LEADERSHIP + INNOVATION CAMPAIGN
Christian Excellence In Action
Watch the construction progress on the Ruth McKee School of Business building.
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Southern Adventist University's School of Business has approximately 450 students pursuing 16 undergraduate and graduate degrees. Each program is designed to equip students with the tools to succeed professionally while inspiring them with the eternal purpose of sharing Christ in their chosen field. Our students excel both in the classroom and the community:
- Seniors place in the top 20% nationally for Major Field Tests.
- SMARRT Fund students successfully practice investing with real money.
- Enactus team members achieve competitive annual rankings within the global social entrepreneurship network.
- Students provide free tax-filing assistance as a community service.
Together, we can help them achieve even greater success. Join us as we prayerfully pursue the $20 million School of Business Leadership and Innovation Campaign in support of a new building and program endowment.
New School of Business Groundbreaking!
Number of Business Campaign Gifts and Pledges
Total Received and Pledged for Business Campaign
Business Campaign Goal for Building and Endowment
Ruth McKee School of Business Walkthrough Video
Enjoy a sneak peek at the layout and select spaces included within this exciting new facility coming soon to Southern Adventist University’s campus. Construction is underway!
SOUTHERN'S NEW SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
- Business Innovations Center
- SMARRT Fund Finance Lab
- Tech-Driven Classrooms
- Collaborative Study Areas
- Private Study Rooms
- Enactus Team Space
- Auditorium
- Large Conference Room
NAMING ANNOUNCEMENT
On July 20, officials from Southern Adventist University and McKee Foods Corporation gathered to announce the naming of Southern’s School of Business after Anna Ruth (King) McKee, ’26, pictured below. The new campus building that will house the business program will also carry her name. McKee and her husband, O.D. McKee, ’28, co-founded McKee Foods, best known for its Little Debbie snacks.
“Our goal is that each student who graduates from the new Ruth McKee School of Business will embody the core of Ruth’s leadership of McKee Foods Corporation: integrity, wisdom, acumen, and beneficence,” said Stephanie Sheehan, dean of the business school. “These qualities which transcend the ever-changing landscape of business were foundational to the caliber of Ruth and O.D.’s legacy of business leadership, innovation, and success. We strive to encourage and equip Southern students to live and lead likewise.” (read more)
PREEMINENT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
Designing and building a new School of Business facility will contribute to a greater
sense of purpose, place, and presence for each business student and faculty member,
in addition to benefiting the campus and local community.
Purpose. Our programs' focus on purpose will become clearer and simpler to execute as space
limitations decrease and students’ affinity and ownership increases. Student opportunities
for vocational discernment will blossom with the creation of a dedicated School of
Business Career Center, and community service efforts will grow as the public is invited
to engage with us in large, multipurpose spaces that are part of the new, easy-to-identify
facility.
Place. The new facility will be home to programs where instruction is well-equipped and
easily accessible. The SMARRT Fund Finance Lab, Business Innovation and Solutions
Center, Leadership Institute, and Enactus will all benefit from dedicated space for
experiential learning. A dedicated physical footprint for the School of Business will
unlock potential for enrollment growth and improve engagement opportunities between
students, faculty, alumni, and the community.
Presence. More than simply brick-and-mortar space, presence means possessing an identity that
engenders respect, which increases perception of program value and fosters a sense
of belonging, connectedness, and pride. A sense of belonging will be intentionally
fostered in new collaborative spaces resulting in idea generation, networking possibilities,
and long-term relationships that attract new students, new faculty, and potential
employers.
Current School of Business Enrollment
Current School of Business Dedicated Sq. Footage
New School of Business Square Footage
ALUMNI INSIGHT
"I can trace my success as a Christian business owner to my experience as a student
in Southern’s School of Business. I’m so excited to see the opportunities for leadership
and innovation expand in this new space. As a result, businesses and communities around
the world are going to feel an eternal impact from the next generation of business
graduates from my alma mater."
-Franklin Farrow, ’93, CEO and co-founder of Morning Pointe
Senior Living and member of Southern’s Board of Trustees
Support the Campaign
Support Southern's School of Business Leadership and Innovation Campaign today. The future happens now!