Ask Laura Doss about students she has taught over the years in Samford University’s School of the Arts, and she doesn’t list accomplishments or awards. Instead, she talks about voices.
"When I look back over the decades of teaching singers, I can hardly believe it has been so long," she said. "I can still recall each student and the sound of their voice."
Those memories eventually inspired the creation of the Doss Family Endowed Scholarship for Voice Students, a gift rooted in a lifetime of music, faith, family and service.
Long before the scholarship existed, music was shaping the story of Laura and Morrow Doss.
Their shared journey began in Cullman, Alabama, where choir rehearsals, church services and special programs became a regular part of life. Music connected their families, their faith and, eventually, each other. Laura's father, a minister of music, often asked the young pair to sing together. When they arrived at Samford as students, they knew music would play an important role in their future. Participation in A Cappella Choir only deepened that conviction.
"Beside the pure joy of singing in a world-class choral group, we had countless opportunities to sing for audiences around the world, make life-long friendships and be exposed to a high and varied level of good choral music and vocal repertoire," Laura recalled.
Those experiences left a lasting impression. The literature they performed and the vocal training they received shaped Laura's approach as an educator, while the friendships forged through music became relationships that have endured for decades. Samford was also the place where a shared love of music grew into a lifelong partnership.
Years later, the university would become part of the family's story once again. Neither of the Dosses' daughters initially planned to attend Samford. Leah (Doss) Lewis and Emma (Doss) Fry were determined to find their own paths. That made their eventual decisions all the more meaningful.
"We were thrilled, and pleasantly surprised, when each of our daughters chose Samford," Laura said. "Though we always spoke positively about our experiences at Samford, they each came to the decision to apply and attend independently."
Shared experiences at Samford have become part of family conversations, celebrations and traditions. Laura's own relationship with the university continued to evolve. For more than two decades, she has invested in students as a voice teacher and accompanist. Teaching the same discipline year after year never became repetitive.
"One might think it would get old after so many semesters, but I find that I'm energized when a singer is excited about what they're doing and singing,” she said.
That enthusiasm remains contagious. A student's breakthrough performance, successful recital or growing confidence still brings the same sense of fulfillment it did years ago.
"It never gets old to see a student sing a successful recital, embody a role in an opera or show, or sing with expression in a choral concert or service," she said.
Through years of mentoring students, Laura gained a deeper understanding of the financial challenges many young artists face.
She and Morrow remember the sacrifices their own parents made to provide educational opportunities. As a faculty member, Laura became increasingly aware of talented voice students whose hard work and growth often went unrecognized by traditional scholarship programs.
One particular year stood out.
"There seemed to be more than a handful of outstanding students who had performed well and grown as singers but did not qualify for one of the special awards available," she recalled.
GIVE: Join Laura and Morrow Doss in supporting arts education at Samford.
Because these were students she knew personally, the need felt impossible to ignore.
"Knowing faces, names and voices made it seem very important to find a way to honor these students in some way," she said, "and perhaps also help their financial situation."
That realization became the seed for the Doss Family Endowed Scholarship, and faith played an important role in shaping the family's vision for the gift.
