During the 12 years since graduating from Samford, James Graham has fortified his relationship with the university and grown to fully appreciate its impact. He endowed two scholarships in honor of his grandfathers, became integral into alumni relations and joined the Brock School of Business Advisory Board.
Currently a senior partner at The LiveOak Group Strategic Financial Partners, Graham cherishes the foundational lessons learned at his alma mater.
“I loved my time at Samford,” said Graham ’14, who was honored as Outstanding Young Alumnus of the Year. “As a student, it was really cool to connect with a bunch of alumni when we had frequent guest speakers come to our classes.
“Now, as an alumnus myself, I sponsor a class each semester and teach general principles of financial planning. It’s enjoyable to give back. Going to networking events and seeing other friends of mine who are alumni as well, it’s quite amazing to see the impact Samford has on the Birmingham community.”
A double-major in finance and accounting, Graham competed in track and field at Samford, running the mile, the 3000 meters and steeplechase.
“It was very challenging, because most semesters I took 17 or 18 hours, and one semester, I took 19,” he said. “I had to learn early on as a student-athlete how to master my time, which is what I do now as a financial planner with clients, meetings and family matters.
“Most importantly, I made some amazing relationships with the professors, and several of them are friends now. So much of what we learned remains applicable to life.”
Graham is helping more students seize the opportunity to study business at Samford.
He established the Walter Graham Sr. Endowed Scholarship to recognize his paternal grandfather, an entrepreneur who fostered relationships between food businesses and supermarkets.
“My grandfather was a savvy investor who understood the principle of being a biblical steward and being very generous with giving,” he said.
"I made some amazing relationships with the professors, and several of them are friends now. So much of what we learned remains applicable to life.” — James Graham '14
Graham also funds the Edwin L. Trowbridge Endowed Scholarship, honoring his maternal grandfather, who was a financial advisor.
“From him I learned the value of hard work and realizing the impact of what we do,” Graham said. “He taught me how we could assist different clients in their lives, whether it's delivering death benefits or helping someone to retire. It’s really powerful to see people’s lives evolve.”
Along with contributing to the Accounting Department Chair Endowment at Brock School of Business, Graham spearheaded the campaign to memorialize Samford’s track in honor of Cameron Bean, the late SoCon champion distance runner.
Graham served on Samford’s Young Alumni Board, the 1841 Society, the Alumni Association and the S-Club executive committee. He and his wife Brooke, a Samford nursing alumna, live in Birmingham with their four children.
The Outstanding Young Alumnus of the Year award honors alumni between the ages of 21 and 39 who have made significant contributions through their professional careers, display true distinction in leadership and embody the Samford University mission.
