Samuel Ginn College of Engineering is one of the most recognized and well known engineering schools around the nation. With over 10 majors to pick from and over 6,700 students, the College is celebrating its 153rd anniversary on Auburn University’s campus.
In 1872, Auburn — then, the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama — awarded its first engineering degree to B.H. Johnson. 36 years later, in 1908, Auburn was now named Alabama Polytechnic Institute (API) and officially had a “college of engineering,” which rewarded civil, electrical, mechanical and mining degrees. 15 years later, API celebrated its first female engineering graduate: Maria Rogan Whitson.
During the API era, the college of engineering also adopted the cupola as a symbol of their history on campus. This was put into motion from the Auburn University chapel being remodeled in 1900, in which a copula was put on top.
Currently, standing on its own in the Carol Ann Gavin Garden, outside of Brown-Kopel, is a copula. This copula serves as a reminder of excellence, flexibility and intelligence that Auburn engineers work towards, while also honoring the oldest building on campus.
In 1945, the college was organized into five major departments: aeronautical, civil, industrial, mechanical and electrical. Aviation and industrial management programs were also introduced. Fast forward a few years, full of slight reorganizing, to 1960, API was aptly named Auburn University. In the late ‘60s, materials engineering was introduced, taking the place of textiles engineering.
In 1984, the department of computer science and software engineering was established, and in 1999, Auburn offered the SEC’s first bachelor’s and master’s in software engineering.
Looking ahead, in 2001, Auburn named the engineering college Samuel Ginn College of Engineering.
Samuel Ginn was a graduate from the college of engineering in 1959. Graduating with a degree in industrial engineering, Ginn went on to work in the telecommunications industry. Working through the start of the mobile telephone industry, Ginn worked for AT&T, Verizon and Pac Tel. In 2001, he donated $25 million to Auburn to help establish a wireless engineering degree, to which Auburn renamed their engineering school after Ginn, as a thank you.
Only a year later, in 2002, the first wireless engineering degree program was offered at Auburn.
Since then, the college of engineering has seen many feats and notable alumni who hold influential jobs: Tim Cook, CEO of Apple; Clifton Williams, pilot on Project Gemini; Miller Reese Hutchison, inventor of the hearing aid and many more. These same engineers hold countless accolades from various industries around the country.
Today, current students are upholding what it means to be an Auburn engineer: working to excel in their chosen field and proving that Auburn University believes in work, hard work.
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Brychelle Brooks, senior majoring in public and professional writing with a minor in information systems, has been with The Auburn Plainsman since August 2023. She previously served as the Campus Reporter, Opinion Editor and Newsletter Editor. She is currently serving as the Editor-in-Chief.
