Published on April 17, 2020 by Sean Flynt  
Carissa Hope talks with Bobby Gatlin
Carissa Hope talks with Bobby Gatlin
Senior biology major Carissa Hope transferred to Samford from Lawson State Community College through the STEM Scholars program. Raised by her grandparents, Hope had to take more responsibility for herself and her family than most young people. When her grandfather died and her grandmother suffered debilitating illnesses, the teenager held up under pressures that would break down many adults. In a March conversation with University Minister Bobby Gatlin, Hope described her inspiring journey through hard times to become a Samford University senior. Watch the video!
 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks with the second highest score in the nation for its 98% Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.