A Place for Purpose
After much anticipation, the new Ruth McKee School of Business building at Southern Adventist University opened its doors for the Fall 2026 semester. The academic school, which was renamed earlier in 2026 in honor of McKee Foods cofounder Anna Ruth (King) McKee, 1926 alum, now has a new home on campus with spaces that also welcome students and guests from across the university.
Previously, the business school occupied classrooms and faculty offices on the third floor of Brock Hall, but Dean Stephanie (Davis) Sheehan, ’05, PhD, says an important element was difficult to find.
“One of the things missing was a place to just be,” Sheehan says. “Business didn’t have space for students to sit and study. If people were doing group projects, none of our classrooms were set up for that.”
Made possible through the generosity of donors to the School of Business Leadership and Innovation Campaign, the new four-story building adds more than 53,000 square feet of academic and gathering space to campus. Classrooms are joined by collaborative areas, study rooms, and spaces for experiential learning, allowing students to work together, meet with professors, and remain connected between classes.
“This is about building community,” Sheehan says. The school moves into its new home
with strong academic momentum, ranking in the 95th percentile nationally in 2025-2026
based on the combined average score of students taking the ETS Major Field Test in
Business, compared with participating institutions. As the second-largest academic
area on campus, the building also gives the Ruth McKee School of Business a stronger
sense of identity.
“We’ve had a purpose, and now we have a place,” Sheehan says.
Marketplace Mission
That purpose extends far beyond preparing students to earn a living. At the Ruth McKee
School of Business, the educational model challenges the assumption that business
is primarily about making money. Faculty teach that God calls some people into business
just as He calls others into healthcare, education, or pastoral ministry.
“We have a purpose. God has called us here,” Sheehan says. “Someone needs to be the
hands and feet of Jesus in the workplace.”
That conviction is at the heart of what the school calls missional business. Students are encouraged to recognize that God created each of them with individual abilities and a purpose, then consider how those gifts can be used in the marketplace. The goal is to prepare professionals known for exemplary ethics, wise stewardship, excellent work, and Christlike interactions.
Students put that philosophy into practice through experiences that connect classroom learning with real-world problem solving and professional mentorship.
Business, Sheehan says, functions much like a spiderweb: industries, organizations,
disciplines, and people constantly intersect. Part of the school’s role is helping
students discover where their abilities and calling fit within that network.
“We’ve wanted to provide so many more opportunities for students that we just couldn’t—until
now,” Sheehan says. “I’m so excited for what the future holds.”
Specialized Spaces
For the Ruth McKee School of Business, providing a quality education is part of a broader Christian philosophy. Students leave Southern prepared not only with professional skills but also with the spiritual foundation to make ethical decisions, steward resources wisely, and recognize their careers as paths for living out God’s calling.
More than a new home for an academic area, the building creates new opportunities for connection across campus while giving business students space to put their learning into practice. Hands-on experiences range from using 12 Bloomberg terminals—professional tools that provide real-time financial market data, research, and analytics—to developing entrepreneurial ideas, preparing presentations, and collaborating on projects.
Here are just a few of the distinctive areas that make the Ruth McKee School of Business special.
The Rotunda: The building’s central entrance brings together several details that connect the new space with Southern’s past and present. The university seal is embedded in the terrazzo floor, and a live stock ticker brings real-time market information into view. A prominent wooden staircase, crafted from white oak trees from campus (removed during construction of the Bietz Center for Student Life), leads to the second floor and creates a natural focal point in the open gathering space.
Room to Connect: The new building’s private study rooms and informal gathering areas may be among its most appreciated features. Spaces for individual concentration, group projects, and spontaneous conversations make it easier for students to remain within the building between classes rather than simply arriving for class and leaving afterward.
Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centers: Dedicated hubs for innovation and entrepreneurship give students room to brainstorm, collaborate, and develop solutions together. Those skills are already being put into action through opportunities such as Enactus, where students use entrepreneurial thinking in service-oriented projects. The new space provides a home for ideas to develop through conversation, teamwork, and experimentation.
SMARRT Fund Finance Lab: The SMARRT Fund Finance Lab gives finance students a dedicated setting for working with market information and professional financial tools, including the Bloomberg terminals. Students involved with the fund manage real university investments, gaining experience in analysis, decision-making, and stewardship while preparing for a field that changes constantly.
Multipurpose Room: Designed with flexibility in mind, the building’s large multipurpose room can adapt for guest lectures, special events, and other large gatherings. Its versatile layout provides additional space for gatherings that bring together students, faculty, alumni, employers, and visiting professionals from across the university and beyond.
Learn more about Southern Adventist University's Ruth McKee School of Business at southern.edu/business.
By Isabella Dixon, junior English and communication double major