Parent and Family Engagement Annual Report FY24
Read the Parent and Family Engagement Report, celebrating highlights and initiatives from Fiscal Year 2024.
Conversation Tips and Questions for Family Weekend
A Message from Samford CARES
Family Weekend is a fantastic opportunity for parents/caregivers to connect with their students while learning about their college experience. Samford CARES would like to provide some conversation tips and potential questions to help open meaningful dialogue, allowing parents to understand more about their child’s college life and how they can support them throughout their academic journey.
Parent Tent at Panhellenic Bid Day, September 8
An Important Message Regarding Samford Parents at Panhellenic Bid Day
Panhellenic Bid Day is Sunday, September 8th. Please know it is not expected or required of parents to attend, as you will only see your daughter for a short time on the Quad. Many parents will not travel to Samford that day, since Family Weekend is just a couple of weeks later. You may choose to send flowers or a gift instead. We are happy to offer suggestions.
If you plan to attend Bid Day, please read this post carefully before you come to campus. It is important for all parents to follow these guidelines.
Parking: We suggest that parents park at the Wright Center before 2 p.m. and walk directly to the University Center.
Parents Association Tent: You will see a tent on the southwest end of the University Center, in front of the office of Parent and Family Engagement. All parents should gather near this tent and along the sidewalk at 2 p.m. Campus Safety will set up cones and tape near the University Center. Please stand behind these cones/tape. (You will find a map below.) Parents Association will provide fans and cold waters for family members.
Opening Bids: The Office of Greek Life asks that parents do not line the fence of the football field while girls are opening their bids. Parents will be asked to leave and will be redirected to the quad if they are near/lining the football field.
Celebration on the Quad: Beginning at 2:45, the PNMs will run to the Quad, one chapter at a time, every few minutes. Each chapter will be announced as they run onto the Quad. Parents will stay behind the cones until all seven chapters are on their triangles on the Quad!! An announcement will be made when parents can go see their daughters. The celebration will end around 4:30, when the chapters leave for meetings and off-campus celebrations that continue late into the evening.
Be sure to visit Smith’s Variety, Everything Apparel & Designs, Chopt & Blubell the Flower Truck on Ben Brown Plaza for Bid Day goodies. In addition, The Simple Lemon and Frios will be selling lemonade and popsicles!
Greek Life wants to recognize their amazing sponsors:
- Smith’s Variety
- Everything Apparel & Designs
- Effie’s
- Tanology
- Pants Store
- Birmingham Nutrition
- Real & Rosemary
- Three 15
- Orange Theory
- Farm Bowl & Juice Co.
We look forward to a great week ahead!
Please reach out to Greek Life with any questions: GreekLife@samford.edu.
“How-To” Academic Success Resource for Students
An Important Message Regarding Academic Resources
The mission of the Academic Success Center is to facilitate students’ successful transition through Samford University by identifying and providing academic resources in a highly collaborative and student-centered manner.
The director works closely with faculty, the admissions office, Career Development, and the counseling offices to provide academic assistance as needed. First-year and transfer students are particularly encouraged to take advantage of the center’s services to facilitate their transition to Samford University.
The Academic Success Center and Office of Accessibility and Accommodations provides the helpful guide below for your student as they manage registration, class schedules, FERPA, and accommodations.
Samford Student Employment
An Important Message Regarding Samford Student Employment
Samford University provides work opportunities for students through the two following programs: Federal Work Study (FWS) jobs are need-based, as determined by the FAFSA, and Institutional Student Employment Program (ISEP) jobs are not need-based. Students are federally required to provide documents in order to complete the employment process.
For most students the required I9 documents are:
- an unexpired US Passport, OR
- an unexpired state driver’s license and a Birth Certificate, OR
- an unexpired driver’s license and a social security card.
Students can find job postings here.
For questions, please contact studentjobs@samford.edu.
Zoom Calls for Parents
An Important Message Regarding Zoom Calls for Parents
The office of Parent and Family Engagement has partnered with the offices of Residential Life, Greek Life, and Campus Safety to provide informational Zoom calls for parents. Below, you will find links to recordings of the most recent calls.
Res Life Zoom Call for Parents: Room Assignment Process
Greek Life Zoom Calls for Parents: IFC, PNC, and NPHC Recruitment
This link includes recordings and notes for IFC, PNC, and NPHC recruitment.
Res Life Zoom Call for Parents: New Student Move In
Res Life Zoom Call for Parents: Returning Student Move In
Campus Safety Zoom Call for Parents: Parking and Shuttles
To learn about other virtual and in-person events, please visit samford.edu/parents/events and click on the Upcoming Events tab.
Health Insurance Requirements for International Students and CHS Students
An Important Message regarding Health Insurance Requirements for International Students and Students in the College of Health Sciences
Samford University is pleased to partner with Academic Health Plans (AHP) to offer student health insurance through Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama. All undergraduate students enrolled for nine (9) or more credits and graduate students enrolled for six (6) or more credits are eligible to enroll in the health plan on a voluntary basis. All international students and College of Health Sciences students in the Schools of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Health Professions are required to either waive coverage by providing proof of comparable coverage or enroll in the student health insurance policy. Mandatory SHIP students who do not successfully opt out of the Samford/AHP policy before the waiver deadline will be automatically enrolled and billed $3,401.80 for annual coverage (8/21/24-8/20/25).
We do not want anyone to incur unnecessary insurance fees. Mandatory students should be receiving instructional emails from AHP. Tracy Hanrahan in the Office of Business Services can also assist if a student needs help with the waiver process (tghanrah@samford.edu; 205-726-4578). It is important to either waive or enroll in insurance coverage between July 1st and September 16th. Voluntary enrollment for non-international or CHS students is available during the same time frame.
Let us know if you have any questions about the process. We’re on your side to help any way that we can!
Samford One Stop
An Important Message from Samford One Stop
Hello new Bulldogs and Bulldog families. Welcome to the Samford family! We understand this is an exciting but also overwhelming time in the life of your student and family. You will be overloaded with information in the coming days and months. As a result, we want to give you a head start by providing you with some important financial information regarding your student’s account and aid. It’s a good idea to save this document for future reference. While some pieces of information may change from year to year, most will remain the same.
The following information will help you navigate the sometimes-complicated aspects of student accounts, financial aid, and all other matters related to the business of being a Samford student.
The Samford One Stop prepares the hearts and minds of Samford students to be fiscally responsible global citizens and is here to help you navigate all the related financial applications, options, systems, processes, etc. Our advisors will assist you with issues related to the distribution of your parking permit and Samford ID, student account, payments, including 529 payments, and payment plans, financial aid, Veteran’s benefits, other aid resources, refunds, tuition insurance, and more. We are located on the ground floor in Ingalls Hall, just below the Office of Admission.
Location: Ingalls Hall – Ground Floor
Hours: M-F 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Phone: 205-726-2905
Email: onestop@samford.edu
Samford Portal: connect.samford.edu
Web: samford.edu/go/onestop
Social Media: @SamfordOneStop
Interest-free Payment Plans
As an alternative to borrowing, Samford provides interest-free payment plan options for all eligible students enrolled in fall, spring and summer terms. If you do not enroll in a payment plan during the enrollment period, your fall term balance will be due in full on September 3. Enrollment for Fall 2024 Payment Plans opens July 15. Learn more about payment plans, student accounts, financial aid, and all other matters related to the business of being a Samford student in the One Stop Resource Guide.
