Samford University
Encyclopedia
Samford University, founded as Howard College is a private
, coeducation
al, Alabama Baptist Convention-affiliated university
located in Homewood
, a suburb of Birmingham
, Alabama
, United States
. It includes the Howard College of Arts and Sciences, Cumberland School of Law
, McWhorter School of Pharmacy
, Brock School of Business, Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing, and Beeson Divinity School
. In the 2011 report, Samford was ranked 104 out of 191 top tier doctoral universities by U.S. News & World Report.
Samford was founded in 1841 at Marion, Alabama
, when members of Siloam Baptist Church
acquired land in the town and invited the Alabama Baptist Convention to build a new Baptist
school there. They named it Howard College in honor of John Howard
, known for his work in prison reform
in England. Among the charter trustees in 1841 was lawyer William Parish Chilton of Talladega. The new college opened its doors to students on January 3, 1842. In 1887 the school relocated to the East Lake community of Birmingham.
Women were first admitted to Howard College in 1895, and the college officially became coeducational in 1913. One year later the school established its Teacher Education Division. In 1920 the school joined the Southern Association of Colleges. In 1927 it added its pharmacy
school.
In 1961, the school acquired the Cumberland School of Law
from Cumberland University
in Lebanon
, Tennessee
.
Under the leadership of President Harwell Goodwin Davis, the college relocated. On June 11, 1953 Howard College broke ground on its third campus in the Shades Valley just south of Birmingham. The school occupied its new campus in 1957.
In 1965 Howard reinstituted its master's degree program. This led to the college's elevation to university status on November 9, 1965. The school was renamed in honor of Frank Park Samford, chairman of the Board of Trustees and up to that time, the institution's most generous individual benefactor. (In addition, there was also a Howard University
in Washington, D.C.
.)
The Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing, owned by the Baptist Medical Center of Birmingham, was added to the University in 1973. In 1988, the Beeson Divinity School
was established through donations from Ralph W. Beeson.
The University consists of the Howard College of Arts and Sciences, Brock School of Business, Orlean Bullard Beeson School of Education and Professional Studies, School of Performing Arts, Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing, McWhorter School of Pharmacy, Beeson School of Divinity, and Cumberland School of Law
.
On January 29, 2004, in his Founder's Day Address, then-President Thomas E. Corts announced a multi-year improvement plan called, "The Promise." He said, "Samford University will be an academically vigorous Christian university that coordinates a strong, effective educational program and encouragement of Christian belief and service, within a community that respects its individual members and encourages each to highest and best levels of performance and conduct -- academically, socially, spiritually, physically."
The plan calls for Samford to invest some $200 million to "enrich and enhance the educational experience of its students." Since June 1, 2003 more than $37 million has been contributed in philanthropic gifts toward the campaign.
institution, Samford University was to some degree insulated from the activities of leaders and protesters of the Civil Rights Movement
in the 1950s and early 1960s. Birmingham was the site of demonstrations led by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference
(SCLC) and Dr. Martin Luther King to end segregation of public facilities and open city jobs to minorities. The era was marked by nationally covered protests and the deaths of four young African-American girls in the Easter 1963 bombing of a Birmingham church.
A growing core of Samford faculty and students opposed segregation. The officers of the Samford Student Government Association challenged a segregated concert held on campus by the Alabama Symphony by inviting as guests the student government officers of nearby Miles College
, a historically black school. University officials turned away the combined delegation from the concert.
University president Leslie Stephen Wright resisted integration, but Samford's "whites-only" policy threatened Federal student aid and institutional accreditation. Segregation by private universities was ended by the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act by the US Congress. Cumberland School of Law
faced the greatest immediate risk of losing accreditation. In 1967 it admitted Samford's first black student, Audrey Lattimore Gaston. The entire university proceeded with integration.
stores that eventually saw 1,278 pharmacies operating in the discount chain. He served as president of the Kmart
pharmacy operations for 17 years.
Beeson Woods- A residential "community" consisting of approximately twenty residence halls named in honor of select members of the Beeson Family.
Dwight M. Beeson Hall - Named in honor of Ralph Beeson's brother, it houses the Brock School of Business, named in honor of Harry Brock, the founder of Central Bank of Alabama, now BBVA Compass. It is also home to the History Department and Political Science Department.
Memory Leake Robinson Hall- Houses the Cumberland School of Law, acquired from Cumberland University
in Lebanon, Tennessee
.
Lucille Stewart Beeson Law Library- Connected to Robinson Hall, part of the Cumberland School of Law
. Named in honor of Dwight Beeson's wife.
Percy Pratt Burns Hall- Houses Psychology and Sociology Departments and the University Ministries offices.
Mamie Mell Smith Hall- The second largest residence hall on campus with space for approximately 250 residents.
James Horton Chapman Hall- Joined the faculty of Howard College (now Samford University) where he established the Department of Religious Education at Samford in 1918. He retired in 1958. This hall houses the Religion Department and the World Languages and Cultures Department.
Lena Vail Davis Hall- Largest residence hall on campus with 198 rooms and over 400 residents. Vail construction concluded in 1959.
Harwell Goodwin Davis Library- The main library of Samford University. Named in honor of the first Assistant Attorney General of Alabama, serving 1916-17 until the declaration of the war with Germany. He was appointed Special Assistant Attorney General, 1919–21 and was appointed Attorney General. Harwell Goodwin Davis helped expose, and bring an end the state's convict lease system. He was also a president of Samford, and it was his vision to have the campus forever reflect the style of Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. The Davis Library is crowned with Samford University's iconic bell tower and Rushton Carillon.
A. Hamilton Reid Chapel- Built in the image of the first Baptist church built in the Americas.
Thomas D. Russell Hall- Home to Computer Science and Mathematics Departments. It is named in honor of the founder of the Russell Athletics clothing company.
Frank Park Samford Hall- Named after Frank Park Samford. Houses the Office of Admissions, Office of Financial Aid, the Bursar's Office, Student Records, and Office of the President.
Leslie S. Wright Center for the Fine Arts- Named after Samford's first president at the Homewood location. Houses the University's 2,633 seat concert hall.
Elinor Messer Brooks and Marion Thomas Brooks Hall- Originally it was the home to the sciences, before the construction of William Self Propst Hall. Now it houses the offices of the Howard College of Arts and Sciences, Classics Department, Communication Studies Department, and Technology Services.
Beeson Bridge- A pedestrian bridge that links the residence halls of Beeson Woods with the main campus
J. D. Pittman Hall- Houses a 90-person capacity dormitory and Student Health and Counseling Services
Dwight M. and Lucille S. Beeson Center for the Healing Arts- Houses the Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing and the Rotunda Club. The rotunda is decorated with four murals by painter D. Jeffrey Mims.
Orlean Bullard Beeson Hall- Houses the Orlean Bullard Beeson School of Education
Ralph Waldo Beeson University Center and Annex- Houses the Cafeteria, Food Court, "The Hub" Information Center, Post Office, Student Mailboxes, Office of Public Safety and Emergency Management, University Bookstore, Office or Residence Life, Student Government Association offices, Office of Student Involvement, Office of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, Career Development Center, Geography Department, Journalism Department, WVSU studio, and The Samford Crimson offices
Andrew Gerow Hodges Chapel / Divinity Hall- It was the location for a men's dorm building (Crawford Johnson Hall) before it was renovated. Dedicated in 1995, and named in honor of Andrew Gerow Hodges in 2002. Though the chapel is an original design, it was inspired by a chapel in Venice designed by Andrea Palladio
. The interior of the dome contains paintings of prominent figures from Christian history, and was inspired by a passage in chapter 12 of Hebrews. It was painted by a modern Romanian fresco master named Petru Botezatu. The chapel also commemorates one 20th century Christian martyr from each of the six inhabited continents, and the sculptures portraying each of them are also the work of Botezatu.
is the current President
of Samford University. Appointed by the Board of Trustees, he is the chief executive officer
of the university, and serves only at the pleasure of the Board. Prior to his taking office on June 1, 2006, Westmoreland served as president of Ouachita Baptist University
in Arkadelphia
, Arkansas
.
Prior to Westmoreland, the following men served as president:
Approximately 40% of the total undergraduate student body comes from Alabama
, 16% come from Georgia
and 15% come from Tennessee
. As a result, Samford's flavor, though leavened with students from across the United States (40 states are represented, along with 18 foreign countries), is overwhelmingly Southern.
Almost 85% of Samford's students (graduate and undergraduate) are Caucasian, and about 7% are African American. About 15% of Samford students are minorities, and 40% are male.
, a black-belt town between Selma
and Tuscaloosa
; it is the birthplace of Coretta Scott King
. In 1887, the college moved to the East Lake community in Birmingham
.
The college—and now University—is presently located approximately 5 miles (8 km) south of downtown Birmingham in Homewood, Alabama
's Shades Valley area. The campus lies along Lakeshore Drive in Homewood, just 2 miles (3 km) from Interstate 65
.
Besides its lush lawns and well-maintained gardens, Samford boasts a distinctive example of Georgian style architecture found in the United States. Samford's uniform style, based upon Colonial Williamsburg
, was the vision of President Harwell Davis when he moved the campus to the Shades Valley area in 1953-55.
According to Samford officials, co-curricular involvement is an important aspect of a total education. Because of this philosophy, Samford students are encouraged to select from more than 100 honors, religious, professional, educational, service and social student organizations. These groups, overseen by the Office of Student Involvement, offer Samford students an opportunity to explore their interests with like-minded individuals.
Samford's diversity of programming runs the gamut from a student-led group of Oxfam America, a social justice organization, to the Samford Young Life
chapter, an Evangelical Christian group.
The local chapters are supported by active alumni bases that continue to involve former active members in both the life of the social organization and the life of the University. Many members of Samford's administration, along with several notable alums, were members of Greek organizations.
Samford also houses chapters for Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
, the social fraternity for men of musicianly character; Delta Omicron
; and Gamma Sigma Sigma
, a service sorority. These chapters are not affiliated with the Interfraternity Council or Panhellinic Council.
Approximately 66% of undergraduates -— freshmen, sophomores, and many juniors -— live on campus. Many senior undergraduates also live on campus, and those who do not often join the graduate and professional students in living near campus. Consequently, student life at Samford is heavily intertwined with campus life.
collapsed unexpectedly. Residences heard a series of loud "shots" minutes before the roof collapsed. Campus safety responded promptly alerting fire departments and structural engineers. President Andrew Westmorland helped students the first night by providing a $100 gift card to each resident in order to purchase necessities until personal belongings could be recovered from the dormitory. All residences were reassigned dorm rooms the following week. As of April 20, 2009 the remainder of the dorm still stands on campus with no construction repairs done.
Inside Samford is the official newsletter of the university administration and faculty. Published ten times each year, it does not publish opinion.
Other media at Samford include:
Private university
Private universities are universities not operated by governments, although many receive public subsidies, especially in the form of tax breaks and public student loans and grants. Depending on their location, private universities may be subject to government regulation. Private universities are...
, coeducation
Coeducation
Mixed-sex education, also known as coeducation or co-education, is the integrated education of male and female persons in the same institution. It is the opposite of single-sex education...
al, Alabama Baptist Convention-affiliated university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
located in Homewood
Homewood, Alabama
Homewood is a city in southeastern Jefferson County, Alabama, United States. It is a suburb of Birmingham, located on the other side of Red Mountain due south of the city center. It has one of the highest population densities in Alabama. As of 2009 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the...
, a suburb of Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It includes the Howard College of Arts and Sciences, Cumberland School of Law
Cumberland School of Law
Cumberland School of Law is an ABA accredited law school at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. The 11th oldest law school in the United States, it is 160 years old and has more than 11,000 graduates. Its alumni include two United States Supreme Court Justices; Nobel Peace Prize recipient...
, McWhorter School of Pharmacy
McWhorter School of Pharmacy
The McWhorter School of Pharmacy is an American pharmacy school located in Birmingham, Alabama. The school offers a four-year Doctor of Pharmacy degree, and is nationally-accredited by the ACPE....
, Brock School of Business, Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing, and Beeson Divinity School
Beeson Divinity School
The Beeson Divinity School of Samford University is an interdenominational evangelical divinity school. The current dean is Timothy George.Though located on the campus of a Baptist university, Beeson remains interdenominational...
. In the 2011 report, Samford was ranked 104 out of 191 top tier doctoral universities by U.S. News & World Report.
History
Marion, Alabama
Marion is the county seat of Perry County, Alabama. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 3,511. First called Muckle Ridge, the city was renamed after a hero of the American Revolution, Francis Marion.-Geography:...
, when members of Siloam Baptist Church
Siloam Baptist Church
The Siloam Baptist Church congregation was established in 1822. The current brick Greek Revival building was completed in in 1848.It is considered by Baptists in the state as one of the most important mother churches of many Alabama Baptist institutions and churches...
acquired land in the town and invited the Alabama Baptist Convention to build a new Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
school there. They named it Howard College in honor of John Howard
John Howard (prison reformer)
John Howard was a philanthropist and the first English prison reformer.-Birth and early life:Howard was born in Lower Clapton, London. His father, also John, was a wealthy upholsterer at Smithfield Market in the city...
, known for his work in prison reform
Prison reform
Prison reform is the attempt to improve conditions inside prisons, aiming at a more effective penal system.-History:Prisons have only been used as the primary punishment for criminal acts in the last couple of centuries...
in England. Among the charter trustees in 1841 was lawyer William Parish Chilton of Talladega. The new college opened its doors to students on January 3, 1842. In 1887 the school relocated to the East Lake community of Birmingham.
Women were first admitted to Howard College in 1895, and the college officially became coeducational in 1913. One year later the school established its Teacher Education Division. In 1920 the school joined the Southern Association of Colleges. In 1927 it added its pharmacy
Pharmacology
Pharmacology is the branch of medicine and biology concerned with the study of drug action. More specifically, it is the study of the interactions that occur between a living organism and chemicals that affect normal or abnormal biochemical function...
school.
Cumberland School of Law
Cumberland School of Law is an ABA accredited law school at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. The 11th oldest law school in the United States, it is 160 years old and has more than 11,000 graduates. Its alumni include two United States Supreme Court Justices; Nobel Peace Prize recipient...
from Cumberland University
Cumberland University
Cumberland University is a private university in Lebanon, Tennessee, United States. It was founded in 1842, though the current campus buildings were constructed between 1892 and 1896.-History:...
in Lebanon
Lebanon, Tennessee
Lebanon is a city in Wilson County, Tennessee, in the United States. The population was 20,235 at the 2000 census. It serves as the county seat of Wilson County. Lebanon is located in middle Tennessee, approximately 25 miles east of downtown Nashville. Local residents have also called it...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
.
Under the leadership of President Harwell Goodwin Davis, the college relocated. On June 11, 1953 Howard College broke ground on its third campus in the Shades Valley just south of Birmingham. The school occupied its new campus in 1957.
In 1965 Howard reinstituted its master's degree program. This led to the college's elevation to university status on November 9, 1965. The school was renamed in honor of Frank Park Samford, chairman of the Board of Trustees and up to that time, the institution's most generous individual benefactor. (In addition, there was also a Howard University
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
.)
Beeson Divinity School
The Beeson Divinity School of Samford University is an interdenominational evangelical divinity school. The current dean is Timothy George.Though located on the campus of a Baptist university, Beeson remains interdenominational...
was established through donations from Ralph W. Beeson.
The University consists of the Howard College of Arts and Sciences, Brock School of Business, Orlean Bullard Beeson School of Education and Professional Studies, School of Performing Arts, Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing, McWhorter School of Pharmacy, Beeson School of Divinity, and Cumberland School of Law
Cumberland School of Law
Cumberland School of Law is an ABA accredited law school at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. The 11th oldest law school in the United States, it is 160 years old and has more than 11,000 graduates. Its alumni include two United States Supreme Court Justices; Nobel Peace Prize recipient...
.
Civil rights
As a private, segregatedRacial segregation in the United States
Racial segregation in the United States, as a general term, included the racial segregation or hypersegregation of facilities, services, and opportunities such as housing, medical care, education, employment, and transportation along racial lines...
institution, Samford University was to some degree insulated from the activities of leaders and protesters of the Civil Rights Movement
Civil rights movement
The civil rights movement was a worldwide political movement for equality before the law occurring between approximately 1950 and 1980. In many situations it took the form of campaigns of civil resistance aimed at achieving change by nonviolent forms of resistance. In some situations it was...
in the 1950s and early 1960s. Birmingham was the site of demonstrations led by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference is an African-American civil rights organization. SCLC was closely associated with its first president, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr...
(SCLC) and Dr. Martin Luther King to end segregation of public facilities and open city jobs to minorities. The era was marked by nationally covered protests and the deaths of four young African-American girls in the Easter 1963 bombing of a Birmingham church.
A growing core of Samford faculty and students opposed segregation. The officers of the Samford Student Government Association challenged a segregated concert held on campus by the Alabama Symphony by inviting as guests the student government officers of nearby Miles College
Miles College
Miles College is a historically black college founded in 1898. It is located in Fairfield, Alabama, which is six miles west of Birmingham, Alabama. It is a private liberal arts institution of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church...
, a historically black school. University officials turned away the combined delegation from the concert.
University president Leslie Stephen Wright resisted integration, but Samford's "whites-only" policy threatened Federal student aid and institutional accreditation. Segregation by private universities was ended by the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act by the US Congress. Cumberland School of Law
Cumberland School of Law
Cumberland School of Law is an ABA accredited law school at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. The 11th oldest law school in the United States, it is 160 years old and has more than 11,000 graduates. Its alumni include two United States Supreme Court Justices; Nobel Peace Prize recipient...
faced the greatest immediate risk of losing accreditation. In 1967 it admitted Samford's first black student, Audrey Lattimore Gaston. The entire university proceeded with integration.
Facilities
William Self Propst Hall- Built in 2001, it was originally known as the Sciencenter. It is home to the Biological and Environmental Sciences Department, the Physics Department, and the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department. It was dedicated as William Self Propst Hall on March 10, 2009. Propst initiated the concept of leased pharmacy operations in KmartKmart
Kmart, sometimes styled as "K-Mart," is a chain of discount department stores. The chain acquired Sears in 2005, forming a new corporation under the name Sears Holdings Corporation. The company was founded in 1962 and is the third largest discount store chain in the world, behind Wal-Mart and...
stores that eventually saw 1,278 pharmacies operating in the discount chain. He served as president of the Kmart
Kmart
Kmart, sometimes styled as "K-Mart," is a chain of discount department stores. The chain acquired Sears in 2005, forming a new corporation under the name Sears Holdings Corporation. The company was founded in 1962 and is the third largest discount store chain in the world, behind Wal-Mart and...
pharmacy operations for 17 years.
Beeson Woods- A residential "community" consisting of approximately twenty residence halls named in honor of select members of the Beeson Family.
Dwight M. Beeson Hall - Named in honor of Ralph Beeson's brother, it houses the Brock School of Business, named in honor of Harry Brock, the founder of Central Bank of Alabama, now BBVA Compass. It is also home to the History Department and Political Science Department.
Memory Leake Robinson Hall- Houses the Cumberland School of Law, acquired from Cumberland University
Cumberland University
Cumberland University is a private university in Lebanon, Tennessee, United States. It was founded in 1842, though the current campus buildings were constructed between 1892 and 1896.-History:...
in Lebanon, Tennessee
Lebanon, Tennessee
Lebanon is a city in Wilson County, Tennessee, in the United States. The population was 20,235 at the 2000 census. It serves as the county seat of Wilson County. Lebanon is located in middle Tennessee, approximately 25 miles east of downtown Nashville. Local residents have also called it...
.
Lucille Stewart Beeson Law Library- Connected to Robinson Hall, part of the Cumberland School of Law
Cumberland School of Law
Cumberland School of Law is an ABA accredited law school at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. The 11th oldest law school in the United States, it is 160 years old and has more than 11,000 graduates. Its alumni include two United States Supreme Court Justices; Nobel Peace Prize recipient...
. Named in honor of Dwight Beeson's wife.
Percy Pratt Burns Hall- Houses Psychology and Sociology Departments and the University Ministries offices.
Mamie Mell Smith Hall- The second largest residence hall on campus with space for approximately 250 residents.
James Horton Chapman Hall- Joined the faculty of Howard College (now Samford University) where he established the Department of Religious Education at Samford in 1918. He retired in 1958. This hall houses the Religion Department and the World Languages and Cultures Department.
Lena Vail Davis Hall- Largest residence hall on campus with 198 rooms and over 400 residents. Vail construction concluded in 1959.
Harwell Goodwin Davis Library- The main library of Samford University. Named in honor of the first Assistant Attorney General of Alabama, serving 1916-17 until the declaration of the war with Germany. He was appointed Special Assistant Attorney General, 1919–21 and was appointed Attorney General. Harwell Goodwin Davis helped expose, and bring an end the state's convict lease system. He was also a president of Samford, and it was his vision to have the campus forever reflect the style of Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. The Davis Library is crowned with Samford University's iconic bell tower and Rushton Carillon.
A. Hamilton Reid Chapel- Built in the image of the first Baptist church built in the Americas.
Thomas D. Russell Hall- Home to Computer Science and Mathematics Departments. It is named in honor of the founder of the Russell Athletics clothing company.
Frank Park Samford Hall- Named after Frank Park Samford. Houses the Office of Admissions, Office of Financial Aid, the Bursar's Office, Student Records, and Office of the President.
Leslie S. Wright Center for the Fine Arts- Named after Samford's first president at the Homewood location. Houses the University's 2,633 seat concert hall.
Elinor Messer Brooks and Marion Thomas Brooks Hall- Originally it was the home to the sciences, before the construction of William Self Propst Hall. Now it houses the offices of the Howard College of Arts and Sciences, Classics Department, Communication Studies Department, and Technology Services.
Beeson Bridge- A pedestrian bridge that links the residence halls of Beeson Woods with the main campus
J. D. Pittman Hall- Houses a 90-person capacity dormitory and Student Health and Counseling Services
Dwight M. and Lucille S. Beeson Center for the Healing Arts- Houses the Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing and the Rotunda Club. The rotunda is decorated with four murals by painter D. Jeffrey Mims.
Orlean Bullard Beeson Hall- Houses the Orlean Bullard Beeson School of Education
Ralph Waldo Beeson University Center and Annex- Houses the Cafeteria, Food Court, "The Hub" Information Center, Post Office, Student Mailboxes, Office of Public Safety and Emergency Management, University Bookstore, Office or Residence Life, Student Government Association offices, Office of Student Involvement, Office of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, Career Development Center, Geography Department, Journalism Department, WVSU studio, and The Samford Crimson offices
Andrew Gerow Hodges Chapel / Divinity Hall- It was the location for a men's dorm building (Crawford Johnson Hall) before it was renovated. Dedicated in 1995, and named in honor of Andrew Gerow Hodges in 2002. Though the chapel is an original design, it was inspired by a chapel in Venice designed by Andrea Palladio
Andrea Palladio
Andrea Palladio was an architect active in the Republic of Venice. Palladio, influenced by Roman and Greek architecture, primarily by Vitruvius, is widely considered the most influential individual in the history of Western architecture...
. The interior of the dome contains paintings of prominent figures from Christian history, and was inspired by a passage in chapter 12 of Hebrews. It was painted by a modern Romanian fresco master named Petru Botezatu. The chapel also commemorates one 20th century Christian martyr from each of the six inhabited continents, and the sculptures portraying each of them are also the work of Botezatu.
Board of Trustees
Samford University, as a private corporation, is wholly governed by an independent, self-perpetuating Board of Trustees. The Board appoints the President of the University, who serves as chief executive officer. The Board consists of its regular members and the President.President
Andrew WestmorelandAndrew Westmoreland
Andrew Westmoreland has been the 18th President of Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama since 2006. From 1998 to 2006, he was the President of Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.-Biography:...
is the current President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of Samford University. Appointed by the Board of Trustees, he is the chief executive officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of the university, and serves only at the pleasure of the Board. Prior to his taking office on June 1, 2006, Westmoreland served as president of Ouachita Baptist University
Ouachita Baptist University
Ouachita Baptist University is a private, liberal arts, undergraduate institution located in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, which is about 65 miles southwest of Little Rock. The university's name is taken from the Ouachita River, which forms the eastern campus boundary. It is affiliated with the Arkansas...
in Arkadelphia
Arkadelphia, Arkansas
Arkadelphia is a city in Clark County, Arkansas, United States. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city was 10,548. The city is the county seat of Clark County. The city is situated at the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains. Two universities, Henderson State...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
.
Prior to Westmoreland, the following men served as president:
| President | Tenure | Institution | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Samuel Sterling Sherman | 1842–1852 | Howard College (Marion Marion, Alabama Marion is the county seat of Perry County, Alabama. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 3,511. First called Muckle Ridge, the city was renamed after a hero of the American Revolution, Francis Marion.-Geography:... ) |
| 2 | Henry Talbird | 1853–1863 | Howard College (Marion Marion, Alabama Marion is the county seat of Perry County, Alabama. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 3,511. First called Muckle Ridge, the city was renamed after a hero of the American Revolution, Francis Marion.-Geography:... ) |
| 3 | Jabez Lamar Monroe Curry Jabez Lamar Monroe Curry Jabez Lamar Monroe Curry was a lawyer, soldier, U.S. Congressman, college professor and administrator, diplomat, and officer in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.-Biography:... |
1865–1868 | Howard College (Marion Marion, Alabama Marion is the county seat of Perry County, Alabama. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 3,511. First called Muckle Ridge, the city was renamed after a hero of the American Revolution, Francis Marion.-Geography:... ) |
| 4 | Edward Q. Thornton | 1868–1869 | Howard College (Marion Marion, Alabama Marion is the county seat of Perry County, Alabama. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 3,511. First called Muckle Ridge, the city was renamed after a hero of the American Revolution, Francis Marion.-Geography:... ) |
| 5 | Samuel R. Freeman | 1869–1871 | Howard College (Marion Marion, Alabama Marion is the county seat of Perry County, Alabama. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 3,511. First called Muckle Ridge, the city was renamed after a hero of the American Revolution, Francis Marion.-Geography:... ) |
| 6 | James T. Murfee | 1871–1887 | Howard College (Marion Marion, Alabama Marion is the county seat of Perry County, Alabama. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 3,511. First called Muckle Ridge, the city was renamed after a hero of the American Revolution, Francis Marion.-Geography:... ) |
| 7 | Benjamin Franklin Riley | 1888–1893 | Howard College (East Lake Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S... ) |
| 8 | Arthur W. McGaha | 1893–1896 | Howard College (East Lake Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S... ) |
| 9 | A.D. Smith | 1896–1897 | Howard College (East Lake Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S... ) |
| 10 | Frank M. Roof | 1897–1902 | Howard College (East Lake Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S... ) |
| 11 | Andrew P. Montague | 1902–1912 | Howard College (East Lake Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S... ) |
| 12 | James M. Shelborne | 1912–1917 | Howard College (East Lake Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S... ) |
| 13 | Charles B. Williams | 1919–1921 | Howard College (East Lake Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S... ) |
| 14 | John C. Dawson | 1921–1932 | Howard College (East Lake Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S... ) |
| 15 | Thomas V. Neal | 1932–1939 | Howard College (East Lake Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S... ) |
| 16 | Harwell Goodwin Davis Harwell Goodwin Davis Harwell Goodwin Davis was a lawyer and Alabama State Attorney General, who also served as the President of Howard College, later Samford University, from 1938 until 1958... |
1939–1958 | Howard College (Homewood Homewood, Alabama Homewood is a city in southeastern Jefferson County, Alabama, United States. It is a suburb of Birmingham, located on the other side of Red Mountain due south of the city center. It has one of the highest population densities in Alabama. As of 2009 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the... ) |
| 17 | Leslie Stephen Wright | 1958–1983 | Samford University (Homewood Homewood, Alabama Homewood is a city in southeastern Jefferson County, Alabama, United States. It is a suburb of Birmingham, located on the other side of Red Mountain due south of the city center. It has one of the highest population densities in Alabama. As of 2009 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the... ) |
| 18 | Thomas E. Corts Thomas E. Corts Thomas E. Corts served as President of Wingate University in North Carolina from 1974 to 1981, and the 17th President of Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama from 1983 to 2006.-Biography:... |
1983–2006 | Samford University (Homewood Homewood, Alabama Homewood is a city in southeastern Jefferson County, Alabama, United States. It is a suburb of Birmingham, located on the other side of Red Mountain due south of the city center. It has one of the highest population densities in Alabama. As of 2009 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the... ) |
| 19 | Andrew Westmoreland Andrew Westmoreland Andrew Westmoreland has been the 18th President of Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama since 2006. From 1998 to 2006, he was the President of Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.-Biography:... |
2006–present | Samford University (Homewood Homewood, Alabama Homewood is a city in southeastern Jefferson County, Alabama, United States. It is a suburb of Birmingham, located on the other side of Red Mountain due south of the city center. It has one of the highest population densities in Alabama. As of 2009 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the... ) |
Colleges and schools
Samford University is currently divided into degree-granting units. Each division is headed by a dean. The divisions of the university (and their current heads) are:| College/school | Dean |
|---|---|
| Howard College of Arts and Science | David W. Chapman |
| Brock School of Business | Howard Finch |
| Beeson Divinity School Beeson Divinity School The Beeson Divinity School of Samford University is an interdenominational evangelical divinity school. The current dean is Timothy George.Though located on the campus of a Baptist university, Beeson remains interdenominational... |
Timothy George Timothy George Timothy George is the dean of Beeson Divinity School at Samford University and has been the dean since the school's inception in 1988. George teaches church history and doctrine and serves as executive editor for Christianity Today... |
| Beeson School of Education & Professional Studies | Jean A. Box |
| Cumberland School of Law Cumberland School of Law Cumberland School of Law is an ABA accredited law school at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. The 11th oldest law school in the United States, it is 160 years old and has more than 11,000 graduates. Its alumni include two United States Supreme Court Justices; Nobel Peace Prize recipient... |
John L. Carroll John L. Carroll John L. Carroll is dean of Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham, Alabama. Prior to his appointment as dean, Carroll served as a federal trial judge for 14 years in the position of Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Middle District of Alabama... |
| Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing | Nena Sanders |
| School of the Arts | Joe Hopkins |
| McWhorter School of Pharmacy McWhorter School of Pharmacy The McWhorter School of Pharmacy is an American pharmacy school located in Birmingham, Alabama. The school offers a four-year Doctor of Pharmacy degree, and is nationally-accredited by the ACPE.... |
Charlie Sands |
Demographics
As of fall 2009, the last semester for which comprehensive data have been published, the university had an enrollment of 2,938 undergraduate students and 1,777 graduate and professional students.Approximately 40% of the total undergraduate student body comes from Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, 16% come from Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
and 15% come from Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. As a result, Samford's flavor, though leavened with students from across the United States (40 states are represented, along with 18 foreign countries), is overwhelmingly Southern.
Almost 85% of Samford's students (graduate and undergraduate) are Caucasian, and about 7% are African American. About 15% of Samford students are minorities, and 40% are male.
Campus
Samford's campus has moved several times during its history. Originally, Howard College was located in Marion, AlabamaMarion, Alabama
Marion is the county seat of Perry County, Alabama. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 3,511. First called Muckle Ridge, the city was renamed after a hero of the American Revolution, Francis Marion.-Geography:...
, a black-belt town between Selma
Selma, Alabama
Selma is a city in and the county seat of Dallas County, Alabama, United States, located on the banks of the Alabama River. The population was 20,512 at the 2000 census....
and Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama . Located on the Black Warrior River, it is the fifth-largest city in Alabama, with a population of 90,468 in 2010...
; it is the birthplace of Coretta Scott King
Coretta Scott King
Coretta Scott King was an American author, activist, and civil rights leader. The widow of Martin Luther King, Jr., Coretta Scott King helped lead the African-American Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s.Mrs...
. In 1887, the college moved to the East Lake community in Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
.
The college—and now University—is presently located approximately 5 miles (8 km) south of downtown Birmingham in Homewood, Alabama
Homewood, Alabama
Homewood is a city in southeastern Jefferson County, Alabama, United States. It is a suburb of Birmingham, located on the other side of Red Mountain due south of the city center. It has one of the highest population densities in Alabama. As of 2009 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the...
's Shades Valley area. The campus lies along Lakeshore Drive in Homewood, just 2 miles (3 km) from Interstate 65
Interstate 65 in Alabama
Interstate 65, beginning in Mobile at an interchange with Interstate 10, meanders across of the Alabama countryside linking six of the state's ten largest cities. The highway links together many important roadways that make commerce inside and outside of the state's boundaries possible...
.
Besides its lush lawns and well-maintained gardens, Samford boasts a distinctive example of Georgian style architecture found in the United States. Samford's uniform style, based upon Colonial Williamsburg
Colonial Williamsburg
Colonial Williamsburg is the private foundation representing the historic district of the city of Williamsburg, Virginia, USA. The district includes buildings dating from 1699 to 1780 which made colonial Virginia's capital. The capital straddled the boundary of the original shires of Virginia —...
, was the vision of President Harwell Davis when he moved the campus to the Shades Valley area in 1953-55.
Organizations
Samford's diversity of programming runs the gamut from a student-led group of Oxfam America, a social justice organization, to the Samford Young Life
Young Life
YoungLife is a worldwide, non-profit, Evangelical Christian organization. YoungLife consists of many branches of ministry , but most commonly the name "YoungLife" refers to the outreach arm of the organization directed toward high school students...
chapter, an Evangelical Christian group.
Greek life
As of fall 2010, 33% of the undergraduate student body was affiliated with one of 9 social Greek organizations. Specifically, 29% of men were members of fraternities and 34% of women were members of sororities.The local chapters are supported by active alumni bases that continue to involve former active members in both the life of the social organization and the life of the University. Many members of Samford's administration, along with several notable alums, were members of Greek organizations.
Fraternities
The fraternities represented on campus are:| Fraternity | Chartered locally |
|---|---|
| Lambda Chi Alpha Lambda Chi Alpha Lambda Chi Alpha is one of the largest men's secret general fraternities in North America, having initiated more than 280,000 members and held chapters at more than 300 universities. It is a member of the North-American Interfraternity Conference and was founded by Warren A. Cole, while he was a... |
1911 |
| Pi Kappa Phi Pi Kappa Phi Pi Kappa Phi is an American social fraternity. It was founded by Andrew Alexander Kroeg, Jr., Lawrence Harry Mixson, and Simon Fogarty, Jr. on December 10, 1904 at the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina... |
1925, 1991 |
| Sigma Chi Sigma Chi Sigma Chi is the largest and one of the oldest college Greek-letter secret and social fraternities in North America with 244 active chapters and more than . Sigma Chi was founded on June 28, 1855 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio when members split from Delta Kappa Epsilon... |
1872, 1984 |
| Sigma Nu Sigma Nu Sigma Nu is an undergraduate, college fraternity with chapters in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Sigma Nu was founded in 1869 by three cadets at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia... |
1879 |
Sororities
The sororities represented on campus are:| Sorority | Chartered locally |
|---|---|
| Alpha Delta Pi Alpha Delta Pi Alpha Delta Pi is a fraternity founded on May 15, 1851 at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia. The Executive office for this sorority is located on Ponce de Leon Avenue in Atlanta, Georgia. Alpha Delta Pi is one of the two "Macon Magnolias," a term used to celebrate the bonds it shares with Phi Mu... |
1910 |
| Alpha Omicron Pi Alpha Omicron Pi Alpha Omicron Pi is an international women's fraternity promoting friendship for a lifetime, inspiring academic excellence and lifelong learning, and developing leadership skills through service to the Fraternity and community. ΑΟΠ was founded on January 2, 1897 at Barnard College on the campus... |
1995 |
| Delta Zeta Delta Zeta Delta Zeta is an international college sorority founded on October 24, 1902, at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Today, Delta Zeta has 158 collegiate chapters in the United States and over 200 alumnae chapters in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada... |
1924 (closed since 2004) |
| Zeta Tau Alpha Zeta Tau Alpha Zeta Tau Alpha is a women's fraternity, founded October 15, 1898 at the State Female Normal School in Farmville, Virginia. The Executive office is located in Indianapolis, Indiana... |
1964 |
| Kappa Delta Kappa Delta Kappa Delta was the first sorority founded at the State Female Normal School , in Farmville, Virginia. It is one of the "Farmville Four" sororities founded at the university... |
1968 (closed since 1985) |
| Phi Mu Phi Mu Phi Mu is the second oldest female fraternal organization established in the United States. It was founded at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia. The organization was founded as the Philomathean Society on January 4, 1852, and was announced publicly on March 4 of the same year... |
1924 |
| Chi Omega Chi Omega Chi Omega is a women's fraternity and the largest member of the National Panhellenic Conference. Chi Omega has 174 active collegiate chapters and over 230 alumnae chapters. Chi Omega's national headquarters is located in Memphis, Tennessee.... |
1963 |
Samford also houses chapters for Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia is an American collegiate social fraternity for men with a special interest in music...
, the social fraternity for men of musicianly character; Delta Omicron
Delta Omicron
Delta Omicron is a co-ed international professional music honors fraternity whose mission is to promote and support excellence in music and musicianship.-History:...
; and Gamma Sigma Sigma
Gamma Sigma Sigma
Gamma Sigma Sigma is a national service sorority founded in October 1952 at Beekman Tower in New York City by representatives of Boston University, Brooklyn College, Drexel Institute of Technology, Los Angeles City College, New York University, Queens College, and the University of Houston. ...
, a service sorority. These chapters are not affiliated with the Interfraternity Council or Panhellinic Council.
Student housing
All undergraduate students (with some exceptions) are required to live on campus until the age of 21 to the extent that on-campus student housing facilities can accommodate them.Approximately 66% of undergraduates -— freshmen, sophomores, and many juniors -— live on campus. Many senior undergraduates also live on campus, and those who do not often join the graduate and professional students in living near campus. Consequently, student life at Samford is heavily intertwined with campus life.
Erskine Ramsay Hall
On Sunday March 9, 2008 at 3:58 PM Ramsay Hall suffered structural damage. Rafters supporting the roofcollapsed unexpectedly. Residences heard a series of loud "shots" minutes before the roof collapsed. Campus safety responded promptly alerting fire departments and structural engineers. President Andrew Westmorland helped students the first night by providing a $100 gift card to each resident in order to purchase necessities until personal belongings could be recovered from the dormitory. All residences were reassigned dorm rooms the following week. As of April 20, 2009 the remainder of the dorm still stands on campus with no construction repairs done.
Media
There are several media outlines at Samford, with administration, faculty, and students producing different publications.Inside Samford is the official newsletter of the university administration and faculty. Published ten times each year, it does not publish opinion.
Other media at Samford include:
- The Samford Crimson, the student-run, campus-wide newspaper. With a circulation of 4,000, it is available free to all full-time, undergraduate students and is distributed at key locations on campus.
- The Belltower, the official online news source of the University administration, published once per month during the summer and weekly during the academic year.
- Seasons, the alumni magazine, published quarterly.
- WVSU-FMWVSU-FMWVSU-FM is a non-commercial, listener-supported College radio station licensed to Birmingham, Alabama, and owned and operated by Samford University. The station broadcasts smooth jazz and other music programs, and it covers the university's intercollegiate athletic program. The station's...
(91.1), a 500-watt FM radio station that serves the southern portion of the Birmingham area. - Cumberland Law ReviewCumberland Law ReviewThe Cumberland Law Review is a law review published by the students at Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham, Alabama.Founded in 1970, the Review publishes three issues a year, with each issue averaging between 150 and 200 pages. Each issue consists of any combination of tributes, articles,...
whose members are selected by write-on from the top 15% of the Cumberland School of Law's first-year class to write articles and comments on newly decided cases and recently passed laws. - The American Journal of Trial Advocacy, also published by the Cumberland School of Law, which is a national journal focusing on developments in trial law, technique, and practice.
- Keeping Faith is a newsletter for Alabama Baptists about current events at Samford University. It is produced by the Office of Public Relations and published regularly in The Alabama Baptist newspaper.
- Samford Business is a semiannual publication of the Brock School of Business, produced by the Office of University Communications.
- PBL Insight is the newsletter for the Beeson School of Education's Center for Problem-Based Learning, published by the Office of University Communications.
- Exodus magazine is published by journalism majors from Samford's Howard College of Arts and Sciences.
- ENGAGE magazine is a student run publication that was started in the fall of 2005. ENGAGE serves to encourage students to examine the relationship between faith, culture and vocation. Students are encouraged to contribute by writing and designing and it is made available to all students at key areas around campus when it is published twice a semester.
- Samford University Library: Special Collection: The papers of C.H. Spurgeon – The collection contains galley proofs and hand written sermon notes from 1879 – 1891.
- "The Headless Platform" is a student run publication made independently on Samford's campus much to the chagrin of the faculty and staff. The Headless Platform provides an unconventional view of Samford life through satire and humor and is produced whenever the writers are the least lazy.
Notable alumni
The Samford University Alumni Association counts more than 27,000 graduates among its membership. Some notable alumni include:- Robert AderholtRobert AderholtRobert Brown Aderholt is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1997. He is a member of the Republican Party.The district includes most of the far northern suburbs of Birmingham, as well as the southern suburbs of Huntsville and Decatur.- Early life, education and career :Aderholt was born in...
(1990), United States Congressman from AlabamaAlabamaAlabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
(1997- ) - Zane BirdwellZane BirdwellZane Birdwell is an American Grammy award-winning recording engineer, sound designer, and composer. Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, he now lives and works in New York City.-Career:...
(2003), Grammy award-winning recording engineer - Philip BirnbaumPhilip BirnbaumPhilip Birnbaum was an author and translator, best known for his translation and annotation of the siddur , first published in 1949.-Biography:...
, author and translator of Jewish works - Bobby BowdenBobby BowdenRobert Cleckler "Bobby" Bowden is a retired college football coach. He coached the Florida State Seminoles football team from the 1976 to 2009 seasons...
(1953), former Samford head football coach, former head football coach at Florida State UniversityFlorida State UniversityThe Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation... - Marv BreedingMarv BreedingMarvin Eugene Breeding was an infielder who played in Major League Baseball from through . Breeding batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Decatur, Alabama....
(1952), MLB player - Charles Crist, former Florida governor, graduated from Cumberland School of Law
- Cortland FinneganCortland FinneganCortland Temujin Finnegan is an American football defensive back for the Tennessee Titans. He played college football for Samford University.-High school career:...
, (2005), cornerbackCornerbackA cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
for the Tennessee TitansTennessee TitansThe Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
of the National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing... - Jimbo FisherJimbo FisherJohn James "Jimbo" Fisher is an American college football coach and former player. He is currently head coach at Florida State University....
(1987), head coach of the Florida State UniversityFlorida State UniversityThe Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
Seminole Football Program. - Deidre DownsDeidre DownsDeidre Downs is a beauty pageant contestant and winner of Miss America 2005. She is from Birmingham, Alabama. As part of her year of service as Miss America, she campaigned for Curing Childhood Cancer. For her talent, she sang a rendition of the ballad "I'm Afraid This Must Be Love"...
, (2002), Miss AmericaMiss AmericaThe Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
2005. - Scarlotte DeupreeScarlotte DeupreeScarlotte Deupree Kilgore held the title of Miss Alabama 2002 and was 1st runner-up to Miss America 2003.-Miss Alabama:Deupree competed at Miss Alabama as Miss Camellia and had competed in the pageant four previous times. Her talent was a vocal performance of the song, “Holding Out for a Hero"...
, (2002), Miss AlabamaMiss AlabamaThe Miss Alabama competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the U.S. state of Alabama in the Miss America pageant.Miss Alabamas have performed strongly at the Miss America pageant, particularly in the early 21st century, when the state produced their third Miss America, a first...
2002, 1st Runner Up to Miss America - Melinda TooleMelinda TooleMelinda Toole is a native of the Birmingham, Alabama area. Toole won the title of Miss Alabama 2006 as Miss Samford University. She had previously placed in the top ten of the 2005 event. She was crowned by outgoing titleholder Alexa Jones....
, (2006), Miss AlabamaMiss AlabamaThe Miss Alabama competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the U.S. state of Alabama in the Miss America pageant.Miss Alabamas have performed strongly at the Miss America pageant, particularly in the early 21st century, when the state produced their third Miss America, a first...
2006, 4th Runner Up to Miss America - Wayne FlyntWayne FlyntWayne Flynt is Professor Emeritus in the Department of History at Auburn University. He has won numerous teaching awards and been a Distinguished University Professor for many years. His research focuses on Southern culture, Alabama politics, Southern religion, education reform, and poverty. He...
, (1961), Pulitzer PrizePulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
-nominated historianHistorianA historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is... - Elizabeth FutralElizabeth FutralElizabeth Futral is an American coloratura soprano who has won acclaim throughout the United States as well as in Europe, South America, and Japan....
, operaOperaOpera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
singer - Anne GeorgeAnne George (writer)Anne Carroll George was an American author and poet. A collection of her poetry, Some of it is True , was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in 1993, and her Southern Sisters mystery series was honored with the coveted Agatha Award. She was Alabama's 1994 state poet and cofounder of Druid Press...
, mystery author - Karen Fairchild & Kimberly Schlapman of the Country Group Little Big TownLittle Big TownLittle Big Town is an American country music vocal group. Founded in 1998, the group has comprised the same four members since its inception: Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Jimi Westbrook, and Phillip Sweet. The quartet's musical style relies heavily on four-part vocal harmonies, with all...
- Tony HaleTony HaleTony Hale is an American actor, best known for his role in the Fox comedy series Arrested Development as the neurotic Byron "Buster" Bluth.-Early life:...
, actor Arrested Development - William E. HullWilliam E. HullWilliam Edgar Hull was a U.S. Representative from Illinois.Born in Lewistown, Illinois, Hull attended the common schools, Lewistown High School, and Illinois College at Jacksonville, Illinois....
, retired Provost of Southern Seminary and Samford University; New Testament scholar - Slick LollarSlick LollarJohn Hope "Slick" Lollar is a former player in the National Football League. He played with the Green Bay Packers during the 1928 NFL season after playing at the collegiate level at Samford University.-References:...
, NFL player - David Gordon LyonDavid Gordon LyonDavid Gordon Lyon was an American theologian.-Biography:Lyon was born in Benton, Alabama, the son of a doctor. He received his A.B. from Howard College in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1875. He studied at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary under Crawford Howell Toy, and went to Germany, where he...
, Hollis ChairHollis Chair of DivinityThe Hollis Chair of Divinity is an endowed chair at Harvard Divinity School. It was established in 1721 by Thomas Hollis, a wealthy English merchant and benefactor of the university, at a salary of £80 per year...
at Harvard Divinity SchoolHarvard Divinity SchoolHarvard Divinity School is one of the constituent schools of Harvard University, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the United States. The School's mission is to train and educate its students either in the academic study of religion, or for the practice of a religious ministry or other public...
and founding curator of Semitic MuseumSemitic MuseumThe Semitic Museum at Harvard University was founded in 1889, and moved into its present location at 6 Divinity Avenue in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1903.... - Harold E. MartinHarold E. MartinHarold Eugene Martin was a Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper editor and publisher who also served as a director of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. During his career, Martin lived in the U.S...
(1923–2007), (1954) Pulitzer PrizePulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
winner for investigative reporting, publisher of the Montgomery AdvertiserMontgomery AdvertiserThe Montgomery Advertiser is a daily newspaper located in Montgomery, Alabama. It was founded in 1829.- History:The newspaper began publication in 1829 as The Planter's Gazette. It became the Montgomery Advertiser in 1833. In 1903, R.F. Hudson, a young Alabama newspaperman, joined the staff of the...
and the Alabama Journal. - David Brandon McGinty (2001), strategy advisor to multinational NGOs and social enterpriseSocial enterpriseA social enterprise is an organization that applies business strategies to achieving philanthropic goals. Social enterprises can be structured as a for-profit or non-profit....
s; Professor of Nonprofit Law at Villanova University - David Herman ( Wright Medical Distributor)
- Eric MotleyEric MotleyDr Eric Lamar Motley Was born near Montgomery, AL, USA in 1972. He currently serves as Vice President of the Aspen Institute as well as the Managing Director of the Henry Crown Fellows Program...
(1996) State Department official - James RecordJames RecordJames Ralph Record is a former Alabama state senator, a former Chairman of the Madison County Commission, and a noted historical author. He was born in New Market, Alabama, near the Alabama-Tennessee border...
(1950s), former Alabama Senator - Janie ShoresJanie ShoresJanie Ledlow Shores is a retired judge on the Supreme Court of Alabama who was the first woman to ever serve on that court. Shores also was considered by President Bill Clinton in 1993 as a possible nominee to the U.S...
, retired Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama - Lee Emmett ThomasLee Emmett ThomasLee Emmett Thomas was an attorney and banker who served as the mayor of Shreveport, Louisiana, from 1922–1930. He was also from 1912–1916 the Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives.-Background:...
, mayor of ShreveportShreveport, LouisianaShreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
, LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
(1922-1930) and Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representative (1912-1916); attended Samford when it was Howard College. - Arthur Walker, late vice-president of Samford University and Southern Seminary, and executive director of the SBC Education Commission
- R. Albert Mohler, Jr.R. Albert Mohler, Jr.Mohler's approach to Muslims is driven by his belief in the relevance of the Christian Gospel to all people.-Media appearances:Mohler appeared on MSNBC's Donahue on August 20, 2002. The subject was Christian evangelization of Jews...
(1981) current president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.
External links
- Samford University
- Samford University Catalog
- Samford Bulldogs Athletics
- Southern Conference
- Alabama Baptist Convention