Published on October 15, 2014 by Hannah Henderson  

Samford University alumna Frances R. Finney has been named a 2014 National Distinguished Principal by the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP).

Finney, a 2008 Samford education graduate, is principal of Gresham Elementary School in Birmingham, Ala. and will be recognized with 61 other honorees across the nation and abroad Oct. 17 in Washington, D.C.

Established in 1984, the program recognizes public and private school principals who make superior contributions to their schools and communities. The distinguished principals are selected by NAESP state affiliates, including the District of Columbia, and by committees representing private and overseas schools.

To learn more about the award, click here.

 
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. The Wall Street Journal ranks Samford 1st nationally for student engagement and U.S. News & World Report ranks Samford 66th in the nation for best undergraduate teaching and 104th nationally for best value. Samford enrolls 5,683 students from 47 states and 19 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.