On May 5 at 10 a.m., Auburn University held the Spring Commencement Ceremony for the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering for both undergraduates and graduates in the Auburn Arena.
“You’re about to join an incredible family of Auburn graduates,” said Auburn University President Steven Leath. “Our graduates have moved on to make meaningful impacts in the community, in our state, in our nation and across the world.”
Various faculty members were seated on stage for the ceremony including Auburn Board of Trustees member Michael DeMaioribus and Auburn’s Provost Bill Hardgrave.
This year’s graduation speech was given by Auburn alumni Susan N. Story. Story graduated from Auburn in 1981 with a degree in engineering, and she has since become the CEO of American Water Works — making her one of only 26 women to lead S&P 500 companies.
“I love being back at Auburn, I love this University, and I love this campus,” Story said.
Story said she was the first person from both of her parents’ families to ever go to college.
“My mom and dad said, ‘We know this is the United States and our kids can be whatever they want to be.’ So they worked hard, they worked for minimum wage in a cotton mill when my brother and I were young," Story said. "Never did they imagine back in those days that their son would earn a doctorate and their daughter would be the CEO of an S&P 500 company.
Leath said Auburn has awarded more than 320,000 degrees since its establishment, and 4,027 degrees will be awarded this spring. The Samuel Ginn College of Engineering gave out 571 degrees during the Spring Commencement.
“Auburn helped me on my path. I worked my way through school here when I was in engineering, and when I graduated, I had all kinds of opportunities because of the education that I had here,” Story said. “Auburn supported me, Auburn encouraged me, Auburn was my beacon and my enabler, and I’m standing here because of Auburn University.”
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