Published on October 15, 2025 by Joelle Youngblood  
Cherith Fluker

When Cherith Fluker, EdD ’18, set out to write Secret Birmingham, she wanted to uncover lesser-known stories of her city. Released in August, the book highlights 84 distinctive sites in Birmingham, Alabama, weaving together history, culture and community. Among those featured is Samford University’s Boyd E. Christenberry Planetarium, placing the university at the heart of Birmingham’s story.

Fluker, a Talladega, Alabama, native who earned her Instructional Leadership Certification from Samford in 2016, spent her career as an educator and administrator before transitioning into her current role at HMH, an adaptive learning company that provides integrated K-12 solutions. Yet her love for storytelling and place-based research has always been present.

“I was out there telling the stories of other places on my blog but knew there was a need for more of Birmingham’s story,” Fluker said. “There are so many things that people see in Birmingham and don’t know the ‘why’ behind those things.”

Fluker devoted nearly a year to researching, photographing and writing the book, spending hours in libraries, visiting historic sites and speaking with community members to ensure authenticity. She estimates she could have included more than 200 places but narrowed it down to 84 that best captured Birmingham’s unique identity.

Samford’s Christenberry Planetarium was a natural fit for the book. Fluker emphasizes its role in both education and inspiration. “Its cutting-edge technology brings the universe to life and invites visitors to explore the mysteries of space in an interactive and educational way.” She highlights that the planetarium is the largest of any Alabama teaching institution, underscoring Samford’s commitment to excellence in student learning.

This feature aligns with Samford’s recent recognition by The Wall Street Journal as #7 in the nation for student learning opportunities, reinforcing the university’s reputation for academic innovation. “The Christenberry Planetarium is also a key component of Samford’s commitment to integrating the sciences with other fields of study, particularly in encouraging young people to pursue careers in STEM,” Fluker writes in Secret Birmingham.

Fluker credits her time at Samford’s Orlean Beeson School of Education for shaping her career and her approach to learning.

“The EdD program required work ethic and had expectations, but that was happening alongside a nurturing experience,” she said. “I tell people that Samford’s School of Education is a great place to get a graduate degree because of the healthy balance of nurturing and expectation of excellence.”

Her doctoral cohort connections continue to impact her career today, opening doors for speaking engagements and professional opportunities—even as she promotes her book.

GIVE: Support the Boyd E. Christenberry Planetarium at Samford University.

 
Located in the Homewood suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, 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 enrolls 6,324 students from 44 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 is widely recognized as having one of the most beautiful campuses in America, featuring rolling hills, meticulously maintained grounds and Georgian-Colonial architecture. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks with the second-highest score in the nation for its 98% Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.