Quicknotes | june 2016
President Dave Smith Interviewed During First Day in Office
Southern's Family of Donors Sets Record
"With the response this year, we are truly touched to see the commitment and loyalty toward the future of Southern and our students," said Carolyn Hamilton, vice president for Advancement. "We are excited about the possibilities for the coming year!"
You can make a difference in Southern students' lives. To join this loyal family, visit southern.edu/give.
Forging Relationships with Fire and Hammers
by Evonne Crook, Alumni Relations director
You may not be old enough to remember hearing the metal clank of the village smithy’s hammer on an anvil or the whoosh of the bellows as fires were stoked while horse shoes, nails, and tools were shaped on a sooty forge. In the early history of Southern Adventist University, having a blacksmith shop on campus was an integral part of life at an agricultural school. Current Southern students certainly did not grow up in a time when this trade was a vital part of rural life in America, but now they have the opportunity to go back in time to hone their blacksmithing skills through the Southern Smiths Blacksmithing Club.
The organization began in 2006 and involves approximately 12-20 students each year.
University staff members, Dusty Miller and Trenton Schwarzer, enjoy blacksmithing
as a hobby and have volunteered as instructors and mentors for interested students
since the group’s inception. A small shed at the base of White Oak Mountain off Industrial
Drive was outfitted as a blacksmithing workshop with a donated forge and other necessary
tools. Alumni and community volunteers knowledgeable in blacksmithing skills also
invest their time and talents to assist with instruction.
Alumni returning to campus for Homecoming Weekends during the past three years have
also enjoyed participating in hands-on workshops hosted by the Southern Smiths. Working
alongside the students, they learn about the blacksmithing process and create small
art pieces to keep as reminders of their campus visit.
The Southern Smiths Blacksmithing Club participates in the annual Antique and Classic
Car Show event during homecomings so attendees can see demonstrations of a working
forge. The organization also made 2,300 pocket swords for attendees at this year’s
SonRise Resurrection Pageant, a community outreach ministry hosted annually on campus
the day before Easter.
Future goals of this group include the reintroduction of blacksmithing classes for
academic credit; obtaining a power hammer, treadle hammer and a 2”x72” belt sander;
and melting soft metals.
“I get so much relaxation out of it,” stated a student member of the club. “I get
to pound out any frustrations that build up during the day. It’s constructive and
I get to take home projects that really demonstrate craftsmanship. I thoroughly enjoy
this.”
The Southern Smiths Blacksmithing Club is one example of how meaningful, lasting relationships
are formed on campus when students, instructors, volunteers, and alumni connect outside
the traditional classroom setting.
Watch this video produced by David Bunzey, current group member, to learn more about the Southern Smiths
Blacksmithing Club and connect with the organization on Facebook.
Student Accounting Team
Selected as Finalist in National Competition
Students Olivia Bragg Donesky, Karina Hernandez, Katherine Pohle, and Tiffany Whitney were part of the first team from Southern to become a finalist in the annual competition. Past winners include nationally ranked accounting programs from Brigham Young University and the University of Georgia.
The students won $3,000 and presented, along with three other finalist teams, during the IMA annual conference held in Las Vegas, Nevada, on June 19. This year’s winning team was from American University of the Middle East. Southern’s team performed well and learned much about the competition process through this experience.
As a finalist, Southern received a plaque with the names of the participating students that is displayed in the School of Business and Management. Accounting professor, Julie Hyde, Ph.D., is already enthusiastic about the potential for Southern’s entry next year.
Southern Hosting Global Missions Forum
by Sharon Pittman, Global Community Development professor
Nothing accomplished in short-term mission work is simple, but each year churches are getting better and more strategic in their approaches. Southern is eager to support congregations in capacity-building mission work by training future leaders through the Global Community Development master’s degree, a two-year program consisting of both online and community-based instruction. Administrators are excited that the TEAMS Forum will provide another avenue for the university to use its resources in service to the world church.
Churches and nonprofits interested in global missions must address certain challenges and opportunities before outlining strategies for partnering with local communities to make transformational and restorative differences. Key values need to be identified to ensure the motivation for serving these communities aligns with Christ’s mission while on Earth. Important items for personal reflection and discussion at the forum in July include mutual brokenness, serving locally first, using a holistic model, appreciative approaches, and developing strategic partnerships.
Additional topics covered during Forum will include best practices in engineering and infrastructure, agriculture and food security, enterprise and sustainability, emergency response, human rights and social justice, health and wellness, urban ministries, and logistics.
You are invited to come and see what a 21st-century missionary looks like. Connect with people from across the North American Division and become equipped to make a greater difference in local communities and abroad. To register for the conference, visit facebook.com/mgcdsouthern.
Academic Summer Camps
Academic Summer Camps to Offer Immersion Experiences for High School Students
For students coming from beyond the greater Chattanooga area, vans will provide free transportation both to and from Southern at centralized pick-up locations in Atlanta, Knoxville, and Nashville. Specific details about lodging, recreation activities, and more may be found at southern.edu/camps.
Summer Ministry Internships
by Sheann Brandon, junior journalism major
Junior and senior theology students were eligible to apply, and five were accepted to work with the Georgia-Cumberland Conference, two with the Florida Conference, one with the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference, four with the Gulf States Conference, and one with the South Central Conference. Intern responsibilities include conducting Bible studies, preaching, and helping plan outreach activities for the church and community.
According to Greg King, ’81, PhD, dean for the School of Religion, there are numerous widespread benefits from this internship, including three in particular: students gain excellent experience in ministry, have the opportunity to confirm their calling, and get a real-world preview of what they’ll be doing for a career.
But it’s not just students who benefit from the program. Local churches thrive from the enthusiasm, energy, and spiritual commitment of these young ministers in training. Plus, Southern Union funding helps facilitate Summer in Ministry internships, and the program offers ministerial directors a chance to evaluate students and see how they might fit into full-time ministry openings down the road.
“This program is a blessing for everyone involved,” King said. “I’m excited for the opportunities for our students!”
Merit Award
Creators of Reversing Diabetes Seminars Receive Merit Award
Stephen (attended) and Karen (Walls) Wickham, ’75, continue to live the mission of Southern Adventist University by ministering to and serving in their local community and beyond. The couple recently received special recognition for their volunteer work improving community health during a Grundy County Health Council special awards dinner.
Representatives from the Rural Health Association of Tennessee (RHAT) presented the Merit Award to the two health educators, who developed the Reversing Diabetes Seminars program and have been using it successfully for the past three years in Grundy County and in many other communities. The couple also received the 2014 Governor’s Volunteer Stars Award for Grundy County, in recognition of the hundreds of volunteer hours they invest in their community each year.
A version of this article was originally published in the January/February issue of Georgia-Cumberland Conference’s news magazine, Communique.
Alumni Golf Tournament 2016
Homecoming Weekend 2016
October 27-30 – Honor Classes: 1936, ’46, ’56, ’66, ’71, ’76, ’86, ’91, ’96, and ’06.
School of Nursing 60th Anniversary Reunion
