EVERYTHING AUBURN PODCAST

Want to hear how an Auburn engineering graduate helped transform America’s largest publicly traded water utility? Then listen to this Story on the latest episode of the Everything Auburn Podcast.

Susan Story, American Water’s former CEO and 1981 industrial engineering graduate, led the company through a period in which its stock price nearly quadrupled. But perhaps even more impressive was the 82% reduction in workplace injuries under her watch. Now, Tim Cook’s former classmate — “Yeah, he was kind of smart” — is extending her commitment from frontline workers to frontline defenders, championing a major transformation of Auburn’s Veterans Resou...

After nearly four years, four major concerts, one of the biggest names in comedy, the most popular athlete in the world and countless gameday improvements, it's probably safe to say: Auburn would not be what it is today without Rhett Hobart. 

On the latest episode of the Everything Auburn Podcast, the deputy athletics director for external affairs and chief revenue officer shares his vision for fan engagement and revenue generation in the modern era of college athletics, plus new details on the Jordan-Hare North Project that promises to not only redefine Saturdays on the Plains but every d...

It wouldn’t be Homecoming without Corey Edwards — literally. Since 2006, the two-time Auburn graduate has helped maintain many of the trademark traditions, organizations and experiences that make this week one to remember year after year.

On the latest episode of the Everything Auburn Podcast, hear the assistant vice president for Student Affairs discuss his unlikely path from would-be investment banker to longtime student affairs leader; his own days as a Camp War Eagle counselor, Plainsman, marching band member and SGA treasurer. Oh, and his nearly two decades advising the program behind Auburn’s 11-time national champion mascot — who is m...

The latest guest on the Everything Auburn Podcast is a two-time 2A Missouri state football champion, Steely Dan's 'one that got away,' and — more recently — the 21st president of Auburn University. Ladies and gentlemen, Christopher B. — B for Brian — Roberts.

The final question put to him? Describe in three words what "Auburn family" means to you.
 
It was meant to be somewhat thought-provoking — something he might have to lean back and ponder, at least for a little.
 
It barely took him a second.
 
"It means everything."

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From Russian roots to rushing the passer, and from tasting his first Coke to tasting success as a head coach, Alex Golesh discusses his first impressions of America — and of Auburn — on the latest episode of the Everything Auburn Podcast.

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Associate clinical professor Ford Dyke is called to play many roles — and each one proves its worth in gold.

“Each day it's a different hat, but to me it's all an Auburn experience,” he said.

Fourteen years ago, the Florida native made his way to the Plains to pursue both a master’s and doctorate in Auburn’s School of Kinesiology. Today, he directs Mindfulness@Auburn and travels as a performance coach with Auburn’s three adaptive athletics teams.

“Whether I'm in a classroom teaching students, doing research data collection, or coaching on the sideline...

When Tim Hawthorne arrived at Auburn in the summer of 2024, he brought with him a lifelong love of exploration.

“I knew early on I wanted to become a geographer and travel the country,” Hawthorne said.

As the new chair of Auburn’s Department of Geosciences, Hawthorne found not only a professorship but a bold new endeavor. Soon after his arrival to the Plains, Auburn’s College of Sciences and Mathematics (COSAM) invested in a start‑up science lab on wheels — a project designed to spark curiosity and bring hands‑on STEM learning directly to communities across Alabama...

If you have questions about eating healthier or making your budget dollars stretch further, chances are Extension has solutions that work.

“We cover a really broad spectrum,” Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) director Eve Brantley said. “It's because we serve all of Alabama.”

Service is at the heart of what Brantley does every day.  

Named the 1862 Extension director for ACES this past January, she steps into the role with deep, field-tested experience as both a multi‑county Extension agent and an associate director.

In her current role, Brantley guides more than 700 faculty and...

As assistant director of cAUse marketing with Auburn Advancement, Lisa Lofland knows one day can change everything.   

In 2015, she was part of a group charged with creating a day of giving for Auburn University. 

“Our team envisioned this grassroots platform,” remembered Lofland.  “We really wanted people to find their match and find the causes and projects they were passionate about.”  

From that idea grew Tiger Giving Day — a 24-hour online day of giving that shines a spotlight on the people and programs that make Auburn special. 

“Tiger Giving Day is very story-driven, very...

When the stakes are high and the bases are loaded, Brooks Fuller might be the Auburn man you’d want on speed dial –  ready to deliver when it matters most.

“It's a blessing to be here in Auburn,” Fuller said.

Auburn tradition is a family affair for Fuller. His father, Mark, played baseball for the Tigers in the late 1980’s. His mother, Lori, also attended Auburn, cheering on the baseball team as a Diamond Doll.

“Baseball brought them together,” said Fuller.

Thirty years later, Fuller followed in his father’s footsteps, signing a scholar...

Auburn senior Jake Yohn didn’t just choose the referee life — he inherited it. 

“I’ve always felt at home here, just really enjoy the campus, the people and what Auburn's all about,” said Yohn.

As a student assistant in Auburn’s competitive sports program, the Montgomery, AL native is responsible for daily operations, as well as officiating intramural and club sports games.

Wearing the referee stripes runs in the family.  His father David held the same position at Auburn back in the 80’s.

“It’s been cool to do the whole full-circle fa...

After returning home from a tour in Afghanistan, retired U.S. Marine Corps pilot David Deep hit the throttle on a new mission — one that started with buying a boat.

“Getting on the water was my way of getting back into normal life,” Deep recalled. 

For the Huntsville, Alabama native, watersports became more than just a hobby; it was therapy after 28 years of military service. Deep’s journey began at 18 years old when he enrolled in Auburn’s ROTC program.

“ROTC became my fraternity at Auburn,” he said.

By 1988, Deep had earned his degr...

Auburn’s Hey Day is more than just a campus tradition — it’s a timeless greeting that’s been passed down for generations.

“Hey Day is such a cool event,” said Owen Beaverstock, Auburn’s Student Government Association (SGA) president. “It’s the first thing I volunteered for when I was a freshman.”

The annual Hey Day event began in 1947 to welcome back World War II soldiers, when the SGA pushed for a day to unite campus. Nearly 80 years later, it has grown into a beloved custom of handing out nametags and encouraging everyone to say “hey” to each ot...

With a name like Robyn, some might say you’re destined to soar through life, working with all things winged and wonderful.

“Spelled slightly differently, but yes, my life is absolutely for the birds,” said Robyn Miller.

Miller, who was named director of the Auburn University Raptor Center (AURC) this past January, first came to the Plains a decade ago to study 19th century English literature. While earning her doctorate, she volunteered at the center.

“I watched my best friend return a barred owl back to the wild and I was immediately enraptured,” remembered...

There’s nothing more rewarding for Bobby Woodard than watching the Auburn campus come alive. 

“We have over 34,000 students, and it's my job to be their chief advocate,” said Woodard.

Woodard embraces his role as Senior Vice President for Student Affairs with dedication and enthusiasm.

“I get paid never to leave college,” joked Woodard.  “But seriously, every day we can have input on how somebody is going to set a trajectory for their life to make it better.”

Woodard, a North Carolina native, is entering his twelfth year on the Plains. He’s previously...

As the old saying goes, being in the right place at the right time has its benefits. 

This couldn't be truer for Auburn University's Asim Ali, who seems to have a knack for seizing opportunities. 

“I feel like I was made for this moment,” said Ali. “The vowels in my first name and my last name are both ‘AI.’"

As Executive Director of the Biggio Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning, Ali oversees a team of more than 90 professionals. Their main mission – provide professional development programs, services and resources to enhance instructional...

If you ever find yourself in a fight for equity and opportunity, Texas-born Dr. Christine Drew is exactly who you’d want in your corner.

"I'm a fighter, I'm an advocate," she said. "The thing that will keep you going is the thing that breaks your heart."

For Drew, that "thing" was watching students with intellectual disabilities face unnecessary barriers. Instead of accepting the status quo, she turned frustration into action. 

Now a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst and Assistant Professor in Auburn University's College of Education, Drew has been guiding students since 2019. By 2020, she bec...

On Auburn University’s campus, not all heroes walk on two feet. Sometimes, they come with four paws, a cold nose and a warm heart.

“They’ve got all the credentials,” said Dr. Doug Hankes, who heads up the university’s animal assisted therapy program, appropriately nicknamed the Dogtors.

That program plays an instrumental role in Auburn’s Student Counseling & Psychological Services (SCPS) – a department in student affairs serving as the primary mental health counseling center for undergraduate and graduate students.

SCPS’s four-legged team of Dogtors, including Dr. Rooster, Dr. Nessie, Dr. Eve and Dr. Wins...

Julia Wiard’s Auburn journey is a rollercoaster ride of unexpected twists and turns.

Growing up in Selma, Alabama, she was a die-hard fan of the orange and blue, thanks to her dad and grandparents who are all Auburn University alumni.

“We grew up really loving Auburn,” explained Wiard.

But in her senior year of high school, Wiard's rebel spirit led her to seek a different path.

“It was the most rebellious thing I’ve ever done,” recalled Wiard.  “I thought I needed a different experience, and needed to prove that I could do it.”...

Auburn University senior Abbie Stockard is still in a state of shock when she thinks about being crowned Miss America 2025.

“When they got down to three people standing, I was like, ‘holy moly, what is going on?’” recalled Stockard.  “Then they called my name.  It was at that moment my entire life changed.” 

This past January, the 22-year-old Vestavia Hills, Alabama native beat 51 contestants to become the 104th Miss America.  Stockard began entering pageants as a freshman at Auburn with hopes of earning enough money to pay her way through college.

“It really all started becaus...

From an early age, Beth Thorne Stukes was immersed in the vibrant world of orange and blue, thanks to her mother, Barbara. But beyond the colors, Barbara passed down something even more enduring—a deep love for education and its power to transform lives.

 “Mother is a Human Sciences grad,” said Stukes. “She just had the most wonderful time of her life as a student at Auburn.”

 In a heartfelt tribute to their late mother, Stukes, alongside her sisters Barbara “Babs” Thorne Anderson ’88 and Rebecca “Becky” Thorne Carroll ’86, recently made a transformative gift to Auburn’s College of Human Science...

As the Director of Sports Performance for the Auburn men’s basketball team, Coach Damon Davis is a slam-dunk when it comes to getting Johni Broome, Dylan Cardwell and company conditioned and primed to fulfill their physical potential on the court.

The Petersburg, Illinois native is now in his 15th season on The Plains.

“I really just wanted to work with athletes,” said Davis. “I wrestled at Western Illinois University, so I have a background of being a division one athlete. That’s what got me interested in strength conditioning, because without being bigger and stronger...

For Auburn’s Kurt Sasser, connection is mission critical.

As the Chief Engagement Officer for Auburn University's Advancement team and the Director of the Auburn Alumni Association, he works daily to develop meaningful and impactful ways to engage the Auburn Family – and connect them back to the university.

“The Auburn Family means all our 252,000+ living Auburn alumni, but it's much more than that,” explained Sasser. “We have parents who went to another school who are sending their son or daughter to Auburn, we have corporations, foundations, friends, family, and other stakeholders who are all in the Auburn...

You’d be hard pressed to find a more passionate professor on Auburn University’s campus than Wendi Weimar.  

A biomechanist by trade, Weimar has been the Director of Auburn’s Sport Biomechanics Laboratory for more than 25 years.  The lab consults with professional and college athletes, Olympians, national teams, military members, veterinarians and the community. Weimar primarily focuses on the function of the lower extremity — everything from footwear choice and shoe tying to walking and running. She empowers her students to analyze movements of the body to help individuals put on an armor of protection, while also improving...

Dale Jackson’s love for Auburn University spans decades.

As a youngster, the LaGrange, Georgia native would spend afternoon’s tossing around the pigskin on Auburn’s campus before jetting to Jordan-Hare Stadium to watch the Tigers battle on the gridiron.

It’s a memory Jackson cherishes.  

“I wanted to be in the action,” recalled Jackson. “I was crazy. I wore an orange wig, screamed my head off. I was an insane fan.” 

But when his son Colin, now 16, was born and diagnosed with autism, Dale wasn’t sure going to Auburn football game...

The countdown to the 2024 Auburn Football season kick-off is on, and the buzz around Jordan-Hare Stadium has never been louder.

As the nation's 11th-largest on-campus stadium with a capacity of 88,000+, Jordan-Hare has been the home of Auburn Football since 1939.  The stadium has seen its share of changes over the past 85 years, but now, thanks to some trendy upgrades, Auburn fans will have the chance to experience gameday like never before. 

From extra hype stadium lighting and pyrotechnics to stadium tours and VIP experiences, more than a dozen enhancements will elevate the gameday experience in and ar...

Each summer, Auburn Youth Programs (AYP) - a division of University Outreach - inspires young people to take to flight, master their acting skills on stage and everything in between.  From art classes to aviation, and musical theatre to veterinary medicine, AYP delivers more than 100 summer educational programs for more than 4,000 middle and high school students each summer on the campus of Auburn University.  And it's fully immersive, too!  Campers stay in university dorms, eat at food halls and ride Tiger Transit, just like college students! 

Logan McKissick, AYP Program Developer, stops by Samford Hall to talk abou...

In this episode, we’re chatting about a nearly 30-year-old summer tradition on Auburn’s campus – that of Camp War Eagle – which is part of the First Year Experience Office at Auburn University. They’re a dedicated group who provide orientation, transition and retention programs for incoming freshmen.

More than 70 Camp War Eagle Counselors – who are current Auburn students – are on hand to guide tours and greet incoming freshmen. They cover everything like Financial Aid, the AU Medical Clinic, Campus Safety, Housing, and Dining, as well as the Auburn App, Recreation, Sports, Greek Life, Tiger Transit, and much more.  <...

As part of Auburn University's Veterans Resource Center (VRC), retired U.S. Navy Capt. Paul “Puck” Esposito and retired U.S. Marine Corps Major Jeff Dyal continue to fulfill their commitment to service each and every day on the Auburn campus. 

The VRC and its staff serve a very important mission.  Led by Esposito, a 30-year veteran and aviator, the VRC provides valuable resources, advocacy and outreach to Auburn’s student veterans. Having spent 25 years in service to our country, Dyal is VRC's Campus & Community Events Coordinator. He is instrumental in guiding veteran students and their families through...

Since 2009, Dean Gregg Newschwander has watched Auburn’s College of Nursing rise steadily to a nationally ranked program.  With consistent enrollment growth, expert faculty, outreach and research efforts, as well as expanded facility offerings, Auburn Nursing continues to be at the forefront of helping equip the next workforce to address our world's changing healthcare needs.  With a focus on values‐based healthcare and evidence-based practices, Auburn offers both undergraduate and graduate nursing programs.  Dean Newschwander says the nursing field remains a rewarding career path for those who are motivated to serve others.

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Are you getting enough shut-eye?  Enough sleep is important, but good sleep quality is also essential for keeping your mind and body healthy.  For tips, we turn to sleep studies guru Dr. Mona El-Sheikh, a  Leonard Peterson & Co. Inc. Professor in Auburn University’s College of Human Sciences.  Dr. El-Sheikh is a world-renowned sleep expert with over 30 years of research under her pillow... er... belt.  Her top area of research? Child and adolescent functioning in family and health disparities associated with poverty and race/ethnicity.  Before you hit the sack tonight, this one is a must-listen!

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It's a problem that touches EVERY single community in the nation.  As the director of Auburn's center for opioid research, education and outreach (known as COACH),  Dr. Karen Marlowe and her colleagues have seen a significant rise in drug abuse and addiction across the state of Alabama in recent years.  COACH is based out of Auburn’s Harrison College of Pharmacy and the program has a very important mission. Focusing on detection, prevention and treatment, COACH is leading the way in innovative solutions, knowledge and education to combat substance abuse disorders.

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At Auburn University's Tony and Libba Rane Culinary Science Center, students are gaining real-world experience in hotel management, restaurant management, event management, and culinary science that sets them apart in the competitive global marketplace. Horst Schulze, cofounder and former President of the Ritz Carlton Hotel Company, joins us to talk about how Auburn is developing tomorrow’s leaders for the global hospitality industry through The Horst Schulze School of Hospitality Management in the College of Human Sciences.  Schulze calls it "the best hospitality program in America."

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In this segment of "Everything Auburn," we’re featuring a look at our nationally ranked gymnastics team, which is having yet another stellar season. Joining us is gymnastics standout Junior Sophia Groth to talk about her journey to Auburn and balancing success as a student-athlete.  For Sophia, the sky is the limit. 

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In this segment, we’re going to examine a new study by two researchers in Auburn’s College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment who examined the global impact of free-ranging house cats on biodiversity – essentially assessing all of the species that these cats eat and what that means globally. We have with us Auburn professor Chris Lepczyk, who along with Jean Fantle-Lepczyk, conducted this study that drew from more than 150 years of data and has garnered quite a bit of national attention.

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Dribble-dribble, shoot-shoot: In this episode, we take a look at the Adaptive Athletics program at Auburn. Our special guest is Robb Taylor, the head coach of Auburn’s Wheelchair Basketball team who is here to speak with us about the growth of Auburn Adapted Athletics - a collaboration between Auburn's Office of Accessibility and School of Kinesiology.  Plus, Coach Taylor talks Paris Olympics, and gives us the scoop on Auburn Wheelchair Basketball's big  tournament coming up February 1-2 at Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum!

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In this episode of 'Everything Auburn," we’re going to delve into the great work of the Lowder Center for Family Business and Entrepreneurship. We have with us Joshua Sahib, managing director of the center in the Harbert College of Business, who will detail for us the ways in which this initiative is combining outreach programming and academic studies to address the needs of family businesses and more!

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In this episode of the "Everything Auburn" podcast, we focus on the Auburn student fan experience. We have Michael Floyd, the former vice president of The Auburn Jungle, here to detail just how involved our student fans are at sporting events, including that loud and proud student section in Neville Arena known as "The Jungle!"

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With 40 high-end gaming computers, 35 Xbox, Nintendo Switch and PlayStation consoles, throwback arcade stations, plus a competitive Esports stage, the new game room inside Auburn University's Harold D. Melton Student Center has become quite a hit on campus!  In this episode, James MacElroy, president of Auburn Esports, joins us to talk through the many gaming offerings now available to AU students in the new state-of-the-art game room that launched earlier this year.

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In this special holiday edition, we’re going to have a festive time learning all about an amazing holiday offering that’s taking place in the greenspace of the Hey Day Market as well as hear about the brand new Aubie’s Holiday Gift Guide that all Auburn fans will want to shop! Our guests include Marc Osier, managing partner of food halls and restaurants for Ithaka Hospitality Partners, and Kelley Young, a communications editor in Auburn’s Office of Communications and Marketing. Happy Holidays Auburn fans!

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