Hopkins talks Samford arts at chamber luncheon

Samford University’s School of the Arts dean, Joseph Hopkins, spoke about his school’s curriculum and impact on the community at the Homewood Chamber of Commerce Luncheon Aug. 20.

Addressing an audience at Samford’s Brock School of Business, Hopkins said the School of the Arts has begun to revolutionize its curriculum. He called the new program Catalyst, and it will change the way arts majors take classes from their first year on campus to their last. They will have fewer courses during their senior year and will instead focus on a self-designed project of their choosing. 

Hopkins said the shift will provide students with valuable experiences and knowledge to help them in their careers after college. He said he wants students to be prepared for their calling in life. 

“How are you attaching that to the calling God has placed in your life, so that you will be employed,” Hopkins said. “You can go on doing this thing that you do [the arts], this gift God has given you so you can make a difference in society.”

Students create the projects and then evaluate them to see if they would be a good design. One of the self-designed projects that the interior architecture students at Samford have worked on is building a pregnancy crisis center in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Hopkins said the building is under construction.

Catalyst is a refreshing curriculum plan that helps arts majors with financial and marketing advice as well, Hopkins said. 

Samford’s School of the Arts also focuses on music and ministry students. Hopkins said Samford has added majors and courses to help students with commercial music aspirations.

Samford’s School of the Arts hosts thousands of guests annually at events, and Hopkins said that bolsters the community. 

“Samford arts is bringing a lot of people to Homewood, Alabama,” Hopkins said. “We’re bringing a lot of people to the campus, but they’re coming far and wide to see events. We’re excited about that kind of impact.”

The School of the Arts has made an effort to get out in the community and help the Homewood area, Hopkins said. Neighboring school systems, local churches and a children’s home are just a few places that the School of the Arts helps. Hopkins said service is a big part of what he wants to see from his students at Samford. 

The School of Arts also has started to expand ministry studies, with the entrepreneurial side of ministry stepping to the forefront. Hopkins used an example of working with an adoption agency to get more experience for his students.

In closing, Hopkins said 99% of Samford arts students have landed a job in the six months after graduation or been admitted to graduate school to continue their education.