Southern Adventist University KnowledgeExchange@Southern Alumni Newsletter University Archives & Publications Spring 1999 Columns Spring/Summer 1999 Southern Adventist University Follow this and additional works at: https://knowledge.e.southern.edu/alumni_newsletter Recommended Citation Southern Adventist University, "Columns Spring/Summer 1999" (1999). Alumni Newsletter. 148. https://knowledge.e.southern.edu/alumni_newsletter/148 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the University Archives & Publications at KnowledgeExchange@Southern. It has been accepted for inclusion in Alumni Newsletter by an authorized administrator of KnowledgeExchange@Southern. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A Word from the Alumni Director Continued from front page their friends are in the class just prior to or after them. PLEASE let us know what year you would prefer to be listed in and we will be glad to put that information in our computer. We definitely want you to be with those who mean the most to you when you come to Homecoming. Although 1991 seems like a long time ago, the years since then have gone by rather quickly. For me it has been fantastic—some of the best years of my life. Where else can you get paid to keep in touch with your friends and throw a party once a year (Homecoming) and invite everyone to be there?! Even better, I've never worked for any organization that I felt better about. Southern has always been committed to providing Christ-centered quality education and because this is still true today, I've been proud and happy to be here. As was announced at Homecoming by our president. Dr. Gordon Bietz, 1 will retire May 31, 1999. Betty Lou and 1 are both looking forward to that date. We do plan to stay in the Collegedale area. I'll still be seeing many of you at chapter meetings between now and then and at Homecoming in the years to come. With conditions being what they are in the world today, it can't be too much longer before the Lord's return. I want us all to be a part of that group ready and waiting for Him. 1 want to thank all of you for your loyal support and ask for your continued prayers and support for Southern as we move into the new century. Cordially, Non-Profit Organization ' SOUTHERN US POSTAGE ADVENTIST UNIVERSITY PAID PERMIT NO 6 I Alumni Collegedale TN 373 IS Jim Ashlock PO Box 370 Collegedale TN 37315-0370 1. Class of 78 2. Class of '88 The Magazine of Southern Ad itist University Opening Connments COLUMNS Volume 5 I To keep it coming Number I f you re a graduate or former student of Southern, you can relax. As long as we have I Doris Stickle Burdick Executive Editor ^ your correct mailing address, you'll stay on the Columns mailing list. However, if you've never attended Southern, act now to continue receiving this free '91 Debra J. Hicks. magazine! Managing Editor We've tried to make it easy for to respond. you See the coupon on page 27 for a list of Ingrid Skantz. '90 four ways to extend your complimentary subscription. If we don't hear from you, we'll Layout Editor assume that you no longer wish to receive Columns magazine twice a year, so reply now! Why the change? It gives you a choice. For years now, Columns magazine has been mailed not just to alumni and former Southern Adventist University students, but also to many other friends of the university. This includes area businesses, special donors, and most Seventh-day Adventist church members living in the South. Gordon Bietz President Until recently, that information had to come from several independent lists. Honoring the requests of individuals who wanted to be removed from our mailing list was next to George Babcock Academic Administration impossible. Although it's hard tor most of us at Southern to imagine why anyone would not want Dale Bidwell Financial Administration to read Columns, rumor has it that an occasional copy is tossed immediately into the nearest trash can. Let's face it. Nearly everybody is inundated with reading material these William Wohlers Student Services days. Sometimes 1 look at my own magazine stack and wonder if I'll ever get to explore all of the treasures it contains. David Burghart Advancement Nevertheless, 1 hope you'll choose to stay on our list. If you are a member of a church within the Southern Union, this is your university. We want you to know about the Vinita Sauder exciting changes taking place in the lives of its students, graduates, and faculty—many of Marketing/Enrollment Services whom are your fellow church members. God is using this unique Christian school in Carol Loree southeastern Tennessee to influence people in every section of the globe! Alumni We're committed to producing magazine a that you'll want to keep at the top of your Doris Burdick stack. - burgeoning Deha ] . Hicks Public Relations For admissions information: Southern Quadruple blessings Adventist University ENROttnENT Services Post Office Box 370 collegedale tn 37315 l.800,SOUTHERN C outhern Adventist ^^ University has received four major gifts this spring, totaling a 423.2382844 FAX 423 238,3005 K^ million dollars. Each $250,000 contribution has been designated to help students E-MAIL [email protected] desire a Christian who education. Website: vmw.southern.edu During the past year. Southern sent out 81 Student Missionaries to 22 countries of the world, including Thailand, Germany, and Korea. The first $250,000 gift will enable even more young people to participate in the Student Missions program in the future by Alumni Council providing scholarships after students return from their mission assignment. Bob Benge, June Blue. A second $250,000 gift is earmarked for endowed scholarships. The family who made Arnold Cochran, Evonne Crook, K,R. Davis. Mary Eum, Fred Fuller, the gift realizes the value of increasing the university's endowment, which currently totals Inelda Hefferun. David James, Carol Loree about $19 million. Income generated by the scholarship endowments (about 60 percent of Martt Miller, Georgia O'Brien, Beverlet Self, John Sines, total endowment) makes it possible for many of our students to continue their education. Carl Swafford. Verle Thompson A third $250,000 gift will benefit the R. H. Pierson Institute of Evangelism and World Mission, and the fourth major gift of $250,000 has been added to the Ruth McKee Chair of Entrepreneurship and Business Ethics. Columns is the official magazine of Southern We thank these donors—and every other supporter of the university. Adventist University, produced to provide - David Burghart information to alumni and other friends of the university, ©1999, Southern Adventist University. COVER: Children love clowns. College students find ministry in clowning. Sto^ begins on page 4, Photo by Jamie Arnall. 2 . SPRING / SUMMER 1999 4 Features Actions Speak Louder Than Words page 4 Local neighbors arc helped hy students who take time out from their busy schedules to show they care tor their community. X Marks the Spot page 7 An in-depth look at three Southern graduates and their passion for ministering to Generation X. Sermon in Shoes I ««>«•• page An adventure through service is experienced by three student groups who headed south for spring break. Love in Any Language page 1 Southern alumni have found several ways to incorporate international traditions into their marriage ceremonies. Igniting Imaginations page 17 Making workloads easier for students and area educators is the goal of the n university's Teaching Materials Center. Chernobyl Victim's Sister Graduates page 22 A look at the makeup of Southern's 1999 spring graduating class combined with a special report on one of the year's unique graduates. Departments Southern Update page 12 « Southern People page 20 «»Be«e««»«e9a « « a « Those Who NA/alked These Halls page 24 t a li, i. «»«»•»« « « 4 q) Columns • 3 Actions Speak Louder Than Words by Laure Chamberlain Students at Southern get "beyond themselves." They reach out to build up the local community. In the process, service is a vehicle for students to learn concepts of collaboration, change, common purpose, citizenship, and commitment. They gain confidence in themselves and a compassionate consciousness of others. Here are a few glimpses. 4 -SPRING /SUMMER 1999 7 -year-old boy was playing Most of the community-outreach minis- A more scientific answer for why stu- Mid eating with a \-olunteer tries require relatively small time commit- dents at Southern have a burden for com- A at the women's shelter. ments. Students can get involved even if munity outreach can be found in a "Will you he my girlfriend?" he asked. they are able to volunteer only once. "Col- Valuegenesis report conducted by Dr. The college girl smiled. lege students have a limited amount of Bailey Gillespie. The university commis- "You can't tell my aunt, hecause I al- time, and they want to be able to plug into sioned the Hancock Center for Youth and ready have a girlfriend," he said. "But my something without a lot of hassle," said Family Ministry to survey Southern's stu- girlfriend is in jail and my mama is in jail Rogers. dents in the spring of 1998, and results and 1 only have my aunt to take care of Because the campus operates so many were presented to the faculty just before me, so you can be my girlfriend." different outreach programs and makes it classes started the following August. The boy's aunt was 18, staying at the so easy for even shelter, and already had a baby of her own.