President Leath's plans for Auburn
Auburn's new President, Dr. Steven Leath, came to campus in 2017 with new ideas and experiences. The Rhode Island native went to school at Penn State University for his undergraduate degree studying plant science, later moving to the University of Delaware, and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne. He was a professor for many years before becoming Vice President of Research for University of North Carolina System. This job propelled his career into the administrative field when he later became the President of Iowa State University. There, he focused on expanding the universityu's research and helped the university achieve its highest student graduation rate and lowered student debt.
Dr. Leath decided to leave Iowa State to come to Auburn in order to bring more success to the school. His aims at Auburn are to encourage student-focused leadership, empower collaboration and partnerships, and increase the university's profile. He strives to make Auburn an even more successful and well known school not just in athletics but also student life and success. While he values what is learned inside the classroom, he understands that much of what students learn happens outside the classroom, such as citizenship, social responsibility, and people skills.
Dr. Leath and his wife, Janet, moved to Auburn over the summer, and they are often seen around campus walking their two dogs. He relates to many Auburn students who enjoy hunting, especially with his dogs, and he also enjoys going to art museums
What Dr. Leath is bringing to campus has only just begun, with his tenure as Auburn University's nineteenth President just beginning, students, alumni, and faculty look forward to what President Leath is going to accomplish in his upcoming years.