New program expands Auburn’s student experience
November 28, 2023
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The inaugural cohort of Melton Scholars with members of the advisory board
It was his work in energy policy and international law in other countries that gave Michael Waller ’75 the experience of looking and feeling different from those around him.
An Auburn psychology graduate with a Juris Doctor from the University of Houston, Waller spent years overseas building partnerships and advising clients in cultures completely different from his own. Years later, these experiences would inform the approach he and his wife Betsy took to giving back.
“We wanted our philanthropy to be an extension of our life experiences and our relationships,” Waller said. “When we looked at our careers and the lives we have led, we knew our focus had to be on education.”
They also knew their giving had to incorporate an element of diversity.
“In every place we lived overseas, we were often the only ones who looked like us or who spoke our language, and for many underrepresented students, they have a similar feeling when they come to Auburn,” Waller said. “And Auburn is committed to maintaining a rich, diverse student body, so all these things came together in a way that led us to focus on supporting diversity in education.
The Wallers, along with several other alumni, have recently committed gifts to support Auburn students who may experience a similar reality. Their generosity has established a new need-based scholars program to both increase access for underrepresented students and support them throughout their Auburn experience.
Melton Scholars Program Advisory Board members: Tripp Haston, Kenneth Kelly, Harold Melton, Taffye Benson Clayton, Michael Waller and Thom Gossom
A Shared Vision
As first-generation college graduates themselves, the Wallers were interested in enabling students to enroll in Auburn, achieve success in their education and graduate without debt. For many high-achieving students, the cost of a college education is an unsurmountable obstacle and getting to Auburn is just the first step.
The Wallers set out to find others who shared their vision to support underrepresented students and advance the university’s commitment to a holistic student experience. They reached out to 1988 Auburn graduate Harold Melton, former Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court and Auburn’s first Black student body president, who is the namesake of the university’s Student Center.
“I suggested fusing our financial resources with Harold’s stellar reputation and standing in the community as a way to equip underrepresented students with an added measure of ‘social capital,’ while also enriching the entire Auburn student body,” said Waller.
Melton agreed and the initiative became known as the Melton Scholars Program.
"Michael passionately presented a compelling plan for how we could not only raise scholarship funds for students in need, but also surround those students with the Spirit of Auburn as they matriculate through their experience on campus," Melton said. “I am honored to work with fellow Auburn alumni to deliver on the promise of this program.”
Other connections the Wallers made include Tripp Haston, a 1990 Auburn liberal arts graduate and a partner in the Birmingham-based law firm Bradley Arant Boult Cummings, and Kenneth Kelly, a 1990 engineering graduate and CEO of Detroit’s First Independence Bank, who are also supporting the initiative.
Haston served in the Student Government Association with Melton in the 80s. “Harold was a mentor to me when I was in school and it is a joy to be part of something that is so mission-critical for Auburn,” Haston said. “We want to create opportunities for students, but we also want to enhance and further Auburn’s ability to be an inclusive and welcoming environment.”
Supporting Auburn’s land-grant mission is an important concept for Haston and his wife, Cara, a 1990 Auburn business graduate.
“A big part of this for us is building a diverse Auburn Family,” he said. “I didn’t know I could love Auburn any more than I already did, but this program has given us purpose and it is great to support Auburn in a way that helps the university live up to its vision.”
In 2021, Haston was serving on the College of Liberal Arts Advisory Board when it established a diversity scholarship in honor of Melton. When Waller shared his more ambitious plan for this initiative, Haston said he knew they needed to combine their efforts to reach more students.
“We are very intentional about not simply calling this a scholarship,” said Waller. “It is about the totality of the Auburn experience for underrepresented students and enriching the Auburn student body as a whole. We envision a cohort of students who support each other and benefit from mentoring, networking and training in a variety of areas and soft skills that come from the Auburn experience.”
According to Kelly, this concept represents the epitome of The Auburn Creed. “This program will be transformative for so many students and I hope others will add their support to enhance the lifecycle of the Auburn experience,” he said. “I am excited to work with my friends from Auburn to impact the next generation of leaders because we believe in education, the human touch, and our country.”
The group also contacted professional actor Thom Gossom, Auburn’s first Black athlete to graduate, about incorporating an annual award in his name. The $4,900 award – an amount chosen for Gossom’s #49 football number – will be given to the Melton Scholar who best demonstrates excellence in curiosity, courage, athletics, and the arts.
"I am honored to add my name to the Melton Scholars Program through this award,” said Gossom. “It is rewarding to help provide underrepresented students with the opportunity for a total Auburn experience."
Harold Melton visits with students from Auburn's initial cohort of Melton Scholars.
More than a Diploma
The program focuses on providing a supportive and enriching environment that empowers students to thrive academically, socially and personally. The initial cohort of 11 Melton Scholars began this fall with nine students receiving $10,000 annually for four years.
“The Melton Scholars Program is comprehensive in its approach to supporting students toward engaging with the full Auburn experience, including academic achievement, student organizations, professional development, global immersion and many other signature opportunities,” said Taffye Benson Clayton, vice president and associate provost. “We are committed to addressing student needs, facilitating mentorship, and coordinating various experiences that make this program truly exceptional.”
The program will also incorporate related campus initiatives, including peer mentors. Representatives from the Provost's Office, as well as the founding members, will form an advisory board to provide leadership and support.
“We want to build on the work that Auburn is already doing to create a sustainable program. Our hope is that these young men and women will feed and water one another in a way that enables them to grow and develop as scholars and successful individuals, and ultimately launch into careers and lifestyles that make them want to remain involved with the program as members of the advisory board,” said Waller.
The group is also encouraging anyone who has already established a diversity scholarship at Auburn to suggest their recipients participate in the Melton Scholars program and community even if they have not received a Melton scholarship.
“There is a lot of energy and momentum right now for a program that builds a stronger, more diverse Auburn Family. We are hoping that additional donors will want to participate in this with us,” said Waller.
Through careers that took them all over the world, the Wallers understand that education is a lifelong process and that Auburn can be its starting point. They also know first-hand that lifelong friendships begin at Auburn.
“The longest friendships I have are the friends that I made here in Auburn in 1975. If we can create an environment that is truly attractive to all communities, they will see what we are building and realize that Auburn is a place for them,” said Waller. “Our goal is for all students who participate in the Melton Scholars Program to not only graduate knowing they have an Auburn Family that supports them, but also to feel that support throughout their college career.”
Help more students experience Auburn.
Give to the Melton Scholars Program
