Parent Academy

Do you wonder what it would be like to study at Samford? Wonder no more! Enjoy a Samford academic experience through Parent Academy. Parent Academy offers classes taught by Samford professors especially for Samford parents on the Friday afternoon of Family Weekend. Two one-hour class sessions will be offered. Parents may attend class during either or both one-hour sessions. Advance registration is required. Seating in each class is limited. Some professors ask parents to complete an assignment prior to class. These assignments will be emailed ahead to registered class participants.

Parent Academy classes are designed for parents only, with the exception of the two classes offered in the planetarium, which school-aged children may attend. Please do not ask your Samford student to attend these classes with you. Your cooperation will enable us to have room for the many parents who want to attend. Please check the schedule once you arrive on campus to confirm classroom locations, as they may need to change at the last minute.

For Siblings
While Parent Academy is in session, siblings may request at 1 p.m. tour through the Admission Office HERE, visit their Samford sibling, attend the two classes offered in the planetarium, or pick up a copy of the Tiny Sam Photo Scavenger Hunt at registration and begin their sleuthing on The Quad. The first person to complete the scavenger hunt accurately will win a Step Sing weekend package including four Step Sing tickets to the performance of choice, a two-night stay at Ross Bridge Resort, and dinner for four at Little Donkey. The winner will be announced and awarded during the afternoon football game.

Session One (1-2 p.m.)

Alabama Autumn Skies: Constellations
Location: Christenberry Planetarium
Instructor: David Weigel, Director of the Christenberry Planetarium
Course limited to 94 participants, including school-aged siblings.
Description: Enjoy a tour of the Alabama autumn night sky as you discover the visible planets, stars, and constellations. Learn how to find planets, stars, constellations, and deep sky objects while hearing some fascinating mythology stories focused on constellations.
Number of Guests Attending: CLASS IS FULL

Ask Your Pharmacist: 10 Questions That Could Save Your Life
Location: College of Health Sciences, Building TBD
Instructor: Dr. Michael Hogue, Associate Dean, Center for Faith and Health, and Professor, McWhorter School of Pharmacy
Course Limited to 30 participants.
Description: You know the drill. You don't feel well. The doctor has just told you he has sent four (or was it five?) prescriptions to your pharmacy. You decide to save time and head through the drive-through to get them. Sounds like a good idea, but is healthcare supposed to be like fast food? In this class, learn how to be a proactive member of on your healthcare team. Learn what questions you should to ask at the pharmacy that could make a significant difference in your health and maybe even save your life.
Number of Guests Attending: CLASS IS FULL

Early Planning: How Much Money Will You Need to Retire?
Location: Cooney 181
Instructor: Dr. Alan Blankley, Professor and Chair of the Department of Accounting and MIS
Course Limited to 40 participants.
Description: This class will go through the basic mechanics of determining the amount of money a person needs to save in order to retire. It is based on each person’s personal projections of spending and saving and includes forecasting budgets, investment returns, and sensitivity analysis. The objective is to measure how much money will be needed during retirement and to plan a savings strategy to achieve that threshold.
Number of Guests Attending: CLASS IS FULL

Executing Estate Planning Documents: Planning for Death and Incapacity
Location: Robinson Hall, Moot Courtroom, Room 101
Instructor: Dr. Alyssa DiRusso, Whelan W. and Rosalie T. Palmer Professor of Law, Cumberland School of Law
Course Limited to 40 participants.
Description: This class will introduce several core estate planning documents, including the will, inter vivos trust, durable power of attorney, and advanced directive for health care with appointment of agent and living will. Professor DiRusso will demonstrate how a lawyer oversees the proper execution of each of these documents and the function each provides in managing the uncertainties (and certainties) of planning for incapacity and death. Participants may even leave with one of these documents completed.
Number of Guests Attending: CLASS IS FULL

Manual Physical Therapy: What Is It, and Why Does It Work?
Location: College of Health Sciences Building 2, Room 2206
Instructor: Dr. Nick Washmuth, Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Therapy
Course Limited to 30 participants.
Description: This class will introduce the history of manual physical therapy and how it is currently used in clinical practice. The proposed theories behind the effectiveness of hands-on care will be discussed. Videos of Samford University Doctor of Physical Therapy students performing a variety of manual physical therapy techniques will be included to provide examples of the benefits of hands-on care.
Number of Guests Attending: CLASS IS FULL

The Reformation: What Is It and Why Does It Matter?
Location: Divinity Hall South 001
Instructor: Dr. Carl Beckwith, Professor of Divinity, Beeson Divinity School
Course Limited to 50 participants.
Description: 2017 marks the five hundredth anniversary of Martin Luther’s posting of the 95 Theses and the beginning of the Reformation. This class will explore the central teachings of Luther’s Reformation and the significance of these teachings for us today.
Number of Guests Attending: CLASS IS FULL

Session Two (2:30-3:30 p.m.)

Alabama Autumn Skies: Solar System Exploration
Location: Christenberry Planetarium
Instructor: David Weigel, Director of the Christenberry Planetarium
Course Limited to 94 participants, including school-aged siblings..
Description: Delve into planets and objects of interest in our solar system as we visit planets, comets, asteroids, moons, dwarf planets, and the sun.
Number of Guests Attending: CLASS IS FULL

Cultural Perspectives (CP)
Location: Dwight Beeson Hall 216
Instructor: Dr. Jason Wallace, Richard Stockham, Jr., Chair of Western Intellectual History and Director of the Core Texts Program, Howard College of Arts and Sciences
Course Limited to 22 participants.
Description: Every culture seeks to explain human nature, the natural world, religion, and political community. This Core Texts Program taken by every Samford student ensures Samford graduates understand this quest. Even more, it equips them to enter their chosen profession confident they are capable of meaningful critical thought. While the curriculum emphasizes Western thinkers, we also recognize that certain perennial themes are part of the development of every culture and civilization. Disparate voices in time and place often converge in the task of transmitting values. To this end, the curriculum integrates texts from non-western, or global sources, including especially Asia and Latin America. Get a glimpse of what Samford students study during the fall semester as they focus on the great thinkers from the Greeks, the Romans, Early Christianity, the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance.
Number of Guests Attending: CLASS IS FULL

How Plato Can Save Your Life
Location: Brooks Hall 105
Instructor: Dr. Bryan Johnson, Director of University Fellows, Professor of English
Course Limited to 24 participants.
Description: All Samford freshmen read an excerpt from Plato’s The Republic called “The allegory of the Cave.” The Allegory is a foundational text in the development of the Western Intellectual Tradition, providing a framework for how we think about reality, education, government, knowledge, and what it means to excel as a human. This class will give you a better understanding of the origins of Western thought while also letting you share in the experience of a Samford great books discussion. A supplemental reading is recommended prior to class. Information will be emailed to participants.
Number of Guests Attending: CLASS IS FULL

Mathematical Thinking: Looking at the World Through a Mathematical Lens
Location: Russell 225
Instructor: Dr. Emily Hynds, Associate Dean, Howard College of Arts and Sciences
Course Limited to 30 participants.
Description: Dive beneath the surface of mathematics, and discover the difference between computational mathematics and mathematical thinking. This class will give tangible examples of how mathematical thinking can be used to examine important topics like war, politics, and religion. Ultimately, through humor and a love of sports, Dr. Hynds will challenge you to appreciate how we all, to varying degrees, see the world through a mathematical lens.
Number of Guests Attending: CLASS IS FULL

Practice Makes Perfect?
Location: College of Health Sciences, Building 1, Simulation Center, Third Floor
Instructor: Dr. Terri M. Cahoon, Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Nurse Anesthesia, Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing
Course Limited to 25 participants.
Description: The College of Health Sciences Simulation Center is integral to the education of many students from a variety of majors. The integration of task-training, human-patient high-fidelity simulation, and standardized patients allows students to apply didactic information, reinforce the knowledge, as well as gain confidence in competency. One of the many benefits of simulation is the ability to allow potential life-threatening decisions to be made with the resulting consequences to the "patients." During the class, simulation will be demonstrated by current graduate students.
Number of Guests Attending: CLASS IS FULL

Pathway to Graduation: The Impact of a Summer Reading Program on Middle School Students and Prospective Teachers
Location: Orlean Bullard Beeson 233
Instructors: Dr. Mandy Hilsmier, Associate Professor and Director, MSE Collaborative Special Education, Orlean Bullard Beeson School of Education
Course Limited to 25 participants.
Description: This class will provide an overview of the Pathway to Graduation (PTG) program in the Orlean Beeson School of Education. PTG was a partnership among Jefferson County Schools, JBS Mental Health Authority, and Samford University. PTG was implemented in the summer months for 5 years (2011-2016) on the Samford campus with encouraging outcomes for participants and Samford tutors in the Education Program. The outcomes, limitations, and future possibilities for this program will be discussed.
Number of Guests Attending: CLOSED

Worship at Church, Worship at Samford
Location: Brock Recital Hall Stage
Instructor: Dr. Eric Mathis, Chair of Academic Studies, Area Coordinator for Music and Worship, Assistant Professor, Music and Worship, Director, Forum for Worship Arts, School of the Arts
Course Limited to 65 participants.
Description: Everybody worships. We give our time, money, and energy to people, places, things, and ideas every day, whether we are aware of the investments or not. Worship in the church calls us to give of ourselves in a different way. This class will examine some of the key theological, pastoral, and philosophical issues affecting how we worship in the church and demonstrate how those issues are addressed in the worship planning and leadership process at Samford. You’ll meet members of the campus worship team, and you’ll meet members of Samford’s Worship Arts Ensemble, to hear and learn from them.
Number of Guests Attending: CLASS IS FULL

Your DNA Is Not Your Destiny
Location: College of Health Sciences, Building 1, Room 1238
Instructor: Dr. Katie Coate, Assistant Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Public Health
Course Limited to 20 participants.
Description: Although DNA is the code of life, certain "tags" are added to our DNA that provide an additional layer of information and determine how our DNA expresses itself. These "tags," also known as the epigenome, are highly influenced by lifestyle choices such as diet. In this class, we will discuss and discover how diet/nutrition influences the epigenome and modifies disease risk.
Number of Guests Attending: CLASS IS FULL

Pops with the Pres – Ben Brown Plaza 4-6 p.m.

Join the Doctors Westmoreland, Samford families, and other members of the Samford community for a casual, come-and-go, kickoff reception in Ben Brown Plaza. We will be serving an assortment of your favorite Steel City Pops treats!

Number of guests attending:

* This event is FREE for Samford University families, but we request advance registration.

Vespers - Hodges Chapel, Divinity Hall 5:30 p.m.

Inspired by the ancient practice of monastic prayer, the Samford Choral Vespers Series has become a Family Weekend favorite. This service is an opportunity to experience exceptional choral music through contemplative worship. The service alternates hymns, Bible lessons, a meditation and other elements that distinguish corporate worship. Vespers is led by the School of the Arts and the A Capella Choir.

* Advance registration is not required, however, seating is limited.

Women’s Soccer Match – Samford Track/Soccer Complex 7 p.m.

Samford vs. University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Cheer the Lady Bulldogs as they take on the Chattanooga Mocs in this conference match.

* This event is FREE for Samford University families.

Samford Theater Production – Harrison Theater 7:30 p.m.

How I Became a Pirate
Sail off on a fantastic musical excursion when a band of comical pirates lands at North Beach looking for an expert digger to join their crew. Braid Beard and his mates enlist young Jeremy Jacob as they try to find the perfect spot to bury their treasure. Jeremy finds adventuring can be lots of fun, but he also learns that love and home are treasures you can’t find on any map. The whole family will love this delightful and swashbuckling musical adventure! Order tickets HERE.

Parent Prayer Walk - Mr. Beeson’s Statue 7:15 - 8:15 a.m.

Join other parents at Mr. Beeson’s statue to take a prayer walk around The Quad. You will receive a map of The Quad including specific prayer requests focused on the Samford community and Scripture passages to pray. Walk and pray alone, with a friend, or with a group.

Samford Parents Association Breakfast - The Caf 8:30-10 a.m.

Join Samford parents for the annual Samford Parents Association breakfast. Hear updates on activities and initiatives launched recently by the association and visit with other parents and Samford administrators. Samford music students will provide upbeat music to get your day started while you enjoy a delicious, hot breakfast.

Number of Adults Attending: X   $ per adult =   $
Number of Children Attending: X   $ per child =   $
(ages 3-6)
**NOTE: After you have completed the registration process, please print your tickets when prompted to do so.

Open House 10-11:30 a.m.

Plan to check the Family Weekend Guidebook app or the schedule once you arrive on campus for a listing of open houses hosted by departments and organizations across campus.

Tailgate Lunch - The Quad 11:30 a.m - 1:30 p.m.

If you don’t bring your own tailgate meal, plan to enjoy lunch under the large Family Weekend tent on The Quad. Lunch will be a traditional BBQ tailgate meal. Students will need to purchase tickets to eat the tailgate lunch.

Number of Adults Attending: X   $ per adult =   $
Number of Children Attending: X   $ per child =   $
(ages 3-6)

**NOTE: After you have completed the registration process, please print your tickets when prompted to do so.

Samford vs The Citadel: Seibert Field 2 p.m.

This year’s Family Weekend guests may choose from two seating options. Tickets are required for each person above the age of 2, except where noted. Samford students sit free of charge on the East Side of the stadium. For this game, the Samford band and student sections will be on the East Side.

Option 1—East Side
The East Side of the stadium is general admission seating at $18 a person. Samford students may join their families at no additional charge in East Side seating by presenting a Samford ID. Use the promo code FAMILY17 when purchasing these tickets. Order East Side tickets HERE.

Option 2—West Side
The West Side of the stadium is reserved seating at $28 a person. Samford students will need a purchased ticket to sit with their families in reserved seating. Use the promo code FAMILY17 when purchasing these tickets. Order West Side tickets HERE.

Samford Theater Production – Harrison Theater 7:30 p.m.

How I Became a Pirate
Sail off on a fantastic musical excursion when a band of comical pirates lands at North Beach looking for an expert digger to join their crew. Braid Beard and his mates enlist young Jeremy Jacob as they try to find the perfect spot to bury their treasure. Jeremy finds adventuring can be lots of fun, but he also learns that love and home are treasures you can’t find on any map. The whole family will love this delightful and swashbuckling musical adventure! Order tickets HERE.

Hymn Sing - Location TBA - 2 p.m.

Hymn Sing, an annual Samford tradition, is an afternoon of congregational singing of hymns and gospel songs selected by audience participants. This event, sponsored by the School of the Arts, is free and open to the Samford community and public.

Samford Theater Production – Harrison Theater 2:30 p.m.

How I Became a Pirate
Sail off on a fantastic musical excursion when a band of comical pirates lands at North Beach looking for an expert digger to join their crew. Braid Beard and his mates enlist young Jeremy Jacob as they try to find the perfect spot to bury their treasure. Jeremy finds adventuring can be lots of fun, but he also learns that love and home are treasures you can’t find on any map. The whole family will love this delightful and swashbuckling musical adventure! Order tickets HERE.

Family Weekend Long-Sleeved T-Shirt

Adult Small: X   $ per t-shirt = $

Adult Medium: X   $ per t-shirt = $

Adult Large: X   $ per t-shirt = $

Adult X-Large: X   $ per t-shirt = $

Adult 2X-Large: X   $ per t-shirt = $

GRAND TOTAL

Grand Total: $

Comments

Comments:

Refund Policy

Refund policies on football tickets can be found on the Samford Sports Web site.

Refunds for Family Weekend meals are:

• * Registrations cancelled prior to September 9: 100% refund
• * Registrations cancelled between September 10 and September 23: 50% refund
• * Registrations cancelled September 24 and later: No refund

NOTE: The Family Weekend schedule is subject to change. Please check the final schedule when you arrive on campus for Family Weekend to confirm all times, events, and locations.

Please email parents@samford.edu with questions.
Click SUBMIT to complete your registration and proceed to payment information.