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(02/10/15 4:43pm)
Chicken Salad Chick's ribbon cutting ceremony was held Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 9:30 a.m., and the restaurant officially opened at 10 a.m.
Glenn Loughridge, director of campus dining, said he is glad Auburn is partnering with a local brand.
"The desire to have a Chicken Salad Chick started with students," Loughridge said. "We heard it from students and from faculty and staff. It's a uniquely Auburn brand. This is a group of people who are really dedicated to giving back to Auburn."
The venue will be crowded for a while, according to Loughridge.
"I think the turnout will be incredible," Loughridge said. "From everything I've heard the lines are going to be out the door. But I think it will even out and things will start to move faster as people learn patterns."
Stacy Brown, founder and vice president of brand development for Chicken Salad Chick, said students' families are the reason Chicken Salad Chick expanded.
"Auburn students are the reason Chicken Salad Chick franchised," Brown said. "We were just a little hole in the wall. It was Auburn students who brought their families to see us and it was their families that requested franchising."
Earlon McWhorter, vice president of market development for Chicken Salad Chick and member of the Auburn Board of Trustees from 2001-2009, cut the ribbon.
"The students were demanding it," McWhorter said. "It's a very exciting day for Chicken Salad Chick to be on campus."
(01/17/15 2:42am)
Aubie was defeated by Brutus Buckeye from Ohio State University in the 2015 Universal Cheerleaders Association national championship Friday, Jan. 16, in Orlando, Florida. Aubie placed second in the championship and was voted Fan Favorite.
The loss comes two weeks after Aubie was announced the winner of the Capital One Mascot Challenge.
Aubie, the 2014 winner, has won more UCA national titles than any other mascot.
(01/19/15 1:00pm)
Au Bon Pain was recently named the healthiest food chain by Grellin, a website that determines which restaurants have the healthiest menus.
However, UNITE HERE, a labor union, has called Au Bon Pain's nutritional value into question with their campaign No Bon Pain.
Diego Parra, communications specialist with UNITE HERE, said the campaign started in an unusual way.
"We started looking at Au Bon Pain because of a labor dispute in one shop at the Philadelphia Airport," Parra said. "What propelled us was the labor dispute. What is keeping us there now is customers have a right to know what they are eating. Especially when a company is telling them they're providing something when perhaps they're not."
According to No Bon Pain's website, nobonpain.info, many of Au Bon Pain's lunch and dinner hot sandwiches contain more calories than a McDonald's Big Mac and an Au Bon Pain turkey and Swiss sandwich contains 80 percent of the recommended daily value of saturated fat and more than 70 percent of Au Bon Pain's full-size lunch and dinner sandwiches and wraps contain more sodium than a McDonald's quarter pounder.
"Au Bon Pain's brand promise is to provide 'flavorful, healthful, fresh and distinctively delicious food and beverages,'" said a statement on No Bon Pain's website. "It's breaking its promise."
Parra said he does not want to tell students to eat healthy, but provide them with the information they need.
"I don't feel the right to ask anyone to do anything specific," Parra said. "I just want them to know what they are eating."
Paula Doyle, vice president of marketing at Au Bon Pain, said the company is aware of the campaign.
"They've been really trying to disparage our food, but the whole thing really has nothing to do with food," Doyle said. "It has to do with a labor issue with one of our locations in Philadelphia."
Doyle said she does not want to get involved with the issue.
"They've been trying to disparage us in order to influence people who they want to join their union," Doyle said. "That's why we're not really getting involved in a discussion with them."
Glenn Loughridge, director of campus dining, said Au Bon Pain uses many healthy ingredients.
"I'm not saying what the campaign is saying is inaccurate -- if you grabbed certain things off the Au Bon Pain menu and you grabbed a Big Mac, you're probably looking at similar calories," Loughridge said. "But, from a nutrient density standpoint, you're probably better off with the Au Bon Pain sandwich."
Loughridge said Au Bon Pain makes its calorie counts clear.
"You've got whole grain bread, lettuce and tomato, free-range meats," Loughridge said. "Not everything is that way, but by-and-large, they are very transparent with calorie counts."
According to Loughridge, Au Bon Pain provides a variety of foods.
"That's why we have ABP in the first place; they provide a pretty wide selection," Loughridge said. "You can have a breakfast sandwich made with egg whites, low-fat cheese and maybe turkey sausage on a skinny bagel, or you toasted with cheddar cheese on a regular bagel and that's probably a lot more calories."
Loughridge said Tiger Dining provides nutrition information for on-campus dining options.
"Utilize your resources," Loughridge said. "When we created the campus dining app it has lots of calorie information and ingredient lists. That's something we insisted on. We want students to be well-informed about what they're eating."
According to Loughridge, students are responsible for choosing what they eat.
"I can't mandate that you eat healthy," Loughridge said. "I can't say, "There's going to be nothing on campus except for the most healthy foods." As much as I would love to say that, there's a lot of college students who want pizza, they want Chick-fil-A or they want Panda Express. We provide access to healthy options, but it's ultimately up to students to decide where and what they eat."
(01/14/15 1:00pm)
Graduation
Auburn University's fall graduation ceremonies were held at the Auburn Arena Saturday, Dec. 13.
According to University President Jay Gogue, 1,497 graduating students were presented with doctorates, master's and bachelor's degrees during two ceremonies.
Former astronaut Jim Voss gave the commencement speech.
Voss, a 1972 Auburn graduate, spent six months on the International Space Station.
"Today, as you graduate, you leave one of the finest universities in the world," Voss said. "It's one that excels in many fields, in engineering, business, veterinary medicine and even the exploration of space."
Carnell "Cadillac" Williams, former Auburn football player, was one of the graduates.
Williams left Auburn to enter the NFL draft and returned to finish his degree 10 years later.
"Very glad to be finally getting my degree here," Williams said. "I've been procrastinating for 10 years now. It's an honor and a pleasure to get my degree this morning, and be an official alumni of Auburn University."
Football players Sammie Coates and Quan Bray were also among the graduates.
Auburn mourns Jakell Mitchell
Jakell Williams, freshman football player, was killed at the Tiger Lodge apartment complex Dec. 14.
(01/06/15 4:15am)
Ashley Salter, 2012 Auburn alumna, is a contestant on the reality show's 2015 season.
Salter will compete with 30 other women for 33-year-old Chris Soules' heart.
Chris Harrison, the reality show's host, recently spoke to People magazine about Salter.
"Ashley's the girl [that] when she comes out of the limo and the first couple of episodes, you're going to feel like she has it all," Harrison said. "She has the spirit, the good looks, the charm ... but then the girls, especially, see another side."
(12/05/14 10:32pm)
Hope Johnson, junior in computer science, reportedly died yesterday, Dec. 4.
Johnson was a member of Auburn's chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta.
Mary Beauchaine, Alpha Gamma Delta's president and senior in public relations communication, provided The Plainsman with a statement about Johnson's death.
"Our chapter is deeply saddened regarding the loss of life of one of our dear sisters," the statement said. "Hope's infectious enthusiasm and care for others will be greatly missed. As we are grieving together, we ask that further questions be directed to Jill Harter at International Headquarters at jharter@alphagammadelta.org."
Jill Harter, director of communications and marketing at Alpha Gamma Delta, said she hopes people will allow Johnson's family privacy while they grieve.
"It's always difficult when a life is lost, especially at such a young age," Harter said. "We know the family and her sisters are grieving so it is best to respect their privacy. The chapter is being supported by the University as well as Alpha Gamma Delta International Fraternity during this difficult time."
(12/04/14 11:45pm)
An NYPD officer was cleared in the choking-death of Eric Garner yesterday, Dec. 3, according to New York Post.
Garner, whose death was caught on tape, told the officers "I can't breathe," before his body went limp.
Those words have become the rallying cry of protesters around the country.
Michael Griffin Grogan-Herod, senior in English, said he was angered after hearing the officer was cleared.
"I was like, 'You're pulling this after Ferguson was like a week ago?'" Grogan-Herod said. "It just astounded me."
Grogan-Herod arrived at Haley Concourse at 8 a.m. with a sign that read, "I can't breathe."
"I thought, 'I need to do something that's not just yelling,'" Grogan-Herod said. "I didn't plan on much, I was just going to sit there with the sign all day. I just wanted to raise awareness."
However, as the day went on, people began to join Grogan-Herod's silent protest.
Stephanie Owens, sophomore in business, said she was hesitant about protesting.
"I think it's a good thing he went ahead and started something we were all a little apprehensive about," Owens said. "If it wasn't for Griffin, we probably would have been on our heels and waited a little longer to come out and do something."
Ammouri Lang, sophomore in mechanical engineering, said she wishes more people joined the protest.
"It's great that he believes in something like this, and he had the courage to stand up and come out here with his sign when nobody else was out here," Lang said. "It makes people nervous, but it's also a good thing to do. If more of us would get together, there's no telling what type of influence we would have."
Jaylynn James, sophomore in information systems management, said she is protesting for justice.
"If the pledge says, 'justice for all,' we should have justice for all," James said. "The police shouldn't be able to get away with anything just because they are police."
According to Grogan-Herod, the response from students has been mostly positive.
"I've gotten a couple sneers and a couple of mean looks," Grogan-Herod said. "But I've gotten a ton more fist bumps and handshakes and smiles and thumbs up. People have been so nice. People have said, 'Man, I appreciate what you do.' That's been awesome."
Grogan-Herod said, while he still believes people are too indifferent toward the Garner case, he is glad he decided to share his message.
"I do believe, right now, there should be more people here," Grogan-Herod said. "I feel that there's sort of this apathy toward this issue, especially on campus. But I've met some amazing people today, and I wouldn't trade this for the world."
(12/04/14 5:00pm)
Philip Lutzenkirchen, former Auburn football player, died in a one-vehicle accident that also killed Joseph Ian Davis, the driver, outside LaGrange, Georgia, on June 30.
Davis' blood alcohol content was .17. The legal limit for a driver in Georgia is below .08 BAC. Lutzenkirchen's was .377 BAC.
Tanner Case, sophomore in building science, is one of two survivors of the fatal accident.
Five months later, Case is using his experience to help others.
"God inspired me to start sharing my testimony," Case said. "I felt like it was a calling."
Case has already spoken to three high school football teams and said he plans to speak with more.
"There are three things I talk to the groups about," Case said. "I start off with the day of the accident and give a little background. Then I talk about my faith. That's where I give my testimony. Then I finish up by talking about living for today, because we're not guaranteed
tomorrow. You'll hear me ask 'What's your purpose?' a good bit."
According to Case, Lutzenkirchen and Davis were admired by countless people.
"If you live in Alabama, you know who Philip Lutzenkirchen was, and if you live in Georgia you know who Ian Davis was," Case said. "Both were incredible men who made an impact on so many lives. Philip's name is well known because of athletics, but there was so much more to him than just sports."
Case tattooed his arm as a permanent reminder of his friends.
"Ian had a Philippians 4:13 tattoo on his side," Case said. "I thought it was incredible that Philippians is 'Philip' and 'Ian' put together. The 'I' is capitalized for Ian's name and the four and the three are a little bit highlighted for Philip. I also have a guardian angel, who I felt like was with me that night."
Case said the tattoo reminds him of his friends every time he looks at it.
"I also have the letters T.I.P. on my arm," Case said. "That is something Ian, Phil and I joked about. We were going to open a restaurant called T.I.P., because it stood for Tanner, Ian and Philip."
Richard Stark, Case's friend and junior in building science, said he believes Case will also benefit from sharing his story and experiences from the accident.
"I think he'll have a great effect on the people he talks to," Stark said. "He's one of those people who other people look up to. I think people are really going to learn from what he's saying. I think it'll have a good effect on them and on Tanner."
Case is set to speak in Columbus, Georgia, on Dec. 7.
Steve Stinson, volunteer wrestling coach at Columbus High School, said he contacted Case as soon as he heard what Case was doing at high schools.
"Teenagers make bad decisions, and they don't always think of consequences," Stinson said. "Regardless of how many times a coach, parent or other adult leader tells them something, they'll really listen to someone who is very few years removed from their age. He can share with them that there are consequences that will definitely affect them and others for a lifetime."
Stinson said he hopes Case's story will positively impact his team.
"There's a lot of free time when school gets out for Christmas," Stinson said. "A lot of decisions will be made, and, hopefully, if someone like Tanner speaks to the kids and tells them it can happen, it will be worth every ounce of our preparation to have him over. Kids will listen to other kids."
(11/15/14 1:00pm)
Update, Nov. 20: Aubie has made it to the Capital One Mascot Challenge playoffs. Currently, Aubie holds the No. 1 seed.
This week, Aubie is facing off with Western Kentucky University's Big Red.
Fans can go to CapitalOneMascots.com to vote.
(11/05/14 2:55am)
According to CNN, a male student wore a costume that resembled a slave being hanged Wednesday Oct. 29.
The incident reportedly occurred at SkyBar on Magnolia Avenue.
Mike Clardy, director of University communications, provided a statement from the University.
"We condemn this type of behavior," said the statement. "Even though the incident didn't occur on our campus, it goes against everything for which this institution stands."
Haven Hart, director of Student Conduct, said the University can only be involved to a certain extent.
"Student Conduct addresses behavior that occurs on-campus or at a student organization event," Hart said. "That doesn't mean conversations can't happen, but Student Conduct is somewhat limited in addressing incidents that occur off-campus."
In response to the incident, the Black Student Union, the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs and the National Pan-Hellenic Council, as part of the Division of Student Affairs, hosted a Town Hall Meeting in the Student Center ballroom.
Assistant director of Greek life and Intercultural Programs adviser Charus Campbell mediated the event.
"Tonight is supposed to be a conversation about what's on students' minds," Campbell said. "We want to discuss what we can do to move forward and educate our students while being more inclusive. Hopefully there will be follow-up conversations throughout the year."
Campbell began the event by reminding the audience of an incident that occurred in 2001.
"Individuals at two different functions, on the exact same night, dressed in blackface," Campbell said.
According to Campbell, blackface has a long and offensive history.
"Black actors were not allowed to be in films, so individuals would wear blackface to perform as African Americans in this country at that time," Campbell said. "There's a long history behind blackface and why it needed to stop."
Audience members were invited to share their thoughts about the incident.
After the event, Shannon Arthur, junior in political science and public relations, said this incident affects all students.
"There needs to be something in the code of conduct that says what you do when you're not on campus is reflective of Auburn University," Arthur said. "The administration hasn't said anything or done anything. This does affect students, and I think African American students don't need to feel like the red-headed stepchild anymore."
(10/13/14 7:30pm)
The Auburn Police Division traced the phone threat from Friday, Oct. 10 back to a 15-year-old juvenile from Missouri.
"Engaging in threats that disrupt school and causes public alarm is a felony offense," stated an AUPD news release.
The investigation in ongoing between the police division and University officials.
The University is reviewing the threat as an offense committed by a juvenile.
-------------------------
A threat targeting the Student Center was reported by AU Alert at approximately 6:20 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10.
A Foy Information Desk employee said he received the call that was the threat to the Student Center.
According to the Foy Information Desk employee, the threat said, "Hey, if you don't step out of the building right now, we're going to blow up the building."
Captain Will Mathews confirmed the threat was made by phone call.
"As a safety precaution we decided to evacuate the building," Mathews said.
The building took approximately an hour to search by personnel and canines and is now open.
Reasons for the threat are still unknown, but Mathews said the police division believes the caller was a young male.
Mathews said the threats in the past did not reflect how threats are handled now.
"That's they way we've done it, standard operating procedure," Mathews said. "We evaluate the threat, confer with the University and decide whether it's a very credible set. We take all of the threats we receive seriously. Once we identify the person who sent the threat in, they will be prosecuted."
(10/12/14 12:00pm)
Carmin Ogata, Auburn graduate in education, will be cancer-free for nine years Oct. 20.
Carmin, who works in Auburn at Amedisys, said she started to feel unwell after giving birth to her son in 2004.
"That Christmas, I felt a lump under my arm," Carmin said. "It was about the size of a grapefruit and felt like a bruise."
Carmin said her first thought was cancer because her mother is a breast cancer survivor.
"I was only 31 years old, but I always had it in the back of my mind that I needed to be aware of how I was feeling," Carmin said.
Despite her worries, her first mammogram did not show any abnormalities.
Around that time, Carmin went on a cruise with her husband.
"I normally have a lot of fun on vacation," Carmin said. "But this time I was exhausted and I just didn't feel good. I had an infection, and I was just sick as a dog."
Again, Carmin's tests came back clear.
"I had one question for them," Carmin said. "Who do I call when I know it's not fine?"
As a last resort, Carmin visited a surgical oncologist.
"I grabbed his hand and said, 'I need to show you something,'" Carmin said. "I took him to where he could see the lobby, and there sat my husband with my 4-year-old daughter and my 1-year-old son. I said, 'I just want you to know that I am very serious about this. I've got to raise those kids you just saw. I know what is wrong with me, I just need you to treat it.'"
The next day, Carmin's doctor removed four of her lymph nodes.
"He called me later and told me to sit down," Carmin said. "He told me 'You just saved your life.' Every lymph node they removed was cancerous, and I was at stage two."
In addition to chemotherapy, Carmin underwent a double mastectomy and a hysterectomy.
According to Carmin, her family and friends were key to her recovery.
"I had wonderful and supportive friends," Carmin said. "It's so important to have a team that fights with you."
According to Carmin's husband, Clay Ogata, his wife's cancer still does not feel like reality.
'It was crazy," Clay said. "It seems so long ago. It was like coming out of a dream. She was a trooper."
Carmin said the experience changed her life in unexpected ways.
"This was a time a lot of my friends were still getting married," Carmin said. "I was in a wig at one of my best friend's weddings. Wigs are a lot of fun, actually."
Carmin said she was surprised at how her cancer affected her friends and her family.
"My daughter was four years old," Carmin said. "I took my wig off one time, and she started crying. She said 'I don't like your ball head,' because she couldn't say bald. That broke my heart because then I knew it was scaring her, and how scary it must look to other people. People would look at me, and they would start crying. That was a weird feeling, because I felt fine."
According to Carmin, she did not feel like she really had cancer until after it was gone.
"While you're going through it, it is kind of surreal," Carmin said. "You just go through the motions because you don't really have time to feel sorry for yourself because that won't do you any good. It just catches up to you all at once."
Rachel Mennell, director of prevention programs and outreach at breastcancer.org, said there are ways women can minimize their risk of breast cancer.
"When you're proactive, you can set the stage for a better prognosis," Mennell said. "Being vigilant about your health in general. For people who believe they are at a high risk because they have a relative, they need to be their own advocate. Get mammograms talk to a genetic counselor. Those are the best things we can do right now."
(10/02/14 3:00pm)
Recently, University of Alabama officials voted to cease publication of The Corolla, their student yearbook.
According to AL.com, The Corolla only sold 24 copies last year despite record enrollment.
The number of universities with yearbooks has been steadily declining for decades, according to Jenna Johnson's Washington Post article, "Yearbooks ending at University of Virginia."
"College yearbooks have been slowly disappearing as campuses expand and diversify and students' lives move online, away from paper records of their college memories," Johnson said. "The thick volumes can cost as much as $100 each at a time when some students have difficulty paying for textbooks."
According to College Media Review's website, approximately 2,400 universities in the United States published yearbooks in 1995.
By 2010, that number dropped to approximately 1,000.
Will Givan, academics editor for The Glomerata and senior in business management, said The Corolla was discontinued because of a poor business model.
"Alabama charges for their physical book," Givan said. "That's why only 24 people bought it. They also sell a CD that has a digital book on it and that's a cheaper price. They kind of put themselves in a position where no one wanted the book because they didn't want to pay for it."
Givan said The Glomerata is free to Auburn students.
"We don't charge because we believe that every Auburn student deserves to have a copy of their yearbook," Givan said.
The Glomerata receives student activity funding of approximately $200,000 each year to produce approximately 7,500-9,000 books, according to Stephen Caton, The Glomerata's editor-in-chief and junior in biomedical sciences.
Caton said he does not think The Glomerata will follow in The Corolla's footsteps.
"I don't think it will be discontinued," Caton said. "The Glomerata is an Auburn tradition that students look forward to every year. We produce a quality product. We've managed to stay the same over the years. We've stayed fresh, but we've honored that tradition."
Jenny Melnick, managing editor at the Glomerata and senior in English literature, said The Glomerata staff is working all year to ensure The Glomerata is the best it can be.
"We start at the end of the spring semester," Melnick said. "We have to make the outline for the whole book, and we start thinking of what pages we'd like to include pretty early on. We have to decide on a theme and a cover. We finish beginning of February, and then we start all over again. It's a service to the school."
(04/28/16 2:10am)
A couple weeks ago, an anonymous Yik Yak user claimed a fraternity member had raped a female student.
(09/29/14 6:40pm)
Most students are aware of the recycling bins around campus and have probably contributed a plastic bottle or two.
However, some people are unaware of what happens to their recycling after they throw it in the bin.
Courtney Washburn, recycling coordinator in the waste reduction and recycling department, said the trash and recyclables from campus go through a specific process.
"The custodians service it first," Washburn said. "Then our staff get it and they bring it back to the food service building. They unload the bins and there's someone here sorting them. By sorting, I mean we're taking it from a small bin and putting it into a larger one."
Washburn said the recycling is sorted into three different categories: plastic and aluminum, mixed paper and cardboard.
"All the recycling from campus comes to our parking lot," Washburn said. "We have a compacter for paper and a roll off for plastic and aluminum. We also have cardboard bailers. You basically just stick the cardboard into it and it spits it out bailed."
According to Washburn, the materials are then sent to multiple locations off campus.
"They're called material recovery facilities, but we call them MRFs," Washburn said. "They're basically a recycling center. The MRF is kind of the middle-man."
Washburn said the plastics and aluminum go to a MRF in Columbus, Georgia.
The mixed paper and cardboard is sent to one in Lee County and the waste from construction and demolition is sent to Sand Hill in Lee County.
Washburn said there is a reason their system is so complex.
"A lot of places do single stream," Washburn said. "That's where you put everything in one bin, you send it to the MRF and they separate it for you. It's very simple. But there's also a very high contamination rate because people can throw everything in. They do and it can get messy."
According to Washburn, mixed paper and cardboard are some of the most recycled materials in Auburn.
"That's where most of our revenue comes from, cardboard and mixed paper," Washburn said. "If we mixed them in together it wouldn't be as valuable. Having that single material is more profitable. And there's lower contamination rates," Washburn said.
According to Washburn, Auburn's diversion rate has room for improvement.
"You measure recycling success through what we call diversion rate," Washburn said. "You measure diversion rate by looking at your total waste, trash and recycling added together, then you find out how much of your total waste was diverted from the landfill. Basically, how much of it was recycled.
The University's diversion rate is 13 percent.
"The national average is around 30 percent," Washburn said.
According to the EPA's website, tax incentives are offered for purchasing recycling equipment.
These tax incentives range from 10-50 percent of equipment costs.
Auburn was recently named one of the greenest universities in the nation.
Mike Kensler, director of campus sustainability operations, said he knows how Auburn became one of the most sustainable campuses.
"About 10 years ago, a couple of Auburn deans saw sustainability as an important trend," Kensler said. "Now we have so much going on compared to the rest of Alabama."
(09/28/14 7:05pm)
Francie Harris, senior in child life, was named Miss Homecoming 2014 during halftime at the Auburn vs. Louisiana Tech football game.
Harris said she did not expect to hear her name called.
"It was the most pleasant surprise I've ever had," Harris said. "Getting to share that moment with my dad was so special. I'm usually on the field, but as a cheerleader. It's a moment I'll never forget. "
Harris said she did not let Miss Homecoming affect her cheerleading duties.
"I ran under the stadium and put on my cheerleading uniform and I cheered the second half of the game," Harris said. "I couldn't imagine not cheering, so I jumped back into my role as head cheerleader and continued with my normal game day duties."
According to Harris, her platform speaks to students in a unique way.
"I think seeing students who have been affected by childhood cancer made it more relatable," Harris said. "It gave students motivation to rally around this cause. We raised over $6,200 this week for Open Hands, Overflowing Hearts. It has been so encouraging, and a motivation to not stop there."
Harris said she will start working toward her goals as soon as possible.
"I've been in constant communication with Kayla Perry, an Auburn student who has been affected by cancer," Harris said. "We've talked about some of her goals for how to get Open Hands, Overflowing Hearts promoted on Auburn's campus. One of her goals is to get it to the Panhellenic community. She had this idea for each sorority to do a 'come as you are' chapter, where the members have to donate money to not have to dress up for chapter. That is something I can jump on right now, but there are still other fundraisers that can be done."
Harris said she is honored to carry on an Auburn tradition.
"Miss Homecoming has been such a longstanding tradition at Auburn, and I'm so excited to serve in this role," Harris said.
(09/11/14 6:30pm)
It has been 13 years since the terrorist group al-Qaida killed almost 3,000 people in the Sept. 11 attacks.
The attacks occurred in New York City, Washington D.C. and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, but they affected people around the country.
Wanda McGatheran, Opelika resident, said 9/11 reminded her of another dark day in American history.
"I remember thinking this must be what my parents felt like during Pearl Harbor," McGatheran said. "This was the first time we had been attacked on American soil since that day."
McGatheran also said many local people feared for their loved ones' safety.
"There were a lot of people in and around Auburn who knew people in New York, and they didn't know if they had made it out until days later," McGatheran said.
According to McGatheran, the Auburn community came together in the wake of the attacks.
"There were lots of prayer vigils held," McGatheran said. "There were lots of first responders there. I think after that day, we started to take them a little less lightly. So many of them did not know it was a terrorist attack, but they still would've gone even if they did."
In December 2001, Esquire magazine published the article "162 Reasons It's Good to Be an American Man," by Charles P. Pierce in an attempt to boost morale.
The lemonade sold at Toomer's Drugs was No.1 on the list.
Pierce wrote of the lemonade, "When God was a little boy and He needed extra money, He put up a card table outside His folks' house. This is what He sold."Michelle and Michael Overstreet, Toomer's Drugstore managers, were in college in 2001.
"We were in college when it happened," Michelle said. "I was in class, and I didn't believe it when someone said a tower had fallen. I was almost in disbelief."
According to Michael, people were not sure how to respond to the news of the terrorist attack.
"I think for the first day or two, everyone was kind of in shock," Michael said.
Michael said he did not know about the Esquire article until one of his employees informed him.
"We ran out to get one, and wanted to make sure everyone we knew saw that what we were involved in was getting national attention," Michael said.
According to Michael, the article was the talk of the town.
"People would come in and say 'I saw y'all in a magazine,'" Michael said.
(09/07/14 12:00pm)
A dedication ceremony in honor of William "Will" May was held at the South Donahue Courtyard on Aug. 29.
Will was 13 years old when he was killed in a hunting accident Jan. 12, 2013.
Because Will was an avid Auburn fan, the South Donahue Courtyard was dedicated in his memory.
According to Tim Jackson, executive associate athletics director, the May family is a member of The Talon Society, which requires a donation of at least $500,000.
"The May family has been a strong supporter of Auburn athletics for years," Jackson said.
Joe Whitt, former Auburn football assistant coach, spoke at the ceremony.
"We are here for love," Whitt said. "Love for family, and love for Will."
Jackson unveiled a plaque in honor of Will after athletics director Jay Jacobs delivered a short speech.
"I never had the chance to know Will, but his legacy will live on forever," Jacobs said at the ceremony. "He is not here with us, but his legacy will live on in our hearts."
Will's father, Guy May, also spoke at the ceremony.
"My favorite thing that was said about Will was something we heard from about 20 different kids," Guy said. "They said, 'Will May was my best friend.' I don't know how a 13-year-old found a way to make that many people feel like they were his best friend, but he did."
According to Guy, his son embodied the Auburn Creed.
"Will loved everything about Auburn University, and everybody in it," Guy said. "He didn't need to read The Auburn Creed to know what it meant to be an Auburn man."
According to Will's uncle, Joe May, Auburn was a family tradition for Will.
"My mom and dad went to Auburn," Joe said. "They actually met at Auburn and had five boys and we all went to Auburn. Will put that Auburn jersey on at a very young age. He loved Auburn, he loved Auburn athletics and especially Auburn football."
Joe said his nephew was more than just an Auburn fan, however.
"Will was a good kid," Joe said. "He was very involved in the community, very involved with school and very involved with church. He was well respected by his peers. He was a funny kid; he really liked to clown around. He enjoyed music, he enjoyed sports and he enjoyed video games."
Joe said Will touched people he did not even know.
"Will was an unconditional person," Joe said. "He did things to help people out because that is what you should do, not because they could do anything for him. We heard stories of him helping classmates and people he didn't really know. They said he would do things for them just because he knew they needed it. That is just who he was."
According to Joe, Will's life, though short, was full of meaning.
"He lived life to its fullest," Joe said. "He believed in having a good time. We have so much to give and we get caught up in what's going on in our lives and we forget to be there for others. Will seemed to understand that at a very young age."
(09/04/14 4:01am)
The top five candidates for Miss Homecoming were announced Wednesday, Sept. 3 at Cater Hall.
The candidates are Callie Henley, Daly Foster, Kellie Jones, Francie Harris and Alexis Jackson.
Callie Henley, senior in communication disorders, said she is excited to share the Miss Homecoming experience with the rest of the top five.
"It is a huge honor for me. To be in the top five with four incredible girls is just humbling for me," Henley said. "I get the opportunity to have this experience with some of the best girls at Auburn, and that is just an incredible feeling. It's hard to describe, honestly."
Daly Foster, senior in business management, said she feels honored to be in Miss Homecoming's top five.
"I feel so honored to represent Auburn, share a platform and run alongside these incredible senior women," Foster said.
Miss Homecoming 2014 will be announced at the Auburn vs. Louisiana Tech game Sept. 27.
(08/30/15 1:59am)
William "Will" May was just 13-years-old when he was killed in a hunting accident.
On Jan. 12, 2013, May left his Tuscaloosa home to hunt rabbits in Sumter County with his friends.
The boys finished their hunt, and began to put their guns away. In the process, one of the guns discharged, shooting and killing May.