Quicknotes | april 2023

Despite the threat of rain, Southern Adventist University students, employees, donors, and community members joined together on February 24 to dedicate land for a new building to house the School of Business. After opening remarks, the group formed a large circle around the future facility’s location and prayed together over the land. 

Several university and community leaders were present, including President Ken Shaw, EdD; Ron Smith, PhD, chairman of Southern’s Board of Trustees and president of the Southern Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists; and local business owner Franklin Farrow, chairman of the fundraising campaign for the School of Business.

“We’re very grateful that many have stepped up with their donations, time, and energies to make this project possible,” Farrow said. “Southern is in the business of changing and equipping hearts, and as we take on this challenge of creating a new building, let’s remember that it’s more than bricks and mortar. It is a place that will shape characters for generations to come.”

The School of Business is the second largest academic area on the university’s campus, with a 10% increase in its enrollment over the last five years. At approximately 42,000 square feet, the new building will be nearly five times as large as the current space designated for business programs in Brock Hall. It will house a large, multipurpose auditorium, and its investment lab will include 12 Bloomberg Financial Terminals—computer software systems on which students can analyze real-time financial market data.

Thanks to alumni, donors, and other friends of the university, $16.1 million of the $20 million campaign, which also includes an endowment, has been raised through donations and commitments. Groundbreaking for the new facility is planned for early Fall 2023.

“God has anointed our students to be kingdom builders in the marketplace,” said Stephanie Sheehan, PhD, dean of the School of Business. “He has called and will continue to call many students here, and we are thankful they will soon have a new facility to call home.”

For more information, visit southern.edu/gobusiness.

-by Amanda Blake, senior journalism major

Each year, one or more Southern students receive the Alumni Legacy Scholarship thanks to an endowment created by alumni who chose to give back to those who follow in their footsteps.

Initiated by the SMC-ites – those who attended Southern when it was called Southern Missionary College – this endowed scholarship has expanded to include gifts from alumni of any generation in support of legacy students (descendants of previous alumni). Students in good standing, with alumni ancestors, and preferably working on campus are eligible to apply.

This year, five students received scholarship funds from the endowment. One recipient, senior finance major Abi Niemeyer (pictured here), had this message for alumni:

“Thank you so much for your generous gift that has worked to fund my education at an Adventist University! It has reminded me of how God will always make a way and provide; thank you for allowing Him to work through you to provide blessings that do that. I am incredibly thankful for your thought and care shown through this scholarship donation; it has certainly provided a huge blessing in my life!” 

-Staff Report

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics has predicted significant growth in healthcare and IT jobs by 2030, with a 16% increase in healthcare occupations and a 13% increase in IT positions. To meet this demand for skilled workers in these fields, it is crucial to establish workforce development programs that focus not only on building critical competencies and skills but also on recruitment, retention, and career mobility.

Southern Adventist University is sponsoring a Professional Workforce Development program to address the skills gap throughout the region and state. The program provides essential workforce education for individuals and organizations in healthcare and information technology, offering 15 high-demand courses with nationally-recognized certifications, including Medical Assisting, Dental Assistant, Patient Care Technician, Cyber Security, Data Science, and Project Management. The program is delivered through an online learning platform that enables students to study at their own pace, ensuring they acquire the essential skills and knowledge required to excel in their chosen field.

If you would like to learn more about the programs and how they can benefit your professional development, or if you are interested in corporate partnership opportunities for your organization, please visit the Professional Workforce Development website or you can directly reach out to Sharon Grace at sharongrace@southern.edu or call 615.330.3875.

-Staff Report

Southern Adventist University’s honors program, Southern Scholars, is pleased to welcome historian Eric Anderson, PhD, as presenter for the first Benjamin McArthur Endowed Lecture. In addition to 30 years of teaching and administration in Adventist higher education, he has been a Fulbright lecturer in Greece and a program officer at the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Anderson (pictured below), has focused much of his research on African American history and the South. He has written on a variety of historical topics, including Reconstruction and race in politics. His most recent publication is a chapter in Ellen Harmon White: American Prophet, published by Oxford University Press.

The Benjamin McArthur Endowed Lecture Series was developed in honor of Benjamin McArthur, who was a beloved professor and active scholar. He taught in the History and Political Studies Department of Southern for 35 years. He published three books and numerous articles during his long academic career. Anderson is a personal friend of the McArthur family.

The new lecture series addresses topics that McArthur cared deeply about: the life of the mind, service to community, and spiritual commitment. Additionally, it offers opportunities for participating students, employees, and community members to have informal conversations with the guest speakers, including through luncheons and receptions.

The first presentation of the Benjamin McArthur Lecture Series will be held on Thursday, April 13, at 7 p.m. in Mabel Wood Hall’s Ackerman Auditorium. It is free to attend, and all are welcome. Click here to register.

-Staff Report