Q: How do you think the 23/24 academic year went overall?
A: “I think it’s been a great year for Samford, so many wonderful things to celebrate: Students’ success and achievement, our faculty have continued to distinguish themselves, as a community, we have experienced new things this year that have grown us in positive ways. All in all, I have been impressed by this year.”
Q: What were some of the highlights of the year?
A: “Our students continue to distinguish themselves, [like] our debate team at the undergraduate level. Many of our competitive teams at the law school have done quite well this year.
Of course it’s been a fun year athletically; all of our athletic teams have done well this year, but our men’s basketball team had a historic run and made it to the NCAA tournament for the first time in 24 years.
Getting some of these building projects started has been exciting to see. We know they’re desperately needed; students know that to be a great residential college, we’ve got to be able to house people and park. So, seeing these projects coming out of the ground has been really exciting.”
Q: What are your thoughts on the COVID class graduating this fall?
A: “I am very aware of the path that our graduates have traveled, which would include starting college in the middle of a pandemic and having a first-year experience at Samford that was not typical. But also concluding your high school career in a very unsettling way and not really being celebrated the way you probably deserved to be when you completed high school.
So, I have told people we are going to really celebrate this year, we are really going to pull out all the stops. We are really going to acknowledge this graduating class of seniors as being particularly noteworthy of praise, because they had to persevere so much, and that I’m proud of them, and that we’re proud of them as an institution.”
Q: Can you talk about Birmingham Southern and the students transferring?
A: “We’re very sad to hear of Birmingham Southern’s closure. That is an institution with a long and rich history in our community and 10s of thousands of people have been impacted possibly by that school. We’re also working and doing some extraordinary things to help Birmingham Southern students as best we can. We know that in a very short amount of time, those students have to make decisions. We’ve tried to be very accommodating, not all Birmingham Southern students are going to choose to transfer to Samford, but many of them will. We’ve already received well over 150 applications from students.”
Q: What are some of the goals for this coming school year?
A: “One the other things I’m really looking forward to is that I will be welcoming a new Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. David Cimbora will be joining us July 1. He will replace Dr. Hardin. The provost is a very important person on a college campus, they are the head of the academic program.”
Q: What would you like to say to the students who are graduating in two weeks?
A: “I’m so proud of all of our graduates, undergrad and graduate. But I am particularly proud of our graduating seniors. They did not have a typical Samford experience and yet they trusted the institution during a very difficult time. They were patient and grace filled as we really struggled to balance the public health.
When things kind of got back to normal, these students also took in the opportunity that was given to them. They had to fit about four years of undergraduate education into about two and a half years. I’m just so grateful for each one. I’m so proud of them. Samford is a better place because those students were here. I’m excited to see what the Lord will do in their lives as they leave this place.”
Q: What would you like to say to the students returning in the fall?
A: “Get ready for a great year! There’s no reason why next academic year can’t be the best in our history. And that’s the way I approach every new academic year. I can’t wait to welcome our new students. I can’t wait to see how God will continue to bless us next year.”
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