Warhawk Weekly 6–20: Welcome to AU president; Muckler-Elliott scholarship established

Welcome Dr. Steven and Janet Leath: Faculty and staff reception

All AUM faculty and staff are invited to a welcome reception for Dr. Steven Leath, 19th president of Auburn University, and his wife, Janet.

Wed., June 21 | 4:30 p.m. | Taylor Center 230

Muckler establishes nursing scholarship

Dr. Virginia C. (Chris) Muckler, a 1997 graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, has established an annual scholarship in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, School of Nursing, named the Virginia C. (Chris) Muckler/Gerard S. Elliott Nursing Annual Scholarship.

Muckler, a North Carolina native, attended AUM after receiving an honorable discharge from the U.S. Air Force. She used the GI Bill for tuition and worked full time as a medical laboratory technician throughout her college years to pay for rent, gas, and groceries. While a student, she met Gerard Elliott, an AUM employee who worked with the AUM ALIVE Program, a resource for AUM students who were also military veterans.

Elliott provided advice, assistance and a friendly face but made the biggest impression with his willingness and ability to satisfy an essential, somewhat inexpensive need — reading glasses.

Muckler chose to establish this scholarship to honor Gerard S. Elliott, who went beyond his job duty to help a struggling student. His kind gestures and support provided a clearer perspective on life and what it means to help others.

Following graduation from AUM, Muckler became a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) and later obtained her doctorate from Duke University, where she now teaches. She is a simulation expert and was the first to introduce simulation in Ghana, Africa.

Annual named scholarship levels are established by the Auburn University Foundation. A named annual scholarship requires a five-year commitment at a minimum of $1,000.

Submit Faculty Service Award nominations

The AUM Alumni Association is now accepting nominations for the 2017 Faculty Service Award. The Alumni Association sponsors the Faculty Service Award to recognize outstanding Auburn University at Montgomery faculty. To be eligible for this honor, faculty must have five or more years of full-time service at AUM. The award will be conferred during the fall semester convocation and the recipient will receive a $1,000 check from the Alumni Association.

To nominate a faculty member, see the full instructions. For more information, contact Valerie Rankin at [email protected].

Campbell-Golden to return to Germany as expert panelist

Carolyn Campbell-Golden, vice chancellor of Advancement at Auburn University at Montgomery and 2016–17 Fulbright recipient, will participate as an expert panelist for the International Dialogue on Education Berlin (ID-E Berlin) as part of the June 2017 conference entitled “Exploring Difference: The Third Mission of Universities — Strategy and Practice for the Collaboration with Business and Society in Berlin, Germany.” The ID-E Berlin is a joint initiative of the British Council, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the German-American Fulbright Commission, the Embassy of Canada in Germany and Freie Universität Berlin.

Campbell-Golden and other university experts from Canada, the United Kingdom and Germany will share perspectives on the challenges universities are facing, best practices and recommendations. Reiner Rohr of the German-American Fulbright Commission, said: “Given Carolyn’s experience with the topic at hand, we consider her the ideal speaker and are thrilled that she has accepted this invitation to return to Germany and share the U.S. perspective with conference participants.”

Campbell-Golden said, “My Fulbright experience in Germany affirmed my belief that establishing strong relationships between higher education and private partners such as university alumni, business and industry, as well as state, national and international stakeholders, is of paramount importance to the success of higher education institutions, society as a whole, even the world. I look forward to once again putting the Fulbright mission into action as a panelist at the ID-E Conference.”

Carolyn Campbell-Golden,
vice chancellor for Advancement,
with Rheiner Rohr, acting director
of the German Fulbright Kommission

AUM Study Abroad accepting proposals for 2018

Faculty, do you want to turn your class into an unforgettable experience? Are you interested in creating and leading a Study Abroad course for spring or summer 2018?

Think about aligning your course with a study abroad component. AUM Study Abroad is now accepting faculty-led program proposals for 2018. Faculty can find the 2018 Faculty-Led, Short-Term Study Abroad Handbook on AUM’s Study Abroad website.

The proposal deadline is Thu., Aug. 31, 2017, at 4 p.m.  For questions or information, contact Yiyun (YY) Liu, AUM Study Abroad manager, at 334-244-3544 or [email protected].

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VAL debuts at TeachLivE conference

Dr. Kate Simmons, director of the College of Education (COE)‘s Virtual Avatar Laboratory (VAL), recently presented at the 5th Annual International TeachLivE Conference. The conference focuses on Virtual Human Interactive Performance (VHIP) for those in the public and private sector. Sessions at the conference showcased the vision and application of the array of researchers and colleagues in the field using TeachLivE, and participants were able to meet the new elementary and middle school avatars debuting later this summer. Questions can be sent to Simmons at [email protected].