Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

A Second Chance To Dance After Life-Threatening Meningitis, Mark D. Weinstein

News Releases

When Cedarville University sophomore Hannah Bradley walked out on stage as the lead character in “Anne of Green Gables” this fall, it was a stark reminder that just a few years ago, she couldn’t even walk.

Turning From Fear To Hope, Brooke Zimny, Office Of Communications & Marketing

Press Releases

I had a front-row seat to Ouachita’s approach to pandemic planning as a member of several administrative groups on campus. I remember feeling fear, anxiety and discouragement starting in March 2020 at the challenge ahead of and all around us. Perseverance, optimism and grit were displayed in abundance, but still a strange cloud hung over the year for me, knowing how it compared to typical years not only on campus but also personally. We were adapting as well as we could, but everything was different about how we were experiencing the world.

One of my roles this academic year was …

Feed Arkadelphia Seeks To Address Hunger, Reduce Waste, Reach Hearts, Mandy Halbert, Office Of Communications & Marketing

Press Releases

As a senior in high school, Reanna Johnson first realized her passion for ending hunger through her volunteer work with a local food pantry. After getting plugged in to Ouachita’s Elrod Center for Family and Community freshman year and gaining support across campus, she knew she wanted to build a way to make a tangible impact in Arkadelphia.

Now a rising senior at Ouachita, she has created Feed Arkadelphia, a program similar to Meals on Wheels that partners with Ouachita’s food service provider, Sodexo, to redistribute Ouachita’s unused cafeteria food to families in need in the Arkadelphia community.

Equipping Leaders (Worship Arts Program Combines Hands-On Music Experience With Theological Training), Rachel Gaddis, Office Of Communications & Marketing

Press Releases

With its strong history of producing worship leaders who serve in well-known churches in Arkansas, Texas and beyond, Ouachita’s School of Fine Arts has been on the radar of local churches for decades. And as the ministry of worship continues to change, the preparation Ouachita offers also is shifting to equip rising worship leaders.

“Being proficient in music is not enough,” said Larry Grayson, chair of the Department of Worship Arts and instructor of music. “You have to be good at it, but it’s not enough. Students have to be willing to be equipped for ministry. It is crucial for …

The Johnson Family (A Ouachita Legacy From A Parent's Perspective), Jon Merryman, Office Of Communications & Marketing

Press Releases

When you think of Tigers for Life, the Johnson family may have set a record – six Ouachita graduates in eight years, and one more headed for the stage in 2023. The Johnson family legacy began with Sally (Sullivan) Johnson, a 1954 graduate, and the Ouachita connections continued in the next generation. Sally’s son, Jerry G. Johnson, didn’t attend Ouachita but came to know the institution through his work and friendship with Ouachita alumnus and benefactor Frank Hickingbotham. Neither Sally nor Jerry could have guessed that all seven of Jerry’s children would one day call Ouachita home.

Jerry and his …

Hope By Way Of Lament, Doug Nykolaishen

Press Releases

“Back to normal.” Since the middle of last March, those words have felt like an impossible dream. As illness disrupted life for many and restrictions disrupted life for all, we longed for things to just be the way they used to be.

Now the widespread distribution of effective vaccines has encouraged many to hope that life may indeed be on its way back to something much closer to what we previously knew. Our natural desire is to get on with what’s good as quickly as we can. But in our haste to get to “a better world,” it’s worthwhile noticing …

Rachel (Waggener) Pool ('07) (Associate Professor Of Education), Jon Merryman, Office Of Communications & Marketing

Press Releases

When Dr. Rachel Pool stepped onto Ouachita’s campus for Super Summer in high school, she fell in love. Not with a boy from another Arkansas town – she was in love with Ouachita.

“I was looking for a small, Christ-centered university where I could make quality Christian friendships, and I found that at Ouachita,” Pool said.

After graduation, Pool moved back to her hometown of West Memphis to teach high school algebra and later taught at McNair Middle School in Fayetteville, Ark., and Benton Junior High School in Benton, Ark. Since graduating from Ouachita, she earned her National Board Certification, …

Leading And Learning In A Pandemic Year--And Beyond, Anna Roussel

Press Releases

Navigating college always has its unique challenges, but doing so in the midst of a global pandemic is a feat that seemed nearly impossible a year ago. When we left campus suddenly in March of 2020, the uncertainty surrounding my college career was enough to literally move me to tears. I had spent my entire life hearing family members and friends tell stories of their time at Ouachita and longing for the day I was on campus, and I did not want to come to terms with my time being cut short. However, in the middle of the chaos, I …

Rickey Rogers ('02), Dean Of Students And Director Of Residence Life (Lydia (Gutierrez) Rogers ('02), Senior Woman Administrator And Director Of Athletic Compliance), Jon Merryman

Press Releases

Rickey and Lydia Rogers have developed more than 20 years of history at Ouachita, in part due to simple geography. With Rickey recruited to play football from six hours away in Mississippi and Lydia coming from six hours away in Texas, Ouachita and Arkadelphia were right in the middle – which made attending college and settling after graduation here between their families a perfect fit.

They’ve made their mark on campus in a variety of ways over the years, but always making a direct impact on students. Lydia previously taught Spanish and served as a resident director and now is …

Ouachita Launches Graduate Dietetic Internship During Pandemic, Rachel Gaddis, Office Of Communications & Marketing

Press Releases

To say you started anything new in 2020 would, well, raise eyebrows – especially launching something as involved and hands-on as an academic program including clinical healthcare. But that’s exactly what Ouachita did during the 2020-2021 academic year, launching its first graduate programs in more than 20 years. The new programs are producing quick fruit, with seven students earning Ouachita’s first-ever post-baccalaureate certificate for dietetic internships in May 2021. (The first cohort of applied behavior analysis master’s degree students will graduate in August 2021.)

“Ten years ago, the placement rate for nutrition & dietetics students in a post-graduate internship was …

Professor’S Painting Becomes University's Christmas Card, Mark D. Weinstein

News Releases

Emeritus senior professor of music Dr. Chuck Clevenger is known around Cedarville University for his 33 dedicated years of service and his exceptional instruction in piano and composition. However, Clevenger is also a skilled artist, and with Cedarville’s upcoming Christmas card showcasing his artwork, the message is clear: Clevenger is a modern-day Renaissance man.

Engaged Social Media In Higher Education While Avoiding The Label Of "Striving", Jessica Nerren

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

Striving has become a word laden with problematic meanings in the world of higher education. For instance, if a university is too aligned with business, or becomes overly selective, or deviates from original purpose or mission, then, at times, those actions are seen as striving (O’Meara, 2007). O’Meara (2007) defines striving as participation in efforts to improve status and prestige in line with the hierarchy. Allen (2021) echoes the problematic nature of this practice witnessed abroad, equating striving educational practices with neoliberalism, potentially overshadowing primary purposes of the institution, such as learning and teaching, or drowning out important parts of …

A Case Of Shifting Focus Friction: Extension Directors And State 4-H Program Leaders’ Perspectives On 4-H Lgbtq+ Inclusion, Jeremy Elliott-Engel, Donna Westfall-Rudd, Eric Kaufman, Megan Seibel, Rama Radhakrishna

The Journal of Extension

Contemporary Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ+) youth are identifying and communicating their identities earlier in childhood than generations before as a result of more awareness and more acceptance of gender identity and sexual minorities by society. A qualitative study of U.S. 4-H program leaders and Extension directors generated an emergent theme around the importance of serving LGBT youth and the resulting implementation challenges. The administrators of 4-H, the largest youth serving organization in the country, recognize the presence of LGBTQ+ youth in 4-H and believe the organization must be inclusive. But challenges remain in ensuring youth experience inclusion at …

Ouachita's Department Of Nursing Receives Grant From Blue & You Foundation, Felley Lawson, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

Ouachita Baptist University’s Department of Nursing is among 41 recipients of a grant from the Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas. Totaling $3,360,327, the grant will fund health initiatives in 71 of Arkansas’ 75 counties.

Ouachita’s nursing program received $131,000 from the Blue & You Foundation to purchase simulation equipment for its new state-of-the-art Nursing Education Center. The 6,600-square-foot simulation and teaching center will include a clinical skills lab, five simulated hospital patient rooms and a pharmacy. Use of high-fidelity simulation mannequins will replicate real-life scenarios, allowing nursing students to practice assessment, clinical and communication skills without risk …

Ouachita Department Of Theatre Arts To Host One Act Play Festival Dec. 9-10, Mackenzie Hall, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

The Ouachita Baptist University Department of Theatre Arts will present its One Act Play Festival on Thursday and Friday, Dec. 9-10, at 7:30 p.m. in Verser Theater. The bi-annual event, which is free and open to the public, features six short plays directed by students in completion of end-of-semester projects in Ouachita’s play directing course. All plays will be presented both nights of the festival.

Matthew Murry, visiting assistant professor of theatre, said, “Students direct, perform, design, crew, assist and run the shows. For directing students, this festival provides the opportunity to enjoy their work alongside an audience.”

Covid-19 & University Stakeholders: A Faculty Perspective, Torie Fowler

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate faculty member perceptions of job satisfaction, response efficacy, organizational communication efforts, along with organizational trust and goodwill in relation to the COVID-19 crisis. A cross-sectional survey was conducted, using faculty members employed at their institution of higher education during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 academic years. A total of 285 responses were analyzed.

Results of this study suggest faculty member perceptions of job satisfaction and response efficacy were significant in predicting perceptions of trust and goodwill. The most significant predictor of organizational trust and goodwill was perceptions of organizational communication efforts. Also, this …

Student Business Donates All Proceeds To Local Nonprofit, Mark D. Weinstein

News Releases

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells the parable of a good shepherd, who leaves his herd to go after the one stray sheep. One group of Cedarville University business students is selling a clothing line focused on reaching the one, selling merchandise off campus and donating all proceeds to One Bistro café in Xenia.

Ouachita Concerto Competition To Be Held Dec. 10, Julie Shands, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

Ouachita Baptist University’s Division of Music will host the 16th annual W. Francis and Mary McBeth Wind and Percussion Concerto Competition on Friday, Dec. 10, at 3 p.m. in Ouachita’s McBeth Recital Hall, located in Mabee Fine Arts Center. The competition is designed to identify the best instrumental soloist and is open to all wind and percussion students.

The competition is sponsored by Mary McBeth, who also provides the competition prizes for first-, second- and third-place winners. The first-place winner receives $500, second place receives $300 and third place receives $200. The first-place winner may also be granted the opportunity …

Cyber Operations Added To Stemm-Related Programs In Choose Ohio First Grants, Mark D. Weinstein

News Releases

Freshmen students pursuing degrees in STEMM-related academic programs at Cedarville University now have a new avenue to receive scholarships.

Ouachita Preparing To Launch New Engineering Program, Felley Lawson, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

Ouachita Baptist University is preparing to offer a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering as early as Fall 2022, pending approval from the university’s institutional accreditor, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The new 4-year program is being designed to meet standards set by the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET) and will be housed in the J.D. Patterson School of Natural Sciences at Ouachita.

A general engineering program provides solid preparation for graduates to move into any field of engineering, in addition to a wide range of related careers-–some of which require additional training or graduate study-–including robotics, renewable …

Rooting For Root Beer! Cedarville Friends Rate The Best, Mark D. Weinstein

News Releases

Cedarville University alumnus Matt Dearden considers himself a root beer connoisseur. Dearden, now associate vice president for enrollment management at Cedarville, runs “the world’s premier root beer rating website” with his friends Kevin Napp and Dave Stephens. Together, they are the Facebook-famous Root Beer Guys. Their website, featuring numerous reviews and a history of the drink, can be accessed at rootbeerguys.com/.

Cedarville Campaign Nearing $100 Million With Strong Giving Tuesday, Mark D. Weinstein

News Releases

The Cedarville University community, including alumni, parents, faculty, staff and friends, responded to the national Giving Tuesday campaign earlier this week by contributing $706,507. The money from the Giving Tuesday initiative will be used for projects within the One Thousand Days Transformed campaign, with the majority going to support unrestricted student aid through The Cedarville Fund.

Best In Ohio In Athletic Training Competition, Mark D. Weinstein

News Releases

Students from Cedarville University’s athletic training program won the Ohio Athletic Trainers’ Association (OATA) Annual Student Quiz Bowl on November 13 with 4,278.12 points. The Cedarville team defeated teams from Ohio State University (OSU) and Ohio University (OU) by more than 2,000 points in the final round.

Ouachita Baptist University Presents Steel Band In Concert Dec. 8, Emma Dennis, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

Ouachita Baptist University’s Division of Music will present the Steel Band in concert Wednesday, Dec. 8, at 8 p.m. in Jones Performing Arts Center. The concert is free and open to the public.

“Each year, the steel bands choose one famous calypsonian (calypso singer) from Trinidad and perform multiple songs by that artist,” said Dr. Ryan Lewis, associate professor of music at Ouachita, adding that this year’s calypsonian is Aldwyn Roberts, known by the stage name Lord Kitchener. “He is known for his calypso songs about steel drums, playing steel drums and Panorama, the national steel band competition in Trinidad …

Sunny Days Ahead: Messages During A Pandemic: Creative Strategies And Themes In Health And Wellness Public Service Ads By The Ad Council, Meenakshi Trichur Venkitasubramanian

Doctoral Dissertations

Public Service Advertising is an essential field of study because of its ability to impact and shape public behavior and community changes. Historically, the advertising industry has come together during the times of world war to form an association, the Ad Council, to help create awareness to the public. Over the past 75 years, the Ad Council has contributed to the various causes by communicating and advertising to encourage better habits and behavior. The Ad Council has collaborated with CDC and COVID Collaborative to communicate the right messages about coronavirus response and COVID-19 vaccine during this pandemic. The purpose of …

An Evaluation Of Culture In Conflict Management: Does Taking Conflict Personally Outweigh Cultural Distinctions In Managing Conflict Among African Americans And Latin Americans?, Lindsey Ann Lebaron

Global Strategic Communications Student Work

No abstract provided.

Welcoming Families With Children To Csusb: Making An Intergenerational Difference, Leslie Leach

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Coming back to school after a gap in your education can be a daunting task. For students with children (SWC), the undertaking has different challenges than their classmates. Providing resources geared towards their success plays a significant role in the student's ability to complete their education. It also allows the SWC to feel a sense of belonging within their institution of higher learning. This project analyzes other California State Universities' family housing programs to advocate a similar program at California State University, San Bernardino. Using the Communication Theory of Identity (CTI) and Organizational Identity (OI), I can illustrate how resources …

Symbolism Or Substance: Factors Influencing Campus Messaging Decisions And Their Alignment With Institutional Values, Laura Herzog Jacobs

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Historically, institutions of higher education (IHE) have been cautious and slow in making changes. Yet in today’s fast-paced and dynamic world of content availability and information flow generated by 24-hour news cycles and the ubiquity of social media present a challenging reality for colleges and universities in their public relations and communications approaches (Sands & Smith, 2000). Creating a harmonious and agile approach to managing these responsibilities against the backdrop of an incessant flow and public demand for information, including responses to national events often with seemingly little or no connection to the institution, suggested a need to examine the …

Ouachita Baptist University Band Presents Christmas Concert Dec. 7, Emma Dennis, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

The Ouachita Baptist University Band will present its Christmas concert Tuesday, Dec. 7, at 7:30 p.m. in Jones Performing Arts Center. The concert is free and open to the public.

“The Ouachita Band is excited to celebrate the season with a concert of all of your Christmas favorites, plus a few you might not know,” said Jim Lloyd, instructor of music and athletic band director at Ouachita. “Come celebrate with us during this joyful time of year.”

Ua45/6 Commencement Program, Wku Registrar

WKU Archives Records

Commencement program for fall 2021.