Samford Office of Parent & Family Engagement invites Birmingham-area families to extend hospitality to college students during a pivotal season of life.  By opening your home, you offer more than a meal – you offer presence, encouragement, and a place of belonging.

My SamFams are not expected to replace parents or take on formal responsibilities.  Instead, they provide a welcoming environment where relationships form naturally through shared life.

What Hosting Looks Like

• Welcoming students into your home occasionally throughout the year with primary emphasis on holidays when they are unable to travel home to be with their families.
• Sharing meals, conversation, and everyday moments when they are in your home or an experiential setting
• Offering encouragement, care, and a listening ear
• Participating in a mutually enriching relationship

Important Dates

• April 15 – My SamFam enrollment begins! Parents of current undergrad students are given early access to complete an application and sign a My SamFam Host Family Covenant. Background checks are required for any adults living in the home. The cost is $65 per person, and the application is processed through Samford Global.
• April 30 – My SamFam enrollment opens to Samford staff/faculty, local Samford alumni families, and Parents of alumni. Background checks are processed through Human Resources.
• May 29, at 5 p.m. – Host family applications, signed covenants, and background check applications, along with payment, are due.
• June 5 - Families are notified on their My SamFam approval status.
• June 13, at 9 a.m. – Host families attend a required 2-hour My SamFam training at Samford Regions Room in Brock School of Business. (Fourth Floor). Continental breakfast will be provided by Parents Association.
• June 30 - Family profiles are created and posted for participating Samford students to select their My SamFam.
• July 1 – Students have access to family profiles to select a My SamFam.
• September – Date TBD for a Meet ‘n Greet with students and SamFams.

My SamFam Host Family Application My SamFam Host Family Covenant

What is My SamFam?

My SamFam connects students with families who open their homes to offer a place of welcome, rest, and relationship during the academic year. 

Whether it’s a shared meal, a holiday gathering, or a quiet place to recharge, host families provide a “home away from campus” where students can build meaningful connections beyond the university setting. 

Why Participate?

• Experience a sense of belonging beyond campus
• Build relationships with families who care about your journey
• Enjoy home-cooked meals, conversation, and community
• Choose a SamFam that fits your personality and interests

How it Works

Relationships grow organically throughout the year through shared time and mutual connection.  Here is the step by step:

• Beginning July 1, students can access the My SamFam link to complete a student profile and sign the My SamFam Student Covenant.
• Once you submit your information, you’ll be able to access Samford family profiles and select the home that feels like the best fit.
• Your SamFam will contact you to arrange your first visit or you will meet your SamFam at a gathering for My SamFams and students in early September – Date TBD.

My SamFam Student Covenant

Many students – especially those far from home- benefit deeply from intergenerational relationships and consistent community. With over 1,100 undergraduates coming to Samford from homes over 400 miles away, My SamFam hospitality helps establish ties that can last well beyond the college years.

Samford is exceptional in that our university has a 92% retention rate. Establishing My SamFam will offer a unique support system for the 8% and for students who may struggle finding their place to belong.