Land for new Southern Adventist University School of Business building dedicated in ceremony

In late February, a gathering of Southern Adventist University students, employees, and donors, along with a congregation of community members, joined together for a land dedication for the plot that will support the school's new School of Business. Following a set of opening remarks, the gathering joined hands in a circle around the plot of land to pray over the location.

Some of the people present at the ceremony were the President of Southern Adventist University, Ken Shaw, EdD,the president of the Southern Union Conference of Seventh Day Adventists and chairman of Southern’s Board of Trustees, Ron Smith, PhD, and local business owner Franklin Farrow, who also serves as the chairman of the funding campaign for Southern Adventist University’s School of Business.

In an article from the North American Division of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Farrow was quoted about the dedication as saying, “We’re very grateful that many have stepped up with their donations, time, and energies to make this project possible. Southern is in the business of changing and equipping hearts, and as we take on this challenge of creating a new building, let’s remember that it’s more than bricks and mortar. It is a place that will shape characters for generations to come.”

The School of Business is the second-largest academic area of Southern Adventist University; it has seen a 10% increase in its enrollment over the course of the last half-decade. The new building will measure nearly 42,000 square feet, which is almost five times as big as the space currently being used for business programs in the school’s Brock Hall. The new building will contain a large multipurpose auditorium. The building will also house 12 Bloomberg Financial Terminals, which are computer software systems that students can use to analyze financial market data in real time. 

The community, including friends of the university, donors, and alumni, has come together to raise $15.5 million for the new School of Business building. The $20 million campaign also includes an endowment. The groundbreaking for the new building’s plot is expected to begin this fall.

The dean of the School of Business, Stephanie Sheehan, PhD, spoke on the mission of the school, saying, “God has anointed our students to be kingdom builders in the marketplace. He has called and will continue to call many students here, and we are thankful they will soon have a new facility to call home.”

More information about Southern Adventist University can be found at the school’s website.