Published on February 24, 2023 by Frank Ruggiero  
haper simmons
Samford nutrition and dietetics student Harper Simmons

Samford School of Public Health student Harper Simmons is making the grade—and the national news.

Simmons was featured on “Fox & Friends” on Thursday, Feb. 23, after she and friend and alumna Sophia Harris shared social media posts highlighting the student-led prayer and worship gathering at Reid Chapel.

“It was really incredible, getting to share not only my experience, but to also talk about my faith,” said Simmons, who’s pursuing a B.S. in nutrition and dietetics through Samford Public Health’s Department of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Producers contacted Simmons and Harris Wednesday evening and requested that they appear on a segment about the news-making revival at Asbury University in Kentucky.

“I had been wanting to go to Asbury but didn’t have the opportunity since I’m a full-time student,” Simmons explained. “But when I heard something similar was happening here at Samford, I just felt really called.”

As an interim youth minister at Shepherd of the Valley Presbyterian Church in McCalla, Alabama, Simmons said she’s lately been taking leaps of faith by immersing herself in new and different environments. As such, she felt compelled to visit Reid Chapel.

“We went at 5 o’clock on Friday (Feb. 17), expecting to stay just an hour or two after dinner,” she said. “After what felt like a couple of hours, we looked at each other and said we should probably head home. But it was actually 10 o’clock. We’d been there for five hours. Time flew by so quickly. It was such a surreal experience.”

Simmons is a senior at Samford but in the third year of her nutrition and dietetics major. Upon graduation, she’d like to pursue a career in the same field.

“I would love to use my faith to help people become overall healthier,” said Simmons, who's also minoring in strength and conditioning. “I’ve always loved that idea, whether it’s weight loss, people dealing with a certain disease state or just becoming healthier, I’d like to help them achieve their goals.”

The Department of Nutrition and Dietetics is housed within Samford University’s School of Public Health. To learn more, visit here.

 
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.