Published on August 18, 2020  
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Samford has announced its annual Homecoming celebration will occur virtually this fall given the health challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.  For the first time in university history, Homecoming 2020 will be delivered virtually Nov. 12-14 through the event platform Zoom.   

Homecoming 2020 will involve a number of longstanding traditions, including class reunions for the classes of 1970, 1995 and 2010, a Samford Family Movie Night featuring several movie options with special Samford connections, and a virtual celebration for the Alumni of the Year honorees.  

The virtual Homecoming celebration will also offer new features including social media stories spotlighting the 2020 Humanitarians of the Year, Outstanding Young Alumni of the Year and Alumni of the Year, virtual tours of campus, and a chance for alumni to request spirit packs to enjoy the week of Homecoming from their homes. 

A complete schedule of activities will be released by the end of September, and can be found on Samford’s Homecoming website.  Alumni will receive email communication regarding registration pages and virtual events for all Homecoming festivities.  Alumni and friends can also check the Samford University Alumni Association’s social media channels for updates.

Given the challenges associated with COVID-19, the university plans to limit all events on campus throughout the fall semester.  The university previously announced its annual Family Weekend event would also be replaced with virtual activities. The Office of Parent and Family Programs will host virtual “Family Fridays” Sept. 18, Sept. 25, Oct. 2, and Oct. 9. Families will receive an email on the Monday prior to each Family Friday outlining a variety of activities to be experienced either remotely or in person, allowing families to connect with their student and get to know both Samford and Birmingham in new ways.

Samford is committed to assuring these virtual experiences allow parents, alumni, and friends to remain connected with the university despite the challenges of the pandemic. “Although a virtual Homecoming celebration will be new to all of us, Samford is dedicated to providing an experience that will create community and spirit as alumni and friends celebrate this special weekend in a virtual manner,” said Casey Ramey, Director of Alumni Programs.   

 
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.