Southeastern University Viewbook

Be strong. Be good.

Be salt.

You are the salt of the earth.

What does it really mean to be salt?

At Southeastern, our students, faculty, and staff are committed to Christ’s calling that we be salt. Here’s a sampling of their thoughts:

Matthew 5:13

When you use salt to cook, you can either add just the right amount, or add too much. But if you don’t use any, you’re not going to be able to taste the food as well.That’s what Jesus talked about when he said to be salt, to be light. Once you’re salt, you’re also the light that shines.

– William Jonathon Morgan, theology major

Learning to be a servant leader equips us to be salt and preserve these beliefs in our professions and throughout our lives.

– Ashley Sauls, secondary education major

Being salt is what God called us to be. He could have saved us and taken us immediately to Heaven, but He left us here to cast seed on the earth and raise Godlike people.

– Patty LeBlanc, Associate Professor of Education

How will you be salt? How can you shine?

At Southeastern, your possibilities are endless.

Christ tells us that we already are salt.

At Southeastern, you discover the saltiness within you, and learn how best to

be salt.

Being the salt of the earth means not staying off in a corner by ourselves.

If we are to season this life, we must be present in the world–not compromising our faith, but actively using it to make a difference.

To E nhance Who will you be?

You stand at a crossroads, faced with a decision that will alter the course of your life. Where will you go to college? What path of study will lead to your career? What can you do today–and in the coming years–to help you live your best life?

If you are looking to apply your Christian faith in a strong academic setting, Southeastern University could be the homecoming you’re looking for. It feels like home to Carlos Santiago.The vocal performance major wanted to attend a good school with a strong Christian foundation to develop his God-given talents. His commitment to excellence, along with his inspirational voice, is taking shape here.

For Carlos and thousands of other undergraduates, Southeastern fills the niche that larger public universities–and even other Christian colleges–cannot fill.

Southeastern, stepping up

Over the last ten years, Southeastern has experienced tremendous growth. From a college to a university, from 1,000 to 3,000 students, to a host of new programs and majors, Southeastern has become a thriving university. And we’re still building on that success.

The experience for many Southeastern students setting foot on our campus has been akin to love at first sight. It could be the physical beauty of our Florida campus, the genuine goodness of the people you meet here, a strong calling from God, or some combination of the three that connects with so many students.

Business-management major Elizabeth Santangelo felt that immediate pull to campus. But it hasn’t worn off. Once she truly came to know this campus, her classmates, and her professors, she knew her decision to attend Southeastern was a perfect one.

“Our professors truly care about us as students– not just about our grades and schoolwork,” Elizabeth says, “but also our personal well-being.”

Integrated Faith and Learning

Just like the students they teach, every Southeastern professor has a meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ, cutting across all denominational lines. Many open up their classes with a short prayer before discussing current events and beginning a lecture.

Like many of the young people in their classrooms, these professors often consider their arrival at Southeastern a journey of faith.

This “higher calling� has recently brought several high-profile professors to Southeastern. As top professionals and authorities in their various fields, these educators welcome the chance to show how faith can have a positive influence in a variety of ways in subjects throughout the curriculum.

And you find these caring teachers all over Southeastern. From renowned business, music, and ministerial programs to the academic excellence that continues to build in the education and science programs, we are attracting the best and the brightest to lead those classroom discussions. To lead you to your personal best.

As a Southeastern music professor, I understand we are training musicians to be salt. Music ministers and worship leaders inside the church, and singing actors and recording artists outside the church. Talk about responsibility! Few occupations can potentially touch the heart and spirit of individuals so deeply. Knowing that I have been called by God to take part in training and equipping these talented young people is very exciting. – Ed Bryant, Associate Professor of Music

Some Southeastern students have goals to: make Christian movies in Hollywood start non-profit businesses go to medical school, then go on medical missions work in forensic psychology become certified public accountants teach high school history in a public school work behind the scenes in television pastor churches embark on worldwide missionary work work as Christian psychologists perform music ministry for inner-city children become professional singers earn advanced business degrees become lawyers manage Spanish-speaking radio stations write books open daycare centers become photographers work as high school counselors and honor God in a myriad of careers

All things are possible through God.

A Southeastern classroom

It’s another beautiful Wednesday afternoon in mid-September. Inside Dr. Rickey Cotton’s Contemporary Literature class, students have broken into small groups to discuss a Denise Levertov poem that’s just been read aloud. “We look at the poem in a few ways,” Dr. Cotton says of his teaching philosophy. “We look in terms of general artistic analysis, bringing the same perspectives to it as you would in a rigorous secular environment. But I also want to bring the students’ personal lives into conversation with the literary text. And since we’re in a Christian environment, we also bring that perspective into the dialogue.”

Whether the students are discussing Levertov, Bernard Malamud, or Raymond Carver, Dr. Cotton wants to see how these artistic works can affect everyday lives. “One of the things we’re studying is cultural literacy,” he says. “Our students are learning how to read and engage the culture.”

And in Dr. Cotton’s classroom, learning is a two-way street. “I always learn from my students,” he says. “I tell them they must be a co-teacher and I will be a co-leader.”

Inspiration everywhere

The opportunity to share her faith is perhaps the best thing about Southeastern for Professor Patty LeBlanc. She’s teaching others how to teach in the College of Education. But how often those tables get turned! “My students really inspire me,” she says. “They are just so focused and they love the Lord so much.”

From the chapel through the classroom to the day-to-day activities of the Southeastern experience, students, faculty, and staff grow richer in the spirit of Christ. Education continues to be a discovery process–for everyone on campus.

We also can be effective witnesses for Christ by helping to make things better; we can be good to all people. If we learn to exhibit the core Christian values and develop skills in terms of cultural literacy, I believe we can more effectively be salt and light for our society. I tell my students to be different and make a difference.”

– Dr. Rickey Cotton, Professor and Chair, Department of English

Have you ever visited a place for the first time and instantly knew you belonged there?

Kristopher Harless–Topher to his friends– had that very experience at Southeastern.

I was born in Birmingham and raised in Alabaster, Alabama.

I might easily have attended Auburn, Alabama, or any of the half-dozen schools that accepted me after high school. But then my mother convinced me to visit Southeastern. As soon as I got to campus I knew I was meant to be here. It wasn’t any particular person I talked to. I simply walked the campus grounds and realized: this is the place for me.

There’s an authenticity to Southeastern.These are people who genuinely love Christ, but not in a pious, overwhelming way. Everyone is striving to be professionals in their fields, while maintaining that relationship with Christ.

I really thrived in Southeastern’s welcoming and supportive atmosphere.

As a senior double majoring in Television/Radio Broadcasting and Practical Theology, I was a host on the nationally aired R.A.W. TV program, which caters to a ‘real and willing’ college crowd.Whether I was singing, acting, playing guitar, or performing standup comedy, I put myself out there to show that Christians can be entertaining and life should be enjoyed.

Now that I’ve graduated, I want to spread that message through the entertainment business in Los Angeles, eventually making my own films.

Not movies about Christ, but movies that share Christ and help bring morals back to Hollywood. I realize these are lofty goals and a long way from my Alabaster roots. But I believe all is possible through God and the professional experience I gained at Southeastern.

Topher Harless ’09

To Serve

Whether you plan to major in music, go into business, or teach from the pulpit or in a classroom, Southeastern prepares you for a life of service. Just ask alumnus Seth Ready about how his time on campus prepared him for a gospel music career. He has sung alongside some of the world’s best gospel singers, including Donnie McClurkin, Kirk Franklin, and Yolanda Adams. Seth has also joined Southeastern as the Worship Director.

Seth credits Southeastern with sharpening both his musical abilities and his faith. The “Life in Christ” course taught him how to meditate on God. And communicating a Christian message is central to his singing career. As Seth leads the student body in worship, he implores them to be people of character and to worship God through daily obedience to Him. When he sings for unbelievers, Seth tries to persuade them that absolute truth exists and that through Christ they can have an abundant life now and eternal life when they die.

Kennedy Mkutu’s long journey to Southeastern began in fall 1987 when, while walking the streets of Kenya, he snatched a windswept newspaper out of the air. It was the Southeasterner. “I still wonder how the paper got all the way to Kenya,” Mkutu says, though he believes God sent it to him. Reading the paper he found an application that claimed, “Southeastern can change your life.” It certainly changed his, and now he is serving the world through his own unique talents.

His 2008 book, Guns and Governance in the Rift Valley: Pastoral Conflict and Small Arms, examines how guns now dominate conflicts in the Horn of Africa where the AK-47, Mkutu says, “has replaced the traditional spear.”

Bible-based

Expect to receive a well-rounded education here. With a myriad of courses and program options, Southeastern prepares you for professional work in any secular field. But you still stay connected to the spiritual world. You could be reading biology or psychology books, or crunching numbers in an accounting course. There’s one book, however, that everyone studies in great detail: the Bible. Biblical principles help shape the content of every course on campus.

Southeastern students serve the community: as camp counselors through prison ministries as tutors in youth shelters as part of improv comedy teams through musical groups by providing writing lab assistance as FX percussion and dance team members as crisis counselors by offering story hours on volunteer preaching teams on buddy programs for disadvantaged children through cross-cultural ministries by helping the elderly prepare their income taxes through chaplaincy programs through homeless ministries by visiting hospitals by going overseas on mission trips by creating budgets for single-parent and low-income families

Christianity in action.

Let it begin with you

Community service is part of your education

Your service opportunities could be right

at Southeastern. You may help build homes

on campus. For La Nita Thomas, a double

for Habitat for Humanity. You may lend your

major in general communications and

growing expertise to help educate and train

interdisciplinary studies, Southeastern had

everyone from grade-school children to senior

long been a dream. From the age of ten,

citizens. Or you may become part of a touring

she knew this was the school she wanted

group that spreads Christ’s love through music

to attend. She has witnessed firsthand the

and the arts. But whatever your calling is, you

tremendous physical transformation of

have the chance to share it.

campus. As a resident assistant, she helped

Having made such service trips, Amber Stephens, a practical theology major, has embraced the opportunity to take her faith on the road. She’s traveled with the tour teams to churches, youth conventions, conferences, and district councils around the nation.

younger classmates transition into college life.

In her role as a resident assistant, La Nita “played half mother and half counselor” to the girls in her residence hall. It was just another form of community service for this former vice president of the Habitat for Humanity Club.

“Getting hands-on experience while earning a degree is amazing,” Amber says. “And the religion courses I’ve taken have allowed me to grow so much more, especially in my knowledge of the Bible.”

You need to understand the importance of servant leadership at Southeastern.To me, ‘being salt’ is showing the world Christ through you. And that is something that directly relates to community service.

– La Nita Thomas ’10, general communications and interdisciplinary studies

Ashley Sauls ’10

After a campus visit during her junior year of high school, Ashley Sauls felt deeply connected to Southeastern University.

But she opted to stay closer to home. For a while.

Our family tradition has always been to attend Florida State.

My grandparents and parents did, and everyone just assumed I would head there, too. And so I did, but soon regretted it. I just knew I wasn’t where I was supposed to be. I transferred to Southeastern after one semester in Tallahassee. It was the right decision for me, and my family saw that when they would visit me in Lakeland.

The people are so genuine at SEU. Servant leadership isn’t just talk, it’s actually how people act on campus. As a Secondary Education major, I worked to make service part of my life as well. My sophomore year I served with the First Year Experience, leading a group of freshman girls in devotionals.On Monday mornings, I gave tours to prospective students and their families as a Southeastern Ambassador. I was able to do community work through a group called Young Life, where we ministered to kids at local high schools. And I was also a team leader on the cheerleading squad, which won a competitive national championship.

The opportunity to be involved with so much in a Christian atmosphere is what made Southeastern great for me. Now that I have graduated, I want to teach high school history, and I feel like God wants me in a public-school setting.Through faith-integration courses we learned how you can set a Christian example in any classroom. And we got a great education to prepare us for teaching careers.

I still cheer for Florida State, as well, which makes for fun holidays back home. But Southeastern has my heart.

To Honor At Southeastern, you honor Christ in your daily life. Whether you’re rejoicing with the spirited music of a Wednesday morning chapel service, or reflecting quietly near the statue of Jesus washing the feet of an apostle, everything you do here is centered upon building on that Christian faith and philosophy.

If you come to Southeastern to specifically study music, you will be taught by some of the finest music faculty in the nation. “Our faculty members have degrees from Juilliard, Eastman, UCLA, New England School of Music, Michigan State, Indiana University, Florida State University, Crane School of Music, and elsewhere,” says Danny Tindall, a professor of music and department chair. “You receive all the advantages of a large university in a smaller, more intimate setting.”

You could feel a calling to music–or psychology, elementary education, or science. If you can see yourself here, you owe yourself a visit. For many, those first steps on campus really are life-changing.

Our Southeastern faculty includes: Dr. Sam Bennett Dean of the College of Education

Dr. Brittany McConchie Assistant Professor of Biology

Dr. Gordon Storholm Associate Professor of Marketing

2006 Florida Teacher of the Year; 2005 Polk County Teacher of the Year

Post-doctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health focused on allergies and inflammation; second post-doctoral fellowship at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Florida focused on natural killer cells and their role in cancer

Earned his MBA and PhD in business administration at Wharton University and previously taught graduate business studies at Rutgers, Fordham and St. John’s universities; worked in marketing management at IBM and Xerox; former manager of the Eastern Hockey League’s Jersey Devils hockey team; authored two Prentice-Hall textbooks on sales management

Dr. Edgar Lee Vice President for Academic Affairs A veteran of Christian higher education administration; helped lay the foundation of Southeastern’s Christcentered academic program; shepherded Southeastern through its first accreditation process; has taught and preached around the globe with a 50-year devotion to prayer and scripture

Dr. Stephen King Associate Professor of Public Policy

Central Florida’s 2003 Social Worker of the Year

Earned his MA and PhD in political science at University of Missouri; served as Research Vice President at Public Interest Institute, an Iowa-based conservative policy think tank; department chairman at Patrick Henry College; coordinator for Oral Roberts University’s government program; director of MPA program at Regent University

Dave DeBorde Assistant Professor of Communication

John Seybert Assistant Professor of Music

Dr. Pam Criss Assistant Professor of Social Work

Associate producer for The Least of These, an independent film that won 27 awards; debuted his film Success Story, Part I at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival; worked with producer William S. Gilmore (A Few Good Men) and actor Jim Caviezel (The Passion of the Christ,The Count of Monte Cristo)

Dr. Paul Harlan Assistant Professor of Music (music technology/church music)

Designed Southeastern’s music technology lab, patterned after the music technology lab at UCLA, which he previously supervised on an interim basis; served as minister of music for more than ten years at a Vineyard Church in Southern California; has composed music for film and numerous TV and radio commercials, including a Super Bowl ad and a series of film documentaries narrated by Morgan Freeman

(jazz studies and music education)

Published and presented articles for the International Association of Jazz Education; research on file in the Duke Ellington Archive at the Smithsonian Institute and the Mary Lou Williams Archive at Rutgers University; presented at the Oxford Roundtable for Arts and Humanities; President, Florida College Music Educators Association

Dr. Paul van der Laan Professor of Religion Renowned international scholar on Pentecostalism; author of five books; former president of the Dutch Assemblies of God Bible College

Irv Ziemann Associate Professor of English and Foreign Languages Fulbright Teacher in Greece for two years; translated the novel, The Life in the Tome by Stratis Myrivilis, a well-known Greek writer, as well as a volume of his selected short stories; authored the book, Gaylord DuBois: King of the Comics

Bringing Christ to the center of the classroom.

We offer music students a unique opportunity: excellence integrated with faith and anointing.

– Dr. Danny Tindall, professor and chair, Department of Music

A day in the life

Is there a typical day at Southeastern? Most days will surely start with some sort of spiritual awakening, or maybe just a blessing of thanks.

You may opt for a swim in the outdoor pool, a workout in the gym, or a jog through the neighborhoods by campus.You can attend the different chapels based on your mood. Feeling the need for shared Bible study? Visit one of the student-run groups in a smaller chapel.

Of course, the rousing music and motivational speaking draw most to our main chapel.

Students learn quickly how to balance a schedule of classes, communityservice obligations, study hours, and leisure. Throughout your day, you might even share a cup of coffee with a professor in the Mi Casa CafĂŠ.

Southeastern professors pride themselves on their approachability.

Many students and alumni talk about the friendships they have with their professors. As the sun sets over our Lakeland campus, you may have a moment to reflect on your whole day, thanking God for the beauty of it all.

Snowflakes in Florida

You may be surprised by the diversity of our Lakeland campus.

Southeastern students come from virtually every state in the U.S. and some 40 countries. Those wonderful differences add to our collective calling–to celebrate in Christ. And from how you strive for your own individual excellence to how you treat others is simply another reflection of Christ. And a way to honor Him on a daily basis.

Since arriving at Southeastern, I’ve learned to be more mission-minded and more aware of people and their different situations. I want to someday work in the public education system and maybe even go to medical school if the Lord allows me to. I would really like to teach healthcare in third-world countries.

– Karim Belle ’12, elementary education

Matthew Madison ’13

Preparing to serve Christ at Southeastern means you are also preparing to succeed.

In his first steps toward medical school, Matthew Madison is developing the confidence to ace the tough courses.

I came to Southeastern with high academic expectations.

I had scholarships lined up at both private and public universities, but knew I wanted the strong spiritual component that Southeastern offers. I am not, however, sacrificing anything on the academic side.

With the pre-med major, you jump right into your science courses at Southeastern. In my first year, I took biology, human anatomy, and physiology.

We use the same books as the larger public research universities, and the curriculum is as demanding as any undergraduate program out there. So I know I’m being prepared for the challenges of medical school.

Classes are smaller here, and professors are always available for one-on-one meetings.We pray together and really become a family.The Southeastern focus on servant leadership also goes hand-in-hand with the compassionate service I hope to provide as a doctor someday. I’m even looking at gaining some hands-on experience with a medical internship in India over an upcoming summer break.

It’s a long haul through medical school, so sound scientific footing and an ethical, Christian focus are keys to my success. At Southeastern, I’m looking to keep my grade point average up so I can apply to medical school at places like the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Colorado University, maybe even Johns Hopkins.

I’m fascinated by the human eye, so I might be an ophthalmologist someday; maybe an immunologist. But that’s too far away to see now.To be able to serve Christ and serve the community around me are important stepping stones for a professional future where I do more of the same in the larger world. So for me, Southeastern is where that pursuit of excellence begins.

To Become There’s no sin in success. However altruistic you are, or hope to someday be, you must develop your own excellence–your personal strong suits–to help you better serve Christ and others. Southeastern prepares you for professional success.

Not sure of a career path? No need to worry; you can figure it out along the way. Courtney Dean, now majoring in social work, had originally planned on majoring in ministry. But she had a change of heart when she discovered her role in the church would be best served by helping families and individuals in need.With her sights set on an eventual master’s degree, she plans on making a Christian difference in her own way.

“The professors show us how to integrate faith into our education and our professions,” says Courtney, who is also gaining professional experience as a student worker in the school’s Student Development Office.

From the community-service organizations that provide real-world experience to paid internships, Southeastern students have many opportunities to build resumes that go beyond classroom learning.

At Southeastern, 2006 grad Trey Herron fused his personal faith with his love of the social sciences and found direction for his future.

When Herron transferred to Southeastern in 2005, he wasn’t planning to go to law school. He liked political science and the history of public policy, but he thought secular law schools didn’t mesh with his goal of working for conservative, Christian organizations. It was at Southeastern, however, that Herron underwent a process of spiritual and intellectual discovery that showed him how studying law could help him achieve his goal.

From your “F i r s t ” days on campus

Alongside Christianity, we preach professionalism and openness from day one at Southeastern. Should you be worried about those initial days, you’re likely to be pleasantly surprised about the welcome you receive here.

Through a host of events, including barbecues, concerts, and other gatherings, you meet friends who are just beginning the same journey at Southeastern.You become part of a First Year Experience as one of eight to twelve members led by a returning student. Within this new circle of friends, you share stories about where you came from, ask questions, pray, study the Bible, and simply get to know each other.

Coming home

Beyond the shining lakes and the fountains, the music lifting its way through the Florida breeze is something you cannot quite put your finger on. It’s the welcoming community, perhaps seen in the smile of a passerby, but really felt in the energy, honesty, and underlying goodness of a place that can truly feel like home. Or maybe that’s just God’s way of telling you that you are home.

Southeastern’s Judeo-Christian education prepares graduates to choose the right path toward their Christ-destined purpose.

-Dr. Stephen M. King, Associate Professor of Public Policy

Professional preparation

While students feel an emotional pull to campus, the business world demands professional preparation. And employers across Florida and the southeast are aware of our growing reputation, as well. Companies arrive on our campus each semester, specifically interested in hiring our ethically trained graduates. In tough economic times, employers are especially interested in finding the best hires for their dollars. Rockwell Collins, one of the world’s leading aerospace and defense companies, has hired ten Southeastern business majors in the last couple of years. And as our programs continue to build, the employers will continue to recruit.

Some Southeastern alums have careers as: a producer, Univision Network, Miami a development director, Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra an accountant, KPMG, Tampa a medical doctor, Afghanistan a television host, ABC affiliate, Tallahassee an orbiter planner for the shuttle Discovery, NASA an editor, NYTV, New York a manager, Hispanic Affairs, Orlando Magic a physician’s assistant, Emory University, Atlanta an executive director, Salt Lake Pregnancy Center a recording artist and Dove Award winner a former mayor, Lakeland, Florida a human resources coordinator, Office of the Governor, Texas a budget analyst, State of Alaska a producer, WFLA-TV (NBC), Tampa a Russian linguist, Department of Defense a musician, winner of the International Jazz Guild Trumpet Solo Competition the National Youth Director, Assemblies of God the Superintendent of the Polk County School Board

For professional success.

Anna Vuong ’09

Having attended a small, Christian high school, Anna Vuong wanted a similar setting for college– without having to sacrifice academic excellence.

She found both at Southeastern University.

One of the most important things I learned at Southeastern is that you can incorporate biblical principles into an accounting class. Nowadays, with the current economy, so much depends on business ethics.The professors do a great job of focusing on both corporate and social responsibility.

Beyond the classroom, I worked an internship at a local accounting firm and was also the membership coordinator of Southeastern’s Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) club.

SIFE is a student-led, nationwide organization that works in the surrounding community. Our projects ranged from financial literacy and business ethics to environmental sustainability and entrepreneurship.

In just one year we grew from 20 to 60 club members.We taught fourth graders about buying and selling in the marketplace, showed senior citizens how to email, and partnered with Sam’s Club to talk to different corporations about going green.

At the end of the year we competed against other SIFE schools in competitions where our team was judged on how well we created an economic opportunity by helping others. One year our team was named “Rookie of the Year” and received first runner-up in regional competition. But winning, placing, or showing was less important than our ability to give something back.

Beyond the great education I received in the classroom, SIFE has allowed me to pick up the communication and teamwork skills that will serve me now that I’ve graduated. As membership coordinator, I wanted to increase membership, but also ensure team members were properly qualified and had their hearts in the right place.

Now that I’ve graduated, I plan on working in public accounting, but would like to eventually teach at a university–to pass on what I’ve learned both at Southeastern and in my work.

To Heal The best graduates stay open to learning. Whether you plan to go straight into the marketplace or attend graduate school, you have the opportunity, after leaving Southeastern, to make a world of difference.

To flex that servant leadership muscle you have developed here.

In his job as a crime reporter for the Columbia Daily Herald in Tennessee, Chris Graham, a 2007 graduate, is exposed to true tragedies in life.Yet because of his Christian education at Southeastern, he knows his job is more than just recording and writing facts. Covering a tornado story, Graham interviewed people whose houses were obliterated and had lost everything. “I just had to tell them that sooner or later things were going to get better,� he says.

Southeastern graduates are committed to making the world a better place. You don’t have to be a missionary preacher or a physician working in a poor part of the world to make a difference.

Though plenty of our graduates have chosen those paths. Some demonstrate a higher calling through ethical business practices.

Others look to teach and demonstrate Christianity in almost any profession. And Southeastern prepares you to deliver your best as both a professional and a person of God.

Lifelong servant

Southeastern is not only preparing professionals, but healers for tomorrow. Jason Vaillancourt, now a pre-med major, knows that his Southeastern experience has helped transform him into the young man he is today–educated, determined, and goal-oriented. After he graduates, he plans on going to dental school. But he also feels a calling beyond simply setting up a successful family practice. He wants to share his faith and expertise worldwide.

But you don’t have to go overseas to help heal the world. As a teacher in a secular setting, you can provide a shining example of Christ’s love in any classroom.You build a business– not out of greed–but based on ethical and biblical principles.You can spread Christianity as a journalist, a scientist, or a psychologist.

And you can get your secular and sacred training at Southeastern.

Some Southeastern alums have gone on to graduate school at: Auburn University Baylor University Columbia University Duke University Emory University Florida State University Harvard University The Juilliard School

“I grew up with a heart for missions,” Jason says. “After I finish school, I really want to do a lot of missions.”

Los Angeles Film School Michigan State University Princeton University Regent University Temple University University of Florida University of Ohio University of South Florida University of Texas Vanderbilt University Wake Forest University Yale University

Desiree Montgomery ’12

Desiree Montgomery received a scholarship from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

She could have attended any university in the country.

But after stepping onto Southeastern University’s campus, she knew she didn’t belong anywhere else.

Growing up in Los Angeles, I survived some pretty tough circumstances.

My mother passed away when I was seven; my father was incarcerated.

After middle school, I moved to Lakeland and grew up in foster care in Florida Baptist Children’s Home.When I visited Southeastern for the first time in high school, I felt at home–and at peace–the moment I stepped on campus.That’s why I’m here now.

Eventually, I plan on returning to inner city Los Angeles to teach history. Even though Southeastern is a Christian university, the program trains us to teach in public schools where the need for educators is so great.We’re learning we can be Christians in a public setting without explicitly mentioning Jesus. It’s just a matter of being there for students and loving them.

On top of all that, I’m really enjoying my college experience.The Southeastern academic programs are amazingly interesting and challenging.We have wonderful professors who hold doctorate degrees and have real experience in their chosen fields.

Because of my professors, I know I’m prepared for grad school, which I hope will be at the University of Southern California.They have a highly regarded urban education program that aligns perfectly with my professional goals.

On the service front, I’ve mentored at a local elementary school and returned to the Baptist Children’s Home to offer high school students a workshop on applying for college and financial aid.

In addition to being the Messiah and the healer, Jesus was also a teacher.

So Christianity and academics go hand in hand. At Southeastern, I’m getting the most out of my education, but I’m also growing spiritually.

And that’s the best combination you can ask for.

our university Southeastern, a university of the Assemblies of God, welcomes students from a variety of denominations. Through graduate and undergraduate degree programs–and on a beautiful Mediterranean-style campus–we offer a vital, Christ-centered education that equips students for a life of world-changing leadership, a variety of professional careers and ministry-related fields.

our campus Think palm trees, orange groves, wide sunsets reflected in sparkling lakes. That’s the setting for our 87-acre campus, where we bask in a semitropical climate with an average annual temperature of 72 degrees.

Since 1946 (11 years after the school’s founding in Alabama), our home has been Lakeland, Florida, a city of about 100,000 located midway between Tampa and Orlando.

our people Men and women who care about Christ and a career come from all over. Southeastern currently enrolls more than 3,000 students representing 48 states and 40 countries. Our most recent entering class included an ethnic minority population of approximately 25 percent.

More than 65 percent of our current faculty hold doctoral degrees in their respective fields.

our daily lives Every academic program at Southeastern includes biblical studies, professors who care about students’ academic and spiritual growth, and a campus full of people committed to Christ. As a freshman, you belong to one of our small, interactive First Year Experience groups, which gives you 8-12 new friends right away and helps you ease into our academic community. Three mornings each week, our community gets a spiritual boost from chapel–a service enlivened by campus choirs and bands, ensemble groups, college musicians, and an interesting range of well-known guest speakers.

our athletics A member new member of theofNAIA the NAIA (National Division Association II, and current of Intercollegiate member of the NCCAA Athletics) andDivision current member I, Southeastern of the NCCAA fields teams (National in men’sChristian and women’sAthletic College basketball, Association), soccer, andSoutheastern cheerleading;fields men’s teams baseball in men’s and golf; and and women’s women’s basketball volleyball and and soccer; tennis. men’s Our golf varsity and baseball; teams–nicknamed and women’s the Fire–have won volleyball, tennis, recent and cheerleading.

NCCAA Division Our varsity II national teams–nicknamed championshipsthe in men’s soccer Fire–have won recent (2006),NCCAA men’s baseball Division (2005, II national 2006, 2007, championships 2008), men’s basketball in men’s soccer (2005,(2006), Final Four men’sinbaseball 2006), men’s (2005,golf 2006, (2007, 2007,for2008), the fifth men’s straight year), basketball (2005, andFinal cheerleading Four in 2006), (2008,men’s 2009).golf (2007, for the fifth straight year), and cheerleading (2008, 2009).

our graduates our graduates Long after commencement, our graduates remain a part of the Long after commencement, Southeastern community. Today, our throughout graduates remain the United a partStates of theand around the world, Southeastern community.

Southeastern Today,graduates throughout arethe living United Christ’s States message and in positionsthe around ofworld, leadership Southeastern as teachers, graduates attorneys, areclergy, living social Christ’s service message andin mental health positions of leadership professionals, as teachers, missionaries, attorneys, musicians, clergy, and socialbusiness servicemen and and women. mental health professionals, missionaries, musicians, and business men and women.

our work in the world ourSoutheastern, At work in the we consider world every kind of work an opportunity to serve At Southeastern, and minister.To help we consider you explore everyyour kindindividual of work an calling opportunity in the context to serve of yourminister. and professional To help goals, you we’ve explore designed your our individual academic calling programs in the so context that each of majorprofessional your field incorporates goals, we’ve a variety designed of career-relevant our academic programs choices for so that student each ministry major field andincorporates communityaservice. varietyThe of career-relevant newest expression choices of this for student commitment ministry and iscommunity our International service.

Studies The newest Programexpression in Jerusalem, of this offering our students a unique commitment is our perspective International on the Studies historical Program background in Jerusalem, of Christianity offering our and its implications students a unique perspective for servant on the leadership historical in background the widerofworld.

Christianity and its implications for servant leadership in the wider world.

our programs

On a yearly academic calendar of two semesters plus summer sessions, Southeastern offers programs of study in the following areas:

College of Arts & Sciences Biology Broadcasting Church Music Communications English English & Intercultural Studies Film Studies History Journalism/Public Relations Mathematics Music (B.A.) Music Business Music Education Music Performance (Instrumental) Music Performance (Piano) Music Performance (Voice) Pre-Medicine/Biology Psychology Social Work Theatre

College of Business & Legal Studies Accounting Criminal Justice Finance International Business Leadership Management Management Information Systems Marketing Pre-Law Public Policy Sports & Recreation Management

College of Christian Ministries & Religion Church Ministries Interdisciplinary Studies Missional Ministries Practical Theology

College of Education

Online Programs

Elementary (K-6) Exceptional Student Education (ESE) Music Education Secondary (Biology, English, Mathematics, Social Sciences)

Army ROTC The Academy Teacher Certification

B.S. Criminal Justice B.S. Elementary Education B.S. Human Services B.S. Leadership B.S. Practical Theology Master of Business Administration (MBA) M.A. Ministerial Leadership M.Ed. Education (Elementary, Educational Leadership, Teaching and Learning) M.A. Human Services

Graduate Programs

Evening & Weekend Programs

M.S. Professional Counseling M.S. School Counseling M.Ed. Education (Elementary, Educational Leadership, Teaching and Learning) M.A. Human Services M.A. Ministerial Leadership Executive M.A. Ministerial Leadership Master of Business Administration (MBA)

B.S. Human Services B.S. Leadership B.S. Practical Theology

Other Programs

Southeastern, a dynamic, Christ-centered university, fosters student success by integrating personal faith and higher learning. Within our loving Pentecostal community, we challenge students to a lifetime of good work. We also prepare them professionally so they can creatively serve their generation in the spirit of Christ.

Gathered in the Spirit.

Equipping for every good work.

A life of preserving, covenant, sharing, seasoning, and healing starts with one call: yours.

If you’ve heard that call, you may be ready to call us.

Southeastern University 800-500-8760 or 863-667-5018 www.seuniversity.edu

You are the salt of the earth.

And the possibility for your future greatness already resides inside you.

Southeastern may just help you discover that better you.

Your commitment to Christ, combined with your calling to higher education, positions you to do better work in this world.

To be that guiding light that makes a Christian difference.

Feeling called? Call Southeastern.

Salt is not what you do. It’s what you are.

-James Robison, evangelist

1000 Longfellow Blvd.

Lakeland, Florida 33801-6034