Published on August 28, 2019 by Sarah Cain  
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Samford welcomed the class of 2023 and returning students, faculty and staff with programming filled with traditions and new experiences for Welcome Back Week.

As an annual move-in day tradition approximately 367 Samford students and employees and 90 local community partners helped the freshman class make campus home Aug. 23 by unloading cars, carrying belongings inside, directing traffic and parking cars. The effort was led by the Residence Life staff who issued keys and checked in students and parents. 

“The fact that there are students out here volunteering their time to move people’s heavy things and belongings just to make this process easier says so much about this campus and the community,” freshman Mary Kate McCrudden said.

After a successful move-in, students kicked off Welcome Back Week events at the “Your School, Your City” concert with country artist Hunter Hayes. 

Hunter Hayes concert

Planned by the Samford Student Activities Council, a brand of the Student Government Association, Welcome Back Week offers new and returning students a variety of activities to learn more about campus and the Birmingham community. Programming included a grilled cheese lunch served by University President Andrew Westmoreland and Samford Vice Presidents, trivia night and local church connections and student organizations fair.

To prepare for the opening week of school, Samford also hosted separate retreats for its staff and faculty to reinforce its mission and share opportunities and goals to best serve students for the new year.

 
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.