| 1841 |
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Chartered in Perry Country, Alabama
Named in honor of John Howard, English advocate of prison reform |
| 1842 |
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Opened in Marion, Alabama
Samuel Sterling Sherman was sole instructor and first president |
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| 1848 |
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First graduation class consisted of seven men |
| 1853 |
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Henry Talbird, President, 1853-1863 |
| 1863 |
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Buildings used as Confederate military hospital |
| 1865 |
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Jabez Lamar Monroe Curry, President, 1865-1868 |
| 1868 |
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Edward Quinn Thornton, President, 1868-1869 |
| 1869 |
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Samuel R. Freeman, President, 1869-1871 |
| 1871 |
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James T. Murfee, President, 1871-1887 |
| 1887 |
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College moved from Marion to East Lake section of the rapidly growing industrial city of Birmingham |
| 1888 |
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Benjamin Franklin Riley, President, 1888-1893 |
| 1893 |
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Arthur Watkins McGaha, President, 1893-1896 |
| 1896 |
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A.D. Smith, President, 1896-1897 |
| 1897 |
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Frank M. Roof, President, 1897-1902 |
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| 1902 |
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Andrew Phillip Montague, President, 1902-1912 |
| 1912 |
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James Madison Shelburne, President, 1912-1917 |
| 1913 |
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Military curriculum abandoned
Women admitted as regular students |
| 1914 |
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Teacher Education Division established |
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| 1919 |
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Charles B. Williams, President, 1919-1921 |
| 1921 |
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John C. Dawson, President, 1921-1931 |
| 1927 |
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Department of Pharmacy established |
| 1932 |
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Thomas V. Neal, President, 1932-1939 |
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| 1939 |
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Harwell G. Davis, President, 1939-1958 |
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| 1957 |
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College moved from East Lake to Homewood |
| 1958 |
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Leslie Stephan Wright, President, 1958-1983 |
| 1961 |
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Cumberland School of Law acquired |
| 1965 |
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Elevated to University status
Renamed Samford University in honor of Frank Park Samford |
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| 1973 |
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Acquired Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing |
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| 1983 |
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Thomas Edward Corts, President, 1983-2006 |
| 1984 |
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London Center purchased |
| 1988 |
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Beeson School of Divinity established |
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| 2006 |
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Andrew Westmoreland inaugurated as eighteenth president |
| 2011 |
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4,758 total enrollment |
Samford University consists of the Howard College of Arts and Sciences, Schools of the Arts, Brock School of Business, Beeson Divinity School, Orlean Bullard Beeson School of Education and Professional Studies, Cumberland School of Law, Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing, McWhorter School of Pharmacy.
