Published on December 18, 2017 at 12 p.m. by Ashley Smith  
Clarence Brooks

The School of the Arts Executive Council is now the School of the Arts Advisory Board with new leadership under Clarence Brooks, a long-time member of the council.  Malcolm Miller is the outgoing president. An initial Music Scholarship Endowment Committee was established to develop music scholarship opportunities under former School of the Arts dean, Dr. Milburn Price and then the Executive Council was initiated 11 years ago when Joe Hopkins joined the School of the Arts. 

Clarence Brooks is a Samford alumnus and enjoyed a long career in interior design.   According to Hopkins, “I can safely say for all of us that we are delighted to have Clarence in this key leadership position.  He is a well-loved artist who has introduced countless friends to Samford Arts, and he has been a faithful supporter and encourager for our faculty and students for decades.” His long-term relationship with Samford includes being one of the original instructors of Samford After Sundown which now operates as the Academy of the Arts, offering classes in art, music, cooking and more.

This volunteer board donates their time and service to support School of the Arts programs and nurture students from the beginning of their Samford Arts experience.  According to Brooks, “We are here to encourage our students.”  This role starts before students arrive on campus as each board member writes a personal note or makes a phone call to incoming students welcoming them to Samford, leaving a lasting impression of community.

The Advisory Board is now comprised of 36 members of which 11 are new additions.  Along with younger alumni, several former faculty members now serve as members, Dr. Milburn Price, Dr. Lowell Vann, Harold Hunt and Dr. Bill Bugg.  The Advisory Board assists with fund-raising, community engagement, and student mentorship. 

Recent board business includes the establishment of the Arts Heritage Scholarship that will make a Samford Arts education available to students with critical financial needs.  The board voted to provide a $10,000 seed gift in order to assist in reaching the $25,000 goal. 

For more information on the Advisory Board or to give to the School of the Arts, contact Julie Boyd, Advancement Officer, jboyd10@samford.edu.

 

 

 
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.