Please join me in applauding our university’s administration for the guiding principles of care they have used to make decisions over the past few months. Their number one priority has been to protect the health and well-being of students, faculty and staff as well as to find ways to continue Auburn’s important mission of instruction, research and outreach. It is encouraging to see glimpses of normalcy return to campus as we begin to live a new reality with the challenges and uncertainty that this silent virus brings.

In addition to the pandemic, our university has been proactively listening and responding to concerns surrounding racial injustice and how it impacts current and future members of the Auburn Family. I appreciate the feedback that you provided through numerous channels and thank those who bravely shared their personal experiences and perspectives. It has been informative and refreshing to have candid, deeply personal and respectful conversations. I have learned that while we may share differences, we are indeed unified by our love of Auburn.

As you enjoy the wonderful articles in this issue, you will likely recognize a theme of hard work and a desire to be the best. Thank you to David Housel for his special tribute to Coach Pat Dye, who never minced words in his spirited insistence to challenge his players, colleagues and our university to be the very best. We are deeply grateful to Coach for his support of the Auburn Alumni Association, especially our Auburn Clubs. He loved our volunteers, and they returned the favor tenfold.

Armed with a desire to offer the best virtual engagement experiences, our alumni affairs team used their creativity to develop fantastic new virtual programs such as the 18:56 Facebook speaker series, whose title is a nod to Auburn’s founding year and allows guest speakers to discuss various topics for 18 minutes and 56 seconds. To watch former programs and see a list of future speakers, please visit aub.ie/1856series.

In closing, I offer my personal thanks to Van Henley for leading the alumni association in a sound and thoughtful manner over the past two years. Even though his term was not fulfilled in a traditional sense, he remained steadfast in his commitment and engagement. During our annual meeting in the fall, Van will pass the gavel to incoming board president Regenia Sanders, who will make history as the first African American to preside over the association. We look forward to her leadership, along with the contributions that will be made by her fellow directors.

Be healthy, stay safe and War Eagle!

Gretchen VanValkenburg ’86
Vice President for Alumni Affairs &
Executive Director, Auburn Alumni Association
gretchenvan@auburn.edu