Oh Samford alma mater true

So, this past weekend was Homecoming here at the good ole SU. Funny how we are all (well, mostly all) alumni, yet I'm pretty sure I didn't see a single one of you guys this weekend! Regardless, as a University Relations employee, I spent the entirety of the weekend working. It was definitley very busy, but in retrospect, it was lots of fun.

Friday consisted of preparation for the weekend, Alumni Association Meeting (just a ps- if you graduate from Samford, you are in the Alumni Association, no dues, so you can be involved in anything we do), and then the Gala dinner. That's right, "Gala". Not exactly an appropriate title for what actually took place, but it was a grand event. There were 500+ people in attendance for the dinner that dedicated the Hanna Center (which is amazing, you should go check it out), celebrated the 50th anniversary of our campus' move to Shades Valley, honored our 4 alumni of the year, and thanked a bunch of philanthropists for supporting Samford. It lasted 3 hours and was very... entertaining. I have lots of stories, just ask poor Jamie who had to hear them all at midnight on Friday.

Saturday: driving the Admissions Office's golf buses to pick up haggardly old people and take them wherever they needed to go, pass out name tags and schmooze (word?) with folks in the President's box, more golf bus driving, more schmoozing at the Little Big Town concert, and the night ended with even more driving. It was lots of fun, I met lots of great/interesting people who really, and I mean REALLY love this place. Friday night especially made me really proud to be a Samford alum.

A few brief notes: 1) old people can talk. Two of the alumni of the year gave 20 minute acceptance speeches. They were told they had 1. 2) There is an awesome/disturbing portrait of Pete Hanna in the new center. It involves him riding a motorcycle. Check it out. 3) Driving golf buses (or limos as they have also been called) can be a blast. Driving regular golf carts that don't have headlights at night- not as much fun and a little bit scary. 4) It really is a blessing to have gone to a school (and to now work for a school) that has such a rich history and that has provided us with the education and the experience we have had. I think this is a really special place.