Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

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.

Ouachita Student Foundation To Host Tiger Tunes Rewind Livestream Event Oct. 3, Rachel Moreno, Ouachita News Bureau

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The Ouachita Student Foundation has announced that it will livestream Tiger Tunes, its annual fundraising event for student scholarships, with the theme “Tunes REWIND” on Saturday, Oct. 3. The decision to move the event to a virtual format comes in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are focusing on doing everything possible to protect the health and safety of our students and any guests who come to campus,” said Jon Merryman, director of alumni relations and the Ouachita Student Foundation.

“Tiger Tunes is such an important part of the Ouachita culture,” said Brady Barton, a senior political science and …

Ouachita Hires Shepherd In Full-Time Role To Support Students, Faculty And Staff Of Color, Brooke Zimny, Ouachita News Bureau

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Dr. Ben Sells, president of Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, announced today that Dr. Lewis Shepherd, Jr., will join the school’s executive leadership team as special assistant to the president.

Ouachita Faculty Team Selected For National Disability Inclusion Grant, Rachel Gaddis, Ouachita News Bureau

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A team of Ouachita Baptist University faculty members has been selected as a recipient of the Accelerating Disability Inclusion Community-Based Micro-Grant by the National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability’s (NCHPAD) Inclusion: Community Micro-Grant Program. Ouachita is one of seven community-based organizations from around the country to be awarded the micro-grant.

According to the NCHPAD website, recipients of the program’s Accelerating Disability Inclusion Community-Based Micro-Grant are charged with creating or advancing disability inclusion efforts – in programs, policy, systems or environments – through an innovative, community-based project.

Ouachita Recognizes 296 Graduates In Class Of 2020, Displays Ceremonial Banners On Original Commencement Date, Rachel Gaddis, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ouachita Baptist University has recognized 296 students in its 133^rd graduating class, which earned Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Music Education and Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees.

Ouachita’s May 2020, December 2019 and August 2019 graduates, whose May 9 commencement ceremony was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as forthcoming August 2020 graduates, have been invited to return to campus for a commencement ceremony on Oct. 10, 2020. Ouachita honored graduates on the original commencement date by hanging its purple, ceremonial banners on the front of Cone-Bottoms Hall.

This year’s graduating …

Ouachita Establishes Annie Abrams Living Legacy Award For Black Students, Tyrese Allen And Dayja James Named First Recipients, Rachel Gaddis

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Ouachita Baptist University has established the Annie Abrams Living Legacy Award, a new scholarship to recognize black students. Tyrese Allen of Savannah, Ga., and Dayja James of McGehee, Ark., have been selected as the scholarship’s first recipients and each will receive $2,500. A matching gift is in place to endow the scholarship, allowing it to be awarded annually for years to come.

Ouachita Waiving Test Score Requirement For Fall 2021 Applicants, Rachel Moreno, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ouachita Baptist University is waiving its usual admissions requirements for ACT and SAT standardized test scores for the 2020-2021 recruitment cycle. This will apply to students enrolling as freshmen for the fall 2021 semester.

Ouachita's 2018-2019 Yearbook Named Pacemaker Finalist By Associated Collegiate Press, Rachel Gaddis, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ouachita Baptist University’s Ouachitonian yearbook has been named a Pacemaker Finalist by the Associated Collegiate Press (ACP) for its 2018-2019 edition, “Untold.” The Ouachitonian is one of seven finalists from around the country to be eligible for the Pacemaker Award, which will be announced in October.

Ouachita To Adjust Schedule For Fall 2020, Brooke Zimny, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ouachita Baptist University President Ben Sells announced yesterday in an email to students, faculty and staff that the university will begin classes on campus for the 2020-21 fall semester on Aug. 17, eight days earlier than originally scheduled.

Ouachita Honors Student Achievements In 2020 Virtual Academic Awards, Rachel Moreno, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ouachita Baptist University recently recognized students for outstanding academic, leadership and civic achievements during the 2019-2020 academic year with its annual Academic Awards honors.

Ouachita Students Receive Seven National Awards In Columbia Scholastic Press Association Yearbook Competition, Gabrielle Davis, Ouachita News Bureau

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– Ouachita Baptist University students recently were awarded seven Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) Gold Circle awards for their work on the Ouachitonian yearbook’s 2018-2019 edition, “Untold.” The CSPA’s 37^th Gold Circle awards attracted more than 5,700 yearbook and digital media entries from student yearbooks and digital publications at colleges, universities and secondary schools in the United States and abroad, with a total of 656 winning entries.

Ouachita Students Earn Three Of Seven Top Awards In 2020 Arkansas College Media Association Competition, Jessica Daniell, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ouachita Baptist University students earned 36 awards at the recent Arkansas College Media Association (ACMA) conference, three of which were awards in General Excellence for Yearbook of the Year, Yearbook Editor of the Year and Website Editor of the Year.

Laurie Huneycutt Named Ouachita’S Support Staff Member Of The Year, Michael Burge, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ouachita Baptist University recently named Laurie Huneycutt, administrative assistant to the dean in the School of Fine Arts, as the 2019-2020 Support Staff Member of the Year. Huneycutt has served the School of Fine Arts for 25 years.

Ouachita Plans To Resume On-Campus Classes For Fall 2020, Rachel Moreno, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ouachita Baptist University President Ben Sells announced yesterday in an email to students, faculty and staff that the university plans to resume on-campus classes and residential life for fall 2020.

Ouachita Wins Grand Prize And Other Recognitions At Baptist Communicators Association Awards, Rachel Moreno, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ouachita Baptist University’s Office of Communications and Marketing won a grand prize award as well as seven other awards in various categories at the Baptist Communicators Association’s (BCA) 2020 W.C. Fields Awards. Ouachita’s grand prize was one of seven total grand prizes awarded, one for each overall division within the competition.

Ouachita Team Wins Two First Place Prizes And $30,000 In Arkansas Governor’S Cup Business Plan Competition, Katie Kemp, Ouachita News Bureau

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Four Ouachita Baptist University seniors earned the top awards for undergraduates in the 20^th annual Arkansas Governor’s Cup Collegiate Business Plan Competition for their plan, ImmunoSense. Ouachita seniors Olivia Brown, Savannah Edwards, Brandon Matros and Sheldon McCown and their faculty advisor, Dr. Blake Johnson, won first place in the overall undergraduate division as well as the undergraduate innovation award.

Ouachita Appoints Alumnus Larry Grayson As Chair Of The Department Of Worship Arts, Rachel Moreno, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ouachita Baptist University’s School of Fine Arts has appointed alumnus Larry Grayson as chair of the Department of Worship Arts and instructor of music. Originally from Camden, Ark., Grayson previously served 10 years as music and worship consultant for the Arkansas Baptist State Convention (ABSC) in Little Rock, Ark.

Ouachita Students Earn Nine Finalist Honors In State Nats Competition, Madison Cresswell, Ouachita News Bureau

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Seven Ouachita Baptist University music students earned nine finalist honors at the 2020 National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) competition. Over 170 students from colleges throughout Arkansas competed for a place in the final round of auditions, which were held at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark., earlier this semester. Of those competing, 25 Ouachita students earned finalist or semifinalist honors.

The competition is judged by member teachers of the Arkansas Chapter of NATS. They evaluate the technical proficiency, interpretive skill and overall artistry of each singer and provide written critiques and feedback. Following the preliminary round, students …