When you voted me in as your Student Association President this year, I was so excited, but I felt almost overwhelmed. This job is a huge responsibility and none of it is possible without the help I receive from God or the positive vibes so many of you send my way. During this past summer, I was hard at work in order to make the visions and dreams you voted for come to fruition.
I promised that I would do my best to discover new discounts for Southern students. You’ll be happy to know that we now receive discounts at Subway, Aji’s Peruvian Restaurant, 4 Corners Café, Los Potros, and Thai Spice! Dos Bros, which plans to open later this semester near the Ooltewah Aldi’s location, will also be offering us a discount. So will Mojo Burrito, which is opening a brand-new restaurant at the old Wired location in Cambridge Square in Ooltewah in December 2017. Whip out your Southern ID card and go to town!
Student Association’s theme this year is “This Is Us,” a redefinition of Southern Culture and celebration of the beauty that is unity in diversity, as exemplified in 1 Corinthians 12. There’s so much hate in our world. My vision is that together with multiple clubs, Student Association will positively impact our community by creating a night in which we can celebrate our dynamic multiculturalism. This cannot be done alone, so if you’d like to know what you can do to help as well as give suggestions, feel free to contact me through email at phillipwarfield@southern.edu and through our new suggestion box found on our Facebook (@SAUStudentAssociation) and Instagram (@sa_southern).
Lastly, Pastor Dave Ferguson and several students have been doing some incredible work at the University Church. Through the guiding of the Holy Spirit, I feel as though our church across the street is a place where everyone can actively participate. If you’re looking for a church family and you want to get involved, whether in Sabbath school, a praise team, or any ministry, I know that the team over there will know exactly where to point you in the right direction. Partnering with the church has been one of the smoothest operations yet!
With so many questions concerning Southern’s inability to create a Religious Vice President position on SA, Marc-Anthony Pierre, Associate Chaplain, and I have taken it upon ourselves to continue building the bridge between our Campus Ministries and SA. The ministries that we both take part in should never be separate, but rather a collaborative effort designed to reach students and bring them to Christ in whatever way possible. We’ve got some fantastic surprises throughout the year, including the Smile Initiative: Phase II, as well as a dynamic weekly joint-worship program. Stay tuned for more!
As for now, I ask that you continue to pray for me and my fellow student leaders as we continue to serve you to the best of our abilities. If you see me around, feel free to give me a shout! I’d love to get to know you and understand your story.
For a Southern we can all be a part of,
Your President,
Phillip Warfield.