Magazine

1 S E C T I O N T I T L E
A S PI REE X PA N D Y O U R M I N D, C H A N G E Y O U R W O R L D
A S P I R E T O F I N D Y O U R P U R P O S E O N T H E P L A I N S
GettoKnowAuburn.

A B O U T T H E AU T H O R
Hi! I’m Courtney.
My name is Courtney Erin Guidy. I am a 22-year-old from a small suburb outside of Birmingham, AL called Pinson. I always
knew I wanted to go to Auburn, not because everyone in my family went there like most people from Alabama, but because I fell
in love with the campus and have always been a huge Auburn football fan.
I was raised by a West Point graduate who is now a retired Colonel, so needless to say, I grew up under strict guidance. My
father’s leadership laid a foundation in not only my time at Auburn but one that will continue to develop in my career path after
graduation. I owe my passion, creativity, curiosity and determination to my mother. Being from Germany, she has also embellished
in me a love for travel, which has inspired my plans post-graduation, to be an au pair in Germany.
I’m an extrovert, who loves a good social scene, meeting new people and traveling to new places. I’m enthusiastic about
friends, family, dogs, food and The Office. In my free time, you can find me watching the Kick Six reruns (war eagle), catching up on
the latest kid stars of The Ellen DeGeneres Show or hanging out with friends. These are just a few of the things that make me, me.
My dad first introduced me to public relations because he knew I had a passion for communication. Once I explored the pos-
sibilities of public relations and found that I could combine that with my passion for sports, I knew this was the right career path for

3PA G E 9
Living the Creed: A College
Student’s Perspective
2PA G E 7
It’s Never Okay To Give Up
1PA G E 4
War Eagle: Ever Wonder
How it Came to Be?
4PA G E 11
How This Auburn Student’s
“Hard Work”Helped Land
Her Dream Internship
7PA G E 18
How Mis Homecoming
2015, Taylor Wesley, Has
Left Her Mark on Auburn’s
Campus
6PA G E 15
Why I’m Ready to Graduate
and Take Auburn With Me
5PA G E 14
My Last Saturday Down
South in the Auburn
Student Section

Ever Wonder How it C
War
Eagle:
Photo right: AL.com

W R I T T E N B Y: Z O E H U G H E S
Aubie the Tiger and War Eagle -
many people who do not know the his-
tory behind Auburn University’s mas-
cot get confused as to which exactly, the
tiger or the eagle, is the specific mascot.
To clarify, Aubie the Tiger is the mascot,
and “War Eagle” is the battle cry that can
be heard on and off the football field.
The origin of how “War Eagle” came to
be is recognized in multiple stories that
all have one thing in common - they are
interesting.
The first story as to how “War
Eagle” came to be is referenced on Au-
burn University’s website. Considered
to be the most “popular” version, where
it said in 1892 a veteran of the Civil War
had found an injured eagle on the bat-
tlefield and made it his pet. The veter-
an brought his eagle to a football game
versus Georgia. “According to witness-
es, the eagle suddenly broke free and
began majestically circling the playing
1
Came to Be?

Top photo right: AL.com
Bottom photo right:
oanow.com
field,” as stated on Auburn’s website.
After winning the game, many specta-
tors were thrilled and credited the win
to the eagle. After this, many began to
say “War Eagle” at football games to
cheer on the Auburn Tigers. On Au-
burn’s website, it says that at the end of
the game the “eagle took a sudden dive,
crashed into the ground, and died,” but
the cattle cry lived on.
A more in-depth history of this
legend comes from www.strangehisto-
ry.org, and actually involves the Univer-
sity of Alabama when in 1865 Ulysses S.
Grant’s Army began their march deeper
into the South and eventually into Tus-
caloosa, Alabama. The Union troops as-
sisted by some volunteers from Wiscon-
sin marched into Tuscaloosa and burned
all but seven buildings on campus.It is
said that these volunteers from Wiscon-
sin had an American bald eagle in their
possession and it had become known
as their mascot “Old Abe.” She had been
with these soldiers during the Battle of
Vicksburg and then became known as
“War Eagle.” Some have wondered if
this led to Auburn fans taunting Ala-
bama fans at their first meeting on the
football field in 1893 by cheering “War
Eagle.” This is considered to be the first
Iron Bowl between these intense state
rivals.

W R I T T E N B Y: A B I G A I L R H O D E S
Auburn University is home to
over 27,000 students, the vast majori-
ty of whom are between the ages of 18
and 22. College is most often a launch
pad for young innovators and earnest
hard workers. It is a place to get a piece
of paper that will open future doors.
But for one Auburn student, it is a place
to fulfill a lifelong dream—a dream to
graduate.
Tommy Gentry, age 75, is a se-
nior studying mechanical engineering
at Auburn University. He started at Au-
burn for the first time in 1960 after grad-
uating from the only high school in his
hometown of Phenix City, Alabama. Un-
fortunately, Gentry failed out of Auburn
after two years.
The one bright side to Gentry’s
unfortunate situation was that his child-
hood sweetheart, Dyane, was still wait-
ing for him in Phenix City. Gentry moved
home, married the girl next door that he
had grown up with and dated since he
was in ninth grade and started working
in his father’s machine shop.
“It just plagued me all my life that
I didn’t get a degree because I flunked
out,” said Gentry. “I made several at-
tempts and the last time I attempted to
go back was in 1989. I was doing fairly
well then my dad got sick and died, so I
flunked out again. I thought that was it, I
wouldn’t try again.”
Gentry resigned himself to mas-
tering his craft in his shop. He and Dyane
had children and then grandchildren.
He watched as his son-in-law, niece and
nephew rose up in the shop to run all of
the daily operations. He saw his family-
owned business grow to provide over
50 jobs in the community of Phenix City.
But with all of his success, there was one
thing that he knew he still needed to do
and only one place to do it.
“It was Dyane’s idea for me to
come back to Auburn,” said Gentry. “I
told her I was thinking about taking
some online courses and she said, ‘Why
The next version of how “War
Eagle” came to be is a less known one.
This legend was originated when Au-
burn was playing football against the
Carlisle Indian team in 1914. Auburn’s
website states that the toughest play-
er on the team was named Bald Eagle.
The football team would charge Bald
Eagle play after play, yelling his name
with each one. Spectators mistook
“Bald Eagle” for “War Eagle” and it stuck.
“When Lucy Hairston scored the game-
winning touchdown for Auburn, he sup-
posedly yelled ‘War Eagle,’ and a new
Auburn tradition was born,” states Au-
burn’s website.
Whether you believe the legend
of “War Eagle” was derived from a Con-
federate soldier, a cheerleader in the
early 1900s or from Bald Eagle, each one
is an interesting tale. No matter where it
came from it is - and forever will be - the
Auburn battle cry.
. . . H E S U P P O S E D LY Y E L L E D
‘ WA R E AG L E ,’ A N D A N E W
AU B U R N T R A D I T I O N WA S
B O R N . . .
It’s
NEVER
Okay to
Give Up2“
”

“It’s discriminating in the best way,” said Gentry. “They bend over backward
to be nice to me. The professors have been very nice. I went over to Subway for
lunch and I saw my professor Dr. Burch sitting by himself and asked if I could sit
with them and he said, ‘Sure.’ And then my other professor Dr. Regan came in and
sat down. So I had lunch with two of my professors one day. I’m always talking to
them about the issues I’m facing that relate to the courses that they’re teaching.”
In addition to the help he receives from his teachers, Gentry has developed
a close friendship with some of his classmates.
“I have about five people that I’m in a lot of the same classes with and have
gotten close to,” said Gentry. “I’ve had some of them over to my house for a bar-
beque. They help me out a lot with homework and with preparing for exams. I say
a lot of funny stuff that doesn’t make sense, but I also give them advice along the
way.”
Gentry’s all-Auburn family includes three grandchildren who all attended
or currently attend Auburn at the same time as their grandfather. He enjoys tak-
ing them out to lunch on campus and has set an excellent example for them to
never, ever give up.
“Once in 1976, Georgia Tech was playing Notre Dame in Atlanta,” said Gen-
try. “Georgia Tech was losing really bad. The cameras went back into the Georgia
Tech locker room at half-time to hear what Coach Pepper Rodgers had to say to
his team. He said, ‘Boys, it’s alright to win and it’s alright to lose, but it’s never okay
to give up.’”
don’t you see if you can just go back to
Auburn?’ So I listened to her, emailed
the school and got a response in an
hour. Dr. John Raines responding,
‘Come on over and let’s talk about it.’
He checked out my transcript and got
me re-entered and re-registered. I went
to Chattahoochee Valley to take history,
art appreciation and other core classes,
and I started back to Auburn in the fall
of 2014.”
Gentry, a die-hard Auburn foot-
ball fan with season tickets, plans on fi-
nally graduating from the school he
loves in August 2018 with a degree in
mechanical engineering. Most of his
classmates will learn out of textbooks
in classes first and then in the practical
world after graduation, but Gentry has
done the opposite.
“I don’t ever go to class without
having read the assignment or without
having done the homework,” said Gen-
try. “But I find that the textbooks are
very difficult to follow and you could
be self-taught. Too deep into theo-
ry and not into the practical. It would
help some of these professors if they
had worked in the industry which they
teach.”
Though he doesn’t always agree
with the way things are done in a class-
room, Gentry has nothing but respect
for his professors.
Photo right: Tommy
and Dyane at an
Auburn football game,
used with permission
. . .’ B OY S , I T ’ S A L R I G H T T O
W I N A N D I T ’ S A L R I G H T T O
LO S E , B U T I T ’ S N E V E R O K AY
T O G I V E U P.’
“
”

W R I T T E N B Y: L A N I E R D A N I E L
“I believe in a sound mind, in
a sound body and a spirit that is not
afraid.”
Four years ago, this would have
meant nothing to me. I was at Camp War
Eagle as an incoming freshman, and all
of the counselors kept referencing back
to this thing called, “The Creed.” I didn’t
understand it, nor did it excite me.
Now, as a graduating senior, this
simple phrase has evolved into much
more. I cherish these words and strive to
uphold the principles in this creed each
and every day.
It is my daily reminder that living
a healthy lifestyle, both mentally and
physically will lead to a fearless and self-
reliant nature.
LIVING THE CREED:
A College Student’s
Perspective
Photo right: Lanier
Daniel
3

As my experiences on the plains
progressed, and my love for Auburn
heightened, so did my appreciation for
the creed. This nine-sentence set of ide-
als has grown to act as my own person-
al constitution.
“It’s a framework of values and be-
liefs that if taken to heart will stick with
you for the rest of your life. It’s incredi-
ble that Petrie had the foresight in 1943
to write all of that and it still be 100% ap-
plicable in 2017,” says senior in mechani-
cal engineering, Jordan Carr.
Something that makes a good
piece of writing is the ability to stand
the test of time. I think because of the
various applications of the creed, it has
been able to do so since 1943 and will
continue to do so for many years to
come.
The words of wisdom, practicality,
and insight of George Petrie, never fail
to send chills down my spine. To some,
the name George Petrie may not regis-
ter as significant. To some, it may remind
them of the brick building in which their
geology lab was held their sophomore
year. But to many, George Petrie was
the epitome of an Auburn man. Not to
mention, Auburn’s first football coach,
founder of Auburn’s school colors, and
author of The Auburn Creed. Fun fact:
He was also the first resident of Alabama
to earn a PhD. War eagle to that.
However, It is about much more
than Auburn, or even being an Auburn
fan, it’s a mentality to live by. I cannot
think of a piece of writing that better
embodies all aspects of life as the creed
does. Whether you’re a student, faculty
member or just a die-hard Auburn fan,
the creed is something that everyone
can benefit from in some facet.
Whether you apply it to your spir-
itual views, work ethic, or even just your
physical habits, the creed, in its sheer
brilliance, perfectly conveys what it is to
be an Auburn man or woman.
“People will always ask you, ‘Why
did you choose Auburn?’ For me, the
reason is found in the Auburn Creed.
Stepping into this phase of my life, learn-
ing about myself and growing into the
person I wanted to be could not have
been better described than the quali-
ties of Auburn men and women that are
established in the creed. The creed in-
spired my work ethic and dedication to
my education, my relationships, my life-
style, my health, and my overall connec-
tion to the world. Most importantly, the
creed has taught me to be intentional in
all aspects of my life, and has provided
me with a foundation to grow from and
to confidently step into the following
chapters in my life,” says senior in graph-
ic design, Montana Cole.
I challenge you to apply the val-
ues manifested in the creed to your
daily life and truly live out the creed.
With that being said, because I
am an Auburn woman, and I believe in
these things. I believe in Auburn & love
it.
Photo right: kenjxn.com
“ T H E C R E E D I N S P I R E D M Y W O R K
E T H I C A N D D E D I C AT I O N T O M Y
E D U C AT I O N , M Y R E L AT I O N S H I P S ,
M Y L I F E S T Y L E , M Y H E A LT H A N D
M Y O V E R A L L CO N N E C T I O N T O T H E
W O R L D.”
M A I N G A L L E R Y L O N D O N

W R I T T E N B Y: M A R Y J U -
D I T H H I L L
There is some-
thing to be said for those
who can hold down
a part-time job while
being a full-time college
student as well.
Amy Robert-
son, junior majoring in
journalism from Raleigh,
North Carolina, knows
the feeling of juggling
both school and work
very well. While at Au-
burn, Amy has worked as
a part-time nanny and in
the packing department
of a local boutique.
Her sophomore year
she began to blog for a
local wedding planning
agency, “Make It Per-
fect” as well as worked
weddings on the week-
ends. She now works
for a local bridal bou-
tique handling the com-
panies social media and
in-store services. Near-
ing theend of her junior
year, it is clear that she
has lived out the portion
of the Auburn creed that
states “I believe in work,
hard work.” While all her
hard work has paid off
and she is now grate-
ful for her work experi-
ences, she says, “Initially,
I didn’t always feel that
way.”
Amy was a full-
time nanny every sum-
mer in high school and
after she got her license
would take on babysit-
ting jobs when she could
on the weekends. How-
ever, working through-
out college was not on
her radar until a few un-
fortunate events landed
her in a tight money po-
sition.
“I didn’t really
have the choice to not
work in college,” Amy
says. “When I totaled my
car freshman year, my
parents basically cut me
off monetarily. I had to
get a job to pay for my
daily expenses and save
for a new car.”
Considering the
circumstances, she says
that “I resented having to
get a job because I saw it
as a distraction from my
social time, but now I am
so grateful that my par-
ents made me take re-
sponsibility for my mis-
takes and start working.”
By the time she
saved enough money for
her car and was back in
her parents’ good grac-
es, she found that hav-
ing a part-time job great-
ly benefitted her future
and even took on two
How This
Auburn
Student’s
“HARD WORK”
Helped Land
Her Dream Job
4

ical health. Sometimes
it is easy to forget that
our bodies and relation-
ships are just as impor-
tant as school and work
and that we need to pri-
oritize taking care of
ourselves. It’s also real-
ly hard when I know that
I’m missing out on social
events with my friends
because I have to work,
and I would say that it is
more difficult to keep up
a good GPA having re-
sponsibilities outside of
school.”
Amy says that
the best advice she can
give to students looking
for part-time employ-
ment, either for financial
or experience reasons
is to “find a job that you
enjoy going to.”
“Whether that
means you like your co-
workers, like the actu-
al work or know that it
is going to look great on
your resume for the fu-
ture. It’s a lot easier to
have a good attitude
about a fun job versus a
boring one!” she says.
part-time jobs while
maintaining her studies.
“I usually try to
keep up with two jobs at
a time; one fiscally driv-
en job and one job that
is giving me great ex-
perience for the future.
Sometimes those are
combined into one job,
but most of the time the
jobs where you learn the
most aren’t necessari-
ly the ones that pay the
best.”
She believes
that aside from money
and great profession-
al experience, she has
learned “time-manage-
ment skills, how to be
independent and [has
gained] the confidence I
need to prepare me for
the real world in a way
that school can’t.”
However, she
says that it isn’t always
as easy as it sounds to
maintain this lifestyle. “It
can definitely get over-
whelming to try to bal-
ance college, working, a
social life and maintain-
ing my mental and phys-
. . . M O S T O F T H E T I M E T H E J O B S
W H E R E YO U L E A R N T H E M O S T
A R E N ’ T N E C E S S A R I LY T H E O N E S
T H AT PAY T H E B E S T.
Photo right: mintweddings.
com
“
”

Although it
hasn’t always been easy
all of the challenges
that come with working
have paid off. Amy in-
terviewed for several in-
ternships for summer of
2017 and has landed her
dream internship at In-
tertwined Wedding and
Special events group in
Orange County, Califor-
nia. She believes that
she has her work experi-
ence to thank for the rea-
son why she landed this
incredible opportunity
at one of the top event
groups in the country.
“I was inter-
viewed for internships
at several different com-
panies and I was never
asked about my GPA,
but I was always asked
about the work experi-
ence on my resume. I am
thankful that I’ve had the
chance to acquire some
great jobs to prepare me
for this internship.”
Amy thinks that
this next step will only
further her career goals
and will hopefully better
direct the direction she
will head in after gradu-
ation.
She says, “I have
two loves; writing and
planning. My dream has
always been to write for
a bridal magazine called
The Knot, but I am also
very interested in wed-
ding and event plan-
ning. I am still trying to
figure out which path I
am going to follow, but
either way, I plan to re-
volve my career around
celebrating weddings
and life’s biggest mo-
ments.”
Although Amy
has loved being a part
of the Auburn Family,
she cannot wait to head
to a big city after gradu-
ation. She is excited for
her summer plans in Cal-
ifornia and hopes to get
a taste of what life after
graduation will hopeful-
ly be like.
Photo of: Amy Robertson
... I PL A N TO R E VO LV E M Y
C A R E E R A R O U N D C E L E B R AT I N G
W E D D I N G S A N D L I FE’ S B I G G E S T
M O M E N T S .
“
”

a student, I reflect on all of
the memories I’ve made
here over the past four years.
I remember my first game
day at Auburn like it was yes-
terday. I had my orange and
blue dress and my cowboy
boots picked out weeks be-
fore the big day. There was
no need to worry about
being new to the school be-
cause I was welcomed ev-
erywhere and by everyone.
After four years, nothing has
changed.
Today, I look
around and realize that the
friends I made on that first
game day, four years ago,
are the same friends who
surround me today at my la-
My Last Saturday
Down South in
the Auburn Student
Section SectionW R I T T E N B Y: K A E L I N J A C K S O N
Fall is just anoth-
er word for football season
in the south. People trav-
el far and wide to experi-
ence a Saturday down south
and watch their team play.
Among the many differ-
ent SEC football experienc-
es, nothing compares to a
game day at Auburn. At Au-
burn, it’s not only about hav-
ing the die-hard fans or tail-
gates before the game. It’s
about the tradition, the Au-
burn family, and the spirit in
the air that unites us all.
While standing in
the student section at my
last game in Jordan-Hare as
Photo right: seccountry.com
5

dent body unites by chant-
ing, dancing and everything
in between. Cheerleaders
lead us in chants and cheers
throughout the game. We
dance and sing during time-
outs, and the football team
even joined us at times.
We stormed the field when
we beat Alabama. And of
course, we rolled every tree
at Toomer’s Corner.
“They seized the
moment... Our fans were off
the charts and really helped
us win this game,” coach Gus
Malzahn says.
st. We hold onto each other
from the moment the eagle
flies around the field until
the clock strikes 0:00. During
the game, we, Auburn stu-
dents, never gave up hope
or hype.
“The feeling you
get being in the student sec-
tion is electric, I get goose-
bumps just thinking about
it,” says Auburn senior Col-
leen Casey. The entire stu-
FA L L I N L O V E
“ T H E F E E L I N G YO U G E T
B E I N G I N T H E S T U D E N T
S E C T I O N I S E L E C T R I C . . .”
W R I T T E N B Y: H AY L E Y W R I G H T
Auburn Universi-
ty is a special place. Anyone
who knows Auburn loves
Auburn, so it only makes
sense why I get funny looks
when they hear I will gradu-
ate early.
No one has been
as excited to come to Au-
burn as I was. As a freshman
in high school, I visited my
older brother at Auburn for a
football game. It was love at
first sight.
I dreamed of being
a student here for the rest
of high school, and Auburn
was the only college I ap-
plied to senior year. When
I came and moved into my
freshman dorm, it felt surre-
al. To this day I walk around
campus and think, “I can’t
believe I go here.”
My time here has
far exceeded my expecta-
tions. The past three years
are full of memories, person-
al growth and people who
have touched my life forev-
er. These have truly been the
best years of my life.
“. . . O U R FA N S W E R E O F F
T H E C H A R T S . . .”
Photo right: sbnation.com
Why I’m
Ready to
Graduate and
Take Auburn
With Me
6

P R E PA R E F O R L I F E
But somehow, I’m ready to
leave Auburn. I graduate in May, a
whole calendar year early, but I feel
prepared to move on.
That’s the beauty of Au-
burn. While it is a family and feels like
home, it’s not necessarily where ev-
eryone should stay after they gradu-
ate. It’s a training ground to teach us
not only how to succeed in our future
careers, but how to live as Auburn
men and women out in the world.
When I first heard the Au-
burn Creed, I thought it was compel-
ling and a nice gesture on the univer-
sity’s part. As a student, I realized just
how closely George Petrie’s words
from 1943 are followed by the school
today.
G R O W H E R E
Auburn is a place where
smiling, greeting and helping strang-
ers is perfectly natural. Taking hours
out of the week to serve the commu-
nity is typical. I am reminded every
day in Auburn that kindness is free
and ours give to the world.
The university challenges us
to strive for greatness and reach our
full potential. The faculty and staff
believe in you and make every ef-
fort to open doors for you. It’s a place
where greatness can look different
for every person, whether it means
getting a perfect score on an exam,
winning a campus election or nailing
the last note in a song.
Auburn is a place where
you learn to embrace who you are.
In comparison to my freshman self, I
am so much more comfortable in my
own skin. I haven’t changed myself
to fit the status quo; I have learned
to appreciate my imperfections and
work on myself for God’s glory.
Top photo right: altoday.com
Middle photo right: auburn.edu
Bottom photo right: auburn.edu

Because Auburn has taught me
these things, I feel prepared to gradu-
ate. Furthermore, I feel it is our duty as
Auburn men and women to share what
we have learned with the world. I owe
so much to Auburn University and hope
that I leave this campus a better place
because I am certainly leaving as a bet-
ter person.
G O F O R T H
AU B U R N H A S TAU G H T M E T H E VA LU E O F
M A K I N G T I M E T O TA K E C A R E O F M Y M I N D,
B O DY A N D S O U L .
On my lowest and highest
days, I’ve seen what a blessing a group
of supportive people can be. I’ve seen
how lovely friendships can be when
you lift each other up and want the
best for the other person most of all.
Auburn has taught me the
value of making time to take care of
my mind, body and soul. I have learned
how important balancing time on my
own and time pouring into other peo-
ple is.
Experiences I’ve had at Au-
burn have taught me to have the cour-
age to explore. Auburn teaches us to
be life-long learners. We take steps, or
even leaps, outside our comfort zones
and try new things.
Photo right: Hayley Wright
“
”

“Spread Wellness with Wesley”
which focused on spreading mental
health awareness and opening the dia-
logue to it on Auburn’s campus.
“Through running for Miss Home-
coming, I had the opportunity to share
my story with the student body in order
to start a chain reaction of mental health
awareness.”
What most people aren’t aware of
is the severity of its prevalence. Whether
it be an eating disorder, depression, anx-
iety or substance abuse, statistics show
1 in 4 Auburn students struggle with
mental illness. Through her campaign,
Wesley hoped to take out the ‘I” in men-
tal illness and replace it with “we” to cre-
ate mental wellness.
“Taylor Wesley’s story is a won-
derful picture of the Auburn family
and what it means to be a member of
that family. Through Taylor’s journey,
she demonstrated resiliency and a will-
ingness to help others. It is because of
these characteristics Auburn University
is one step closer to helping all students
who are in recovery. Taylor’s ability to
simply speak up and share her story will
have an impact on Auburn students for
years to come”, says Director of Devel-
opment for the Division of Student Af-
fairs, Kurt Sasser.
After being crowned Miss Home-
coming, Wesley wasn’t done making her
mark on Auburn’s campus. As Health
and Wellness Director for SGA, Taylor
had the opportunity to attend a training
program for the Green Dot program this
past summer.
The WE dot Auburn campaign is
an initiative by The Green Dot Bystander
Intervention program, based on the vi-
olence prevention strategy that in order
to prevent, one must engage. The acts
of the bystander are half the battle in
preventing hostile situations from oc-
curring. The idea behind the campaign
is fighting acts of violence, referred to as
“Red Dots” with proactive behavior, re-
ferred to as “Green Dots”.
“Green Dot is a program that SGA
has been very supportive of since it ca-
W R I T T E N B Y: L A N I E R D A N I E L
For Taylor Wesley, her time
spent at Auburn was not that of a typ-
ical college student. Not only was she
crowned Miss Homecoming in 2015, but
she also helped bring a nationally re-
nowned intervention program to Au-
burn’s campus.
Wesley, an Atlanta native, grad-
uated from Auburn this past Decem-
ber with a B.A. in communication along
with a minor in psychology. This degree,
along with her passion for public speak-
ing and the human mind served as a
stepping-stone for what she would later
accomplish in her college years.
When Wesley was nominat-
ed for Miss Homecoming, there was
no question about what her platform
would be centered on. She opened up
about how she was a victim of mental
illness toward the beginning of her col-
lege career but eventually took the nec-
essary action to reach out and get help.
Her platfom for homecoming week was
7
How Miss
Homecoming
2015, Taylor
Wesley, Has Left
Her Mark on
Auburn’s Campus

Through Taylor’s time involved in
Health and Wellness, she has developed
many life-long relationships. Eric Smith,
The Director of Health Promotion and
Wellness Services has not only been her
boss, but has also served as one of her
mentors through her journey.
“Taylor Wesley did more for men-
tal health, violence prevention and sub-
stance use issues on our campus then I
think she will ever fully realize. From the
moment she sat down in our office and
talked about the need to change things
I knew we were on the right track. And
we certainly did. Regarding We.Auburn
specifically I think having her not only
be part of the implementation, but truly
”buy” into all facets of the program have
contributed to it’s success”, says Smith.
If you want to help make a dif-
ference on Auburn’s campus regarding
sexual violence, visit the Health Promo-
tion and Wellness Services Office in the
Student Center to sign up for a green
dot training program, or visit their web-
site to learn more about the initiative it-
self.
Today, Wesley is still doing her
part to “Spread Wellness with Wesley”
back in her hometown of Atlanta. She
currently works for a staffing firm but
has continued public speaking on the
topics of mental health and recovery.
me to Auburn’s campus. I had the honor of working with it through our Student Senate,
where I passed a resolution in support of the program prior to its founding.
Once it got started, I got Taylor who was serving as the Director of Health &
Wellness at the time to get certified as a Green Dot overview speaker and she got real-
ly invested in the program and helped spread that message to over 6,000 students in
its first year. Both she and I, as well as many others in SGA feel very strongly about the
merits of Green Dot and about curbing the issue of interpersonal violence and sexu-
al assault on Auburn’s campus and I think we’ve seen some big changes and success in
this area over the past year and a half”, says senior in Political Science, Trey Fields who
was a very involved member in bringing the program to campus.
Throughout the week-long training event, Wesley along with other Auburn
faculty and staff became certified Green Dot instructors as an effort to continue spread-
ing this knowledge, as well as preventing all forms of sexual assault from happening on
campus.
“My main goal is to help the Green Dot campaign for Auburn called ‘WE dot
Auburn’ through raising awareness for violence prevention and also informing stu-
dents about available training sessions throughout the school year… by working to-
gether as a community and as bystanders we could help reduce the chances of this oc-
curring.”
. . . B Y W O R K I N G T O G E T H E R A S A
CO M M N I T Y A N D A S B Y S TA N D -
E R S W E CO U L D H E L P R E D U C E T H E
C H A N C E S O F T H I S O CC U R I N G .
“ TAY L O R W E S L E Y D I D M O R E F O R
M E N TA L H E A LT H , V I O L E N C E P R E -
V E N T I O N A N D S U B S TA N C E U S E I S -
S U E S . . .T H E N S H E W I L L E V E R F U L LY
R E A L I Z E ”
Photo right: Lanier Daniel
“ ”

THANKS FOR CHECKING OUT
A S PI REASPIRE TO FIND YOUR PURPOSE ON THE PLAINS.

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