I believe in the human touch, which cultivates sympathy with my fellow men and mutual helpfulness and brings happiness for all.

“Make yourself a great day!”

These words are how Jerry Van Tuyl closes his emails. It’s also the way he chooses to live his life. 

Van Tuyl’s is the first face students and prospective employers see when they visit the Office of Career Development and Corporate Relations (CDCR) on the first floor in the Brown-Kopel Engineering Student Achievement Center. His philosophy was honed through his background in the fast food industry. Until joining CDCR in fall 2019, he served as director of training at the Chick-fil-A on Magnolia Avenue, directly across the street from the Auburn University campus.

“The Chick-fil-A culture is based on serving others with a joyous heart,” he said. “And serving someone else is a two-way street. It hopefully helps the person you are serving but also brings a smile to your face from helping make someone’s day a little easier.”

In his role as CDCR administrative assistant, he interacts with students daily. He organizes visits from prospective employers for on-campus interviews, assists in career fairs and generally lends a helping hand where one is needed.

“Being on a college campus is so exciting – it keeps you young at heart. My favorite part of the job is definitely working with the students,” he said. “These students are going to change the world and they teach me a lot more than I teach them.”

Above all, he is proud to be part of the Auburn Family.

“This is a great school,” he said. “We’re blessed to live and work here. War Eagle!”