AATS Staff Spotlight: Yvette Stone
Posted on January 26, 2018 by Anna Traylor
Mrs. Yvette Stone is one of our first year advisors. She grew up in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Mrs. Stone received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in History from Auburn University. Mrs. Stone lives in Mobile with her husband Nick, their dog Amos, and their cat Pepper.
You describe yourself as Alabama born and raised. What made you decide to stay in Alabama?
When I was originally looking for colleges, I made plans to go to Tulane. My mom’s
family is from New Orleans. I love it and Mardi Gras. I actually decided I was going
to Tulane and received a scholarship. However, most of my family moved away from the
area because it was only a couple of years after Katrina hit. I decided instead of
going out of state and spending extra money, I would accept a different scholarship
and go to Auburn. I never regretted my decision for a second. They were the best four
years of my life. After graduate school I applied lots of different places for jobs,
although most were in the Southeast. I ended up getting the offer to come here. My
mom and all of her sisters are South graduates, so I thought it would be a good fit.
What made you choose to study history?
I never actually “decided” on history. It was never a question for me. I’ve always
loved history ever since I was little. I couldn’t picture myself spending four years
studying anything else. I didn’t know what I was going to do with it at the beginning
of college, but I thought I would figure it out. I never considered anything else.
What would you tell other people interested in majoring in a social science, fine art, or humanities?
I would tell them what I tell students everyday. College is four of probably the most
transformative years you’ll have in your young adult life. You need to study something
you’re passionate about. If that’s English or philosophy, do it. Take a class. Try
it out. High school doesn’t always provide a good representation of these areas. When
choosing a major, the question is not always can you do it, but do you want to do
it. Study whatever you’re passionate about.
What would you tell your freshman self?
I think that if I could go back and do something differently, I would have been more
deliberate with my class choices. I wasn’t required to have a minor, so I took enough
history classes to have two majors and a minor. If I could go back, I would focus
more and maybe add a minor in other subjects. For humanities careers, it’s good to
look at minors, certifications, internships, and summer jobs that can help make you
more marketable. I just went and took a whole bunch of history classes.
How did you become an academic advisor?
In graduate school, I was a teaching assistant for the freshman world history classes.
I had office hours and helped students with exams and studying. I liked that one-on-one
component. As both an undergraduate and graduate student I also worked for Auburn’s
athletic tutoring department. I really enjoy that individual aspect of working with
students. When I decided I didn’t want to pursue my PhD immediately after my master’s,
I looked into advising. Academic Advising fit my interest in education and working
with students one-on-one.
What’s a fun fact about you?
I have a Gone with the Wind collection. I read Gone with the Wind at a really early
age, and I fell in love with it. Since then, my family has encouraged my obsession.
Currently, I have a collection of ornaments, memorabilia, posters, and statues that
sits in an enclosed glass case at my parents’ house. When my high school friends would
pet sit for us, they thought it was funny to go in the case and slightly move everything.
Because I have things in their proper place, I would notice when I came home and have
to put everything back.