Ask Joe White what he’s involved in on campus, and you’d better have a few minutes. SVA Vice President. Founder and President of the Hammock Club. SGA College of Education Senator. If there’s a club, chances are Joe’s found his way into it—not because he’s chasing a résumé, but because he genuinely loves people.

That love for connection is exactly why Auburn University at Montgomery felt right from the start. Competitive scholarships made it possible to attend, but what truly sealed it was showing up and realizing his people were already here. AUM wasn’t just a school he chose—it became a community he wanted to build inside of.

Joe’s path toward Kinesiology and Sports Management traces back to something simple: he loves coaching and being around the game. But it was in an unexpected place—Theatre Appreciation—that he first felt AUM click into place. “Professor Winkleman made me laugh more than any other teacher in my life,” he says. In that moment, Joe knew this journey was going to be a fun one.

Katie Sowell, AUM’s SILP Coordinator, has been a steady presence throughout his involvement on campus, working one-on-one with him and making sure he feels valued in every club and organization he touches. That kind of personal investment, Joe says, is what makes AUM different.

Not every day has been easy. When classes get monotonous and motivation runs thin, Joe leans on professors who refuse to give up on him—even in the classes where he’s struggling the most. That persistence, matched by his own, has carried him through some of his hardest semesters. He’s also proud of powering through a marketing project solo when his group members didn’t show up, proving to himself he could carry the weight when it mattered.

Whether he’s leading a meeting, hanging in a hammock between classes, or just striking up conversation with a stranger, Joe brings the same energy everywhere: genuine care for the people around him.

After graduation, his goal is simple and rooted in faith—to share the gospel with everyone he meets. Whatever future title comes next, Joe White will be doing what he does best: showing up for people.