Southern Accent Vol. 78, Issue 17

Southern Accent

Southern to host Adventist entrepreneurial conference meant to inspire student businesses

Candidates present speeches for Student Association elections

On Thursday, Feb. 17, five candidates running for Student Association (SA) president, vice president and social vice president gave speeches during convocation. In the coming week, students will have a chance to vote some of those individuals into office for the next academic year.

Hyve Creators 2023, an entrepreneurial conference featuring successful investors and business innovators in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, will take place on Southern Adventist University’s campus from March 2-5.

According to Southern’s website, the event will provide attendees with “many networking opportunities, workshops, keynotes, testimonies, pitches, and booths — all focused on combining mission, innovation, and entrepreneurship.”

The conference will take place in the Collegedale Church of Seventh-day Adventists and Iles Gym. Multiple individuals, including David Asscherick, co-director of Light Bearers, will speak. Individu-

als can register and view the list of speakers and schedule at hyveinternational.org.

Businesses can also register for booths to sell products and advertise. However, as of Sunday, Feb. 19, only five spots were left. Registering for a booth costs $399 for standard businesses and $99 for student businesses.

As of Wednesday, Feb. 15, over 350 individuals were registered to attend, and 139 businesses were registered to have booths, according to Lauryn Daniels, senior public relations major. Daniels is co-project manager of BringIt alongside Kelsie Alonso, sophomore entrepreneurship major.

The event is the product of a partnership between Southern’s School of Business, Enactus South-

ern's BringIt team and Hyve International, described by Daniels as a worldwide community of missional Seventh-day Adventist entrepreneurs.

Daniels said the BringIt project aims to connect student entrepreneurs with mentors to help grow their businesses. The project is known for hosting an annual pitch competition, and it will host the competition this year during Hyve Creators 2023, she added. The competition, titled “The Lion’s Den,” will involve 10 startup businesses presenting to a panel of investors and members of Hyve International in what Southern’s website described as “an Adventist version of Shark Tank.”

According to Daniels, the first place winner will receive $5,000, the

second place winner $2,500 and the third place winner $1,000. On Friday, March 4, the conference will also host a competition for 10 early-stage business startups. The first place winner will receive $3,000, the second place winner $1,000 and the third place winner $750.

“Last year, they offered loans [during BringIt’s pitch competition],” Alonso said. “This year, we’re doing prize money. This won’t be a loan.”

Daniels said each winner will have the opportunity to accept a loan, but they will still receive the prize money whether or not they take one.

As of Wednesday, Feb. 15, the pitch competitions had over 50 submissions sent in by students

A conversation with the handler of ‘Dog Days’ therapy

Emily Morgan Staff Writer

Babytalk isn’t usually what a person expects when they go to McKee Library. Yet, when a student sees the tiny Lowchen dog, Atreyu, in a baby stroller, the response is almost automatic.

Atreyu is a therapy dog employed by the Alliance of Therapy Dogs. According to the Mckee Library website, the library partners with the business and another one called Therapy Dogs International to provide students with therapy dog visits throughout the academic year. According to Sharen Fisher, Atreyu’s human partner, during the 2020 school year, therapy dog visits halted.

“When COVID came, my other dog who’d been coming here since May [2015] was beside him[self],” Fisher said. “He chased me around the house when it was time to get ready to go. He knew his schedule, and he knew when he was coming here.”

Excluding 2020, Fisher and her canine partners have been regularly coming to McKee Library since May 2015. She said Atreyu is very social and has no preference for what kind of people he likes.

“I think [Atreyu] likes everybody,” Fisher said.

Therapy dogs are born, not made, she added.

“I have had [dog handlers] tell me, they went into [therapy situations in nursing homes] and their dog just curled up in a ball and shook,” Fisher said.

On Tuesday, Feb. 21, there was a press conference held in the Thatcher chapel where students asked the candidates questions. General electionvoting begins on Feb. 23. Kari Shultz, director of Student Life and Activities, said Student Development will know the winners shortly after 11 p.m.

According to Shultz, the university will send out a survey to the student body to vote for the candidates after convocation on Feb. 23.

During his speech on Thursday, Jared Chandler, senior finance major and one of the candidates running for president, said he wants to help students feel safe on campus by adding lights along the promenade, and he wants to help Thatcher Hall’s gym get new equipment.

Chandler’s main goals are to

canine Atreyu

Fisher told of an experience with a student on Southern's campus which stuck with her.

“I had one young man from California. My other dog was a Wheaten Terrier, and [the young man] had two Wheaten Terriers at home. And he says, ‘Oh, I so miss my dogs!’” Fisher said. “The excitement from the students; you can just see them go ‘exhale.’”

Fisher said she loves coming to Southern because the students are so genuine.

“I was getting ready to leave, and I was at my car and [a student] goes, ‘Wait, wait!’ She comes running out; she hands me a card. She wrote me a card

to thank me for bringing the therapy dog in,” Fisher said. “ … So, yes, it's just fun to see the students interact and get relaxed and turn around and go back to their work. And it's like they have new color in their face, [and] they just look better.”

The next three therapy dog visits are scheduled for Feb. 23 at 11:30 a.m., March 7 at 1 p.m and March 21 at 1 p.m. More information on the therapy dog visits and scheduled dates are available on the McKee Library website. To contact and learn more about Atreyu, visit his Instagram account at atreyu_lowchen.

Administration reactivates official graduation policy, adds summer graduation

Alana Crosby Editor-in-Chief

According to an email sent by Karon Powell, director of Records and Advisement, starting this year, there will be three graduation ceremonies.

The graduation dates and times for 2023 are as follows: May 7 at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.; Aug. 17 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. For the May graduation, a third program would open at 4 p.m., only if needed.

In the past, the university had a working policy that allowed students to march in the May commencement ceremony if they were within six credit hours of completing a degree and registered for those credits in the following summer semester, according to Powell. However, she explained, students tend not to complete their degree after marching.

“Unfortunately, our experience is that far too many students who participated in the May commencement ceremony before completing all degree requirements failed to complete degree requirements and therefore did not complete a degree at Southern,” Powell wrote.

“Many students appear to conflate participation in commencement exercises with degree completion.”

As a result, the commencement marching policy no longer allows students to march if they have not fulfilled all of their degree requirements. The only exceptions to this rule would be students dealing with extenuating circumstances (e.g., when a student has to return home to a different country and would be unable to return for the summer graduation ceremony). In addition, students in such situations can

have only three outstanding credits and have plans to complete them over the summer for this to be feasible.

“Because there will now be an August commencement ceremony, the university will begin carefully following its current graduation participation policy found in the Graduation Requirements section of the academic catalog, which states, ‘Students are allowed to participate in commencement exercises only if they have completed all the courses required for graduation,’” Powell wrote in an email to faculty. “ … To be eligible to participate in a commencement ceremony (march) students need to have completed all hours or be registered for their final requirements within the semester in which they intend to march.”

Powell presented, as an exam-

ple, a student with three credit hours outstanding by the May 2023 commencement ceremony. That student would be asked to march in the August ceremony because he or she would be enrolled for the final hours during the summer term.

In an email to the Accent, Vice President of Academic Administration Bob Young wrote that the summer date was implemented to benefit students who complete their degrees in the summer and do not wish to march in the December graduation ceremony.

“There are a number of seniors who finish their programs in the summer, many of whom choose not to march at the December commencement service,” Young wrote.

“Having a summer program will serve this population. There is also

data that shows that of students who march before completion, a high percentage never finish their degrees. Having the summer program would help those students complete and still be able to participate in a commencement service.”

In addition, having a graduation ceremony for every term lowers the number of graduating seniors for each commencement and allows students to invite more people. According to Young, all three graduations will be held in the Iles P.E. Center.

2023 Graduation Dates May 7, 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. (a third program would open at 4 p.m., only if needed) Aug. 17, 7 p.m. Dec. 14, 7 p.m.

Alexis Dewey Staff Writer

Members of the BringIt project from 2022

(Photo courtesy of: Roman Johnson)

Amanda Blake Managing Editor

Atreyu spreading joy to others in McKee Library. (Photo courtesy of source)

HYVE 2023

continued from page 1

and community members. The BringIt team has been screening through the submissions this past week.

Students will be able to receive cultural credit by attending the pitch competitions and enrichment credit by attending Friday

night’s vespers, according to Daniels and Alonso. Individuals can register to attend the event when they walk in; however, Daniels and Alonso said, they prefer for people to register online beforehand so the team can better prepare.

Enactus SAU’s partnership with Hyve International began last semester when the business community reached out

to the BringIt team. Michelle Doucoumes, professor in the School of Business and Enactus SAU’s adviser, also serves as Hyve International’s treasurer, according to Daniels and Alonso.

The project team held a meetand-greet last semester to connect student entrepreneurs with Hyve International mentors, according to Alonso. For months,

the team has been planning and advertising Hyve Creators 2023.

When asked how this event aligns with BringIt’s mission, Alonso said, “There are people our age, our peers, all around us that do have dreams and goals and ideas that can actually be made into something if they have enough support, and we want to give that to them.”

Daniels said she wants attend-

ees to walk away from the conference inspired and empowered.

“One thing that Kelsie and I would always talk about is fear and how that kind of starts in your mind, and you kind of limit yourself,” Daniels said. “ … Through this event, you’re listening to people’s ideas and seeing them be go-getters. … Be inspired; know that you have that support and be empowered through it.”

Four cars broken into on Southern’s campus on the same day

Jahsoulay W. Walton Staff Writer

Southern Adventist University’s Daily Crime and Fire Safety Log issued by Campus Safety shows that since Aug. 31, 2022, there have been approximately seven car-related thefts reported on Southern's campus. Four of the thefts occurred on Jan. 20, according to the Daily Crime and Fire Safety Log. The reports show that there has been a string of thefts in several different locations across campus, such as the Student

Park parking area, Southern Village, Talge main parking lot and Cafeteria Drive.

A car stolen from campus on Jan. 20 was a 2012 Chevrolet Malibu and was found back on campus on Feb. 15, according to Collegedale Assistant Chief of Police Jamie Heath. In an email to the Accent, Heath wrote that the auto thefts, which occurred on Feb. 10 and 20 are still being investigated.

Due to the ongoing investi-

gations, Heath was unable to comment further on the thefts. According to the log, most of the thefts happened to vehicles that were unlocked. In some instances, the vehicles also had keys inside. There is one case documented in the crime log that took place at the Student Park parking lot on Aug. 30. The vehicle window was broken, and several items were stolen.

On Feb. 13, the Collegedale Police Department posted a story on its Instagram account that said, “An

auto burglary was reported on the campus of Southern Adventist University, after an individual left their parked car unlocked while hiking. $400 in cash and a designer purse was stolen.”

The Accent contacted Shawn Haas, associate director for Campus Safety, to get his input on these thefts.

Haas explained that motor vehicle theft does not occur often on Southern’s campus. However, theft of items taken from within a vehicle

occurs slightly more often, he said.

“From Jan. 1, 2019, to current, we have had 16 incidents,” Haas said. “We have not seen any increase or decrease [in theft]; the overwhelming majority of theft on our campus is what I would describe as a theft of opportunity: items left in general area, unlocked lockers [and/or] unsecured vehicles with valuable items in them.”

In light of the recent succession of car burglaries, Haas had this to say about how people should better protect themselves from theft:

“I believe the best way to approach thefts in general, or any other crime, is to take precautions. While in general Southern’s campus is a safe place to be, it is an open campus,” Haas said. “I would encourage the Southern community to take the same precautions here on campus as they would in any downtown metropolitan area. Do not leave valuables in a car. If you have to, make sure they are out of sight. Always lock your car with the windows rolled up.”

On behalf of the CPD, Heath also encouraged individuals to keep vehicle doors locked and to never leave keys or valuables in the vehicle.

“Most burglaries and thefts are simply crimes of opportunity, and every time we leave a door unlocked we provide that opportunity for someone to do us harm,” Heath wrote.

For more information about crime on campus, go to Southern. edu/campussafety and click the link that says “Daily Crime Log.”

President Shaw proposes new governance structure

Alana Crosby

Editor-in-Chief

Plans are underway to explore new options for the governance structure of Southern Adventist University, according to President Ken Shaw at a Feb. 15 Q&A session held in the Presidential Banquet Room in Wright Hall. The structural changes being considered were presented again Monday at an employee town hall meeting in Lynn Wood Hall.

At the Feb. 15 meeting, Shaw said the new structure will start its pilot year in the 2023-2024 school year. The restructuring plans are not set in stone, according to Shaw, as the university deciphers which proposed changes are working well.

Shaw said when he arrived in 2021, he went over the handbook and started to explore ways the university could improve. After consulting with The President’s Cabinet, Shaw brought in Credo, a consulting group out of North Carolina. The group works with higher education institutions to make them more efficient, according to Shaw.

“I began to have conversations with individuals on campus, and one instrumental person was Dr. Keith Snyder,” Shaw said during the meeting. “He talked about some of the committee work that had been done and how, sometimes, it might take two years to get certain things completed, how cer-

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tain committees didn't function well and those types of things.”

Shaw created a task force headed by Rachel Williams-Smith, Faculty Senate chair and dean of the School of Journalism and Communication, to review the changes suggested by Credo. Williams-Smith was present at the meeting along with fellow task force members Janell Hullquist, associate director for Marketing and University Relations, and Ben Thompson, systems specialist.

“We've been doing a deep dive into a lot of information, and we've identified some areas where we still have more work to do,” Hullquist said. “ … We're looking at communication recommendations to keep people informed and to make sure that the right voices are being included in decision making.”

Among other changes, the governance structure is now divided into four types of convening bodies: councils, committees, governance committees and task forces. In the proposed structure, each vice president is in charge of several committees. As presented in Credo’s proposal, there are three categories of governance: academic, administrative and university consultation.

After explaining the proposed changes, Shaw opened the floor for questions. First Year Experience Coordinator Renita Moore expressed con-

Editor-in-Chief

Alana Crosby

Managing Editor Amanda Blake

News Editor Matthew Orquia

Collegedale News Editor Elsie Pak

cern over dissolving smaller committees, resulting in too many topics for larger committees to discuss in a timely manner. In response to this, Shaw stated that the pilot year is to work out whether the changes are beneficial or not.

“So, either the committee is expanded or extended or maybe you need another committee that just focuses on something in particular, right?” Shaw said. “That's part of the iterative process moving forward. So, you know, if it's not working, we need to go back to the old in terms of having that committee.”

Another attendee raised the question of flexibility given that the new structure does not work in a specific area of university governance.

“Just because you have a governance structure today, doesn't mean that we can't shift and modify tomorrow,” Shaw said in response to the question. “If something isn't working, we should change it and make it more efficient, make it more effective. So, both of those things are extremely important moving forward. We should never say it's a done deal. But this is quite a significant change, and so that's why we're thinking about [piloting] this. Let's begin to engage and make the necessary modifications moving forward.”

Social Media Manager Anna Estep

Lifestyle Editor Elise Deschamps

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Sports Editor Jacob Nevis

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Stefanie Green

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President Shaw speaks in Lynn Wood Hall at the Feb. 20 town hall meeting.

(Photo by: Adam De Lisser)

"I believe the best way to approach thefts in general, or any other crime, is to take precautions."

(Photo by: Adam De Lisser)

SA ELECTIONS

continued from page 1

help students improve their mental health, physical health, spirituality and social life.

“I believe God has given us amazing skills and talents that are just waiting to be unleashed,” he said.

Chandler ended his speech by saying, “I’m ready to serve you, fight for you and be your voice.”

Zach Kirstein, senior finance major, is also running for president. During his speech, he said he also wants to help improve the students' spiritual lives and mental health.

“It is my goal as your SA presi-

dent to enhance our communication together,” he said.

He wants to bring cultures together and proposed an SA culture night when all the cultural clubs come together.

Kirstein’s goal is to help students in areas of mentality, spiritual life and social life.

Both Kirstein and Chandler want

to focus on bringing people closer together next school year.

Something they both mentioned is adding blue emergency pole lights around campus. These emergency poles have buttons on them, and if someone is in danger or feels unsafe, they can press the button and Campus Safety will be alerted.

David Lazcano, junior biology major, is one of the two candidates running for vice president. His motto is “courage, integrity and determination.” He said in his speech that he wants to help get new lights on the promenade so students feel safer while walking back from night classes. Lazcano also said he wants to improve the Hulsey Wellness Center’s dress code in a way that will please the students.

Also running for vice president is Dain Ochoa, junior allied health major.

“I’ve always enjoyed being on a team that creates change,” Ochoa said during his speech.

He added that change is enacted when people feel comfortable to speak out.

Running for social vice president is Lauren Fenwick, junior business-public relations major. Fenwick’s speech was about making students’ years at Southern Adventist University more memorable.

“I’m running because I have a passion for helping people connect,” she said in her speech.

One of Fenwick’s goals is to bring people together through events on campus. She stated that her motto is “connect, thrive and grow together.”

Where does Student Association get its money? How is it spent?

Kathy Zelidon Reporter

As Southern Adventist University’s student population prepares to elect new Student Association (SA) leadership, current SA leaders provided the Accent with information about the group’s budget in previous years.

The first question students might ask about the budget is, “Where does SA get its money?” A close look at students’ financial statements would reveal a fee called the “general fee.”

Doug Frood, associate vice president for Financial Administration, explained that 19% of each student’s general fee is allocated to SA’s budget, and this is where 90% of SA’s revenue comes from. For each student, this amounts to $170 a semester, or $340 every academic year. A previous Accent article on the university’s budget explained that the remaining percentage of students’ general fees goes to multiple school expenses, including technology and wellness.

The remaining 10% of SA’s

budget, Frood said, comes from charging students directly at events for miscellaneous add-ons.

According to the Southern Adventist University website, southern.edu, SA’s mission is to “serve and represent the student body in all facets of university life.” Briana Collins, SA’s financial vice president, explained that services and events for students, such as Senate, the Accent, Strawberry Festival and clubs, rely on SA’s budget to fund their projects throughout the school year.

In an email, Collins stated that the budget is divided into five major sections: Strawberry Festival receives 5%, Senate 13%, The Accent 14%, Executive (Smile Initiatives, 423 Night, etc.) 17% and Social receives the most at 22% of the overall budget. The way the money is allocated each year depends on the need presented by each section.

“That's why, for Senate, we really encourage them to spend their budget on their projects. Otherwise, their budget could be cut. If they're not using the money,

then we're not gonna keep giving money,” Collins said. “Budget increases for a certain group if they use a majority of their money.” Collins would not share the total amount of money in SA’s budget with the Accent, as SA does not want to disclose that information to students.

According to Collins, due to a steady influx of students over the past few years, SA’s budget has increased.

“The budget is calculated by the amount of students that come. That gives us a total revenue, and each account can increase by that amount. So an increase in students just increases the amount,” she said.

Once SA calculates the revenue for the upcoming school years, they meet with sponsors and administrative leaders to decide where to allocate funds.

“People in SA can't do something without getting approval from everyone,” Collins said.

Before enacting a plan for an event or program, the project has to receive approval from Dennis

Negrón, vice president for Student Development; Teri Reutebuch, administrative assistant for Student Development; Kari Shultz, director of Student Life and Activities; and Danny Johns, head cashier for Accounting Services, according to Collins.

She said SA works closely with Frood to “look at information from previous years” and create a budget for the upcoming year. The budget is then presented to Senate, where the body has a chance to either accept or decline the proposal. Senate has the opportunity to ask questions and raise concerns over aspects of the new budget.

The price range for the event depends on its size and the specific events the SA social vice president has in mind, Collins added.

“Big parties,” such as the Welcome Back Party, cost SA an average of $10,000, while smaller ones, such as the Super Bowl Watch Party, cost about $2,000, she said.

A recent change in the budget due to the loss of Memories and

Studio 4109 led SA to fund Game Show Day, a convocation event held on Jan. 13.

“We [previously] had Memories and Studio; those were more areas that we put money into,” Collins said. “We did get all of our money cut for Studio; and in the next year, we're not gonna have any budget for Memories. So that's why this year we had a little bit of extra money to work with.” SA uses leftover funds from the past academic years to help fund other projects around campus.

Frood said SA has been adding money to the endowment fund for international studies, funded the kitchen area outside in the promenade and helped fund the basketball courts outside the Hulsey Wellness Center.

According to Collins, Senate is the best way students can voice their opinions and suggestions for the SA budget.

“I think Senate is a good way to contribute,” she said. “If students want to make a change in the budget, they can voice their concerns.”

Upcoming Mystical March Market at the Collegedale Commons

Elsie Pak Collegedale News Editor

Alana Crosby

Editor-in-Chief

The Mystical March Market is scheduled to take place on March 11 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Commons in Collegedale. This event is part of the monthly market series hosted by The Commons and organized by Shop the Market At, specifically organizers and market managers Robert Davis and Russell Walsh.

The monthly market series, started by Davis and Walsh on Signal Mountain, is a high-quality arts, crafts and farmer’s market, according to Jeneva Steffes, events manager at The Commons. The market usually hosts between 80 to 110 vendors, according to Davis and Walsh. The founders hold the market on Signal Mountain every first Saturday of the month, while the Collegedale branch will be held on the second Saturday of each month.

“[The market] is a selective craft and farmer’s market, and the vendors are hand selected,” Steffes said in an interview with the Accent. “So, the products that are being

sold are quality. They're not anything that you're gonna find at any old market. All the vendors have very nice products. And that's the kind of market that they're trying to uphold, just a very classy market with products that people want and are good quality.”

In an email to the Accent, Davis and Walsh wrote that the entertainment and food often revolve around the specific theme of the market.

“Most vendors try to bring products that are related to the theme of that specific market,” Davis and Walsh wrote.

“However, there will be a wide array of products and food.”

If the markets go well, The Commons hopes to host the series again next year, according to Steffes. She said The Commons hosted their own market last year but decided that it was best to let an outside party run markets in the future.

“[Shop the Market At’s] goal is to enrich the community through art, craft and food. We also hope to help to sustain farming communities by giving them a place to sell produce,” Davis and Walsh wrote.

“The purpose is to help grow

the community in a positive way and to give back to the community by securing sponsorships for the Collegedale Tomorrow Foundation.”

In an email to the Accent, Collegedale Commissioner Tonya Sadler said the market she most looks forward to is Christkindlmarkt in November. In the email, Sadler wrote about why she believes having the markets at The Commons is important.

“Above The Commons pavilion is the quote: ‘For the benefit and enjoyment of the people.’ I think that sums up why it’s important for us to host these public markets for our community,” Sadler stated.

“The Commons was built not only with donations but also with our tax dollars. While the operations of events at the Commons are operated by the Collegedale Tomorrow Foundation, it is very important to me as a commissioner and as a citizen to see that our cityowned structures are being enjoyed by our citizens just as frequently as they are being rented out for private events.”

Managing Editor Amanda Blake contributed to this article.

2023-2024 possible new SA members wait to give their speeches at the Feb. 16 Convocation.

February 16, 2023 (Photo by: Adam De Lisser)

Volleyball Tournaments

Abby Kishihara comes up to serve in Monday night’s intramurals. February 20, 2023 (Photo by Ron Cabacungan)

Htet Myint jumps up to spike the volleyball.

20, 2023 (Photo by Ron Cabacungan)

Jared Chandler bumps the volleyball over the net as a player on the opposing team goes for a block. February 20, 2023. (Photo by Ron Cabacungan)

by

by Ron Cabacungan)

Taking time for self-care during Stress Out Week

Tiffany Bartell Healthy Minds, QEP Director

Editor’s note: The following article is written in partnership with Counseling Services and the Southern Accent.

Stress can feel unavoidable as a college student. With the press of papers, projects and exams, it can be hard not to feel stressed out. As you may remember from our previous articles, stress can be good or bad. Good stress, eustress, is pressure that helps to motivate us to complete tasks and leads to a positive response. It can be physical or psychological and is usually short-term. It can feel like a rush of excitement or motivation and has the effect of making tasks seem manage-

able and energizing. Other types of stress, such as tolerable stress or toxic stress, may require increased resourcing and professional support and have negative consequences.

Tolerable stress is experienced in response to a temporary stress, such as an injury, grief or loss, but is a stressor that the individual has resources to cope with. Toxic stress refers to long-term activation of the stress response system and involves insufficient support and resources. Here at Southern Adventist University, we recognize that there are points in the semester that can be especially stressful — midterms being one of them.

Stress Out Week is an annual

event that has been celebrated on campus for over two decades. From artificial palm trees and relaxing island tunes to destination vacation themes, this event focuses on providing students with resources to cope with the predictable stress and pressure of second semester midterms. Recognizing when stress is occurring can help increase healthy resourcing and let us know when we need a little extra support and self-care.

This year’s Stress Out Week event will be held on campus Feb. 27 through March 2. The first day, Monday, will feature a booth in the Bietz Center where you can learn about the types of stress

and pick up self-care items to take a little extra care of yourself. On Tuesday, there will be smoothie bikes in front of the Bietz Center, where you can get a little cardio while you blend yourself a healthy treat. We will also have coupons to CK2 for those who may not have time to ride a bike but could use a refreshing drink. Wednesday will also be held outside the Bietz Center and will be a “Grow Event,” where you can plant a succulent in a mug to brighten your dorm room and remind you that, just like plants, you need sunlight, water and safe spaces to grow. Thursday will be an online event where you can participate in healthy challenges

to enter to win a $100 Amazon gift card.

So, what can you do to cope with stress this month? Come to our event and take a break for your mental health! Taking care of your physical health is another way to cope during stressful times. Make sure to resource the three pillars of mental health — sleep, nutrition and movement — to help support the brain as it works hard to write papers, learn and remember during times of academic stress. Lastly, connecting socially and making time to spend time with those who support and love you can also help when coping with stress. See you on Monday!

“Recognizing when stress is occurring can help increase healthy resourcing and let us know when we need a little extra support and self-care.”

Black History Month: My favorite Black athletes

Jacob Nevis Sports Editor

Editor’s Note:

This Black History Month, look at the Black athletes that have made an impact on you, and try to picture the sport without those players. I promise you the sport would look very different without them.

Every February, the United States honors the history of African Americans and what they have accomplished for this country. One of the most important things that African Americans have impacted is the sports world. Sports wouldn’t be what they are today without the impact of Black athletes. A majority of my favorite athletes are African American, and they have helped change my perspective on the sports world. Since I grew up in Northern California, there was always one basketball player that stood out more than any other. Stephen Curry, a guard for the Golden State Warriors, really helped change my whole perspective on basketball. I can remember watching Warriors’ games and just being in awe of seeing Curry play. He shot three pointers like no one else, and I remember telling myself that Curry might be the best basketball player of all time. He made me want to become a re-

ally good basketball player too (even though I am still quite bad at basketball). Curry will always be the number one player in my book simply because of the impact he’s had on me.

Another African American athlete who had a big impact on my life would be Reggie Bush. Bush was the running back for the Miami Dolphins in 2011-2012 and had a good season. Bush was one of my favorite players, even though he was only with the Dolphins for one season. I remember asking for his jersey for Christmas and seeing his name on a jersey on Christmas morning. I was 10 when I got that jersey, and I remember thinking that it was the coolest thing ever. While Bush and the jersey might seem kind of small, they would signal the start of me becoming a huge Dolphins fan.

Sports are such a big part of my life, and Black athletes such as Curry and Bush have helped strengthen my love for sports. As a sports fan, it is always so cool to watch people with skills that no one else possesses. Due to the impact of Black athletes, sports have become something beyond comparison, something beautiful that demonstrates that anyone can make it regardless of race.

Jesse Owens sprinting during the 1936 Summer Olympics.

(Photo sourced from: Hippopx)

(Photo sourced from: Pexels)

OPINION

Here’s why self-love can’t be the final destination

Madison Wilcox Religion Editor

Editor’s note: The Accent encourages readers to respond to Opinion articles with a letter to the editor. While publication is not guaranteed, we will do our best to keep open the conversations and engage a wide spectrum of opinions held on cam-

People are often conflicted about the idea of self-love. Some uphold it as the key to living a healthy life; others condemn it as a sinful obsession. Even ancient philosophers and religious teachers held varying views. Buddha, living in the 5th century B.C., considered selflove to be the foundation of a happy life. He wrote: “Love yourself and the rest will follow.” One hundred years later, the Greek philosopher Plato expressed an opposite view, writing that the “cause of all sins in every case lies in the person’s excessive love of self.”

We haven’t come to much more of a consensus today. Currently, popular culture tends to embrace the concept of selflove, but some Christians remain skeptical. Does the Bible ever present self-love as the key to happiness or even as a component of it? Would God really encourage a life philosophy that focuses on the self’s needs first and puts others second?

Before I seek to formulate an answer to these questions, I want to include the definition of self-love given by the Merriam-Webster dictionary: Selflove is simply “an appreciation of one’s own worth or virtue” and “proper regard for and attention to one’s own happiness or well-being.”

Under this definition, self-love could become narcissistic but is

not inherently so; self-love simply recognizes the value of the self and treats it with respect.

If we are to develop a biblical understanding of self-love, however, we must ask the question, “Who does God command us to love?” In Matthew 22:37, 39, Jesus reminds us of the two greatest commandments: Love God with all your heart, soul and mind and love your neighbor as yourself. People tend to use this verse as an argument in favor of self-love — if we hate ourselves but love others we aren’t really obeying the commandment.

The Bible assumes, however, that we already have a positive regard for ourselves. As sinners, we naturally consider our own interests before the interests of others. We naturally want what is best for ourselves and often allow that desire to affect our daily actions. The emphasis of God’s command, then, is upon the love we struggle with the most: love towards God and other people.

What then, would the Bible advise to those who struggle with self-loathing? What would it present as the antithesis to self-hate? Popular culture might encourage those who struggle with self-hate to learn positive self-talk, intentionally take time for rest and self-care and, on the whole, seek to intentionally shift the tone of their self-focus from self-hate to self-love.

The Bible, on the other hand, though not directly addressing self-hate, urges an even greater shift in focus, continuing to call all people — self-haters and self-lovers — towards a loving focus on others. 1 Peter 4:8

RELIGION

says, “Above all, love each other deeply,” and Romans 12:10 encourages us, “Be devoted to one another in love; honor one another above yourselves.”

Instead of merely shifting the tone of self-focus from selfhate to self-love as popular culture tends to encourage, the Bible urges a shift from self-focus as a whole to other-focus, other-love. It’s not that self-respect or even self-enjoyment is wrong. These traits are held by

mature Christians, but they are not the complete picture of true victory over self-hate. In leaving self-hate behind, self-respect is not our only profit. There is more to emotional well-being than the attitude we have toward ourselves. In fact, the joy of leaving self-hatred behind isn’t just that we finally get to discover ourselves or embrace the parts of us that used to make us cringe — it’s that the emotional

energy we used to spend on a hyper-focused concern for ourselves can now be spent elsewhere. Free from self-hate, we can funnel our attention towards other activities or goals. We can discover other people, enjoy them and invest in them. Maybe that is where we will find the most love for ourselves — when we finally forget ourselves enough to really love the people around us.

“Would God really encourage a life philosophy that focuses on the self’s needs first and puts others second?”

Faculty and staff tell about God’s mercy in their lives

Madison Wilcox Religion Editor

Editor’s note: As students, we don’t always get to hear staff or teachers’ personal stories of God’s involvement in their lives. Last week, I asked several staff and faculty to share about how they have personally experienced God’s mercy. The following statements were received by email.

Adam Heck, associate professor, Mathematics Department:

“Every time I look in the eyes of my child, I see the reason for God’s mercy. In my teens and twenties, I knew about grace, welcomed it and extended it to others, but I couldn’t quite understand why God would choose to extend grace. What in the world did I

have to offer? Then I had two sons. I’ve cleaned up messes, played with them, loved them and disciplined them. For them, grace and mercy is always available, because my love for them is always available. If my imperfect, sin-filled heart can recognize the beauty and value of extending mercy to my children, I can easily see why God can’t help but extend mercy to us.”

Stephen Bauer, professor, School of Religion:

“This January brought the second anniversary of the sudden, untimely death of my son. This journey of grief and loss has tested my faith and challenged my emotions. Recently, I was exposed to the con-

cept of the biblical lament. I was surprised to discover that one-third of the 150 Psalms are classified as psalms of lament, because in Hebrew, the name for the Book of Psalms is ‘Tehillim’ — praises. The fact that one-third of these ‘praises’ are laments suggests that the Psalter recognizes pain and trauma as regular human experiences. My situation is not unique. The psalms of lament always have two thematic dimensions. One dimension is the lament in which the psalmist expresses his fear, pain and even a sense of abandonment by God. Then there is a sudden shift to affirmations of faith and trust in God. Thus, as Bernard Anderson observes, ‘The laments are

really expressions of praise, offered in a minor key in the confidence that YHWH is faithful.’

Laments presuppose a trusting, intimate relationship with God, and thus lament and faith are not mutually exclusive. The large number of laments in the Psalter reveal a God who invites me to be honest with my pain and keep lamenting in the context of faith. Lament and faith, faith and lament, working together. What a magnificent, merciful gift from God.”

Kimberly Bobenhausen, director for Planned Giving:

“I see God’s mercy in my life when I find myself regretting the past and fearing the future. As I think back to a dif-

ficult time, engulfed in guilt and shame, it is God’s whisper that pierces through, reminding me that while I was still in darkness, He was there with me. While I was struggling against invisible enemies, it was His arm that bore me up. He reminds me that He is here now, and that we walk this life together. I see God’s mercy when I am fearing the chasm of an unknown future. He tells me that just as He holds my past in His hands, He holds my future. What kind of love is this that I am accepted just as I am? Even in this moment, I am damaged, flawed and helpless, and yet here He is. My God is Yahweh, the God of the past, the present and the future.”

(Photo by: Hassan Ouajbir)

“I see God’s mercy in my life when I find myself regretting the past and fearing the future.”

(Photo sourced from: Pexels)

How to deal with stress caused by thoughts of life after college

Génesis Ventura Reporter

Upperclassmen often wonder what their life will look like after college. It’s easy to feel like you will be in college forever, that you’ll always be studying, participating in extracurricular activities and living across the hall from friends. But that’s not often the reality of post-grad life. The social activities that are your norm in college won’t be as frequent anymore. Many students already have jobs lined up, but some are still searching and stressing.

As a junior, I have found myself stressing about the unknown. I like to have things planned out, so it is hard to accept that there isn’t a secure plan after college. Something that has helped me deal with that stress and anxiety is

having conversations with my friends and classmates about those feelings and being vulnerable with them.

As I’ve progressed in college, I’ve noticed how students’ prayer requests have changed.

Now, almost every week many students have prayer requests about interviews and securing jobs. I’ve noticed that many of my classmates and people around me have been feeling the same emotions as I do.

so many decisions, so many uncertainties. The level of responsibilities is about to increase like 100 times. I’m scared because it’s going to be a lot of new, but I’m also excited because it’s a change. And in general I really like change.”

An article in Women’s Health & Wellness by Rheyanne Weaver explains that it’s normal for young adults to feel stress and anxiety after college graduation.

student should do, according to Hogg. Many college students don’t actually think about transition plans; instead, they just focus on graduation and moving on to their future lives. The best-case scenario, he continued, is that an internship while in college turns into a full-time career after graduation. He advises looking for employment before graduation.

finding a suitable career.

After college, classmates are scattered across different cities, and college friends, the ones that used to be your dorm neighbors, are not as accessible to you anymore. An article in Career Contessa by Oliva Adams gives tips on how to keep those relationships after college.

While greeting for Merge on Sabbath, I sparked up a conversation with Lissy Buck, senior nursing major. She explained her emotions related to post-college life.

“The best word to describe my feelings on it right now would be ‘anxious,’” she said. “There’s

Weaver quotes Andy Hogg, a psychologist, who explains that graduating is an exciting achievement, but the task of looking for jobs can cause stress and anxiety. He explains some ways to help eliminate those feelings.

Planning for life after graduation is among the first things a

“Don’t allow your closest relationships to fade just because you live hundreds of miles apart.”

(Photos sourced from: UnSplash)

For a chance to be featured, use or tag @sauaccent on Instagram in your posts!

Dear Kevin

Dear Kevin: What are your recommendations for eating a healthy diet on campus?

Dear Hopeful Health-nut:

As a duck, I pride myself on keeping an incredibly fit physique. It is essential to swimming and the majestic art of waddling. As I am unfamiliar with Southern cuisine, I have turned to my helpful friends at the Accent for their suggestions. Hope this helps!

Alana Crosby, Editor-in-Chief:

At the beginning of the week I like to stock up on fresh fruit from the Village Market (it’s on meal plan), and then I wash it all before putting it away. This makes it easier to grab when I’m in a hurry and also forces me to be less wasteful.

Anton Kannenberg, Layout Designer: I enjoy going to The Garden. It’s really healthy.

Hannah Mortenson, Layout Designer: The Garden has a new menu every week, and everything is really healthy, with rice and beans and salads, and everything tastes amazing. So, it’s a really good spot.

Amanda Blake, Managing Editor:

If you haven’t checked out The Garden yet, check it out soon. But, if you’re busy from 12 to 2 p.m., I recommend making a salad or haystack at the Dining Hall. Just keep on walking past the haystack bar when you reach the end; don’t look at those cookies. Don’t do it. Or do it. I don’t care.

Elsie Pak, Collegedale News Editor: I cook a lot for myself. However, that can take a good amount of time, so meal prepping and preparing food in bulk at the beginning of the week helps. I also recommend just grabbing some veggies to snack on instead of junk food. (Pro tip: Frozen snap peas and frozen corn might sound weird, but don’t knock it till you try it.)

Adam De Lisser, Photo Editor: I find it best to prep for the entire week. When I grocery shop, I plan portions based on how much I should be eating and how many times. Not every day is the same, so sometimes I just feel it out depending on my mood. The essentials stay the same: fruits, vegetables, protein and lots of water.

Matthew Orquia, News Editor: Eat an apple every once in a while.

Stefanie Green, Copy Editor: If my vegetables aren’t prepared and ready to go, then they may end up just rotting away in my fridge. To combat this, I try to prepare the veggies as soon as I buy them and then store them in containers so that I can eat them throughout the week. My recent favorite: cucumber and tomato salad.

Finding a solid job typically takes three to six months, according to Hogg. Oftentimes, people don’t think about it until they are out of school and out of a job, at which point they start formulating a job search strategy. He advises reading Richard Bolles’ book, ”What Color is Your Parachute?”, which is a how-to manual for #SAUlife This week’s winner is Daniel Marquez. Come pick up your prize at the Student Development Office.

Knowing that students love shopping, Kevin will be offering a

Target Gift Card!

Retain the connections you formed in college; they are important, Adams writes. Don’t allow your closest relationships to fade just because you live hundreds of miles apart. When you need them the most, those friends will always be there for you. This helps you get through the big milestones with someone who can relate to starting an adult life.

CHATTER

Today — 22

Friday — 24

Thursday — 23

Weekly Birthdays

TODAY |22

Katherine Melissa

Berrios

Joey Cirigliano

Mizael Espinoza

Tiffany S. Fuller

Byron Montenegro

Anandi Moses

Adrian Negrea

Nick Radivojevic

Laura Rietman

Hannah Shull

Sarah Sparks

Thursday |23

Artelia Green

Laurel Renner

Jesse Ross

Emily Weaver

Jami Williams

Friday |24

Saturday — 25

Rita Burjan

Alyssa Harriman

Joanna Ortiz

Sunday — 26

Monday — 27

BSN DEGREE TO DNP

Sarina Young

John Osborn

Dexter Smith

Rawle Wayne

Saturday |25

Tiffany Britt

Christina Cannon

Kevin Castro

Arman De La Paz

Geneva Ferro

Aaron Jalal

Emrys Aejin Kim

Ana Korac

Sunday |26

Pablo Bentancurt

Ledesma

Maria Goddard

Allen M. Gustrowsky

Garrett Howe

Sue San Kwon

Matthew Munroe

Josh Nunn

Dtrik Viehmann

Michael Willis

SA Announcements

Monday |27

Nyton Fullmer

Patricia Pakpahan

Minda Ruba

Tuesday |28

Cindy Berger

Elden Borillo

Sarah Borovic

Cira Buffington

Julia Bullon

Nathan Estrada-Pena

Daniel Im

Lauren Kang

Kyler Kramer

Hubert Maitland

Taylor Monday

Edrian Sanchez

Sophia Schwartzrock

Wyatt Tracy

Olivia Wilson

SA Upcoming International Food Fair: Come out to try foods from all over the world. This event will be in Iles Gym on March 5 from 3-5:30 p.m.

Do you have a hidden talent that you would like to share? SA Talent Show auditions will be taking place on the 23rd. The top three winners will receive big prizes!

If you would like to run a booth for 423 Night, make sure to stay on the lookout for more details later in the semester.