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Author: Paula Macena

Paula Macena

Paula Macena

Paula Macena is a sophomore majoring in English with an emphasis in professional writing. This is her first year working with the Southern Accent and taking on the position of opinion editor. Her career goal is to eventually become an independent successful writer.

On Monday, Jan. 25, at around 1 p.m., the entire student body of Southern received an email with the same ominous message: “Southern administration has called a brief emergency Zoom meeting for all students and employees tomorrow, Tuesday, January 26, at 11 a.m. Please plan to attend.” Because this email was sent with no context, …

Obviously, being a college student is difficult. Between balancing classes, doing homework, studying, working and having a social life, college life can become extremely draining and overwhelming very quickly. Not to mention that most of us, as college students, are pretty broke. Many students have to work more than one job to make ends meet …

In the Fall 2020 semester, the usual attendance policy at Southern was adjusted due to the pandemic that had swept the country that year. The usual attendance policy was that professors were able to count attendance towards a percentage of a students' overall grade. Therefore, if a student did not attend, it would end up …

Recently, sustainable fashion has become popularized, specifically for young people. Sustainable fashion is the process of reducing emissions created from the fashion industry. More thrift businesses are popping up, people are thrifting more often, and all this has even resulted in some big retail chains closing down or filing for bankruptcy such as Forever 21. …

This year’s presidential election has had intense and world-changing events leading up to it, and it seems that the stakes are higher than ever. Southern Adventist University and many other colleges are encouraging students to exercise their right to vote. However, students continue to hold their own opinions on the matter. A recent poll performed …

Ever since COVID-19 broke out in the United States, masks have been a highly debated topic, specifically in the political world. At Southern Adventist University, students are required to wear masks at all times when indoors, whether it be in their dorm halls or in their classrooms.  I recently conducted a small survey about masks …

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Students throw a birthday party in Southern Village. Saturday, October 3, 2026. (Photo by Lily Murphy)

College is a time of discovery, personal growth and changing priorities. Southern Adventist University students share how their college experiences have helped them become more outgoing, discover new interests, deepen their faith and appreciate the friendships and everyday moments they will carry into life after graduation.

Southern Adventist University Title IX statistics provided by Dennis Negrón. (Graphic by Katie McConnell).

A high-profile sexual assault case at Cornell University has sparked renewed discussion about Title IX at Southern Adventist University. Students share concerns about reporting sexual misconduct and campus safety as university officials explain the investigation process, available support resources and questions surrounding the Title IX coordinator’s Instagram account.

A person selects Egypt on the recently refreshed OMM mission board located in the Bietz Center for Student Life at Southern Adventist University. (Photo courtesy of source)

Southern Adventist University’s Office of Ministry and Missions has upgraded its digital board in the Bietz Center to offer an interactive look at global mission needs. The update features country-specific Christian mission data, maps of unreached communities and profiles of current Southern student missionaries.

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