Campus News

New in Athletics

In 2023, SNU Athletics welcomed several new additions to its varsity sports. The new teams included STUNT, Bowling, and eSports.

STUNT

The newest female sport at SNU, with 21 athletes, STUNT finished their inaugural season strong on March 2nd at Oklahoma Baptist University. STUNT incorporates skills derived from cheerleading and is played between two teams who execute skill-based routines in various categories - partner stunts, jumps & tumbling, pyramids & tosses, and team routines. SNU played in three tournaments that included a total of 11 games.

Coach Angela Hamilton is very excited to continue to grow the program, with hopes of expanding the team to 30 female athletes for the '24-'25 school year. Find out more about the STUNT program at www.snuathletics.com.

Bowling

In 2022, SNU announced the addition of competitive Bowling and play began in Fall 2023. Both the men’s and women’s teams took to the lanes for the first time on October 7-8 in Fort Worth, Texas, led by Coach Mark Jeffreys. The inaugural season was topped off with awards presented at the SWIBC Championship. SNU women’s player Sienna Stoner was the 2024 SWIBC Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year, while Connor Anderson earned 2024 Rookie of the Year. We’re looking forward to more exciting play this fall.

Esports

2023 brought the start of eSports at Southern Nazarene University. The team of seven players began their inaugural season with two wins in the Oklahoma Association of College eSports (OACE) and advanced to the semifinals of the OACE Spring season tournament. Last August, the eSports team announced its partnership with Bye Blue Light, an American-based company that makes blue light-blocking glasses. This partnership will prioritize the health of players by providing them with the premier glasses of collegiate eSports.

Football Team

Southern Nazarene Football had a highly successful 2023 season with the first winning season since joining Division II play. They closed out the regular season with a 6-5 record under coach Dustin Hada, his fourth season leading SNU. It was also the first time in school history that the Storm had appeared in a bowl game.

On December 2nd, Southern Nazarene traveled to Corsicana, Texas to take on the Hornets of Emporia State, a highly decorated football program out of the MIAA conference. Although the Storm fell to the Hornets (55-24), we celebrate the milestones accomplished by these students and coaches.

Academic Updates

Physical Therapist Assistant

In January of 2023, SNU received Candidate for Accreditation status and started the first cohort of PTA students. The program can be completed in 23 months and prepares students to sit for the National Physical Therapy Exam in order to become fully licensed Physical Therapist Assistants.

In order to begin the program, the entire third floor of the Sawyer Center was renovated to house the School of Rehabilitation and Sport Sciences. The new area provided needed classrooms, labs, and faculty offices. For more information on the program, go to pgs.snu.edu/pta.

Kairos

SNU’s Kairos Scholars scholarship program recognizes academic excellence, rewards hard work and dedication, and opens doors for deserving students. This investment in future leaders benefits not only the scholars themselves but also their communities and the campus as a whole, fostering a vibrant and diverse student body while motivating others to strive for academic excellence. Prospective Scholars compete for one full-ride scholarship and three full-tuition scholarships, awarding them thousands of dollars.

The 2023 Kairos Scholars full-ride recipient, Joanna Zachariah, is from Yukon, Oklahoma. Her dream is to pursue a career in medicine and be a servant leader in her community. Along with Joanna, three Kairos Scholars Full-Tuition scholarships were awarded to Emma Burton, Danielle Coombes, and Evan Rader. Emma is from Bryan, Texas, and is pursuing a degree in graphic design. Danielle hails from Edmond, Oklahoma, and is studying to become a physical therapist. Evan comes from Mustang, Oklahoma, and is pursuing a mechanical engineering career.

The Kairos Scholars Program reflects SNU’s commitment to academic excellence, access to education, and the development of future leaders. Together, we are making Christlike disciples through higher education.

NASA Grant

In an effort to partner with and support under-researched institutions, NASA awarded $3.7 million to 11 institutions. SNU was privileged to receive one of the first 11 grants to be given. This was prompted by the work of Dr. Caio França who has worked with student researchers each summer. The teams of students collect and analyze research on the “Application of Remote Sensing for Predicting Mosquito-Borne Disease Outbreaks.” We are grateful for the partnership with NASA and particularly to the work of our students under Dr. França’s leadership.

Around Campus

Chick-fil-A

This year marked a milestone for the SNU community as Chick-fil-A opened on campus. Chick-fil-A is part of on-campus and commuter meal plans but is also open to the Bethany community. It is located next to the Office of Student Life offices in the lower level of Webster Commons.

Crimson Corner

Once students finish their meal at Chick-fil-A, they can step outside to enjoy the new Crimson Corner. This donor-funded community and recreational space was the dream of one of SNU’s alumni. Located on the northeast corner of campus, Crimson Corner offers a putting green, sand volleyball, pickleball, and tennis. There is also a firepit where students can relax and enjoy roasting marshmallows. Be sure to visit next time you’re on campus!