Auburn College of Education alumni return to inspire next generation of school counselors

In a meaningful return that bridged past and future, Auburn University’s School Counseling Program in the College of Education recently welcomed back three alumni to speak with first-year master’s students. 

The event took place on Wednesday inside the College of Education’s new building, with current and future school counselors sharing insights and encouragement. The alumni who attended were: Tyler Grant, a 2023 graduate of Auburn’s School Counseling Program who currently serves as a school counselor at Auburn Junior High School; Donnie Payne, who earned his master’s degree in 2015 and also works as a school counselor at Auburn Junior High; and Lesleigh Anderson, who graduated in 2024 and works at Smiths Station High School.

They were joined by Associate Professor and School Counseling Program Coordinator Malti Tuttle — a 2003 graduate of the College of Education’s School Counseling Program — to lead a candid and energizing conversation about the realities and rewards of the school counseling profession.

“This is what makes Auburn’s program special,” Tuttle said. “We don’t just teach counseling — we live it, support it and pass it forward.”

The visit featured open dialogue between the alumni and students, covering all sorts of topics from balancing responsibilities to teaching resiliency and having empathy for students. The alumni also addressed the law and ethics involved with such a profession. Grant, Payne and Anderson each shared how their College of Education experience helped prepare them well for their current role, from taking a class on crisis to their all-important internship.

Payne said he really loved the “family-oriented aspect” of the School Counseling program, adding that “I really felt connected my entire time here.”

Payne shared how he at first planned to be a school counselor at the elementary school level, but his internship helped guide him to his ultimate path at a junior high school.

“That internship prepared me and showed me there are other options out there,” he said.

Students said the opportunity to learn from counselors who had once been in their shoes was both inspiring and affirming.

“It makes me feel more confident when I go out there,” said grad student Brenleigh Hayes.  

The visit also highlighted the deep connections within Auburn’s School Counseling Program, where faculty, alumni and students form a close-knit community rooted in shared values and a commitment to student well-being.

“It is a reminder that the legacy of Auburn school counselors is alive, growing and being passed forward,” Tuttle said.