From Honors service to European heritage: How an Honors alum found purpose in the past

Sitting in a crowded coffee shop near Auburn’s main campus, Honors alumna Maggie Tennant holds in her hand a replica of a bronze Roman clasp — a memory of her recent time in Italy and her academic and professional journey so far. As if this clasp were a rewind button, Tennant reflects on her time at Auburn University and in the Honors College, starting with her arrival in the fall of 2019, which didn’t begin in a lecture hall - it began with service.

Weeks before her first class as a freshman, Tennant joined fellow incoming students for the Honors College’s Week of Service, a program centered on volunteerism and service-learning experiences that go beyond traditional classroom boundaries. That week would set the tone not only for her time on the Plains, but for the path she would follow well beyond graduation.

“It was one of the best choices I made coming into Auburn,” Tennant said. “That experience really shaped how I thought about my time in college — that my education should be connected to the people and communities around me.”

A Community Built Early

Growing up in Auburn, Tennant thought she understood the area well. Through service projects focused on poverty and local need during the Week of Service, she realized how much more there was to learn.

“I didn’t realize how many needs existed right around us. Being empowered to actually help — that stuck with me,” said Tennant.

Throughout her undergraduate years, Tennant kept seeking that same service‑oriented purpose, returning later to volunteer with Campus Kitchens, an organization that repurposes surplus food from campus dining locations into meals for the community.

Drawn to Honors — and What Came After

The Honors College felt like a natural fit for Tennant. A graduate of Auburn High School’s International Baccalaureate program, Tennant was used to rigorous coursework within a tight‑knit, academically motivated cohort.

“I was looking for something similar. Smaller classes, driven students, people who were curious,” she said. “Honors felt like the place where those students would be.”

As a global studies major in the College of Liberal Arts, Tennant found that Honors courses offered more than academic challenge; they offered perspective. Sitting in classrooms alongside engineering majors, humanities students and scientists pushed her to think beyond a single discipline.

“You’re all bringing completely different ways of thinking to the table,” said Tennant. “That interdisciplinary experience really stays with you.”

A Turning Point Before College Even Began

The spark that led Tennant toward global studies, and eventually international heritage work, came before her freshman year ever started.

During the summer of 2019, a major algal bloom along the Gulf Coast forced beaches to close. For Tennant, who spent summers with family near the Mississippi coast, it was the first time an environmental issue felt personal.

“I knew what caused it, scientifically,” she said. “But it made me start asking, ‘What can I actually do to prevent this from happening again?’”

Initially interested in environmental law, Tennant entered Auburn as an exploratory student. While law school was once the plan, her coursework and the flexibility of a global studies degree allowed her to reevaluate and ultimately pivot.

“That’s something global studies really prepared me for,” said Tennant. “Knowing how to pivot, how to ask what really interests you and how to move forward with that.”

Studying Heritage Abroad

After graduating with her Honors Scholar distinction, Tennant took that pivot across the Atlantic, earning a master’s degree in heritage studies from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

Studying heritage in Europe offered access to centuries‑old sites, established preservation systems and renowned faculty members.

“In the U.S., heritage work looks different because we’re a younger country,” said Tennant. “In Europe, you’re surrounded by it. That context changes how you understand preservation and history.”

That education eventually led Tennant back into the field, literally.

Excavating the Past in Italy

In January, Tennant joined an archaeological field school near Lake Bracciano, just outside Rome. For a month, days began before sunrise with espresso and ended with artifact documentation in a makeshift lab.

Archaeology, she learned, is less about dramatic discoveries and more about patience, precision and documentation.

“Archaeology isn’t Indiana Jones — it’s heat, documentation and a lot of dirt,” said Tennant.

Still, there were moments of excitement including uncovering a fragment of a bronze fibula, a type of clasp Romans used to fasten their clothing.

“I remember seeing this bright green fleck in the dirt,” she said. “Once we realized what it was, that was pretty unforgettable.”

More than any single artifact, however, the experience was defined by collaboration. Working alongside students and staff from multiple countries forged connections that transcended language.

“By the end of the month, we could practically communicate without speaking,” said Tennant. “You go from being strangers to trusting each other completely.”

Looking Ahead

Today, Tennant is exploring career paths in cultural resource management and museum work, with long‑term aspirations that may include doctoral study. The goal, she said, is to stay connected to work that preserves history while serving the public good.

Reflecting on her time at Auburn, the through‑line is clear: curiosity, service and connection.

Her advice to current Honors students is simple and familiar, yet crutial.

“Talk to your professors,” said Tennant. “Go to office hours. If someone really knows their field and you find their work interesting, take the opportunity to have those conversations and make connections.”

Much as her first few days as an Honors student during Week of Service, connections and community continue to play an important role.