Warhawk Weekly 2–11: Support AUM Day of Giving; Homecoming 2020 is almost here; Honors Food Pantry relieves food insecurity
NEWS
24 hours, seven projects, one incredible opportunity to make a difference in the lives of Auburn University at Montgomery students.
Mark your calendars and show your love for projects that evoke your passion on AUM Day of Giving. The 24-hour crowd-funding initiative will offer opportunities to support the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences Career Clothing Closet, the Department of Fine Arts, the AUM Honors Program, the Veteran and Military Information Center, the AUM Library, Counseling & Health Promotion Services and the College of Nursing & Health Sciences.
Learn more about each project at http://www.aum.edu/dayofgiving/.
Fri., Feb. 14 | 12 a.m.–11:59 p.m.
Homecoming 2020 is especially important to AUM because it coincides with the university’s 50th year of serving students. SGA and Campus Activities Board have a variety of special events planned for the campus community during the build-up to homecoming from Monday, Feb. 24, to Saturday, Feb. 29. Among the highlights are food giveaways, a game night, the Chancellor’s Cup competition, a Mardi Gras parade and a fashion show.
Volunteers for AUM’s Honors Program Food Pantry want to make student food insecurity a thing of the past on campus.
Through new outreach initiatives, they’re hoping to attract new donors, increase participation, and raise awareness about the AUM Honors Program Food Pantry. The program — run by Honors students Allison Stewart, Rachel Wales, Sarah Staton, Sarah Phillips and Ellen Fowler — is in its seventh year serving food insecure students on AUM’s campus.
“We are really trying to get the word out to students, faculty and staff that AUM has a food pantry,” said Stewart, who oversees the food pantry’s volunteers, inventory and outreach efforts. “Two years ago when I first started volunteering with the pantry, it did not have much food in it and we ran the pantry off of money that we had in the Honors Program account. So, we were buying food items as we needed.”
Visitors also were down for the food pantry two years ago.
“We just didn’t advertise because of the fear that the pantry would not serve those who needed it most,” Stewart said. “We really want to make sure that the people who actually need assistance are the ones coming to use the pantry.”
Are you ready for the March 3 Alabama Primary? Do you know how primary elections work? Do you want to find out more about the issues, candidates, and voter registration?
AUM’s Southern Poverty Law Center chapter will discuss the 2020 elections and offer students, faculty and staff the opportunity to register to vote.
The event’s panel discussion will feature AUM political science faculty members David Hughes and Nicholas Howard, as well as AUM-SPLC President Dottie Durango and a representative from the League of Women Voters.
Additionally, attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about AUM-SPLC and meet its current members. AUM-SPLC on Campus promotes tolerance of diversity on campus grounded in the belief that students can make a difference in securing equal justice and opportunity. The club is part of the nationwide SPLC on Campus initiative, a non-profit organization built on our nation’s legacy of student activism. SPLC on Campus challenges a wide array of intolerance including racism, sexism, and homophobia on college campuses, and speaks out against sexual assault. For more information, contact the club’s faculty advisors Dr. Pia Knigge, the club president Dottie Durango, or visit the chapter Facebook page.
Thurs., Feb. 13 | 12–1 p.m. | Library Tower, 10th floor East
AUM Theatre students earned top honors at the 2020 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) Region IV annual competition held February 4-9 in Spartanburg, S.C.
KCACTF recognized students for their contributions in Theatre AUM’s November 2019 adaptation of the play “The Seagull.” The play, set in the Russian countryside at the end of the 19th century, portrayed a cast of characters searching for meaning – some seeking love, others success– with happiness remaining just out of reach.
At KCACTF, students participated in intensive training sessions, diverse workshops, and networking opportunities. Students also showcased their work and received professional feedback.
In November, AUM alum Timothy Ragland became the first African-American mayor of the City of Talladega and its youngest in more than 100 years. The past few months have been a whirlwind for Ragland, who has received congratulatory messages from presidential candidates while beginning to serve constituents.
He will visit AUM on Monday, Feb. 24, to discuss his experience of running for office and what he has learned on the journey. WAKA-TV anchor Chris Searcy, a fellow AUM graduate, will moderate the discussion, which is open to AUM students, faculty, staff and community members. The event will take place in Goodwyn Hall 109 at 6 p.m.
Mon., Feb. 24 | 6 p.m. | Goodwyn Hall 109
Thomas Rashad Easley, assistant dean of community and inclusion at Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, was taught by his grandparents to love the earth, and hip hop taught him how to love people and share his truth. An expert in forestry, genetics and education, Easley will share how he uses nature-themed hip-hop music and his background in diversity to respect the field forestry as speaker for Auburn University at Montgomery’s (AUM) 2020 Spring Lecture Series. His talk, “Relationships, History, Hip-Hop, and Forestry: Thinking about Diversity and Inclusion in the Environmental Sciences,” is set for Thursday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m. in Goodwyn Hall 109.
Learn about Easley’s work and music.
Thu., Feb. 27 | 7 p.m. | Goodwyn Hall 109
EVENTS
The Black Student Union will present “Business As Usual,” which spotlights AUM students who have followed their entrepreneurial spirit to create their own businesses. The event will also feature discussion with the creator of the Geek’d Genius apparel line.
Wed., Feb. 12 | 6 p.m. | Taylor Center 230
Delta Sigma Theta will be selling cookies, cakes, brownies, muffins, cupcakes, and more outside the AUMazing Bean in the Taylor Center Lobby. Come get a Valentine’s treat!
Thurs., Feb. 13 | 11 a.m. | Taylor Center Lobby
Dining in the Dark provides a sensory experience in which the diner is blindfolded and experiences what it is like to be unable to see while eating a meal. The event provides insight into the everyday experiences if individuals with disabilities.
Tues., Feb. 11 | 5 p.m. | Taylor Center 222-223
Get ready for another semester of exciting films in the Political Film Series, sponsored by the AUM College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences. Audience discussion follows the screening. The events are all free and open to the public; free popcorn and soda will be served.
February 13: Good Hair (2009; PG-13) – Enjoy our Black History Month feature with an introduction by Dr. Nicole Whitehead (Chief Human Resources Officer) and Breuna Baine (Fine Arts).
Throughout history, hair has played an important role in African American culture. In this funny and entertaining documentary, Chris Rock explores the wonders of African-American hairstyles by traveling the country to find out how Black Americans define “good hair” and to shed some light on the industry behind Black hair. Rock talks to ordinary people and celebrities (including Nia Long and Maya Angelou), visits a barber shop, a hair show, a factory that produces chemical hair relaxers, and India known for its hair trading industry. Watch the trailer here.
See the full Political Film Series in the AUM Pressroom.
Thu., Feb. 13 | 7 p.m. | Goodwyn Hall 109
Theatre AUM’s production of “Gruesome Playground Injuries” by Rajiv Joseph opens on Thursday, Feb. 13. This production is directed by Professor Val Winkelman with Jacquelyn Vaughn as Kayleen and Josh Williams as Doug.
The story follows Kayleen and Doug over the course of 30 years as they are brought together through unusual circumstances. The two friends compare their scars and physical calamities that keep bringing them together.
The show runs Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 13–15 and 20–22 at 7:30 p.m. along with a Sunday matinee on Feb. 23 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 for general admission. Senior citizens and military tickets are $5. AUM students, faculty, staff, and alumni are free with AUM ID.
Feb. 13–15, 20–23 | 7:30 p.m. | Theatre AUM in Taylor Center
Interested in ecosystems and living organisms? Find out about the world of possibilities that exist with a degree in biology and related majors. Join our faculty for “Explore Biology Options.” Lunch will be provided. Students will have an opportunity to learn about the variety of biology-related programs AUM offers as well as potential professional pathways after graduation. Those interested in attending are asked to register in advance at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdKM5AomaafqB6TLli9V4X3RwBKwIcltIy0r_Y8TwHeffPRSQ/viewform.
Fri., Feb. 14 | 10 a.m. | Taylor Center 230
Higher Education Day 2020 will be held on Thursday, Feb. 27 at 10 a.m. in Downtown Montgomery. The parade for the event will in at the State Capitol.
SGA will have a bus of about 30-40 students leaving campus around 10 a.m. The campaign march will start at 10:30 a.m. SGA will provide a light breakfast and lunch at the event. All attendees will be back on campus before 1:30 p.m. due to athletics using the bus for an event.
If you would like to participate, please sign up online!
Thurs., Feb. 27 | 10 a.m. | Downtown Montgomery
Join us for our fourth annual Flash Talks! Flash Talks combines the annual Faculty Development Institute Technology Speed Dating event and the AUM Staff Council’s Tech Mixer into something more grand. The principle is the same; hear how AUM faculty and staff are using technology in teaching, learning, and the work environments in short visual presentations.
Contact Carolyn Rawl for more information or call 334-244-3934.
Thurs., Feb. 27 | 11 a.m.–1 p.m. | Taylor Center 230
Save the date! Alumni, join us for a memorable night of dinner, drinks, live music by Tim Tyler, and our annual tradition of a fireworks show.
Fri., Feb. 28 | 6:30–9 p.m. | AUM Library Tower, 10th floor
Graduate students – apply for the Alumni Association scholarship today!
The AUM Alumni Association is accepting applications for its 2020-2021 Graduate Study Merit Scholarships through March 1. To be eligible for the scholarship, students must be fully admitted to an AUM graduate program, must have completed at least nine hours of graduate study, and have a current GPA of 3.4 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
Interested students may email [email protected] for an application, or they can find the application online. A completed application needs to include, among other things, two letters of support – preferably from AUM faculty or staff, a 250-word essay on career objectives, and a current resume. Applicants will be notified of their award status by mail.
For more information, please email [email protected] or call 334-244-3369.
