With a mission to nurture people in their development of intellect, creativity, faith and personhood, the University leads to overall development of students academically, socially and spiritually. Samford is committed to fostering academic, career and ethical competency while encouraging social and civic responsibi9lity and service to others.
Creating Students to be the Global Change-Makers
With a 247-acre campus, nationally recognized for its distinctive Georgian-Colonial architecture and beautiful landscaping, Samford University is a premier nationally ranked private university deeply rooted in its Christian mission. Founded in 1841, Samford University stands as the 87th oldest institution of higher education in the United States and records an annual enrollment of 5,509, students representing 45 states, the District of Columbia and 29 other countries. Samford University is regularly recognized as one of the top national Christian universities in the country. It also is recognized for affordability and value, and is the top-ranked university in Alabama in rankings published by U.S. News & World Report, Forbes Inc., The Economist, and The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education.
The university offers a wide curriculum structure with 30 undergraduate and graduate/professional degrees in various fields including arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, law, health – health professions, public health, pharmacy, nursing – in a teacher-student ratio of 1:12.
The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission and its professional schools and programs are accredited by numerous appropriate professional organizations or accrediting agencies including American Bar Association (ABA), Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE), Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA), National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), and National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST).
Offers Extraordinary Career Counseling and Job Placement to Students
Samford maintains a very good career placement reputation by consistently helping an average of 95 percent or more in choosing careers, placing them in internships and in continuation of their education within six months of their graduation. The Career Development Center of the university offers individual career counselling to all its students. Even the ones taking online classes are provided with the opportunity to meet with a career counselor to discuss their interests, career aspirations and meet their goals.
Student’s Role Model and An Inspiration to All
Dr. Andrew Westmoreland, Samford’s 18th President, has led the university to embrace a vision to enrich and expand its services to students and further inspire desires to meet the needs of the world. Under his able leadership, the university has experienced its most significant growth—numerically, academically, physically and financially. Dr. Westmoreland’s guidance has led the university to launch its most ambitious master plan in more than 60 years that is being supported by a multi year, $300 million fundraising campaign. In the boldest effort in the university history, President Westmoreland helped the university to raise $200 million by 2014, advancing the mission of Christ-centered higher education among the nation’s most respected universities.
Before serving Samford as the President, Dr. Westmoreland served as the President of Ouachita Baptist University for eight years and was Vice President for Development and Executive Vice President in various capacities.
Cocurricular Activities Play an Integral Part of the Samford Education Experience
Samford maintains a healthy student culture at the campus, offering students to enjoy life along with academic, social and spiritual fulfillment. The institute offers more than 114 student organizations including honor societies, social justice, missions and spiritual formation, club sports teams and other special interest groups. Samford encourages students to host talent shows and eventful festival ceremonies to help students take part in a plethora of cultural and global events throughout the year.
The university partners with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, OperaBirmingham, Birmingham Chamber Music Society and Alabama Ballet. Samford encourages its students to participate in a wide variety of intramural sports and prominently participates in 17 NCAA Division I sports teams in the historic Southern Conference.
Samford University has more than 50,000 alumni around the world, including on all seven continents and some of the most prominent ones are Tony Hale (Distinguished actor with Emmy Awards and the author of a best-seller), Marvin Mann (Founder of Lexmark International Corp. and provided the lead gift for the university’s Frances Marlin Marvin Mann Center for Ethics and Leadership) and Cordell Hull (A Nobel Prize Recipient, Secretary of State under President Franklin D. Roosevelt and widely considered as the “Father of the United Nations”).
Nothing Can Stand between a Student and His/Her Career Goals, Not Even Financial Problems
Samford offers scholarships to student leaders who excel academically and think creatively about how to make the world a better place. Many academic departments and programs of the university offer scholarships as well, based on specific talent and interests. It is observed that about 90 percent of the Samford students receive some form of financial aid, ranging from academic scholarships to federal loan programs.
