Auburn, Ala. -- The Auburn Alumni Association, in collaboration with Auburn's Office of Inclusion and Diversity, has announced that their Black Alumni weekend event in the fall will take place from Sept. 7-9. They look forward to inviting alumni back to campus for a three-day long celebration with fun, family-friendly events, networking opportunities and panel discussions.
A goal had earlier been set to gain gifts from 1,964 individual black alumni in commemoration of the year 1964, when Harold Franklin became the first black student to enroll at Auburn University. This goal has reached at least $3.5 million before the end of the Because This is Auburn campaign -- which launched in April 2015. By summer of 2017, the goal had been surpassed, with 2,026 black alumni donors and over $4.2 million in donations.
The first Black Alumni weekend took place in September 2015, and since then, black alumni have donated almost $7,000 to the Auburn Alumni Association PLUS Scholarship -- A scholarship designed by the university's Provost to increase diversity on campus.
This year, which will mark almost 55 years of desegregation on the university's campus, attendees of the Black Alumni weekend will be given the chance to share their Auburn stories and hear the experiences of others. They can also share their stories on the Auburn Alumni Association website.
General registration for the event is $155 per person. A tailgate will be held for those who attend before the Auburn vs. Alabama State football game.
Admission for children will be $5.45, with children 1 and under being admitted for free. A children's package is $40, and includes a t-shirt, game ticket and entrance to the tailgate. The adult ticket includes a $5 gift that will be put toward the Auburn Alumni Association PLUS scholarship and a ticket to the football game.
Registration for tickets closes on Aug. 4, and only the first 200 to register are guaranteed lower level seating.
