-most-populous city. And as Auburn’s largest employer, the university also plays a starring role in the local economy.
With mild winters and hot summers, the city offers no shortage of outdoor recreation opportunities. Find a nice hiking trail in the 696-acre Chewacla State Park before cooling off with an afternoon swim. Take a stroll through the Don-ald E. Davis Arboretum, located on the Auburn University campus.
Golfers can head to nearby Grand National golf course and wend their way through the state along the beautiful Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. “Once you have been there, you just want to come back,” says John Cannon, president of SunBelt Golf Corp., which manages the trail.*
*Source: Best Places to Live 2009 by Luke Mullins, U.S. News & World Report, June 8, 2009
Auburn, Alabama
City of Auburn: Best Places to Live 2009
According to U.S. News & World Report, “In selecting our Best Places to Live for 2009, we looked for affordable communities that have strong economies and plenty of fun things to do.”
29
They served us, now it is our time to serve them.”
“
–Johnny Green
Providing a Home For Student Veterans
A W I S E I N V E S T M E N T
“Graduate education is my stepping stone for a prosperous academic career in the future. The distinguished academic community of Auburn University is the place where I can capitalize on my learning experiences. My time in Auburn is an opportunity for gaining research, teaching skills, knowledge and the ability to have a distinguished footprint in my specialty field.”
Auburn UniversityVeterans Resource Center
217 Foy HallAuburn, AL 36849(334) 844-8167
[email protected]://www.auburn.edu/veterans
Aahed Al Khliefat, Petra, JordanDoctoral student in the College of Human Sciences
Auburn University has a proud history of serving those who have served our country in the United States military. It’s why Auburn was named to G.I. Jobs magazine’s 2013 list of Military Friendly Schools “for being among the top 15 percent of schools nationwide that deliver the best experience for military students.”
To give back to student veterans, Auburn offers tuition support for out-of-state veterans and has established a state-of-the-art Veterans Resource Center.
The center assists with certifying students for their Veterans Affairs educational benefits and helps with registration issues regarding
deployment and return to school. It provides information on a range of issues of interest to veterans such as local housing, academic support and advising,
admissions, career services, disability resources and counseling services. One of its most important functions is to connect
veteran students with a VA Campus representative.In 2012, the center moved from its original office in Haley
Center to a newly remodeled office with student support service space in Foy Hall.
Starting in fall 2013, Auburn will be participating in a national student veteran mentoring program called Peer Advisors for Veteran Education.
“This new location and the resources that will be available to our veteran students demonstrate that Auburn University is serious about providing support for its veteran students. They served us, now it is our time to serve them,” center director Johnny Green says.
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This year in the GSCThe Graduate Student Council continues to
make progress on creating new and enriching opportunities in which graduate students can participate through several projects and events. Examples of past initiatives include the Graduate Student Health Insurance Program, the development of a travel grant award program to promote graduate research and the graduate student housing program. Every year the GSC partners with the Graduate School to sponsor a colloquium series where the students gather to learn about a wide variety of topics over a pizza lunch. Ongoing efforts are currently focused on offering more social
activities such as football tailgates and social hours where students can meet colleagues from other disciplines across the university.
The two most anticipated GSC events occur during the spring semester with the Graduate Scholars Forum and Research Week. During the Graduate Scholars Forum, all graduate students are invited to present their research as either a poster or oral presentation whereby the students are critiqued and scored competitively by faculty judges. The winners of the Graduate Scholars Forum advance on to participate in Research Week, a university-wide event
showcasing the hard work of undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty. At the end of the spring semester, the students are honored with a special luncheon and awards ceremony that accompanies the Graduate Student Appreciation Week events.
If you need more information about joining the GSC, either as a senator or as a participant, please contact Brandon Fincher, administrative vice president, at [email protected]. More information can be found at www.auburn.edu/gsc. Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuburnUniversityGSC.
his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre from Auburn University. His research interests include the molecular pathology and imaging of Staphylococcus aureus infections, and he volunteers as a member of the artistic board for the Auburn Area Community Theatre.
Koparan “Jon” Can Iscan, TreasurerKoparan “Jon” Can Iscan is a master’s student pursuing a dual MBA/Finance degree in Auburn’s
Raymond J. Harbert College of Business. A native of Istanbul, Turkey, he earned his bachelor’s degree in Finance from Auburn in 2011. His research has focused on the causes of companies’ IPO (initial public offering) migrations between London’s AIM, a sub-market of the London Stock Exchange, and the New York-based NASDAQ.
Brandon Fincher, Administrative Vice PresidentBrandon Fincher is a doctoral student in public administration/
public policy in Auburn's Political Science Department. He is a native of Woodland, Ala., and is researching civic engagement and government responsiveness at the state and local levels of government. He received a bachelor's degree in journalism from Auburn and a master of public administration degree from Jacksonville State University.
Frank Sturm, PresidentFrank Sturm is a doctoral candidate doing research in the field of Topology in the Department of Mathematics and
Statistics. He specializes in continuum theory, and he has additional interests in the development of algebraic topological methods for use in data analysis. He earned his bachelor's degree in mathematics from the University of Houston in 2006. After a short period of coaching tennis in the Houston area, he was accepted to the graduate program at Auburn University. While at Auburn, Frank has served as a GK-12 Fellow, he has acted as a GSC Senator, and he has initiated a graduate student colloquium series focused on promoting the research of COSAM graduate students. He is grateful for being chosen to serve as GSC President, and he strives to continue developing GSC as an organization that will effectively represent graduate students and enhance the graduate student experience at Auburn.
India Napier, Vice-PresidentIndia Napier is a doctoral student and research assistant in the Biomedical Sciences Program at the College of
Veterinary Medicine (CVM). Her research is focused on developing a contraceptive vaccine as a low-cost alternative to reducing
the overpopulation of cats. She obtained her BA in biology from Boston University in Massachusetts and received her MS Degree in Biomedical Sciences (with a specialization in male reproductive toxicology) from AU’s CVM. India also serves as the Treasurer of the Black Graduate and Professional Student Association.
Bret Griffin, Vice President of Student AffairsBret Griffin is a doctoral student in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology. He
enjoys sports, nature, computers, and movies. Bret has served as a senator on the GSC Rules committee, the GSC Finance committee, the SGA committee, and the University Concessions Board. His commitment to Auburn students is demonstrated through his efforts to secure affordable graduate student housing as well as developing opportunities to build professional skills. As the GSC Vice President of Student Affairs, Bret will continue his mission to improve the quality of life for Auburn’s graduate students.
Richard Davis SecretaryRichard Davis is a doctoral student in Pharmacal Sciences. He received his Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and
Auburn University recognizes the importance of graduate education in developing the leaders of tomorrow. As President Gogue recently said, “Graduate level academic credentials have replaced the bachelor’s degree in today’s knowledge economy.” The enhancement of graduate education is prominent in Auburn’s Strategic Plan, and we are making great strides to offer the best possible programs to our students. One way you can support this effort is by supporting these outstanding scholars.
We seek your partnership in providing fellowships to deserving graduate students. Your two-year commitment of $10,000 per annum will provide a monthly stipend to one Master’s or Ph.D. student. Auburn is committed to the success of these students, and with your contribution, we will provide tuition remission to alleviate the financial burden of tuition. That means that for a student like Samantha Kaye Baggett , $20,000 of support has leveraged nearly $50,000 of financial aid.
The Gift of Excellence
Lila White, Tempe, AZGraduate School supporter who generously established the Lila White Graduate Fellowship
“My reason for giving and supporting graduate education is because I can actually see how my contribution is helping the world!”
32
A W I S E I N V E S T M E N T
“ I will be forever grateful for the Lila White fellowship. Mrs. White’s financial generosity provided the opportunity for me to pursue my dreams in the master’s program at the Auburn School of Nursing. The fellowship has allowed me to work with undergraduate students and elite professors to expand my knowledge to fill the role of a higher education professional. Working with undergraduate students has made me even more passionate about contributing to the future of my field through nurse education. I will complete both a master’s in nurse education and primary care nurse practitioner because of someone’s investment in my education. This program has changed my life and is helping me to become a competent advanced practice nurse and nurse educator. I will have the opportunity to touch many lives through my practice and education careers and will always choose to give back to Auburn University through scholarship so I can help give someone else an amazing experience like mine!”Samantha Kaye Baggett, Wadley, AL
Lila White Graduate Fellow and master’s student in the School of Nursing
33
AnnuAl GiftA generous gift to graduate education will help students per-form cutting-edge research, attend prestigious conferences and participate in eye-opening experiences such as study abroad.
AnnuAl GRADuAtE
AWARD
$1,000
AnnuAl GRADuAtE
fEllOWSHiP
$10,000Student receives stipend and full tuition remission.
EnDOWED GRADuAtE
AWARD
$25,000This endowment will yield $1,000 per annum in perpetuity.
EnDOWED GRADuAtE fEllOWSHiP
This should generate $12,000 annually in per-petuity for a stipend, and the graduate fellow will receive tuition remission.
$300,000
To donate a gift, please contact Hank Galbreath [email protected]
334.844.1431
Or visit: https://fp.auburn.edu/giving/
Office of Development
Auburn University
317 S. College Street
Auburn, AL 36849
They are The human TouchI belIeve In Education, I belIeve In a Sound Mind,
Show your belief in auburn’S graduaTe STudenTS
34
Graduate School Staff
George FlowersDean
Richard AlversonDirector of Information Technology [email protected]
Sherry RayDirector of Matriculation (Last names M-Z) [email protected]
Hank GalbreathDirector of [email protected]
Theresa MorganDirector of Graduate Admissions [email protected]
Julie ReeceExecutive Assistant/ Business Manager [email protected]
Minnie BryantReceptionist/Admissions Processing [email protected]
Clint LovelaceRecruiting, Academic Evaluator of Theses and [email protected]
Christy TannerDevelopment Coordinator [email protected]
Donna ChildersMatriculation and Program Specialist; Academic Evaluator of Theses [email protected]
Penny ChristopherResidency Advisor/ Admissions Processing [email protected]
Jennifer LovelaceDomestic Admissions Processing [email protected]
Leonard ViningSpecial Projects Coordinator [email protected]
George CrandellAssociate Dean
34
Chris AnthonyCommunication [email protected]
35
I believe that this is a practical world and that I can count only on what I earn. Therefore, I believe in work, hard work.
I believe in education, which gives me the knowledge to work wisely and trains my mind and my hands to work skillfully.
I believe in honesty and truthfulness, without which I cannot win the respect and confidence of my fellow men.
I believe in a sound mind, in a sound body, and a spirit that is not afraid, and in clean sports that develop these qualities.
I believe in obedience to law because it protects the rights of all.
I believe in the human touch, which cultivates sympathy with my fellow men and mutual helpfulness and brings happiness for all.
I believe in my country, because it is a land of freedom and because it is my own home, and that I can best serve that country by “doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with my God.”
And because Auburn men and women believe in these things, I believe in Auburn and love it.
– George Petrie
THE AUBURN CREED
© July 2013. Auburn University Office of Communications and Marketing. Auburn University is an equal opportunity educational institution/employer.
Research and Creative Scholarship
Research Week 2014
www.auburn.edu/researchweek
In partnership with Auburn University Montgomery,Auburn University Libraries, and
Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University.