At 99-years-old, 1948 Auburn University alumna Doris Griffith made her way up three flights of stairs in the Tony & Libba Rane Culinary Science Center to a celebration she’s had circled on her calendar for months.

Serving as her main form of exercise at nearly 100-years-old, Griffith was adamant on walking up the stairs rather than take the elevator, to join more than 70 College of Human Sciences alumni who returned for the Golden Eagles celebration on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025 honoring graduates from 1975 and prior.

Griffith, who was accompanied by her daughter Wanda Bared, was excited for the reunion luncheon as College of Human Sciences alumni spanning several decades got to reconnect, learn of future updates regarding the construction of the new Barbara Drummond Thorne Academic and Research Facility and reminiscence on fond memories of their time on the Plains.

“My favorite memories are just the good, friendly people and I always enjoy these reunions,” said Griffith, who has attended four Golden Eagles celebrations.

After graduating from Auburn, Bared shared more details of her mother’s background saying she taught as a home economics teacher at Elmore County High School in Eclectic, Alabama and even taught Bared’s husband Roy Granger who is now 84 years old.

While addressing the Golden Eagles, College of Human Sciences Dean Susan Hubbard recognized Griffith and shared current and future updates from the college mentioning another record-breaking incoming Camp War Eagle freshmen class, recapping the farewell to Spidle Hall event and fielded questions about the future new home for the college coming in 2027.

“As I have said many times when you have heard me speak, we have nationally ranked and recognized programs in every single department in the College of Human Sciences and our facilities are the last thing to come aboard,” said Hubbard. “Finally, we will have nationally ranked facilities and that is exciting, so we look forward to moving toward that point. Thank you for allowing us to rekindle friendships, make new ones and we want you to be a part of us in human sciences as we continue to grow and make you proud. We want to work hard every single day to do just that.”

A first-time attendee of the Golden Eagles celebration was Edith Hovater Jones, a 1975 alumna who majored in fashion merchandising and recalled a special trip north as one of her favorite memories.

“One of my favorite memories was of my professor Dr. Barry taking a group of us to New York where we were able to go to a lot of cool places and one of the things we got to do was meet Oscar de la Renta,” said Jones. “We also went to the cotton headquarters, and it was just a fabulous trip and I learned a lot from that.”

After finishing at Auburn, Jones said her entire career revolved around retail and she really credited the College of Human Sciences for laying a solid foundation.

“I would say it was a combination of both the classes I took, the professors and some of the business classes I took that really prepared me for a career in retail,” said Jones.

Traveling all the way from Delaware to make the Golden Eagles celebration for the first time, 1965 alumna Cissy Howell majored in home management and shared she was inside Spidle Hall when news broke during a sad time in U.S. history.

“One of the things I will always remember is being in Spidle Hall when I heard the news of the John F. Kennedy assassination in 1963 and the professor came in and announced it to the class,” said Howell. “It’s something you always remember where you were when you heard it. It’s not a happy memory but one I always remember.”

When asked about the future, Howell said the tremendous growth of the college makes her proud.

At the conclusion of the luncheon, attendees left with a special tea towel featuring a rendering of Spidle Hall.