An anchor for COSAM: Celebrating Larry Wit's enduring legacy

At an event devoted to celebrating achievement, the College of Sciences and Mathematics began its 2026 Honors Convocation by recognizing a legacy nearly five decades in the making. The ceremony was dedicated to Lawrence “Larry” C. Wit, associate dean emeritus and professor emeritus in the Department of Biological Sciences.

Wit joined Auburn University in 1976 and became a respected teacher, administrator, adviser and mentor whose influence continues to be felt throughout COSAM. Dean Edward Thomas Jr. described Wit as someone whose service helped provide stability and direction for the college.

“Larry has been an anchor for the college,” Thomas said. “He has been a mentor, an amazing teacher and an amazing friend.”

Thomas reflected on Wit’s years in the classroom, his work with students pursuing careers in the health professions and his role in developing programs that continue to serve Auburn students and communities across Alabama. Even after retiring, Wit remained involved through teaching, advising and service.

For generations of Auburn students, Wit’s greatest influence began in the classroom. He became especially well known for teaching Mammalian Physiology, a course taken by students preparing for medical school and other health professions programs.

For approximately 30 years, Wit helped students master the principles of medical physiology while preparing them for the academic and personal demands they would encounter after leaving Auburn. His impact extended beyond the course material.

Former students remember Wit as an instructor who invested in their futures, offered practical guidance and remained interested in their progress long after a semester ended. That influence led alumni, colleagues and friends to support the naming of the Lawrence W. Wit Laboratory and the establishment of the Dr. Larry Wit Endowed Scholarship.

Wit also played an important role in Auburn’s Rural Medicine Program, which prepares future physicians to serve rural and medically underserved communities across Alabama. As the program’s former academic director, he helped students bridge the transition between their undergraduate education and medical school while encouraging them to consider where their training could make the greatest difference.

The Faculty Honoree recognition celebrated more than Wit’s longevity at Auburn. It recognized a career defined by relationships - between teachers and students, mentors and future physicians and the university and the communities it serves.

Programs, laboratories and scholarships now carry pieces of Wit’s legacy, but his most meaningful contribution may be found in the thousands of students who entered his classroom, sought his advice and carried what they learned into their own careers.

Nearly 50 years after Wit first arrived at Auburn, COSAM continues to benefit from the foundation he helped build.