QuickNotes | August 2026

Thirty-seven Southern Adventist University alumni and friends traveled to Kenya this summer for an alumni mission trip that combined construction, education, healthcare, and church outreach at Kimogoro Adventist Boarding Primary School.

In partnership with Maranatha Volunteers International, the group served June 17-29 in the mountain community of Kimogoro. Led by Karen (Larsen) Godfrey, ’88, Maranatha’s vice president for advancement, volunteers worked primarily with Kimogoro Adventist Boarding Primary School, which has grown from 35 students when it opened in 1996 to more than 300 today.

Welcomed with singing and eager young faces, volunteers began by listening to the local faculty and staff to understand their greatest needs. From there, they raised block walls for a new administrative building, taught K–8 classes, led faculty training, sewed uniforms, provided vision screenings, and distributed eyeglasses and sports equipment. Together, the group raised more than $23,000 for technology, textbooks, uniforms, and dormitory bedding.

Alumni and friends drew from their professional backgrounds throughout the trip. A music educator taught students and teachers how to read music scores, while a first responder led first-aid training. Social workers led social-emotional lessons, and a therapist offered confidential support sessions for students and teachers. Educators tutored students in math, science, and home economics and trained teachers in Microsoft Office, while medical professionals taught anatomy and physiology and helped operate a community eye clinic.

Construction on the new administrative office became a shared project for many volunteers, with team members laying block and helping prepare the building for its dedication on their final day at the school.

The group also worshipped and served with several area Seventh-day Adventist churches. At Poroko Seventh-day Adventist Church, members welcomed each volunteer with a shuka, the traditional colorful cloth of the Maasai people. At Kapsimotwo New Life Seventh-day Adventist Church, volunteers helped lead music, a children’s church program, and the sermon. Team members also attended a well dedication at Sigowet Seventh-day Adventist Church, while a team of women helped construct a one-day church for Cheimen Seventh-day Adventist Church.

For some volunteers, the experience recalled mission trips they had taken as Southern students; for others, it was a first opportunity to serve internationally with fellow alumni. Across generations and professions, the group found ways to contribute while building relationships with the Kimogoro community.

Southern and Maranatha plan to return to Kenya June 16-29, 2027 for another alumni mission trip focused on educational and building projects urgently needed for Kimogoro's secondary students. The trip will again conclude with a safari in the Masai Mara National Reserve. Learn more and register at southern.edu/alumnimission.

- Candy Dolcy, MSW, social work assistant professor and Field Education director; and Jasmine Johnson, EdD, education professor and Master of Arts in Teaching program director

There’s a particular kind of magic that happens on Southern’s campus every October. You’re walking along the promenade, passing a building you haven’t seen in years, and suddenly someone calls your name. For a second, you’re twenty again, and all the memories come rushing back at once. That’s what Homecoming Weekend is all about, and this year, October 22–25, 2026, we hope you’ll be here to experience it.

Our theme this year, Foundations for Eternity, reflects on the faith, community, and purpose that have shaped Southern for generations. It’s a fitting theme for a milestone year: 2026 marks 110 years since Southern made Collegedale its home, the 40th anniversary of the iconic pipe organ at Collegedale Church of Seventh-day Adventists, and the opening of the new Ruth McKee School of Business building. We’re honoring the past while looking ahead, and we would love for you to be part of both.

A Few Things You Won't Want to Miss

Meet the Author: A Thousand Shall Fall Join us Friday afternoon for a reading, Q&A, and book signing with Susi (Hasel) Mundy, ’66, as she shares more about the remarkable story behind A Thousand Shall Fall. It’s a chance to hear directly from a fellow alum about a book that has touched readers for years. A limited number of complimentary copies will be available.

Ruth McKee School of Business Tours Explore Southern’s newest academic building, intentionally designed to prepare business students to become successful, mission-minded alumni.

Southern Movie Night Saturday evening, gather with fellow alumni for popcorn and a watch party featuring a production from Southern’s School of Visual Art and Design. Celebrate the creativity of Southern students and alumni while enjoying a little nostalgia-fueled movie night fun.

Workshops Full of Practical Wisdom This year’s nine-workshop lineup leans wonderfully practical, featuring real, usable insights from professors who’ve spent their careers studying these topics. Topics range from meal planning and growing herbs to spotting fake images, talking about your faith, helping your grandkids, and speaking confidently about science. 

Worship Services We’re honored to welcome Ken Norton Jr., ’96 and ’97, speaker and director for Voice of Prophecy, as the featured speaker for our worship services this year. It’s always special to hear from one of our own who has gone on to share his faith with audiences far beyond Collegedale.

Reconnecting Is the Real Heart of It All

Beyond the workshops and events, Homecoming is really about the people: running into a roommate you haven’t seen in a decade, catching up with a professor who shaped how you think, sitting down at your Honor Class Reunion Supper and realizing you can pick up right where you left off. Whether it’s a small group at the Bird Walk on Sabbath morning or your classmates when you take photos together at the Alumni Lunch, we hope this weekend gives you plenty of special moments.

Celebrating Our 2026 Alumni Award Recipients

We’re also excited to honor this year’s award recipients, whose lives and service reflect so much of what Southern hopes to instill in all of us:
• Distinguished Service — William “Rick” Norskov, ’76 
• Alumnus of the Year — Bruce Coston, ’83 
• Young Alumna of the Year — Jenée Lee, ’17 
• Graduate Studies Alumnus of the Year — Francisco Ortiz, ’16 
• Honorary Alumni — C.Y. and Ruth Liu, and Ken Parsons
• Lady of the Year — Cherie Smith, ’91 

Come See for Yourself

There’s so much more happening throughout the weekend — departmental open houses, the Southern Shuffle 5K, a Car Show and Family Fun Day, and reunions for nearly every academic program. You can find the full schedule and register online at southern.edu/homecoming. Make plans now to join us. We can’t wait to welcome you home.

- Cheryl (Fuller) Torres, ’05, Director of Alumni Relations

When asked where they went to college, Janessa (James) Charles-Marcel, ’10, and Adrien Charles-Marcel (attended) both can’t help but smile as they answer: Southern. Although they did not meet there, Southern played a significant role in each of their journeys, serving as a launching pad for careers in healthcare, a shared passion for ministry, and ultimately a life together.

Janessa attended Southern from 2006 to 2010, earning a bachelor’s degree in biology with a biomedical emphasis. Although she was raised as an Adventist, Southern was her first experience with Adventist education.

“I was amazed when Dr. Snyder started biology class with a worship thought and as I joined fellow students at early morning prayer around the flagpole between Thatcher and Talge Halls,” she recalls. David Asscherick’s week of prayer on campus also had a lasting impact, helping grow her love for Jesus and providing a foundation for her spiritual journey. 

Academically, Janessa appreciated the broad exposure provided by the Southern Scholars program and enjoyed conducting ancient DNA research with Joyce Azevedo, PhD, and the late Lee Spencer, PhD. She credits Southern’s coursework, including human anatomy, genetics, microbiology, and animal physiology, with preparing her well for medical school at Loma Linda University. After earning her medical degree, she completed a residency in pediatrics and practiced at Loma Linda for eight years. During medical school and residency, she was introduced to short-term overseas medical mission work and served in Kenya and Malawi. 

Adrien’s path to Southern was less direct. His family served as missionaries in Montemorelos, Mexico, from 2002 to 2012. Although he began college there, he decided to return to the United States to pursue his goal of attending Loma Linda University to become a dentist.

“It really prepared me well,” he says of Southern. After taking English 102 during SmartStart in 2012, he spent much of the next two years in Hickman Science Center completing prerequisites for dental school. He especially remembers General Chemistry with Brent Hamstra, PhD, Organic Chemistry with Loren Barnhurst, PhD, and many other influential courses. 

While at Southern, Adrien met Carlos Moretta, DDS, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon who invited him to attend an AMEN conference. There, Adrien encountered a new perspective on healthcare ministry.
“At the conference I heard a seminar that described dentistry as a ministry in a way I had never heard before, and it really inspired me,” he says. 

Adrien was later accepted to the Loma Linda University School of Dentistry. After dental school, he completed medical school and a residency in oral and maxillofacial surgery at Loma Linda, followed by a fellowship in cleft and craniofacial surgery in El Paso, Texas. 

God brought Janessa and Adrien together during their time at Loma Linda. They met at Advent Hope Sabbath School and, several years later, fell in love on a mission trip to Bangladesh, where they served alongside Moretta, who had become a close friend to them both. They dated through the pandemic and married in 2022. Recently, they welcomed their daughter, Elisabeth, and moved to Portage, Michigan, where they are building their careers and living closer to Janessa’s extended family. 

A shared commitment to healthcare ministry continues to shape their lives. Both were introduced early in their careers to AMEN, an organization they say helped strengthen their vision of using healthcare to minister to patients, as Jesus did. The organization’s annual conferences connected them with Adventist physicians and dentists serving patients in local and international settings and inspired them to integrate faith and service into their professions. They have volunteered at AMEN clinics and assisted with organizing annual conferences. 

“This year, I have the opportunity to speak at the AMEN conference in October, and I look forward to sharing ways in which we can be more effective for Jesus as healthcare providers,” Adrien says. Learn more about the conference at amensda.org/conference. 

- Janessa (James) Charles-Marcel, ’10, and Adrien Charles-Marcel (attended), Adapted for QuickNotes

Southern Adventist University alum John Hargy, ’26, has been selected for a prestigious 2026-2027 Fulbright Open Study/Research Award to conduct research in Turkey.

Hargy, who earned a bachelor’s degree in biophysics from Southern, will pursue a research project titled “Fasting and Refeeding in Human Intestinal Stem Cell Regeneration and Cancer Risk” at Ege University in İzmir, Turkey.

Fulbright awards are competitively granted on the basis of merit to students and scholars who participate in academic and cultural exchange between the United States and other countries. The Fulbright Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, is the nation’s flagship international academic exchange program.

“I’m blessed that these two opportunities have integrated so well—my Fulbright research in İzmir is an extension of the work I began last summer at MIT, which is the same lab I plan to return to after my Fulbright year,” Hargy says. “I’m excited to do research in Turkey, and this experience will provide a strong foundation for my doctoral work.”

At Southern, Hargy served as Student Association president and was active in the Society of Physics Students. He credits his professors and mentors with helping prepare him for advanced research.

“Southern taught me to aim high in my professional work and to always stay grounded in my faith,” Hargy says. “Serving as SA president reframed how I view leadership as less about being in charge and more about serving, listening, and investing in others.”

Following his Fulbright year, Hargy plans to pursue a doctorate in biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He also received a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship to support his doctoral studies.

- Becky (Baerg) Brooks,’03, editorial manager