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Southwestern Adventist University (SWAU) was proud to sponsor Dino Night at the Ballpark with the Cleburne Railroaders on Sunday, August 10, 2025. The family-friendly event blended baseball with educational exhibits, creating a unique evening for residents and visitors.
 
SWAU hosted a booth at the entrance of La Moderna Field, where guests could explore real dinosaur bones and fossil casts from the SWAU Dinosaur Science Museum. Attendees also received dinosaur masks, and a life-size replica of a T. rex skeleton was on display, providing a popular photo opportunity.
 
To mark the special occasion, the Railroaders wore custom jerseys featuring SWAU’s logo, which were later made available for purchase by fans. Proceeds supported both the team and the university.
 
“Events like this show the power of community partnerships,” said George Vander Veer, Vice President for Advancement at SWAU. “We’re always looking for ways to share the hands-on learning experiences SWAU offers, and we’re proud to support events that strengthen our ties with the local community.” 
 
The evening was a successful collaboration between SWAU and the Cleburne Railroaders, highlighting the value of local partnerships that promote both education and community involvement.

What if students could step into the world of university life before the first day of class? What if they could experience the challenges and joys of living on campus, earning college credits, and building friendships long before they even set foot in a lecture hall? This was the vision behind the STEP Program, and the first year was nothing short of a success.

In May 2025, a group of Southwestern Adventist University students, guided by biology professor Arthur Schwarz, traveled to Hawaii to study the islands’ unique biodiversity. The goal of the trip was to explore how species arrived and adapted to Hawaii’s isolated environment—a subject the students had previously studied in the classroom.
As one of the most remote island chains in the world, Hawaii offers a natural laboratory for studying endemic species—those found nowhere else—as well as the challenges posed by invasive ones. The Hawaiian Islands, formed by volcanic activity, support ecosystems that are both diverse and delicately balanced. 
The students’ primary mission was to examine how these species—descended from small groups of organisms that first arrived on the islands, known as founder populations—managed to survive and adapt in such an isolated environment. By observing a variety of species, students noted the unique adaptations that helped them thrive in Hawaii’s diverse habitats.
In addition to studying native and invasive species, the students explored local conservation efforts, gaining insight into both the successes and ongoing challenges of preserving Hawaii’s endemic life. Their itinerary included the Big Island (Hawaii) and Kauai. The Big Island, shaped by recent volcanic activity, stands in contrast to older, more eroded Kauai, offering students a broad perspective on the islands’ ecological diversity.
Hawaii’s geographic isolation makes it an ideal location for studying how species evolve without outside influence. The students applied their classroom knowledge in the field—exploring habitats, identifying species and observing firsthand how the environment influences biodiversity. Schwarz emphasized the importance of learning species identification in the field, noting that it deepens students’ understanding of ecological relationships.
Beyond the scientific insights, the trip was eye-opening for many students, some of whom had limited travel experience. Hawaii’s unique flora, fauna and cultural history offered a fresh perspective on the interconnectedness of life. The experience echoed the biblical calling found in Genesis 1:26-28 that humans are called to care for creation.
Schwarz has led this trip since 2019, offering students hands-on experiences in one of the world’s most biodiverse regions. The addition of Kauai to the itinerary in 2021 expanded the learning opportunity, providing a richer understanding of varied island ecosystems. Looking ahead, Schwarz plans to continue broadening the experience, exposing students to as many unique habitats as possible.
From snorkeling in coral reefs to hiking around volcanic craters, the Hawaii trip was unforgettable. The students left with a deeper appreciation not only for Hawaii’s biodiversity but also for the importance of conservation. As one student put it, “This trip opened my eyes to how important it is to protect the ecosystems we study. It’s one thing to learn about them in a textbook, but experiencing it firsthand makes all the difference.”

Southwestern Adventist University was proud to support and celebrate the incredible educators of the Texas Conference during the 2025 Refresh & Renew Educators' & Families Retreat at Kalahari Resorts & Convention in Round Rock, TX. It was a special time for teachers and their families to recharge, reflect, and reconnect before the new school year.