Skip to Article
Samford University Logo
  • Menu IconMenu
    • Home
    • About
      • Administration
        • Academic Affairs
        • Advancement
        • Business & Financial Affairs
        • Marketing & Communication
        • President's Office
        • Student Affairs & Enrollment
        • Trustees & Overseers
      • By the Numbers
      • Campus & Community
      • Departments
      • Life at Samford
      • Maps & Directions
      • Mission, Vision & Values
    • Academics
      • Undergraduate Programs
        • General Education
          • Cultural Perspectives
          • Communication Arts
          • Biblical Foundations
          • Concepts of Fitness & Health
        • Majors
        • Minors
        • Air Force ROTC
        • Honors Programs
        • Scholars Programs
        • Special Programs
      • Graduate Programs
      • Continuing Education
      • Non-Degree Programs
      • Online Programs
      • Study Abroad
      • Academic Centers
      • Scholarship & Research
      • Schools
      • University Library
    • Admission
      • Undergraduate
        • Apply
        • Contact Us
        • Visit Campus
        • International Students
        • Transfer Students
        • Financial Aid
          • Payment Plans
          • Student Loans
          • Student Employment
        • Scholarships
        • Tuition & Fees
        • High School Counselors
        • Refer a Student
        • Orientation
      • Graduate
        • Financial Aid
        • Payment Plans
        • Student Employment
        • Student Loans
        • Tuition & Fees
      • Legal Disclosures
    • Athletics
    • Events
    • Giving
      • Giving Opportunities
      • Giving Societies
      • Matching Gifts
    • News & Media
      • Media Experts
      • News Releases
      • Publications
      • Videos
    • Samford Communities
      • Alumni
      • Employees
      • Faculty
      • Parents
      • Students
      • Volunteers
    • Search
  • Search Icon
  • Social Media Icon
    • Twitter Icon Facebook Icon Instagram Icon LinkedIn Icon YouTube Icon TikTok Icon Spotify Icon

Office of the President

Samford's president shares his vision and stories of Samford's impact on the world.
Beck A. Taylor
 
Office of the President
Beck A. Taylor, Samford’s 19th president, shares his vision and stories of Samford’s impact on the world.
Video Play Button
 
Words cannot express the excitement that Julie, Chloe and I share as we rejoin this amazing community of learning and faith.

My family and I thank you for the hundreds of emails, cards and phone calls welcoming us back to Birmingham, and for your sustaining prayers as we said our goodbyes to a community we love in Spokane and traveled 2,250 miles to our new home here.

Full Statement

Greetings, Samford. My name is Beck Taylor, and it is a joy to speak with you today – my first day as Samford University’s 19th president.

Words cannot express the excitement that Julie, Chloe and I share as we rejoin this amazing community of learning and faith. My family and I thank you for the hundreds of emails, cards and phone calls welcoming us back to Birmingham, and for your sustaining prayers as we said our goodbyes to a community we love in Spokane and traveled 2,250 miles to our new home here.

I also want to express our profound thanks to Andy and Jeanna Westmoreland. Our longtime friends have been so gracious and loving to us these past several months, and we are privileged to follow in their footsteps as we lead this place they love so dearly. During my time as president, I will continually remind all of us of their enormous contributions.

As I begin my tenure today, I want us to think about two words – continuity and change. Continuity and change are words every new leader considers as they begin a new calling. And they are words we should consider together as I begin my service as president.

Of course, at a place like Samford – a university that has stood firm in its calling as a Christ-centered institution of higher learning for 180 years – there are immutable and durable aspects of our work together that persist and continue no matter the season. These include an emphasis on the Lordship of Jesus Christ, an insatiable appetite for academic and co-curricular excellence, a primary focus on the moral and professional development of our students, an investment in the professional and vocational well-being of our employees, and a fierce dedication to ensuring that all of Samford’s citizens are treated with love, dignity, and respect. During my time as president, these institutional virtues and commitments will continue to animate our work and life together.

Even as we remain vigilant to uphold the university’s timeless values, we also acknowledge that we prepare our students to engage with an ever-changing world, one that continually asks new things of them personally and professionally. It is our job, then, to continuously reinvent the university – sometimes in small ways and occasionally on a larger scale – to remain relevant and to serve our students and communities well. Samford has shown an ability to innovate and change to meet these evolving needs, and together, we will continue to look for ways to add value to our students’ educational experiences.

Since Samford’s founding, the university has deftly balanced continuity and change. As I begin a new season of presidential leadership today, I want you to know how confident I am in you, in this community – students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends. I look forward to rolling up my sleeves, to coming alongside each of you, as we help Samford discover and live into the best version of itself imaginable. I cannot think of a university better positioned to succeed. And when we do, we’ll give God all of the thanks and glory.

Samford, it’s time to go to work. Samford’s best days are ahead.

May God in Christ continue to bless you and this place we love. I hope to see you soon. Enjoy the rest of your summer.

Aerial University Quad at Sunset
Campus Messages
Taylor Podium SD0321557
News
armillary sphere
Videos
Beck A Taylor Quad
President Taylor
Westmoreland Quad
President Emeritus
samford seal pendulum
Staff
    Administration
    Academic Affairs
    Advancement
    Business & Financial Affairs
    Marketing & Communication
    Office of the President
    Student Affairs & Enrollment
    Connect with Us
    Digital Publications
    E-Newsletters
    News Feeds
    Social Media
    YouTube
    Employees
    Accounting
    Benefits
    Employment
    Faculty Resources
    Holidays
    Human Resources
    Insurance
    Manager Resources
    Payroll
    Purchasing
    Retirement
    Risk Management
    Training
    Quick Links
    Bookstore
    Bulldog Bucks
    Caf Menu
    Campus Map
    Canvas Login
    Diversity & Intercultural Initiatives
    Form Central
    Library
    Nondiscrimination Statement
    Portal Login
    Registrar
    Title IX Reporting
    Video Livestream
    Services
    Career Development
    Counseling
    Disability Resources
    Event Planning
    Facilities
    Student Financial Services
    Health Services
    Post Office
    Printing
    Public Safety
    Technology Services
    Transportation
     
    Samford University,
    800 Lakeshore Drive,
    Birmingham, AL 35229
          
    205-726-2011

    Cookie Preferences | Privacy Policy | Software Plugins

    Microsoft Excel®

    You will need Microsoft Excel® or compatible software like Open Office to read XLS, XLT, XLSX or XLTX files.

    Microsoft Power Point®

    You will need Microsoft Power Point® or compatible software like Open Office to read POT, POTX, PPS, PPSX, PPT or PPTX files.

    Microsoft Word®

    You will need Microsoft Word® or compatible software like Open Office to read DOC, DOT, DOCX or DOTX files.

    Adobe Portable Document Format

    You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader® or compatible software like SumatraPDF to read PDF files.

    We use cookies to improve our site, personalize content and serve more relevant advertising on other platforms. View our privacy policy.  
    AcceptPreferences

    Privacy Preferences [policy]
    Accept Required Cookies
    Analytics cookies do not personally identify you and cannot be turned off. They provide vital information for troubleshooting problems and improving the visitor experience. Use your browser's incognito or private browsing mode to avoid participating.
    Select Optional Cookies
    to see more relevant ads on third-party sites when using this device.
    to see more relevant content on this site when using this device.

    SaveClose