Education Commons^™

Ouachita Students Named To Fall 2023 President's List, Office Of Communications & Marketing

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Ouachita Baptist University has named more than 425 students to its Fall 2023 President’s List.

To be named to the President’s List, a student must compile a grade point average of 4.0 and be classified as a full-time student, with a minimum of 12 academic hours and no incomplete or failing grade for the semester.

Ouachita Baptist University, a private liberal arts university, is in its 138th year as a Christ-centered learning community and is ranked nationally by U.S. News & World Report. Ouachita continues to break enrollment records, reporting its highest headcount in 57 years during the Fall 2023 …

Dr. Lei Cai Inducted Into The Steinway & Sons Teacher Hall Of Fame, Addie Woods, Office Of Communications & Marketing

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Dr. Lei Cai, professor of piano in the Division of Music in Ouachita Baptist University’s School of Performing Arts, has been inducted into the Steinway & Sons Teacher Hall of Fame. He was recognized during a ceremony held at the historic Steinway piano factory in New York City in October.

“We were absolutely thrilled, but not the least bit surprised, to hear that Dr. Cai was selected for this incredible honor,” said Dr. Caroline Taylor, professor and dean of the School of Performing Arts. “To have a pianist of his caliber on our faculty is truly a blessing.”

Cai was …

Ouachita Recognizes Graduates During Commencement Exercises May 13, Felley Lawson, Office Of Communications & Marketing

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Ouachita Baptist University honored more than 400 students during its 136^th Spring Commencement on Saturday, May 13, on the front lawn of Cone-Bottoms Hall. Graduates earned Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Music Education and Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees, as well as Master of Science degrees, post-baccalaureate certificates for Dietetic Internship and the university’s first Master of Education degrees in curriculum & instruction and Master of Science degrees in nutrition.

Ouachita Senior Rebekah Wendt Presents Research At Acs National Meeting, Addie Woods, Office Of Communications & Marketing

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During the American Chemical Society national meeting, held March 26-30 in Indianapolis, Indiana, Ouachita senior Rebekah Wendt presented findings based on her research using polymers to prepare core-shell nanofibers.

Wendt, a chemistry major from Haworth, Okla., was awarded a Student Undergraduate Research Fellowship by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education in December 2021 to conduct her research. She also presented her findings at the Southwest Regional Meeting of the ACS in Baton Rouge, La., in November.

Ouachita Finance Students Earn National Award For Management Of Ary Student Investment Fund, Addie Woods, Office Of Communications & Marketing

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A team of finance students from Ouachita Baptist University placed second at the annual Quinnipiac Global Asset Management Education Forum held March 30-31 in New York City. Ouachita was awarded second place in the undergraduate core portfolio category for 2022 risk-adjusted return on the group’s management of the Ary Student Investment Fund, a $2 million stock portfolio.

Blum Wins First Place In Student Juried Art Show At Ouachita, Kaelin Clay, Office Of Communications & Marketing

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Ouachita Baptist University sophomore Tori Blum, a studio art major from McKinney, Texas, earned first place in the university’s 2023 Student Juried Art Show. Winners were announced during a reception held on April 26 in Mabee Fine Arts Center’s Hammons Art Gallery to open the show. Sponsored by the Ouachita Art Club, the exhibit features the work of 15 students – including Blum – and will be on display in Hammons Gallery through Oct. 6. It is free and open to the public.

Blum created a ceramics piece titled “Balance” for her Ceramics I course in Fall 2022 and entered …

Naturi Harris And Marcus Mcgahee Receive Ouachita's Annie Abrams Living Legacy Award, Addie Woods, Office Of Communications & Marketing

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Ouachita Baptist University students Naturi Harris and Marcus McGahee have been named the recipients of the 2023 Annie Abrams Living Legacy Award for Black student leaders. They both will receive $2,500.

Established in 2020, the scholarship honors the legacy of civil rights activist and Arkadelphia native Annie Abrams of Little Rock, Ark., and recognizes students who have demonstrated leadership and service within Ouachita’s Multicultural Organization Reaching Equality (MORE), living out the university’s mission to live lives of meaningful work.

Ouachita Student Media Honored Among The Best Locally, Nationally, Felley Lawson, Office Of Communications & Marketing

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Ouachita Baptist University student media have earned 82 awards for excellence, including seven national and 38 state awards for the Ouachitonian yearbook and 37 state awards for the Signal newspaper, Ouachita Sports Digital Network, online media, and television coverage.

The 2022 Ouachitonian was honored with a Pacemaker Award from the Associated Collegiate Press. Announced in March during the ACP National College Media Conference in San Francisco, the Pacemaker is one of the oldest nationwide awards for college journalism. Additionally, the Ouachitonian was awarded the All-American distinction in the ACP’s annual critique service of student publications. Marks of Distinction were earned …

Lane Dunman Named Winner Of Second Annual David Glaze Music Competition, Kaelin Clay, Ouachita News Bureau

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Lane Dunman, a sophomore instrumental music education major from Cash, Ark., won the Second Annual David Glaze Music Competition at Ouachita Baptist University. Held on Thursday, April 27, in McBeth Recital Hall, the competition featured performances from five finalists representing various music disciplines in Ouachita’s School of Fine Arts.

“Of the several performances I’ve been involved in at Ouachita, this is my favorite program of music I’ve prepared,” Dunman said. “I feel that it gave me an opportunity to relax and focus more on musicality and quality of sound – what I think are my two biggest strengths as a …

Madison Melcher Wins $5,000 In Annual Ouachita Business Plan Competition, Addie Woods, Office Of Communications & Marketing

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Ouachita Baptist University’s Hickingbotham School of Business hosted its 13th annual Business Plan Competition in December. Madison Melcher, a senior business administration major from Rockwall, Texas, placed first in the competition with her business plan, Covered by Grace, and received a $5,000 cash prize. Melcher was advised by Johan Eriksson, visiting instructor of business administration and director of entrepreneurship programs.

Megan Foshee Selected For National League For Nursing Leadership Program, Addie Woods, Office Of Communications & Marketing

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Megan Foshee, assistant professor and coordinator of the nursing simulation lab in Ouachita Baptist University’s Department of Nursing, has been selected for the National League for Nursing’s 2023 Leadership Development Program for Simulation Educators. The year-long initiative is part of the NLN Leadership Institute.

The simulation leadership development initiative is designed for experienced nurse educators in the simulation field who want to have a leadership role in simulation.

Foshee is one of 15 education simulationists chosen to participate this year in the program, which cultivates leadership skills in nurse educators who have already gained experience at work in the field. …

Ouachita's Office Of Communications & Marketing Earns National Recognitions, Office Of Communications & Marketing

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Ouachita Baptist University’s Office of Communications & Marketing earned eight national recognitions as part of Baptist Communicators Association’s 59^th annual Wilmer C. Fields Awards Competition; those honors included four first place awards for branding and recruitment materials. The awards were announced April 19 at the organization’s annual meeting at Ridgecrest Conference Center near Asheville, N.C.

“I’m so proud of the team we have in the Office of Communications & Marketing. It’s rare to be able to execute creative elements of this caliber in-house,” said Brooke Zimny, chief marketing officer. “I’m grateful for the skill and dedication our team displays, …

Sherry Kuhn Named Ouachita's Support Staff Member Of The Year, Addie Woods, Ouachita News Bureau

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Sherry Kuhn, senior cash manager and grant specialist in the Office of Business Services at Ouachita Baptist University, has been named the university’s 2022-23 Support Staff Member of the Year. Kuhn was recognized in April by the university’s staff development committee and Dr. Ben Sells, Ouachita president.

She was selected from a group of nominees who demonstrated outstanding performance in their work responsibilities, in supporting the mission of the university and in relating positively to students, coworkers and members of the public.

Dr. Caroline Taylor Named Dean Of Ouachita's School Of Fine Arts, Felley Lawson, Ouachita News Bureau

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Dr. Caroline B. Taylor, professor of music and interim chair of the Division of Music at Ouachita Baptist University, has been named dean of Ouachita’s School of Fine Arts. She will provide leadership starting June 2023 to the school’s divisions of and Applied Arts in pursuing their goal of producing artists and scholars who integrate their intellect and faith with their art, and their art with their worldview.

“I am thrilled to be appointed the next School of Fine Arts dean and excited to be in a position to continue the long-held tradition of excellence the arts have always held …

Ouachita Students Honored For Their Work Published In "Assayers 31", Kaitlyn Stoddard, Kaelin Clay, Ouachita News Bureau

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The Department of Language & Literature in Ouachita Baptist University’s School of Humanities honored nine students for their academic and creative writing featured in “Assayers 31,” the department’s annual academic journal used for instruction in all Composition I classes. The students were recognized during a fall awards ceremony at the Elrod Center for Family & Community.

Ouachita Students Earn State Nats Recognition, Addie Woods, Ouachita News Bureau

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Thirteen students from the Division of Music in Ouachita Baptist University’s School of Fine Arts placed as finalists or semifinalists at the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Arkansas Spring Conference held Feb. 24-25 at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Ark.

With 13 of 15 participants earning recognition, “Ouachita had one of the highest ratios of attendees to finalists in a wide variety of categories,” said Dr. Candice Aipperspach, associate professor of music. “This showcases the excellence sought in the vocal area at Ouachita and the hard work of the students.”

Pierce Wins Ouachita's Virginia Queen Piano Competition, Second Year In A Row, Addie Woods, Ouachita News Bureau

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Andrew Pierce, a sophomore music and biology double major from Benton, Ark., at Ouachita Baptist University, was awarded first place in the 2023 Virginia Queen Piano Competition. Held Friday, Feb. 3, in McBeth Recital Hall, the competition was hosted by the Division of Music in Ouachita’s School of Fine Arts.

Following his first-place win in the 2022 competition, Pierce won a $500 cash prize this year for his performance of Franz Liszt’s “Liebestraum in A-flat Major, S. 541, No. 3” and “Virtuoso Etude No. 4,” based on George Gershwin’s “Embraceable You,” arranged by Earl Wild. Pierce is a student of …

Ouachita Students Win Multiple Awards At Midwest Model United Nations Conference, Addie Woods, Ouachita News Bureau

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Seven students from Ouachita Baptist University’s Department of Political Science participated in the Midwest Model United Nations, held Feb. 22-25 in St. Louis, Mo. Each received recognition for excellence.

Ouachita’s delegates were Caroline Derby, a senior communications & media/multimedia and political science double major from Arkadelphia, Ark.; Katie Henry, a junior political science and history double major from Little Rock, Ark.; Elise Hicks, a senior political science major from Benton, Ark.; Noah Sanders, a senior Christian studies/biblical studies & theology and political science double major from Little Rock, Ark.; Sarah Spakes, a senior political science and public history double major …

Courtney Ragsdell Receives Bsn Young Leadership Award, Kaitlyn Stoddard, Ouachita News Bureau

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Courtney Myers Ragsdell, a senior nursing major at Ouachita Baptist University, received the 2022 Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Young Leadership Award as a part of the “40 Nurse Leaders Under 40” leadership program from the Arkansas Center for Nursing, Inc.

The ACN presents this award to the top five BSN students in the state, recognizing recipients for their commitment to service, dedication and leadership for the advancement of nursing in Arkansas.

Ragsdell, from Kansas City, Mo., received her award in the fall during a ceremony held at the Benton Event Center.

Ouachitonian Yearbook Honored For Excellence By Jostens, Addie Woods, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ouachita Baptist University’s student yearbook the Ouachitonian received a 2022 National Yearbook Program of Excellence award from Jostens Company.

Based in Minneapolis, Minn., Jostens produces college yearbooks nationwide, including the Ouachitonian. The company’s National Yearbook Program of Excellence recognizes engaging yearbooks that reflect a broad representation of the student body. Gold-, silver- or bronze-level distinction is awarded to publications based on criteria achieved in one to three of the following categories: creating an inclusive yearbook, generating school engagement and successfully managing the yearbook creation process.

Awards are presented in spring and fall of each year. Winners of the Fall …

Ouachita Announces Students Named To The Fall 2022 Dean's List, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ouachita Baptist University has named 388 students to its Dean’s List for Fall 2022.

To be named to the Dean’s List, a student must compile a 3.5–3.9 grade point average and be classified as a full-time student, with a minimum of 12 academic hours and no incomplete or failing grade for the semester.

Ouachita Announces Students Named To The Fall 2022 President's List, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ouachita Baptist University has named 382 students to its Fall 2022 President’s List.

To be named to the President’s List, a student must compile a grade point average of 4.0 and be classified as a full-time student, with a minimum of 12 academic hours and no incomplete or failing grade for the semester.

Three Ouachita Seniors Intern For U.S. Sen. John Boozman, Addie Woods, Ouachita News Bureau

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Three students from Ouachita Baptist University completed a five-week congressional internship for U.S. Sen. John Boozman this summer. Noah Sanders, a senior political science and Christian studies double major from Little Rock, Ark., and Sarah Spakes, a senior political science and public history double major from Benton, Ark., interned in Boozman’s Washington, D.C., office while Kathryn Totty, a senior political science and communications & media double major from Camden, Ark., interned in Boozman’s El Dorado office.

New Venture Challenge Raises $4,442 For Entrepreneurship Programs, Missions, Addie Woods, Ouachita News Bureau

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Five teams of students in Ouachita Baptist University’s entrepreneurship program competed to develop and execute an idea to raise money for the program, which is housed in the university’s Frank D. Hickingbotham School of Business. The competition, called the New Venture Challenge, raised $4,442.40, to be directed back into the entrepreneurship program along with helping fund a student-led mission trip to Honduras in the spring.

Ouachita Team Places In Regional Ethics Bowl Competition, Abigail Gaddis, Ouachita News Bureau

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A team of Ouachita Baptist University students earned fifth place in the 25^th Annual Texas Regional Ethics Bowl on Friday, Nov. 12, in San Antonio.

Team members are Carter Bunn, a sophomore political science and history double major from Farmington, Ark.; Trey Nichols, a junior political science major from Cabot, Ark.; Parker Nelson, a sophomore biology major from Alexander, Ark.; Nathan Scolaro, a junior criminal justice major from Mount Pleasant, Texas; and Sarah Titus, a junior biology major from Alexander, Ark. They are coached by Dr. Byron Eubanks, Ouachita professor of philosophy, and Dr. Matt Douglass, assistant professor of …

Ouachita's Ian Cosh Receives Honorary Doctorate From Liverpool Hope University, Kaitlyn Stoddard, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ian Cosh, vice president emeritus for community and international engagement at Ouachita Baptist University, was awarded an honorary Doctor of Education degree from Liverpool (England) Hope University in July 2022 at the university’s graduation ceremony in the United Kingdom.

Dr. Gerald Pillay, vice chancellor and rector of Hope, notified Cosh at the end of the Spring 2021 semester that he was to receive the degree in recognition of his contributions to international education and support of Hope over many years. Cosh said he was “blown away by the honor because it was totally unexpected and one of the greatest honors …

Hartsell Awarded Mid-America Regional Emmy For Battle Of The Ravine Video Essay, Kaitlyn Stoddard, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ouachita Baptist University junior Chase Hartsell was awarded a Regional EMMYⓇ for his video essay about the Ouachita-Henderson State University football rivalry Battle of the Ravine, titled “A November Morn.” The award was presented to him by the Mid-America chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) at the 46th annual Regional EMMYⓇ Gala on Saturday, Oct. 29, at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch in St. Louis, Mo.

According to John Paul, chair of the NATAS Mid-America education committee, the Mid-America chapter honors high school and college students with awards called crystal pillars that …

Hamilton, Hubbard Use Inbre Grant To Bring New Instruments To Ouachita Chemistry Program, Kaitlyn Stoddard, Ouachita News Bureau

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Ouachita Baptist University chemistry instructors Dr. Sharon Hamilton and Dr. Sara Hubbard were awarded a $14,135 small instrument grant by the Arkansas IdeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE), which they used to purchase a spectrophotometer and a fluorometer for use by students in Ouachita’s Department of Chemistry. The grant was made possible by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences in the National Institutes of Health.

Hubbard, associate professor and Nell I. Mondy Chair of Chemistry, and Hamilton, associate professor of chemistry, were notified of their award in January. They collaborated with Dr. Christen Pruett and Dr. Ruth Plymale, …

From The "Ouachitonian": Allie Bailey, Addie Woods, Ouachita News Bureau

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The Ouachita Baptist University Elrod Center has provided many opportunities for students to get involved with various programs to serve the Arkadelphia community along with students and professors alike on campus. In particular, ElderServe allowed students to be paired with an elderly couple or elder and visit them, bring them food or write them letters.

From The "Ouachitonian": Caroline Derby, Madi Darr, Ouachita News Bureau

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Growing up in Arkadelphia and serving as Miss OBU has given Caroline Derby the opportunity of a lifetime. A junior communications & media/multimedia and political science double major, Derby has grown up dreaming about being a student at Ouachita. Derby has seen Ouachita from many different perspectives including coach’s daughter, faculty and staff daughter and student leader, as well as Miss Ouachita Baptist University.