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Ouachita’s Tiger Tunes sets sales record, raises $100,000 for student scholarships

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Ouachita Baptist University’s annual Tiger Tunes production is about more than music, choreography and entertainment. This year’s scholarship fundraising event achieved both a record total of 6,750 tickets sold and a record number of 630 students participating in the show.

The 39th annual Tiger Tunes competition was performed Oct. 5-7 in Jones Performing Arts Center on Ouachita’s Arkadelphia campus. In addition to staging four performances in front of sold-out audiences as part of Ouachita’s annual Homecoming festivities, the event raises more than $100,000 each year for student scholarships.

Tiger Tunes is coordinated by the Ouachita Student Foundation which has raised a combined total of more than $1.4 million in student scholarships over the past four decades. The scholarship initiative embodies OSF’s motto of “Students Helping Students.”

“This is more good news for Ouachita, building upon our 17.9 percent increase in first-time freshmen and our recent No. 1 rankings,” emphasized Ouachita President Ben Sells. “The record level of tickets sold, extraordinary commitment of students helping students and exceptional engagement of alumni and parents are further indicators that Ouachita is rising.”

In addition to ticket sales, “we also received a record amount of donations in our People’s Choice voting boxes – almost $5,000 – and raised $2,000 in our silent auction,” noted Jon Merryman, director of OSF and alumni relations.

Tiger Tunes is a student-produced competition that features university social clubs and campus organizations. This year’s Tiger Tunes winners included Tri Chi women’s social club, first place and People’s Choice Award; Kappa Chi men’s social club, second place; EEE women’s social club, third place; Campus Ministries, fourth place; Rho Sigma men’s social club, OSF Award; and Tiger Blast instrumental performance band, Shelby Seabaugh Spirit of Tunes Award.

Affirming “the focus of the participants on the mission of Tiger Tunes and OSF of helping students by providing student scholarships,” Merryman said, “When tensions and stress were high, you could hear and read students’ encouragement to each other that all the hours of practice were worth it with the goal of providing even more scholarships to students.”

Jacob Hemsath, a senior musical theatre major from Wylie, Texas, is among students receiving OSF scholarships to help them continue their education at Ouachita. “I’m so thankful for my OSF scholarship and the fact that we go to a school that provides these scholarships for so many students,” he said.

“It was such a personal thing when I found out I got an OSF scholarship because I knew it was something students put together through things like Tunes to create these scholarships,” Hemsath added.

Abigail Brizuela, a junior finance and business administration double major from San Pedro Sula, Honduras, expressed appreciation for her OSF scholarship “because it has helped me pursue a higher education and continue my dream of study abroad and expand my worldview. Thank you, OSF, for helping me become a Ouachitonian.”

For more information about the Ouachita Student Foundation and Tiger Tunes, contact Jon Merryman at 870-245-5111 ormerrymanj@obu.edu.

JBU’s Abila Lecture Welcomes Archaeology Scholar Dr. Daniel Master

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John Brown University welcomes Archaeology scholar Dr. Daniel Master to speak on “Ashkelon and the Philistines” Thursday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. in the Cathedral of the Ozarks. Master’s lecture is part of JBU’s biannual “Abila Lecture in Biblical Archaeology” series that focuses on understanding the history of the Biblical world through archaeology.

During his career, Master has served as a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellow at the Albright Institute for Archaeological Research in Jerusalem and the general editor for the Oxford Encyclopedia of Archaeology and the Bible. He completed his Ph.D. at Harvard University in near Eastern languages and civilizations and has taught at Wheaton College since 2000 on subjects including ancient near Eastern archaeology, historical geography, and archaeology and the Bible.

For the last 25 years, Master has researched the ancient Philistine port city of Ashkelon discovering the only-known Philistine cemetery. Currently, Master is excavating the largest city in the Jezreel Valley, a project he began last year at Tel Shimron in Northern Israel.

“We’re very excited for Dr. Master to share the valuable insights that he unearthed in the Philistine cemetery,” Dr. David Vila, JBU’s professor of religion and philosophy, said. “Archaeology reveals a deeper understanding of history as we discover a life and culture in the context of their time period. We hope the community will come to a greater appreciation of the Biblical world as it comes to life through these lectures.”

The lecture series, now in its fourth year, is funded by donors to JBU’s Abila Archaeological Project, which excavates in Northern Jordan at Abila of the Decapolis under the direction of Vila. All lectures are free and open to the public.

The Abila Lecture Series is also a part of the university’s Endowment for Academic Excellence, a priority of JBU’s $125 million Campaign for the Next Century. JBU has currently raised more than $115 million toward the $125 million goal and plans to complete the campaign on JBU’s centennial in 2019.

John Brown University is a leading private Christian university, training students to honor God and serve others since 1919. Arkansas’ top ranked regional university (U.S. News Best Colleges, 2017), JBU enrolls more than 2,700 students from 40 states and 37 countries in its traditional undergraduate, graduate, degree completion and concurrent education programs. JBU offers more than 39 majors, with top programs including business administration, graphic design, engineering, construction management, counseling, teacher education and nursing.

U of O Alumni Association to honor eight

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The University of the Ozarks Alumni Association will honor eight of the university’s distinguished graduates during the 2017 Alumni Awards Banquet on Friday, Oct. 13.

The awards banquet, which is part of this year’s Homecoming ceremonies, begins at 6 p.m. in the Rogers Conference Center. The banquet will also include the Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Tickets are $18 and can be purchased by calling the Office of Alumni Relations at 479-979-1234.

The recipients of the 2017 alumni awards include Lonnie and Levada (Mathis) Qualls of Clarksville, both 1956 graduates who will received the Alumni Merit Award; Ray Hobbs ’77 of Springdale, Ark., and Peter Van Dyke ’87 of Chicago, who will each receive the Alumni Achievement Award; Ian Bryan ’13 of Russellville, Ark., and Lauren Ray ’13 of Jasper, Ark., who will each receive the Young Alumni Award; and the Rev. Dr. Ralph Ehren ’56 and his wife Betty (Hodges) Ehren ’53 of Plano, Texas, who will receive the Alumni Legacy Award.

The Qualls, who have been associated with Ozarks for more than 65 years, will receive the Merit Award for meritorious work on behalf of the university. They first arrived on campus as students in the early 1950s. Lonnie coached numerous sports, including football, baseball and tennis, at Ozarks from 1962 until his retirement in 1995. Levada served as a health and physical education instructor at Ozarks for more than 35 years. They celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary in August. They have both stayed involved with the university since their retirements.

“When we were working at Ozarks, it never seemed liked a job,” Levada said. “The relationships that we made and the fun that we had is what stands out to me. We felt like we were making a difference.”

Hobbs serves as the president and CEO of Hart Tackle Company. A native of Clarksville, he is also president of the Economics Arkansas Foundation. He previously served as president and CEO of Daisy Manufacturing Company, Inc., and as a senior vice president for merchandising of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. He worked for Wal-Mart for 24 years. Hobbs has worked as a merchandising consultant for firms like Hanna’s Candle Co. in Fayetteville and Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, Missouri. He served as Interim CEO of Bass Pro for 14 months before being recruited by Daisy.

Van Dyke is a senior litigation counsel for CAN Insurance, where he manages and resolves many of the company’s most significant commercial insurance claims. A graduate of Notre Dame Law School, Van Dyke worked in private firms in Florida and Indiana before joining CAN in 2004 to help the company manage its highest exposure litigation on a national level. He was elected to a three-year term on the university’s Board of Trustees in January 2017.

Bryan is a business development officer for Arvest Bank in Russellville. The former baseball player at Ozarks is on the Alumni Association Board of Directors and is an alumni representative on the university’s Sports Hall of Fame Committee. He is also a member of the River Valley United Way Board of Directors and a graduate of the 2017 Leadership Russellville program.

Ray works for the National Park Service as the upper district interpreter at Buffalo National River. As a student, Ray was heavily involved with Ozarks Outdoors and the Planet Club, and these leadership experiences shaped a clear career path for her after graduation. Today, she is known by many as the “Rapping Ranger.” She produces educational music videos about various issues in the national parks in order to promote preservation and resource protection. She was named 2013 Student Conservationist of the Year by the Arkansas Wildlife Federation and 2014 Environmental Educator of the Year by the Arkansas Environmental Education Association.

The Ehrens are retired in Plano. A graduate of Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary, Ralph served as a Baptist minister for 34 years in churches in Wyoming, South Dakota, Maryland, Arkansas and Texas. He also taught at Houston Baptist University before retiring in 2000. Betty served as a media specialist for 18 years for several schools before retiring in 1991. The Ehrens, who will celebrate their 64th wedding anniversary on Dec. 19, have both served on the Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Four alumni will also be inducted into the U of O Sports Hall of Fame during the Oct. 13 banquet — Steve Higgins ’79 of House Springs, Mo., a former baseball standout; Don Kessler ’70 of San Diego, an accomplished collegiate and professional athletic trainer; George Loss ’54 of Little Rock, a highly successful high school football coach; and Lindy (Swatzell) Mantooth ’05 of Kansas City, Mo., a former soccer star at Ozarks.

 

 

JBU, Southern Arkansas University Tech Sign Articulation Agreement

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Representatives from John Brown University and Southern Arkansas University Tech (SAU Tech) signed an articulation agreement Thursday, Sept. 28 to facilitate a seamless transfer of courses from SAU Tech to JBU. The partnership creates a pathway for students to earn an associate’s degree from SAU Tech and then complete their bachelor’s degree at JBU.

Established out of a mutual desire to serve students, the agreement allows students to enter into JBU’s traditional undergraduate programs on the main campus in Siloam Springs, or JBU’s Online Undergraduate Programs.

“The agreement is an excellent example of the power of private/public partnerships that make higher education in the U.S. the envy of the world,” Dr. Ed Ericson, JBU’s vice president
for academic affairs, said. “JBU looks forward to building on this agreement to establish a healthy and long-lasting partnership to allow students the opportunity to further their higher educational careers.”

The agreement outlines which SAU Tech courses JBU accepts so that transfer students are not required to retake courses already achieved. SAU Tech offers programs for students to continue their specialized study at JBU in business administration, teacher education, organizational leadership and psychology.

“The cornerstone of this agreement is centered around the religion courses that are now being offered at SAU Tech,” Dr. Jason Morrison, Chancellor of SAU Tech, said. “We believe that the south Arkansas community desires religion-related degrees with the area’s history of strong

religious establishments. The agreement with JBU will facilitate a new generation of leadership in churches and religious institutions as well as an opportunity for those seeking additional education opportunities. We are excited about this agreement with JBU.”

“This integral collaboration will build new pathways for students to achieve their academic goals and will create stronger community relations in south central Arkansas and the surrounding areas,” Dr. Stacey Duke, JBU’s dean of online undergraduate programs and strategic initiatives, said.

Students must complete 45 credit hours in their designated program courses at SAU Tech and apply to JBU with a GPA of 2.5 or higher to be eligible for admission at JBU.

Southern Arkansas University Tech is a two-year public college that started in 1968 and is part of the Southern Arkansas University System. SAU Tech is located inside the Highland Industrial Park in East Camden and employs over 160 staff and faculty and provides education annually to around 1,800 students.

John Brown University is a leading private Christian university, training students to honor God and serve others since 1919. Arkansas’ top ranked regional university (U.S. News Best Colleges, 2018), JBU enrolls more than 2,500 students from 41 states and 50 countries in its traditional undergraduate, graduate, online and concurrent education programs. JBU offers more than 40 majors, with top programs including business administration, graphic design, engineering, construction management, counseling, teacher education and nursing.

Ouachita achieves top graduation rate among all colleges in Arkansas

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Ouachita Baptist University has earned the honor of attaining the top university graduation rate in Arkansas, according to the latest data compiled by the National Center for Education Statistics. The report follows other recent recognitions, including Ouachita being ranked as the No. 1 private university in Arkansas by Niche.com.

Graduation rates are among the top indicators to evaluate a university’s quality and educational impact for the benefit of students. Ouachita’s graduation rate of 70 percent is the highest among all 22 of Arkansas’ institutions of higher education, both private and public, that grant baccalaureate degrees. Ouachita is one of only five universities in the state with a graduation rate above 50 percent.

Along with Ouachita’s leading graduation rate, more than nine out of 10 of those graduates either have a job or are accepted to graduate school within six months of graduation from Ouachita.

“The high graduation and placement rates, a 17.9 percent increase in first-time freshmen and a focus on affordability that attracts many first-generation college students are strong indicators that Ouachita is rising, moving from strength to strength,” said Ouachita President Ben Sells. “These milestones are a reflection of the dedicated efforts of our faculty, staff and students to pursue academic excellence in a Christ-centered learning community.”

The National Center for Education Statistics is the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education. It is part of the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Educational Sciences which is the nation’s leading source for independent education research, evaluation and statistics. Additional data is available from the NCES College Navigator site at nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator.

Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Ark., is in its 132nd year as a leading Christian liberal arts university. For more information, call 1-800-DIAL-OBU or visit www.obu.edu.

CBC Announces Plans to Construct Band Rehearsal Hall

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Central Baptist College officials announced today that the college will begin a 4,000 square foot renovation of the Harold E. Cooper Educational Complex on Monday, October 2.  The remodel, anticipated to be completed by the start of the Spring 2018 semester, is to accommodate a new Band Rehearsal Hall.

The 2,600 square foot Band Rehearsal Hall is designed to accommodate up to 75 student musicians.  Additionally, new and renovated office space dedicated to the Fine Arts Department will be included in the renovations. An anonymous donation is covering the cost of construction.

“This is really an exciting time for us,” said Fine Arts Department Chair and Director of BandsTim Gunter.  “We are quickly running out of room and flexibility in our current location.  I am so thankful for President Kimbrow for his tireless efforts on our behalf and to the Lord for His perfect timing and opening this door.”

Gunter noted, “The band hall will provide our current and future band family a place to call home, not just for rehearsals and classes, but throughout the day to hang out.  That is a positive impact that is often overlooked, but I have had many students comment over the years about the comfort of our band halls and how much it meant to them.”

CBC band started in the fall of 2016 with 14 students, and has grown to 30 students for the fall of 2017. Gunter added, “Our band program may have officially started in the fall of 2016, but with the addition of a band rehearsal hall, we are off and running.  I am so thankful and excited about the road ahead!”

Gunter is most well-known for his tenure as Director of Athletic Bands at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark., a position he held for 15 years. He has also served as Associate Director of Bands at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J. and numerous bands across the state of Arkansas.  Gunter most recently has served as the Pastor of Worship and Discipleship at First Baptist Church in Camden, Ark. since 2012.  Gunter received a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education in 1979 and a Master of Music Conducting degree in 1993, both from the University of Arkansas.

Liz Hamilton, AIA owner of H+N Architects in Conway, will be serving as the architect for the project.  Clark Construction, LLC of Little Rock will be serving as the contractor.

Central Baptist College is a four-year, private, liberal arts college founded in 1952 by the Baptist Missionary Association of Arkansas.  For more information about the band program contact Director of Bands Tim Gunter at tgunter@cbc.edu or 501-205-8914.

 

Mary Pat Anthony to be honored Oct. 19 at Stepping Up for Ouachita

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Mary Pat Cook Anthony, a longtime educator who holds two degrees from Ouachita Baptist University, will be honored by her alma mater at Ouachita’s eighth annual Stepping Up for Ouachita luncheon. The event, which helps fund scholarships for female students at Ouachita, will be held Thursday, Oct. 19, at 11 a.m. at the Benton Event Center in Benton, Ark.

“We are so proud to honor Mary Pat Anthony this year at Stepping Up for Ouachita,” said Terry Peeples, vice president for development. “Mary Pat is one of Ouachita’s best. She is a talented musician and educator and a wonderful representative for her alma mater. Everyone needs to know this talented and dedicated lady.”

“I am honored and flattered to be chosen as the honoree for this year’s Stepping Up for Ouachita fundraiser,” Anthony noted. “I was blessed to attend such a special place. I love the fact that this event raises money to help other young women have the same life-changing experience I had at Ouachita.”

Anthony, a 1981 graduate of El Dorado High School, holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in elementary education from Ouachita. A lifelong resident of El Dorado, she has served as a fourth grade teacher at Hugh Goodwin Academy for the Arts, director of education at South Arkansas Community College and first grade teacher and fine arts coordinator at Southside Elementary School. She also has served as a fitness instructor and swimming instructor. She retired in 2012 after serving 26 years in education.

Anthony has served since 2013 as a member of Ouachita’s Board of Trustees, including serving as secretary. She was honored in 2015 as a Ouachita Alumni Milestone Award recipient. She also has served on the South Arkansas Arts Center board of directors, South Arkansas Regional Health Center board of directors, South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra soloist, Sing for the Cure director and producer and Arkansas Girls State music director.

Among her many professional recognitions, she has been the recipient of the Teacher of the Year Award for El Dorado Public Schools, International Reading Association/Arkansas Reading Association Promotion of Literacy Award, Outstanding Faculty Member of South Arkansas Community College and NISOD (National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development) Community College Leadership Program Excellence Award.

She and her husband, Aubra Anthony, Jr., live in El Dorado. She is a member of First Baptist Church, where she has been involved in the Celebration Choir, Celebration Orchestra and Handbell Choir as well as directing the children’s choir, VBS preschool music, nursery and mothers’ day out program.

Stepping Up for Ouachita benefits outstanding Ouachita women as it provides luncheon participants the opportunity to invest in scholarship funds that directly impact students’ lives and their collegiate experience.

For more information about Stepping Up for Ouachita, visit www.obu.edu/steppingup, call 870-245-4278 or emaildevelopment@obu.edu.

WBC To Host Arkansas Master’Singers

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Williams Baptist College will host the Arkansas Master’Singers for a free concert of worship on October 12 at WBC’s Manley Chapel.  The doors open at 6 p.m. and the concert will begin at 7 p.m.

With over 200 voices, Arkansas Master’Singers consists of ministers of music/worship leaders, directors, accompanists, choir leaders, pastors, staff members and staff spouses from Arkansas Baptist churches in every corner of the state and all places in between.  The men’s chorus began in 1961, while the women’s choir started in 1973.  In the early 1990s the groups came together under the name of Master’Singers.

The Arkansas Master’Singers are currently preparing for a return mission trip to Ukraine in April of 2018.  The choir previously visited Ukraine in 2014, where the choir and orchestra were able to present eight concerts to standing room only crowds.  The group has also toured Guatemala, Brazil, Germany, and Russia in past years.

The concert will include selections by the men’s chorus, women’s chorus, combined chorus, and the orchestra.

Everyone is invited to attend the concert of worship at Williams.  For more information about the concert, visit the Arkansas Master’Singers website at www.arkansasmastersingers.com.

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

WWI Display Coming to WBC

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“The Great War: Arkansas in World War I” will be displayed at Williams Baptist College’s Felix Goodson Library from October 10 through October 22.  The free, traveling exhibit that tells the story of Arkansas’s role, at home and on the battlefields, during World War I.

The traveling exhibit consists of 12 panels that showcase images from the Arkansas State Archives’ holdings, including original documents, photographs, posters, maps and historical objects, giving a first-hand look at the lives of Arkansans during the war.

The exhibit covers the chronology of the war as well as various facets of the conflict, such as training troops in Arkansas, actions overseas, the Home Front, providing for the war, healthcare and Arkansas heroes.

“It is exciting to showcase Arkansas’s role during World War I, including training troops in Arkansas, actions overseas, the Home Front, providing for the war, healthcare and Arkansas heroes,” said Pamela Meredith, WBC’s director of library services.  “We look forward to community visitors, including individuals and groups.”

The Arkansas State Archives is located in Little Rock. It maintains the largest collection of historical materials on Arkansas in the world and is dedicated to collecting and preserving the documentary history of Arkansas. The State Archives also has two branch locations: the Northeast Arkansas Regional Archives, located in Powhatan, Ark., and the Southwest Arkansas Regional Archives, located in Washington, Ark.

This exhibit is funded in part by a grant from the Arkansas Humanities Council, the Department of Arkansas Heritage and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The display is open to the public and free to view during regular operating hours, which are: Sunday 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. – midnight; Monday – Thursday 8 a.m. – midnight; Friday 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.; and Saturday noon – 4 p.m.

For more information, or to schedule a group tour, contact the Felix Goodson Library at (870) 759-4139.

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