A Home
That Reflects
Excellence

Hundreds of guests — including members of the Auburn University Board of Trustees, President Christopher B. Roberts, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Vini Nathan, College of Human Sciences leaders, faculty, staff and friends of the college, along with the Thorne family — gathered at 261 Mell Street, a site that will serve generations of future College of Human Sciences students for decades to come.

As the shovels entered the dirt, signifying the start of a new era, the state-of-the-art Barbara Drummond Thorne Academic and Research Facility will rise on the same footprint as Spidle Hall — the college’s home since 1962 — in the heart of Auburn University’s campus along the Mell Street corridor.

“For decades, this site supported the work of the College of Human Sciences. Today, it becomes the starting point for something new, a facility designed for how students learn, collaborate and prepare for the world they will serve,” said Roberts. “This college will have a home that reflects its excellence and its future.”

While Spidle Hall served the College of Human Sciences for several memorable decades, the time for the construction of a new home arose and the college said goodbye to Spidle Hall last summer.

“Spidle Hall served us well and like so many things we cherish, she carried her age with grace,” said College of Human Sciences Dean Susan Hubbard. “But over time, it became clear that while the heart of Human Sciences remained strong, the facility no longer matched the excellence of the work happening inside it. Today, we honor that past — and we take a dynamic and transformative step forward. On this very spot, construction will soon begin on the Barbara Drummond Thorne Academic and Research Facility — a cutting-edge, state-of-the-art home designed to support how we teach, learn, research and serve today and for decades to come.”

The building bearing the name, Barbara Drummond Thorne, is a testament to the love and influence of a mother. Barbara Drummond Thorne was a trained human scientist, a lifelong learner and lived out the college’s mission in terms of improving quality of life for others.

Beth Thorne Stukes, Becky Thorne Carroll and Babs Thorne Anderson gave the philanthropic gift to honor their late mother. Their naming gift represents early philanthropic support for the construction of the new facility and advances the College of Human Sciences’ commitment to academic excellence by helping bring to life a dynamic learning environment that will further support the college’s nationally recognized and ranked programs.

At the groundbreaking ceremony, Beth Thorne Stukes thanked Auburn University leadership and the College of Human Sciences for navigating the complexities of a major construction project and for their dedication to a facility that will carry a name deeply meaningful to her family.

Once completed, the four-story Barbara Drummond Thorne Academic and Research Facility will offer 138,000 square feet dedicated to classrooms, laboratories, studios, research, offices and event space.

The heartbeat of the new building will be the students and faculty that enter its doors and fill the classrooms and interactive laboratory spaces each day. This new home will have a purpose behind every space where theory meets practice, as students prepare for the impact they will make beyond Auburn.

“What we can’t fully put into words — at least not yet — is the experience this building will create,” said Hubbard. “Though we have a strong sense it will be extraordinary, we can’t fully imagine the confidence it will instill in a first-year student walking through the doors for the first time, the inspiration it will spark in faculty pursuing groundbreaking research or the impression it will leave on prospective students and families who will see, immediately, that Auburn is deeply invested in the human sciences and in the people who choose to study the disciplines represented through the college.”

Following the groundbreaking ceremony, guests made their way to a reception and heard from Riley Parman, a current senior majoring in global studies, as she spoke of the tremendous impact of donors and what the new building will deliver.

“When I think about the impact of this new building, the outcome is clear — your contributions have created a space where our dreams can finally fit,” said Parman. “Students engaging in research and creative work will see the value of their efforts reflected in the walls around them. Beyond that, this space will foster community, strengthen ties to our broader institution and draw out each of our gifts.”

Another goal the Barbara Drummond Thorne Academic and Research Facility will accomplish is consolidating space allowing students, faculty and staff that are currently spread across multiple buildings on campus to make the transition to the new facility allowing for more collaboration throughout the units.

“This facility will consolidate their competitive academic programs into a single location — creating a unified home that enhances collaboration, innovation and visibility for the college’s work,” said Auburn University Board of Trustee Mike DeMaioribus. “This new building will not only honor the college’s storied past but also propel it into a new era. It is inspiring to imagine our future students discovering their passions, refining their skills and ultimately strengthening communities across Alabama and beyond because of the opportunities they will have within this building. This building reinforces Auburn’s land grant mission and commitment to excellence and innovation while providing an exceptional student experience.”