蜜桃av

Classes have started, and across 蜜桃av鈥檚 campus, more than 3,000 students are gathering every day in classrooms to soak up the specifics of their chosen disciplines. But something else is also happening.

Students from different academic areas are learning the languages of other disciplines across campus鈥攁nd discovering how their chosen fields overlap and interrelate. Intentionally, this happens in general courses that many students take, such as Communication and Public Speaking or Life and Teachings of Jesus. But cocurricular programs bring a practical element to communicating and collaborating across areas of study. For example, every major is invited to participate in a mission trip through the School of Religion鈥檚 Evangelism Resource Center to learn how to give evangelistic meetings around the world. 

In addition, more than 45 official student organizations and clubs across campus bring various majors together through a cultural community or common interest. An understanding and appreciation for each other鈥檚 skill sets begins to naturally emerge as the Latin American Club (LAC), for example, pulls on the strength of its members with journalism skills to write a press release for the student newspaper, while construction management students build a set for LAC鈥檚 upcoming event. No one tells students that they need each other to make things happen or that they see the world differently鈥攅veryone learns that through experiences like this. 

A few semesters ago, our campus Enactus chapter launched a project that united students from the School of Business, the School of Engineering and Physics, and the Applied Technology Program. Enactus, a global organization with chapters on university campuses worldwide, shares one vision: to empower young leaders to use innovation and business skills to ensure that all people thrive in a sustainable world.

To that end, one initiative of 蜜桃av鈥檚 Enactus chapter is a humanitarian project in Uganda focused on reducing poverty and school absenteeism. So far, the effort has combined two seemingly unrelated projects鈥攁 financial literacy program for local farmers and an affordable, sustainable latrine system for schools. Students found a way for revenue generated by farmers who completed the literacy training鈥攁lso led by Enactus students鈥攖o help fund the latrine construction, creating a meaningful cycle of financial and community sustainability. As the project unfolded, business and engineering students found that the greatest lessons came from learning about each other鈥檚 disciplines and collaborating across fields toward a shared purpose.

Chase Slikkers, senior business cybersecurity major and student leader of the Enactus project, shares that he didn鈥檛 understand how to apply a 鈥渂ill of materials鈥� or realize that engineering needed to address things like soil composition. Because of their cocurricular collaboration, the business majors on the team learned that by taking advantage of local soil properties, the product could be more sustainable with reduced costs. 鈥淲ithout engineering鈥檚 input, we would have just selected a latrine off the internet. Instead, we understood the benefit of customizing for a specific part of the world,鈥� Slikkers shares. 

Zach Mace, a sophomore engineering major who wants to own his own business someday, comments, 鈥淚 thought everyone spoke the same language.鈥� As the disciplines worked together, he realized how integrated their areas of emphasis needed to be. As a result, he began thinking about the engineering design in relation to function and financial viability. He worked closely with others while learning to be patient and recognizing 鈥渉ow important it is to keep product design aligned with financials.鈥�

Slikkers sums it up simply: 鈥淲e think of different things in different ways, and it takes us all to make it work.鈥� Cocurricular collaboration is just one of many durable skills students learn at 蜜桃av that make a lifelong difference in how they work, create, and serve together with others for the rest of their academic and professional careers.  

鈥� Ellen Hostetler, vice president for Advancement

More than 300 Christians in the Collegedale, Tennessee, community gathered on the campus of 蜜桃av for six consecutive evenings in May to pray for an outpouring of God鈥檚 Holy Spirit.

Held at Iles P.E. Center, the 鈥淚t鈥檚 Gonna Rain鈥� revival was a collaboration between university departments, including the School of Religion, the Office of Ministry and Missions, and Alumni Relations, along with local Seventh-day Adventist churches and Christian ministries, such as the SuCasa Spanish-American Seventh-day Adventist Church, Light Bearers Ministry, and Jesus for Asia.

鈥淲e came together collectively to ask the Lord for what He鈥檚 promised in His Word,鈥� says Kris Eckenroth, 鈥�99, Alumni Council senior president for 蜜桃av and director of Retro Ministries. 

The idea for the event came about several months prior in a Retro Ministries prayer meeting, when Eckenroth felt an urgent calling by God to unite the broader community in prayer. He knew how hard combining different schedules would be, but he took a step of faith鈥撯�揳nd God opened the way. 鈥淚t was just unbelievable that each person I called immediately said, 鈥榃e鈥檙e in!鈥欌�� Eckenroth recalls. 鈥淭he event came about because of the Lord鈥檚 guidance and complete collaboration without hesitation.鈥�

Following the scriptural command from Zechariah 10:1, 鈥淎sk the Lord for rain in the time of the latter rain. The Lord will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, grass in the field for everyone鈥� (NKJV), the emphasis of the week of prayer was petitioning God as a body of believers for the profuse power that comes from being filled with His Spirit.

鈥淭he Bible tells us that we need the latter rain in order to take the gospel to the ends of the earth before Jesus returns,鈥� Eckenroth explains. 鈥淲e know He鈥檚 coming back soon, so there鈥檚 no time to waste.鈥� After singing songs and hearing a short inspirational message from a different speaker each evening, attendees banded into small groups for prayer sessions.

One of the prayer facilitators, Joseph Khabbaz, vice president for Spiritual Life and chaplain at 蜜桃av, notes that seekers of all ages gathered together for the event. 鈥淲e all had the opportunity to meet new people, both young and old, and what naturally unfolded was many of the initial small groups reconnecting each night. I was truly blessed by the sincerity of the prayers and the collective yearning for God鈥檚 presence to be more fully known and experienced in our lives.鈥�

鈥淥ur lives get so busy with our different commitments,鈥� says Greg King, 鈥�81, PhD, dean of the School of Religion, another prayer facilitator. 鈥淗aving this season of supplication gave us intentionality about praying for the Holy Spirit. It also brought us closer together in fellowship with one another.鈥�

Jon Wood, president of Jesus for Asia, led the session another evening. 鈥淲e are all on the same team working together for one purpose: to bring people to Christ,鈥� he emphasizes. Wood hopes this revival leads participants to ask for the Holy Spirit to clear the way in their hearts to 鈥渂e guided to where Christ really is, and where He wants us to be.鈥� 

Beth Snyder, associate professor in 蜜桃av鈥檚 School of Nursing, enjoyed the entire program and was especially appreciative of the time spent in prayer. 鈥淚 got to know complete strangers on a deeper level, and we felt the presence of the Holy Spirit as we praised God together. Confessing our mistakes and weaknesses helped us see how we all struggle with similar issues and long to trust God fully with taking care of our genuine concerns.鈥�

Plans are in place to bring the community back together for another prayer event later this year. 鈥淲e keep telling people this was just the beginning,鈥� Eckenroth adds. 鈥淥ur desire is to see the momentum from the revival keep going and growing by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Until then, join fellow alumni, parents, and friends in prayer virtually each week on Monday nights beginning September 8. Learn more at southern.edu/alumnipray.

鈥� Isabele Barreto Freitas, sophomore nursing major

As a new school year approaches, 蜜桃av has a valuable new health and safety resource on campus. In partnership with a generous donor, the university installed more than 30 Tramedicube庐 trauma kits in cabinets throughout buildings, making it easier for anyone nearby to provide immediate triage assistance if a medical emergency occurs. 

With a top-mounted handle for transport, each 11x11-inch hard case is secured with a tamper-evident seal to indicate if the trauma kit has been previously opened and items may be missing, which Campus Safety will restock as needed. Tourniquets, hemostatic agents, pressure dressings, and eye wound care are included in a Tramedicube庐 along with items to help control bleeding and assist with breathing complications, chest injuries, wound and burn care, and broken bones. Located outside of each kit is a smaller first-aid packet with adhesive bandages and other supplies for minor cuts and injuries. After calling 911, bystanders can take action by triaging injuries and finding the necessary supplies to render urgent aid.

The trauma kits complement the automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) already in place around campus, an initiative implemented under the leadership of President Ken Shaw to ensure rapid and immediate care for anyone undergoing a cardiac emergency on campus.

According to Ellen Hostetler, vice president for Advancement, a donor with a medical background attended a convention in 2024 where the Tramedicube庐 was being showcased, learned about successful implementation of the kits at University of Tennessee鈥檚 Knoxville campus earlier this year, and graciously thought 蜜桃av could benefit from enhanced tools and supplies for trauma response as well. 

鈥淭he benefactor contacted us and said, 鈥業鈥檓 shipping 15 kits to you,鈥欌�� says Josh Fraker, 鈥�05, the life safety and fire systems specialist for Campus Safety at 蜜桃av, who notes that the donation also included cabinets to house the kits. 鈥淎fter installing the kits, my team shared an update with the donor, and upon learning about all of our AED locations, he expanded the initiative by doubling the donation and said, 鈥楶ut a kit at every place on campus that has an AED,鈥� a value exceeding $27,000.鈥� 

Campus signage and communication to students, faculty, and staff will explain where to locate kits and how to use the medical tools within each. 鈥淵ou can look at a map by any exit, find a trauma kit and AED location, go get what you need, and return to offer assistance to the person in distress,鈥� added Fraker. 鈥淚鈥檓 proud that our university makes safety a priority and is equipped to respond to these types of medical emergency situations.鈥�

鈥� Isabele Barreto Freitas, sophomore nursing major

鈥淲hen people are hurting, God calls us to be His hands and feet in showing others His love and care in tangible ways,鈥� says Laura Racovita, dean of the School of Social Work, who coordinates disaster relief efforts for 蜜桃av. 

When she learned about the needs of a mobile home community in Prestonsburg, Kentucky, affected by disastrous flooding last February, she gathered a team to answer the call. 鈥淲hen the opportunity came, we simply responded and left the rest to the Lord鈥檚 care to provide for students and sponsors,鈥� she explains. 
Two groups of 蜜桃av students and sponsors volunteered to help, joining two organizations on the ground: Light in the Storm Disaster Relief Ministries and 2Serve. In Kentucky, the groups collected and disposed of debris around mobile homes, removed damaged belongings from inside, and tore out walls, insulation, and floors so the framework could dry out. The Prestonsburg Seventh-day Adventist Church graciously opened its doors and housed the group for the duration of the trip.

鈥淚 like to think that the benefits are always worth more than the costs,鈥� Dannika Faith Olea, sophomore nursing major, says. 鈥淚 missed almost a week of school but would do it all again in a heartbeat. God always seems to bless me and others who are serving in ways that we couldn't have imagined.鈥�

Nursing professor and sponsor Andrew Richards, PhD, noted that an important aspect of the trip was its effect on the students. 鈥淚 saw the ministry value of it, but I also saw how the students were able to grow,鈥� Richards says. 鈥淭his was an investment in each of these students. As they finish their time in college and start their careers, hopefully the lessons they鈥檝e learned during the experience of service will stay with them the rest of their lives. This one trip might multiply into many more trips and acts of service for them.鈥�

鈥淚 received far more benefits from going compared to the $20 I gave to support the trip,鈥� Madeleine Miyashiro, junior English major, says. 鈥淚 wanted to reconnect with God by serving in a community, and I made new friends, bonded with other people who were working on the site, and received spiritual blessings. The trip definitely impacted my view on serving. Anyone can serve, even someone like me who isn't very strong!鈥�

Cheryl Craven, 鈥�99 and 鈥�21, director of 蜜桃av鈥檚 Christian Service program, expanded on the reason the university sends students on trips like this one, saying, 鈥淭hese trips are a meaningful way for students to live out 蜜桃av鈥檚 mission of pursuing Spirit-filled lives of service. Each deployment gives students a chance to put their faith into action by showing compassion and support when people need it most.鈥�

鈥� Anaya Miller, senior English and art double major