The best way to experience the Samford spirit is to meet our people and walk our campus. While you might not be able to visit campus in person, we want to give you an idea of what to expect when you are able to visit. To get started, choose a tour stop from the map or the menu below.
Cooney Hall, home of Brock School of Business, represents an investment in the development of professional and ethical business leaders in our communities and across the world. Officially dedicated on September 4, 2015, the $25 million structure provides modern, technology-equipped classrooms, office and meeting room space. A breathtaking glass atrium is in the center of this four-story building, but the true heart of the building is a revived sense of learning, innovation and opportunity. Not only is Cooney Hall an advanced learning environment for our students, it provides an opportunity for alumni and local businesses to be an integral part of the Brock School of Business legacy.
The first floor lobby welcomes you from the center of campus, not far from The Quad, and just steps from the Davis Library. Emblazoned on the floor of the lobby is the Samford University seal. Surrounding the lobby are donor walls listing the many people who made the magnificent building possible. The adjacent halls on this level consist of four classrooms, a conference room, and student breakout rooms.
The bronze bull encased in glass was sculpted by generous Samford business alumna Sara J. Krawczak ’66, M.B.A. ’69. She wanted her sculpture to have a permanent home, and as the universal symbol of business success and optimism, it was agreed upon that Brock School of Business was the perfect place for it to reside. The bull simultaneously exhibits the strength and vitality of business education at Samford University.
Whether looking for a study space or gathering for group sessions, breakout rooms throughout Cooney Hall provide graduate and undergraduate students the opportunity to work collaboratively as they hone new skills and solve problems. These comfortable, innovative spaces include plenty of outlets, round tables, and dry erase boards so that students can work through problems and ideas, both inside and outside of class.
As you enter Cooney Hall from the opposite side, you’ll arrive in the second-floor lobby and the Coca-Cola Company Student Commons. This is an ideal hangout spot for students as they await their classes. The furniture is equipped with data ports for students to learn and study in a relaxed setting. The second floor is the location for the majority of our classrooms as well as the Data and Sports Analytics Lab, the Portfolio Management Room, the Office of Academic Programs and the Office of Professional Success, and the Dean’s Suite.
The M. Chad Trull | Krowten Capital LLC Data and Sports Analytics Lab provides an innovative collaboration space for students studying in our data analytics and sports marketing concentration. The lab’s software supports teaching, learning and research in all areas where analytics impacts sports, including fan engagement, sponsorship, player tracking, sports medicine, sports media and operations.
The state-of-the-art Stifel/Merchant Capital Portfolio Management Room features 12 Bloomberg terminals that enable students to have access to comprehensive research capabilities and financial data worldwide. Screens inside the room display information on global financial markets such as stocks, indices, bonds, economic data, commodities and currencies.
Students using the room are able to present their analysis to classmates and industry leaders in a Wall Street-type setting. The ticker outside the portfolio room is programmed to rotate updated NASDAQ or NYSE data 24 hours a day. Additionally, the room is home to the Bulldog Investment Fund, a portfolio valued at $3.5 million that is managed exclusively by current business students, graduate and undergraduate. It is the largest student-managed fund in Alabama and is among the largest in the Southeast.
Located on the second floor of Cooney Hall, the Office of Academic Programs provides professional academic advising to all Brock School of Business students whether majors or minors. Students will meet one-on-one with an academic adviser every semester to discuss course registration and graduation plans, ensuring students stay on track with their degree. Both undergraduate and graduate advisers are housed within this office. The Office of Professional Success resides within the Office of Academic Programs suite and provides career readiness support to business students. This office oversees the internship program for students enrolling in course credit and the professional development program which connects business students to career preparation resources as well as networking opportunities with employers. Students can schedule appointments to meet and discuss resumes, career plans, internship opportunities, and more. This office is provided in addition to the abundant resources offered for our students through the campus wide Career Development Center.
The Office of Academic Programs’ suite is generously supported by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama and The Caring Foundation.
Just outside the Office of Academic Programs, you will find two student interview rooms equipped with desktop computers and virtual interviewing technology. Students can reserve these rooms for a quiet place to conduct phone and virtual interviews or to complete pre-employment assessments. Employers use these rooms for on-campus interviews with business school students. Interviewing in these rooms provides a convenient, familiar, and comfortable setting for students while they communicate with companies about internship and job opportunities. In addition to interviews, this space is used for sales course roleplay and mock interviews.
Our Samford Startup student business incubator space on the third floor is designed to offer a professional atmosphere for Samford students, business majors and nonbusiness majors, who want to launch a new business. The area is supported by technology, administration and faculty and allows student start-ups to minimize costs and overhead when starting their new businesses. Tenants of the space are connected with mentors who have established successful businesses. Mentorship meetings are arranged once a month.
Cooney Hall hosts 12 classrooms, two of which are computer labs, and are equipped with Microsoft and Apple software. There are cameras for filming lectures and to provide streaming capabilities. The top-of-the-line classrooms provide an innovative setting to educate the next generation of Christian business leaders.
The Regions Community Resource Room on the fourth floor of Cooney Hall is a multipurpose room used for events for up to 300 people. Brock School of Business typically hosts events such as our student career networking nights and other events designed to connect students to industry professionals, as well as awards ceremonies and banquets. The space can also be used as an additional classroom and is commonly used for events hosted by entities from across Samford’s campus.
The view from Cooney Hall’s fourth floor balcony is arguably one of the best on campus. The space features multiple picnic benches for student use and is oftentimes used as an overflow area for events in the Regions Community Resource Room. The location is a popular choice for photos highlighting Samford’s beautiful campus and iconic bell tower as the backdrop.
The Alfa Risk Management and Insurance Lab, opened in September 2021, is a major component of a multipronged initiative to prepare Samford students for careers in the risk management and insurance industry. Equipped with leading data analytics software used in the industry, students will use the space to work on real-world projects for industry firms such as Alfa as part of course projects and/or internship programs.