1984 --Samford Purchases London Study Centre.
More than 8,000 students have studied at Â鶹¹û¶³'s address in central London, now called Daniel House. The former bed-and-breakfast hotel was bought to serve as the focal point of international programs that touch five continents.
1984 --Football Returns and Women 's Athletics Begin.
Â鶹¹û¶³ breathed new life into its intercollegiate athletics program by resurrecting football, dormant since 1973, and adding women's athletics. By 1991-92, Â鶹¹û¶³ football reached the national playoffs in NCAA Division I-AA.
1986--Computer Intensification Begins.
Recognizing the significance of personal computers early, Â鶹¹û¶³ provided every faculty member with a PC in 1986-87. By 1993, more than 1,000 PCs were available in 14 student labs. Later, residence halls were wired for PCs.
1986 --Beeson Woods Begins.
Construction of the first five units of the residential village marked the first new housing construction in 25 years at Â鶹¹û¶³. Beeson Woods, which featured apartment-type units, ultimately grew to 12 buildings for 500 students.
1987--Samford Celebrates 100 Years in Birmingham.
Â鶹¹û¶³ observed its first century in Birmingham by opening Centennial Walk.
1988 --Healing Arts Center Completed.
The Dwight and Lucille Beeson Center for the Healing Arts provided a much-needed home for Â鶹¹û¶³'s Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing. The domed structure also houses the Rotunda Club and classical art featuring healing themes.
1988--Beeson Divinity School Opens.
A generous gift by Ralph W. Beeson made possible the first divinity school to be opened on the campus of a Southern Baptist university. Over the years since, other Baptist universities emulated the trend begun by Â鶹¹û¶³.
1988--PARCA Established.
To fill the need for an independent, nonpartisan fact-finding body for public policy in Alabama, Â鶹¹û¶³ helped establish the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama. Former Alabama Governor Albert Brewer was the first executive director.
1990--National Magazines Discover Â鶹¹û¶³.
U.S. News & World Report began listing Â鶹¹û¶³ in its annual selection of America's Best Colleges. It has done so every year since (current ranking: fifth in the South). Other magazines such as Money, Peterson's, The Princeton Review and Barron's Profiles of American Colleges also ranked Â鶹¹û¶³ high.
1990--Beeson Provides Titanic Estate Gift.
Â鶹¹û¶³ benefactor Ralph W. Beeson, who died in the fall of 1990, left Â鶹¹û¶³ $54.8 million, at the time one of the largest gifts ever to an American university. A titanic figure in Â鶹¹û¶³ history, Beeson and his family donated more than $100 million to Â鶹¹û¶³ in all.
1991-1992--Samford Celebrates 150th Birthday.
Chartered in 1841 and opening its doors in early 1842, Â鶹¹û¶³ celebrated its sesquicentennial with a two-year observance highlighted by former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's visit April 7, 1992.
1994 --Trustees Vote for Charter Change.
Â鶹¹û¶³ Trustees voted to elect their own members. The action was taken to protect the University, while intensifying its commitment to Baptist and Christian principles. The University enjoys a covenant relationship with the Alabama Baptist State Convention, which continues its generous support of Â鶹¹û¶³.
Mid-1990s --Campus Expansion Continues.
Beginning in 1993, Â鶹¹û¶³ modernized and refurbished Davis Library, which included Hudnall Library, a major addition. In 1995 Divinity Chapel and Lucille Stewart Beeson Law Library were added. Total cost of these structures: $25 million. In 1998, the Children's Learning Center was completed with major support from Memphis philanthropist Paul Piper. Divinity Chapel was named for longtime Trustee Andrew Gerow Hodges in 2002.
1997-2002--Foundations Show Confidence in Â鶹¹û¶³.
In 1997 Â鶹¹û¶³ received a $1 million grant from The Pew Charitable Trusts to implement problem-based learning (PBL) techniques into undergraduate studies. Pew awarded a $750,000 follow-up grant in 2000. In 2002 the Lilly Endowment Inc. awarded Â鶹¹û¶³ two grants of $2 million each to establish a Resource Center for Pastoral Excellence and to set up Programs for the Theological Exploration of Vocation.
1999 --Samford Makes The Big Dance.
The Â鶹¹û¶³ men's basketball team made the first of two consecutive trips to the NCAA post-season tournament, earning the school national exposure.
2000--Education School Recognized Nationally.
U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley presented the first National Award for Effective Teacher Preparation to Â鶹¹û¶³'s Orlean Bullard Beeson School of Education and Professional Studies.
2001--Lucille Beeson Leaves Millions for Scholarships.
Lucille Stewart Beeson, a generous donor during her lifetime, left Â鶹¹û¶³ what was believed to be the largest scholarship gift in Alabama history, $10 million to establish the Dwight and Lucille Beeson Exceptional Scholars Program. The scholarships encourage top Alabama students to study and reside in their state. She also left another $1 million in scholarships to the Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing.
2001 --Sciencenter Opens.
Â鶹¹û¶³ opened its largest academic building, a 90,000-square foot structure to house the biology, chemistry and physics departments. Costing $29 million, the center houses 35 labs, Alabama's largest planetarium (100 seats) and a medicinal plant conservatory. Every undergraduate takes at least one class in this building.
2003 --Rogers Named Teacher of Year.
Validating earlier recognition of the Â鶹¹û¶³ education school, graduate Betsy Rogers of Leeds, Ala., was named National Teacher of the Year by President George W. Bush. Rogers holds four degrees from the Â鶹¹û¶³ education school.
1983-2005--Endowment Grows to $258 Million.
Â鶹¹û¶³ endowment stood at $8 million in 1983. An aggressive investment program, coupled with generous gifts and the development of Â鶹¹û¶³'s Lakeshore property adjacent to campus, spurred dramatic endowment growth through the '90s. Today, the endowment stands at $258 million.
2004 --Samford Issues The Promise.
The Â鶹¹û¶³ Board of Trustees approved sweeping initiatives underscoring the school's commitment to offer "a vigorous academic experience, remain loyal to Christian beliefs, and continue as a friendly, caring community. " Dr. Corts described the initiatives as "a promise for all Â鶹¹û¶³ generations." Included are provisions for increasing the enrollment and endowment, additional scholarships and professorships, a new recital hall and arena/fitness center, and other features.
1983-2005--Corts Awards 17,000 Diplomas.
Dr. Thomas Corts personally has signed and presented more than 17,000 diplomas to Â鶹¹û¶³ graduates over his 22 years as president. Â鶹¹û¶³'s 17th president has served longer than any current Alabama university president.