Michelle Cole, an academic administrator for the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment (CFWE), wasn’t sure how long her career at Auburn University would last when she first started in 2005.

Growing up in Tallassee, Alabama, merely 40 minutes away from campus, she believes fate brought and kept her in Auburn after marrying and settling back in her hometown in 1997. Initially, she struggled to find her place here as one of the few minority academic professionals in the school.

Michelle Cole advises students in forestry and environmental conservation and management within the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment.

“When I began working at Auburn, there was only one other Black woman here in the urban forestry field, Brenda Allen, who would eventually become my mentor, and I remember how she’d tell me she wasn’t going to be here much longer — she was going to retire soon,” Cole said.

“And though she stayed longer than either of us thought she would — retiring in 2018 — I would always say to her ‘Don’t leave yet, don’t go,’ because I didn’t think I could do  [the job] without her.”

Nineteen years later, Cole remains in CFWE with a long list of achievements, various job descriptions tacked to her title and enough experience to jam-pack her LinkedIn profile. Along with academic advising, she also manages the Auburn chapter of Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS), is on the college’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee and was the outreach director for the Center for Environmental Studies at the Urban-Rural Interface (CESURI) throughout its duration.

Cole’s reason to persevere when her many responsibilities threaten to overwhelm her is her students — those within her care relying heavily on her expertise and guidance. The work she does, she does it all for them.

“The students keep me motivated,” Cole said. “I love them, and I love my job. I love guiding them and helping each student find their way. That’s the best part — getting students to where they want to go, the next level of their careers — that’s what I love most about my job.

“And yes, sometimes it’s hard to keep going, but you have to push through. You have to continue to write those grants, to do those programs. Do it for the students. They need us. Sometimes we’re the only voice they hear, the only influence they have. So, we have to stay strong for them, so they know they can depend on us.”

Cole — shown here on stage with Janaia Madden (right) and Marquez Wortham — was nominated for the Jesse C. Thompson Advisor of the Year presented by MANRRS by Auburn students Sheniqua Glover and Makeda Nurradin. Cole won the award in March

MANRRS Advisor of the Year

When Allen retired in 2018, Cole worked with alumnus Ken Day and CFWE’s Office of Advancement to establish the MANRRS Endowed Fund for Excellence in honor of Allen. This fund provides sustaining support for the core missions of Auburn’s MANRRS chapter.

“The MANRRS Endowed Fund for Excellence, the 2015 African American Alumni Endowed Scholarship and the 2022 Hispanic Alumni Endowed Scholarship collectively support increasing the level of diversity in natural resources and related sciences at Auburn University and in the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment,” said Day.

Because of her resilience and dedication to making an impact on those around her, Cole’s students nominated her for the Jesse C. Thompson Advisor of the Year presented by MANRRS, an award she won earlier this year in March. This honor is given annually to a professional MANRRS advisor who has shown evidence of noteworthy contributions to their local MANRRS chapter and national community through professional development, career training and leadership development of their members.

“It was the last night of the MANRRS conference at the All-Black Gala Dinner,” Cole said. “I was sitting at the table with my students, taking pictures, and they were announcing all of the contest and award winners. Soon, it became time for Advisor of the Year. I remember wondering who the nominees were for this year. They called six names and one of them was mine.

“I was honored to even be considered. Then, it was announced that Michelle Cole from Auburn University was the Advisor of the Year winner, and the [Auburn] tables went crazy. I was shocked — I couldn’t move. A young man escorted me to the stage, and I had to give an impromptu speech in front of 1,500 people. I was speechless, I am never speechless.”