Mental Health | 7
Opinion | 8
Religion | 8
Lifestyle | 9
The many factors that affect who we are
Rethinking our approach to missions
Prayer: The first response, not the last resort
Book Review: "The Dance of Anger"
March 5, 2025 Collegedale, Tennessee
Southern Accent
Vol. 80 Issue 17
The student voice since 1926
Hargy wins SA presidential election Bautista and Paulino secure VP positions
Chloe Smith Reporter
Jeaneva Bautista (left), John Hargy (middle) and Esmeralda Paulino (right) won their respective elections on March 13. Thursday, February 20, 2025 (Photos by Anna Chang)
The student association election results were announced at midnight on February 28, revealing that John Hargy, senior biophysics major, was elected President for the 20252026 school year. Hargy received 822 votes, beating his opponent Chino Zhao, sophomore nursing major, by 389 votes. In an interview with the Accent, Hargy described how it felt to be elected. “My initial reaction was one of relief,” Hargy said. “It was also a moment of deep gratitude for the overwhelming support I received along the way.” When asked about his initial inspiration to run for president, Hargy reflected on his experiences at Southern, crediting them for shaping his leadership skills. “I want every student to experience the same sense of growth, belonging and opportunity that I have enjoyed,” Hargy said. “I am passionate about fostering an environment where everyone feels valued and heard.” See Hargy on page 3
Ken Shaw comments on university's diveristy efforts amidst new legislation Hayden Kobza Managing Editor Southern Adventist University President Ken Shaw released a statement to the Accent about the university’s stance on its diversity initiatives. “After reviewing the executive orders — considering what I hear and read in the news, having conversations with other university presidents and meeting with colleagues here at Southern — I have found no evidence that Southern is out of compli-
ance with any of the executive orders,” Shaw stated in an email to the Accent.
"My perspective on diversity is simple and rooted in how I believe we should approach it as individuals." “My perspective on diversity is simple and rooted in how I believe we should approach it as individuals,” Shaw continued. “It is based on Jesus’ second great commandment: ‘Love your
neighbor as yourself ’ (Matthew 22:39 NIV). As disciples of Jesus, this principle should guide our actions. In the words of John, ‘A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another’ ( John 13:34-35 NKJV).” This statement comes after a wave of executive orders from President Donald Trump aimed to dismantle
See Shaw on page 2
Ivory Comb displayed on campus Jehiely Balabarca Reporter The artifact is small, delicate and easy to overlook. Yet, the thin, jagged ivory comb – about the size of a U.S. postage stamp – holds an inscription that is the oldest sentence in an alphabetic script. Discovered in 2016 at the ancient Canaanite city of Lachish, the 3,700-year-old comb features words etched faintly onto its surface. They simply state: “May this tusk root out the lice of the hair and the beard.” Now, the artifact is temporarily located in a display case on the first floor of Southern Adventist University’s Lynn H. Wood Archaeological Museum. It arrived in January, hand-carried by an Israeli antiquities official. On Jan. 27, Southern hosted a symposium featuring international experts, including Chris Rollston, a leading scholar in ancient inscriptions. Since then, the exhibit has drawn visitors from across the country. The comb was unearthed
Ken Shaw speaks at a town hall meeting in Lynn Wood Hall. Monday, February 20, 2023 (Photo by Adam De Lisser)
Busy beavers take over Student Park Eva Resv Reporter
The Ivory Comb shown in the Lynn Wood Hall Archaeological Museum. Thursday, February 13, 2025. (Photo by Jehiely Balabarca)
during the Fourth Expedition to Lachish, an excavation co-directed by Southern and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. One of Southern’s own students, Katherine Hesler, was leading the team that found it.
“I had little to do with it personally other than being present at the time it was found,” recalled Edwin Reynolds, a retired professor from Southern’s School of Religion, who was also present
See Ivory Comb on page 2
Southern Adventist University’s Student Park has been experiencing increased beaver activity, leading to the downing of multiple trees. According to Mark Antone, director of Landscape services, the beaver population in the area has recently grown. Antone said the increase in beaver activity may be linked to ongoing construction and urban development around campus, pushing wildlife into new areas. “We’ve had beavers here before, but we may be getting more for the same reason we’re seeing an increase in deer and other wildlife,” he said. “There’s a lot more construction all around campus, which pushes the wildlife to more open areas, and we have a nice, open creek.” Antone said beavers alter landscapes by building dams, which can lead to flooding and significant environmental
changes. If left unchecked, these dams could flood Student Park, the soccer fields and other low-lying areas on campus. Additionally, according to Antone, the dams impact stormwater drainage, potentially disrupting the campus’s water management system. “As the beavers start building the dam, and they keep making it bigger and bigger, that water backs up and changes the whole environment,” Antone said.
Beaver activity has also led to the loss of trees in Student Park. Beaver activity has also led to the loss of trees in Student Park, according to Antone. He said the university has dealt with the situation primarily by dismantling beaver dams as soon as they appear. “We had to take a couple of trees down,” Antone said. “There was one big one, right in the Student Park, that had
See Beavers on page 2