Warhawk Weekly 6-8: Reader’s Choice Awards; Pandemic Operations Plan

Vote for AUM in Reader’s Choice Awards

Auburn University at Montgomery will seek to hold its status as the River Region’s favorite university in the Montgomery Advertiser’s 2021”Best of the Best” Community Choice Awards.

AUM has been voted as the top university in the Montgomery region for each of the last three years. Online voting will close on June 23.

To cast your vote, visit the Advertiser’s online voting page and pick your category (Universities are listed within the “Kids & Education” category).

Vote now.

University updates pandemic operations plan

AUM has made adjustments to its pandemic operations plan for the summer semester.

While previous social distancing guidelines have been relaxed based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, the university will still require students and employees to wear masks when in shared indoor spaces (classrooms, elevators, etc.) or when riding in university vehicles (Warhawk Transit, etc.).

The updated operations plan also includes information on campus services during the summer semester.

Learn more about the updated plan.

Hard earns counseling award for organizing LGBTQ pandemic workshop

Auburn University at Montgomery Associate Professor of Counselor Education Paul Hard has received the Alabama Counseling Association (ALCA) Program Award.

Hard, who also serves as chair of the College of Education’s Department of Counselor, Leadership and Special Education, was honored with the award for organizing the Association for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues in Counseling of Alabama’s (ALGBTICAL) first virtual summer workshop, “Still Family Across the Distance: LGBTQ Community in the Current Pandemic.”

As part of the workshop, Hard presented information about working with LGBTQ clients regarding disaster intervention.

“I was delighted to receive this award under my professional division,” said Hard, who is president of ALGBTICAL. “The pandemic workshop offered by ALGBTICAL was a highly timely and significant contribution to the counseling field. Being able to provide this training during such trying times is an honor.”

The Alabama Counseling Association Program Award is given annually to recognize an ALCA chapter, division, or affiliate that provides an outstanding, “unique and/or superior program(s) for its members” and presented to the division president. 

Learn more in the AUM Newsroom.

Curtiss Committee seeks new members

Wanted: Charismatic students who are good at hyping crowds, connecting with others, and displaying plenty of AUM spirit.

Become a “Friend of Curtiss,” and you just might get to experience the thrill of being the most popular Warhawk on campus. The Curtiss Committee consists of seven students who schedule appointments for Curtiss The Warhawk, participate in events, and bring him to life. Submit your application by June 18.

Become a Friend of Curtiss.

AUM athletes among finalists for GSC award

Two AUM student-athletes are among the finalists for the Gulf South Conference’s Commissioner’s Trophy. Softball player Jaycie Walker and men’s soccer standout Andrew Elkins are candidates for the award, which recognizes the league’s top overall female and male student-athletes.

Walker finished her AUM career in 2021 as the softball program’s leader in career doubles (55) while ranking in the top three in career hits (201), home runs (32), RBIs (133) and fourth all-time in career runs scored (114). She is one of just two AUM softball players in program history to record 200 hits, 30 home runs, and 100 RBIs while at AUM.

Walker earned GSC Spring All-Academic Team and CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team recognition in Spring 2020. She has been named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team twice (2019, 2020), NFCA All-South Region First Team twice (2018, 2019), an Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete twice (2018, 2019), and is a three-time D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award recipient and three-time GSC Spring Academic Honor Roll selection.

The Headland, Ala. native earned her undergraduate degree in Kinesiology in Spring 2021, finishing with a GPA of 3.89. Walker has been accepted to Physical Therapy program at Faulkner University. Walker’s community service efforts include volunteering at the Montgomery Area Food Bank, working as a volunteer for the athletic department’s annual blood drive, and working as a volunteer coach with Wiregrass Sports Academy Softball Camps.

Elkins started 22 of his 23 matches since arriving at AUM in 2019, leading a Warhawk defense that gave up just 1.07 goals per game in 2019 en route to a second-place finish in the GSC regular-season standings and 0.90 goals per contest during a 2021 season that included a regular season title in Group B of the GSC Spring Championship Series.

The Bay Saint Louis, Miss., native has also helped on the attacking side of the ball, netting four goals in 2019 and one in 2021. Two of Elkins’ four career goals with AUM have come as game-winners.

Elkins earned his undergraduate degree in Kinesiology in Spring 2021, finishing with a 4.0 GPA. He was named to the GSC Fall Academic Honor Roll in 2019 while also earning Scholar-Athlete of the Year and Male Student-Athlete of the Year at the 2021 Warhawks’ Choice Awards.

Elkins has also helped out in the community with his work as a volunteer clinic coach at the Montgomery YMCA and his organization of an AUM food drive for recent hurricane victims.

Learn more from AUM Athletics.

Nominate outstanding faculty for the 2021 Faculty Service Award

Faculty members elevate our university and play an important role in helping our students succeed. Every year, the AUM Alumni Association’s Faculty Service Award honors outstanding faculty for their service to the university.

To be eligible for the honor, faculty members must have five or more years of full-time service at AUM. Nominations can be made by AUM faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends.

The honor will be awarded during the fall semester and the recipient will receive a $1,000 check from the AUM Alumni Association.

Nominations for the 2021 Faculty Service Award must be postmarked by September 3, 2021 and include a nomination letter. Nomination letters should be no more than two pages in length and should emphasize teaching excellence as well as a strong record of service to the university and community. A vita may be attached, if available.

Send nomination letters to: Awards Committee, Auburn Montgomery Alumni Association, P.O. Box 244023, Montgomery, AL 36124-4023, or email them to [email protected].

Questions? Contact the AUM Alumni Association at 334-244-3369 or [email protected].

Summer Call for Proposals for Undergraduate Research, Creative Activity

Auburn University at Montgomery’s Undergraduate Research Committee is accepting summer proposals for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity grants.

In March, the Office of the Provost allocated $50,000 for undergraduate research or creative activity at AUM. Grant funding is awarded to faculty members whose research involves undergraduate students. Six proposals have been funded so far to the following faculty members:

• Greg Ciesielski, assistant professor of chemistry, was awarded $6,000 for his research project titled: “The role of molecular chaperone Tid1 in the prevention of deletions in human mitochondrial DNA.” ( 2 proposals)
• Duk (Daniel) Kim, department chair and professor of chemistry, was awarded $3,000 for his research project titled: “Investigation on the suppression of ROS by beverages.”
• Ann Marie O’Neill, assistant professor of biology and environmental science, was awarded $3,000 for her research project titled: “Development of a cancer macrophage fusion hybrid model.”
• Claudia Stein, assistant professor of biology, was awarded $2,747 for her research project titled: “Screening plant and soil microbial communities in native prairie ecosystems.”
• Erin Reilly, professor of kinesiology, was awarded $2,385 for her research project titled: “The Effect of Neuromotor Exercise on Cognition and Physical Ability in Pre-school-aged Children.”

The Undergraduate Research Committee will continue to review and fund research projects on a rolling basis throughout the summer until the funds are disbursed. The committee anticipates another call in September for funding in the next fiscal year.

AUM’s Experiential Education and Engagement Center and the University Honors Program share the mission of encouraging undergraduate research and creativity and administering funding for undergraduate research and creativity. To apply, please email Lynn Stallings at [email protected] for the guidelines.

WASC hosts Summer Workshop Series

If you’re a new student, you’ll want to take advantage of the Warhawk Academic Success Center’s Summer Workshop Series, which offers guidance on effective study habits and more.

Stop by the WASC on the second floor of the Library Tower on Wednesday, from 12:30-1:30 p.m. for the “Welcome to College” kickoff session. Learn about campus resources and what it takes to achieve success as a Warhawk.

Bringing tutoring resources to you

Resident students have an opportunity to connect with AUM tutors during the summer semester. Math and writing tutoring will be available each Tuesday and Thursday, from 4-6 p.m. in the first floor lobby of P40 Place.

Students can also participate in in-person tutoring or virtual drop-ins through the Instructional Support Lab. Visit Goodwyn 203 Monday-Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. or on Friday from 10 a.m. to noon. Or get assistance online during these times by visiting the Virtual Drop-In.

Get event updates from Curtiss

Stay in-the-know about can’t-miss campus events via text message. 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 happenings.