Southern Accent Vol. 78, Issue 4

Southern Accent

Car crash in Honduras: A near-death experience

The dangers of church-hopping

In an interview with the Accent, David Feguson, senior pas tor of Collegedale Church of Seventh-day Adventists, said church-hopping is a harmful trend among university stu dents. He further explained that attendance is not enough; stu dents must actively engage in a faith community if they wish to experience profound worship.

“Take a couple of weeks [or] a month to explore, but don’t just keep exploring,” he said. “Find a church. Move your membership there. Become involved. Don’t just watch church, be church.”

He emphasized the distinc tion between visiting a church and being an active member of its family.

Kathy Zelidon Reporter

When Tristan Deschamps, senior computer information systems major, and Sierra Ureta, senior public relations major, began their drive to a popular Hon duras beach last summer, they had no idea they would encoun ter a life-changing experience.

Ureta had traveled to Hondu ras as a student missionary to work as a public relations intern at VIDA Internacional Mission and an art teacher at the Cam pos Blancos Educational Cen ter, a school that doubled as an orphanage. She worked in 2022 from June to the beginning of August. Deschamps worked at the same school from January to July as an algebra instructor.

Ureta told the Accent that in the middle of the summer, the students and teachers were given a break from school. She was spontaneously invited to go to the beach with a mis sionary family and two of her friends, one being Deschamps. As they drove off at around 8 in the morning, there was a care free atmosphere inside the car, described Ureta.

“It was me and the two boys in the back,” she said. “And we were just on our phones watch ing videos and just trying to pass time while we’re driving to the beach, which we [were] really excited about.”

However, the peace and con tentment would not last long.

Deschamps recounted the

moment he felt something was wrong.

“We went on this three-hour car ride to get there. … And I felt a very strong urge to look up before anything happened. Like, I'd say five seconds before anything happened, I felt a pull on my face, and I looked up.”

As he lifted his eyes, he

to avoid the vehicle in front of them, the mother ended up hit ting a car on their left.

“And as we went to the left, we hit the car on the side,” Deschamps said. “And the cen trifugal force is like pushing me against the back of the car because we turned 180 degrees. … We end up facing against the flow of traffic. And then, we start flipping.”

“Worship can be a noun or a verb, and to worship most deeply is to actually involve yourself in that community,” Ferguson said. “Everything is different if you’re involved.”

Students who do not become actively involved in a single church now are more likely to continue this habit later in life, according to Ferguson. He ref erenced “keystone habits,” a data-supported notion used in a book called “The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg, which are habits that, when formed, contribute to the formation of other habits.

caught the moment when the mother of the family swerved to avoid a truck coming straight at them, five miles per hour over the highway speed limit, accord ing to Deschamps. In the effort

Cooper Moore gets a new kidney

Alana Crosby Editor-in-Chief

On June 28, Tami Lloyd received a call from Vander bilt Hospital and found out her son, Cooper Moore, was getting a kidney. The call came just two days before his 18th birthday.

According to a previous Accent article, Moore had been looking for a kidney donor since his junior year at Col legedale Academy. He went on dialysis shortly before finding a donor match.

“Back when we started the process of looking, we just didn't know how long it was going to take to find a donor,” said Lloyd. “His kidney function ended up getting bad enough that he had to start dialysis in June because we just didn't

to Moore, whom she had never met. Mabry, 38, is married to Josh Mabry and has four chil dren, according to Lloyd.

“She said, ‘I want to be able to help somebody. And if God wants it to be, it’ll be,’” Lloyd said while recalling what Mabry said her reasoning was.

Moore underwent surgery on July 14, according to Lloyd. Mabry was able to leave 24 hours after donating her kidney, she said, but the surgery was more complicated for Moore.

“The surgery was on a Thurs day, and Cooper moved to the regular floor after 24 hours in the ICU,” said Lloyd. “For Coo per, it's a more serious incision and recovery.”

Moore experienced a blood

clot two days after the initial operation and was taken back to surgery, she explained. She said the blood clot was press ing on a vessel that was going to the new kidney, making the second surgery urgent. Lloyd said Moore anticipated going home in four days. But, after having two major surgeries in the span of four days, he was in the hospital for about a week.

Moore and Mabry were able to meet two weeks ago at church after Moore was fully recovered and cleared to be around crowds. The two exchanged plush kidneys they received at the hospital.

“She is very shy and intro

The car containing the five members of the family and the three friends rolled three times down an incline by the side of the highway. According to both Ureta and Deschamps, no one in the car was wearing a seatbelt.

Ureta compared the moment

Exploring 'Humans of Southern'

Naomi Linder Staff Writer

Making its debut in the spring of 2015, “Humans of Southern” is a student- and faculty-led social media page that focuses on helping people “get to know Southern better through a student’s perspective,” wrote Shana Fairchild, digital engage ment manager for Marketing and University Relations, in an email to the Accent.

With a social media presence on both Instagram and Face book, “Humans of Southern” shares the stories of over 200 students and staff from South ern’s campus and has a follow ing of over 1,500 on Instagram. According to Fairchild, the page tries to share a story about once a week.

Ferguson believes there is a strong likelihood that attending corporate worship is a keystone habit positively correlated with prayer, generosity, volunteer ism and Bible study.

“I agree that going to church

behind this account is, Fairchild wrote, “The goal of ‘Humans of Southern’ is to showcase the unique and wonderful people of Southern Adventist Univer sity, one story at a time.”

Blake Tousignant, junior mass communication-advertising major, was featured on the page in the Spring 2022 semes ter. He shared his experience.

“I felt heard by Southern because they actually reached out to me personally and gave me the opportunity to express myself,” he said.

Fairchild further explained that the page has also been used in a recruitment sense because it lets prospective stu dents see the people the cam pus is made up of.

“They might read a student’s story and say, ‘That’s someone I could be friends with’ and realize that there are so many great people here on our cam pus,” she wrote.

know at that point.”

Response from the commu nity over Moore’s search resulted in many donor kits being sent to Vanderbilt, said Lloyd; how ever, none of the kits produced a match. Lloyd said eventually Vanderbilt told them to stop sending in kits, as they had too many to process. She added that one of Moore’s doctors com mented, “Whatever you’re doing to get a kidney — it’s working.”

Moore said his donor, Megan Mabry, was scrolling through Facebook and noticed a post about his search. She felt impelled to donate her kidney

Fairchild wrote that stu dents who are known to have interesting stories to tell are recommended to Amelia Zim merman, junior communica tion major and manager of said account, and that gives her a lead on potential interviewees for upcoming posts.

“If [Amelia] isn’t interviewing someone with specific ques tions regarding a story of theirs that we heard about, she might be asking things like: Who inspires you the most? What was the happiest moment of your life so far? What was the saddest moment of your life? What’s something people would be surprised to know about you?” explained Fairchild.

When asked what the mission

Another aspect that “Humans of Southern” covers is the cul tural diversity present on the uni versity’s campus. For example, the account highlights cultures during specific times of the year, such as Black History Month and Hispanic Heritage Month, as can be seen on their page.

“Southern has such a wonder ful and diverse student body, and the university is the second most diverse regional university in the South, according to U.S. News and World Report,” wrote Fairchild. “Because of our rich diversity, we want ‘Humans of Southern’ to honor and repre sent the different cultures pres ent on our campus.”

To find these pages, visit Ins tagram @thehumansofsouth ern or Facebook @HumansOf Southern.

Amanda Blake

(Left) Tristan Deschamps standing with Sierra Ureta. (Right) All the windows of the car were shattered except for the window that was next to the family’s 8-year-old son. (Photos courtesy of: Sierra Ureta and Tristan Deschamps)

Cooper Moore stands with his kidney donor, Megan Mabry, several weeks after the surgery. (Photo by: Jennifer Turk)

“We rolled three times. And then I thought I was going to die”

"She said, ‘I want to be able to help somebody. And if God wants it to be, it’ll be.'"

does not save you, Jesus does,” he said. “But [I believe] going to church is a keystone habit for interacting with Jesus … having a relationship with Jesus.”

Ferguson acknowledged that students can receive substantial spiritual encouragement from university worship programs. However, when these students do not engage in a church com munity, they will often connect their spiritual growth to the school and not to church. Then, after they graduate, they will feel as if their university stage of life is over and their spiritual ity along with it.

Jesus said in the gospels that engaging in a family of believers is important, accord ing to Ferguson; thus, there is no reasonable excuse not to engage oneself.

“Even when people are jerks, even when it’s not your favorite instrumentation, even if a pas tor can be hard to listen to, even if it’s a 20-minute drive,” Fergu son said, listing off reasons peo ple often use to not engage in church. “The people Jesus was speaking to, those folks are walking to church under the threat of being identified and

killed. So, I think Jesus would say the same to us.”

Ferguson emphasized the idea that a church is a home and family meant to take care of its members, one that cooks meals for them, changes their flat tires and genuinely loves them. In fact, he described being a part of this diverse family of believers as “addic tive.” Once this experience gets under a student’s skin, it implants in them a long-last ing desire for church family. It enables them later in life to choose and stick with a church because of the family it offers.

He added another benefit to engaging in a church commu nity: cross-generational interac tion and worship.

“My background is youth and

young adult ministries. … What I have strongly concluded is that what college students do not need is a student-only service,” Ferguson said. “What they actu ally need is family. What they actually need is cross-genera tional opportunities that honor them and that are interested in them. … They need to see the full life of a Christian.”

Data has shown that vol unteering one’s time in a cross-generational community can increase emotional and social intelligence, improve skill sets required for all types of careers and help combat depres sion, according to Ferguson.

“The levels of depression and anxiety in college students today is through the roof as compared to any previous generation of

students,” he said. “One of the most effective ways to combat depression for a 20-year-old is to have somebody 75 or older in their life. Guess what you're not going to find in your dorms? Guess what you'll find every day of the week associated with the church like this.”

In reference to choosing a local church now as a univer sity student, Ferguson recom mended specific, deep ques tions students should ask.

“A student might ask the ques tion, ‘Is this a worship service I want to go to?’ and be com pletely ignorant of the question behind the question, which is, ‘Is this a worship service whose mission aligns with university students?’ … and ‘What’s going to be my home?’” he said. “ … I think, too, that it makes a big difference if you can see your self involved in leadership.”

Ferguson encourages stu dents to move their member ships to a local church after ask ing themselves these questions.

“Don't take long. Decide, commit and dive in. Move your membership,” he said. “... Part of what you get to build up is your resiliency, your under standing, your empathy and ability to be with people that aren't exactly like you.”

University expands LifeGroups to include faculty and staff

Jorge Pontarelli Staff Writer

LifeGroups, according to their mission statement, are an oppor tunity for students to belong to a small group community where they can intimately behold God and become empowered by Jesus Christ. This school year, LifeGroups are not exclusively for stu dents but have been expanded to faculty and staff as well.

In an interview with the Accent, Joseph Khabbaz, vice president for spiritual life, explained how faculty and staff LifeGroups got started.

“The role of the vice pres ident for spiritual life, which was previously the chaplain, now has been expanded to include employees’ spiritual support, not just students,” said Khabbaz. “We have a greater vision which is essen tially having a higher purpose that leads to shaping an envi ronment that can be transfor mative to the lives of our stu dents, faculty and staff.

“One of those ways that transformation is possible is by forming essentially these LifeGroups to support each other’s spiritual and relational well-being, which are some of the high values we have here at Southern,” Khabbaz said.

“We recognize that what’s important is that Southern isn’t just a place that values what employees and staff are doing, but, more primarily, it is who the employees and staff are becoming in Christ.”

Mary King, better known as Nurse Mary, started her own LifeGroup for faculty and staff called “Following Jesus” along side her husband Greg King, dean of the School of Reli gion. The Kings started their LifeGroup as soon as the oppor tunity presented itself since it seemed inconsistent to encour age these groups and not lead out in one themselves.

“Faculty and staff some times tend to work in their

own buildings, and so there is not as much connectedness that maybe they would like to see among faculty and staff. And so, since it’s a blessing for the students to be connected, then why not give the fac ulty and staff an opportunity to form these types of small groups, which can make for building a spiritual commu nity?” asked Greg King.

These LifeGroups are not only fulfilling and beneficial to their members but also for their leaders.

“It has deepened my love for Jesus,” Mary King said. “Because as we discuss topics,

I find myself going to the Bible and praying over these issues and just being reminded of what a wonderful Savior we have and how in this wounded world [there is] a real God for real people with real prob lems. It has also widened my circle of friends, and it is nice to know that you are not alone with some of these issues, that there are other people who are thinking about them too.”

Tisha Looby, an associate dean in Thatcher Hall, shared her experience of being a part of these small communities.

“It was interesting because it’s always good to be able to

verted — her own words. Coo per is also shy and introverted. So, they matched pretty well on their kidneys,” Lloyd said jok ingly.

Mabry confirmed with the Accent that she was the donor and said she did not mind the newspaper publishing her photo. However, she did not want to be interviewed for the story due to her desire to stay out of the spotlight.

After Moore returned home, his friends, with the help of Lloyd, surprised him by paint ing his car, which is a Col legedale Academy senior tra dition, according to Moore.

He and his mother plan to keep in touch with Mabry, who, according to Lloyd, treats her donation as if it were no big deal. Lloyd went on to express her gratitude for everyone who helped, either through spreading the word, donating kits or praying.

“My biggest takeaway is see ing the kindness of somebody or selflessness of them to just be willing to give part of them selves to someone else,” said Moore. “And just seeing all the support from everyone.”

get together with different peo ple on campus. Because I work [in Thatcher], I don’t meet any body other than students, so it was nice being able to spend time with other co-workers,” said Looby. “I think that these faculty and staff LifeGroups are a great idea because, in the long run, it will still be beneficial for the university on a spiritual level but also on a team level because we all work together in some shape or form because we are all here for the students.”

Looby encourages others to join a LifeGroup and enjoy communion with their friends.

The Kings also highly encour age others to start their own LifeGroups, even if they are not sure where or how to start.

“Just do it; find something good to read or listen to and invite others that share that same interest in that topic,” Greg King said. “Just get started and ask God to bless what takes place.”

“Dig deep in your heart,” Mary King added. “What is that issue? What is that burden that you have? And you’ll be happily surprised to find that it is in other people’s hearts as well.”

Lynn H. Wood Archeological Museum announces new exhibition

Hannah Johnson Staff Writer

On Jan. 29, 2023, the Lynn H. Wood Archeology Museum at Southern Adventist University will open a new exhibit called “Peace and War, The Assyrian of Lachish.” The archeology museum is currently closed in preparation for the new exhibit, according to the muse um’s webpage.

“Our hope is that this will be a great exhibit, highlighting what Southern has been doing in archeology and investing in archeology, as we’ve taken 50 to 60 students and staff to excavate [in Israel],” said Michael Hasel, professor in

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the School of Religion. “This is a way to display the fruits of our labor in a way to be edu cational for people in the com munity and, of course, here in the university.”

According to Hasel, the exhibit will showcase mate rials excavated by the South ern team that were brought from Israel and are associated with the Israeli government’s National Treasures Department as well as The Hebrew Univer sity of Jerusalem, a major part nership within this exhibit.

“Our plan is to bring in some of the artifacts that we’ve

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excavated,” said Hasel. “The museum is focusing on a spe cific aspect of our excavations, which is a very famous military campaign that took place and is mentioned in three books of the Bible, described in vivid detail, against the city of Jeru salem and Judah.”

The museum’s webpage states that the archaeological museum started with a pur pose to bring the biblical world to life through experiencing the ancient Near East. The museum’s goal is to actively engage visitors of all ages through collection, conser

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vation, education and exhibi tion of archaeological artifacts from the biblical world.

The website also states, “The Museum is honored to be the home of William G. Dever Near Eastern Collection, which pro vides the basis for a visual dis play of more than 200 objects from Egypt, Babylonia, Per sia, Syria-Palestine, Greece, Cyprus, and Anatolia. In Jan uary 2000, the Collection was transferred to Southern after the largest American gradu ate program in Near Eastern Archaeology was closed.”

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The archeological museum is closed until January 2023 due to renovations and refurbishments. Thursday, September 22, 2022. (Photo by: Ronnell Cabacungan)

Small group prayer. Saturday. March 5, 2016. (Photo by: Portland Seminary)

Ian Olsen, Jeph Moura and Felix Gillett listen to the praise team at Crosswalk SDA Church in Chattanooga. Saturday, September 24, 2022. (Photo by: Preston Waters)

CAR CRASH continued from page 1

to what people see in the mov ies when cars crash.

“[Glass is] just flying in front of your face. I didn't think it was really happening,” she said while emotionally describing the incident.

“And then, and then I heard Tristan say, ‘I don't want to die, I don't want to die.’ And that's when I was kind of in shock.

“We rolled three times. And then I thought I was going to die,” Ureta continued. “I was like, ‘I came here to serve God, and now I'm gonna die.’ We landed on the left side, which is the side that I was on. None of us had seatbelts.”

Once the car landed, every one was able to make it out safely, Ureta and Deschamps said. Though the group was in shock from the crash, no one had any major injuries despite a few bruises caused by the inten sity of the rolls. Deschamps said all the windows of the car were shattered except for the win dow that was next to the fami ly’s 8-year-old son.

“Every window exploded,” said Deschamps. “And this is another little sign of God's hand on us. Here's an 8-year-old in the car, … and he hit the win dow. It was the only window

that didn't break. It was a mir acle that he didn't get ejected.”

After the initial shock, the group decided to continue on their way to the beach and stayed in a hotel where they reflected on the crash. Des champs and Ureta both said they were grateful to God for His protective hand.

Ureta described the moment she saw herself in the mirror for the first time after the crash.

“I walked into the bathroom, and I looked at myself,” she said. “ … I had blood on some of my clothes, and I had shards of glass in my hair and dirt.

“And just, I don't know,” she paused. “I never felt so thank ful to God for my life than in that moment. I literally saw God saving me.”

When asked what he took away from the experience, Des champs said that God wants those in pain and in happiness to reach out to Him.

“Often people reach out to God when they're in a terri ble place,” he said.” But I'd say when you're in a neutral place, or even a good place, God will take you even further up. And that's what people should look towards.”

Southern earns award for community service Génesis Ventura Reporter

On April 22, Southern Adven tist University was awarded the Collegiate Philanthropy Award by the Greater Chattanooga Area Command of The Salva tion Army during the organi zation’s Volunteer Apprecia tion Ceremony, according to an email sent to the Accent by Cheryl Craven. Craven is the director of Humanitarian Engagement and Christian Ser vice at Southern.

Southern was represented at the ceremony by Laura West burg, junior business adminis tration major, who accepted the award from Area Commander Matt Cuningham. Westberg said she was representing the student body, as the philan thropy award was given to rec ognize student involvement.

“They were recognizing us for being a college who volun teers, a college that does so much philanthropy and really helps in the area, and they were giving out a few different awards,” Westburg said. “But as a university, I think that's a really big thing for us. Because we are recognized by Chatta nooga as being [a university] who likes sending out volun teers and people who meet

our students. And that makes an impact on our community, which is really cool to see hav ing received an award.”

According to Craven, South ern has volunteered with The Salvation Army for many years. The Social Work Club partnered with the organization from 2015 to 2020 to host The Street Store.

“In 2021, the service day was canceled due to COVID,” Cra ven wrote. “In 2022, students painted red kettles and kettle stands used by the Salvation Army at Christmas time.”

Melissa Van Rooyen wrote in an article on The Street Store’s website that The Street Store

is the world’s first rent-free, premises-free and pop-up char ity store, giving away clothes to the poor, free of charge. Rooyen wrote that this pop-up is made of posters on the side walk and runs entirely on dona tions. It’s pretty simple: people donate clothes and shoes they don’t wear, and unhoused indi viduals can select what they need.

“Christie Wilder is a profes sor and the advisor [for the Social Work Club],” wrote Cra ven. “She expects if [The Sal vation Army] is ready to have them again, that they will hold the next street store in January during MLK Day.”

Students verbally harassed by suspicious individuals on campus

Alana Crosby Editor-in-Chief

There were three incidents involving unknown individuals engaged in suspicious activity on campus last week, according to Shawn Haas, associate direc tor of Campus Safety.

The first incident involved a male and female who stopped at the track, yelled at a student running in that area and exited their vehicle, wrote Haas in an email to the Accent.

The second incident occurred when a male driver yelled at female students in Fleming Plaza as he drove through the parking lot. The third incident involved a male who stopped in the parking lot of the Hulsey Wellness Center and yelled racial slurs at students, attempt ing to elicit a fighting response, according to the emergency text message. Haas stated that he also exited the vehicle.

The incidents appear to be unrelated, according to Haas.

Haas wrote that while no crimes have been committed, the Collegedale Police Depart ment has been notified, and Campus Safety has requested

heavier patrol from them on campus. Haas stated that Cam pus Safety has also increased patrol presence.

“We take the safety of our students very seriously. In response to these incidents, Campus Safety has increased patrol presence around the areas and are on the lookout for vehicles matching those descriptions,” Haas wrote.

The emergency text mes sages encourage students to alert Campus Safety or call 911 if the vehicles or individuals are spotted again. To sign up for emergency text messages, visit myaccess.southern.edu and click on “Resources.”

Some students have expressed concerns about not receiving the emergency text messages after registering to receive them. Allyson Boyce, junior outdoor therapy major, said in a direct message via Ins tagram that she had registered for emergency text messages several times but has yet to receive one.

“It is important for all South

ern students and employees to make sure they receive these safety messages,” Haas wrote in response to this concern. “If anyone [has] signed up and did not receive alerts, they should stop by, call or email Campus Safety so we can verify that all of the information on their account is correct. I encourage anyone who has not yet signed up to do so on the Campus

Safety page.”

Boyce went on to say that she feels relatively safe on campus, but she feels the least safe walking on campus alone in the dark.

In a direct message via Ins tagram, Gabi Swafford, sopho more theology major, wrote that she does not feel safe on cam pus. Swafford wrote that she has been followed to the dorm

on two separate occasions. She did not report the incidents, as she felt, based on others’ expe riences, that it would not be taken seriously.

Swafford expressed concern at the lack of action by Southern administration last year con cerning the stalking and assault cases on campus.

“[Student Association] went out and bought as many self defense tools as they could, but there were only so many to go around,” Swafford wrote. “Why was that responsibility put on SA? Where was the faculty? Why were students forced to protect themselves?”

“Campus Safety encourages all members of the campus com munity to walk in pairs at night and to utilize safety escorts by Campus Safety when they can not,” Haas wrote. “We encour age everyone to report any thing out of the normal; leave the area and do not engage with the aggressor if this type of behavior is observed.”

Hidden Hills rezoning request headed to Collegedale commissioners

Elsie Pak Collegedale News Editor

On Sept. 12, the Collegedale Municipal Planning Commis sion met to review requests concerning rezoning plans in the Collegedale area, specif ically the 408.1 acres of land located on the west and east side of Edgmon Road, housing Hidden Hills Farm and Saddle Club.

Addressed at the meeting was ZON2022-02 — a request to rezone parts of Edgmon Road from Agricultural (AG) to Low Density Single-Family (R-1-L) — and the companion case ZON2022-03 — a request to allow the application of a Planned Unit Development overlay, subject to conditions.

At the meeting, of which a recording can be found on the City of Collegedale YouTube channel, the floor was opened for residents in opposition of the development to come for ward and speak. For the next 38 minutes, from timestamp 23:37 to 1:01, about 17 differ

ent citizens raised their ques tions and concerns about the development.

Some residents brought up the potential negative effect on existing residents while others asked questions about how it would impact the land scape of the area.

Ultimately, the motion to recommend that the Col legedale Board of Commis sioners approve the rezoning with the updated conditions and its companion case was moved by the majority of the planning commission.

“This will be a recommenda tion from us, and then it goes to the city council,” said Plan ning Commission member Todd Leamon. “Ultimately, the decision is through the legis lative body [the Board of Com missioners], and they make [the] final decision.”

The next step for the pro posed development will be a first reading at the Collegedale Board of Commissioners meet ing on Oct. 3, which will not

be open to public comment. There will then be a second reading on Oct. 17, which will determine the final decision regarding the Hidden Hills development.

Case ZON2022-02 and ZON2022-03 were first brought to the Collegedale Planning Com mission’s attention on July 11. Developers presented the two requests again a month later on Aug. 8, when the appli

cant, EAH Acquisitions, LLC, requested a 30-day referral to be heard on Sept. 12.

At the Sept. 12 meeting, the applicant representative Mike Price, owner of Map Engi neers, was called up to speak.

Price presented changes that had been made in the develop ment plans to address some of the concerns stated in the pre vious August planning com mission meeting.

According to Price, the developers will eliminate the planned townhomes and now strictly plan for single-family homes. The density of the pro posed amount of houses has also decreased from 591 to 512 units, which would result in about 1.26 units per acre.

Price also referred to a traffic impact study, which analyzed the intersections of Lee High way and the proposed round about intersection at the devel opment site and Edgmon Road.

The traffic assessment docu ment can be found on the City of Collegedale website as an attached packet titled “Chastain Tract Updated Zoning Plan with Traffic Study” next to the Plan ning Commission agenda.

According to the packet, the proposed single-family hous ing development is called “The Chastain Residential Develop ment” and originally consisted of approximately 443 single-fam ily detached units and 148 sin gle-family attached units.

Master use plan of the land to be developed. (Photo courtesy of: City of Collegedale)

One of the Campus Safety patrol vehicles. Monday, September 26, 2022. (Photo by: Adam De Lisser)

Laura Westburg receiving the award on behalf of Southern. (Photo courtesy of: Marketing and University Relations)

Marché Marché

Kara Arnold has set up a stand for her own business, Art by Kara Lanelle. Her merchandise is made up of hand-printed clothing, tote bags, stickers and more. Friday, September 23, 2022. (Photo by: Adam De Lisser)

Leeah Mae relaxes by the stand of her business, called Mae-Be Thrifting Company. Like Deschamps, Mae specializes in refurbished clothing. Friday, September 23, 2022.

(Photo by: Adam De Lisser)

Many students from campus come after or between classes on Friday to check out the inventory of clothing. Friday, September 23, 2022.

(Photo by: Adam De Lisser)

Marché Marché is a joint pop-up market developed by Elise Deschamps. Students are wel come to come and purchase merchandise from the student vendors, including from Elise’s own business, Le Marche du Soleil. Friday, September 23, 2022. (Photo by: Adam De Lisser)

Isaiah Lawrence looks through his selection of clothing, deciding what to purchase. Friday, September 23, 2022. (Photo by: Adam De Lisser)

Darcie Denton converses with one of her visitors. Denton’s business, That One Artist, fo cuses mainly on various prints of her paintings. Friday, September 23, 2022. (Photo by: Adam De Lisser)

Paula Macena has a conversation with Judah Brass over her stand. Macena’s business, Cafe De Pluto, is based around luxury coffee and matcha. Friday, September 23, 2022.

(Photo by: Adam De Lisser)

MENTAL

Mental-health-friendly time management tips

Tiffany Bartell Healthy Minds QEP Director

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

How many of you have heard the words, “You need to work on your time management skills,” before? As a PhD candi date, I’ve heard my own inner voice saying those exact words as I’ve juggled the competing demands of work, school and family.

Time management can be the difference between getting the grade you want in a course or struggling to pass it. It can also have a significant impact on your mental health as you manage your stress and pres sure in either adaptive (healthy

and flexible) or maladaptive (un healthy or unhelpful) ways.

So, what does time manage ment mean? A usable definition of time management is that it refers to using one’s time in an effective or productive way.

In college, it can feel like you have to choose between selfcare and productivity. In the next sections, we will debunk that myth and talk about how to manage your time to reduce your stress and take care of your mental health.

Feeling assignments pile up or having the sense that you are behind in important tasks can increase your feelings of anxiety or stress levels. Know ing upcoming due dates and making sure you have enough

time set aside to take care of those items can relieve your mind and enable you to make a plan. This is our first time man agement skill: Make a plan! Set ting a schedule for studying, putting due dates in your plan ner and making sure you have set aside time for both work and relaxation is key to taking care of your mental health while being successful academically.

The old adage, “work be fore play,” is also surprisingly a mental health friendly tip for time management. It can be helpful to take short breaks be tween assignments and make sure you are staying connected with yourself and others. En gaging in social activities while you have assignments looming

can create an underlying feel ing of anxiousness. Planning to finish your tasks before you head out to socialize or watch a movie can create what I call: “guilt-free recreation time.” We want our relaxation to be un tainted by anxiety or stress and be purely refreshing.

Another tip is to take care of your body. Trying to be produc tive when missing out on one of the three pillars of mental health — sleep, exercise and nutrition — can be difficult.

Studying or writing a paper can take longer and be more diffi cult to accomplish if exhaustion or hunger are factors.

Breaking large tasks into smaller ones can also help to both accomplish tasks and

reduce stress. Doing these smaller tasks one at a time can keep tasks on track in a healthy way.

Last — but definitely not least — be an encouraging coach to yourself. So often we use harsh self-talk to push ourselves into getting things done, but an en couraging and empowering ap proach can help you be productive and take care of your mental health at the same time. Commit to only using the kind of language you would use with someone you are being paid to tutor or with a close friend. It is possi ble to be successful academically and enjoy wellness while you are a college student, and having strong time management skills is one excellent way to do this.

Tennis icons: Two legendary careers come to a close

Jacob Nevis Sports Editor

Two of the greatest tennis players of all time recently re tired. Serena Williams and Rog er Federer both have decid ed that it’s time for them to step away from the tennis court. These two athletes dominated their respective divisions for years.

Serena Williams started play ing professional tennis in 1995, and in 1999 she won her first major at the US Open. Williams is a 23-time Grand Slam cham

pion, which is the most in the Open Era and second all time, with only Margaret Court hav ing more. Williams’ single re cord is 858-156, with a stun ning 84.6 winning percentage. Williams was also ranked as the number one tennis player for 319 weeks, including a consec utive 186 weeks.

Williams also played dou bles in her career with her sis ter Venus Williams, and they won 14 career Grand Slam

championships together.

Williams is the highest-earn ing woman athlete of all time. She is an inspiration to female athletes all over the world be cause of what she was able to accomplish.

Roger Federer dominated the men’s division for a long time. Federer won his first major tourna ment at Wimbledon in 2003. He is a 20-time Grand Slam champion.

Federer played tennis at a time when two other play

ers were just as dominant as he Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic which earned them the nickname “The Big Three.” Federer’s single record is 1,251275 with an 82 winning percent age.

Troy Walker, intramural direc tor and a professor who teaches Basic Tennis, had a few things to say about Williams and Federer.

“Roger Federer was my fa vorite tennis player. He was al ways so exciting to watch and

he made me want to just go out and play tennis,” said Walk er. “Serena Williams was an in spiration for American athletes, and she helped tennis become more relevant in America. Every class I have taught, I have used both of these athletes as exam ples for my tennis class because of their impact on the sport.”

These two tennis players changed the sport and left a legacy behind. They will be missed on the tennis court.

(Photo by: Alexander Grey)

Roger Federer. (Photo sourced from: Wikimedia Commons)

Serena Williams.

(Photo sourced from: Wikimedia Commons)

OPINION

What even is a Christian nation, anyway?

Xavier Quiles Opinion Editor

Hello again. Recently, yours truly was considering what to write about for this week’s opinion column. And I had a wondrous thought: What if I wrote about the separation of church and state and how that bedrock of American society is being undermined by the reli gious right in our country?

According to the Washington Post, earlier this year on June 26, U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, (R-Colo.), who was speaking at a Sunday worship service and having a primary election at the time, stated point-blank: “The church is supposed to direct the government. The govern ment is not supposed to direct the church. That is not how our founding fathers intended it.”

She then continued, “I’m tired of this separation of church and state junk that’s not in the Constitution. It was in a stink ing letter, and it means nothing like what they say it does.”

The statement is shocking. And Boebert is not the only one with that perspective, as oth er political leaders in Ameri ca have also expressed simi lar sentiments.

Now, many might say, “She’s just an extremist; she doesn’t reflect the views of most Chris tians.” Or, “She’s not saying what you think she’s saying.”

Well, what is she saying, then? And what are the views of most Christians — including Seventh-day Adventists — re garding this topic?

I’m sure many of you have heard someone tell you (or maybe it was your school) that America was founded as a Christian nation; that the found ers were Christian and that they

made America a “Nation under God.”

Some of you may be ask ing, “How is any of this a bad thing? Shouldn’t we love God? Shouldn’t we love our country?”

Well, loving God is never a problem, because loving God never interferes with anyone’s freedom. The problem comes when people decide that loving God means we must force that love on others.

“But Xavier, we must reach

people for Jesus!”

What does reaching people for Jesus have to do with en forcing a Christian perspective on an entire nation? That would be a theocracy. And, as Adven tists, that should be a concern considering that we are a Chris tian religion minority.

If America is a Christian na tion, what version of Christian ity is it? And, who makes that determination?

There’s a reason why the very

first amendment of the Consti tution prohibits government from making laws “respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

As for loving your nation, sure, respect it. But loving it to the point of blind patriotism? That’s when we enter the realm of na tionalism to the extreme.

At this point in the article, I would like to kindly remind you that nations and governments

are arbitrary, man-made sys tems. They are not living crea tures; they do not have a soul. They are not worthy of uncon ditional love and empathy, as they are simply machines; and machines should serve the will of the people. People should not serve the will of a machine.

Therefore, when it comes to church and state, let’s keep them separate.

RELIGION

Hebrews 11: The evidence of things not seen

Madison Wilcox Religion Editor

I used to immediately lose in terest when someone brought up faith. Faith brought to mind the cryptic words from Hebrews 11, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” This made me shut my mind down to avoid confusion. Faith just didn’t make sense.

Then I read Hebrews 11 again two months ago. The sliv er of text that always irritated me, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen,” sudden ly lost its baffling familiarity. I was finally seeing something I’d looked at my whole life. I could finally recognize what had been

there all along.

I was already familiar with the idea that faith moves in the face of minimal evidence; what faith believes in can’t be seen by the human eye, after all. But at that moment, I realized that this idea was only half the point. Faith may move in the face of mini mal evidence, but it doesn’t re sult in minimal evidence. As faith works, evidence grows. The more acts of faith, the more pieces of evidence that arise in its wake.

How does this work? How is it that faith creates evidence? It does so like a falcon creates evi dence of aerodynamics: it dives. In response, the air, though in visible, carries it faithfully. But

it does so only after the bird leaves the ledge. Evidence of aerodynamics can be seen only in the falcon’s dependence on those laws; that is, the evidence can be seen only in flight.

In the same way, evidence of God’s existence can be seen only in dependence upon that existence. The act of depen dence must come first; then God provides the evidence. Yet his response isn’t erratic. His response to faith is akin to the air’s response to the wing of a falcon. It’s a law of nature. Falcons fly; faith produces ev idence. The Bible is confident about it, and so were the people listed in the rest of Hebrews 11.

This leads to a second point about the nature of faith and the purpose of the evidence it pro duces: Faith often produces fu ture benefits, rather than imme diate ones. Faith doesn’t always provide instant encouragement or sudden reward. Rather, acts of faith are intended for future encouragement, and not only for the individual who acts, but for everyone around them, even their descendants.

I was introduced to this idea during a rebellious period at age 18. I found myself thinking of my future kids, and I realized to what extent my actions would affect them. What if destroying myself through sin didn’t just

destroy me? What if it destroyed my children? The thought stopped me in my tracks.

At that point, I realized the weight of influence that one life carries. Rebellion in one moment often leads to difficul ty in the next. Rebellion in one life often leads to difficulty, even destruction, in the lives that fol low. In the same way, faith in one moment means evidence in the next. Faith in one life means strength — even redemption — in the lives that follow.

So the challenge is clear. The stakes are high. But we need not run blindly; those who have gone before in faith have left plenty of evidence behind them.

Rep. Lauren Boebert. (Image sourced from: Flickr)

Falcon flying. (Photo by: Samrat Maharjan)

LIFESTYLE: ARTS & IDEAS

Around town: Upcoming music and art events

Thursday, September 29, 6 p.m.

“Memories and Inspiration”: Exhibit opening celebration, Hunter Museum of American Art: This temporary exhibition (on display from Sept. 30, 2022, to Jan. 8, 2023) spans 100 years of works by African American artists, collected over a period of several decades. “Through strikingly diverse media and styles, these artworks respond to historical narratives and make bold creative statements that helped shape 20th-centu ry American art.” The opening celebration will feature live mu sic from jazz saxophonist Joshua Allen.

https://huntermuseum.org/ events/event/memories-inspi ration-opening-celebration

Price: Regular admission (dis counted for students)

Friday, Sept. 30, 6-11 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 1, 12-10 p.m.

3 Sisters Bluegrass Festival, Ross’s Landing, Chattanooga: Featuring artists such as Béla Fleck, the Lone Mountain Band and the Dismembered Tennes seans, the 3 Sisters Bluegrass

Festival emphasizes the musical heritage of the region with both traditional and more contem porary influences. Recognized as one of the top five festivals in the genre, it is known for its informal jam sessions, which take place after the scheduled performances by world-class musicians.

http://www.3sistersbluegrass. com/ Price: Free

Thursday, Oct. 6, 6-7 p.m.

Artist Lecture: Leonardo Drew, Hunter Museum of American Art: This free lecture features internationally renowned artist, Leonardo Drew, speaking about his sculptural and instal lation works. Drew uses raw materials such as scrap metal, wood and cotton to create im mersive installations that speak to the passage of time.

https://www.huntermuseum. org/events/event/art-wise-leon ardo-drew Price: Free

Tuesday, Oct. 11, 6 p.m.

Alexi Kenny and Bridget Kib by: String Theory, Hunter Mu seum of American Art: “Two of the most creative minds in music today will convene at the Hunter Museum for an explosive String Theory Season Fourteen opener. ... Alexi Kenney (violin) and Bridget Kibbey (harp) will delight audiences with a genre-bending program including Kibbey’s own adaptations for harp and trea sured chamber music selections.

A ‘musician to watch’ (NY Times) and ‘the Yo-Yo Ma of the harp,’ these artists artfully intermingle intimacy and virtuosity to create musical alchemy.”

https://www.stringtheorymusic. org/concerts/alexi-kenney-brid get-kibbey Price: $10 for students

Thursday, Oct. 27, 7 p.m.

Historical American Music Concert, Greenway Farms Dog Park, Hixson: “Host of the pop ular roots music history podcast ‘American Songcatcher,’ Nicho las Edward Williams is a 36-yearold multi-instrumentalist and storyteller who is dedicated to

playing it forward by preserving the songs and styles that have shaped our country: ragtime, Piedmont blues, traditional folk, old time and early country. Wil liams has spent the last 15 years touring around the US, the UK, Western Europe and Australia, blending the roots music spec trum in his own style.”

https://www.bandsintown.com/ e/103130261-nicholas-edwardwilliams-at-greenway-farmsdog-park Price: Free

Thursday, Oct. 20, 7:30 p.m.

Chattanooga Symphony Or chestra: Enigma Variations, Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium: The Chattanoo ga Symphony Orchestra, con ducted by Kayoko Dan, is per forming Edward Elgar’s Enigma Variations, Jean Sibelius’s Violin Concerto in D minor and Jes sie Montgomery’s Banner for Chamber Orchestra, featuring Russian violinist Alexander Sitk ovetsky, who is currently based in the UK.

https://chattanoogasymphony. org/events/enigma-variations-

2022-10-20-730-pm/#program

Price: $10 for students

Monday, Oct. 31, 6 p.m. Danish String Quartet, Hunt er Museum of American Art: “Whether classical masterworks of the chamber music oeuvre or rollicking Scandinavian folk music, the Grammy-nominat ed Danish String Quartet brings their ‘rampaging energy’ (as de scribed by The New Yorker) to spellbound audiences. … Their return to the String Theory stage will deliver two classical delicacies, [one of which]: The Purcell chacony, full of emotion, will no doubt exploit the quar tet’s intense blend, extreme dy namic variation (in which they seem glued together), perfect intonation even on harmonics, and constant vitality and flow.’ (Gramophone).”

https://www.stringtheor ymusic.org/concerts/dan ish-string-quartet#tickets

Price: $10 for students

Kevin Southern Accent Mascot

Dear Kevin:

What is the best way to ask someone out on a date?

Dear Lonely Love Seeker:

I felt that I was not quite qual ified to answer this question on my own, so I went to a trusted anonymous relationship expert for step-by-step instructions spe cific to Southern.

1. Establish a relationship — talk to them. Find something you have in common. Ask a question and then ask a FOL LOW-UP question (that means actually listening).

2. Invite them to CK2 — and don’t pay for their meal. Keep it casual and try to gauge how they are reacting. Are they com fortable? Laughing? Talking? Or, invite them to eat bread off of the ground at the duck pond. This seems like a better option to me, but what do I know?

3. Invite them to eat at the Dining Hall — if you’ve gotten this far, you should offer to pay for their meal.

4. Vespers — the big one. Don’t chicken out. Trust me when I say chickens are the worst. Casually invite them to vespers with you.

Make it clear you want to go with just them, so you don’t end up with a gaggle of friends.

5. Real date — this is it, my friend. A real date consists of walking around downtown, bowling, roller blading or any other creative activity you can think of.

Dear Kevin: How do I balance school and work?

Dear Stressed Student: Here are three ways to help balance school and work. Orga nize everything. Prioritize tak ing time at the beginning of the week and going through your assignments. Once everything is written down, you’ll have a bet ter idea of how much free time you have and (hopefully) be less overwhelmed. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Professors are of ten rooting for your success and willing to help. And lastly, make time for self care. If you are working too hard to relax and do something you really enjoy, you run the risk of burnout.

Christina Cannon Lifestyle Editor

Bridge over the Tennessee River. (Photo by: David Sager)

knbautista lauren country, let’s ride

emma.tol “Alright Blondie” - Eugene Fitzherbert

Kenneth Bautista

Emma TolK E

karina_sanchezz

Edward Backer

Karina SanchezE K

Emma Boughman

Raquel Lazcano

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Weekly Birthdays

TODAY |28

Jailine Flores Gabe Griffin

8:00 p.m. SA Senate, Bietz Center 3rd Floor Testing Room

ViewSouthern

Deadline for Graduation Contracts for December/May Graduation, Records Office

12:00 p.m. SA Senate Surprise

7:24 p.m. Sunset

7:30 p.m. Vespers: Latin American Heri tage, Jolsen Lache, Collegedale Church

8:00 p.m. Star Watch, Hickman Parking Lot

8:45 p.m. Afterglow, Collegedale Church South Atrium

SAT exam, Bietz Center 3rd Floor

2:00 p.m. Psychology Major Field Test, Summerour 282 10:30-11:45a Cohutta Spring Triathlon

– Packet pickup at Cohutta Spring Camp (Crandall, GA) 11:45a Orientation for race

12:30p Cohutta Spring Triathlon Begins

ViewSouthern 11:00 a.m. Convocation: Latin Ameri can Heritage, Joslen Lache, Collegedale Church 7:30 p.m. Symphony Orchestra Concert, Collegedale Church

12:00 p.m. Tornado Siren Test

5:00 p.m. Teacher Education Induction, Presidential Banquet Room

8:00 p.m. Fall Week of Prayer: Nathan Renner, Collegedale Church

9:00 a.m. Adoration Worship, Kircio Mota, Collegedale Church 9:00 a.m. Connect Worship, Student Park Goliath Wall

11:45 a.m. Renewal Worship: Latin Amer ican Heritage, Kircio Mota, Collegedale Church 7:00 p.m. Evensong: Alumni Spotlight - Pat rick Rice, Organ, Collegedale Church 9:00 p.m. Latin American Cultural Night, Iles PE Center 11:00 a.m. Last day for 60% tuition refund (16 week class(es)) 8:00 p.m. Fall Week of Prayer: Nathan Ren ner, Collegedale Church

Gabby Alvarez Isaac Cisneros Yonatan Liudvih Demyan Charlynneth Dizon Kerri Ann Ferguson Roberto Guerrero Cj Jones Livia Liga Claudine Morana Mike Narita Anaya Parker Lamont Taylor Thursday |29 Jonathan Alvarez Adam Bellis Keith Detwieler Pamela D. Harraway Etienne Hein Roisbel Hernandez Condrasheera Joao Alexis Nennich Jessica Nephew Christianna Nesmith Tamara Penn Lydia Riffel Friday |30 Kirsten Antolin Olivia Fisher

Renee Kendall Luz Mandujano Yissy Martinez Reyna Pink Jade Reuben William Rios

Saturday |1 Emelin Bonilla Maria Cortez Gracie Culpepper Lauren Fenwick Alison Handysides Evan M. Kim David Klingbeil Jennifer Perez Josemy Velazquez-Coutino Alex Whitener Alex Yaste Sunday |2 Rence Arroyo Summer Dekle Elysse Mastrapa Casey Morgan Morgan Matthew Orquia Garnette Thomas Monday |3 Amelia Alvarez

SA Announcements

Kellie Azor Jameson Beckwith Jack Bell

Shawnessey Cargile

Vivian Ernst Baez Laura Gibbs

Misty Haggard Brian Hustad Braden Knapp Leah Lauzon

Elsie Merle Hannah Moraga Brooke Reams Cynthia M. Robinson Audrey Umal Tuesday |4 Crystal Branch Talia Burrows

Alisha Changala Leslie Gutierrez Shan Kimbley Judy Ramos Tim Rice Lucy Richardson Amber Salibio Lexie Strickland Elizabeth Troyer

423 Night Market is Oct. 8 starting at 9 p.m.

Vendor signups open on Wednesday, Sept. 21, and end on Monday, Sept. 26. Once vendors are signed up, they will be required to attend an orientation on Monday, Sept. 26. For more information check out SA’s Instagram: @sa_southern, or scan the QR code located on the SA office door for more information.

Fall Fest will be held on Sunday, Oct. 30 at 6 p.m. by the track.

Enjoy the fall fresh air, snacks, hayrides and activities provided by student organizations.

Check out our website! www.southern-accent.org

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