AUBURN, Ala. – PNC Bank is partnering with Auburn University to recognize student-athletes who exemplify success both on and off the field and in classrooms and communities through the launch of the bank's PNC Achievers program.
The program celebrates achievement among student-athletes and showcases student success through its honors and recognition program. Honorees are selected by designated panels at each respective school, and selection criteria requires each honoree to have distinguished themselves in the areas of academic achievement, community service and student leadership.
"The PNC Achievers program aligns perfectly with our purpose to educate, support and develop our student-athletes at every moment, to create Auburn Women and Men," Auburn University Director of Athletics Allen Greene said. "PNC Achiever nominees and recipients have maximized all the resources our AuburnYOU life skills program offers while demonstrating excellence in academics, athletics and community service."
Allie Riddle and Jack Rogers were chosen as PNC Achievers from the spring semester and were recognized on the field prior to Saturday's football game against Ole Miss.
Spring 2021 PNC Achievers: Allie Riddle (left) and Jack Rogers (right)
Riddle is currently a senior on the Auburn gymnastics team. She's a nursing major who plans to pursue a doctorate of nurse anesthesia practice. In her time on the Plains, she's a three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll selection, a four-time Academic Top Tiger and has served as both the president and vice president of Auburn's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
"I'm really excited," Riddle said. "This has been a great opportunity to come on the field. I love supporting and being a part of Auburn Athletics. This is a dream come true from the very beginning."
Rogers is a distance runner for the Auburn men's track and field team. He graduated in the spring with a degree in business analytics from the Raymond J. Harbert College of Business. He held a cumulative GPA of 4.0 and earned Academic All-American honors.
"I'm honored to get the award," said Rogers. "I've had a lot of help from the Athletics staff, especially Mrs. Janice Robinson. I hope to continue to able to give back."
For both semesters in the 2021-2022 season, Auburn University will select 12 student-athletes for their PNC Achievers' Watch List. From that list, six semifinalists will be selected. Finally, one male and one female student-athlete will be selected as that semester's PNC Achiever and recognized at an in-game ceremony.
"PNC Achievers is not just about honoring the best athlete on campus," said Nick Willis, PNC regional president for North and Central Alabama. "It's about honoring and supporting well-rounded student-athletes – the ones who are driven to succeed in all facets of life. These are the young adults we know will forge strong communities as they move through and beyond college."