An Editorial Note

An Editorial Note Pursuing My Dream

Throughout my teen years, and now adulthood, I have pursued my dream of a better future by setting certain goals that I felt I had to accomplish in a specific order. While many of my friends were out partying, dating, getting married and raising families, I was studying for school, working for my various employers, and sharpening my talents and skills for improving my life. I was raised with the mindset that I should prepare for the future while living each day as if it might be my last. I decided that my life’s dream would be one that could be achieved even if it should only be fully realized once I reached my heavenly home. Now some of you may ask, “What is that dream that you pursue with such purpose and drive, Aletia?” I’ll tell you. Ever since I was a little girl, I loved helping others. So I decided that my ultimate dream in life would be to live for Jesus and help others live happier lives. Cliché, I know. But it worked. No matter where I was, who I was with, or what I was doing, I always had a mission in mind, and that mission was to help others and bring joy to their lives. Although I switched from pursuing a career in the health field to pursuing a career in education, I was able to keep my dream alive, because I knew that I would still be helping to improve the lives of countless children with whom I came into contact. Like a dog after a bone, I’ve stubbornly pushed forward towards earning a college degree since I wanted to be the best teacher that I could be. Not for my own pride or glory, but for the sake of those whose moldable minds I would be molding and shaping during those critical elementary years of their education. So focused have I been on earning my degree in elementary education, I have had to purposefully involve myself in social activities such as brass ensemble just to ensure I would interact with other people outside of my work and school environment. But I do not regret it one bit. Now that I’m in my final year of college, I can look back at the memories I established with the friends I have made with fond nostalgia. Looking back, I know that I have made a positive impact on a few lives, and I know that going forward, I can continue to pursue my dream of helping others live happier lives.

By Aletia Thornton

Diversity & Inclusion Committee

June 5, 2020 is a day I will never forget. The president of SWAU, Dr. Ken Shaw, in light of the racial tension happening in our country, called together minority faculty and staff in order to ask, “How is Southwestern Adventist University doing when it comes to race relations?” The one-hour scheduled meeting turned into an almost two-and-ahalf hour long gathering of heartfelt conversation. President Shaw and Dr. Donna Berkner, Academic VP, heard our stories and empathized with our struggles. In my fifteen-year career, this was the first time that an organizational entity was willing to not only hear our stories, but also to do something about it. From that meeting, Dr. Shaw created an Ad Hoc Committee for Diversity and Inclusion that would later become a standing committee. This committee, now chaired by Ana Patterson, had six actionable objectives: 1. Create a Standing Committee for Diversity and Inclusion — accomplished. 2. Provide diversity training during colloquium for faculty and staff — accomplished. 3. Host an assembly — accomplished and ongoing. 4. Implement changes to the existing curriculum — accomplished and ongoing. 5. Develop an institutional statement on our identity as a Diverse and Inclusive campus —ongoing. 6. Design service opportunities that highlight equity and inclusion of underserved communities — accomplished and ongoing. I believe intentionality is the theme of the committee. For instance, instead of taking MLK day off like many schools, the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, supported by administration, faculty/staff, and the student body, moved forward with an informative, purposeful program that would heighten the significance of the day. The committee will continue with a sense of intentionality for Black History Month, and with the intent for all to learn and understand. The committee yearns for the school to not be color blind, but instead, as we learned from our training this summer, to see color and love it! Even more so, we see color and we embrace it!

By Pastor Buster Swoopes

An Opinion on Diversity and Inclusion at SWAU

By Haille Hughes

I have been a student at Southwestern Adventist University since 2018. Before I was a student here, I visited the school as a high school student. Even when I was younger, I felt that I would most likely go to Southwestern. Southwestern has students that come from all over the globe. That is one of the things that makes this school so special. During my freshman year I was friends with a big group of girls that were from all over the world. I have never been so aware of all the different cultures and traditions. My high school experience was mostly diverse, but there were very few black people. I went to a very small school in Tulsa, a blessing to be the one to make things different. At Southwestern, however, there are samples of more cultures than those I grew up around. Growing up, I was around predominantly Hispanics and white people but the great things about that is that I learned a lot of Spanish and how to make a lot of different foods. When I came to Southwestern, I learned more about other places. There are people of all ethnic groups, shapes, and sizes. Because everyone is always included, we have that special touch of everything being so different. Something beautiful that comes with including everyone is the variety of languages you are exposed to at SWAU. Here at Southwestern Adventist University, we have a vespers on Friday nights to bring in the Sabbath. One special vespers specifically celebrates where everyone is from. Those who would like can walk and carry their national flag down the aisle to represent their home. At the end of this service, something fascinating happens. We have prayer, but not just any prayer. There are at least seven people upfront with a microphone ready to pray right after the person before them, in their language. Praying over everyone and each prayer was to God and God heard each prayer and understood it. There are so many different native tongues and tribal languages that people don’t even know exists. That is the beauty of being different but inclusive.