A dedicated mother, wife and friend, Carol Ann’s generous nature and kindness always made everyone she knew feel at home. In honor of her memory, Charles Gavin, ’59 textile management, family and friends generously established the Carol Ann Gavin Garden in the space between the Carol Ann and Charles E. Gavin III Engineering Research Laboratory and the Brown-Kopel Engineering Student Achievement Center.
This rooftop garden — the largest in Alabama — covers 44,000 square feet of instructional spaces, including the wind tunnel laboratory.
It serves as a reminder of the balance engineering students must strike between work, hard work, and the ways in which they will cultivate sympathy, helpfulness and bring happiness for all.
The open area also allows easy access to and from the Brown-Kopel Center and Gavin Laboratory, while also providing students, faculty and staff a tranquil spot to study, eat lunch or relax right in the heart of the engineering campus.
The garden, which is affectionately known as Carol Ann’s Garden, includes a large mixed French parterre and English knot garden as a tribute to Carol Ann’s love for flowers and gardening. The parterre/knot was designed by Gavin family friend, Jamey Newman. The idea for the space blossomed from Charles and Carol Ann’s decision to renovate the former Textile Building, now known as the Carol Ann and Charles E. Gavin III Engineering Research Laboratory.
Their generosity to the university catalyzed the renovations and new construction on the engineering campus with the demolition of the L Building and Engineering Shops, paving the way for the Brown-Kopel Center.
“Charles and the entire Gavin family, by making the Gavin Laboratory renovation possible and turning this once dilapidated space into an oasis, you’ve impacted future Auburn engineers for generations to come,” said Christopher B. Roberts, dean of engineering. “Because of your vision, because of your belief in Auburn, and your love for it, this is all possible.”
Throughout her lifetime, Carol Ann was a dedicated supporter of Auburn University and the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering. Charles and Carol Ann established numerous scholarships, unwavering in their dedication to engineering education and work force development. A major proponent of Auburn basketball, Carol Ann and Charles named the team conference room in her honor.
Charles has also established an endowed professorship in chemical engineering, an endowed doctoral fellowship program and supported many other life-changing initiatives across campus.
Through the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists Foundation, Charles has established numerous transformational scholarships, fellowships and professorships for Auburn and other major universities. The Gavins’ generous philanthropy extends to other institutions and organizations, including Harvest Outreach, the Hamilton Medical Center, RossWoods Adult Day Services and the Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
It is through the generosity of Charles, the Gavin family and friends that the Carol Ann Gavin Garden has come to fruition.
It is the hope of both Charles Gavin and the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering that as students cross between buildings within the engineering complex, they will stop for a minute among the verdant greens and find a place of solace in the midst of their arduous studies.
