Outreach
Serving the Auburn Family. Responding to community needs. Prioritizing health. Supporting Alabama and beyond.
About The Program
At Auburn University College of Nursing, outreach is more than just a listing of activities—it’s a strategic commitment to advancing health, education, and well-being in our community and beyond. Anchored in our mission to prepare compassionate, skilled nurses and to foster partnerships that improve health outcomes, our outreach efforts reflect the heart and purpose of AUCON.
Community Impact
Camps and Youth Initiatives
We invite high school and early college students into our world of nursing and healthcare through immersive programs. For example, our summer “Nursing Camp” allows rising 11th- and 12th-graders, as well as incoming freshmen, to participate in lab and simulation experiences that bring specialties such as emergency medicine, surgery, pediatrics, and home health to life.
A Three-Fold Purpose
-
Promoting health and wellness in the communities we serve by delivering education, screenings, and patient‐centred care in accessible formats.
-
Preparing future nurses who are socially responsive and practice with cultural competence, through real-world experiences and community engagement.
-
Strengthening institutional and community partnerships—linking the College, students, faculty, and community organizations in collaborative work that extends AUCON's impact beyond the traditional classroom.
Outreach programming is integral to the College’s mission to advance health and healthcare for all through excellence in teaching, practice, research, and service.
We invite you to explore our outreach initiatives, learn how you can participate or partner with us, and discover how Auburn Nursing is making a difference—one community, one student, one life at a time.
School Initiatives
East Alabama Breakthrough for Youth is a school-based education program designed to help students make positive, informed choices about their behavior, health, and future. Through age-appropriate lessons and supportive conversations, the program encourages personal responsibility, decision-making skills, and respect for self and others.
A school-based health and wellness initiative utilizes an evidence-based curriculum and focuses on nutrition, physical activity, mental health, and respiratory health. Auburn University College of Nursing undergraduate and graduate students alongside health-related disciplines and faculty have designed 13 weeks of content in a modular format. TigerCHAT™ programs are currently a partnership between academia, community, and school systems in Alex City, Chambers County, Tallapoosa County, and Madison County. Topics include:
Module 1: Nutrition and activity- PREVENTING DIABETES, HYPERTENSION, AND OBESITY (4 weeks)
Module 2: Breathing Strong- PREVENTING INFECTIONS AND ASTHMA/ALLERGY EXACERBATIONS (4 weeks)
Module 3: Mental health- IDENTIFYING AND PREVENTING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. Undergraduate and graduate nursing students are an integral part of the education delivery to school children (5 weeks)
Project Director: Erin Thornton eeh0001@auburn.edu (334) 844-6781
TigerCheck™- Auburn University College of Nursing partners with Bullock and Macon County K-12 schools for this outreach activity. During this activity, undergraduate nursing students provide an in-school basic screening that includes assessment of height, weight, blood pressure, respirations, heart rate, heart and lung sounds, and inspection of eyes, ears, nose, and throat. Scoliosis screening for middle school students (6th – 9th), depending on school, is also part of the assessment. Data obtained during these screenings are entered into an electronic database and shared with the school nurse at the individual schools. Individual student health data is then shared with the parents and recommendations for any follow-up with health care providers is provided.
Project Director: Erin Thornton eeh0001@auburn.edu (334) 844-6781
Tiger Cub Clinic is an outreach initiative focusing on introducing young children to the topic of nurses, child life specialists, and simple painless procedures one will experience as a patient. Nursing and Child Life students teach children through play and an age-appropriate interactive station in the comfort of their own daycare setting. How it works: Preschoolers choose a stuffed animal to accompany them through learning centers including height, weight, vital signs, and a developmental assessment. At the end of the program, children take home with them their new stuffed animal friend, and a Going to the Hospital coloring book and crayons. The goal is for the children to feel more comfortable with these typical, non-invasive processes and our students become more comfortable working with and talking with well children, before caring for hospitalized children.
This innovative program has been well received by children, their parents, and our daycare partners. Nursing and Child Life students feel more confident and comfortable after attending Tiger Cub Clinic, and it is a frequently requested program. Let us know if you are interested in us visiting your daycare!
TigerTuesdays is a community outreach program where Auburn University College of Nursing students bring health education directly to where health really happens - in communities. Held on Tuesdays, students visit Boys & Girls Clubs and local senior centers, where they facilitate hands-on, engaging health activities designed in collaboration with community members. TigerTuesdays sessions include blood pressure and glucose screenings, health promotion topics, arts & crafts, and games. Community members of all ages get valuable health education while our students learn the importance of interprofessional collaboration, community involvement, and communication. Through structured reflections after each visit, students consistently describe a shift in how they think about care — moving from task-focused to relationship-centered; developing a deeper commitment to health equity and advocacy that they carry into their nursing careers. Would TigerTuesdays be a welcome addition to your community?
Program Director: Chris Martin (clm0001@auburn.edu)
Family Health
PAWS on the Plains allows Auburn’s nursing students to learn about animal-assisted therapy through classroom teaching and hands-on clinical experiences. Students experience how animal-assisted therapy can benefit the lives of children with chronic illnesses, adults in nursing homes and medical centers, and individuals diagnosed with mental health issues.
PAWS on the Plains is active on the Auburn University campus including its health clinic, in the Auburn/Opelika community, and East Alabama Health. Please contact the program director for additional information and scheduling!
Project Director: Morgan Yordy (bmy0004@auburn.edu)
In partnership with local healthcare organizations and community sites, we provide evidence-based perinatal education to support families throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. Classes and educational programs cover prenatal health, labor and delivery, breastfeeding, newborn care, postpartum recovery, and maternal wellness. By bringing education into trusted community settings, we help ensure families have convenient access to the knowledge and resources needed for a healthy start.
Project Director: Kelley Noll (kelleynoll@auburn.edu)
SOUND (Supporting Outreach & Understanding Neurodiverse Differences) is named after the Auburn University Creed: I believe in a sound mind, in a sound body, and a spirit that is not afraid. SOUND began in early 2023 as a program to increase family participation in community events by focusing support for families with persons who experience sensory and emotional regulation challenges.
Through the support of KultureCity and the Merrill Stewart family, SOUND can also provide a mobile sensory room, formally called an SAV (Sensory Activation Vehicle). Additionally, SOUND offers multiple resources in permanent (Neville Arena) and mobile spaces (SAV) including sensory items (e.g., fidget toys, weighted vests, noise-reducing earmuffs, etc.), quiet spaces, and volunteers trained to handle emotional and sensory dysregulation to broaden the inclusivity of large community experiences.
Please contact us at the email address below to request SOUND come to your community event or to see where we are currently providing resources!
SOUND is partially funded by the Children's Trust Fund through the Alabama Department of Child Abuse, Neglect, and Prevention. https://ctf.alabama.gov
Mission: SOUND, as an Auburn University College of Nursing outreach program, serves Auburn/Opelika and its surrounding communities to provide and promote sensory-safe spaces.
Vision: To work alongside its community to create a more inclusive community for those living with sensory regulation challenges and their families.
Goal 1: Provide and promote sensory-safe spaces at Auburn/Opelika (and surrounding) community events, programs, and institutions.
Goal 2: Provide and promote education and training for community members who are working with or have a relationship with those living with sensory processing challenges.
Goal 3: Work alongside the Auburn University College of Nursing curriculum to provide opportunities and education for nursing students, increasing the likelihood of positive future patient outcomes.
Contact: ausound@auburn.edu
Director: Dr. Morgan Yordy (bmy0004@auburn.edu)
Associate Director: Seth Perry (shp0006@auburn.edu)
An outreach program provided by Auburn University College of Nursing to provide a clean, comfortable, and private area for mothers to breastfeed at community athletic and recreational events.
Moms can breastfeed, bottle-feed, change diapers in this location. Sibling activities include face painting, coloring, etc. A certified lactation consultant is onsite to answer any questions.
Research shows that mothers with community and family support are more likely to continue breastfeeding for longer duration.
Facebook: Tiger Babies Breastfeeding Support Tent
Camps
This is a collaboration between VCOM-Auburn, nursing, pharmacy, nutrition, social work, and audiology from Auburn University, and the regional AHEC organization. The camp will include high school students and be facilitated by Auburn University Youth Programs. It will provide opportunities for participants to learn about teamwork as well as the roles and responsibilities of members of a multidisciplinary team of healthcare providers.
Project Director: Sarah Watts (sow0002@auburn.edu)
Nursing Camp, facilitated by Auburn University College of Nursing (AUSON) and Auburn Youth Programs (AYP), is an engaging one-week summer program available for high school students interested in careers in nursing. Camp participants “learn by doing” and practice technical skills as they rotate through interactive learning stations led by undergraduate nursing students in the school’s labs and simulation center. Faculty use case studies and simulation scenarios to bring healthcare specializations like emergency medicine, surgery, pediatrics, and home health to life as the teens provide care for simulated patients throughout the week. The week includes team competitions, learning opportunities with community healthcare professionals, and discussion of educational pathways to nursing.
Project Director: Kendall Henderson (kaw0019@auburn.edu)
Traumatic Brain Injury Camp, facilitated by Auburn University College of Nursing and Alabama Head Injury Foundation, is an engaging educational program designed to support individuals impacted by traumatic brain injury. Through hands-on learning, supportive peer interaction, and guidance from healthcare professionals, the camp helps participants strengthen life skills, promote independence, and connect with resources that support recovery and long-term well-being.
Project Director: Alex Feemster (amd0060@auburn.edu)
Clinics
The clinic is operated by a clinical advisory board, which includes faculty and staff from VCOM, nursing, pharmacy, nutrition, and social work from Auburn University. Services include health prevention and screenings, as well as primary care. A satellite pharmacy will be located in the clinic to provide access to affordable medications for the patients served at the clinic. The primary target population for the clinic are those living in the areas surrounding the Boykin Center and individuals without access to adequate healthcare.
Clinic Hours of Operation:
Monday: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. | 1 - 5 p.m.
Tuesday: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Wednesday: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. | 1 - 5 p.m.
Project Director: Amy Pridemore (als0148@auburn.edu)
University Outreach and Alabama Cooperative Extension System are addressing significant health disparities across rural Alabama in partnership with the Colleges of Pharmacy, Nursing, Human Sciences, Education and the Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences program.
Auburn University team members have worked closely with community leaders and community members in Chambers, Greene, Hale, Sumter, and Wilcox Counties to develop health programming that meets each community’s unique needs. The University of West Alabama serves as a significant partner in this work by providing internet services, logistical support, and health services support in our west Alabama locations.
Each of these communities is provided with healthcare at no cost to patients through OnMed®, an accessible and innovative healthcare option. The CareStation provides users with a private, and efficient health care experience at no cost to patients by facilitating a real-time patient encounter with an Alabama licensed clinician in a virtual setting using diagnostic tools available for practitioner-guided self-use.
Location Information
Chambers County Community Health and Wellness Center 404 9th Avenue, LaFayette, AL 36862 (334) 459-0173
Hours of Operation
We are currently open
Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday, 8:00 PM – 12:00 PM
Auburn University College of Nursing provides students with meaningful global learning opportunities through service and educational experiences in Ecuador. During this international outreach experience, students engage with communities, learn about global health needs, and strengthen their understanding of culturally responsive care. The Ecuador experience reflects AUCON’s commitment to preparing compassionate nurses who are equipped to serve diverse populations locally and globally.
Next Trip: March 2027
Auburn University College of Nursing partners with East Alabama Health to support mobile clinic outreach that brings preventive care, health education, screenings, and wellness resources directly to communities. Through this partnership, AUCON faculty and students help reduce barriers to care by meeting individuals and families where they live, learn, and work. This mobile clinic outreach reflects a shared commitment to improving access, promoting health equity, and serving rural and underserved populations across East Alabama.
