Published on December 14, 2015  

As I left my office in Samford Hall on Saturday morning to walk to the Hanna Center for our December commencement ceremony, I noticed seven or eight people gathered near the Christmas tree on Centennial Walk, one of them in cap and gown.  I assumed that they were trying to get ahead of the rush on a busy day in what has become the iconic Samford location for photographs.  A few seconds later, I looked again.  They had formed a circle and their heads were bowed in prayer.  My heart was gripped as I was reminded of the sacrifices that families have made, the prayers offered, the joys shared, the adversities overcome, the lessons learned, the friendships built, the knowledge gained, the wisdom pursued, the doors opened . . . all within the pathway of a Samford degree.     

The world is better because of the heartfelt prayers of Samford people.

 
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.