Auburn pride will soon have a new face on the road.
Beginning in August, Auburn license plates will be sporting a new style.
Every five years, the state of Alabama requires license plates in the state to change their appearance. Until now, Auburn's tag has had only minimal changes.
"This is the first year the design is different, yet we still are focusing on the interlocking AU which we believe is our most recognized symbol of Auburn," said Debbie Shaw, vice president of Alumni Affairs.
Shaw said Auburn's Office of Communication and Marketing designed the tag.
"There were several tags prepared by their staff," Shaw said. "We did a survey with the Auburn Alumni Club and asked them to pick their favorite design. The winner was outstanding by far from the other tags."
Shaw said proceeds from the tags go to the "License to Learn" Scholarship Endowment Fund.
Shaw said last school year $1.2 million in scholarships was awarded from the fund.
"The fund is really important to Auburn," Shaw said. "We are not only promoting Auburn on the highways, we are raising significant dollars for student scholarships."
In Alabama, tags cost $50 plus the standard registration fee of $24.25.
Shaw said the $50 must be paid each time the license is renewed.
Shaw said there is no fee to personalize the tag and she hopes buyers will use them to express themselves.
"Some of our favorite five character tags include: LVS AU, BT BMA, TGRB8 and WDEAG," Shaw said.
For students and alumni outside Alabama, Shaw said some states have Auburn Clubs that design their own Auburn tags. Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia offer Auburn tags and Mississippi recently submitted the required number of applicants.
"They have different requirements to get plates approved," Shaw said. "They design their own tags, but they work with our offices to make sure the tags are approved by Auburn."
Kristen Nelson, a senior in business administration, said she likes the Auburn tags but doesn't plan on purchasing one.
"I had a vanity tag with my name on it that my dad got for my first car," Nelson said. "I think they are a great way to show Auburn's name on the road but I probably wouldn't get another one."
Joe Harmon, a recent graduate in civil engineering, said he thinks the tags are a good way to show Auburn pride.
"I think it's a great way to promote the school, especially now that I am an alumnus," Harmon said. "It's a great way to give back and it shows that you're an Auburn fan."
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