![Hero Image](/connect/taste-of-southern/img/2023/TS_Banner_GreenGold_4-3-23-V2.jpg)
A Taste of Southern
Experience a taste of Southern Adventist University and support students along the journey from enrollment to employment
Enjoy a fresh taste of the Southern experience at every year’s gala. Table sponsors
include area businesses owned by alumni or where Southern students intern and alumni
work. Plan now to attend the 2024 Taste of Southern gala at The Signal in downtown
Chattanooga on October 3. Proceeds raised from the evening benefit first-generation
college student scholarships.
![Southern's Jazz Ensemble members performing on stage](/connect/taste-of-southern/img/2024/JazzEnsemble-103.webp)
![Three Southern Culinary Arts students watching their instructor roll dough](/connect/taste-of-southern/img/2024/Culinary-140.webp)
![Two Southern students talking with a business professional and the Meet the Firms event](/connect/taste-of-southern/img/2024/FirmsMilaBales-14.webp)
![Earnie Haase and the other three members of Signature Sound posing in tuxedos](/connect/taste-of-southern/img/2024/ehss-tux.webp)
Memories of our 2023 Event
The second A Taste of Southern event was held at The Chattanoogan Hotel on September
28. The 350 local business and organization professionals in attendance experienced
a glimpse of what students enjoy every day on the Collegedale campus. Guests watched
a live, outdoor routine from the university’s Gym-Masters acrobatic team, purchased
silent auction items, and saw the animation process unfold during a presentation by
the School of Visual Art and Design. Southern alum Rebecca Hogan of Russ Blakely &
Associates shared her experience as a first-generation student and invited the audience
to support others like her. Approximately $130,000 was raised, with proceeds adding
to the university’s endowment scholarship for first-generation college students.
![The Southern Adventist University Symphony Orchestra performing for the guests](/connect/taste-of-southern/img/2023/gallery/Gala2023-224.webp)
![Magda Mihaescu, Doru Mihaescu, and Gordon Bietz all talking to each other](/connect/taste-of-southern/img/2023/gallery/Gala-46.webp)
![Rep. Greg Vital and Ashely McCue talking to Hendel Butoy as he demonstrates his art](/connect/taste-of-southern/img/2023/gallery/Gala-144.webp)
![A table set in preparation for A Taste of Southern dinner](/connect/taste-of-southern/img/2023/gallery/Gala-22.webp)
![J.V. Vaughn and Ken Shaw talking with each other](/connect/taste-of-southern/img/2023/gallery/Gala-33.webp)
![A small community choir performs at the 2023 A Taste of Southern Gala](/connect/taste-of-southern/img/2023/gallery/Gala2023-305.webp)
2024 Platinum Sponsors
![](/connect/taste-of-southern/img/2022/san-sebastian.png)
San Sebastian Development
![](/connect/taste-of-southern/img/2023/SouthernUnionConferenceLogo.jpg)
Southern Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
The Irvin C. & Evea J. Bainum Foundation, Inc.
2024 Gold Sponsors
![](/connect/taste-of-southern/img/2022/morning-pointe-senior-living.png)
Morning Pointe Senior Living
![](/connect/taste-of-southern/img/2023/south-east-bank-logo.png)
SouthEast Bank
![](/connect/taste-of-southern/img/2023/times-free-press-logo.jpg)
Times Free Press
2024 Silver Sponsors
![](/connect/taste-of-southern/img/2023/Chambliss_logo_SPOT.png)
Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel P.C.
![](/connect/taste-of-southern/img/2022/collegepress-logo.png)
College Press
![](/connect/taste-of-southern/img/2023/EldersBadgeLogowithAce.jpg)
Elder's ACE Hardware
![](/connect/taste-of-southern/img/2023/First-Horizon-new-logo.jpg)
First Horizon
![](/connect/taste-of-southern/img/2023/georgia-cumberland-logo.png)
Georgia-Cumberland Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists
![](/connect/taste-of-southern/img/2022/theooltewahclub-logo.jpg)
The Ooltewah Club
![](/connect/taste-of-southern/img/2022/pinnacle-logo.jpg)