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• Laura Plexico selected for SEC ALDP Alumni Fellowship

Laura Plexico selected for SEC ALDP Alumni Fellowship

Laura Plexico, associate dean for engagement and graduate studies in Auburn University’s College of Liberal Arts, has been awarded an SEC Academic Leadership Development Program (SEC ALDP) Alumni Fellowship. The fellowship will provide Plexico with an opportunity to examine how peer Southeastern Conference (SEC) universities are developing employer and alumni partnerships and creating experiential learning opportunities for students.

Plexico will use her fellowship to explore models that could help Auburn strengthen career readiness, workforce alignment and student access to high-impact learning experiences. Her project will focus specifically on Washington, D.C., where Auburn already has a presence and where several SEC institutions have established programs connecting students with employers, alumni and other partners. 

“Career readiness through high-impact practices, such as internships and other skill-based experiential learning opportunities, is no longer a student differentiator, but a baseline expectation for students seeking competitive post-graduation employment,” Plexico said.  

As part of the fellowship, Plexico plans to benchmark how SEC peers build corporate partnerships, engage employers and alumni, and create pathways for students to gain valuable experiential learning. She will examine regional hub infrastructure, staffing models, data practices and outreach strategies to better understand what makes these initiatives successful.

“By learning from successful programs across the SEC, Dr. Plexico will help CLA identify new ways to connect students with alumni, employers and experiences that turn an Auburn education into a launchpad for their future,” said Dean Jason Hicks.

Washington, D.C., offers an especially valuable setting for the study because of its concentrated network of federal agencies, policy organizations, nonprofits and corporate headquarters. The project is designed to identify promising practices and translate those findings into an actionable framework for Auburn. Plexico plans to meet with leaders in affiliated colleges, career services, employer relations and alumni engagement to assess where Auburn is strong, where opportunities exist for improvement and where strategic investment could have the greatest impact on students. The resulting framework could also serve as a model for developing similar regional hubs in other locations. 

The SEC ALDP Alumni Fellowship builds on Plexico’s commitment to strengthening connections among Auburn, its alumni, employers and the broader community while creating new opportunities for students to translate their Auburn education into meaningful professional experiences.

Tags: Faculty