By: Emma Keith
Do you ever think about what a legacy is? What do you want to be remembered for, who do you want to be remembered by, and what legacy will you leave? Hayley Richards is leaving behind an amazing legacy when it comes to writing for Auburn University Montgomery. Hayley is a Communications major who has been at AUM for 5.5 years. In this time, she has published many articles for Aums online writing forum the Aumnibus and has recently been recognized as “Best Experimental Learning Project” in regard to job shadowing Montgomery Advertiser Rural South reporter Hadley Hitson in an effort to cover the Lowndes County Wastewater Crisis.
In a recent interview with Hayley, she was asked about what advice she would give young children with a passion for writing she said, “Treat each assignment you write as if it were going to be published. Obtain as much practice as you can in the field. I know you may absolutely dread walking around campus and getting interviews from random people walking by, but it will get easier. When you get into the job force, you will constantly be speaking with strangers. Get comfortable with it!” Hayley understands first-hand what it means to have the urge to write she was asked if she always wanted to be a writer and she said,” As a kid, English was always my favorite subject. It was not until about two years ago that I found my passion for writing and could see myself doing it as a lifelong career.
There are two people that shaped me into the writer I am today. Katherine Irwin and Sommer Tate, I cannot thank you both enough for your mentorship that has given me the confidence to pursue my passions. You both have challenged me in ways that helped achieve academic and career goals. Being in your classes was an absolute pleasure, and I want to thank you both for always going above and beyond for students”. Sommer Tate specifically is the advisor for the Aumnibus and really has a great understanding for shaping kids minds in a positive way. Like Miss Tate, Hayley is leaving a beautiful legacy of writing, and she will be missed throughout the communications community. We wish Hayley the best of luck with her future as she starts her career with “the Alabama Department of Archives & History in the admin department as a communications and development associate.” She will always have a home at Aum. Once a Warhawk, always a Warhawk.