Warhawk Weekly 10-12: AUM honored; Alumna reaches new heights

AUM alumna reaches new heights as entrepreneur

Auburn University at Montgomery communication alumna Lameka Weeks (’98) was frustrated at having to wear men’s jeans because of her 6-foot-1 body frame.

Fueled by a desire to help women like herself, Weeks created the fashion clothing line HEIGHT GODDESS for tall women in 2007. She will share her path to entrepreneurship and the start up of HEIGHT GODDESS with AUM students Thursday, Oct. 14, from 4 to 5 p.m. via Zoom. Weeks’ talk will also be available for students to watch in Liberal Arts TW 211.

“I just wanted a pair of jeans that weren’t men’s jeans,” Weeks said of creating HEIGHT GODDESS. “HEIGHT GODDESS has always been about finding your confidence because I know that clothing helps you to be confident in yourself.”

As an undergraduate student at AUM, Weeks played basketball and was confined to wearing sweats most of the time because of the difficulty of finding clothing for her height. When she graduated in 1998 with a degree in communication from AUM and started her first job out of college, it was even more apparent that retailers lacked clothing for women like her, Weeks said.

“While playing ball I was able to make it with sweats and things of that nature because I didn’t have to dress up a whole lot,” she said. “When I no longer was in college and playing basketball, I needed professional clothes and clothing beyond gym clothes.”

Early in her career, Weeks worked in marketing and sales for several well-known brand names such as Black & Decker, Michelin, the General Electric Company, Johnson & Johnson and Colgate. She also sold real estate and rehabbed houses, but clothing always remained an obstacle for her professionally.

“Changing my profession when I got out of college meant I needed to change my wardrobe,” said Weeks, who currently still is involved in real estate, particularly selling manufactured and container homes. “After shopping around and not being able to find anything, I thought I was going to be able to open my own boutique but doing my research, I found that there weren’t really any manufacturers at the time making clothing for tall women.”

With the help of her mother, who was a buyer for Belk, and her father, who managed the retail chain Martin’s, along with connections she made in the retail industry, Weeks began manufacturing her own clothing geared for tall women. She opened HEIGHT GODDESS in Dallas, Texas in 2007, marketing to women 5-foot-9 and taller.

Learn more in the AUM Newsroom.

Warhawk Health Services hosts vaccination clinic

Warhawk Health Services will host a COVID-19 vaccination clinic for AUM students and employees, as well as members of the general public, on today until 4 p.m. at the Wellness Center.

No appointments are necessary. Attendees are asked to bring their identification and, if receiving a COVID-19 booster shot, a copy of their vaccination card.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID-19 booster shots are recommended for the following groups:

• People age 65-and-older
• Adults 18-and-over with underlying medical conditions
• Individuals in occupations with increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission, including:
  • First responders (healthcare workers, firefighters, police officers, and other frontline workers)
  • Education staff (teachers, support staff, daycare workers)
  • Food and agriculture workers
  • Manufacturing workers
  • Corrections officers
  • S. Postal Service workers
  • Public transit employees
  • Grocery store employees

Learn more from the CDC.

Earn rewards as an AUM VIP

Have you been vaccinated against COVID-19 yet?

If you’re an AUM student, there’s still time to cash in on showing care for others during the pandemic. If you have already been vaccinated against COVID-19 or plan to be soon, you can earn a $200 reward and possibly much larger prizes through AUM’s Vaccination Incentive Program.

Register before the October 15 deadline.

Get the details on AUM’s VIP.

Cheer on the Warhawks and support a good cause

Catch the AUM volleyball team at home tonight against Gulf South Conference rival Montevallo and support a charitable cause at the same time.

When you cheer on the Warhawks at 6 p.m. at the AUM Athletics Complex, you can support AUM Athletics’ campaign for Make-A-Wish Foundation. AUM Athletics has set a goal of raising $10,000 in donations for 2021-2022.

Each donation, regardless of amount, will help grant the wish of a critically ill child.

Keep up with all of our athletic teams in the AUM Athletics’ Newsroom.

CLASS Clothing Closet helps students get the essentials for job interviews

The College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences Clothing Closet is hosting an open house on Wednesday, October 27, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., on the third floor of the Liberal Arts building. The clothing racks will be available in the common spaces near the Departments of English and History. 

All clothes are free to students currently enrolled at AUM. Students may select up to four items from the racks. The CLASS Clothing Closet exists to help students find professional wear for upcoming job interviews and opportunities. 

Graduate Studies Preview Night set for October 19

Looking for a way to reinvent yourself in a new career or accelerate the trajectory of your current one?

Learn more about the opportunities presented by an advanced degree at AUM’s Graduate Studies Preview Night on Tuesday, Oct. 19, from 5-7 p.m. Attendees are welcome to join in-person or online.

Register now!

Registration ongoing for Spring 2022 semester

Got your Spring 2022 schedule figured out yet?

Make sure you stay on track toward your degree by getting the classes you need, when you need them. Reserve an appointment with your academic advisor today.

Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity panel discussions

AUM’s Experiential Education & Engagement Center (EEEC) will host two panel discussions on mentoring undergraduate students in research and creative activity.

Faculty panelists will discuss projects funded by the Experiential Education & Engagement Center (and the Office of the Provost) and provide information about applying for funding.

The university community is invited to the following upcoming panel discussions:

Wednesday, noon – 1 p.m., Zoom https://auburn.zoom.us/my/aumeeec
Panelists: Drs. ​Lee Farrow, Erin Reilly, Tami Shelley, Heather Witcher

Call for Honors course proposals

AUM faculty considering submitting a proposal for teaching Honors courses in Fall 2022 or Spring 2023 may submit proposals to [email protected] by October 29, 2021. Honors Committee members will review all course proposals.

For more information, visit the UHP faculty information site or email Honors Director Lynn Stallings with questions.

UHP food pantry October hours

Are you a student in need of food or health items? The University Honors Pantry (UHP) provides more than 100 food and health items to students daily.

Students can stop by the pantry for assistance Monday – Friday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Taylor Center 316E.

Members of the campus community are invited to help address food insecurity on campus by making a donation to the Food Pantry. Non-perishable food and personal grooming items can be donated at the black “UHP Food Pantry” bins at multiple campus locations or by emailing [email protected].

Learn more about the UHP Food Pantry.

Become an advisor for student clubs, organizations

The Office of Student Life and Leadership Programs is looking for advisors to support student clubs and organizations.

Faculty and staff members can serve as student organization advisors. Advisors provide support and guidance to AUM student organizations. Every student organization has its own personality and may define the role of the advisor in different ways. We encourage advisors to serve as a mentor, team builder, conflict mediator, reflective agent, educator, motivator, and policy interpreter for student groups.

The Office of Student Life and Leadership Programs offers a training each semester to support advisors as well as a handbook.

If you are interested, please complete the online survey.