Reggie Smith knows first-hand the struggles minority students often face in funding their college education. Now, he is stepping forward to help those students get a Williams Baptist University education.

Smith, a 1985 Williams alumnus, has launched the Reggie Smith Foundation Minority Scholarship for WBU students, and the foundation has announced its first class of recipients. Students who will receive the scholarship this fall are: Dara Britton of Raytown, Mo., Travon Cobb of Dumas, Erik Mercado of Senath, Mo., Jada Olloway of Jonesboro and Ricardo Quintero of Caracas, Venezuela.

“Looking back on my educational experiences, I wanted to see if we could help minority students who attend Williams in getting access to some much needed financial assistance to continue their educational pursuit,” Smith said.

(left to right) Dr. Brett Cooper, Ricardo Quintero, Jada Olloway, Dara Britton, Erik Mercado and WBU President Dr. Stan Norman.

Smith, who lives in the Dallas area, is a graduate of Pocahontas High School. He is a US Army veteran, and for the past 24 years he has been in sales management within the pharma/biotech industry. He said he established the scholarship to assist and inspire a new generation of Williams students.

“I hope it helps them bridge a financial gap they may have in acquiring their education. I also hope it inspires them to see a person of color being in a position to reach back and help someone and that they too can do that one day,” he noted.

Smith said the foundation plans to select recipients and award the scholarships annually.

“It is incredibly gratifying to see one of our alumni take the initiative and help today’s students follow in his footsteps at Williams. On top of that, it has been very enjoyable working with Mr. Smith as his foundation has developed this scholarship. We are truly grateful to the Reggie Smith Foundation for assisting WBU students in such a meaningful way,” said Brett Cooper, vice president for institutional advancement.

Williams is a Christian, liberal arts university in Walnut Ridge.

Dr. Kenneth Startup and Dr. Sheri Midkiff

Upon their retirement from Williams Baptist University, Dr. Sheri Midkiff and Dr. Kenneth Startup have each been given the title of professor emeritus. Midkiff is retiring after 43 years of service to Williams, and Dr. Startup spent more than 35 years at WBU.

Awarding the title professor emeritus enables Williams to acknowledge faculty who have provided meritorious and longstanding service to the university. Any member of the faculty who retires after 20 years of full-time service to WBU, with a minimum rank of assistant professor, and who has rendered “distinguished and meritorious services” to the university, may be appointed professor emeritus.

Midkiff spent her time at Williams as a professor of English. Along with professor emeritus, a new scholarship has been created in honor of Midkiff’s legacy and service to the institution. WBU has established the Dr. Sheri Midkiff English Scholarship, an endowed scholarship for select English and English education majors at Williams

“Dr. Midkiff has taught for 43 years with genuine passion and presented the content of her courses in a dynamic fashion,” said Dr. Brad Baine, vice president for academic affairs at Williams. “During her years of service, she has put forth extraordinary efforts in all her institutional responsibilities. Dr. Midkiff has truly provided distinguished and meritorious service to the university.”

Over the course of his time at Williams, Startup served as a professor of history, chair of the history department, chair of the Division of Arts and Sciences, and spent many years as the vice president for academic affairs. He concluded his career as the interim president. WBU’s historic WWII era chapel will now be named Startup Chapel, in honor of Startup’s leadership at Williams.

“Dr. Startup has been an exceptional faculty member and leader for Williams for the last 35 years,” added Baine. “He has earned the highest compliments from his students and colleagues, due to his teaching, leadership and commitment to the university on and off campus. As attested by the faculty and staff, Dr. Startup has devoted 35 years of superior service to Williams.”

Williams is a Christian, liberal arts university in Walnut Ridge.

Williams Baptist College education students joined Integrity First Bank of Pocahontas to present the 21st annual Teach Children to Save Day at Alma Spikes Elementary School last month. Teach Children to Save Day is a nationwide program of the American Bankers Association. Its aim is to teach students about the value of saving their money.

Since 1997, Integrity First Bank has partnered with Williams Baptist College Teacher Education Program to bring Teach Children to Save Day to over 3,200 students. This year, the Williams students presented the lesson on saving to 175 Alma Spikes second graders. Integrity First Bank employees assisted the student teachers with the lessons and the bank presented each second grader a piggy bank with a dollar bill inside.

Williams education students and Integrity First Bank of Pocahontas joined together for Teach Children to Save Day.

Williams is a Christian University in Walnut Ridge. It officially becomes Williams Baptist University this summer.

Williams Baptist College will hold its final commencement exercises under the title of “college” this Saturday, May 5. Last fall, WBC announced the name change to Williams Baptist University, and as the final student walks across the stage to receive the final Williams Baptist College diploma, WBC will take one more step in its transition to WBU.

With more than 90 students ready to receive their diplomas, the added significance of this year’s commencement is not lost on the graduating class.

“To be in the last class graduating class as Williams Baptist College is a surreal aspect to grasp,” said Makayla Marshall. “For me, it means that I can say I graduated from an amazing college that will now be an amazing university. We are at the end of something great, but it is only the beginning of something greater.”

Marshall is from Farmington, Mo., and will receive her degree in Christian ministries.

Fellow graduate Ryan Whittle echoed Marshall’s sentiments.

“I came to Williams expecting to just earn my degree and wrestle. Four years have now gone by and its incredible how much more God provided for me while here at WBC. I came as a part of WBC’s first ever wrestling program and then the first ever Greco-Roman program. So, it’s only fitting I get to be a part of WBC’s ‘last something,’ too,” he said.

Whittle is from Greenwich, Conn., and will receive his degree in health and physical education.

Williams graduates buy in to the mission and purpose of the institution, and often walk away with much more than a degree. While that foundation will remain unchanged, the class of 2018 will forever mark a turning point in Williams’s rich history.

“The history of Williams Baptist College is one of the main characteristics of the college, and to be etched into such a prolific background means something special to me. I will always be able to say that Williams Baptist College made a positive impact on my life before it was deemed Williams Baptist University,” added Alec Scott.

Scott is from Rector, Ark., and will receive his degree in business administration.

Saturday’s commencement will mark the institution’s final official ceremony as Williams Baptist College.

Graduation will begin at 10 a.m. in Williams’s Southerland-Mabee Center, and Dr. Sheri Midkiff will deliver the commencement address. Midkiff is retiring at the end of this semester after 43 years as an English professor at WBC.

Williams is a Christian, liberal arts university in Walnut Ridge.

Brandon Brigance of Gentry, Ark., has been presented the 2018 Zondervan/Williams Baptist College Greek Award. The award was presented during the Christian Ministries Banquet at Williams Baptist College, held on April 24.

Brigance was selected for the Greek Award because of his achievement in the study of biblical Greek. Zondervan, which is a Christian publishing company, presents the annual award in conjunction with WBC. The winner is chosen each year by the Christian ministries faculty and presented with a gift from Zondervan Publishing, a letter of recognition, and a framed certificate. In addition, the student’s name is engraved on a permanent plaque at WBC which lists previous winners of the honor.

Brigance, a senior at Williams, is majoring in Christian ministries. He is the son of Scott and Michelle Brigance of Gentry.

Williams is a Christian, liberal arts university in Walnut Ridge, Ark. It will become Williams Baptist University this summer.

Blake Buchanan of Poplar Bluff, Mo., has been selected to receive the 2018 Rural Church Award at Williams Baptist College. The award was presented at the Department of Christian Ministries Banquet held on April 24.

The Rural Church Award is given to Christian ministry students in memory of the Rev. L. G. Miller, who labored for many years as a Baptist pastor in Arkansas. The recipient is selected by the Christian ministries faculty at WBC, and the award is presented to a graduating senior who makes the greatest contribution to rural church development.

Buchanan completed his degree in youth ministries in December of 2017 and is set to graduate in the commencement exercises on May 5. He is married to Rebekah Buchanan and is the son of Keenan and LaDonna Buchanan of Gideon, Mo.

Williams is a Christian, liberal arts university in Walnut Ridge, Ark. It will become Williams Baptist University in this summer.

Makayla Marshall of Farmington, Mo., has been presented the 2018​ Association of Youth Ministry Educators (AYME) at Williams Baptist College.

​S​he was selected for the award by the Christian ministries faculty at WBC based on her service in the field of youth ministry while at college and her potential for future ministry. The honor was presented at the Department of Christian Ministries Banquet held on April 24.

Marshall, a senior at WBC majoring in Christian ministries, is the daughter of Joseph and Joy Marshall of Farmington, Mo. She recently served as youth intern at First Baptist Church in Pocahontas.

Williams is a Christian, liberal arts university in Walnut Ridge, Ark. It will become Williams Baptist University this summer.

Savannah Schlote of Mountain Home, Ark. and Sean Sesnan of Lebanon, Tenn., have been awarded the Glenn-Dale Scholarship at Williams Baptist College.  They were presented during the Department of Christian Ministries Banquet held on April 24.

The Glenn-Dale Scholarship was established in 1971 by the late Mr. William Dale Kirkland, who was an outstanding Baptist layman, and his sister, the late Miss Glenn Kirkland of Plumerville, Ark.  The scholarship is awarded to two WBC freshmen Christian ministry students who show unusual promise to the ministry. The Christian ministries faculty at WBC selects the recipients each year and base their decision on the students’ academic achievements and devotion to Christian ministry during their first year at Williams.

Schlote is a graduate of Abeka Academy. She is the daughter of Jeff and Nikki Schlote of Mountain Home.

Sesnan is a graduate of Wilson Central in Lebanon, Tenn..  He is the son of Michael and Glenda Sesnan of Lebanon.

Williams is a Christian, liberal arts university in Walnut Ridge, Ark.  It will become Williams Baptist University this summer.

Williams Baptist College recognized its Coe Honors Scholars students at the annual academic awards banquet held on April 12. WBC had 22 Coe Honors Scholars for the 2017-2018 academic year, including nine students who will graduate in this year’s commencement ceremony.

This year’s Coe Honors Scholars are Logan Baltz of Pocahontas, Malerie Bennett of Reyno (2018 graduate), Brandon Brigance of Gentry (2018 graduate), Allison Elkins of Jonesboro (2018 graduate), Hannah Estes of Morrilton, Dillan Friesner of Centerton, Jonathan Guiltner of Melbourne, Joel Guiltner of Melbourne, Emily Hewitt of Henrico, Va. (2018 graduate), Caleb Hickman of Pine Bluff, Kierra Huskey of Jonesboro, Erika Isbill of Jonesboro (2018 graduate), Rebekah Kopp of Black Rock, Grady Majors of Batesville, Molly Mingo of Wynne, Kelsey Powers of Harrison, Dylan Rogers of Hoxie, Elizabeth Ryan of Harrison (2018 graduate), Elizabeth Scales of Imboden (2018 graduate), Zachary Steele of Paragould (2018 graduate), Andrew Taylor of Myrtle, Mo., and Collin Whitney of Searcy (2018 graduate).

The title of Coe Honors Scholar is a tribute to the late Henry E. (Ezra) and Verbeth Coe of Tuckerman, whose estate gift endowed scholarships at Williams.

The Coe Honors Program is open to students with a proven record of academic achievement. Students recognized under this program will participate in special field trips, symposia, lectures and other academic enrichment activities.

Williams is a Christian, liberal arts university in Walnut Ridge, Ark. It will become Williams Baptist University in July of 2018.