Warhawk Weekly 12-17: Curtiss’ Career Closet; Prestigious Theatre AUM recognition
AUM’s Career Development Center to launch Curtiss’ Career Closet
Thanks to generous donations of shirts, suits and other professional attire, AUM’s Career Development Center (CDC) will launch Curtiss’ Career Closet in the new year, providing career-focused students and alumni with the opportunity to dress for success.
The CDC will host a grand opening for Curtiss’ Career Closet at 9 a.m. on Monday, January 27, at the CDC office in Taylor Center 323.
The new career closet will offer free professional attire for currently enrolled students and alumni to borrow for job interviews, networking events, career fairs, and workplace settings. The closet will feature business attire for both men and women, including suits, ties, shirts, dresses, blouses, skirts, and more.
“We wanted to create Curtiss’ Career Closet to ensure our students have access to the professional dress they need,” said Bradley Robbins, director of AUM’s Career Development Center. “After learning about similar programs at other colleges and universities, we felt it was important to offer our students the same support as they begin their careers.”
Students and alumni will be able to check out apparel for career events and return the items to the career closet in the CDC. A rental agreement will be required at checkout. Twice a year, the CDC will host a “clean-out” event where students can select a limited number of items from the closet to keep.
To donate to Curtiss’ Career Closet, students, faculty, and staff can drop off professional attire at the Warhawk Resource Center on the second floor of the Taylor Center.
For questions, email [email protected] or visit the CDC in Taylor Center 323 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Theatre AUM earns prestigious recognition from Kennedy Center
Auburn University at Montgomery (AUM) theatre students and faculty recently celebrated earning an invite to perform Theatre AUM’s fall production of the play “RED” at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) Region IV conference in February.
In addition to the invitation, KCACTF recognized Theatre AUM’s production of “RED” as one of the Top 5 distinguished productions in its Southeast region, which includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Theatre AUM’s performance of “RED” will take place during KCACTF’s Region IV conference February 4-8 on the campuses of North Carolina A&T University and the University of North Carolina.
“This is a tremendous honor,” said Val Winkelman, Distinguished Research Professor of Theatre in AUM’s Department of Communication and Theatre. “We’re excited to perform at next year’s KCACTF and celebrate the collaboration, dedication, and hard work that this ensemble of emerging artists has demonstrated with the skills they have learned in the classroom, and further developed through ongoing experiential opportunities and mentorship throughout the academic year.”
Set in the 1950s and based on a series of real events, “RED” — written by American playwright John Logan and directed by Michael Krek — offers a compelling exploration of the evolving relationship between an artist and his creations. The play centers on a conversation between the real abstract expressionist Mark Rothko and his fictional assistant Ken. Rothko has just landed one of the biggest commissions of modern art: a series of large murals for New York’s famed Four Seasons Restaurant. Over two years, Rothko works feverishly with his young assistant, Ken, in his studio on the Bowery to complete the project. However, when Ken gains the confidence to challenge Rothko, the artist faces the agonizing possibility that his crowning achievement might also lead to his undoing.
Theatre AUM’s student ensemble for “RED” includes:
- Grace Brennan (Assistant Stage Manager/Props Manager)
- Tyreanna Causey (Sound Board Operator)
- Tara Laurel (Stage Manager)
- Dusti RW Levy (Dramaturg)
- Meadow Lokey (Understudy/Deck Crew)
- Atticus O’Banner (Understudy/Wardrobe)
- Sarah Paterson (Costume Design)
- Michael James Pritchard (Performer)
- Will Rouse (Light Board Operator)
- Aaron Rudnick (Lighting Design)
- Jay Russell (Performer)
- Tiara Staples (Sound Design)
- Ada Withers (Scenic Design, Scenic Charge Artist)
AUM theatre students will also participate in individual conference events in the categories of Performance, Directing, Design, Dramaturgy, Technology, and Stage Management. Students will present and exhibit their research and creative works, as well as gain further experiential opportunities during the event.
Theatre AUM’s peformance of “RED” at the 2025 KCACTF Region IV conference will mark the sixth year that AUM has been invited to present its stage productions at the prestigious event.
The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) is a national theatre program that involves colleges and universities across the country. Since its inception, KCACTF has provided more than 400,000 college theatre students the opportunity to have their work critiqued and receive national recognition for excellence.
Commencement speaker encourages fall graduates to persevere
For AUM alumnus Ron Simmons, Chief Destination Officer for Experience Montgomery, the phrase “life be lifing” often sums up the unpredictability of our lives.
Simmons shared this favorite catchphrase during his keynote address at AUM’s fall commencement ceremonies on Saturday, explaining how it reflects the idea that life is sometimes unpredictable and takes its own course.
“Graduation is a significant milestone,” he said. “It’s a time of change, it’s a time of excitement, and it’s a time of uncertainty. Life is full of ups and downs. Life will do what life does, but what matters is how you respond to it.”
He urged graduates to think about their lives five years down the road and ask themselves, “How do you define success?”
“These are the questions you need to consider,” he added, noting that graduates should make a point to thank those who supported them throughout their journey.
A native of Montgomery, Simmons earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from AUM and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserves through the university’s ROTC program in 1987. Today, he leads efforts to boost local tourism as part of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce’s destination marketing division.
More than 630 degrees were conferred during this year’s fall commencement, marking one of the largest graduating classes in the university’s history.
Warhawk basketball returns home for conference games
The AUM men’s basketball team was unable to overcome the big 3-point shooting of Delta State, falling to the Statesmen, 92-80, at Sillers Coliseum on Saturday. Women’s Basketball also came up short at Delta State with a loss 66-77.
Monday, both men’s and women’s basketball competed against Mississippi College at away games. The women’s team (3-6, 1-3) fell in overtime 77-73 at Mississippi College while the men’s team (4-5, 1-3 Gulf South) also suffered a scoring drought, falling to Mississippi College, 70-62, at A.E Wood Coliseum.
Cheer on the Warhawk men’s and women’s basketball teams at home home as they play their final two games of 2024 against Union University and Christian Brothers University this weekend.
The men’s basketball team will tip off against Union University at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 19 and Christian Brothers University at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 21 at the AUM Athletics Complex. The women’s basketball team will play Union University at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday and Christian Brothers University at 2 p.m. on Saturday at the AUM Athletics Complex.
Keeping up with all campus events
There’s an easy way to keep up with all of the fun events offered on our campus. Enroll in AUM365 and get the 4-1-1 from Curtiss The Warhawk himself. Text curti$$ to 334-398-6025 to receive reminders about upcoming happening.
