Heather West, director of our Critical Languages Program, was named a Knight of the Order of Academic Palms by the government of France in recognition of her record of service to French education. She founded the Samford in France program in 1996 and is currently serving as the executive director of the Alabama World Languages Association.
Elmer Harris, a Samford trustee and former President and CEO of Alabama Power, was recognized by the government of Japan with the presentation of the Order of the Rising Sun. Mr. Harris served for a decade as Honorary Consul General of Japan, promoting closer ties between Alabama and Japan.
The world is better because of the international engagement of Samford’s faculty, students, alumni, and friends.