Published on June 3, 2026 by Alison Ingle  
health awards ceremony

Samford University’s School of Public Health  recognized outstanding student achievement during the annual Upsilon Phi Delta (UPD) Honor Society Induction and Awards Ceremony.. The event honored majors from the Department of Healthcare Administration and Informatics including graduating seniors, scholarship recipients, honor society inductees and students recognized for academic excellence and leadership. 

Hosted by UPD officers Alexandra Denton, Mary Drinkard and Campbell Slaughter, the ceremony featured keynote remarks from Kevin Flynn, chief administrative officer for Baptist Health Alabama Region, who encouraged students as they prepare for leadership roles across the healthcare industry. 

Upsilon Phi Delta Honor Society Induction 

Eight students were inducted into UPD, the national honor society for healthcare administration students. Undergraduate inductees included Nada Almansooob, Carrie Collier, Elizabeth Haarlow, Jack Ivey, Merritt McDuffee and Cameron Shearer. Graduate student inductees included Tanicea Thomas and Paul Warrick. 

Scholarships and Special Recognition 

Bayleigh Fife received the Foster G. McGaw Scholarship, which supports students pursuing health administration education. Brown Scholarship recipients included Shelby Roal, Carmen Lindsey and Emma Kate Lansford. 

Isaac Forst was recognized for the Alabama Birmingham Healthcare Leaders Association Endowed Scholarship to support students interested in physician practice management. Shelby Roal received the 2025–26 AUPHA Bugbee-Falk Book Award. 

Academic Honors and Student Leadership 

Students earning class honors were recognized for academic achievement based on grade- point average. Senior student ambassadors recognized during the ceremony included Summer Chastain, Alexandra Denton, Mary Drinkard and William Guthrie. 

The department recognized undergraduate and graduate students from the Class of 2026 as they began the next chapter of their academic and professional journeys. 

Departmental Awards 

Departmental awards highlighted students who demonstrated exceptional academic achievement and leadership throughout their programs. Alexandra Denton and Summer Chastain received Academic Excellence Awards for earning the highest grade- point averages among graduates. 

Mary Drinkard, Campbell Slaughter and William Guthrie received leadership awards in recognition of their contributions to the department and student community.

 
Located in the Homewood suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, 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 enrolls 6,324 students from 44 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. Ranked among U.S. News & World Report’s 35 Most Beautiful College Campuses, Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and boasts one of the highest scores in the nation for its 97% Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.