Human Development and Family Science graduating senior Caroline Bush earns President’s Award for CHS

Exemplifying numerous outstanding qualities that have led to academic success, in addition to holding a variety of leadership positions and volunteer experience, all helped Human Development and Family Science (HDFS) graduating senior Caroline Bush represent the College of Human Sciences as the President’s Award Honoree at a special awards ceremony on April 16.

“I strive to work very hard and to the best of my abilities in all my academic and professional pursuits, but I am not naturally competitive so I do not think of myself or the work that I do in the context of winning awards,” Bush said. “I felt surprised and honored to be named as a recipient thinking of so many of my peers within the college that I think so highly of. I’m incredibly thankful to have received this award. My work at Auburn is impossible without the hard work of so many dedicated professors, faculty, mentors and peers.”

The President’s Award recognizes one graduate in each college who has completed at least three semesters at Auburn with a minimum grade-point average of 3.40 and possesses outstanding qualities of leadership, citizenship, character and promise of professional ability. 

For Bush, she has worked as a hostess of the Auburn baseball team through the organization Diamond Dolls, participated in various volunteer experiences served on the Student Philanthropy Board. One of her favorite volunteer experiences includes working with the Miracle League of East Alabama.

“One of my favorite memories at Auburn relating to HDFS is volunteering with Miracle League of East Alabama,” Bush said. “Miracle League is a nonprofit that provides the opportunity and special facilities for people with cognitive and physical disabilities to play baseball. Miracle League is a wonderful example of HDFS in action. Diamond Dolls sponsors a Miracle League Team every year and I volunteered with Miracle League for three years (or three seasons), and it was an absolute blast. I loved spending those Saturday mornings with kids playing baseball. The environment at Miracle League is full of joy, laughter and encouragement. It was so special to combine my love of baseball and the work of HDFS through this volunteer opportunity throughout college.”

Bush knew she wanted a career that sought out overlooked needs and provided resources to underserved communities and when she thought about specific careers to apply her studies and interests to, she discovered and developed a passion for community planning and HDFS.

“The Auburn HDFS program has given me a wonderful foundation that I could build upon and use in so many careers,” Bush said. “Auburn’s HDFS program has given me an understanding of the complexity of people and the social systems they are a part of. My education at Auburn has taught me a research-based approach to understanding how social systems currently operate and how they can be improved to benefit people's physical, mental, emotional and social health.”

Following graduation, Bush plans to move to Greensboro, N.C., to work in partnership with the Greensboro Fellows Initiative, a professional development and leadership program. After gaining knowledge from this leadership program for a year she will pursue her master’s degree in community planning.