Communication major, Anna Houk, interviews Auburn alumni so she can assist her fellow students in pursuing a successful future while improving the College of Liberal Arts. CATS, is an acronym that stands for connecting alumni to students, and as an ambassador of the program, Houk spends time doing just that.

Houk is a senior from Huntsville, Ala. Through her position as Miss Auburn 2009 she has become extremely involved in the university’s affairs, and she find great importance in the success of her peers.

Because CATS is an initiative implemented by the College of Liberal Arts, Houk learned of the program through her communication courses and involvement with the college, and Houk instantly noticed the opportunities CATS could create for herself and other liberal arts students.

She applied for an ambassador position through Wendy Bonner, program director, and after her application was submitted she received an interview. Houk was selected and hired as one of 10 CATS ambassadors employed by CLA.

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The ambassadors are the backbone of this initiative. Without them, CATS would not be effective or efficient. Typically as an ambassador, Houk is in direct contact with Bonner who supplies Houk with the information needed to contact CLA alumni in or around the area of which Houk is planning to travel.

Once the contact is made and a meeting time is set, Houk then travels to the location of the professional to conduct a one-on-one interview with the Auburn alum. During the interview, Houk asks the professional questions about their college experience, their path since graduation, and what CLA means to them.

Because Houk is a communication major, she generally interviews alumni who graduated with a degree in a similar field such as public relations, communication or journalism. She has enjoyed conducting these interviews not only because it provides critical research for the College of Liberal Arts but also because it has provided her with many connections she otherwise may never had entered into.

CATS is an “innovative method of reaching graduates through bright, talented students, and by participating in the CATS Initiative, CLA alumni are not only furthering the mission of the College of Liberal Arts, but also adding value to the education our students receive by sharing their wisdom and real-life experiences” (www.media.cla.auburn.edu).

Houk conducts most of her contact work in Huntsville, but together the 10 ambassadors have conducted more than 100 interviews with AU alumni in the areas of Birmingham, Montgomery, Atlanta, Auburn and Opelika.

“I have found this program is a good way for liberal arts to improve and get better in areas that we may slack on,” Houk said. “I ask the professionals to offer suggestions of how they feel CLA could improve. We are eager to take their responses into consideration.”

If you are a professional and an alumni of Auburn University’s College of Liberal Arts and you are interested in being interviewed by a CATS ambassador please visit the website at www.media.cla.auburn.edu/cla/CATS/index.cfm. We would love for you to help us improve the College of Liberal Arts.