Published on May 13, 2020  
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While Samford plans to honor the class of May 2020 with in-person commencement ceremonies August 13-15, the university is celebrating its spring graduates in unique ways.

The university released a tribute video sharing the memories of the 1,315 graduates and traditional commencement remarks offered by University President Andrew Westmoreland to every graduating class during his tenure as president.

“May you remember that on a hillside in Alabama there are people, years from now, who will recall your name with the proud memory, 'That was my student,’” Westmoreland said in his address. “This campus will always be your home. Class of 2020, you are in our hearts forever.”

May graduates had their degrees conferred as scheduled and diplomas will be mailed. In addition to the tribute video, Westmoreland also offered a video of the statement for conferring degrees at the request of many students hosting intimate backyard commencement ceremonies with their families.

The two videos are among the many ways the university has remotely recognized its students after COVID-19 required the spring semester to move online. Schools across campus held virtual awards ceremonies and created videos sharing words of encouragement and well wishes to students from faculty and staff. 

Leading up to the final days of the semester, many graduates took to social media to voice appreciation for their time at Samford. The Ida Moffett School of Nursing Bachelor of Science in Nursing class of 2020  provided the faculty with a video of personalized messages thanking them for their dedication to teaching and the field of nursing. Senior international relations major Megan Rose Byers shared a message on LinkedIn thanking Samford mentors.

“This is an opportunity to first thank Samford. Samford grew my interpersonal skills, my curiosity for the world, and allowed me to gain valuable knowledge in multiple areas of study,” Byers wrote. 

Specific details regarding the times and locations for August commencement ceremonies will be announced at a later date.

Watch messages from faculty and staff to May 2020 Graduates

 
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 6,101 students from 45 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.