When Jake Hughes walked the commencement stage in May, he experienced something few graduates have the chance to do. After receiving his diploma, he turned around and watched his younger sister, Karis Hughes, walk the same path to receive her Samford degree. It was never their plan to end up in the same master’s program at the same university, but now, neither can imagine experiencing this moment without the other.

Karis came to Samford first, enrolling in the fast-track Master of Social Work program as an undergraduate student. Ironically, Jake, who is three years older, tried to recruit Karis to attend his alma mater, which is located closer to their home in Malibu, California. But when life led Jake to pivot, realizing he too wanted to pursue a career in social work, he discovered that if he came to Samford, he could complete his Master of Social Work at the same time as Karis.

“She is the reason I’m here,” he admitted. “In thinking through the decision, I wondered if 50 years from now I would regret not taking this chance—to live in a different place and be in class with Karis. The answer felt clear, and here we are.”

Jake and Karis are one of hundreds of sibling sets enrolled together at Samford and while they arrived by different paths and for different reasons, the opportunity
produces a similar result. In a season of life marked by gaining independence and discerning God’s call, the chance to experience college with a sibling is a gift, providing an emotional anchor and a connection to home.

When Laura Brooke Dart decided to continue her studies at Samford as a Doctor of Physical Therapy student, the additional time allowed her to experience Samford with her younger siblings, Luke and Lily Dart. This gave her a front-row seat for watching them grow into young adults.

“It’s been really special to have siblings on campus because college is such a developmental time,” said Laura Brooke. “I know who I am right now as a 23-year-old woman is so different than who I was at 18. I’m just so thankful that as we grow up and we grow into ourselves, we’ve had this extended time together. I think it has brought us even closer, and I am just really grateful for that.” Brothers and sisters have dynamic relationships. They encourage, challenge and shape one another, influencing who they grow up to be.

Madie Byrd wrote about her older sister, Emily Byrd, as a part of her application to Samford. “Going to Samford with my sister—I call it the added bonus because she is my best friend,” Madie said. “And it’s funny because we live such different lives, but at the end of the day, I get to talk to her about anything.”

In her essay, Madie wrote about how Emily, who has cerebral palsy, inspires her. “She reminds me to have joy even in the hardest times. She’s been through a lot, and she still remains so positive.”

Sometimes siblings naturally bring out a sense of competition in each other. Brock and Brady Irwin are twins who spent their childhood trying to one-up each other. “If he hit a home run, I was determined to hit two,” Brady said.

But in coming to college, this sense of competition matured into something new, a drive to push one another to succeed in the areas where no one is keeping score. “Like, there are Sundays when I wake up, and I don’t feel like going to church, but then I see Brock getting ready, and it motivates me to get moving. Without saying any words, his actions push me to be better,” Brady said. “As humans we want the best for ourselves, but, at the same time, if there is one person I want to see succeed too, it would be my brother.”

Chase Mobbs speaks similarly about his younger brother, Cooper Mobbs. “My favorite part about having him here is seeing him find his own interests and excel in
different areas,” he said.

Chase and Cooper grew up in Uganda, and as kids, they didn’t have many friends their own age. “But we had each other. We’ve both had struggles, especially in moving so far from home, but it’s cool to see how that has shaped us. It’s cool
to see both of us thriving in unique ways here,” Chase said.

With the robust opportunities Samford offers, siblings could easily come here and pursue completely different paths. But it’s always interesting to see the ways in which siblings set up their lives more as a Venn diagram instead of two separate circles.

When McRae Acuff moved into the Chi Omega house her sophomore year, she and her sister, LE Acuff, were once again living under the same roof—after sharing a bedroom for most of their lives. But the age difference of two years didn’t feel as wide as it once did. “For us, the difference between a 19-year-old and a 17-year-old felt really big,” LE said. “But now, as we progress through college together, we’re in the same stage of life. It’s definitely brought us closer.”

A love for tennis has always connected Sara and Lea Erenda, and as members of Samford’s women’s tennis team, they are sisters in life and doubles partners on the court.

“When we started practice, our coach tried out different doubles pairings and wanted to see how Lea and I would do. We played really well as a team, but more importantly, we genuinely enjoyed being on the court together. That connection helped us get some great results throughout the season,” Sara said.

For both sisters, the opportunity to play side by side is a source of great joy. “I love having Sara on the team because there is always someone who knows you better than anyone else, truly wants the best for you, and always has your back,” Lea said.

In a season of life marked by new relationships, being fully known by a sibling is deeply meaningful. Sydni and Skyla Cooley entered Cumberland School of Law together, and their close bond is easily detected in the way they complete each other’s sentences. When asked if there was a specific moment in law school when they thought, I’m glad my sister is here, they replied in unison, “Every single day.”

Law school is challenging on its own, but when their father unexpectedly died in their first year, their graduate school experience became one defined by grief. “Having my sister here, I’m able to endure differently,” Sydni said. “We have a close relationship with built-in support. I couldn’t have made it through the last three years without her.”