The following stories are presented in no particular order.
Bria Randal
Growing up in a military family, Bria Randal, junior in political science, has a special connection to Auburn, as it is the city she has lived in the longest.
“I have tried to really cherish the people I am around a lot more,” Randal said when reflecting on her time in Auburn.
Randal took the changes to the Miss Auburn campaign system in stride — choosing a line from the creed she could break down, relate to and connect with students on.
“I believe in the human touch, which cultivates sympathy with my fellow men and mutual helpfulness and brings happiness for all.”
Having to move around for much of her life, she came to the realization of how important the human touch is and the relationships that are fostered from reaching out to others. She said in times of need, Auburn friends and family have reached out to Randal and helped her grow. Randal said she hopes to be the help and guidance others need as she moves forward.
Her involvement in student activities connected her to campus in a way she said she will never underestimate, but her work as a War Eagle Girl has put her in contact with alumni and administration — giving her a greater appreciation for what makes Auburn what it is.
“I have so many ideas that I have had for a long time about Auburn that I would love to implement and even being in the Top 5 lets me get my voice out there and say what I think,” Randal said. “I am so thankful for that.”
Randal said based on Miss Auburn’s understanding of the student body, she should use the position to bring change to benefit the students, alumni
Randal’s slogan is “Rooted in Randal” and will be centered around a tree and the roots that grow while in Auburn.
“I want to focus on how other people found their roots at Auburn because the line I chose might not apply to everybody,” Randal said. “We are focusing on how they found their roots, who helped them do that and why they are where they are today.”
Mary Spencer Veazey
Mary Spencer Veazey, junior in public relations, said her Auburn experience was built on making relationships, connections and caring for others on campus and around the city.
“I believe in the human touch, which cultivates sympathy with my fellow men and mutual helpfulness and brings happiness for all,” was chosen for Veazey’s campaign because no other line fit her better, she said.
Veazey said service is very important to her platform, and while campaigning, her team and other participating students will be writing letters to workers and administrators on campus for what they do.
The “Be Valued with Veazey” campaign will highlight others, she said. She said she would rather not focus on herself — “it’s not my style.”
The Miss Auburn campaign will be Veazey’s first campaign, and she said she is a fan of the changes as it will be more about the hostess role.
“If I could become Miss Auburn, I really want to be somebody that goes to organizations and sits down with them and hears their voices,” Veazey said. “I feel like as a hostess, are you even a good hostess if you’re not reaching out to people that are a part of the community? If I don’t know the people, how good of a hostess could I be?”
Veazey said her favorite role on campus has been her involvement with Delta Zeta and her role with the freshman sisters. Her sorority sisters helped her pick the line from the creed and develop her platform.
Her involvement with the International Buddy Program played a part in that decision, as she developed friendships she values greatly.
“All of the roles I have had on campus have something to do with building relationships,” Veazey said. “They haven’t really been behind-the-scenes jobs.”
She hopes to put the attention on serving the student body, the alumni and those who serve the University daily.
Bailey Sullivan
Bailey Sullivan,
“I see that first line of the creed as an opportunity focus Miss Auburn’s hard work on specifically representing and serving the University rather than representing a charity platform,” Sullivan said. “It resonated with me when I was thinking about what fits me.”
“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.”
Sullivan’s slogan is “Stand with Sullivan.” She said she handpicked three words from her chosen line to base her platform
Sullivan said Miss Auburn must stand on the creed and stand for the University – she must serve the student body, administration
Each day of campaigning on the concourse will be based on one of the words Sullivan has chosen.
Along with the line’s relevance to the role Miss Auburn plays, Sullivan said hard work has always been vital
“I have always loved challenges,” Sullivan said. “Growing up, I was a big runner. The idea of putting in the miles, putting in the hard work and then it paying off on race day was something I always loved. If you have a goal and a dream, you go after it.”
Sullivan said her parents taught her to work hard for what she wanted, and she has carried that with her. Having been involved with more than 10 campus organizations, Sullivan said she feels highly equipped to do the job well.
Sullivan said she hopes to bring a “renewed vitality” to Miss Auburn.
“I think Miss Auburns in the past have done an excellent job of being very distinguished, respectful women, and I want to continue that trend by also making [Miss Auburn] a more active and present servant leader on campus,” Sullivan said.
Zuri Foster, junior in biomedical sciences, is turning her campaign’s attention to honesty and truthfulness with her line of the creed – “I believe in honesty and truthfulness, without which I cannot win the respect and confidence of my fellow men.”
Foster said she was under the impression as a freshman that one had to fit into a mold to take up important roles on campus. She found that wasn’t the case — she could be herself.
“My slogan is going to be ‘Foster the Family with Zuri’ because when I think of myself and when I am truly myself, it is when I am with my family and friends that I consider family,” Foster said. “We pride ourselves on being the Auburn Family, so I want to encourage people to be themselves and accept others for who they truly are.”
Foster said she hopes her campaign week will resemble a family reunion with fun activities for those on the concourse.
Her team will be encouraging students to write letters to incoming freshman, inviting them into the Auburn Family.
When Foster first arrived on campus she applied for the Freshman Leadership Program and didn’t get a spot. She said she felt doubt and wasn’t sure if she would find a place.
Soon after, Foster found her place in the Black Student Union, Big Event and Impact. She became a student recruiter and an SOS counselor. She said her contact with hundreds of students pushed her toward making Auburn a better campus.
“I was really shy when I first came to Auburn, and now I can pretty much talk to a tree,” Foster said and laughed. “I love Auburn. My parents went here and met here.”
Foster said if she was elected Miss Auburn, she would be able to make Auburn a better place for all students. She said she has thought about developing a mentorship program for students to ensure they know their voices are heard.
Before charity platforms were removed, Foster had considered the possibility of a free walk-in clinic for students with financial needs. She hopes she can still make something similar a reality if elected.
The first and only line of the creed Kathryn Kennedy, junior in biomedical sciences, learned when she enrolled at Auburn spoke about the human touch.
Now as a junior, Kennedy is crafting a platform for Miss Auburn based on the line she learned as a new Tiger.
“Even after learning the rest of the creed, this is the line I always come back to and zero in on,” Kennedy said. “I think it’s the line that reminds me of the Auburn Family the most.”
“I believe in the human touch, which cultivates sympathy with my fellow men and mutual helpfulness and brings happiness for all,” Kennedy quoted from memory with a smile.
She said she believes everyone wants to feel the human touch and can embody her chosen line of the creed in their own way. Throughout her time on campus, she said the love, support
Kennedy said “the human touch” is unique to Auburn and the people that call it home.
Kennedy’s slogan, “Kathryn Kennedy Can,” was chosen to reinforce her ability to take the role of Miss Auburn and make it her own while carrying on years of tradition.
“I hope we will be able to really interact with different groups of students and talk to them,” Kennedy said. “I want to reach out to people and have genuine conversations.
Kennedy is currently serving as the director of Freshman Forum, a position she is very passionate about because of the importance of new students.
Kennedy said she believes she could embody the creed fully while encouraging other students, young and old, to also live by the creed.
She said she feels the switch from charitable platforms to a focus on the creed will be a step in the right direction for the Miss Auburn program.
“We are talking about our Auburn experiences and why we want to serve and have the heart to serve,” Kennedy said.
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