When Christina Aycock, junior in graphic design, joined Silver Wings her freshman year in the fall of 2012, she never expected to be where she is today with the organization.
Before the school year was over in April, Aycock was elected Silver Wings National President. Aycock was elected with six Auburn students Ryan Hall, junior in psychology; Ashley Kinsey, employee in biosystems engineering; Rena Divine, employee with wildlife sciences; McKinnon Pearse, sophomore in precommunication; Sarah Sawyer, junior in nursing; and Jonathan Corona, junior in environmental design.
In the past, the Auburn Chapter of Silver Wings have been labeled as a hostess group for the Air Force ROTC, but the organization is much more than that.
When the Air Force ROTC have their monthly physical assessment, called PTs, the silver wings will bring them fruit and make signs and cheer for them. However, this is not the group's main purpose.
"It's less social than it is community service," Corona said. "We do things for them, but its meant to be more professional."
Silver wings also teams up with Air Force ROTC and their sister organization, Arnold Air Society, ASA, to complete community service projects.
"We are our own organization and we are really emphasizing it this year," Corona said. "As far as being civilians, we take pride in that because we are like the civilian force of the Air Force."
Silver wings can best be explained like a pyramid. At the bottom are general chapter members then chapter officers. Next are region officers. Silver wings divide the country into 11 regions. Auburn is in region five along with Ole Miss, Mississippi, South Alabama, Samford, UAB and Tennessee.
The Silver Wings national staff is in charge of all 90 Silver Wings chapters throughout the country. The national staff heads the projects the chapters are working on.
"We want to make sure that all the chapters in the country are doing their best, and trying to get involved with the community as much as they can," said activities officer Jonathan Corona.
The goals of national staff are to promote national defense and to reach out to people with disabilities.
"I attended my first national conference the year before last in Atlanta," Aycock said. I saw all of the Auburn staff and they were pretty much running the national staff. It was really impressive to see that age student taking on something like that."
To apply for national staff, members must complete what is called a bid packet to present to the Executive Management System (EMC). These packets outline plans for a budget and what changes would be made to the organization.
After the bid packet is completed and the EMC had voted, select members present their bid packet at the national conclave called NATCON in Washington D.C.
Aycock said she is looking forward to how her national title can benefit Auburn's chapter in the next school year.
"It definitely helps give (members) perspective," Aycock said. I want them to see that leadership and think 'Whoa that's awesome. I want to try that.'"
If you are interested in Silver Wings, contact beb0017@auburn.edu or look for the Silver Wings information booth on the concourse days in the fall.
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