What it takes to be an Auburn Tiger, these students got it

After working alongside locale construction crews, Auburn building science students visited Peguche Falls, located at an altitude of more than 8,000 feet, on a recent trip to Ecuador.

IMPACT offers Auburn students an annual trip to the Dominican Republic, during which students work on service projects in health care, sustainability and community action.

IMPACT also offers Auburn students the chance to perform community service closer to home, such as repainting older buildings.

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The value of an Auburn University education isn’t found merely in classroom lectures or notebook scribblings, it’s the potential to grasp what cannot be learned behind a desk or by staring at a computer screen.

Auburn provides those hands-on experiences and real-world interactions through service trips and study abroad programs around the world. Twice every year, one of those programs in the McWhorter School of Building Science (BSCI) travels to Quito, Ecuador, where students work alongside local construction crews to complete a service project using the tools, technology and methods available in the area.

“Discovering my passion for helping others was undeniably one of the most profound takeaways from this experience,” said Gavin Medley, one of the student participants from last spring’s Ecuador trip. “The sheer gratification I experienced from making a tangible difference in someone’s life far surpassed any expectations I had held. It ignited in me a newfound sense of purpose, a burning desire to contribute positively to society and a commitment to being an agent of positive change.”

On these service trips, students learn to maximize limited budgets and resources and gain skills like cutting and tying rebar and mixing and pouring concrete by hand. In addition to Ecuador, students have also traveled to Haiti and Panama to build low-cost, sustainable housing.

“I brought home much more than just some stories and souvenirs,” said Tyler Machen, another student participant. “I left with a new understanding of Ecuadorian culture, people and architecture. This experience touched my life in more ways than I could have ever imagined — it opened my eyes to many things I never would’ve seen elsewhere.”

Also embodying the spirit of benevolence and goodwill is the student organization IMPACT, one of Auburn’s largest community service organizations housed in Student Involvement.

Short for “Individuals Moving People and Communities Together,” IMPACT provides students with opportunities to participate in weekly community service, major service events and service trips domestically and abroad. This student-led organization partners with several nonprofit organizations, offering volunteer projects for all interests, from helping elementary students with homework to sorting food donations at local food pantries.

IMPACT frequently offers alternative student breaks throughout the year, including an annual trip to the Dominican Republic, usually during Spring Break. It’s a trip that Johanna Mondragon-Olvera is particularly excited to attend.

“I got involved with IMPACT in December,” said Mondragon-Olvera, a junior from Fairhope, Alabama. “I participated in their alternative break to Washington, D.C., where we served in different food pantries and community centers to help combat food insecurity. We also helped with a clothing donation, making sure people had warm clothes during the winter.

“After my experience in D.C., I felt called to continue serving with IMPACT, so I interviewed to be a site leader for another domestic trip and, because of my linguistics, I was placed as an international site leader.”

Mondragon-Olvera is bilingual, speaking both English and Spanish. Her ability to bridge the gap between the two languages made her an ideal candidate. She demonstrated her skills during the D.C. trip and discovered the cruciality of her role.

“Many of the individuals that came into the pantries were non-English speakers, and so, as the only participant on the trip who spoke Spanish, I was able to facilitate those conversations and aid in dismantling the language barrier, ensuring everyone got what they needed.

“I love that by participating in IMPACT I get to pair my passion for service with my Spanish background — it’s the best of both worlds for me. I’m looking forward to experiencing the Dominican Republican culture while serving in the community and continuing to use my abilities to make a difference in the world.”

Service opportunities like those offered by IMPACT and BSCI are the backbone of the Auburn experience, and students and faculty are encouraged to embrace the nature of servitude both on and off the Plains. Whether within the local community or global society, doing for others no matter the cost and putting in work, hard work, is a distinguishing characteristic of an authentic Auburn Tiger.