Samford University alumnus Staff Childs celebrated his 51st birthday by taking a hot air balloon ride over the campus during Homecoming activities Oct. 25. “It was great,” the Birmngham resident said after his bird’s eye view of campus from the colorful balloon. The activity was popular with students and returning alumni of all ages.
Childs and his wife, Gwen Draughon Childs, both members of the Class of 1975, enjoyed the ride after visiting old friends at the Baptist Student Union Choir reunion.
They were among alumni from around the nation who celebrated the school’s 137th homecoming with reunions, barbecue, football, spectacular fireworks and other special events. “Memories and Milestones” was the theme of the weekend in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the groundbreaking for the school’s Homewood campus. Four graduates were recognized as Alumni of the Year at a dinner Oct. 24. The banquet renewed the tradition of candlelight dinner, a longtime favorite event of Samford graduates.
This year’s honorees are: U.S. District Court judge Karon O. Bowdre of Birmingham, Class of 1977 and Cumberland School of Law Class of 1981; breast cancer surgeon and researcher William C. Dooley, M.D., of Oklahoma City, Okla., Class of 1978; retired Baptist minister and denominational leader W. Randall Lolley, of Raleigh, N.C., Class of 1952; and National Teacher of the Year Betsy Rogers of Birmingham, Class of 1974. Rogers also holds master’s, educational specialist and doctor of education degrees from Samford.
At Saturday’s football game, Courtney Leach, a senior psychology major from Knoxville, Tenn., was crowned Homecoming Queen. Joseph Wells, a senior biology major from Lexington, Ky., was named honor escort.
At the game
The homecoming court also included seniors Lauren Cole of Greensboro, N.C., Ann Wade Parrish and Jeff Stephens, both of Memphis, Tenn., and Brad Stockton of Tullahoma, Tenn.; juniors Evin Smith of Brentwood, Tenn., and Mike Giles of Tuscaloosa; sophomores Olivia Keaggy of Nashville and Zach Harter of Acworth, Ga.; and freshmen Sarah Wolf of Montgomery, and Ross Stone of Belden, Miss. Class representatives were chosen by the student body.
Pre-game activities included a flyover by two T-37 airplanes. Samford graduate 1Lt. Ryan “Striker” Corrigan was a pilot in the lead aircraft.
The game against Tennessee State drew 10,360 spectators, the second largest crowd in Seibert Stadium history.
Many other fans tuned in to watch the live broadcast on Fox Sports South. The Bulldogs lost 29–24.
Weekend activities also featured a meeting of the Samford Alumni Association. The group hopes to establish alumni chapters across the nation. (SU)
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