Virtual New Student Welcome hosts students, parents and members

More than 100 incoming female engineering students, 60 parents, 60 alumni members of 100+ Women Strong, faculty and staff joined the New Student Welcome hosted by 100+ Women Strong on August 4. The event, which was hosted via Zoom rather than in person, allowed students to hear from Christopher B. Roberts, dean of engineering and interim vice president for development, as well as keynote speaker Susan Story, ’81 industrial engineering. Incoming freshman and current students were also welcomed with a surprise virtual visit from Aubie before joining group breakouts to talk with other students about their upcoming classes.

The New Student Welcome event occurs each August, and the event provides students and parents the opportunity to get to know leadership, alumni and campus before classes begin. Although this year’s event was virtual, members remarked how the event was one of the best. The keynote address from Story provided inspiration and sage words of advice for future female engineering students.

Story served as president and CEO of two subsidiaries at Southern Company, and she served as CEO and CFO of American Water Works, Inc. before her retirement in April. She has extensive experience in water quality, supply and infrastructure; operational, customer and cyber technology strategy; development and deployment; environmental, social and governance leadership; and in cultural transformations involving safety improvement, employee engagement, strategic workforce planning, inclusion and diversity, technology development and adoption, and change management. Her keynote address touched on the ways in which her Auburn Engineering education set the stage for her successful career.

Students left the event with new student contacts, information on the upcoming semester, alumni connections and their very first campus welcome from the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering.