Jon Merryman, Ouachita Baptist University’s director of alumni relations and the Ouachita Student Foundation, recently was appointed as a commissioner to the Alumni Affairs Directors Group with the national Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU). Merryman is one of seven directors from the U.S. and Canada appointed to the group by the president of CCCU, Shirley Hoogstra.

According to the CCCU website, the organization is a global higher education association based in Washington, D.C., with the mission to protect and advance the cause of Christ-centered higher education and to help its institutions transform lives by faithfully relating scholarship and service to biblical truth. There are more than 180 Christian institutions around the world that are a part of the organization, including Ouachita. In addition, there are approximately 3.6 million CCCU alumni.

“What we do at Ouachita, and the way we do it, matters,” Merryman said. “Our students matter. Our alumni out there making a difference matter. In the CCCU, we are not alone but stronger together championing each other as we continue our work in Christian higher education.”

To fulfill its mission and meet current needs of its member institutions, CCCU staff and commissioners provide services for administrators, faculty and students in three strategic areas: public advocacy, professional development and scholarship and experiential education.

As a commissioner of the Alumni Affairs Directors Group, Merryman will serve a three-year term as a volunteer to advise the CCCU president and staff in alumni relations, as well as organize the annual Advancement, Alumni Affairs, Communications and Enrollment Conference.

“Jon is an innovative and creative leader who has devoted many years of service to his alma mater, Ouachita,” said Keldon Henley, Ouachita’s vice president for institutional advancement and chief of staff. “Being named to this national leadership group is a well-deserved honor for Jon, and it will allow other Christian colleges and universities to benefit from his extensive experience and knowledge, as well.”

Merryman will serve alongside colleagues from Houghton College, Messiah College, Lipscomb University, Bethel University, Concordia University and Point Loma Nazarene University.

“My supervisors throughout my time at Ouachita have always encouraged me to pursue professional development and have given me everything I need to serve Ouachita in alumni relations and the Ouachita Student Foundation,” Merryman continued. “Being recognized for the work I do in my field is an honor, and I look forward to serving the CCCU during my term on the commission.”