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College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment staff member Audrey Grindle wins Rebecca Roden Award

By April 28, 2023May 1st, 2023No Comments

Audrey Grindle, graduate programs and research administrative specialist within the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment, or CFWE, has been awarded the Rebecca Roden Award, which recognizes an Auburn staff member for their excellence in service to graduate education. This award, established in May 2021, honors the 41-year service of the former associate dean of the Auburn University Graduate School, Rebecca Roden.  

Daowei Zhang, the associate dean of research with whom she works and closely collaborates, praised Grindle for her work in service to graduate students at the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment. “Ms. Grindle is very dedicated and committed to graduate education,” said Zhang.  

“She serves as the sole liaison person/assistant for all 160+ graduate students at our college, communicating well with prospective students, organizing incoming student orientations and handling most daily business associated with all these graduate students, from course registration to study plans, to personal issues, to oral defenses and graduation. She always handles these matters in a timely and professional manner.”  

Grindle has shown a genuine passion for graduate education and a commitment to providing CFWE students with the highest level of support and guidance. She works collaboratively with the associate dean of research and provides administrative and technical assistance. She also helps to facilitate graduate student education from application to graduation.  

In addition, she is dedicated to addressing the needs of students and is committed to building positive relationships while assisting graduate students in achieving their desired learning outcomes. As a result of her efforts, CFWE students graduate with an increased understanding of their values, a sense of social responsibility, intellectual development and a solid foundation for positive academic decisions.  

“I am working towards defending my Ph.D. at the end of this year, and I plan to acknowledge Audrey in my acknowledgment section because she has helped me so much. Every time I had a problem or hurdle, she was there for me. She was always receptive and available. She is an amazing asset to the college, and I couldn’t make it through graduate school without Audrey,” said Henrique Hass, a Ph.D. candidate in Earth System Science. 

(Written by Allison Killingsworth) 

Text summarized from award literature. 

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