Mental Health | 7
Opinion | 8
Religion | 8
Lifestyle | 9
The benefits of taking your workout outdoors
Tradition vs. progress: It’s time to drum up change in the church
3 songs for the spiritually exhausted
Journaling: Documenting your personal history
March 27, 2024 Collegedale, Tennessee
Southern Accent
Vol. 79 Issue 20
The student voice since 1926
‘The violence was all that we were used to growing up in the camps’
City rules push
2 refugees share their journeys from Myanmar to Southern cottage costs
past $3 million Matthew Orquia Managing Editor
Isaac Eh has fun with kids in Micronesia while serving as a missionary. Eh, a Southern Adventist University alum, grew up in a refugee camp on the border of Myanmar and Thailand. (Photo courtesy of source)
Southern student Joseph Htoo stands in front of an SDA church in Thailand. He and his family traveled to the country last summer and were able to visit relatives still in refugee camps. (Photo courtesy of source)
Htet Myint Reporter
Eh vividly remembers living in the bamboo houses, walking to school with friends and helping his mom sell snacks in her shop. He recalls the absence of electricity and having to use torches for light. “I remember living in the refugee camps a lot more vividly than going to elementary school here in the States, actually,” Eh said. Describing the unsettling atmosphere in the camps, Eh recalled the regular sound of gunshots and yelling. He shared a particularly harrowing incident where internal conflicts involving the Thai and Burmese military prompted his family to flee into the woods, where they remained for several days before returning to the refugee camp. “I woke up to people screaming,” Eh said. “My dad came into the house with a machete, and I heard gunshots. Because it wasn’t safe, we had to run back into the woods for a few days.” Eh recalled how the sight of soldiers on guard with guns was
Writer’s Note: As the son of political refugees who sought sanctuary in America in the winter of 1999, my upbringing is firmly embedded in the soil of Burma/ Myanmar’s complex history. My parents’ journey shapes my perspective and has ignited my passion for uncovering tales of my homeland. Through my writing, I aim to shine a light on the forgotten narratives of Myanmar’s refugees, weaving threads of resilience and hope to inspire readers. “Back in those days, there were times when we would go without food. Sometimes we would only be able to eat rice with water and sugar, and that was it,” reminisces Issac Eh, an alumnus of Southern Adventist University. His poignant words offer a glimpse into the harrowing experiences endured by refugees like him. Southern is a sanctuary of diverse stories. Among them are
the stories of two refugees, Isaac Eh and Joseph Htoo, both born in a refugee camp on the border of Myanmar and Thailand, who now call Southern home.
“Back in those days, there were times when we would go without food. Sometimes we would only be able to eat rice with water and sugar, and that was it.” Isaac Eh, a 2022 graduate from Southern with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, vividly recalls his early years in the Mae La camp, located along the border of Myanmar and Thailand, before moving to Fort Wayne, Ind., at the age of 8. The eldest of four children, he was born in the refugee camp to his mother, Eh Gay, and his father, Eh Dah. Reflecting on his time in such surroundings,
commonplace for him in the refugee camps. “I was pretty scared growing up, but I trusted my parents and did whatever they told me to do,” Eh said. “The yelling and shouting became normal. People in the village would be yelling and fighting. This one time I saw a person chop off another person’s hand with a machete. I was about 7 years old when that happened.” Food was scarce in the refugee camps, according to Eh. He recalls rations delivered sporadically by the Thai government and people lined up behind a truck that would hand out bags of rice. He also recalls missionaries dispersing supplies, bags of food and snacks, which helped lead to his survival. Political Upheaval Myanmar’s political landscape has long been defined by military rule and ethnic tensions, despite efforts toward democratic government since See MYANMAR on page 2
The cost for Southern Adventist University’s upcoming cottage housing project has increased in order to build infrastructure required by the City of Collegedale, according to Marty Hamilton, senior vice president for financial administration. Some requirements included a 26-foot paved road for emergency vehicle access and a residential sprinkler system in each housing unit. Due to these additions, the expected infrastructure cost rose from $500,000 to $3,315,000. Hamilton said even though some aspects of the increase were unexpected, the cost also serves as an investment in future housing. Having this infrastructure in place will reduce the cost per unit for additional cottages in the future. The university already plans to build additional cottage units in the future, based on Southern’s housing needs, according to Hamilton. “I think the irony here is [that] fast-tracking this is basically costing us more,” Hamilton said. “If we had a little more time to work through the process, we probably could have saved some money.” According to Hamilton, Southern didn’t anticipate all of the See COTTAGE on page 2
Collegedale News on page 5 Changing the game: A local tennis star's journey to fame Split on the field: City adds bike ramps to Thatcher Switch
Southern Smiths forges new home
Tuition to increase by 6.8 percent
Nyah Jackson Staff Writer
Lesieli Savelio News Editor
The Southern Smiths, a student-run blacksmithing club, recently relocated because Southern Adventist University began preparing the area surrounding its former meeting place, the hill behind the Art Annex, for new housing. Now, the Southern Smiths meets in the warehouse next to WSMC Classical 90.5. The club is fundraising to get the infrastructure needed to safely forge inside the building. “We’ve worked hard to use the move as an opportunity for growth,” said Chehalis Eno, a junior English licensure major and president of the club. “We’re now located closer to campus, so it’s easier for students to
find us. In addition, once we’ve raised the funds and have fully moved into our new location, we’ll actually have a larger footprint than before, allowing more room for growth and the potential introduction of welding and pewter casting.” Eno said she is thankful for Marty Hamilton, senior vice president for financial administration, who has been working closely with the club, updating leaders on their moving deadline and helping them search for a new building. The Southern Smiths is comprised of students and community members interested in the art of blacksmithing. In addition to Eno, other club officers are See SMITHs on page 2
(L-R) Joy Vital, Eliana Oberlander, Chehalis Eno and Herry Davis work with brass during a Southern Smiths meeting. Thursday, February 29, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Boggess)
Southern Adventist University will increase tuition by 6.8% for the 2024-2025 school year, according to Ken Shaw, university president. In an email to the Accent, Shaw said that students will pay approximately $165 more per month in tuition compared to this school year. According to Southern’s website, the total cost during the 20232024 school year for students living on campus is $34,050, and for community students it is $25,590. For the upcoming academic year, the total cost will be $36,200 for students living on campus and $27,300 for community students. Shaw said one of the main reasons for the tuition increase is the 5% cost of living increase for Southern employees. “This cost of living increase is a recommendation from the North American Division that we have followed for many years,” he wrote in the email. Steven Miller, vice president for financial administration, shared with the Accent via email that keeping up with high inflation is another reason for the increase. “High inflation rates have impacted everyone the past few years, as the U.S. annual inflation rates were 8.0% and 4.1% in 2022 and 2023, respectively,” Miller said. “This inflation directly impacts the school’s operating expenses
through utility, supply, labor and other costs.” Even with the increase in tuition costs, Shaw and Miller said that Southern is on the lower end of the tuition spectrum compared to other Adventist universities in the United States. Shaw also said that Southern’s cost is not high compared to institutions in the state of Tennessee. “During our February Board of Trustees Meeting and at our recent Town Hall meeting, I shared a recent comparison showing our tuition and fees compared to the national and state averages,” Shaw said. “The average tuition and fees expense to attend private colleges and universities are $41,540. In Tennessee, that figure is $29,112. At Southern, our tuition and fees for this [past] year are $25,590.” Miller said several steps are taken before making a deci-
sion like this. It goes through the financial committee and the Board of Trustees, and they use comparable information from the Adventist institutions in the discussion and decision-making process. Ultimately, the Board of Trustees is the last step, and any changes must be approved by them, according to Miller. “There is a lot of research and planning that goes on before the recommendation is taken,” Miller said. “Multiple departments around campus work to forecast the university’s financial situation, enrollment and external factors, all of which could impact tuition.” Though tuition is increasing, student wages will not go up next year. Shaw said that to raise student wages, the university would have to increase tuition costs even more.
(Graph by Amanda Blake)