About Us

Orlean Beeson School of Education enriches the community and empowers its students to educate, lead and serve.

Beeson in front of the School of Education

Orlean Beeson School of Education was founded in 1915.

In 1978, Mr. Ralph Beeson and Mrs. Orlean Bullard Beeson made one of many transformational gifts to Samford, naming the school of education in honor of Mrs. Beeson, which underscores the tremendous legacy she provides for our students, faculty, staff and alumni. Today, we continue to enrich the community and produce graduates who demonstrate commitment to the profession, high moral character and leadership abilities. Our school is committed to preparing graduates who are empowered to educate, lead and serve.

Our Core Values

Grounded in a Christ-centered commitment to character and service, Orlean Beeson School of Education is guided by core values that shape how we teach, lead and serve others.

Integrity

Being authentic; consistently living out core values in all situations; acting in ways that demonstrate belief in the importance of being honest and behaving ethically

Respect

Being respectful; acting in ways that demonstrate the belief that all people have worth and should be treated with dignity; demonstrating love and compassion for all people; acting in ways that demonstrate the belief that all people can contribute, and that collaboration and teamwork are desirable

Responsibility

Being responsible; acting in ways that demonstrate a belief in the importance of fulfilling individual and collective commitments, serving others, making positive contributions, working with purpose, and advocating for people and causes

Humility

Being humble; acting in ways that are not prideful or arrogant; serving others; demonstrating a commitment to continuous learning and a teachable spirit, both intellectually and personally

Strategic Plan

The priorities and corresponding goals from Samford University’s strategic plan, Fidelitas, provide an organizing structure for the school’s annual action plan and priorities.

View Our Action Plan

Rankings & Highlights

We collect and analyze program data to continuously improve how we prepare our students. Our graduates are ready to enter the workforce and lead in their communities. They continue to rise above our high expectations and consistently demonstrate high scores on national tests.

Educational Leadership

All of our graduate programs incorporate theoretical concepts with practical, hands-on experience.
We understand working adults are busy, that is why we’ve worked diligently to provide online master’s options and hybrid programs. This provides graduate students the flexibility they want and need.

Human Development and Family Science

The Human Development and Family Science (HDFS) department offers degrees that prepare students to become advocates. Students and graduates of this program are passionate about advocating for children, families and people at all stages of life.
Students gain hands-on knowledge through original research projects and get real-life experience interning with community organizations.
Many HDFS graduates launch into careers in adoption services, counseling, community-based social services, family law, public policy, occupational and speech therapy and social work.
Six HDFS students have received the Outstanding Undergraduate Paper Award from the National Council on Family Relations for their original research projects.

Teacher Education

The undergraduate teacher education program was recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as being one of the top four effective teacher preparation programs in the nation.
Employment rates for all degree graduates are near 100%.
Samford’s accredited teacher education program is the only one in the state of Alabama that offers a program with four different certifications. Graduates are certified in Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Special Education, Elementary Education and Elementary Collaborative Education. These four certifications allow candidates to teach children from birth through 6th grade in both regular and special education.
Candidates complete 1,000 clinical hours in classrooms prior to student teaching in immersion partnership with local schools, contributing to the preparedness and professionalism of our students.
In 2014, one of our Teacher Education graduates was named National Student Teacher of the Year by Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education and the Association of Teacher Education.

Nationally Recognized Programs

Many of the educator preparation programs within Orlean Beeson School of Education engage in an extensive peer review process conducted by Specialized Professional Associations (SPAs). SPAs review programs and award national recognition status to programs that meet national standards and benchmarks. Samford Orlean Beeson School of Education has more nationally recognized programs than any university in the state of Alabama.

Department of Teacher Education

BSE in Early Childhood, Special Education, Elementary, Elementary Collaborative (Early Childhood Education)
BSE in Early Childhood, Special Education, Elementary, Elementary Collaborative (Elementary Education)
BSE in Secondary English Education
BSE in Secondary Social Studies Education
MSE in Secondary English Education (Fifth-Year Alternative)
MSE in Secondary Social Studies Education (Fifth-Year Alternative)
MSE in Secondary Physical Education (Fifth-Year Alternative)
MSE in Secondary Mathematics (Fifth-Year Alternative)
MSE in Elementary Education (Fifth-Year Alternative)

Department of Educational Leadership

MSE in Instructional Leadership
EdS in Instructional Leadership

Earned Specialized Professional Associations (SPAs)

Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI)*
Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC)*
National Association for Gifted Children/Council for Exceptional Children (NAGC-CEC)
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)*
National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)*
National Council of the Social Studies (NCSS)*
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
SHAPE America-Physical Education (formerly NASPE)

*two or more programs earned national recognition from the specialized professional association

Dean's Advisory Board

The Dean’s Advisory Board is a selected group of professionals, practitioners and experts in pertinent fields sharing their knowledge and experience with Orlean Beeson School of Education to further our mission of enriching the community and empowering our students to educate, lead and serve. Board members are:

Dean Anna McEwan, PhD

Kathy Acton

Ruth Ash, EdD

Linda Askins

Lisa Beckham, EdD

Jeanie Box Cook, PhD

Delisa Brooks, EdD

Lewis Brooks, EdD

Keighlee Buchanan

Argie Campbell

Sonia Carrington, EdD

Lynn Carroll, EdD