Published on August 18, 2021 by Sean Flynt  
Walters Wesley

Samford University biology alumnus Wesley Walters ’18 and artist Abby Little Jessup have published an illustrated book–The Virus That Came to Town– to help young readers understand COVID-19 and how they can help limit its spread.

Walters, currently a student in the Medical College of Georgia, said the book offers hope for containing the current virus and preparation for future pandemics. Written during a year marked by social injustice and unrest, the book also offers a message of equality by featuring a multiracial family and neighborhood, and an African American woman as a doctor who offers the lifesaving lessons.

Walters said he hopes the book, stickers and free coloring pages offered through the book’s website will help the U.S. “lead the world in public health preparedness.”  

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 5,791 students from 49 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.