AUBURN UNIVERSITY’S MOBILE CAMPAIGN KICKS OFF

MOBILE - Auburn University launched its Mobile-Baldwin County regional campaign on Thursday, April 20, at the Steelwood Country Club in Loxley. The regional campaign is one of 31 taking place across the country over the next year as part of the $500-million “It Begins at Auburn” fundraising effort for the university.

The Mobile-Baldwin County region has 5,600 Auburn University graduates.

The goals of the regional campaigns are to have alumni and friends contribute to the campaign, keep alumni engaged and develop leadership and volunteers for Auburn University, according to Bob McGinnis, AU’s vice president for development.

“The regional campaigns will expand the number of alumni giving to Auburn, and unite the Auburn family in common cause to support our students, faculty, research, facilities and programs,” McGinnis said.

B.T. Roberts, co-chair for the Mobile-Baldwin County Regional Campaign, introduced the evening’s program to an audience of prominent Mobile and Baldwin County alumni and friends by talking about Auburn’s huge impact on his life.

“All of the Auburn Family has deep feelings for their university and I’m no different. So much of who I am was shaped by my years at Auburn and I think it is time my financial and time priorities reflected it,” said Roberts.

Other speakers included student scholarship recipients James Robert Shore and Evan Wheeler, both of Mobile, who spoke about their love for Auburn and their appreciation for both the education they have received and those who have helped them along the way.

McGinnis spoke about the importance of private funding, specifically in the form of endowments.

Interim AU President Ed Richardson emphasized the importance of regional campaigns. “Auburn University is on its way to becoming one of the best public universities in this country,” Richardson said. “With the help of the entire Auburn family we will be able to further meet this goal.”

The remaining regional campaigns will kickoff between now and February 2007. These campaigns will last from two to 12 months, with Mobile and Baldwin County’s lasting six months.

The “It Begins at Auburn” campaign encompasses all colleges and schools as well as the library, athletics, Auburn University Montgomery and the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art.
Endowments for students, faculty, programs and unrestricted dollars make up 58 percent of the campaign’s goal.

In addition to endowments, the campaign will also focus on facilities and equipment, campus beautification, research and current operations. The campaign has raised more than $361 million, or 72 percent of the campaign’s goal.

Auburn University is a preeminent land-grant and comprehensive research institution with more than 23,000 students and 6,500 faculty and staff. Ranked among the top 40 public universities nationally, Auburn is Alabama's largest educational institution, offering more than 230 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree programs.

(Contributed by Kristen Jackson; photos available upon request.)

# # #

apr06:AU-mobilecampevent