Shivers Walker Endowed Scholarship in Industrial and Systems Engineering

A conversation with Charles Herbert Shivers.

Why did you choose to create a scholarship at Auburn University?
My Auburn degree opened many doors for me and provided credibility for me during my career. I want to help others obtain an AU degree, since I know how tough financial issues can be while in school.

What would you want the recipients of this scholarship to know about the person for whom it is named?
My wife, Alisa, and I are both AU graduates from 1975 and both still love AU. We both retired as engineers working for NASA, mostly on the space shuttle program. Alisa’s AU degree is in education, but she earned a mechanical engineering degree from UTC. The scholarship is named for my family name, Shivers, and her maiden name, Walker. Both families have other ties to AU and graduates of AU. We agreed that since we could provide this scholarship, we should.

Tell us about your Auburn story, favorite tradition, a “War Eagle!” moment, or what Auburn has meant to you.
Auburn has always been with me since I graduated. My AU engineering degree proved valuable in giving me a step up when being considered for jobs, and people gave me the professional consideration even before I proved myself. People expected good performance of me since I was an Auburn Engineer, and I expected to perform in that way.

What do you hope your recipients gain through this scholarship?
I know that systems engineers are badly needed in the business and scientific world, having been in that field quite a lot. I hope the scholarship makes it a little easier for someone else to complete their degree and become a great systems engineer after graduation, and continue the great AU engineering tradition of excellence.