The largest number of new undergraduates in school history, 1,000, will soon become part of the Samford University community in Birmingham. The number includes 810 entering freshmen whose credentials include an average ACT score of 26, a high school grade point average of 3.8 and a wealth of strong leadership experiences. They hail from 30 states and five countries.
Throughout the summer, Samford employees have prepared to welcome these new arrivals who will join upperclassmen and graduate students for a projected enrollment of more than 5,000. Fall semester classes begin for most Aug. 17.
As construction crews put final touches on the new four-story Brock School of Business building, College of Health Sciences personnel readied to welcome scores of students to new and expanded programs.
‘Mission remains the same’
“While change, including enrollment growth and new facilities and programs, encompasses so much of our work at Samford these days, it is reassuring to know that the institution’s mission remains the same,” Samford President Andrew Westmoreland said.
“Our primary task is to put gifted, caring faculty members in regular contact with inquisitive, hopeful students, anticipating that the outcome will be a blessing to humankind through our witness of the love of God.”
An early semester highlight for many will be the opening of the new $25 million, 76,623-square-foot business school building.
The building includes classrooms with advanced audiovisual capabilities and a portfolio management room with Bloomberg data terminals. An academic programs suite includes personal counseling and advisement space for students, an internship office and employer interview rooms. The layout encourages both independent and collaborative learning, with breakout rooms to foster team projects and case analysis by groups, and two instructional computer lab rooms.
A grand opening celebration will be Sept. 4 at 1 p.m. The public is invited.
The College of Health Sciences celebrates the addition of more than 10 new degrees, majors and programs including undergraduate majors in communication sciences and disorders, health sciences, public health and pharmacy studies. At the graduate level, the college introduced a dietetic internship; master’s degrees in athletic training, public health, social work and speech language pathology; and a doctor of physical therapy degree.
New master of public health programs, coordinated with doctor of pharmacy and dietetic internship programs, will provide students expanded career opportunities after graduation. Additional programs are currently in development for the college, which includes Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing, McWhorter School of Pharmacy, School of Health Professions and School of Public Health.
Students and faculty in Samford’s other academic units also anticipate another great academic year as many celebrate special summer accomplishments.
The School of the Arts looks forward to another year of stellar performances by students and visiting artists.
And this summer a group of recent interior architecture graduates gave a performance of a lifetime, although not on a stage, as they renovated the main assembly building at Camp Chacauco, a large church camp in Ecuador’s rural Andes mountains. As the final step of their senior project, they provided onsite leadership for the construction process and undertook demolition, wall and floor framing, furniture crafting, electrical wiring and other pursuits. While laboring alongside Ecuadorian coworkers, they learned to communicate across cultural boundaries and to appreciate distinctive approaches to tasks while also valuing new friendships.
Participant Anna Holt said that as a freshman she never thought she could share the gospel through interior architecture. “Now as a Samford graduate I’m confident that the Lord called me to study interior architecture in order to help others see the goodness of Christ’s steadfast love and His plans to prosper all His children,” Holt said.
New cohort
This fall the Howard College of Arts and Sciences will welcome its first cohort of academically talented and financially at-risk transfer students from local community colleges as part of a five-year National Science Foundation-funded program to help those students complete degrees in fields of biology, environmental science, chemistry and biochemistry.
The college will host several events of interest this fall. Celebrated archaeologist, professor and author Joan Breton Connelly will present a free public lecture Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. The Center for Science and Religion will host a conference on “Transhumanism and the Church: Theological Reflections on Technology and Human Enhancement” on Sept. 24–26.
Beeson Divinity School’s fall semester chapel series “Finkenwalde: In the School of Bonhoeffer” will focus on the worship of God and life together in the preparation of God-called people to serve as ministers in the Church of Jesus Christ.
Finkenwalde Day
On Sept. 15, designated Finkenwalde Day, the Beeson community will observe a day of prayer, meditation, worship, singing, recreation, fellowship at the table and other activities arising from life together.
Orlean Bullard Beeson School of Education will culminate its year-long 100th anniversary observance with a celebration dinner to recognize 100 of its graduates with the inaugural Learning for Life Award. The event will be part of Homecoming activities Nov. 7. Honorees will represent the field of teacher preparation as well as other academic areas that have been part of the education program since its founding in 1915. Proceeds will benefit education scholarship funds.
Cumberland School of Law enrolls its first cohort of students in the new master of science in health law and policy program this fall. The 20 students in the online program will develop marketable expertise in the areas of health law, regulatory affairs, public policy, insurance and health-care administration — with particular emphasis on health-care compliance. Faculty from Cumberland and the College of Health Sciences will guide the program.
Overall the university continues to celebrate the late 2014 completion of the largest fundraising effort in Samford history. Gifts and pledges totaling more than $200 million arrived in amounts ranging from 36 cents to $13.4 million. The campaign total includes $33.7 million from the cooperative offerings of Alabama Baptist State Convention churches. (Samford)
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