History of Auburn University in Timeline

Auburn University is a public land-grant research university located in Auburn, Alabama. As the state's second-largest university and one of its two flagship institutions, it boasts a substantial enrollment of over 34,000 students and 1,330 faculty members. Auburn is classified as an 'R1: Doctoral University,' signifying very high research activity. It offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs.

1913: Origin of "War Eagle" yell

During a pep rally in 1913, a cheerleader's speech and the accidental falling of an eagle emblem on a student's military hat led to the yell of "War Eagle".

1913: First Perfect Season

In 1913, Auburn's football team had their first perfect season, going 8-0 and claiming a second SIAA conference championship and the first national championship in school history.

1913: National Championship Recognition

In addition to the 1913 championship, the 1913 Auburn team has been recognized as national champions by various ranking organizations.

1914: Origin of War Eagle yell at football game

During a game against the Carlisle Indian Team in 1914, Auburn's football team began calling out "bald eagle" to single out a player but the crowd yelled "War Eagle", instead, leading to Auburn's player, Lucy Hairston, to yell "War Eagle" at the end of the game.

1914: National Championship Recognition

In 1914, the Auburn team was recognized as national champions by various ranking organizations.

October 1, 1918: API students join U.S. Army

On October 1, 1918, nearly all of the able-bodied male students at API (878 in total) voluntarily joined the United States Army. They formed the academic section of the Student Army Training Corps. Students received honorable discharges two months later following the Armistice that ended World War I.

1929: Initial Campus Master Plan Designed

In 1929, Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. designed Auburn's initial campus master plan.

1937: First Bowl Appearance

In 1937, Auburn's football team made its first bowl appearance in the sixth Bacardi Bowl played in Havana, Cuba.

1940: API participates in "crash" program for engineers and scientists

In 1940, Auburn University became an early participant in the Engineering, Science, and Management War Training (ESMWT) program. This "crash" program was initiated by the U.S. Office of Education due to a shortage of engineers and scientists needed for the defense industries. College-level courses were given at sites across Alabama, helping fill the wartime ranks of civilian engineers, chemists, and other technical professionals.

1941: API begins training U.S. military personnel on campus

In 1941, API began training U.S. military personnel on campus.

1945: API trains 32,000 troops

By 1945, API had trained 32,000 troops. Following the end of World War II, API experienced a period of massive growth due to returning military personnel using the GI Bill.

1952: Cannon lathe presented to the college

In 1952, the Delta chapter of the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity presented Auburn with a cannon lathe. This lathe had been used to manufacture cannons for the Confederate Army during the Civil War and was recovered from Selma, Alabama.

1954: "War Eagle" fight song written

In 1954, Robert Allen and Al Stillman wrote Auburn University's fight song, "War Eagle".

1955: "War Eagle" introduced as fight song

In 1955, the fight song "War Eagle" by Robert Allen and Al Stillman, was introduced at the beginning of the football season, and has served as the official fight song ever since.

1957: National Championship Recognition

In addition to the 1957 championship, the 1957 Auburn team has been recognized as national champions by various ranking organizations.

1958: National Championship Recognition

In 1958, the Auburn team was recognized as national champions by various ranking organizations.

1959: Aubie the tiger introduced

In 1959, Aubie the tiger, Auburn's mascot, was introduced on the October 3 gameday football program versus Hardin-Simmons College. He was created by Phil Neel.

1960: Auburn granted university status

In 1960, Auburn was granted university status by the Alabama Legislature and was renamed Auburn University.

1960: Name changed to Auburn University

In 1960, the school's name was changed to Auburn University, a move that recognized the increasingly diverse academic programs and the comprehensive curriculum expected of a major university.

1963: Auburn University racially segregated

Prior to 1963, Auburn University was racially segregated, admitting only white students.

1964: Harold A. Franklin admitted as first African-American student

In 1964, Harold A. Franklin became the first African-American student admitted to Auburn University. He had to sue the university to gain admission to the graduate school and was initially denied a degree despite completing his master's thesis.

1967: First degree granted to an African-American student

In 1967, Auburn granted its first degree to an African-American student.

1967: Additional campus chartered in Montgomery

In 1967, the Alabama Legislature chartered an additional Auburn University campus in Montgomery. This campus is governed by the Auburn University Board of Trustees as part of the Auburn University system.

1967: Southern Humanities Review Publication

Since 1967, Auburn's literary journal, the Southern Humanities Review, has been published at the university by members of the English faculty, graduate students in English, and the Southern Humanities Council.

1971: Pat Sullivan Wins Heisman Trophy

In 1971, Pat Sullivan won the Heisman Trophy.

1972: Jim Kennedy graduates from Auburn

In 1972 Auburn Mechanical Engineering graduate Jim Kennedy, currently director of NASA's Kennedy Space Center, was previously deputy director of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC).

1973: Auburn University Rugby Football Club Founded

In 1973, the Auburn University Rugby Football Club was founded. Auburn plays Division 1 college rugby in the Southeastern Collegiate Rugby Conference.

1980: Auburn places Top 10 in NCAA Wrestling

In 1980, Auburn University became the first SEC team to place Top 10 in the country during the NCAA Wrestling season. Coached by Tom Milkovich, Auburn claimed the SEC title en route to a historic season.

1980: Tiger, War Eagle VI, born

In 1980, Tiger, also known as War Eagle VI, was born in captivity.

1981: Auburn places Top 10 in NCAA Wrestling

At the conclusion of the 1980-1981 NCAA Wrestling season, Auburn University became the first SEC team to place Top 10 in the country. After the 1980-81 season, the varsity program was discontinued.

1982: First NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Appearance

In 1982, Auburn made its first appearance in the NCAA women's basketball tournament.

1982: Women's Swimming and Diving

Since 1982, only eight teams have claimed national championships in women's swimming and diving.

1983: National Championship Recognition

In 1983, the Auburn team was recognized as national champions by various ranking organizations.

1985: Bo Jackson Wins Heisman Trophy

In 1985, Bo Jackson won the Heisman Trophy.

1986: Tiger Given to Auburn University

In 1986, Tiger, also known as War Eagle VI, was given to Auburn University.

1987: Football Outright Title

Auburn won its first outright football title since 1987.

1988: National Championship Game Appearance

In 1988, Auburn's women's basketball team played in the national championship game.

1989: Football Conference Title

Auburn won its first football conference title since 1989.

1989: SEC Championship

In 1989, the Auburn women's golf team won an SEC Championship.

1990: National Championship Game Appearance

In 1990, Auburn's women's basketball team played in the national championship game for the third consecutive year.

1992: SEC Conference Division

Since the division of the Southeastern Conference in 1992, Auburn's football team has won eight western division championships and made six trips to the SEC Championship game.

1993: Undefeated Season and Probation

In 1993, Auburn went 11-0 under Terry Bowden, but was on probation and not allowed to play in the SEC Championship game.

1993: National Championship Recognition

In 1993, the Auburn team was recognized as national champions by various ranking organizations.

1996: SEC Championship

In 1996, the Auburn women's golf team won an SEC Championship.

1997: Men's NCAA National Championship

In 1997, the Auburn men's swimming team won an NCAA national championship.

1998: Spirit arrives at Auburn

In 1998, Spirit, a bald eagle with an injured beak, was given to Auburn University for rehabilitation. Due to the extent of the beak damage, Spirit was unable to be released back into the wild.

1999: Conference Domination

Between 1999 and 2007, Auburn and Georgia each won nine straight national titles in women's swimming and diving (five Auburn, four Georgia).

1999: Auburn's Economics Department ranked 123rd in the world

In 1999, Auburn's Economics Department was ranked 123rd in the world by the Journal of Applied Econometrics.

1999: Women's Golf Record

Since 1999, the Auburn University women's golf team holds an 854-167-13 (.826 win percentage) record.

2000: Period of ongoing construction began

Around the year 2000, Auburn University began a period of ongoing construction.

2000: Spirit's first flight

In 2000, Spirit, the bald eagle, made his first flight as part of Auburn's pregame flight program.

2000: SEC Championship

In 2000, the Auburn women's golf team won an SEC Championship.

2001: First African-American Student Initiated into Historically White Sorority

In 2001, Auburn saw the first African-American student to be initiated into a historically white sorority.

2001: Samuel Ginn donates $25 million to College of Engineering

In 2001, Samuel L. Ginn donated $25 million to the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering and announced plans to spearhead an additional $150 million in support. This led to Auburn creating the first Bachelor of Wireless Engineering degree program in the United States.

2002: NCAA Tournament Finish

In 2002, Auburn's women's golf team tied for second in the NCAA tournament.

2002: Tiger flies at Winter Olympics

In 2002, Tiger flew at many different venues including the Winter Olympics.

2003: Decrease in African American faculty

AU has decreased its African American faculty percentage from 4.3% in 2003 to 4.1% today.

2003: Baseball Season

After a disappointing 2003-2004 season, former Auburn assistant coach Tom Slater was named head coach.

2003: NCAA Championships for Men and Women

In 2003, Auburn's swimming and diving program won consecutive NCAA championships for both the men and women.

2003: WNIT Win

In 2003, Auburn's women's basketball team won the WNIT.

2003: SEC Championship

In 2003, the Auburn women's golf team won an SEC Championship.

2004: Baseball Season

After a disappointing 2003-2004 season, former Auburn assistant coach Tom Slater was named head coach.

2004: Coach Joe Ciampi Retires

At the end of the 2003-2004 season, Coach Joe Ciampi retired from Auburn, and Nell Fortner was hired as his replacement.

2004: Undefeated Football Season and SEC Championship

Auburn completed the 2004 football season with a 13-0 record, winning the SEC championship, the school's first conference title since 1989 and the first outright title since 1987.

2004: Samuel Mockbee receives AIA Gold Medal

In 2004, Auburn alumni and MacArthur Genius, Samuel Mockbee received the AIA Gold Medal recipient.

2004: NCAA Championships for Men and Women

In 2004, Auburn's swimming and diving program won consecutive NCAA championships for both the men and women.

2004: Closure of Thach Avenue to vehicular traffic

In 2004, a significant portion of Thach Avenue was closed to vehicular traffic due to growing interaction issues between pedestrians and vehicles.

2004: Marching Band Receives Sudler Trophy

In 2004, the Auburn University Marching Band received the Sudler Intercollegiate Marching Band Trophy, which is the most prestigious collegiate marching band award.

2004: National Championship Recognition

In 2004, the Auburn team was recognized as national champions by various ranking organizations.

October 2005: Women's Golf Team Ranked #3 Nationally

In October 2005, Auburn's women's golf team was named the #3 team nationally out of 229 total teams since 1999 by GolfWeek magazine.

2005: NFL Draft

In 2005, Jason Campbell, Carnell Williams, Ronnie Brown, and Carlos Rogers from the 2004 team were drafted in the first round of the NFL draft.

2005: Closure of Roosevelt Drive to vehicular traffic

In 2005, a similarly sized portion of Roosevelt Drive was also closed to vehicles.

2005: Men's NCAA National Championship

In 2005, the Auburn men's swimming team won an NCAA national championship.

2005: Science Center complex completed

In 2005, the Science Center complex, which includes chemistry labs, traditional classrooms, and a large lecture hall, was completed.

2005: "It Begins at Auburn" growth campaign began

The $500 million "It Begins at Auburn" growth campaign began in 2005

May 2006: Physicians Executive M.B.A. (PEMBA) Program Ranked Ninth Nationally

In May 2006, Modern Healthcare ranked Auburn University's Physicians Executive M.B.A. (PEMBA) program in the College of Business ninth in the nation among all degree programs for physician executives.

September 2006: Jordan-Hare Stadium Capacity Ranking

As of September 2006, Auburn's Jordan-Hare Stadium had a capacity of 87,451, ranking as the ninth-largest on-campus stadium in the NCAA.

2006: Equestrian team captures national championship

In 2006, Auburn's equestrian team won its first national championship. Kelly Gottfried and Whitney Kimble earned team-high scores at the Varsity Equestrian Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

2006: NCAA Championships for Men and Women

In 2006, Auburn's swimming and diving program won consecutive NCAA championships for both the men and women.

2006: Switchgrass Mention in State of the Union Address

In 2006, David Bransby's work on using switchgrass as a biofuel led to its mention in the State of the Union Address, highlighting Auburn's contribution to biofuel research.

2006: Tiger retires

In 2006, Tiger, also known as War Eagle VI, retired after the Georgia game.

2006: SEC Championship

In 2006, the Auburn women's golf team won an SEC Championship.

2006: Women's track and field team wins national title

In 2006, the Auburn women's track and field team secured its first national title at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The team scored 57 points, surpassing the University of Southern California. Nine events saw All-American performances, featuring two individual national champions, three second-place finishers, and two broken school records.

2006: Legal challenges to underrepresentation of African Americans in AU's faculty

Since the settlement of legal challenges to the underrepresentation of African Americans in AU's faculty in 2006.

2007: NCAA Championships for Men and Women

In 2007, Auburn's swimming and diving program won consecutive NCAA championships for both the men and women.

December 13, 2008: Gene Chizik Hired as Head Coach

On December 13, 2008, Gene Chizik was hired as Auburn's new head coach.

2008: Beijing Olympic Games

At the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Brazilian César Cielo Filho won bronze in the 100m freestyle and gold in the 50m freestyle.

2008: New Baseball Head Coach

In 2008, Tom Slater was replaced as head coach by John Pawlowski for Auburn Baseball.

2008: Equestrian team captures Hunt Seat National Championship

In 2008, the Auburn equestrian team won the Hunt Seat National Championship with Over fences riders finishing 12–1–1 overall for the week.

2008: Shelby Center for Engineering Technology and a new Student Center opened

In the Spring of 2008, Phase I of the Shelby Center for Engineering Technology opened, with regular classes beginning in the Summer 2008 term. A new Student Center also opened in 2008.

2009: Men's SEC Championship Win

As of 2009, the Auburn men have won the SEC Championship fifteen out of the last sixteen years, including the last thirteen in a row, and also won eight NCAA national championships.

November 2010: Toomer's Corner trees poisoned

In November 2010, following Auburn's victory over the University of Alabama in the Iron Bowl, an Alabama supporter poisoned the large live oak trees at Toomer's Corner using the herbicide Spike 80DF (tebuthiuron).

2010: SEC Championship

In 2010, Auburn defeated South Carolina 56-17 in the SEC Championship Game, claiming the school's eleventh conference championship.

2010: Cam Newton Wins Heisman Trophy

In 2010, Cam Newton won the Heisman Trophy.

2010: National Championship Recognition

In addition to the 2010 championship, the 2010 Auburn team has been recognized as national champions by various ranking organizations.

2011: Auburn ranked fourth among pre-2024 merger peer public universities

Among the other 12 pre-2024 merger peer public universities, Auburn was ranked fourth in the 2011 edition of U.S. News & World Report.

2011: BCS National Championship

In 2011, Auburn defeated Oregon 22-19 in the BCS National Championship Game to secure the school's second national championship.

2012: African-American faculty percentage

As of 2012, African-Americans comprised 49 of the 1,192 full-time faculty (4.1%) at Auburn University.

2013: African-American undergraduates comprised 7.35%

As of 2013, African-Americans comprised 1,828 of Auburn University's 24,864 undergraduates (7.35%).

2013: SEC Championship Game Win

In 2013, Auburn won the SEC Championship Game over Missouri after two miraculous finishes in the final minute against Georgia and Alabama to win the SEC West.

2014: Campus Recreation Center Recognized as Facility of Merit

In 2014, Athletic Business named Auburn's campus recreation center as one of its Facilities of Merit. The 240,000 square foot facility features a five-story cardio tower, an indoor running track, and various recreational spaces.

2014: BCS National Championship Game Loss

In 2014, Auburn fell short in the BCS National Championship Game to the Florida State Seminoles 34-31 in Pasadena, California.

2014: Death of Tiger, War Eagle VI

In 2014, Tiger, also known as War Eagle VI, died at the age of 34.

April 2015: Auburn receives FAA approval for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Flight School

In April 2015, Auburn University received the nation's first FAA approval to operate a new Unmanned Aircraft Systems Flight School as part of the Auburn University Aviation Center.

2016: Toomer's Corner Replanting

In 2016, the trees at Toomer's Corner had to be replaced again after a fire.

August 2017: Mell Classroom Building completed

In August 2017, the Mell Classroom Building was completed and attached to the Ralph Brown Draughon Library, providing a new flexible learning space. Also in 2017, a new 89,000 square foot building for the school of nursing was finished.

2017: "Because This is Auburn" campaign raised over $1.2 billion

By 2017, the university raised over $1.2 billion in the "Because This is Auburn" campaign, being the first university in Alabama to raise over $1 billion as well as the most successful fundraising campaign in school history.

2017: Toomer's Corner Replanting

In 2017, the trees at Toomer's Corner were replaced.

2018: Auburn's endowment reached $778.2 million

By 2018, Auburn's endowment had risen to $778.2 million, thanks to a $500 million "It Begins at Auburn" growth campaign began in 2005, the most successful in school history.

2018: Speaker series to promote racial diversity

In 2018, Auburn University began a speaker series named Critical Conversations to promote racial diversity.

2018: First Person of Color President of Historically White Greek Organization

In 2018, an African-American student became the first person of color president of a historically white Greek organization on Auburn's campus.

2019: Ranked First for Happiest Students

In 2019, Auburn was ranked first by The Princeton Review's list of happiest students on college campuses due to its wide variety of campus activities and events.

2019: Equestrian team captures national championship

In 2019, the Auburn equestrian team won the national championship.

2019: Brown Kopel Engineering Student Achievement Center and Graduate Business Building finished

In 2019, two significant projects were finished: the Brown Kopel Engineering Student Achievement Center and the new Graduate Business Building.

2020: Greek Population Update

As of Fall 2020, Auburn's total Greek population is 7,541 members, or about 33.6% of all undergraduate students.

2020: Harold A. Franklin belatedly awarded master's degree

In 2020, Harold A. Franklin was belatedly awarded his master's degree in history.

2020: Auburn ranked as 6th most LGBTQ-unfriendly campus

In its 2020 rankings of 386 American campuses, The Princeton Review ranked Auburn University as the 6th most LGBTQ-unfriendly campus.

2021: The Auburn Plainsman Primarily Online

As of 2021, The Auburn Plainsman student-run newspaper is primarily an online publication, though some special editions are still carried out in print.

2021: Central Dining Hall Opens

In 2021, Auburn opened the $26 million Central Dining Hall. The facility spans 48,000 square feet with capacity for more than 800 seats and eight different meal stations.

August 2022: Tony and Libba Rane Culinary Science Center completed

Completed in August 2022, the Tony and Libba Rane Culinary Science Center combines instructional and laboratory space with operational food venues and hotel spaces.

November 2022: Hugh Freeze Named Football Head Coach

In November 2022, Auburn named Hugh Freeze as the new football head coach.

2024: Auburn is a charter member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC)

In 2024 Auburn is a charter member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), currently composed of 15 of the largest Southern universities in the U.S.

2024: New college of education building scheduled to open

The new college of education building, scheduled to open in 2024 and located on the site of the former Hill dorms, is one of the projects currently under construction.

2025: U.S. News & World Report ranks Auburn

In 2025, U.S. News & World Report ranked Auburn as tied for the 105th best national university overall in the U.S., 51st among public universities, and 171st in "Best Value Schools".

2025: STEM+Ag Complex scheduled to open

The new 265,000 square foot $200 million STEM+Ag Complex is scheduled to open in 2025. The STEM + Ag complex represents Auburn's largest-ever investment in academic facilities.