John Howard statue closeup
1841
Incorporation

The Alabama Baptist State Convention established a college for men, naming it Howard College in honor of John Howard, an 18th-century English social reformer.

East Lake Campus
1887
Move to East Lake

In a controversial decision spurred by racial, economic and rural/urban tensions, Howard College relocated from Marion to East Lake, starting the year with 83 students.

Anna Judge
1896
Coeducation

Anna Judge became Howard's first female graduate. Coeducation was thereafter suspended for "lack of proper facilities." Five other women were admitted between the years of 1895-1896.

Accreditation Article
1920
Accreditation

The school gained membership in and accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Homewood Campus
1957
Move to Homewood

The campus relocated from the aging East Lake campus to Homewood. Construction of the Georgian-Colonial buildings began in 1953, with the first building dedicated in 1955.

Cumberland Law School
1961
Law School

Samford acquired the historic Cumberland School of Law, established in 1847 in Lebanon, Tennessee.

Name change to Samford
1965
Name Change

Howard College attained university status and renamed itself in honor of insurance executive and longtime trustee Frank Park Samford Sr. Howard College of Arts and Sciences retained the original name.

Elizabeth Sloan Ragland
1967
Integration

Audrey Gaston became the first full-time African-American student, enrolling in Cumberland School of Law and graduating in 1970. In 1969, Elizabeth Sloan became the first African-American female to live on campus. She moved into Vail Hall and graduated in 1973.

International Students
1984
International Study Programs Expand

The university purchased the London Study Centre, located in the heart of London and later renamed it the Daniel House in honor of the Daniel family.

U.S. News & World Report Ranking
1990
Top 10 in Academics

Samford attained ranking in the top 10 in its category by U.S. News & World Report. Samford is recognized as a top-ranked university in Alabama in rankings published by Forbes Inc., The Economist and The Wall Street Journal.

SoCon
2008
Move to SoCon

Samford began competing in the storied NCAA Division I Southern Conference where it has accumulated more than 75 conference championships and has seen many athletes drafted into professional sports.

CHS Angel
2013
College of Health Sciences

Samford announced the formation of the College of Health Sciences, incorporating the historic Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing and McWhorter School of Pharmacy with new Schools of Health Professions and Public Health. In 2016 the college moved into renovated facilities in the former Southern Progress Corporation headquarters purchased in 2014.

Student Commons Render
2022
Strategic Plan

University trustees adopted a comprehensive strategic plan, Fidelitas: Faith and Future, that will provide for the physical and academic needs of the university for decades to come.