The BelltowerThe Belltower Samford UniversitySamford University

September 12, 2008

Busy Fall Events Schedule Features Sports, Speakers, Arts, Travel, Family Events

Samford’s fall schedule is packed with events for alumni, parents, students and other friends of the university. Join us for these wonderful opportunities and keep in touch with Samford for life!

Tailgating

Fall events began Aug. 28 with a tailgate party prior to Samford’s first football game. Samford will welcome tailgaters to campus throughout the fall by hosting activities around Talbird Circle, just above Seibert Stadium. Alumni, students, parents and other fans are invited to tailgate beginning two hours before each game, and not just at home games. “I am really excited about the tailgate party at Ole Miss,” said Vicki Simmons, a Samford parent from Memphis. “This will be great fun.” Approximately 200 Samford fans are expectedto turn out in Oxford, Mississippi, on Saturday, Sept. 13 as the Bulldogs battle the Rebels (kickoff at 6 p.m.).

Celebration of Retired Faculty

Samford will host a dinner honoring retired professors Sigurd Bryan, Ruric Wheeler, and Hugh Bailey at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 19.  This will be the third annual event, which was created by alumni independent of Samford and until this year was held at local churches.  This year alumni Wayne Flynt and Jimmy Harper called on Director of Alumni and Parents Programs David Goodwin and University Relations Event Specialist Emily Sparks for help in hosting the dinner on campus. Tickets are $15 per person. Contact Emily Sparks at ewsparks@samford.edu

Columnist Eugene Robinson

On Sept. 25 Samford will host the Robinson-Davis Lecture honoring Rod Davis, alumnus and former dean of Howard College of Arts & Sciences. This year’s guest speaker will be Eugene Robinson, celebrated columnist for the Washington Post. The lecture, free of charge and open to the public, will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Wright Center Concert Hall.

Carnegie Hall Trip

Oct. 1-4 brings a great chance to travel with alumni and friends to a very special event in New York City. On Thursday, Oct. 2nd, School of the Arts faculty Bill Bugg and Katherine Fouse will perform at the world-renowned Carnegie Hall. A reception will follow.  For reservations and more information, contact: ewsparks@samford.edu

Family Weekend

Family Weekend 2008 will be a fantastic opportunity for parents to visit campus and get to know faculty and their students’ new friends. Register early for all the great weekend events, including a football battle between our Bulldogs and the three-time defending National Champion Appalachian State Mountaineers. Samford’s Brock School of Business will host a breakfast reception for Brock School students and their parents.

Parents can register for Family Weekend at www.samfordtickets.com

Soccer Alumni

Alumni of the Samford Women’s Soccer team and their families are invited to a tailgate party reunion on Friday, Oct. 17..  Join us as we reconnect with team members, recall past successes and celebrate the current team’s debut in the Southern Conference. Make your reservations here: https://secure.samford.edu/php-bin/eve/index.php

Homecoming

Homecoming 2008, October 24-26, will be the premiere alumni event of the season, with activities for Samford friends of all ages. We’ll get off to a great start on Friday night with volleyball, the traditional bonfire and fireworks. Saturday will feature the annual Live @ the Library event with distinguished historian Wayne Flynt and singer/songwriter Kate Campbell in a unique co-presentation, the Homecoming parade and the opportunity to re-connect with friends during reunions all over campus. The Bulldogs will take on The Citadel starting at 2 p.m.
On Sunday we will help the class of 1983 celebrate its 25th anniversary and current faculty member Jim Barnette will lead the Homecoming Worship service at 10:30 a.m.. Sunday night at 6 p.m. we’ll here more from Kate Campbell, herself a silver anniversary alumna. Her concert in Brock Recital Hall will include songs from her new album, “Save the Day,” to be released October 14th. Follow this link to learn more about Campbell www.KateCampbell.com.

Special events throughout the weekend will celebrate the rich history of Samford’s School of the Arts, and former Dean Gene Black will be honored on Friday night.  www.samfordhomecoming.com

Individual Samford schools will host advisory board meetings throughout the weekend.

Vote For Samford

October 27-­31 will be “Vote for Samford” week, an effort to remind students, alumni and parents of the importance of supporting Samford financially. “All gifts are of importance,” said Director of Annual Giving Sheri Ransome. “If a majority of our constituents banded together to support the Samford experience, the world would truly be better for it.”  Ransome and Assistant Director of Annual Giving Meredith Haughton lead Samford’s annual giving efforts, including Phonathon, which began Sept. 8.  Learn more by visiting www.samford.edu/giving

Celebrating the Christmas Season

Samford’s annual Hanging of the Green service and Lighting of the Way are scheduled for Dec. 4. These beautiful traditions are a great way for alumni, students and employees to celebrate the beginning of the Christmas season. The Parents Association and University Ministries will honor the group of seniors selected to serve as celebrants in the Hanging of the Green service. 

These are just a few of the many special events Samford will host in coming months. Read The Belltower each week for more information about these and other events and visit www.samford.edu for complete calendars and Samford news.