ContentsStatus

Contributors Scott WallaceVelma Tonga

Jared CruzChantelle Fuka

Luisa ManuHenry HuynhHayden Scott

SponsorDr. Glen Robinson

SA Finance ReportXyza Balansag

Cover DesignLorraine Gonzales

Status EditorClarissa Cintron

2 The Semester Has Ended

6 A Thought on Politics

3 The Mizpah Gate

5 Top 5 Christmas Gifts Under $10

9 Get to Bed!

7-8 What Are Your Christmas Memories?

10 Things to Know While Away on Break

1 2

The Semester Has Ended...

Southwestern Family, Christmas break is finally here, the break we have eagerly anticipated since the beginning of the semester. As you head home for Christmas break, the Student Association would like to wish y’all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Christmas is the time for us to remember the birth of Jesus Christ and is the season where we engage in spreading His loving kindness to the people around us. The New Year brings with it an opportunity for a new be-ginning where we get to start over and leave the past behind us, so celebrate because success awaits you in 2016. I’m excited to introduce y’all to the newest member of our SA team, Clarissa Cintron, who is the new Status Editor for the Student Association. Clarissa is currently a senior, majoring in psychology. She is working hard to bring you a new perspective on our student magazine this coming spring semester. Upcoming SA Elections are scheduled for February 25th, 2016. Applications will be open shortly and I strongly encourage you to apply for a position in the Student Association. We need students who are passionate in serving the student body and eager to use their creativity to make our Student Associa-tion great. Thank you for being a part of the student body. I pray that God will bless you and your family this holiday season. Sincerely, Hien Henry HuynhPresident | Student Association

On November 18, around 8:35 a.m., something tragic happened on the campus of Southwestern Adventist Uni-versity—a driver accidental-ly crashed into the Mizpah Gate. It was saddening to see what had happened but we are glad that the driver was okay. Donated by the Class of 1937 and built later that sum-mer, Southwestern Adven-tist University’s Mizpah Gate has not only been a Texas Historical Landmark since 2009, but it is also a signature landmark for the University. When asked what the

Mizpah Gate represents to him, President Dr. Ken Shaw replied, “I think the Mizpah Gate is a historical represen-tation of the University and it means a lot to our alumni, fac-ulty and current students.” The gate received its name from the school’s yearbook, Mizpah, which means “watch-tower.” It originated from Genesis 31:49, also known as the Mizpah Prayer—“May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other.” Dr. Shaw also reported that the rebuilding process of the gate is coming along slowly but surely. Although he did not have an exact date, the goal is to have it completed and re-built in time for Homecoming Weekend in April 2016. There have also been some comments among students that suggested the school just tear it down completely and

rebuild a brand new monu-ment. Dr. Shaw responded by saying, “I think that would lose the historical character and I would not want that.”

The gate is almost 80 years old, but it is a lasting monument for many. Fresh-men walk through the gate at the start of every school year symbolizing that they are entering the Southwest-ern family and graduating students walk out showing that they are ready to carry the knowledge and things learned out into the world. The Mizpah Gate is more than just a physical symbol. It is a reminder to past, pres-ent and future students that wherever we go in life that God will watch over and pro-tect each one of us.

Scott Wallace

More Than Just A Gate2 3 4

The Mizpah Gate#wewillrebuild

Chantelle Fuka

You are bound to be asked to participate in a white elephant gift exchange this

holiday season. You will check your webmail, click on the link for your trusty

Status issue and discover this article for awesome tips on great, yet affordable gifts.

5) Gift Cards: These have become great go-to gifts, especially if you’re not sure whether the sweater you were going to pick out for them was their style or not. Who wouldn’t enjoy receiving a $10 gift card to Subway or Starbucks?

4) Travel Kit: During this holiday season, most of us will do some sort of traveling. Toothpaste, a toothbrush, Q-tips, lip balm, lotion, gum and deodorant are just some of the items you can include in a cute baggie. Not to mention, Walmart has a dream-land aisle of $1 toiletries and most are small enough to pass through TSA’s security checkpoint. Spice it up with his/her fa-vorite candy & a note that says how much you appreciate them.

3) 4 Port High Speed USB Hub: $4.86 (new) on Amazon.com – Help your friends prepare for upcoming school trips by getting them this functional hub to assist with on-the-road charging for their MacBook Pro, iPhone 6, iPad, and iPod. And if they so decide, they could share their port options with friends riding along in one of SWAU’s sleek, fleet vehicles.

2) Inspirational Posters: We all have at least one friend who constantly talks about losing weight. Encourage them to reach their new year’s goal by purchasing one of these uplifting post-ers. They’ll be reminded daily to “perspire” in order to “aspire” and they will also be reminded of how great of a friend you are!

The Top 5 Christmas Gifts Under $10

5

1) DIY gifts: Everyone likes a personal touch & Pinterest has tons of festive, easy-to-do projects. Now that finals are over, you’ll have time to sleep, shop, and create! From pumpkin bread to facial scrubs to hot co-coa mix in a mason jar – you have the world at your fingertips. The great thing about it is that your Yuletide offering can be chic yet functional.

What Are Your

Christmas Memories?A Thought on Politics

The capital’s decision-making—although its effects reach into many significant aspects of our lives—tends to have a low rating on the scale of typical conversational topics in the halls of Miller or Harmon. Politics seem uninteresting to some, intimidating to several, and nonexistent to others. So, the question becomes: why even bother? Why is it important to be informed about politics? Less than a year from now, a new president will be elected. This upcoming event has the potential to affect American history and the world stage for the next 20 to 50 years. Eleven months of campaigning, mudslinging, and empty promises still lie ahead of us and the 2016 election season is turning out to be a very exciting one. Thanks to the election, hot button issues in politics are being discussed and debated on a day-to-day basis. The issues range from gun control to conflicts in the Middle East, to the question of allowing Syrian refugees into the United States, to consistent mass shootings (like the recent occurrences in San Bernardino, California and Paris, France). With these being the paramount concerns of today’s society, it

only goes to show that there is so much to be conscious of. An advantage of being politically informed is that one would be able to make their voice heard. There are many ways to have one’s voice heard, but one method in particular is through the mechanism of voting. Voting is the opportunity that we all have in this great democratic society to express our opinions and beliefs. Voting has been a responsibility of each American citizen since the founding of the United States. In the times that we live in, this responsibility is no different. Each and everyone one of us should express our opinions and beliefs as often as we can because it is, in fact, our duty. Politics demand our attention to some degree whether we like it or not.The call is to be aware of what is happening in our nation and to speak out because these decisions have an impact on us whether directly or indirectly, whether immediately or futuristically, whether minimally or to the maximum. What happens to our nation trickles down to our states, cities, towns, neighborhoods, and eventually to our homes. It is not that politics have little to do with us—indeed, it has everything to do with us. Let’s pay attention.

“Politics seem uninteresting to some, intimidating to several,

and nonexistent to others. So why bother?”

Jared CruzOff-Campus Senator 6

What Are Your

Christmas Memories?

“My favorite Christmas memory is

eatin

g

Christmas dinner and getting gif s

.”

Carlston LazarusClass of 2018

cras

hed it!

me a

min

i elec

tri

c motorcycle. T en I

“My

favo

rite

Chr

istm

as m

em

ory is when my dad bought

Brandon ZambranoClass of 2017

“My favorite Christmas mem

ory i

s

when I would wake my mom up at like 5

a.m. e

very

Chr

istm

as

morning for presents.”

Ryan Moore

Class of 2018

“Chr

istm

as means a time where my

fam

ily g

ets t

og

ether to enjoy the little things in life.”

Sara FloresClass of 2019

“Christmas mean

s a Sh

erlo

ck

toy and crazy adventures.”

Gabrielle Behrens

Class of 2019

“T e

bes

t gif

I received for

Chris

tmas

was

a bl

essing from God: complete happin

ess.”

Abdiel Rumaldo

Class of 2019

I gav

e it t

o m

y sist

er—she is a big fan.”

“T e

bes

t gif

I ev

er gave was “Baby Girl” gear by Shem

ar Moore.

Haley Robinson

Class of 2017

“T e best gif I ever gave was a p

air of

Kobe 10 Elite Low’s for $200.”Yvro Drice

Class of 2019

“My favorite Christmas dish is my mama’s quiche!” Matthew Ballard Class of 2016

“T e best gif I ever received for Christm

as

was a plane ticket to New York this January!”

Rx DeVeraClass of 2017

“T e

bes

t gif

I ev

er ga

ve was an album for my father.”

Claudia Fano

Class of 2017

from

all m

y friends and family.”

“T e

best

gif I

received for Christmas was love

Gaston WebbeClass of 20187 8

Velma Tonga, LVNCampus Nurse

The semester has come to an end. Everyone is in a zombie-like state, sleep-deprived because they are trying to prep for finals or make up the ten assignments they “missed.” Half of us are zoned out because, mentally, we are already at home grubbing on Mom’s home cooking. Then there are those who are a nervous wreck because tests give them anxiety. Yet, amidst all the craziness, we tend to neglect one thing—our health. “Pfft… seriously? We’re young! Our bodies are meant to be pushed to the brink!” Yes, youth may be on your side but the way we care for ourselves now will have a lasting effect. Taking responsibility for our health could go in so many directions: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. So let’s focus on our physical health, and concentrate on sleep. Why Sufficient Sleep is So Important Although there are a bazillion other things we could talk about—all of which affect our health—sleep is one of the most

important, preventative measures young people can take in order to avoid a plethora of problems. According to the University Health Center, lack of sleep will lead to:

•More illnesses such as cold and flu, due to a lowered immune system•Feeling more stressed out•Increased weight gain and obesity•Lower GPA and decreased academic performance•Increased mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety•Increased automobile accidents due to fatigue caused by “drowsy driving”•Decreased performance in athletics and other activities that require coordination

The recommended amount of sleep is about seven to eight hours. Students, on average, get about six hours of sleep every night. I know it’s hard with homework, tests, quizzes, hanging out with friends, and the abundance of great activities on campus, but sleep must be made a priority.During those quiet hours, uninterrupted by your roommate’s snores, your body is hard at work: Muscles relax, blood pressure drops, energy is restored, memory is strengthened, tissue growth and repair occurs, and hormones that help you grow are released. It is amazing to think that while we are in slumber, the body God gave us continues to work, restoring itself! Mrs. Ellen White writes, “Proper periods of sleep and rest and an abundance of physical exercise are essential to the health of the body and mind. To rob nature of her hours for rest and recuperation, by allowing one man to do the work of four, or of three, or even of two, will result in irreparable loss.” With that said, finish strong! Use the holiday break as a time to create new sleeping habits. Take care of yourselves and give your body the rest it so desperately needs. Your body will thank you when you need it the most.

Get to Bed! Things to Know While Away on Break....

4) Registration is on Sunday, January 10. Instruction begins on Monday, January 11.

5) Office of Student Services: If you are on Step 3, please submit a copy of the front and back of your insurance card via email or fax. A copy is required each semester even if insurance information remains the same from the previous semester. Contact information: 817-202-6219 | studentservices@swau.edu

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1) Residence Halls reopen on Tuesday, December 29, at 6:00 p.m. Please contact your respective Deans for more information.

Men’s Residence Hall: 817-202-6229 Women’s Residence Hall (Harmon): 817-202-6510

Women’s Residence Hall (Hadley & Meier): 817-202-65132) Campus Service provides shuttles from the DFW International Airport and Dallas Love Field Airport for students needing transportation on Saturday, January 9, 2016 after sundown and Sunday, January 10, from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Please call 817-202-6240 to reserve a seat. Reservation is required in advance. Seating is limited. Information needed for reservation: name of airline, contact number, flight number, gate and terminal.

3)

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