Welcome home Bulldogs. It's homecoming 2017, it's full of the
Bulldog family, the fun and, certainly the memories old and new . I love just seeing
pals I haven't seen in a long time. It's very Pavlovian, like I went to
the caf last night, even hearing the chairs going into the tables, I
remember that sound. One thing we talk about at Samford University is we really
want to demonstrate being a family atmosphere, see a lot of kids, lot of
activities for the family. So for me it always feels great to be back because
you see familiar faces, and then you're also meeting new people for the very
first time, so it's great feeling to be back. And back on campus, three big
reunion groups the class of 1967, 1992, and 2007. While that spans 50 years some
things about Samford never change. You feel like you just saw them yesterday. It
was my home for a long time, so I definitely feel like this is a part of
me, a huge part of my life. Conversations yeah we do it's like even though it's been a
long time and we just kind of pick up where we left off, and you've all had
kids, and we tell stories, that's my thing and I have the best memory so I love
when people tell stories and I can just remember that kind of stuff. It's been
fun to see you know the others that I have it and see the families, and the
children that they have now and just reconnect. Meanwhile, at Friday night's
alumni candlelight dinner we had special Samford graduates honored, with alumni
and humanitarian of the Year honors. Congratulations and thank you for all
you do for Samford University. Samford to me is is home it's the first
place I chose, you know I chose to go to college here in Birmingham, I have
a lot of connections here. I was wondering at first if they had called
the right person and just very humbled and honored, because I could think of so
many other people who I thought should win this award. It just brought back this
sense of home it's unbelievable my four years here, of growing spiritually,
emotionally, just as a young woman and to be here is just it's so fun to have my
family here to be able to show them and meet people that I've known for years,
and see this life that maybe someday they'll come to school here. Being named
alumni the year is just an honor and it is special to me, it's probably the highest
award that I can receive in my life so it means a lot. And, speaking of honors
let's not forget our homecoming king and queen. They were crowned at this year's
bulldog bash a party Ben brown plaza. I am feeling extremely humbled for this
they didn't really know how it was going to turn out so I'm just so grateful
because Samford for me getting here was such a God thing and I wouldn't be here
without the Lord's help so it's great to represent Samford in this way. It's just
such an honor I don't know it's just really really neat that my peers would
vote for me to be the homecoming king and I'm just really humbled by all this
and it just means the world to me. So, we have royalty, reunions, Spike graduating,
Sam taking over, what are we missing? Well how about some football? Bulldog
Walk starts things off, then our football team ranked 14th in the nation takes
care of ETSU. I think Coach Hatcher sums up the weekend perfectly.
I would imagine, especially on homecoming weekend.
That there ain't nothing like being a Samford Bulldog, on a Saturday night, after a big win!
For Samford University, I'm Brad Radice.