Education Commons^™

Georgia Hickingbotham Remembered For Generous Investment In Ouachita Students, Felley Lawson, Office Of Communications & Marketing

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Having a residential campus helps give Ouachita Baptist University its uniqueness. And Georgia Hickingbotham was a friend of Ouachita who helped give residence living its heart.

Hickingbotham, who died Dec. 7 at 89, is well known for her successful business career. She was one of the first women in Arkansas elected to serve as an officer in a bank and was a co-founder of TCBY, which became the largest frozen yogurt chain in the world.

At Ouachita, “Mrs. Georgia” is also remembered for her generous personal investment in women students that began in 2013 when her husband of nearly 50 …

Dr. Kathy Collins Remembered For Investing In Students, Felley Lawson, Office Of Communications & Marketing

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Dr. Kathy Collins, associate professor and chair of the Department of Education at Ouachita Baptist University, died Sunday, Nov. 5. She was 69. Known as an educator who regarded teaching as a calling, Collins prioritized experiential learning and invested personally in her students to offer them the best preparation for careers in the classroom.

Ouachita To Begin Construction On Track & Field Complex, Felley Lawson, Office Of Communications & Marketing

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Ouachita Baptist University will begin construction on an NCAA-compliant track & field complex to serve as a home venue for its thriving cross country and track & field teams. Scheduled to be completed by Summer 2024, the complex will occupy land on the north side of campus adjacent to the cross country course and along the Ouachita River.

Ouachita's Elrod Center Hosts 53rd Tiger Serve Day, Rachel Dunnam

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Ouachita Baptist University’s Ben M. Elrod Center for Family & Community held its 53^rd Tiger Serve Day on Saturday, Sept. 23. More than 800 Ouachita students, faculty and staff completed 83 projects at area homes, non-profits, churches and designated trash pickup sites across Arkadelphia and DeGray Lake.

“Tiger Serve Day is a wonderful opportunity for our campus to connect with the community and love them well,” said Duvall. “I am so proud to be part of a university that places such a huge value on service.”

Volunteers gathered at 8:30 a.m. at the Elrod Center to prepare for the …

Ouachita's Dr. Johnny Wink To Be Honored For 50 Years Of Service, Addie Woods, Office Of Communications & Marketing

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The Department of Language & Literature at Ouachita Baptist University will honor Dr. Johnny Wink, Betty Burton Peck Professor of English, during a campus reception on Tuesday, Sept. 19, from 6:30-8 p.m. in McClellan Hall’s Green-Blevins Rotunda. Open to the public, the party will begin with a brief ceremony to be followed by an informal gathering celebrating Wink’s 50 years on the Ouachita faculty.

Special Delivery, Saba Esho, Office Of Communications & Marketing

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It was my senior year of high school in Erbil, Iraq, and at this point in my college application journey, I had already decided I was going to go with Ouachita as my school of choice. After all, the staff seemed friendly from our WhatsApp calls, I had a great scholarship and, based on what I could tell from my computer screen, it seemed like a decent school.

What I did not know from my online research was how Ouachita would go above and beyond my expectations and make possible what I believed to be impossible.

Ouachita Baptist University's Elrod Center Hosts 52nd Tiger Serve Day, Coleman Callan, Ouachita News Bureau

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The Ben M. Elrod Center for Family & Community at Ouachita Baptist University held its 52^nd Tiger Serve Day on Saturday, April 1. More than 600 Ouachita students, faculty and staff divided into 87 teams to complete 89 service projects at homes, non-profit organizations and churches in the Arkadelphia area.

“Tiger Serve Day is a particularly humbling experience for those who serve. It is a huge part of the Ouachita tradition, and I am so glad to be a part of the team that puts the day together,” said Allie Graves, a junior community and family services major from …

More Than 760 Ouachita Volunteers Mobilize For 51st Tiger Serve Day, Julie Shands, Ouachita News Bureau

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The Ben M. Elrod Center for Family and Community at Ouachita Baptist University held its 51st Tiger Serve Day on Saturday, Sept. 24, with 763 Ouachita students, faculty and staff completing 74 projects at area homes, non-profit organizations and designated trash pickup sites across Arkadelphia. Volunteers represented this semester’s theme, “PurposeTSD.”

“This theme encompasses so much of the day and all that goes into it,” said Judy Duvall, Elrod Center director. “There is purpose in the practical work that is done throughout our community, in the community that is formed as teams serve together and in the relationships that are …

Ouachita's Elrod Center Hosts 50th Tiger Serve Day, Mackenzie Hall, Ouachita News Bureau

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The Ben M. Elrod Center for Family and Community at Ouachita Baptist University held its 50^th Tiger Serve Day on Saturday, April 2, when more than 730 Ouachita students, faculty and staff gathered to complete 91 service projects at homes, nonprofits and churches across Arkadelphia.

“One of my favorite things about Tiger Serve Day is the relational aspect of it. You might think our teams are in and out one day during the semester without further contact with our projects. In reality, we go to the same homes, nonprofits and organizations every semester,” said Leigh Anne McKinney, associate director …

Cornerstone Fund Stories: Gregory Bryant, Ouachita News Bureau

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Gregory Bryant spent a lot of time at Ouachita as a high school student, visiting his older sister Sarah Ashley Bryant Rutherford ’19. He discovered early on that there was more “family” than he could have possibly imagined waiting to welcome him to campus.

Ouachita Gives $50,000 To Arkadelphia Mlk Park Project, Felley Lawson, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ouachita Baptist University has made a $50,000 pledge to help fund construction of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Park in Arkadelphia, the first organizational contribution to the project.

The MLK Memorial Park Committee is led by honorary co-chairs and Ouachita alumni Fitzgerald Hill and Mitch Bettis, both natives of Arkadelphia. They are seeking to raise $2.5 million through grass-roots community efforts to develop the park in King’s memory.

“Ouachita has been a part of the Arkadelphia since our founding in 1886, and this is an important investment in our community and our shared future,” said Dr. Ben Sells, Ouachita …

Ouachita Receives Part Of $6.1 Million Grant Establishing Institute Focused On Virus Research, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ouachita Baptist University is one of five partner institutions benefiting from a $6.1 million grant from the National Science Foundation to fund the study of viruses and viral ecology. The University of Arkansas leads the effort.

The grant will establish a Host-Virus Evolutionary Dynamics Institute (HVEDI) at UA with an HVEDI hub site at Ouachita. Nathan Reyna, associate professor of biology, serves as a co-principal investigator on the primary award and as the lead on the sub-award to Ouachita. Ruth Plymale, associate professor of biology and holder of the J.D. Patterson Chair of Biology at Ouachita, serves as campus lead …

Ouachita Honors 364 Graduates During 134th Commencement, Rachel Gaddis, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ouachita Baptist University celebrated 364 graduates from the class of 2021 during its 134^th Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 8. University officials conferred Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Music Education and Associate of Arts degrees, with seven students receiving Ouachita’s first ever post-baccalaureate certificates for dietetic internship.

The ceremony was held outdoors at Cliff Harris Stadium on Ouachita’s campus, with Dr. Ben Sells, Ouachita president, presiding over the commencement exercises. The ceremony also was livestreamed at www.livestream.com/obu for those unable to attend.

Ouachita's Annual Elrod Center Service Awards Ceremony Honors Ian Cosh And Student Volunteers, Mandy Halbert, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ouachita Baptist University’s Ben M. Elrod Center for Family and Community held its annual community service awards ceremony on Tuesday, April 13, recognizing the service efforts of university students, faculty and staff during the 2020-2021 academic year. Ian Cosh, vice president for community and international engagement, also was honored for his more than 33 years of service to Ouachita and the Elrod Center.

Cosh received the Community Service Excellence Award in recognition for serving as director for the Elrod Center since its founding in 1997. He will retire this summer from his position at Ouachita.

Ouachita's Tiger Serve Day To Be Held Saturday, April 10, Claire Phillips, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ouachita Baptist University’s Elrod Center for Family and Community is gearing up to host Tiger Serve Day, a semi-annual community service blitz by members of the university community. This semester’s event, which will take place Saturday, April 10, is “Hands of Hope.”

Hamilton Awarded $20,000 Arkansas Inbre Grant To Purchase Lyophilizer, Enhance Ouachita's School Of Natural Science Laboratories, Madison Cresswell, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ouachita Baptist University’s Dr. Sharon Hamilton, assistant professor of chemistry, has been awarded $20,000 in funding by Arkansas IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) to purchase a lyophilizer freeze-dryer, an instrument used to remove aqueous solvents in industry and research. The instrument will be used to enhance both course-based undergraduate research and independent research projects in Ouachita’s Patterson School of Natural Sciences as well as Henderson State University’s Ellis College of Arts and Sciences.

Ouachita Sports Digital Network Airs First Broadcasts From New Production Trailer, Abby Turner, Ouachita News Bureau

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A team of nine Ouachita Baptist University students in the Ouachita Sports Digital Network (OSDN) recorded and produced their first series of broadcasts the weekend of Jan. 23-24 from a new production trailer, providing coverage of Tiger swimming and basketball events to fans after a 10-month pause on Ouachita and overall NCAA Division II athletic events due to COVID-19.

OSDN launched in 2020 in response to growth and interest in the sports media emphasis within Ouachita’s communications & media major, and as a way to give students hands-on, immersive experience while still in school. This semester, the OSDN team includes …

Cross Brandon Named Winner Of Ouachita's 2020 Mcbeth Concerto Competition, Rachel Gaddis

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Ouachita Baptist University’s Cross Brandon was named the winner of the 2020 W. Francis and Mary McBeth Wind and Percussion Concerto Competition on Nov. 20. Because the event was limited to the Ouachita community due to COVID-19, the event can be viewed at livestream.com/obu.

Brandon is a junior music industry major from Little Rock, Ark. He received a $500 award for his saxophone performance of “Rhapsody for Baritone Saxophone and Piano” by M. Watters. He also has been invited to perform with the Ouachita Wind Ensemble in Spring 2020.

Memorial Gift Honors Ouachita Student Charlee Morrison, Invests In Cancer Research At Ouachita, Rachel Moreno, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ouachita Baptist University has received a gift from Russell and Patti Morrison in memory of their daughter, Charlee Morrison, a former Ouachita student who passed away in 2000 during her senior year at Ouachita. The gift will be used to enhance Ouachita’s first undergraduate research laboratory dedicated to cancer cell biology.

Last month marked the 20^th anniversary of Morrison’s passing. Originally from Benton, Ark., she battled cancer from the young age of 13 and passed away due to complications on Oct. 30, 2000, in Little Rock. Morrison was a sociology major, a member of Tri Chi women’s social club …

Hamilton Awarded $297,000 Arkansas Idea Networks Of Biomedical Research Excellence Grant, Mandy Halbert, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ouachita Baptist University’s Dr. Sharon Hamilton, assistant professor of chemistry, has been awarded $297,431 in funding over the next two and a half years by the Arkansas IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) to support her research of incorporating proteins into novel modern wound dressings. Hamilton, who joined the Ouachita faculty in 2018, is working in collaboration with Dr. Suresh Thallapuranam, chair of bioinformatics research and professor at the University of Arkansas.

Hamilton’s research with Thallapuranam aims to accelerate the wound healing process by exploring the cellular responses to fiber mats and its release of larger molecules that aid …

Ouachita To Present One Act Play Festival For On-Campus Audiences Nov. 19-20, Meagan A. Woodard, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ouachita Baptist University’s Department of Theatre Arts will present its biannual, student directed One Act Play Festival on Thursday, Nov. 19, and Friday, Nov. 20, at 7:30 p.m. in Verser Theatre. Due to health guidelines, limited seating is available only to Ouachita students, faculty and staff. Tickets are free and available at www.obu.edu/boxoffice.

The One Act Play Festival features a variety of plays entirely produced by students for their end-of-semester project in Ouachita’s senior directing class. The performances highlight what students have learned in the course and in their years at Ouachita.

Ouachita To Host "Unseen Imprints" Exhibit By Guest Artist Trinity Kai Through Dec. 11, Jessica Daniell, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ouachita Baptist University’s Rosemary Adams Department of Visual Arts will host “Unseen Imprints,” an exhibit by guest artist Trinity Kai, beginning Monday, Nov. 2. The exhibit will be displayed in the Rosemary Gossett Adams Gallery on the first floor of Moses-Provine Hall through December 11 and is free and open to the public.

According to Kai’s show statement, “Unseen Imprints” is “a collection of works that examine the emotional impact that humans leave on one another.” The exhibit includes self-portraiture, written language and materiality to express the personal experiences that have shaped the artist, particularly her experiences as a person …

Ouachita To Host Guest Percussionist Caitlin Jones In Recital Featuring World Premiere Oct. 28, Madison Cresswell, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ouachita Baptist University’s Division of Music will host percussionist Caitlin Jones in a solo guest artist recital on Wed., Oct. 28, at 8 p.m. in Ouachita’s McBeth Recital Hall in Mabee Fine Arts Center. Seating in the hall is limited to current students, faculty and staff due to COVID-19, but the performance also will be available at www.livestream.com/obu.

Ouachita Department Of Theatre Arts To Present "Hay Fever" Nov. 4-8, Madeline Martin, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ouachita Baptist University’s Department of Theatre Arts will present its fall production, “Hay Fever,” beginning Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 7:30 p.m. in Verser Theatre. Performances will continue Nov. 5-7 at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee performance on Sunday, Nov. 8, at 2:30 p.m. Due to COVID-19, seating is limited to Ouachita students, faculty and staff, but a ticketed livestreaming option will be available at www.obu.edu/boxoffice.

Written by Noel Coward, “Hay Fever” is a three-act comedy set in 1920s London. The plot focuses on the self-centered Bliss family, whose eccentricity becomes apparent when each member invites a guest for the …

Ouachita's Fall Concerts And Theatre Productions Available Online, Jessica Daniell, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ouachita Baptist University’s School of Fine Arts has made adjustments to its fall concert and theatre season to both allow students to continue their performance education and allow viewers to experience their art safely amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

With reduced seating available to allow for physical distancing, in-person attendance for many events will be limited to Ouachita students, faculty and staff only. However, streaming options will be available for most events for off-campus patrons or those who prefer the virtual option. Some events will be streamed live for free via Ouachita’s typical Livestream channel: www.livestream.com/obu. Others will require paid …

Dixon, Salmon, Steward To Present Senior Graphic Design Exhibits Through Oct. 23, Mandy Halbert, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ouachita Baptist University’s School of Fine Arts will host the senior exhibits of Samantha Dixon, Josh Salmon and Mackenzie Stewart beginning Monday, Oct. 12, through Friday, Oct. 23, in the Rosemary Gossett Adams Gallery on the second floor of Moses-Provine Hall. While the artists will forgo receptions and gallery talks due to COVID-19, the exhibits are free and open to the public for viewing.

Jones Wins First Place In Ouachita's Student Juried Art Show, Mallory Morris, Ouachita News Bureau

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At the start of September, Ouachita Baptist University’s Rosemary Adams Department of Visual Arts announced Sollie Jones, a 2020 communications & media/film studies graduate from Livingston, Texas, as the winner of its annual Student Juried Art Show. The exhibit featured an array of art pieces created by students across campus.

Jones received first place for her charcoal sketch “Comfy Travels;” Dr. Jennifer Fayard, associate professor of psychology, received second place for her ceramic piece “Recovery;” and Sabaoot Esho, a sophomore graphic design major from Erbil, Iraq, received third place for her colored pencil drawing “Lenses.”

Ouachita's Riley-Hickingbotham Library Receives Copy Of Arkansas' Porter Fund Literary Prize Collection, Mandy Halbert, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ouachita Baptist University’s Riley-Hickingbotham Library is among five Arkansas universities, as well as only one of two private libraries, chosen to receive a copy of the Porter Fund Collection, a curation of works by award-winning Arkansas writers. The collection will be available for Ouachita students, faculty and staff to read virtually, and an exhibition is to be held in the spring of 2021.

The Porter Fund Collection is the curation of works by Arkansas writers who have received the Porter Fund Literary Prize, an award presented annually to a native writer or poet who has accomplished a substantial and impressive …

Ouachita's Elrod Center Receives Celebrate Literacy Award By Arkansas Literacy Association, Mandy Halbert, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ouachita Baptist University’s Elrod Center for Family and Community received the Arkansas Literacy Association’s (ALA) Celebrate Literacy Award this summer for its America Reads/America Counts, Peake Partnership and Homeschool/After-School tutoring programs in Arkadelphia. Leigh Anne McKinney, assistant director of the Elrod Center, attended a virtual ceremony in July hosted by the ALA Council Leadership Institute to accept the award.

Thirty-Two Ouachita Students Named To Who's Who, Ashly Stracener, Madison Cresswell, Ouachita News Bureau, Justin Trostle

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Thirty-two students from Ouachita Baptist University will be included in the latest edition of Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. The students were chosen by Ouachita’s faculty, staff and the 2020 senior class based on their academic performance, leadership in extracurricular activities, community service and potential for success.