Our friend, Timothy Banks, wrote to me a few days ago:

Illene Hampton does so much more than serve my daily coffee!  Though she and others at O'Henry's in the food court know me at sight, and have that medium cup of dark roast coffee (black) ready at the counter before I actually get there in the line, that's just my personal joy--the one place in the world that I can answer "yes" when they ask "Your regular?"  Illene is really on a mission, I think; her smile and caring Christ-like manner came across recently as we hosted hundreds of All-State Choir Festival singers, teachers, parents, relatives, friends, bus drivers ... wow, what a list!  And d'you know what she said to me after the festival?  "Those folks were so nice; it was great to have them here."  Another wow ... I can't express how grateful I am for the loving, truly Christian example of service and hospitality shown by Illene and the scores of other staffers that helped us share our home ... our Samford ... with these important guests.  Allow me to paraphrase: "If you are to receive a smile, you must be willing to give it away."   I think that's part of Illene's mission.

The world is better because Illene Hampton and her colleagues share hope with others.

 
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.