SEU Magazine | Spring 15

SPRING 2015 CAMPUS EDITION

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coach barsh « the penny story destinations « IF: college « pray first

LOOKING BACK W I T H

T H E

T E A M

Dear Readers, Not many will truly know the work that goes into putting something like this magazine together. When each of us began, we had no idea what to expect…more specifically, we didn’t really know what we were doing.

But as this current team’s chapter comes to a close, it’s a privilege and an honor to look back and see what this magazine has done for our team and for the community as a whole.

We believe we are all storytellers, that everyone is a walking story. We’ve been to different places, have met different people and have come across unique stories within Southeastern’s community that we believe needed to be shared. Whether it was through writing, graphics, or photography, Southeastern Magazine gave us the opportunity to share something special with you; it gave us the opportunity to use our passions to celebrate who you are. Being able to tell people’s stories and watching students’ faces while they read our magazine has been an absolutely unprecedented experience, and we will cherish it forever.

Because we believe in the power of stories and the impact Southeastern’s community has had on us, this semester’s issue is focused on celebrating who we are, where we’ve been, and where we’re going. From untold stories of current students and faculty to the retold stories of past students who have made an impact on our campus, we hope each page makes you proud to be a part of Southeastern University. We have also incorporated something new this semester - The Layar app. Download Layar for more exclusive content as you read our magazine.

To all who made this magazine possible - Dr. Ingle, Chris Owen, Sabrina O’Gorman, Annalee Mutz and countless others - we thank you! Thank you for allowing us to tell the stories of the people who make our community great. It has been an honor for us to be a small part of the soon-to-be grand history of the Southeastern Magazine.

Sincerely, The Creative Comm Team (2014-2015)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 38 THE PENNY STORY “Pennies are so worthless in our societydisposable, cheap- if they’re on the ground or on the countertop we don’t pick them up because there’s really no need for them, and that’s how the world treats victims of trafficking...”

Executive Editor

Advisor

Photographer

Creative Director

Writer

Creative Comm Team (2014-2015)

Graduate Assistant

Designer

Designer

CONTRIBUTORS

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EDITORS Priscilla Burr Frankie Cunningham Dana Davis Anna Marie Smith Nicole Tillotson

city socials coach rj barsh empanada mama health & wellness destinations sbp q&a pray first the forum

PHOTOGRAPHERS Will Baxter Dulce Blandon Tomas Czernek Donnie Edwards Nate Mundell Abigail Rodriguez Loree Rowland 4

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DESIGNERS Will Baxter Victoria Bilsborough Derek Forehand Bri Gamez Elisabeth Huijskens Sofia Ramos Michelle Simanca WRITERS Katy Abramowich Victoria Bardega Maegan Carroll Ashley Cheshire Kirstin Czernek Donnie Edwards Courtney Floyd

Kelly Freed Tori Harris Andrew Kahler Lynzi Lapka Jenson Metcalf Micah Pery Kurk Pyros James Ralston Tara Saley Danielle Sautter Hank Taylor Nicole Tillotson Jeanette Torres Ashley Winkler Devin Yasi

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E! AV AIL AB L

WSEU RADIO:

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YOUR FIRE STATION!

By Victoria Bardega

Photo: Dulce Blandon

93.7 FM

“The expansion of WSEU will provide opportunities of growth for all students and for the university as a whole. As we provide training ground for the building of future broadcasting professionals, we are also empowering SEU to have a voice within the Lakeland community,” shares Lee. This new implementation for the College of Communications will offer hands-on training for any student who desires to gain this complete experience. Currently serving under Dr. Lee’s leadership are two interns and seven radio team members who are committed to diligently helping WSEU Radio.

“Students are entering into a whole new ball game with WSEU. Although it can be nerve-wrecking, this is real world experience. We are offering students opportunities and internships that go far beyond the basic coffee runs,” says Lee. All students who get involved with radio broadcasting on campus are enrolled in Introduction to Radio, as well as a Radio Practicum class that Dr. Lee teaches weekly.

“I want to take our students to higher levels. Learning radio is more than just technical skills. But rather, it’s also how you carry yourself. I’ve experienced the industry first-hand, and what they want is dependable people,” Lee mentions. A lot of this desire can be attributed to Dr. Lee’s own career, which has led to international business and ministry in countries like Cuba, Ethiopia, India, Thailand and Vietnam where he has helped to establish broadcasting networks and stations. With

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Dr. Lee’s experience, the re-launch of WSEU is only the beginning of what’s to come as Southeastern University continues to develop and grow.

“A short-term goal for our radio team is to operate glitch-free; so far, so good. Long-term goals would include becoming a sustainable radio station financially and further expanding our signal into Central Florida. We want WSEU Radio to be an entity that will propel students toward real careers after graduating Southeastern,” says Lee. As the team continues to develop WSEU programming, the radio station will air popular Christian artists such as Hillsong, Kari Jobe and even SEU Worship. Dr. Lee and the team are also using WSEU Radio to promote and support local, striving artists by releasing their work on air. As 93.7FM is a 24/7 operation, the team is also hoping to develop hourly news and weather updates, as well as wellestablished talk shows where special guests can be interviewed on air.

“Radio is another avenue for ministry; it’s an opportunity for us as a university to offer more than just chapel services,” encourages Lee. For more information, contact the team at wseuradio@seu.edu and tune in daily to your Fire Station!

Se ep up age da 82 te fro for m an D ex r.I clu ng si le. ve

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new sound invaded the Lakeland community through radio this year thanks to the dedication and hard work of Southeastern’s communications professor, Dr. David Lee, Ian Fritzsche, and the supporting partnership of President Dr. Kent Ingle. SEU Radio has been heard in the closed circuit on campus for roughly 10 years.

However, this March WSEU was re-launched as an official over-the-air broadcast radio station whose signal will reach many listeners within the city of Lakeland through 93.7FM.

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ci ty s ocia l

By Nicole Tillotson

Photo: Will Baxter

Out with the old, in with the new. The belated City Groups have transitioned and evolved to City Socials, the high-energy events that both Southeastern students and the Lakeland community benefit from.

and out into the community, City Socials show our faces and spread our unique culture. For example, our very own Redeemed Dancers of Glory (RDG) performed on the rooftop of the Downtown Lakeland parking garage during last semester’s City Social.

spirituality and connectivity to the surrounding culture.

“As a community, we are called to reach our city,” says Hollie Jo Hepler, who coordinated City Socials at Southeastern before taking on a new adventure in Miami with Trinity Church, along with her husband Joe Hepler.

Aiding in the fun aspect are free prizes, which make any event fun for college students. The first 50 people to the McDonald’s City Social received a free meal, while free pizza and soda were served during the downtown event.

With our small, vibrant community venturing and spreading into the surrounding areas, these two City Social events have affected our locale in positive ways.

City Socials are a twice per semester large, fun gatherings that take students from Southeastern and places them in the city alongside other college students.

The fun surrounding City Socials developed out of the past City Groups gatherings. The previous model of City Groups focused around Thursday night Life Journal groups at local Starbucks shops for students of surrounding colleges who wanted to get plugged into the unique community Southeastern offers.

“Our aim is to reach our city in some capacity and to see college students loving Jesus,” says Hepler.

Beginning last semester, the first event packed out the McDonald’s near campus, while the second expanded and took over the rooftop of the parking garage in Downtown Lakeland. The events focus around the city, fun, and food while showing our community who Southeastern is in a more personal and inviting way.

“City Socials effectively show who we are and that we love Jesus, our neighbors, and people,” says Hepler.

With Southeastern students taking their events from on-campus 8

“God wants to use staff, faculty and students at Southeastern to impact Lakeland,” says Hepler.

The day following the rooftop social, a Southeastern alumna called the university and said she and her daughter were walking by the Terrace Hotel, and young people from Southeastern invited them to the rooftop of the parking garage. The alumna and her daughter, who is considering attending Southeastern, were welcomed with fun, kindness, and love. They were both impressed by the simple notion of students waving in people off the streets and how the culture of Southeastern has evolved to be so welcoming.

Coordinators discovered that students who were involved in City Groups were already plugged into small groups at their local churches. Involved students were searching to experience the presence of God with large company, hence their attendance at First Chapel.

Hepler hinted at future events saying, “We like to be creative, maybe down by the lake, parking lot, or maybe partnering with an outreach.”

“We need to go to the community, not have them come to us,” says Hepler.

The future for City Socials looks bright, energetic and a whole lot of fun.

As a result, the model change was sparked by the realization of the over-arching, main focus of the students—healthy individual 8

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C AMP US CLUB S GETTING INVOLVED AT SOUTHEASTERN

Since then, Speak That has grown to be one of the most popular clubs on campus. They have biweekly meetings where new members can get involved as performers or volunteers.

One of the latest clubs, More Love Letters, started by senior Brianna Gamez, is based off the worldwide movement of spreading encouragement by writing letters. They write letters of love and encouragement, and send them out into the world, sometimes leaving them for strangers to find.

By Andrew Kahler

Never before has El Prado been so alive and full of energy than on the day of Club Rush 2015.

Dozens of organizations packed out the strip, to the point that there wasn’t enough room to fit every club on campus.

Club: More Love Letters

More Love Letters meets monthly to write letters for specific groups. In February, they wrote Valentine’s Day cards for a local retirement community.

With new clubs like Team Rocket and the Public Relations (PR) Club, and groups that have become staples of Southeastern’s culture like Soul Food and Hispanic Student Life (HSL), now is the time to get involved.

One of the biggest names on campus is the Redeemed Dancers of Glory (RDG).

Formed six years ago, RDG uses hip-hop as a form of ministry and holds tryouts for new members at the beginning of every semester.

“What makes RDG special is the passion every member has to worship and the dedication each person has to this family,” says RDG co-leader, Alyssa Keith. “Dance is an incredibly powerful art form that shows God’s creativity and unique design in and through the human body.”

Love to watch movies? The Film Club meets every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in Bolin 225 and watches films ranging from classics like Citizen Kane to sci-fic thrillers like Signs.

To get involved with the Film Club, all you have to do is show up and watch a film. Snacks are provided. Afterwards, club members discuss what they took away from 10

“Pouring parts of yourself on good ol’ fashioned paper to help someone else get through a hard time is so refreshing to me,” says Gamez.

If you want to start your own club, Victoria Cooke, student body vice president, has made it easier than ever to make that dream a reality.

Club: Hispanic Student Life the film and vote on what they want to watch next.

able to express themselves in a judge-free environment.”

Zach Varnum, who heads the Film Club, says to anyone willing to come out that “you help us use movies to bring the whole campus together.”

The Factory hosts several events on campus each year and are always looking for new talent.

Representing the artists on campus, the Factory is a mixed media arts club based off of Andy Warhol’s group with the same name.

Capturing another form of art, Speak That uses a variety of performance art, written and performed by the students, to deliver the message of Christ at Southeastern and in the local community.

“The whole point of the Factory is taking different artists with different ideas and skills and collaborating together,” says Jenny Krist, the club founder. “We want to give people the opportunity to escape from the professionalism of school and be

One of the founding members, Ricky Latimore, explained their origins: “We got some friends together and performed at the Jesus Fountain with a huge turnout, full of diversity, talent and God’s spirit. We didn’t even mean for it to be an event.”

“First, students would need to email me at vrcooke@seu.edu. Then we would meet to discuss what they wanted to do. It’s as easy as that!” says Cooke.

With so many clubs available and the ability to create your own, there has never been a better time to get involved here at Southeastern.

Club: Stokenomics

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R-JAY BARSH

By Jeannette Torres

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“The best part about coaching is seeing your guys develop,” says R-Jay Barsh, the head coach of the Southeastern University men’s basketball team.

Washington University to continue his basketball career.

It was during his time in Washington that basketball was suddenly taken away from him; Barsh broke his back in a car accident that would change the trajectory of his life.

Barsh has brought something new to the program, and it’s different than many around the country.

“The injury was probably the best thing to ever happen to me because when basketball was taken away from me, as far as physically being able to play, I realized that it wasn’t who I was,” says Barsh. “My accident was a collision with destiny.”

Along with developing a team that was going to get the rings and the banners, Barsh also developed a team that he could relate with, encourage and build up as men.

Coach Barsh is no stranger to success.

While he was coaching at a junior college in Tacoma, Washington, the team experienced four different trips to the Final Four and won the championship in his last year before coming to Southeastern.

After his accident, he realized he loved the X’s and O’s more than he did playing. He went on to coach at various levels and even launched his own organization, Together We Can, which is centered around putting on basketball camps and clinics.

The interest about a job at Southeastern came when Andrew Gard, a close friend and former teammate, asked Barsh if he would consider coming to Florida if a job ever opened up.

“I love people and I’ve always loved serving.

Coaching came natural to me and there was never any tension,” says Barsh, who started working as a junior coach for NBC Camps at the age of 12.

“It’s a long way from home, but for a head coaching job, I would move to Florida,” Barsh told Pastor Gard.

Before turning 20, he had already directed camps in London, England, and helped run a camp in Italy.

A few months later that’s exactly what happened. He moved his family 3,500 miles across the country for a position where he knew he would be able to use his passion for coaching and his passion for Christ on and off the court.

The most pivotal part of his coaching career came when he landed a sales job after two years of volunteer coaching. His work days consisted of early 10-hour shifts and then coaching his high school teams in the evenings. After 13 months on the job, he found himself sitting in his boss’s office telling him he couldn’t continue working because he didn’t have the passion for the position. He left a secure job for no job, a house for an apartment and living on his own for living with a friend, but it was a risk he was willing

Although he’s been coaching since a young age, his coaching career came unexpectedly.

After an excellent career in high school, he followed basketball to a junior college where he won the championship his freshman year. Soon after, he transferred to Central

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to take because his passion was in coaching.

Coach R-Jay Barsh has continued to fulfill his calling and passion for coaching as the head coach of Southeastern University’s men’s basketball team. His wife, Chris, and his 17-year-old son Carson have supported and encouraged him since day one at Southeastern. His wife knew that for the first year, everyday was going to be dedicated to taking the team in the right direction.

Due to Barsh’s demanding schedule, family time now consists of staying in and spending time with each other, whether that’s watching a movie or just enjoying each other’s company. These are the moments they cherish and look forward to when work days are over and it’s time to wind down.

In his first year, Coach Barsh focused on building the team from what it was to what it is now. The team went 15-17 and had a six-game losing streak at one point, but they soon realized their influence wasn’t determined by winning, but by the character of the individuals on the team; that’s what set in motion a thriving basketball culture at Southeastern.

“I think it has to do with more than winning, because our players really get out there and they do good in the community,” says Barsh.

During his second year, the team made it to the Final Four for the first time in program history.

“When we came home from the national tournament, all of the students were outside welcoming us home with signs,” says Barsh, as he describes the unique basketball culture.

“A lot of small schools don’t have that, so that was probably my favorite moment.”

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Although this year’s team has seen its fair share of adversity, Barsh is more than proud of guys like Tim Mitchell, Dana Thomas, Andre Winston, and Caleb Konieczny, who have stepped up and taken the team under their wing.

Over the past three years, Barsh has been dedicated to recruiting faith-filled players who are confident in their walk with Christ, and consistently encourages them to continue being those men on and off the court. It’s obvious when talking to his players, that Coach Barsh is consistent in what he does, a source of support and only wants what’s best for his guys.

“He’s just a very genuine person and an all around great guy; he always tries to stay humble and is always supportive,” says Andre Winston, who took advantage of the opportunity to transfer and play under Brash for his final year.

Junior Larry Taylor, another transfer, values the way Christ is put at the forefront of

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what they do as basketball players, leaders, students, and most importantly, followers of Christ.

“I just want to be where God wants me to be. I want to stay in my purpose,” says Barsh about his future.

“It is a true blessing to say that I found a coach that not only wants the best of you on the court, but he wants the best of you off the court and in your spiritual life as well,” says senior Tim Mitchell, who has played under Barsh for two years.

His five-year plan has changed to taking life one day at a time. He attributes this mindset to his wife’s health—an unexpected battle with Leukemia has his family focused more on her well-being than anything else.

Nevertheless, Barsh doesn’t take all the credit for the success of his team. His assistant coaches and support staff, Buddy Mason, Eddie Anderson, Malcolm Pollock, Jeromie Grammer and Natalie Schmidt, can be attributed with the growth and development of the program as well. His thankfulness for his coaching staff and the incredible work they put in is evident when talking about his time here at Southeastern.

“I think God has set me up to have influence; and to have influence, you have to steward what you have,” says Barsh.

He’s taken all the resources God has given him and used those to impact the lives of those he comes in contact with.

“I’m not afraid to be on my knees more than I am on my feet,” says Barsh, attributing a lot of his success to this posture.

“He has high expectations, but he also gives us every resource and every tool to meet those expectations,” said Jeromie Grammer, who looks up to Barsh’s leadership and coaching style.

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THE EMPANADA MAMA

By Donnie Edwards Keith and Ruby Steckert met at work, and a conversation over empanadas developed into a partnership.

Their mutual passions and interests grew into a testament to building community and serving that same community in the Spirit of Christ, wherever or in whatever shape that service might take. Their passion for service and the joy that they receive from it is an inspiration to those who may take the time to speak with them.

To get to know them and the story behind their culinary pursuit is an image of intentional, consistent service to the surrounding community. This business is one many of us may know not by the owners’ names, but by another one: The Empanada Mama.

“Ruby and I met at work. We began to get to know each other over our mutual love of culinary arts,” says Keith. “It’s crazy to think that something that we at first joked about happening–starting a business–actually happened, all just because we thought that Ruby’s empanadas are better than any of the empanadas we could get anywhere else in the area.”

Photo: Donnie Edwards

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Being a relatively new venture, Empanada Mama is seeing great growth in their business rather quickly. Their goal, other than service to their community, is the addition of a second Empanada Mama truck and the hopes of making this business their primary occupation.

“Our first event was in October of 2013. It was a very exciting thing for us; we hoped people would enjoy our work as much as we do,” says Ruby. “Luckily, I think people are.

We’re proud of the product we make. We really are trying to put ourselves into this. We hope that our customers get that when they come up to our window.”

Empanada Mama’s goal is to steward what God has given them and to grow it, and to serve the community and to help make it a better place.

“We feel that food truck rallies are great ways to do just that,” says Keith. “We just wanted to do that a little differently and with a little less expense to our customer than maybe some of our other competitors.”

The most impressive aspect of spending an evening with Empanada Mama at Downtown Lakeland’s Food Truck Rally is seeing, in person, just how well they display

their attitude of love for their community. It is who they are, not just what they do.

So, what is it like in the day-to-day pursuit of this passion?

“Either preparing for an event or actually doing one,” says Keith. “I still have a fulltime job doing IT work. Still, I help prepare for and organize things before and after work...Ruby has been lucky enough to recently switch to working on Empanada Mama full-time, so she continues to work on things while I’m at my IT job; whether that is booking events, ordering and sorting our supplies, or prepping our food for an event.”

Building community.

Pursuing passion.

Serving

others.

These are the things that come to mind after spending an evening observing, learning from and getting to know the kind owners of Empanada Mama; these are the foundations of the hearts of Keith and Ruby Steckert.

Building something to make the world around you a better place. Serving others.

Follow your passions, and while you’re at it, stop by and have one of the best empanadas in the area from Empanada Mama.

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UNPLAND IMPROV •

AN INSIDE LOOK AT SEU’S IMPROV COMEDY TEAM

By Kurk Pyros CAST: Sean McKenney//Tori Baird//Jamin Metcalf//Lindsay Dorio//Cameron Smith//Ricky Latimore//Shelby Vaughn//Anna Laughlin// Joel Twitchell//Jordan Glindomrong

Photos: Abigail Rodriguez

Photo: Dulce Blandon You have to act as an old lady in the middle of a deserted island, and every sentence has to start with the word, ‘chicken.’ GO! Unpland Improv is a comedy act on Southeastern’s campus that is entirely made up on the spot! They have crazy scenes like this all the time, and they just have to roll with the punches. But their high-energy performances aren’t entirely unprepared. The team puts in a lot of hours behind the scenes to make this program happen, and we want to let you see just how hard they work.

UNPLAND IMPROV

The Beginning Unpland Improv started out as a film class project years ago, and has grown into a fullfledged show now in its 11th season. The program is based off of a 90s TV show Who’s Line Is It Anyway? This show inspired them to perform their own stand-up comedy.

Now, Jordan Glindomrong and Jamin Metcalf act as the facilitators of discussion, coming up with random scenarios and getting everyone involved in different games throughout the night.

You might not know that they also have people behind-the-scenes such as Lauren Mathis and Kyle Holly, as well as their faculty advisor David Sparling, who help produce the performances.

Even though their majors range from history to broadcasting, these guys are dedicated to making Unpland Improv a success.

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Team Time Thursday evenings are the group’s time to get together, interact, learn new skills and practice what they already know.

“We learn a concept, practice it, then go right to a game,” says Tori Baird, Unpland cast member.

What’s Ahead?

Looking toward the future, Unpland Improv is only climbing the ladder of success. The team is excited to see what other avenues they can run with and ways to make the program better.

The goal is to be relaxed and imaginative.

Team chemistry is such a big part of their success.

“The best part is hanging out as a team,” says Glindomrong.

If they want their games and their improvisations to be believable and funny, they have to rely on each other to make the difference. One rule they must learn is to work together and not negate each other; they can’t tear down one team member’s imaginative scenarios, or the audience will lose confidence in the improvisation.

“We already have some changes in the works, like making a YouTube channel and making it a production team as well as a team,” says Glindomrong.

“We’re a ministry; we can be Christians and still have hilariously good fun. It’s really 20

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important to get into the community,” says Joel Twitchell, host of Unpland.

“We can take Unpland Improv to newer heights if we let people know,” says Twitchell.

Not only can they go bigger, the quality can grow too. Asking for everyone’s opinions and growing in their sense of a family are couple aspects Lauren Mathis believes will further the show and team.

Unpland Improv is a strong program on campus. They’ve also got a Facebook page, so check them out! If you’re interested in joining the team, they will have tryouts in the fall for the new season. Shows are Fridays in Bolin Studio at 7 and 9 p.m.

As a senior production manager slated to graduate this spring, Mathis says, “I just want to give the program to my successor better than I found it.”

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THE SPOTDIFFERENCE

LEVEL

YOU TRYIN’

Something’s off with the Unpland Improv players. Can you spot the 5 differences between the pictures in each set?

(You made it. Too bad - you won’t go any farther.)

LEVEL

WIMP

(I heard bibs are on sale this week if you need a spare.)

LEVEL

GIVE UP Now (No, really. Give up.)

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Thursday Night Live!

Creating Laughter and Tradition

By Tori Harris

It’s nearing the end of the week, Bush Chapel is packed out, the room is filled with anticipation and excitement, and the lights go dim.

Students and staff join together on stage to perform light-hearted skits and songs, and the room erupts with continuous laughter throughout the night.

It’s Thursday Night Live (TNL), Southeastern’s spin on the popular nighttime comedy show. It’s an event loved by many and produced by a small hard-working team.

They began as students and are now staff members at Southeastern.

As an audience member, you will see the face of a well-produced show, but what does it take to manage such a large event like TNL? Frankie Cunningham, the commuter life programming coordinator, was involved in the production of TNL as an assistant project manager to lead event coordinator from 2008 to 2012.

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“As the person calling the show in the booth, you have to be ready for each lighting cue; you must follow the script if there are supposed to be sound effects or a video playing,” says Cunningham. “And ultimately, you are responsible for whatever is said on the stage.”

The end-result is a room full of shared laughter—a well-deserved reward for the production team.

Alyssa Chamberlin, who served as a graduate assistant for Student Programming from 2012 to 2014, was highly involved in the process of producing TNL during her time on the team. From attending as a student to, “seeing it actually produced and leading it... it’s just fun to see how it comes together,” says Chamberlin.

Each year the event rolls around, new storylines and jokes are created, giving every TNL a fresh feel. These short skits and musical pieces encompass current trends and themes that each semester brings, and are performed for students by students.

“TNL is about taking a break for an hour or so from everything that’s going on outside... and just laughing,” says Cunningham. “It gives students an outlet to poke fun at some of the SEU norms such as ‘Ring by Spring,’ the ‘hipster’ lifestyle, etc.”

Because the stories at Southeastern are always changing, TNL is an event that grows with the school annually.

“To me, TNL is definitely tradition. To us, it doesn’t feel like we’re a new school, but in a lot of ways we don’t have a lot of traditions,” says Chamberlin. “But TNL has always been here, since my freshman year and for years before that, and so it’s a tradition that a lot of people can catch on to...that’s what I love about it. I love the ongoing things you can pass down, from college generation to college generation.”

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WOMEN’s BASKETBALL

By Hank Taylor

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ast year in the Furnace, the story of the year was Men’s basketball, who after losing only one home game, made it to the NAIA national championship tournament where, against all odds, they advanced all the way to the Final Four before bowing out to the eventual national champion.

a splash of artistic, making tough plays and deep 3’s look easy to the average fan. At the end of the regular season, they finished with the number two seed in the conference, the highest in program history. Sophomore guard, Alyssa Ramos, was the number one player in the division in shots made from long range. Number one in the country.

This year, it was all about the girls.

While the team has a lot of talent on and off the bench, the players themselves cannot take all the credit for their year. The success of any team starts with the coach, and this team is no exception.

Previous records and expectations crumbled as these ladies tore their way through the year and let Fire fans know that they were here to play.

The team set the tone all the way back in October when they came to play Homecoming weekend against Florida College. They erupted on offense, shooting 43 percent from range, and 41 percent from inside. After one half of the game, the home team led 52-23. Sophomore guard Alyssa Ramos led everyone that night, ending the night with 29 points scored for the home team, followed by fellow sophomore guard Bailey Hooker with 17 points. Southeastern ended in dominant fashion with a 94-52 win.

Games like this were not uncommon in their season. They would have several similar performances in the year against rival Clearwater Christian (102-59), Trinity Baptist (85-44), and Florida Memorial (7341). The girls even broke an NAIA record in their win in five overtimes on the road at Embry-Riddle (96-91). The team held their own in the conference and finished 16-2 overall and did not lose a home conference game. The only team better was St. Thomas, whose only loss was to Southeastern late in the conference schedule. The team’s playing style was a mixture of athletic, strategic and

Photos: Loree Rowland

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Coach Jody Martinez took the team to the

“I wasn’t worried about the talent on the team or if they can handle my system.”

next level in a very short amount of time.

Martinez was hired in May of last year, and had the summer to prepare to be with his new team. Martinez had zero time to recruit the ladies he would want, so he had the work with what he had, not an ideal situation for a coach. If there was one thing Martinez, had it was experience. He came to Southeastern fresh off of 16 straight seasons at Bethel University with plenty of accomplishments. His honors include an overall record of 384-180, seven National Tournament appearances (five of which went all the way to the Elite 8) and a conference championship. Needless to say, Martinez knew what successful basketball looked like

when he came to Southeastern.

“When I interviewed for the job, I was able to watch the returners play open gym, which took place in the first week of May. I had no concerns with the team or the Sun Conference when I took the position” says Coach Martinez. “I didn’t want to bring in any freshmen because I wanted the first year to give the returners a fresh start and fresh opportunities to prove themselves to me.

Drew Watson is a great coach and he knows his stuff – so I wasn’t worried about the talent on the team or if they can handle my system.”

In the end, the girls lost their first game in the National Tournament, where they met Tennessee Wesleyan, a powerhouse program that was 28-3, losing their three games by a combined 8 points. They were also 5th in the nation in 3-point defense, which would prove to be a roadblock too large for the Southeastern ladies to overcome.

Even in their losses, the ladies of Southeastern women’s basketball carried themselves with grace and dignity. They ended the season with a pair of heartbreaking losses, but were better as a result. With all but two players returning for the next season, and a chance for Coach Martinez to develop a recruiting class that fits into his vision for the team, things can only get better for the ladies going forward. Expect these ladies to be more than the 5 o’clock game before the men’s game, but rather a team that can battle it out with the best, and show the Sun Conference and the nation what the girls have been up to in Lakeland, Florida.

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NEW LIFE TO COMMUNITIES

By Jeanmarie Jo

hnson

“It’s meant for community building; it’s meant for people to meet other people and bond over something that really is out there,” says junior Cameron Piccalo. “It’s a great way to meet and make new friends.”

human. In the same idea as tag, the zombies’ goal is to ‘turn’ the humans into one of them.

Using Nerf Guns or rolled up socks, humans may protect themselves by ‘stunning’ the zombies coming after them.

This game is one played at different schools all over the country. While Piccalo admits it looks like a child’s game, the purpose of this game is often overlooked.

The object of the game is simple: stay human until the end.

“It gives me that sense of belonging, that’s my community,” Piccalo explains.

Humans vs. Zombies (or HvZ for short) is a game which takes place once every semester at Southeastern, lasting about 10 days each time.

Humans vs. Zombies is a student-run game that has just recently become an official Southeastern Club; and in fact, it’s one of the more active clubs on campus. The HvZ club meets bi-weekly to play quad games, which is anything the team wants to play, including capture the flag.

There are several different roles in the game.

The moderators don’t play, but serve as referees, making sure the game runs smoothly and fairly. The rest of the players start out as either humans or zombies. Only one or two players begin as zombies, and the rest are

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The game is often looked at as one for geeks or nerds, as Piccalo says, but in reality, it’s a very diverse group of students from many different backgrounds and majors.

“Anybody can play it!” says Piccalo, who tried convincing his old roommate, a baseball player, to join in.

While his roommate was reluctant at first, he finally decided to play and loved it.

“It helps me to really work on my skills, in terms of leadership, and helps me with responsibility,” says Piccalo about the game helping him and others become good leaders.

“There is so much more to it than it just being a game; it’s a community that plays a game.”

Entering a new school can be tough for anyone, and Piccalo is a testament of what it means to feel like a ‘weird kid.’

“My first semester I spent the first couple of weeks in my room, not really meeting

anybody,” says Piccalo. “I knew my roommate and a kid down the hall, that was it.”

While at first Piccalo fell among the many to judge the infamous game, he quickly found himself wrapped up in a community that changed his entire college experience.

“They became my closest friends,” says Piccalo of his game alliances.

Along with community building on Southeastern’s campus, Humans vs. Zombies has become a form of ministry outreach.

Several times a semester, students from surrounding universities, such as University of Florida and University of South Florida, join in on the fun by coming to campus and playing the game with Southeastern students.

“It gives us a chance to really show them God,” says Piccalo.

Along with the games with other university students, Humans vs. Zombies allows Southeastern students to experience community with those from different backgrounds than them.

This game is more than a game—it has the potential and ability to change entire college experiences, and Piccalo has experienced this first hand.

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Q AQ

& QA

A

Q: Why do you love being involved in the business department at SEU? Ware: “Getting to work with some truly amazing individuals. The BA and HLL’s faculty are kind, honest, good-spirited people, not to mention super intelligent. Every day I get to listen to or participate in some awesome conversations. I’m truly blessed for this.”

Fairchild: “Whereas I have a lot of reasons, the main reason I love being in the Business Department at SEU is that we are a tribe (a name provided by our own Dr. Beth Leslie). All of the professors are extremely close, like a family, or a tribe. We have a lot of fun together; we support each other; we love each other.”

Hahn: “We are a smooth functioning team that helps our students achieve above average performance.”

Leslie: “We work together, support each other, and have fun with whatever we have to do. We care about our students and strive to prepare them for life after SEU. We’re a tribe!”

AQ

Q: What is your favorite movie? Why? Bowlin: “The Magnificent Seven. This was my favorite movie growing up when seven otherwise old west outlaws came together to save a Mexican town from the “bad guys” that made their life miserable. Seven against so many. Only three survived, but it was and is a great example of bad people serving a good cause and ‘converting.’”

Ware: “Don’t know that I have one but I’ll go with The Green Mile. I don’t know why I love this movie, honestly. It makes me laugh, cry and feel every emotion in between those two. It’s beautiful and tragic, but I watch it every time it is on. Can’t help it.”

A Q Q& A A

Fairchild: “My favorite movie is The Empire Strikes Back. I was born in the mid-70’s and like so many people born in that timeframe, I love all things Star Wars.”

Harrison: “The Empire Strikes Back - best Star Wars movie.”

Q: What do you enjoy doing most in your free time?

Fairchild: “My favorite free time activity in general is spending time with my kids. I have a 5-year-old boy, Michael, and a 3-year-old girl, Elizabeth. On my own, I use my free time to watch sports. I love the Tampa Bay Rays, Orlando Magic, Orlando City Soccer Club Lions and the Undisputed National Champion Ohio State Buckeyes.”

Bowlin: “Read a wide range of novels or work on my golf game.”

Hahn: “Taking my Boston terrier, Archie Griffin, to the dog park and taking him for walks.”

SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY

Q

BUSINESS FACULTY

Q

Q: Who, out of all the business professors, always has the funniest stories to tell?

Bowlin: “Probably our dean, Joe Childs. Great stories.”

By Ashley Cheshire

Ware: “Dr. Beth Leslie! Sometimes the stories aren’t even supposed to be really funny but her animation in telling them makes them so. I smile every time; she’s great.”

Have you ever wondered what your professors are up to when they aren’t working hard teaching you in class? Lucky for you, every semester we highlight some of the incredible staff at Southeastern. In this issue, we are going to get to know some of the business professors here at Southeastern.

Fairchild: “The funniest of all the professors is Dr. Bill Hahn. Students may not always get to see that side of him, but he is ridiculously funny. He is The Hahn!”

Harrison: “Royer.”

Leslie: “Chris Fairchild.”

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Q: What’s your favorite thing to do with your family?

Q: What’s your favorite App to use on your phone? Why?

Fairchild: “My top thing to do with my family is go to Disney. We love all the theme parks. Right now with the young kids, it is tough to beat the Magic Kingdom. The big attraction for us right now is Peter Pan.”

Bowlin: “Clash of Clans or MyFitnessPal. Clash of Clans to just have a few minutes of entertainment.

MyFitnessPal helps me track my calories, carbs, protein, etc.”

Harrison: “Walk my dogs.”

Ware: “Pinterest. It’s fun and it also inspires some of my DIY projects.”

Leslie: “Playing cards while we’re eating popcorn and laughing hysterically about everything.”

Fairchild: “I’m not a huge phone or app person. I probably use the Solitaire Megapack app more than anything else. If I have a quick second, I will kill some time with a hand of cards.”

Hahn: “Watch Ohio State football.”

Hahn: “I do not use apps.”

Leslie: “GPS- I always get lost.”

Q: Do you have any interesting hobbies?

Hahn: “Watching Ohio State football.”

Q: Who’s the most influential person in your life? Why?

Bowlin: “Collecting logo golf balls from all of the golf courses I have played around the world. Also, collecting coffee cups.”

Bowlin: “My wife, Linda. Without her I would be completely out of balance most of the time.”

Ware: “Not at the moment, but I am looking into learning to crochet and/or knit. I’ve already bought the tools and supplies to make a scarf. I hope to have it done by next winter!”

Ware: “Honestly, there is no one person I can say has had the most influence in my life. I’ve been influenced in some way or another from everyone around me. Family, friends, teachers, strangers, and God.”

Fairchild: “I love collecting sports memorabilia. I have a lot of sports cards, signed magazines, football helmets, baseballs, etc.”

Fairchild: “My mom is the most influential person in my life. She raised my brother and me by herself, showed us the value of hard work, and modeled a loving, Christian life. She still challenges me to be better and provides an example for the type of person and parent I want to be.”

Leslie: “I collect cookbooks.”

Hahn: “My high school English teacher. She planted the research/writing seed that took a long time to germinate.”

Q: What is your favorite dessert?

Harrison: “My mother.”

Bowlin: “Pecan pie!”

Leslie: “My parents have influenced me the most. I have my dad’s optimistic outlook on life and my mom’s ability to grit my teeth and deal with whatever comes my way. Because of their walk with God, I grew up knowing that God is good.”

Ware: “All desserts! If I have to choose then I’ll go with cheesecake...or brownies with vanilla ice cream.”

Fairchild: “My favorite dessert is a homemade buckeye candy (peanut butter and chocolate). In their absence, I am a chocolate chip cookie guy.”

Hahn: “Cherry pie.”

Harrison: “Red Velvet cake.”

Leslie: “Devil’s food chocolate cupcakes with creamy, vanilla frosting.”

Q: As a professor there is always a lot of things to be done and can probably get very hectic, how do you relieve yourself of stress?

BETH LESLIE

Ware: “Practice time management. I try very hard to plan my day or week as early as possible. This helps to alleviate any stress that comes about from having a ton to do as a professor, especially when things that I haven’t planned for pop up.”

CHRISTOPHER FAIRCHILD

LYLE BOWLIN

Fairchild: “My main stress relief right now is chasing the kids around. They help provide me the perspective I need to remember what is really important and what is not.”

Hahn: “Do things on time. Don’t let them build up. That may mean working more than an eight hour day.”

Harrison: “Swimming 10 miles a week.”

NATASHA WARE

BILL HAHN

MARK HARRISON

TIMOTHY WELCH

Leslie: “Kick off my shoes, put up my feet, turn on some soft jazz, crack open a Diet Pepsi and read a spy novel.”

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

It dawned on me that maybe I did not need my anti-anxiety medicine anymore, so I decided to stop taking it to see what would happen.

Well, ta-da, I felt awesome! I put two and two together and noticed that if I exercised around three to four times a week, I would not need to take it because I did not have any anxiety!

Exercise releases endorphins that make you feel oh-so-good! This counteracts the chemicals in your brain that create feelings of anxiety, depression, and all sorts of other crazy stuff, so you are literally changing the chemistry of your brain! — What?! Insane much?!

So, if you struggle with anxiety or depression or anything really, I wholeheartedly recommend exercising as an outlet. It can completely change your life and has SO many benefits!

By Kirstin Czernek

KIRSTIN is

CZERNEK

an

alumna

Disclaimer: Talk to your doctor before getting off any medication to be safe.

of

Southeastern, receiving both

her

B.S.

Psychology and M.S in from

Photo: Tomas Czernek

Southeastern.

She is certified in Core Mat

through

Power

Pilates and is currently pursuing

her

health

coach

certification

through the Institute of Integrative Health.

She’s

been

married

to

her

college

sweetheart, Tomas, for six years and enjoys interior decorating and design

in

her

spare

time. Her new studio, The Balance Culture, will be opening this fall in

Historic

Dixieland,

above Concord Coffee in Lakeland.

Keep up

with all that is ahead for

Kirstin

Balance

and Culture

The at

thebalanceculture.com!

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little history on myself — I struggled with anorexia nervosa for about ten years until I went to a treatment home for girls, Mercy Ministries. There I learned my value in God, new coping skills, and worked through my past. The following is the story of my journey with anxiety.

It might have been a dead giveaway for most that anorexia nervousa is a nervous disorder, but not this girl! I lived with anxiety for years and had no idea that it wasn’t normal — um hello psych major? It wasn’t until it slapped me in the face that I decided to do something about it.

During my senior year at Southeastern, my anxiety hit an all time high. I was so overwhelmed between full-time school, applying for grad school, my thesis, work, internships, and the list could go on. In a nutshell, I was a mess. I was obsessed with my grades and set ridiculous expectations for myself. My mind would race a million miles a minute and I lived in a constant state of tension. Those around me had no idea.

Anxiety was a total inward battle for me on the daily.

Chocolate Hazelnut Mug Cake By Kirstin Czernek For college students the dessert bar is always calling! I am all about splurging but when I splurge, I try to make healthier choices. Below is a recipe that is perfect to make in your dorm room because it’s made in a mug — cool, right?

in

Professional Counseling

Photo: Tomas Czernek

Prep time: 3 minutes Cook time: 2 minutes

At one point, it had gotten so bad that I began to flirt with the idea of taking medicine for it. I was feeling so bad, I was willing to do anything. So, off I went to my MD to see what to do next. He put me on a low antianxiety medicine and I took half of the pill (I am super sensitive to any medications, so a little goes a long way). I instantly felt like my normal self again and I felt like I could live. I was on it for about six months and then something magical happened.

Instructions 1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, whisk together well with a fork, and pour into a wellgreased mug.

Ingredients · 3 tbsp all purpose flour (I use gluten free) · 1 tbsp cocoa powder · 1/4 tsp baking powder · 1 1/2 tbsp hazelnut butter (Nutella is great, I use Justin’s)

2. Microwave for 2–3 minutes until fully cooked.

· 1 tbsp sugar (I use turbinado)

3. If desired, top with whipped cream for more flavor!

· 1 tbsp apple sauce

A friend of mine started an organization to help Haiti and was organizing a 5K to raise money for it. She encouraged me to train and run it with her. I was really nervous at first because it had been years since I had exercised and I had never done it in a healthy way, but I figured now what a better time than ever to start.

· 1 egg · 1 1/2 tbsp oil (I use coconut) · 3 tbsp milk (I use almond)

Photo: Nate Mundell

I started small and worked my way up. I ran outside and did the elliptical to start building endurance. This skinny-fat girl was severely out of shape! I trained for about a month and something weird started to happen, I started to feel super chill. Like, not a care in the world.

Download the Layar app for a step-by-step workout created and led by Danielle Sautter and Kirstin Czernek!

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“For we walk by faith, not by sight” 2 Corinthians 5:7 Photo: Will Baxter

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“IT STARTED WITH A PENNY”

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By Jeanmarie Johnson

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“Pennies are so worthless in our societydisposable, cheap- if they’re on the ground or on the countertop we don’t pick them up because there’s really no need for them, and that’s how the world treats victims of trafficking,” says Kendall Altmyer, graduate assistant for the First Year Experience.

In spring of 2012, Altmyer took a human trafficking course at Southeastern University. Her professor explained that pennies are disposable, cheap, zero value; they’re invisible, but they’re everywhere. If we need one, it’s there, but if we don’t, we don’t even notice that it’s there.

“Ever since that day of class I would see pennies on the ground, and the feeling I get when I see a penny on the ground is that feeling you get when you’re out in public and you see a friend you haven’t seen in a long time…you see them and you get so excited,” explains Altmyer.

After graduation in May 2013, she landed an internship with A21, a non-profit organization that exists to end human trafficking.

“What inspires me about A21 is the way they connect with the survivors. They place value on the girls by selflessly serving them, having fun with them, and just doing life together day in and day out,” says Altmyer.

This organization is based in Greece, where Altmyer spent six months. She worked directly with victims of female sex trafficking, providing them 24 hour care.

This presented a challenge, as none of them spoke English, and the only Greek Altmyer knew was the little she’d picked up from conversations.

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Imagine spending every single day of life doing the same activities over and over again. The girls in the shelter can’t leave because their situations are precarious. This means everyone in the shelter, including Altmyer, spent a lot of time together, which she says meant getting very close to people despite the language barrier. “I fell in love with the girls very easily,” Altmyer adds.

women, Sandy, was the mother of popular worship artist Kari Jobe. Before leaving, Sandy Jobe and her friends invited Altmyer to the Pink Impact Women’s conference in Dallas. Once arriving home, they took the penny story and bracelet back to the States.

Jobe heard her mother talking about the bracelet and insisted that it be sold with her merchandise.

Since Altmyer had very few English-speaking connections, communication with friends and family back home was something to which she very much looked forward to.

Altmyer finished up her internship in November of 2013. She gathered some friends, whom she affectionately calls her ‘Penny People,’ and together they made enough penny bracelets to fill up six large garbage bags. In May 2014, Altmyer packed the six bags, along with her own things and drove from Lakeland, Florida to Dallas, Texas.

“I would get home in my bed every night in Greece, and I would send home a whole story of my experience that day in the shelter,” says Altmyer. It was during that time that one of her friends suggested turning the penny into a bracelet.

“One of the girls at home, she started falling in love with the trafficked victims as well and she said, ‘We need to start taking that penny story and actually making it into something,’” says Altmyer of her friend.

That’s exactly what her friend did. Sarah Beth Chambers made the very first penny bracelet, and came up with the idea to stamp ‘WORTHY’ into the penny (which every bracelet now matches). Back in Alabama, people began taking notice of the bracelet.

One Friday night, at a small-town football game, the first 10 bracelets were sold. From there, it began to take off as more and more bracelets were made and sold.

Meanwhile, in Greece, Altmyer was excited for ‘southern, American visitors,’ as she puts it. Altmyer befriended the women who were on a short term missions trip in Greece.

Unbeknownst to Altmyer, one of the

“I didn’t know if Kari would even like it!”

Altmyer laughs.

After spending a few weeks together, she had the chance to tell the whole penny story to Jobe, who immediately insisted that the bracelets be sold with the merchandise on her website. “She’d been praying for a way to support Christine’s [Caine] ministry, and she wanted this to be the way to do that,” explains Altmyer.

“I never set out to do something. I never set out to start a revolution. I never set out to make something of the penny; all these doors are just opening and I’m walking with it and I’m trying my best to be faithful and obedient to what the Lord is putting on my plate,” says Altmyer.

The story of the penny forever changed Altmyer. “The excitement has only increased, it’s never gotten duller as the years have went on,” she adds. You can buy your own penny bracelet online at karijobe.com/store.

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Every fall, Destinations releases a feature documentary during Exposure, SEU’s missions emphasis week. This upcoming documentary will feature Kendall Altmyer and the story of the penny.

Be sure to come out to Exposure September 2015 for the premiere of this documentary, and visit www.thePennyStory.com to stay updated on the penny story.

@THEPENNYSTORY | @THEA21CAMPAIGN WWW.THEPENNYSTORY.COM

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What to Expect on an Expedition (Missions Edition):

By Tara Saley & Micah Pery

It would take a missionary 16.6 years if they worked eight hours a day, seven days a week to complete the number of hours Southeastern missions completed last year. That’s more than 48,000 hours of missions!

This year, SEU Destinations is sending 53 mission trips to 42 countries.

But how do you equip hundreds of students before they travel around the world to share the gospel?

For the Lord has commanded when he said, I have made you a light to the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the farthest corners of the earth.

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Artwork by Bri Gamez 44

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Destinations has a few tips before you go...

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Pray first. Start praying the day you sign up for a trip. Pray for God to move in and through your team. Don’t be afraid to pray big prayers. Be disciplined in your prayer time; ask and allow God to speak to you—He wants to!

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Be devoted to the Word of God. Spiritual warfare is happening all around us. Many nations are oppressed by the powers of darkness and in need of the Light! We need to be prepared to combat enemy’s forces by knowing the truth that is found in the word of God.

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Remember it’s about people. How you respond to relationships can make or break your experience in another country. Practice being kind to others, spreading words of encouragement and learning how to deal with conflict.

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Start serving now. One of the best ways to prepare for service in another country is to start serving right here in your own city! Before we reach out expansively to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we must first stretch out our hands to the brokenness around us. The city of Lakeland is filled with people in need of the love of Christ.

Learn about the culture and history of your country. Before you set foot in a foreign land, begin to dive in and experience their culture by learning about it. You will be amazed how simple knowledge can help you relate to and understand the people you will be ministering to. Sharing in cultural dishes, playing their games and attempting their language are all acts of servanthood that speaks more than words ever could.

Ultimately, the goal of SEU Destinations is to share the gospel with the world and to see Christians learn to engage in missional living each day. We want students to be exposed to missions so that they have a context for how they can be involved in missions no matter what their long-term career is.

If you would like more information on local and international missions, please contact destinations@seu.edu or come visit us in upstairs Pansler, U211.

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“IT’S THE BEGINNING OF SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY. I BELIEVE PROVIDING STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A VOICE IN THE CREATIVE PROCESS AND A PLATFORM TO SHARE THEIR WORK IS AN ASSET TO ANY INSTITUTION.” -DR. CRAIG COLLINS

INSPIRATIONS: LOCAL PERSPECTIVES

C

raig Collins, dean of the College of Arts and Media at Southeastern University, believes that as Christians, “we’re all called to create.”

Southeastern University is currently working toward broadening their involvement in the visual arts and providing students with more opportunities to grow creatively.

On December 4, 2014, Southeastern University hung up a selection of student photography on the walls of Bolin Hall for the first visual arts exhibit at the school.

“It’s the beginning of something extraordinary.

I believe providing students the opportunity to have a voice in the creative process and a platform to share their work is an asset to any institution,” says Collins. “Specifically at SEU, the visual arts is simply another venue to assist students in finding the intersection of God’s plan and their creative selves.”

Twenty six pieces from 13 different students were chosen by Chad Neuman and Jon Seals for the exhibit. Pieces were chosen by their artistic elements, such as composition, color and contrast.

In fall 2013, Southeastern University welcomed graphic design as a new degree offered within the College of Arts and Media. This department has grown substantially within the last two years.

At the exhibit’s opening show on December 5, 2014, three cash awards were given, and each piece was judged by Claire Orologas, the executive director of the Polk Museum of Art.

Southeastern University is continuing the building of fine arts courses for the benefit of students, hosting their second photography exhibit themed “Art Moves” in Bolin Hall on April 10, 2015. This particular theme was designed to inspire students to capture subjects that show physical motion or even create motion through the feelings that are evoked by the subject.

The theme for the exhibit was created by Dr. Craig Collins, the dean of the College of Arts and Media, and Dr. Chad Neuman, chair of the Communication Department.

After going over a few ideas, “Inspirations: Local Perspectives” was the theme that was decided upon.

“Collins and I talked about some themes,” says Neuman. “He proposed this theme and I thought it was a great idea for a first photo exhibit.”

PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT OPENS THE DOOR FOR VISUAL ARTS AT SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY

few students took their photography skills around Lakeland, Florida, where Southeastern is located.

This particular exhibit is the first of its kind to take place at Southeastern and has opened the door for visual arts.

Collins wanted to choose a theme that was applicable to the students of Southeastern, and “Local Perspectives” inspired students to photograph places where they felt at home. Some of the students photographed mission fields, while others photographed their home towns. A

Beginning in fall 2015, there will be an addition of multiple visual arts’ classes, such as Drawing I and II, Painting I and II, Typography, Color Theory and gallery exhibitions.

“There are many students requesting painting and drawing and my hope is that SEU, whether majors in Graphic Design or not, will take advantage of these courses,” says Collins. “We’re all called to create -and whether we’re finding the best perspective in shooting a photo, designing something in another field or simply problem solving to find the best solution in business - they all typify opportunities to create.”

By Maegan Carroll

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#seuconf

CONFERENCE 2015

Q&A

WITH LUKE SHEMETH AND DAVID DANG SEU STUDENT BODY PRESIDENTS

By Jenson Metcalf

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LUKE SHEMETH

Luke Shemeth Q: After two years of leading our school as the Student Body President, what are your feelings on graduating and leaving Southeastern University?

A: “It is an exciting feeling, but it also sad in others ways as well.

When I first came here there was a lot of apprehension and a lot of trying to figure things out. I spent two years of being president and growing with an incredible leadership team with President Ingle which really allowed me to cultivate my leadership ability and cultivate what I want to do in the future with going into law school. It was just a really great two years.”

Q: What was it that inspired you to run for Student Body President two years ago?

A: “A couple of friends including my twin sister, Chanel, and Jeanette Torres were sitting at dinner with me and said ‘Luke you should run for student body president’ and I said no I’m going to wait a year. Then Josh Berg, the current student body president [at that time], came up to the table and said ‘yeah go for it. What do you have to lose?’ So I did. When I finally started the race I knew I really wanted to develop Southeastern’s internal community and our external community and bringing that all together through the student body, the faculty, and through the administration. So that was a growing passion in me that pushed me to do what needed to be done.”

Q: What is one thing you feel you have learned or grown in since becoming our president in 2013?

A: “Well for one, the capacity of leadership, but also team dynamic with understanding how a team should operate and how a team should work together. I think there are a lot of companies and even pastoral staffs where the team 56

dynamic just doesn’t really mesh, it doesn’t work well. I think with the administration here, watching Dr. Ingle, Chris Owen, Dr. Brian, Roy Rowland, Dr. Prementer, and Dr. Hackett interact as a team, they all work in tandem and they flow and they don’t have to step on each other’s toes. Everybody goes in one path and it allows the university to follow behind and progress forward year after year.”

Q: As the President, you carry many responsibilities and stress making our campus a better place; are there any stressful situations you could share with us?

A: “There was this one event that we had to put together and everything needed to be done in three days and it was kind of thrown on me and my team. In those type of instances you don’t really ask question, you don’t really say you can’t do this because it’s not what the position is. So taking it and running with it was three days of craziness. We put it all together and brought it to success. I know it’s very general leaving out specifics, but it was cool to work under that type of pressure and see a result work

out because of a well-structured team. But I mean there are many instances where there are stressful situations, but you just kind of adjust and roll with the punches and take everything by stride.”

Q: If you could name a single quality you believe is needed to be the Student Body President, what would it be?

A: “Humility, hands down.

Everyone leads differently, but when you walk in humility and when you get rid of any arrogance or pride and you simply do what needs to be done and just love God and love people, everything else will fall into line.

Q: Who would you say has influenced you the most during your time as President?

A: “I have a few people. One, Matt Huett- he is one of my closest friends and he was there kind of before and helping me transition into it. My grandpa, Dr. Houlihan - he’s a professor here. My dad, and for his support as well - he’s the one who funded my first campaign.

Also, the whole leadership team had a hand in my development.

I mean as well as deans and

DAVID DANG

Q: If you could give David Dang, next years president, advice for the future presidency what would it be?

A: “People just want to know that they are appreciated and loved, so to properly hear their voice you must take the necessary time to truly get to know and understand the people that you represent.”

there’s just so many people.”

Q: When you first ran for President two years ago, did you ever foresee yourself winning the election two years in a row?

A: “No, no, most definitely not.

I knew that if I did I would like to be Student Body President for another year, especially seeing how much time I needed to work on stuff and get stuff done.

But I don’t think stepping into it I expected to be here two years.

I just took everyday as it came and put my best effort forward.”

David Dang Q: When you found out you had won what was the first thing you did in that moment?

A: “Well, I had to keep my mouth shut because the email didn’t go out till an hour later, so I was very ecstatic, but I had to hide those feelings. So I walked out of the meeting very calm.”

Q: What were some major differences you’ve seen during your presidency last to this year?

A: “Drastically. First year was so much listening, trying to figure out how everything worked together. How this thing worked with that thing. I wasn’t able to be hands-on towards really changing Southeastern till really my second year where I stepped in. I felt I had a lot of foundational standing of how things operate, so then I can go ahead and utilize that understanding for the betterment of the students and to make things happen.”

Q: What inspired you to run for the presidency this year?

A: “It was really the relationships and connections I had with the students already. I had hoped the presidency would allow me to get to know students on a broader scale and more of an approachable scale, so I was hoping to use the impact I had on students more widely.”

Q: Since winning, what have 56

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at the end of your collegiate career?

A: “I plan on doing my masters here [at Southeastern], so at the end of my masters I would probably want to build a dream center, church plant and build a school. Obviously, that is going to take time, so either working with a church first and branching off of that or wherever God takes me. Those are the three ideal things I want to do when I graduate.”

you been doing to prepare for next year and what will you continue to do to prepare?

A: “One of the very first things I have been doing is meeting up with Luke Shemeth every single Monday to prepare for the role.

The big thing I’m doing and will continue to do, though is listening to students. That is a vital and very important role as president and something I should never stop doing.”

Q: What are your feelings and thoughts concerning the idea of filling our former president’s shoes?

A: “Luke’s shoes are very big.

What he has done is great and the student body doesn’t always notice that. As I’ve been talking to Luke, though, I realize that I’m not really filling his shoes, but I’m wearing my own shoes and that what I have to offer and bring to the table is different. That’s what makes the presidency unique. It forms and it creates to the person that you are as opposed to the previous person, so you can make it your own.”

Q: What is one important goal to you regarding our campus and its student body that you

would like to see achieved next year?

A: “An important goal I want to achieve is to simply make the community more inclusive and bring more of that family feeling, which I talked about when I was running. I want everyone to feel invited and that there is a seat for them at the table. That they have a voice and they have a say of what happens on campus and that they are free to come up to me or email us any questions or concerns that they have and that they know their voice will be heard. That is something I definitely want to focus on.”

Q: Who was your most encouraging supporter throughout your campaign?

A: “I think the biggest supporter I have and that has really shown as well through their actions is Bethany Thomas. She was a huge factor in making my campaign happen. She advocated for [it], she help me set up my booth when I needed it. She was a huge asset of my victory, I guess you could say. Even when times got tough, she was there to egg me on and to push me on.”

Q: How do you plan on achieving your goals for the student body of Southeastern University?

A: “Like I said before listening is a huge part and is vital because as president you get to sit at important lunches, important meals with your leadership team and during those are when they really ask you for your advice and what the student body is thinking. By listening I can accurately portray and advocate for what the students will want and that’s a huge part of what’s going to play out in my presidency. “ Q: Do you plan to fight for the student body’s right to have a chipotle on campus?

A: “Yeah, I love chipotle so much, so that’s something I will always fight for. What I’ve heard thus far is that Chipotle does not have the capacity to do it, but till the day I am no longer president I will always fight for Chipotle.”

Q: If there was once piece of advice you would relay to your past self what would it be?

A: “Think more openly and love deeply.”

Q: If there is one piece of advice you would pass on to your future self what would it be?

A: “Don’t forget where you’ve been and where you’ve gone.”

Q: Where do you see yourself 57

RAY ALLEN

DEBORAH BECK

By Ashley Cheshire

By Devin Yasi

Ray Allen is the director of discipline and mentoring at Southeastern University.

Allen has been involved with Southeastern since August 2000 when he attended as a student—back when it was still known as a Bible College.

SOUTHEASTERN SPOTLIGHTS Southeastern Spotlights were created to tell the stories of people in our community. These are people who are making a difference on our campus and in the community around us. From starting organizations and clubs to helping students find their way and grow into their callings; from student athletes, actresses, and debaters to staff members who work behind the scenes…this semester’s group of spotlights were hand-picked because they represent different, but equally important facets of our community.

Download the Layar app to view Dr. Ingle’s Portrait videos which include some of these Spotlights.

His duties as director of discipline and mentoring delegate him in charge of all discipline concerns, whether it is in the classroom or just on campus in general. Allen has also brought the mentoring aspect of discipline into affect with this role and tries to not only enforce the rules, but to help the students as well.

Allen has always been a part of some form of leadership at Southeastern, being involved in residence life for nine years. He recently just pursued a position with discipline, realizing that there needed to be more connections made through discipline for students.

“Working in financial aid, it’s a whole bunch of regulations and rules, and you know all of this. But, they’re real lives and real people we’re touching,” says Beck. “I come in because God gave me the blessing of being able to help students this way. It’s only financial aid, but it might be talking to a mom who is so scared about sending her baby child away to college for the very first time, and I am the voice that’s on the phone with her telling her it really is going to be okay.”

“Hearing about the future plans for this school, I just got really excited about it and kind of felt like this is where I could call home for the next four years,” says Cervone.

In addition to her deep love for her students, Beck’s love extends to her family within financial aid.

For Allen, discipline is more than just a job, it is an aspect of life he firmly believes in. Allen took on this role because he wants to help students who are struggling by plugging them in with a mentor and keeping those students’ hopes alive.

“It is more that I am working with family than with, ‘Oh, that’s my employer; Oh, I have to get a paycheck from them,’” says Beck.

This love, however, is not just for students and faculty. Beck’s love of Christ and His impact upon Southeastern plays a powerful role in her daily life.

“I want to let them know that God hasn’t brought you here to abandon you,” says Allen.

Allen loves having the opportunity to make a difference in students’ lives and to get the chance to work with like-minded people who have the same goal of helping.

“You walk around the campus, and you’re like, ‘Yeah, yeah, God really is here. Look how beautiful this is. It couldn’t be anything other than Him,’” says Beck.

Since being a part of Southeastern, Allen married Gwendolyn, who he met while attending as a student.

Through her role as a financial aid counselor, Beck strongly believes in the work God has given her and eagerly pursues His plan for both her and Southeastern’s students.

Allen says that he had no intention to be involved in a relationship while going to school, but that God had different plans for him. The two have four children and love experiencing all kinds of cultures together.

“The amount of time that you spend away from your house, that you spend away from your children, that you’re coming and you’re spending it in a quality environment that’s worth your precious time. You know that the time God gave us, like I’m not wasting it on a company or a frivolous work endeavor that’s not worth His time,” says Beck.

“Growing up in Miami, I was exposed to a lot of art and culture, and I still love learning about it all today,” says Allen.

Allen loves his job and being able to be a part of this community and hopes to continue to help and encourage the students at Southeastern.

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“The instant I stepped on campus, I just had peace.”

“The connection with the students is really important to me,” says Beck. “I love it. I love my students. I love getting little notes from them and cards and thank yous.”

“Leadership happens when you make a choice to leave what you love,” says Allen.

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By Katy Abramowich

Deborah Beck has been an active member of the Southeastern community for the past 10 years. Her passion for students and faculty is evident in her role as a financial aid counselor.

As a financial aid counselor and Connect Group leader, Beck is fully committed to the students she works with.

Allen never saw himself being involved in any position other than residence life; he loved this area. But, he knew to become a better leader, adapting to change is necessary.

KATLYN CERVONE

These are the words Ft. Lauderdale native Katlyn Cervone uses to describe her first visit to the university that she will be graduating from on May 8.

During her four years at Southeastern, Cervone invested her time and heart into the theater department. She will be receiving her bachelor’s degree in general communication with a minor in theater and secondary education.

Cervone has taken part in almost all the productions at Southeastern over the past few years and describes her time with her fellow theater students as a “family experience.”

“You’re spending three hours a day with these people,” says Cervone. “It takes up a lot of your time; so when it’s what you love, it’s such an awesome thing to do and to have that bond with those people.”

When Cervone was younger, her dream was to attend Juilliard, a well-known performing arts school in NYC, and perform professionally. She wanted acting to be her career—something she would do all day, everyday. However, that didn’t seem to be enough for Cervone.

“I wasn’t convinced that that was it, and I know now that was God pulling me here and showing me how I could use theater practically--but in a way that I still love it and want to do it everyday, but use it in an uplifting way,” says Cervone. “In the future, I would be pulled more towards using theater as a ministry tool instead of just trying to make it on Broadway.”

After graduation, Cervone will be taking her talents to Winshape Camps in Georgia, and she is excited that her first paid job will involve acting and children’s ministry.

At looking back at her journey at Southeastern, Cervone believes relationships have contributed most to her well-being.

“I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the friends I’ve made here are going to be my friends for life; they have helped me grow in myself and become confident in who I am and have helped encourage my dreams,” says Cervone.

“They have also challenged and encouraged my walk with God—especially my roommates. Living with the girls has helped me become the best version of myself and learn how to work with other people 24/7.”

Cervone has lived in the same Aventura room during all four years of her college experience.

“I have learned to completely let go of my plans,” says Cervone. “My plans before coming to SEU were different, my plans when I got here were different, and getting to graduate, my plans are not at all what I would have expected, but they are so much better already.”

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SPOTLIGHTS CURRAN MCQUADE

By Tori Harris

DAVID SMOKAY

By Courtney Floyd

By James Ralston

JORDAN TALLEY

By Hank Taylor

“Everyone always has humble beginnings, and if you stick with it long enough, you’ll have your greatest achievement,” says McQuade.

“We want to bring awareness about not just suicide, but all forms of bullying,” says junior Alexis Quinn.

David Smokay is the campus engineer at Southeastern, working behind the technical scenes of productions.

In this most recent season more than ever before, men’s basketball needed strong leaders and players on the court.

The future of Southeastern belongs to the students who will dream for its successes, and Curran McQuade is a student who is driven with vision and passion for debate and continues to take his team to greater heights.

Quinn majors in finance, accounting and marketing, participates in the Enactus Club and excels on the tennis team.

Smokay’s duties range from helping set up audio for chapel to setting up equipment for a tennis game. If it’s technical, and behind-the-scenes, you can bet he’s behind it.

The Sun Conference had more talent in it than in years past, presenting much more of a challenge for the Fire to succeed.

However, lead by a handful of incredible seniors, Southeastern has made themselves a dominant force in the conference.

David grew up in Orlando and moved to the Polk County area at the age of 13. His interest in the behind-the-scenes world started with watching movies as a kid and wondering how they were made. “I was set on working behind the scenes,” says Smokay.

“I wanted to see how things were made, how people were awed by something that was created by someone else, because that someone was being creative.”

Southeastern’s five seniors have set themselves apart as some of the most talented players Southeastern has seen, having NBAesque nights almost every time they take the floor in the Furnace.

Although, no senior stands out quite like the four-year veteran shooting guard Jordan Talley.

McQuade, a junior, began SEU’s debate team as a first year student.

Upon the beginning and early success of the debate team. “It was weird for us because I felt like our first year we were still with our humble beginnings and then achieving beyond anything we thought we could at that point at the same time,” says McQuade.

Being the team president of the debate team, McQuade has the opportunity to exercise his leadership ability in unique ways.

“I get to run and operate a team completely,” says McQuade.

“I’ve learned how to team build, I’ve learned how to network with people, I still have so much more to learn from that, and I’ll be able to transfer those skills over into whatever [profession] I go into.”

But no great leader is made without past experiences to shape him.

“Before [coming to Southeastern] I was just working by myself and doing whatever I wanted,” says McQuade. “I grew up in Europe, and so when I was over there I used to travel a lot by myself or with my brother. We have also done a couple solo trips to China; we would backpack around and work in different orphanages and healing homes and stuff like that. So things like that have made me become a little bit, I guess, independent; they made me more able to branch out on my own.”

The Southeastern debate team is currently ranked #1 in the conference, which is directly attributed to Curran’s leadership and the quality of the team he leads.

“I recognize that we are a viable team and that we will remain viable because of the type of students that Southeastern draws,” says McQuade. “Most everyone on the team is by far a better debater than I am, and I tell them ‘You guys are better debaters than I am, but I don’t think you’ll ever be able to love it as much as I do; and this is how much I care about this, that I am going to put in all my time and energy.’”

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ALEXIS QUINN

In September 2013, student Rebecca Sedwick of Crystal Lake Middle School in Lakeland committed suicide after being severely bullied for more than a year.

“After I heard about what happened, I knew I had to take action,” says Quinn.

Teaming up with former athlete Codey Yingling, Quinn and Yingling planted a seed creating the Kool 2 B Kind program.

“We immediately contacted Southwest Middle School about having an event,” says Quinn. “They were very responsive!”

Before attending Southeastern, Smokay went to Polk State College, where his photography professor David Witts taught him how to use photography for film. “I knew I wanted to do something creative. I wanted to do something dealing with technology, specifically cameras,” explains Smokay.

The first Kool 2 B Kind event took place November 19, 2013.

“There was about 1,000 kids there participating,” says Quinn. “We had to do different stations because there were so many kids! Then we finished off the day by having Reggie Dabbs speaking in the gym with everyone in there.”

Following Polk State, David transferred to Southeastern and was a double major in film and broadcasting. He chose Southeastern because broadcasting was exploding on campus, as students were getting hands-on experience for their future careers, learning how to use cameras and direct programs. During his time as a student, he completed an internship where he learned the ins-and-outs of the film industry.

With an average of six to seven bullying cases a year, Kool 2 B Kind gives Southeastern athletes the opportunity to be involved with the younger generation. Enactus helps fund the events, as well as helping receive sponsorships. Although Quinn has never been bullied, there are college athletes and students at Southeastern who have had this problem.

Kool 2 B Kind just had its third event at Crystal Lake Elementary School.

Besides working behind the scenes, Smokay’s interests include movies, music, photography, and surfing. His favorite subjects for photography are landscape and time lapse.

“The program is growing continuously,” says Quinn. “Over a period of a year, there are about 1,500 students involved and we’re looking to go to more schools.”

If you’re looking for Smokay on campus, you’ll likely find him working on the technical aspects on campus in Bolin Studio, where most broadcast classes are held. Students gain real world experience in this on-campus lab, and learn how to operate video cameras and become directors. If you’re interested in the broadcast department, Smokay is the person to talk to about all the opportunities and experiences for students interested in the field.

Recently, Quinn has been in contact with the Mayor of Lakeland, and they will meet in May to discuss an opportunity to partner with the Florida school system.

“I really have a big vision for it! There is still more work to be done,” says Quinn.

For more information about Kool 2 B Kind, or to find out how you can get involved, email Alexis Quinn at alquinn@seu.edu. You can also follow @Kool2BKind on Instagram.

Talley, the only senior this year to have been with the program for all four years of his playing career, had been playing here even before head coach Barsh arrived at Southeastern three years ago.

“I have a unique bond with Jordan; he was one of the first players I spoke to after becoming head coach. His first words were, ‘Coach, I am ready to work; push me to be great,’”says Barsh, in his statement on Talley for senior night. “I can honestly say Jordan has met every challenge on and off the court and succeeded. His passion for young people and eagerness to serve set him apart from his peers. Jordan Talley is a leader and his future is bright.”

Talley’s dedication to the Fire shows in his stat line. Over his career, he has played in 105 games, which is more than any of the other four seniors this year. In total, Talley has 809 points to his name, with 95 of those 809 points being from long range.

Statistically, Talley has been a huge asset to the Fire and has helped make this team great. With his average points per game around seven points, Talley is a consistent, dependable player that can stay calm and collected under pressure and get points when it counts.

After a historic run with the Fire, Talley ended his regular season playing career with his family on senior night in the furnace. “[Southeastern’s] been a blessing; it changed my life and made me the man that God has called me to be,” says Talley. “It has really been a home for me and I’m thankful for everyone that has helped me along the way.”

Talley’s presence will be missed from the team as he goes on to do bigger and better things.

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PUBLIC RELATIONS

KiNeSIOLOGY

By Donnie Edwards

New Degree coming to Southeastern University 2015 Fall Semester

“Public Relations is pretty much Advertising.”

Most would agree with this statement, assuming the individual is not already a Public Relations (PR) practitioner. Most would simply use the two terms interchangeably. Most might think that PR professionals don’t often have much to do with the real management of a company or organization.

By Hank Taylor With the completion of the new College of Natrual & Health and Sciences Building at Southeastern, comes several other opportunities in the realm of academics and degree programs.

Most would be wrong.

Dr. Chad Neuman, the chair of the Department of Communication at Southeastern University, and the recently acquired Professor Sheila Skipper are pioneering a massive change in Southeastern’s Department of Communications to show us what PR is all about.

One degree that will be added is nursing, and the addition will help put Southeastern University on the map even more.

Their first order of business? Splitting the Journalism/Public Relations major into two separate degrees. Now, being different degrees, there are two majors to choose from: Digital Journalism or Public Relations. While existing majors will be able to stay with the existing combination of the two degrees, new students will have to choose. Also, new classes like Social Media and PR Case Studies are being added to the list of possibilities for students.

However, another area that will be sure to make waves is the addition of the Kinesiology degree.

Kinesiology is the study of human movement, and is mainly associated with athletic training, physical therapy and other areas of sports science.

“We are really excited to have Assistant Professor Sheila Skipper join our team,” says Neuman. “She has extensive experience in Public Relations, and she was the perfect fit for our need to have someone head up our new Public Relations program.”

Kinesiology students will have hands-on training, learning how the body works and moves, as well as how to fine tune the body to perform at elite levels. These concepts will be good for helping perfect an athlete’s form, integrating new workouts to help build muscle strategically in certain areas, helping athletes recover from injuries by giving those injured areas the right attention and helping keep the rest of their body healthy.

“Our goal is to ensure that students can not only find a job upon graduation, but have hands-on experience and a diverse portfolio upon walking into that first job interview after graduation,” says Skipper. “A primary vehicle through which I hope to bring this about is the previously dormant PR Club here on campus. It would be a change for students to get hands-on experience outside of the classroom and exposure to (hopefully) some real local clients. Though most likely smaller ones, it would benefit the local Lakeland Community, Southeastern’s Community and the students by giving them the chance to see what it is like to see a PR job through from start to finish.”

Jem Sirrine is the current athletic trainer within the athletic department and will be teaching some of the courses within the new Kinesiology degree.

The process of revamping the Public Relations major and growing the program begins this upcoming fall with the addition of the previously mentioned new classes and continued growth of the PR Club.

Athletes are, in some ways, like a car. Their performance is at the mercy of how they are taking care of themselves, both inside and out.

“We want students to be as prepared and knowledgeable as possible upon graduation. We want them to walk into that first interview or that first job and make the existing employees feel like they’re working with someone that knows a thing or two about Public Relations already –not a recent graduate that only knows Public Relations on paper,” says Skipper. “PR holds a certain, specific management role within corporations and organizations. It’s goal is to inform the public about the business and the business about the public’s desires in regards to the business. It’s not advertising –it’s a relationship with the community in which a business finds itself.”

Kinesiology acts like the mechanic of the body, helping keep all the pieces working together in unison and always fine tuning different areas to make the whole athlete perform better.

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Mastodon [mas-tuh-don]

noun 1. a massive, elephantlike mammal of the genus Mammut (Mastodon), that flourished worldwide from the Miocene through the Pleistocene epochs and, in North America, into recent times, having long, curved upper tusks and, in the male, short lower tusks.

Once upon a time, Suzie’s life was cut short. She was a teenager who was 10½ feet tall. When poor Suzie perished, she died naturally in a way that preserved her body.

Who would have thought this mastodon would make Southeastern University its home?

By Kelly Freed

of the flood.” Prof. Revell relishes teaching faith through inte-gration of the sciences, bringing the students back to the Creation story.

Although faculty and scientists knew the mastodon was not fully mature, they did not know if the mastodon was a male or a female. The mastodon was discovered during the time when Johnny Cash was singing “A

bring students back to the science of the creation model,” as described in Genesis.

“Fossilization does not take millions of years,” Prof. Revell explains, and “the flood is a more than adequate explanation for the billions of dead things we find fossilized all over the world.”

Suzie would love for you to come and visit in the fall. Please be prepared to entertain her with a song by Johnny Cash.

Then, take a moment to thank our

amazing Creator God, who must have had an absolute blast creating the universe, our world, and all of the amazing animals which abound.

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• Post-flood Mastodon

In 1969, Suzie the Mastodon was found under a highway by a 13-yearold in a shell-rock pit in West Palm Beach. The person to unearth the bones was Palm Beach Atlantic professor Mary Stanton, with the assistance of students, who helped her dig. The mastodon was brought to Palm Beach Atlantic University for assembly with an estimated 90 percent of the bones needed to complete the skeleton.

In the same rock pit, a plethora of other fossilized creatures were dis-covered - a giant ground sloth, a camel, a giant tortoise, a capybara and tapir along with various birds, frogs, snakes and alligators just to name a few.

Boy Named Sue.” The name stuck, and that’s where Stanton acquired the name Suzie.

“Dana Davis, in the SEU Office of Advancement, was instrumental in completing all the legal work for the transfer and the SEU facilities department was fantastic in helping with the actual move, getting Suzie off the tractor-trailer and stored,” says Prof. Revell.

• Gift to Southeastern from Lainey Ellford

Professor David Revell, assistant professor of Mathematics at Southeastern, believes finding all of these varied and geographically diverse creatures in the same rock pit could con-firm the biblical account “because

Prof. Revell enjoys taking students to the Creation Adventures Museum in Arcadia with Dr. Gary Parker and hunting for fossils in the Peace River. “It’s not a battle between science and religion,” Prof. Revell passionately explains. “We are trying to

• Suzie is a tool to point students toward their Creator

Suzie has spent the last forty years at the South Florida Museum of Science in West Palm Beach and is now on loan to Southeastern. Suzie will be in a protected glass display in the lobby of the new College of Natural & Health Sciences building.

• Discovered in West Palm Beach 1969 • Named after the song “A Boy Named Sue” by Johnny Cash

• Displayed in the College of Natural & Health Sciences building

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PROGRAM BENEFITS

A Senior's Perspective:

What I Wish I Knew as a Freshman

By Jeanmarie Johnson

As my final few months of undergrad begin to unfold, I’m bombarded daily with thoughts, lessons and takeaways from the last four years. Many emotions flood my heart and mind as this period of transition starts to come full force, and it’s hard not to look back with regret.

Reminiscing is important, as is self-reflection; in the process, I’ve discovered a few things I wish I’d known this time four years ago. From a senior’s perspective, this is what I hope underclassman will take to heart:

1 2 3 4 5

The best way to stop a fire is to deplete the very thing that is feeding it—Oxygen (O2). This is

It’s okay not to know. No one wants to be “that guy.” You know, the one who has no clue what

the last thing that we want to

he wants to do with his life. But, here’s the deal, very few actually have a clue as to what they want.

It’s not uncommon for those people to ‘fake it until they make it,’ as the saying goes. For now, just try out different areas of study. During my first three semesters, I focused on my general education courses, but mixed in an array of random classes in order to figure out what I loved … notice, I said “loved” not “liked.” Don’t settle for something you’re not passionate about!

happen at Southeastern; instead, we want to fan the flame of the Fire by continually supporting the supply of fuel. Help increase alumni participation by joining SEU

Sometimes the small things are what you remember the most. Enjoy yourself. Savor

every moment, big or small. Do things you love with people who make your life not only fun but better. Just like how families build traditions over the years, it’s important to build tradition with your college family. Busy Friday nights are fun, but some of the most memorable times I’ve had have been spent with my best friends just hanging out in our suite. Two of my favorite roomate traditions are the annual Christmas party my suite throws and the weekly The Bachelor miniparties we have together.

O2 and continue to feed the Fire!

Don’t worry about what comes next. Don’t misunderstand me here—planning is very

Association.

After signing up you will receive an Alumni ID card (just like a student ID card) in the mail. Use this card to take advantage of all the benefits afforded to you by your Alumni

important. But don’t be so caught up in preparing for your future that you miss what is right in front of you. Work and study hard; ace those exams and get good grades. All of this is great, but they won’t do you any good if you’re stressed out of your mind every day. Save the worrying for your senior year and take time to relax, enjoy and make memories.

NEW

BENEFIT FOR RECENT GRADS

Look for meaning, not perfection. College isn’t an end all, be all. It’s easy to get caught up in perfection—perfect grades, perfect social status, perfect boyfriend and perfect friend circle.

These four years are extremely crucial to who you might become, but there is so much more beyond college. Work hard to achieve goals and plan for the future, but don’t waste time stressing over every little thing; and certainly, don’t waste your time trying to perfect every area of your life.

ALUMNI EMAIL ADDRESS1 Many of our alumni have asked if they can save their email account after they graduate. The answer is YES! One of the benefits of the O2 program is the migration of your current student account into a new alumni email account by the Information Technology department.

After you sign up, we will contact IT and you will be given your new account. Your new account will be your user name followed by @alumni.seu.edu.

Be intentional. This is possibly the most important thing that I’m taking away from my time at college (aside from a degree, of course). You’re going to meet so many different people. When you find those few people who you spark that “You, too? I thought I was the only one!” feeling within you, don’t let them go. In the movie Tangled, Rapunzel had a dream to see “the floating lights.” She did everything she could to make that dream a reality. She was intentional with what she wanted.

Just as Rapunzel pursued her dream of seeing those lanterns, it’s important to pursue people you want to be friends with. Ask them to lunch, or to share your favorite movie, game or comic. Then, once you’ve reached “friendship status,” keep finding new ways to show them you value them as a person.

College is about a lot of things. You may fall in love, or have your heart broken. People may let you down, while others will bring you a lot of joy. There are times where you may hate it, and other times you love it. But, if you make the decision to work through everything that is thrown at you, you’ll look back on your four years with a smile.

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DISCOUNT PROGRAM With your O2 alumni card, you will have access to local and national discounts from thousands of hotels, restaurants, movie theaters, automotive repair centers, florists, car dealers, theme parks, national attractions, unique experiences, concerts, events, and much more.

BOOKSTORE4 Get geared up in the Southeastern Bookstore with a 10% discount. Save on everything from apparel and gifts, to graduate diploma frames. The discount in the bookstore is available for gifts and merchandise. This discount is also available online at SEU.edu/bookstore.

LIBRARY2 With your new O2 alumni card you now have online and in-person access to Southeastern’s Steelman Library. Through our complete online database collection, you can access tools to help with sermon preparation, graduate studies, or continued education. Make sure to bring your O2 alumni card with you when you check out books or movies and more.

FIRE FOOTBALL Make sure to cheer on the Fire at every home football game and receive 50% off your game ticket when you present your alumni card.

FORUM DISCOUNT Alumni will receive a 15% discount on Forum tickets. In order to receive the discount and purchase a ticket, visit SEUleadershipforum.com to select your seats, and simply enter “alumni” when prompted to enter the coupon code and the discount will be applied.

PORTICO COFFEEHOUSE Need a pick-me-up in the middle of the day?

When you buy a cup of our mission, you support missions’ trips around the world and save 10% on each drink (or overall purchase).

WEIGHT ROOM3 Why make monthly payments at a gym, when a gym membership at Southeastern is included in the O2 program? In order to use the gym, all you need to do is fill out a waiver. Throughout the year, there will be hour restrictions based on athletic needs.

POOL 3 If you want to stay cool during the hot Florida summers or want to take your kids to a private pool, the Southeastern pool is open to all O2 members.

Please contact the athletic office at 863.667.5046 to verify the hours of operation before coming.

Must sign up within 60 days of graduation as all email addresses will be permanently deleted after this period.

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2 A form must be completed prior to accessing the online databases in the Steelman Library. In order to participate in this benefit, please email library@seu.edu to register.

3 A waiver must be signed before using the weight room and aquatic center.

4 Discount is not available on textbooks and personal hygiene items.

863.667.5400 | alumni@seu.edu | Facebook.com/seuniversityalumni Twitter @seuniversity | Instagram @seuniversity 66

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For more information, visit: alumni.seu.edu/O2benefits

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PRAY FIRST

“I learned to pray from my father,” says Chris Owen, Vice President for Student Development.

“It would be nothing when I was growing up to just wake up on a Saturday morning and see Dad pacing back and forth on the back porch–just praying,” says Owen. “I didn’t realize it would be so at the time, but that experience of watching him just start every day with such intentional prayer really became a powerful illustration to me that I should pray before I do anything in life.”

For ten weeks during this semester, students have been gathering every Wednesday morning in Bush Chapel to do just that–pray first.

By Donnie Edwards

With 100-200 people consistently in attendance for Pray First each week without much promotion, it is safe to say that Chris Owen found some students with their hearts in the same place as his–at the feet of Jesus.

“A PHRASE THAT WE TRY TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS WITH IS ‘BEAT THE DAY’. THERE IS JUST SOMETHING ABOUT GETTING UP WHILE THE WORLD IS STILL QUIET TO GO AND MEET WITH GOD IN PRAYER THAT CHANGES THE WAY THAT YOU GO ABOUT THE REST OF YOUR DAY.”

“A phrase that we try to encourage students with is ‘beat the day,’” says Owen. “There is just something about getting up while the world is still quiet to go and meet with God in prayer that changes the way that you go about the rest of your day. You go about your day having already met with the one who created it. That was my reason for making Pray First a 7 a.m. event.”

With everything they do, the leadership of Southeastern has one vision: create a culture of relationship-builders. Community building is about the church, those that don’t know Jesus and those that do coming together. None of that happens without being rooted in prayer.

- Chris Owen

“Prayer isn’t about receiving something; it’s about knowing someone,” says Owen.

Life tends to bring stress, distraction and even discouragement along with all of the good and exciting opportunities and relationships. Hope is something that, if we were honest with ourselves, we struggle to find in the midst of boredom, burnout and stress.

“Prayer ignites hope,” says Owen. “Often, people wait for a church service, chapel service or other event to seek and pray to God and to listen to what God has to say to us. Don’t wait! Just do it. Just get your friends together and pray. Pray alone. Just pray and see God be faithful to His word. Don’t wait for a pastor or someone else to do it for you. It’s your relationship with God. Just do it.”

Pray First is to serve as a reminder to “beat the day,” a reminder to make time away from the world and with God a priority and a reminder to let that prayer inspire us to action in our faith to seek to be more like Christ.

“Prayer,” says Chris Owen, “is about becoming more relational. It’s about you and me. It’s about community. It’s about the Kingdom of God.”

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I F: C O L L E G E

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his year brought a lot of firsts for Southeastern University: a football team, Chick-fil-A Express, a new science building…and IF: College.

By Ashley Winkler

IF: College is a branch of the IF: Gathering movement to gather, equip and unleash the next generation of women to live out their purpose.

WHO WE ARE I F: G A T H E R I N G

I F: E Q U I P

I F: U N L E A S H

Our 2-day gathering each year brings together women from all over the world to humbly seek God and to equip them to better live out their callings. We seek to model, resource, and empower women so that they create fresh, honest spaces in their local contexts to wrestle with essential questions of faith like: IF God is real… THEN what? We call them IF:Locals.

The makeup and mechanics of each IF:Local is unique. There are monthly and annual opportunities to gather with women for prayer, for convening at dinner tables, for processing of Scripture, and for dreaming about what God can do through the laying down of our lives in obedience.

We have created a free, simple equipping tool for reading the Bible daily. By providing easy online access to scripture, insight from thought leaders in our generation, and a like-hearted community, we hope IF:Equip will prepare women around the world to know God more deeply and to live out their purposes. We aim to release more holistic equipping materials in 2015.

We believe in women uniting for healing and reconciliation in homes, neighborhoods and local churches around the world. By partnering with other non-profit organizations and coming specifically alongside women, fostering relationships and utilizing our God-given gifts, we believe that our generation could not only transform hearts but leave a tangible impact on the entire world.

In the college context, IF: College focuses on this mission, but focuses more on young women in their early 20s.

Hillary DeMeo, creator of IF: College, had this idea placed on her heart about a year and a half ago as she was wrestling with finding her involvement in the IF: Movement.

“I wanted to help women really tap into who they are in college and intentionally focus on who they were becoming,” says DeMeo. A small team of ladies gathered around Hillary are working to create a model for universities across the country to incorporate IF: College into their everyday.

“The model will consist of mainly IF: Tables,” says Christiana Akehurst, a

www.ifgathering.com

IFgathering

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junior at Southeastern who will be working under DeMeo next year as a student leader.

“IF: Table is an opportunity for women on college campuses to gather and come alongside each other with the purpose of growing together in their faith walk. IF: Tables can be lead by any female student on campus; we want it to be lead by a peerto-peer experience, not mentor-to-peer.”

The goal is for IF: Tables to be a monthly occurrence. There will be eight girls gathered around a table with two IF: Hosts, answering four questions, discussing life and sharing experiences together.

However, students aren’t the only ones who will be involved. IF: Guides, made up of Southeastern staff and faculty, will meet with IF: Hosts regularly for accountability while helping them become the women God called them to be and sharing their lives in the process.

“These ladies will provide extra support and encouragement for IF: Hosts,” says Akehurst. “Guides are of huge importance in building up our hosts.”

In order for IF: Tables to run effectively, there will be IF: Equip nights. This will be a night to train and develop IF: Hosts and will give the hosts the opportunity to learn from various IF: Guides and other impactful women in the city of Lakeland.

@IFgathering

DeMeo envisions IF: College to be a movement of sisterhood–where every woman feels like there’s a place for them to belong, a place for them at the table.

“I hope girls can go from being competitive with each other to women being for one another and that we can connect on the level of being all in it together,” says DeMeo. While IF: College is focused on females, DeMeo discussed the importance of also having males on board.

“To the guys that are reading, we don’t want you to see it as a movement for girls, but for future wives, colleagues and business leaders,” says DeMeo. “We invite the guys to be for IF and for what they are doing. This is a chance for guys to show their support for women of our generation…There is a need for women to fully embrace who they are called to be. This is the start for them–to make little decisions that follows a life of bravery.”

IF: College will be launched on our campus next fall.

@IFgathering @ I F. S E U

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busy he may have been, he greeted me with a smile and set everything aside to hear me out.

“He INSPIRED ME, valued my ideas, and

After those meetings, I was ready to write a book or commit myself to countless years of graduate school. He inspired me, valued my ideas and validated my viewpoints by recommending authors, books and articles to explore.

Regardless of how ridiculous or obscure my thoughts may have been, Dr. Smith had a way of redirecting me without making me feel discouraged or devalued.

validated my viewpoints...

regardless of how ridiculous

Remembering

DAVID SMITH

or obscure my thoughts

(1964 - 2014)

may have been...”

By Lynzi Lapka

“He was the teacher that every student needed because of his kindness, heart for education and overwhelming ability to be a person as opposed to a professor.” An anonymous student wrote this powerful statement upon hearing of Dr. Smith’s passing.

To those who knew him, Dr. Smith quickly became a necessary teacher, mentor or friend.

Dr. David Smith served as an assistant professor of English at Southeastern University where he shared a passion for the written word with students and faculty while continuing research and writing in literature and various other fields.

“He saw his students as an extension of his family,” says Dr. Smith’s wife Beverly. She went on to explain how Dr. Smith’s credentials could have allowed him a different job with higher pay, but his greatest love was students.

The students and faculty with whom Dr. Smith interacted were constantly exposed to his incomparable intellect.

“Taking notes in his class is like trying to catch every drop of rain in your mouth during a hurricane–you’re going to miss a lot, and you’re going to drown in knowledge. But, the drops you do catch, those are the things that really stick with you,” says an anonymous student reflecting on his class.

Yet, he never made anyone feel inferior.

“He was one of the smartest men I’ve had the pleasure to know, but he’d talk to me as if I were right there with him, even when I wasn’t,” says Chris Davidson, a colleague of Dr. Smith. “He 72

never used language meant to exclude people.”

Many people recall his unparalleled ability to engage and uplift the thoughts and opinions of the people around him.

Upon hearing the news of his passing, I felt as though I had lost a dear member of my family.

The heartbreak and emptiness that I experienced is indescribable. I still miss him dearly. He was like an academic father to me and the impact that he had upon my life is not exclusive.

Emilee Rosell, a student here at Southeastern, had a similar experience when she took a literature class with Dr. Smith.

“When he spoke to me, I knew that he was very interested in my thoughts and opinions,” says Rosell. “He thoroughly convinced me of my own ability and possibilities.”

His passion was to empower everyone to think

critically and most importantly think for themselves, that they may lead a life of fulfillment. I will forever carry and cherish the impact that Dr. Smith had upon my life. I hope that I may one day gain the knowledge to empower others as he did and carry myself with a similar humility that ignited in me my passion for learning.

Although Dr. David Smith has passed, the impact of his teaching, humility, passion for learning and love for students lives on in the lives of those who knew him.

His obituary reminds us, “His ambition was that all people should think critically for themselves and broaden their minds in order to live more productive and fulfilling lives.”

May his empowering knowledge and endearing humility ignite in us a passion for learning.

To English majors, Dr. Smith was known for being very smart yet equally approachable, which are two attributes not often paired in the world of academia. I came to Southeastern looking for a strong English degree; and when I walked into my first English class of my undergraduate career, Dr. Smith confirmed that I would find that and so much more in Southeastern University’s English department.

After taking a couple of classes, I seized every opportunity to learn from him. I adjusted my class schedule in attempt to take as many classes with him as possible. By the end of my undergraduate degree, I had taken seven different classes with him.

Throughout the course of my studies, I found myself signing up to meet with him, sometimes with a purpose in mind like an assignment or graduate school; but most of the time, I just met with him because it had been a while since our last meeting.

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By Devin Yasi

Photos: Loree Rowland On March 20, Southeastern held its 9th annual Leadership Forum.

Students and visitors gathered together in Bush Chapel, eager to gain knowledge and strengthen their leadership abilities.

“The majority of the people I encountered attending the Forum that had never been to Southeastern were amazed at the beauty of the campus and the friendliness of the students,” says Burr.

“The Forum was an incredible opportunity for our SEU community, Lakeland community and leaders in the area to learn about leadership from some of the most influential leaders in the nation,” says Priscilla Burr, associate director of public relations, who worked on the event. “It also provided a chance for people who have never stepped foot on campus to experience how we are equipping students as leaders and in their careers.”

When guests reconvened, they were greeted by a live jazz band, creating a lively and enthusiastic atmosphere as guests conversed before the next speaker took the stage.

Five renowned leaders made up the panel of speakers: Marcus Luttrell, Nancy Duarte, Daniel Goleman, Jon Gordon and Carly Fiorina. Each speaker presented on how to be an effective leader. The room was filled with the sound of pens scratching paper and rapid typing as the audience eagerly wrote down notes.

“I loved seeing the number of students that eagerly wanted to volunteer for the Forum and the amount of students that were excited to take the Forum as a class. We had around 120 students take the Forum live, meaning they attended it in Bush Chapel, and a little under 80 students volunteer,” says Burr. “My favorite part about the Forum was seeing student involvement.”

During intermission, visitors were able to interact with the Southeastern community and experience all that Southeastern has to offer, from coffee at Portico

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to browsing campus bookstore.

This event, however, could not have taken place without the help of student volunteers who worked to help guests navigate the campus and contributed to the event as a whole.

National Leadership Forum

@SEUforum

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SOCIAL MEDIA

@MI CHAELMUT Z

By Nicole Tillotson Social media is everywhere.

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr and YouTube collectively lead a large community online with their billions of users, and the community is growing bigger and more important every year.

What is it that makes them so influential?

“Social media is driving my passion,” says Michael Mutz, Local and International Outreach Coordinator.

“If I’m not talking to people on Instagram, there’s no point in having it…The way people use social media can be in a really encouraging way. I use it as a platform of encouragement; you can post something, and it might not mean a lot to you, but it can mean a lot to those who see it.”

To those people not as involved online as others, the online community may be hard to understand and grasp.

How do people make friends online? Can people even find real friendships online?

“There’s probably 10 or 15 people that I’ve met through Instagram, and we talk to each other often,” says Mutz.

“I like photography a lot, and I’ve gotten to connect with people in the Netherlands, Zanzibar and across the United States, who are really good photographers and get feedback from them.”

Unique to the Internet population is the formation of their community; people gravitate together simply through their passion for sharing creativity, rather than forming for the sake of building a community.

“It’s a cool community because you can peer into someone’s aspect of life,” says Mutz. “I like being able to see how people live their lives and how they see a picture.

It’s interesting how people frame a photo to identify something that I never noticed.”

Among the online community, our talents can be shaped and grown, just as much as our personality and influence on and off line.

“Through meeting all these photographers I looked up to, like Cubby Graham, these people sent random encouragement to engage in something that I’m passionate about,” says Mutz. “Cubby, one of my best friends now, always says, ‘It’s so funny the great friendships I’ve made through some silly little app.’”

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Alumni Stories Taylor Wilkerson

He began as a Southeastern freshman, a double majoring in Practical Theology and Church Ministries with a minor in Business—but that’s only the beginning. Taylor Wilkerson, married to Southeastern alumna Kristen Wilkerson, is now in New York receiving his masters in Divinity from Princeton. Big things are coming from this 2013 grad, who is currently in the process of planting a church in Harlem.

Q: Tell me a little about the church you're planting in New York.

class of 2013

A: “We’re planting a church in Harlem, which is in Manhattan. Our denomination, the Assemblies of God, reached out to my parents, Rich and Robyn Wilkerson and asked our church, Trinity Church in Miami, to start a campus in New York City.

So we were given a building from an existing church and we are revitalizing that church and planting a new church in the fall (Trinity Church Harlem).”

By Katy Abramowich

Q: How did your years at Southeastern help get you to where you are now?

A: “Southeastern is 100% to get credit for where I am right now. It was really at SEU where my call was solidified. While being there, I had professors who really poured into me and really believed in me and really encouraged me to pursue my master’s degree. So academically, it prepared me but then from a practical ministries standpoint, from being on the preaching team and hosting RAW TV, they just put me in positions for me to grow. Southeastern gave me real opportunities to develop my gifts for communication and leadership.”

Q: Tell me about some of your professors you had while at Southeastern.

A: “Dr. Waddell was a huge influence on me, (as well as) Steven Fettke, Joe Davis and Matt Huett. I’ve never actually had Matt Huett as a professor but I just always really loved him (laughs). He’s unreal. Waddell, theologically and academically, meant a lot to me. They all meant so much to me. Dr. Tackett also really encouraged me to pursue my master’s. That faculty there really meant a lot to me and if it wasn’t for them there’s no way I’d be at Princeton.”

Q: What made you decide to plant a church in Harlem?

A: “Really, it started at Princeton. I knew I was doing that before I knew I was planting the church. But then, this summer, the opportunity was kind of offered. We were given a building in New York City—that’s like the biggest problem every church has in NYC is having a building. So for several months I had to really pray about it. I was like no I have a plan—I’m going to get my master’s degree and my wife and I are going to have a nice little home in Princeton. But I just really felt like God was calling me to Harlem. I’ve always had a call to church work that was hands-on. What I mean by that is for me, the Gospel only makes sense if it’s tangibly affecting the lives of the community it’s in. So that means if you have people in poverty, if you have uneducated young men, if you have any social justice issue, and the church (isn’t finding solutions) then it’s failing to do its job. That’s just really been something I believed in so I’ve always known that if I do church work then it’s going to be in the inner city and it’s going to be in a place where people are desperately in need of Jesus and desperately in need of real, tangible solutions for the crisis’s that they are in. So I really prayed about it and Harlem… I mean, pretty rough, you know? So I just really felt like that’s where God was calling me.”

Q: What is your vision for the future?

A: “Oh man… other than just to have multiple campuses in NYC, I really believe the most effective way to reach a city isn’t just to have one huge church but to have multiple communities throughout the larger community of New York City that are really focused in a missional way to affect change. So yes, to have multiple campuses and to have a place where families in crisis, like the single mom can come and find solutions for the crisis she’s in. Also, to provide scholarships for students who are academically capable to go to college but don’t really have the finances to make it work… to do stuff like that…to feed the hungry. That’s really what our church is focused on.”

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Southeastern A SPOTLIGHT WITH BECKY THOMAS

THROWBACKS

By Andrea Reeves Before Southeastern Magazine launched in fall 2013, there was another student-run magazine. Headed by Molly Owen, Professor in the College of Education and the wife of our current Vice President for Student Development Chris Owen, A New Day: Student Life Magazine was created to highlight students and their favorite parts of Southeastern’s community.

“I sat on my couch and Melody would come over and we would just sit and design for ten hours, and we would order pizza and have cookie dough…it was ridiculous,” says Becky Thomas, who graduated from Southeastern in fall of 2009. “We just kind of birthed this beautiful thing that became, I hope, something special to someone.” Melody Munn, as mentioned before, also graduated from Southeastern and now owns a graphic design business.

This magazine opportunity came at a special time for Thomas, who had graduated from Southeastern the semester before creating it.

After being one of the only students in her class to land a full-time job before graduating, Thomas felt the Lord telling her to stay in Lakeland instead of pursuing her dream of becoming a wedding planner.

“Everyone thought I was crazy,” says Thomas. “But, I obeyed Him, I did it…and in the midst of my obedience, not only was my faith tested—severely—I was literally living on the Lord at that time.”

Thomas had no other job opportunities and not a lot of money, but had faith that God would provide for her.

Student Life Magazine for her wedding planning business, Mostly Becky.

“Mostly Becky is based on a verse in 1 Corinthians that basically says, ‘God is going to blow your mind.’ You can’t even imagine the things that He has in store for you, but you have to let Him, you have to let go,” says Thomas. “It’s the hardest thing you’ll ever do, but I promise He will blow you away.”

From monetary provision to strangers dropping off food at her doorstep, Thomas saw the Lord move in miraculous ways while she helped create the Student Life Magazine.

“This [magazine] was kind of my outlet to the distraction of what was really going on spiritually—which was beautiful, yet very painful,” says Thomas. “He makes you give up the thing that you want the most to make sure that you’re willing to serve Him no matter what…and then He gives it back to you ten-fold. It’s beautiful because my business is solely Him; I can not take any credit for the success or the reputation or how I get clients…He’s amazing.”

Becky now uses her graphic design experience she used for the 80

Scanned pages from the Student Life Magazine in 2010.

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Phase II MASTER PLAN

FUTURE PROJECTIONS

By President Ingle The choice whether or not to continue your education and study at a college or university is not a choice that can be made lightly. This decision must come with a sincere commitment to invest in a journey that will involve thousands of dollars and countless hours of study. It may require spending years away from the comforts of home and security of family in order to study and live with strangers.

This choice to pursue higher education is about more than simply receiving a piece of paper at the end of four years. It is part of a significant journey – a journey that more and more young adults are taking.

Functional and Cultural frameworks. These frameworks enabled us to expand the depth and breadth of our University—giving us the ability to attract high quality students to our community. These students did not only choose to come to Southeastern for a degree—they came to begin a journey.

They came to discover their Divine Design.

The “Live/Learn” facility will provide housing for an additional 400 students on campus—giving more students the opportunity to choose to become a part of our community, bringing our total enrollment to well over 4,200.

At Southeastern, we are committed to providing an affordable and accessible educational environment that will enable our students to not only discover, but to develop, their Divine Design. Our commitment to affordability and accessibility has inspired us to develop a new framework that will allow us to build toward the future. This is the framework of Innovation.

The Student Activity Center will be expanded around the existing student center to include a new gymnasium. This 16,000-squarefoot facility will allow men’s varsity wrestling and women’s varsity tumbling to be added to the university’s athletics programs.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2011, 42% of all 18-24 year olds had chosen to be enrolled full time in some form of higher education. NCES projects a rise of 13% in enrollments of students under 25 from 2011 to 2021, meaning that by 2021, more than half of the 18-24 year olds in America will choose to be enrolled full time in higher education.

We see this growth happening right here on our campus.

From 2010 to 2014, Southeastern University’s total undergraduate enrollment has grown from over 2,500 students, to well over 3,400.

During that same time period, Southeastern has increased student financial aid from $5 million a year to just over $19 million. As a result, The Chronicle of Higher Education recently recognized Southeastern as one of the top ten fastest growing private liberal arts universities in the nation.

The growth of our campus is a result of our courage to listen to the voice of God and has been driven by a commitment to our Urgent, Visionary,

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about planting churches. We believe that the practical, hands-on experiences with the top church planting organizations in the world, coupled with rigorous academic discipline, will empower the next generation of ministry leaders to take our churches to the next level.

The Innovative Framework is a strategic piece to our overall mission as a higher education provider. Within this framework we dream, explore and plan for new curves of growth as an organization. We’re in a constant attitude of dreaming of new ways to break the mold and push the boundaries of higher education.

Our entire community will be able to experience firsthand the future of our Innovative Framework through Phase Two of our campus expansion.

Unanimously approved by the Board of Trustees in November 2014, this expansion will include a three-story, 44-000-square-foot Administration and Athletics Operations Building. This facility will give our school the opportunity to potentially host the NAIA National Football Championship game right here in Lakeland.

With this framework, we are creating entry points for students to access higher education through vigorous online programs and extension sites. We are also making higher education more affordable by offering significant scholarship dollars, totaling $20 million this year alone.

Through the Innovative Framework, we’ve developed several strategic initiatives to offer experiential learning opportunities for our students.

Among these initiatives is Church Plant University. This initiative will provide future ministry leaders with hands-on experience in planting churches both nationally and internationally. Southeastern University is actively seeking to partner with leading churches around the nation to cultivate relationships with seasoned ministry leaders who are passionate about planting churches. We believe that the practical, hands-on

Finally, an NCAA 8-Lane Track and Field Facility will surround the recently completed soccer complex and enable the university to bring in varsity men’s and women’s track and field, as well as a women’s lacrosse program. These new athletic programs will allow us to attract over 150 new student athletes to our campus.

We are grateful for the students who have decided to make Southeastern University a part of their life journey. The future is full of Innovation!

Phase Two will also include the creation of a four-story, 120,000-squarefoot “Live/Learn” facility with music practice rooms, a choral rehearsal hall, graphic design and computer labs, and a food court area with national brands that may include Einstein Bros. Bagels, Moe’s, and Subway.

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