Published on November 9, 2020  

Within minutes of sending the message, I heard from one of our alums, Keith Kirkland, expressing his deep appreciation for Joel.  I forwarded Keith’s message to Joel, who replied that Keith had played an extraordinary role in his life, serving as his fourth-grade Sunday School teacher and mentor—and his association with Keith influenced Joel’s decision to attend Samford as an undergraduate. 

Keith Kirkland is one of Samford’s most loyal graduates.  Keith and his wife, Sarah, have sent their daughters to Samford, participated in dozens (perhaps hundreds!) of Samford programs over the years and offered tremendous encouragement to many of us on the campus.  Approximately 40 members of Keith’s extended family have attended Samford.     

As Joel said in his message to me last week, “the world is better because of Keith Kirkland.”  I agree!

 
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.