Published on March 17, 2026 at 3 p.m.  

Vibrant crepe myrtles, 60-foot oak trees and striking Georgian-Colonial architecture highlight Samford University, which U.S. News & World Report selected among its 35 Most Beautiful College Campuses in the nation.

Founded in 1841, Samford features sparkling fountains, walking trails and ponds that adorn an idyllic 247-acre campus nestled between mountain ridges. Overlooking the quad is the Harwell Goodwin Davis Library and its iconic bell tower, featuring bronze carillons that chime on the quarter-hour.

“Prospective students and their families marvel at the unforgettable first impression Samford’s campus delivers,” said university President Beck A. Taylor. “Our graduates leave with memories of inviting spaces and thoughtfully designed buildings that foster creativity and a sense of belonging. The stewardship of our campus is one of the blessings that supports a 17-year trajectory of record enrollment, matched by all-time highs in student retention.”

Samford was the lone university in Alabama selected to the national list of most beautiful campuses.

U.S. News & World Report referenced the Reconciliation Memorial’s stainless-steel obelisk, the terraced Gertha Earwood Bolding Memorial Rose Garden, and the panoramic view from atop the tech-intensive Brock School of Business.

The Georgian-Colonial architecture brings timeless and unifying elegance, down to the specialized “Samford blend” brick that has been used across eight decades since the campus moved to the Homewood suburb of Birmingham.

The College of Health Sciences provides a dash of contemporary contrast: a waterfall feeding a stream that trickles through a dramatic five-story glass atrium overlooking a wooded ravine.

A dedicated university endowment assures landscaping and natural beauty are preserved for future generations.

 
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. Ranked among U.S. News & World Report’s 35 Most Beautiful College Campuses, Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and boasts one of the highest scores in the nation for its 97% Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.