Community members are invited to join students, faculty, and staff on January 30, 2024, from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, as Southwestern proudly hosts its inaugural Founders Day Celebration. This event is dedicated to narrating the rich tapestry of the university’s beginning, past, present, and future. 

Embarking on a mission for God requires faith and dedication and is accelerated by a community united in purpose. For Southwestern Adventist University, the journey began in 1893 when a resolution by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists passed supporting the establishment of a Seventh-day Adventist school in Texas. Soon after, on January 7, 1894, Keene Industrial Academy officially opened its doors.

The Founders Day Celebration promises a unique experience, beginning at the Keene Seventh-day Adventist Church at 1:00 pm. President Ana Patterson will share a message with guests focusing on the mission, heritage, and future of the university. Following the assembly, guests are invited to visit three locations on campus at their leisure, where stories and displays will be shared on the founding and heritage, the present atmosphere on campus, and exciting initiatives that will shape the university in the near future. Refreshments will be offered in each location, encouraging a time to mingle and share with one another.

Learn about Southwestern's roots by exploring the historic Hopps Museum. Guest speakers will tell the story of what happened 130 years ago in the sleepy town of Keene, Texas.
The Meadows Gallery at the Chan Shun Library will serve as the backdrop for insights into the university's past. Here, guests will, for the first time, view the brand-new Southwestern Adventist University timeline. A visual display of key dates, notable milestones, historic developments, and much more.

A visit to The Larry R. Moore Nursing and Administration Building, Southwestern's newest addition, will feature displays of current programs and initiatives. These presentations will engage guests by helping them understand the current campus climate, and projects underway, as well as a peek into our path forward and the opportunities that lie ahead. 

At the helm of this exciting new annual tradition is Alumni Director Rosy Arizaga, Class of ‘97. Reflecting on the event's significance, Rosy remarked, "It is amazing to understand that our church’s priority, being formed just 30 years earlier, was a focus on education. Our church pioneers placed education as a pillar of their foundation, and we, Southwestern, were at the start of it all!”

Southwestern is excited to celebrate this new tradition. By sharing its past and present, the university charts a course into the future, with God's path defining the steps. The Founders Day Celebration is not just a reflection; it's a moment to appreciate the countless blessings God has given SWAU and the many more still to come. 

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Southwestern Adventist University is committed to offering high-quality education in a vibrant, faith-based campus community in Keene, Texas. SWAU offers opportunities to thrive and succeed while making lifelong connections. Learn more about how to attend SWAU at swau.edu/enrollment or email enroll@swau.edu.