A Letter from the Dean

I want to thank the many alumni, friends and supporters who have invested in Orlean Bullard Beeson School of Education and Professional Studies over the years. It is an exciting time for our school, and your many contributions—whether through active involvement, community networking or financial assistance—have given us a burst of energy and enthusiasm needed to continue moving forward.

We celebrate our outstanding faculty and dedicated staff members who diligently work to provide exceptional programs for our students. We celebrate the numerous achievements that our undergraduate and graduate students have attained upon graduation. We also celebrate all of you who have partnered with us to make our graduates successful in their selected fields. Some of our major accomplishments during the past five years include the following:

  • The Thomas and Marla Corts Distinguished Author Series was established. Greg Mortenson was the kickoff author in April 2011 and followed by Wendell Berry in February 2012.
  • An annual homecoming barbecue for alumni was established in 2007 with an Artsy-and-Not-So-Artsy Sale established in 2010.
  • A Dean's Executive Council was established with 25 members who contribute expertise and resources to the school.
  • The Samford Children's Learning Center in the teacher education department celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2008.
  • The Sherman L. Suitts Education Scholarship was established in2010 in memory of Dean's Executive Council Chair Sherman Suitts.
  • The Maurice Persall Graduate Scholarship was established in 2011 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the first graduates of the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership.
  • The Drs. John and Frances Carter Young Authors Conference was endowed in 2008 for elementary students in high poverty areas for the teacher education department.
  • The Community Testing Program for Health and Fitness Assessments was established by the Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition Science.
  • The foods laboratory for nutrition and dietetics majors underwent a major renovation in 2009, and is now equipped with updated facilities and the latest technology in food sciences.
  • The Kinesiology and Nutrition Science Department has exploded in growth. It is home to 9.5% of Samford undergraduates, and students presented more than 50 research projects at state conferences in the last three years. More than 90% of students who apply to graduate or professional school are accepted. 
  • The Kinesiology and Nutrition Science Department sponsors a medical mission trip to the Dominican Republic as an opportunity to combine service with professional education.
  • The Family Studies Department provides an extensive practicum experience at non-profit and government agencies assisting families.  Service to the community is a major emphasis, and students have served at places such as Sayre Revitalization, Inc.,Impact Alabama, Jessie's Place, and the Crisis Center.
  • The Family Studies Department offers a child development education concentration, which prepares students for a career in a child development setting in a preschool.

Jeanie Box, Dean
Orlean Bullard Beeson School of Education and Professional Studies