KN I G HT NAM E D V P FO R ACAD E M I C AFFAI R S
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V O LLEYBALL W I N S AGAI N
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AVA W E E KS C R O W N E D M I SS AR KAN SAS
Summer 2026
STEAD FAST
E D I TO R’ S N O T E S
Steadfast or Stubborn?
As I’ve reflected on the theme “steadfast” traced through the pages that follow, it has been natural to consider its opposites: wavering, fickle, unfaithful. But I’ve also wondered about the difference between being steadfast and being stubborn, as one who struggles with the latter. Is stubbornness just steadfastness turned up too loud? Or is there some ingredient that, added or missing, turns faithfulness into obstinacy? I’ve come to think it has mainly to do with whether we’re holding on to something within us or outside us. In stubbornness, we hold on to our own pride, our need for control, our fear of appearing weak or wrong. And, frustratingly, it’s much easier to see in others than in ourselves. Steadfastness, I believe, means holding on to something — someone — bigger than ourselves. We “hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23, CSB). Steadfastness is not, however, the avoidance of all change. Ouachita has changed a great deal in 140 years. What I knew as Walt’s is now called “the Caf ” — a nicer building, for sure, even if the nickname doesn’t feel like progress to me. The “gum tree” is gone, and the bridge next to it has been replaced by a much sturdier version. Ouachita Baptist College became Ouachita Baptist University, and we’ve started and re-started graduate programs. Holding on to what we’ve always done is not the same as holding on to God. Sometimes we adjust to stay on course. This edition of the Circle highlights ways Ouachita and her people seek to hold on to God in our work. Sandra Gilliland, director of our graduate counseling program, writes about helping students with their mental health (p. 8) in an article that applies to all of us. Detri Brech ’84 reflects on her own journey and her decades-long connection with our nutrition & dietetics program (p. 14). I hope you’ll also spend time with profiles of four campus leaders who have given a combined 99 years of steadfast service: Rachel Pool ’07 (p. 10), Nicole Porchia ’09 (p. 12), Doug Reed (p. 20) and Jay Derby (p. 22). As you read through the stories, profiles, class notes and President Sells’ closing thoughts, please pause and pray for our campus community along the way, as we continue the work of staying faithful to our God and our mission. After all, steadfastness is something we must ask God for, not something we achieve on our own. “He who promised is faithful.” James Taylor ’99 Assistant to the President for Communications
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O N TH E BLO G Where to start when you’re saving for college Why my sister chose Ouachita for nursing school Robert Cornelius: A courageous ambassador Is AI replacing graphic design jobs? Honors is absolutely worth it
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Camp u s Up d ate
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ENDURING WITH HOPE AND ANCHORED IN TRUTH Sandra Gilliland considers student mental health connected with sustained growth.
Graduate enrollment increases by 50%
Facu l t y Pr ofi l e
Doug Reed continues long tenure in the classroom
S t a ff Pr ofi l e
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Jay Derby guides studentathletes one down at a time
FA M I L I A R FA C E S S T E P P I N G I NTO N EW R O LE S Rachel Pool & Nicole Porchia are drawn to new roles by their love of serving others.
S p or ts Up d ate
Elise Knight wins Elite Scholar-Athlete award
Clas s Notes
Campus Ministries serves in Chile
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P AT I E N T W O R K AT T H E HEART OF COMMUNITY Detri Brech tells how steadfastness led to progress personally and in the dietetics program.
Clos i n g Th ou g h ts
A picture of quiet, daily faithfulness
O N TH E COVER Gold Tiger medallions are presented to alumni attending their 50th reunion at Ouachita, celebrating a steadfast connection with the university. Photo by Anna Roussel ’22, MBA ’25.
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TH E LEGACY OF TH E ARY STU DE NT I NVESTM E NT FU N D Finance students aim to steward more than $10 million of the university’s endowment.
Summer 2026
PRESIDENT BEN SELLS ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR COMMUNICATIONS / EDITOR JAMES TAYLOR ’99 GRAPHIC DESIGN MANAGER / CREATIVE DIRECTOR ASHLEY CAROZZA
CAMPUS NEWS
CONTENT SPECIALIST / ASSOCIATE EDITOR CHASE HARTSELL ’24 WEB DEVELOPER WILL JOHNSON ’19 PROJECT MANAGER CHRISTIN COLE GRAPHIC DESIGN RESIDENT ISABEL KING ’25 DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS ANNA ROUSSEL ’22, MBA ’25 VP FOR INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT, CHIEF OF STAFF KELDON HENLEY ’86 ALUMNI PROGRAM ASSISTANT DREW WEBB ’23 ASSISTANT ATHLETIC DIRECTOR FOR COMMUNICATIONS BRIAN RAMSEY The Ouachita Circle is a publication of Ouachita Baptist University’s alumni and communications & marketing offices. Printed by Arkansas Graphics in Little Rock, Ark. © Copyright 2026
SUBMIT ADDRESS CHANGES AND CLASS NOTES obu.edu/alumni • alumni@obu.edu • 870.245.5000 410 Ouachita St., OBU Box 3762 • Arkadelphia, AR 71998-0001
VISION Ouachita Baptist University seeks to foster a love of God and a love of learning by creating for students and other constituents dynamic growth opportunities both on campus and throughout the world. With foresight and faithfulness, Ouachita makes a difference.
MISSION Ouachita Baptist University is a Christ-centered learning community. Embracing the liberal arts tradition, the university prepares individuals for ongoing intellectual and spiritual growth, lives of meaningful work, and reasoned engagement with the world.
VALUES Ouachita strives to be an academic community of vision, integrity, and service grounded in the following values: Faith. We believe that life is lived most abundantly in response to the love of God through Jesus Christ. Scholarship. We advance excellence in teaching, learning, research, and creative expression. Growth. We foster broad-based education, encouraging growth in intellectual, spiritual, physical, and social domains. Character. We affirm that respect and honesty undergird responsible citizenship and stewardship. Community. We promote a vibrant community strengthened by diversity, sustained by common aims and supportive relationships, and committed to leadership and service on campus and beyond. To read our Statement of Faith, visit obu.edu/whoweare. Ouachita has served for more than 140 years as a private, Christian liberal arts university. Founded in Arkadelphia, Ark., in 1886, Ouachita is affiliated with the Arkansas Baptist State Convention.
GRADUATE ENROLLMENT GROWS BY 50% Ouachita’s graduate enrollment reached 168 students this spring, a 50% increase over Spring 2025, as the university reported total Spring 2026 enrollment of 1,822. Leading the growth are the Master of Education in curriculum and instruction, a Master of Arts in counseling and Arkansas’ first master’s program in applied behavior analysis. Ouachita also offers graduate degrees in business, nutrition & dietetics and exercise science. “Families in our region have long known Ouachita for its quality undergraduate education,” said Dr. Ben Sells, Ouachita’s president. “With the additional growth of our graduate programs, I’m thankful we’re able to extend our mission to help even more people connect a love of God with a love of learning.” Undergraduate residential enrollment in the spring stood at 1,502, sustained by a fall-to-spring persistence rate of 92.7%. The university continues to expand undergraduate programs and facilities, including the newly renovated 10,000-squarefoot Whisenhunt Nursing Education Center. Total enrollment also includes high school students taking Ouachita courses for concurrent credit. “Our graduate programs combine rigorous academic training in a Christian environment with the flexibility working professionals need,” Sells said. “Whether equipping teachers to invest in their students or developing the next generation of mental health therapists, we’re helping students grow both professionally and personally.”
C A M P U S U P D AT E
U PDATE OSDN HOSTS SPORTS MEDIA CONFERENCE TIM KNIGHT NAMED VP FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS; PLYMALE INTERIM DEAN Dr. Tim Knight ’84 began his new role as vice president for academic affairs on June 1. Knight previously served as dean of the Patterson School of Natural Sciences, a position he held since 2012. He succeeds Dr. Justin Hardin ’97, who recently became provost and vice president for academic affairs at Montreat College in North Carolina. “This was not something I was looking for,” Knight said. “I didn’t come to Ouachita thinking I wanted to be vice president for academic affairs. I see it as a different way to serve the people who have been such an important part of my life and work.” Dr. Ruth Plymale, who has chaired the Department of Biology since 2023, is interim dean of the Patterson School of Natural Sciences for the 2026-27 academic year. Since joining Ouachita’s faculty in 2009, she has mentored dozens of undergraduates in her laboratory and developed course-based undergraduate research experiences in freshman biology and microbiology, which have engaged more than 1,200 Ouachita students. “Many students are confident they want to study science but aren’t sure exactly what field,” Plymale said. “We work with them, and with each other, to help them find where they best fit.”
The Ouachita Sports Digital Network welcomed more than 400 high school students and teachers from 35 different schools to campus on Nov. 12, 2025, for its fourth annual OSDN High School Sports Media Conference. The free event included a series of panels featuring sports media professionals from around Arkansas and the region. Led by OSDN student leaders as well as faculty and staff, each discussion covered an important topic within the industry, such as broadcast production, writing and podcasting. “The goal is for the students to learn something that they can take back to their respective schools to help their programs get better,” Chris Babb ’99, assistant professor of communications and director of sports media, said. “It’s also a way for students to see Ouachita and the learning opportunities they have if they want to study this in college.” Babb and his team look forward to hosting the fifth OSDN High School Sports Media Conference in 2026 and exploring the possibilities of expanding the annual event in years to come.
BURSON’S MUSIC COMPOSITION SELECTED FOR NATIONAL CONFERENCE Baylee Burson ’25, a recent graduate from Arkadelphia, Arkansas, had an original music composition, “Scarlet,” selected for performance at the College Music Society’s 68th National Conference in Spokane, Washington, on Oct. 30. Burson is the second Ouachita student in three years to have a piece selected for the CMS National Conference, joining 2024 graduate Jenna Barnes (whose “Into the Fire” was showcased in 2023). “Scarlet” was the only undergraduate composition chosen for the 2025 event. “Baylee’s selection for performance at the College Music Society National Conference is an exceptional achievement,” Dr. Patrick Houlihan, the Addie Mae Maddox Professor of Music, said. “I have greatly enjoyed working with her in composition lessons and seeing firsthand how quickly she has grown as a composer. She combines genuine musical talent with strong musicianship and thoughtful persistence, and this recognition reflects both the quality of her work and her considerable promise for the future.” After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in music from Ouachita in December, Burson walked as a summa cum laude graduate at the university’s 139th Spring Commencement on May 9. She will begin pursuing a Master of Music in theorycomposition at Stephen F. Austin State University in the fall.
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ALUMNI RETURN FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH LUNCHEON, REFLECT ON OUACHITA HISTORY Ouachita’s Multicultural Student Programs brought together generations of African American alumni during a Soul Food Luncheon and Alumni Spotlight on Monday, Feb. 2, sharing a narrative of progress, perseverance and community. The event featured Euodias Goza ’71 and Dayja’ James ’23, whose stories encapsulate more than 50 years of African American student experiences at Ouachita. From the early days of campus integration to today’s multicultural efforts, both alumni offered perspectives that resonated deeply with current students, faculty and staff. “As a current Ouachita student, hearing from alumni was truly inspiring,” said Addrie Gray, a senior criminal justice and psychology major from El Dorado, Arkansas. “Through their testimonies, I felt seen and heard. I grew in my appreciation for those who came before and allowed me to follow in their footsteps.” Students, faculty and staff attended the event in Ouachita’s Walker Conference Center. “I am grateful we were able to invite two alumni back to campus who represent such different generations at Ouachita,” said Dr. Natilan Crutcher, associate professor of music and co-liaison for Multicultural Student Programs. “Through both of their stories, we witnessed a rich history of development, hardships and growth achieved through the work of African American students.”
PRUET FACULTY LEAD CONFERENCE IN BRAZIL Faculty members from the Pruet School of Christian Studies traveled to Manaus, Brazil, in June to teach at the 17th annual Fé na Verdade (“Faith in Truth”) conference, hosted by Igreja Batista Constantinópolis. The group led 20 sessions over three days at a pastors’ conference and a simultaneous women’s conference, teaching ministers and laypeople from churches across the Amazon Basin. Sessions covered messianic prophecy in Isaiah, grief and suffering, and the Shema in Deuteronomy, while the women’s conference took integrity as its theme. The partnership traces to 2020, when Ouachita alumni Ron ’70 and Alana (Ichter) Greenwich ’72 partnered with the Manaus church during an assignment with the International Mission Board. The first Ouachita teaching group traveled in 2024. Faculty plan to return in 2028. One pastor had traveled roughly eight hours to attend the conference, said Dr. Michael Cox ’04, associate professor of biblical studies. “He told me it was expensive for him, but that it’s worth it to invest in learning so he can pastor his congregation well,” Cox said. “The conference embodies what we aim to do — read the Bible faithfully while living it out faithfully and bringing people to the God who is real and at work in the world.”
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STUDENTS CONTINUE MODEL U.N. AWARD TRADITION Eight Ouachita students participated in the 66th Midwest Model United Nations in St. Louis, Missouri, from Feb. 18 to Feb. 21. Under the mentorship of Dr. Kevin Brennan, professor of political science, the university’s student representatives received multiple awards for the ninth year in a row. Upon arriving at the event, the students were split into two delegations: South Sudan and Costa Rica. The South Sudan delegation, made up of Blaise Batson, Carson Burks, Lexi Aikman and Grace Sexton, won a Distinguished Delegation Award, placing them among the top 30% of all delegations at the conference. In addition to the group award, Batson and Burks received Best Position Paper Awards, which put them among the top 20% of all individual delegates. The Costa Rica delegation was composed of Ligia da Silva, Bri Fehr, Allison Hatfield and Hannah Hickman. Fehr, Hatfield and Hickman each earned a Best Position Paper Award. “All of our students performed very well in the competitive simulation,” Brennan said. “I am truly proud of all the work they did.”
C A M P U S U P D AT E
STUDENTS HONORED AT OUACHITA ACADEMIC AWARDS CEREMONY
TIGER SERVE DAY CONTINUES BEN M. ELROD’S CALL TO SERVICE
Ouachita recognized student achievement in the classroom and beyond at its annual Academic Awards Ceremony in Jones Performing Arts Center on Friday, May 1. William White, a biomedical sciences major from Little Rock, Arkansas, received Ouachita’s highest academic photo by Joshua Rhine ’26 honor as this year’s Overall Academic Achiever. He was also named the top academic achiever in the Patterson School of Natural Sciences. Olivia Beene, a communication sciences & disorders major from Enola, Arkansas, was selected as the university’s Outstanding Senior Woman. Nathan Clark, a history and secondary education double major from Longview, Texas, was the Outstanding Senior Man. He was also recognized as a Carl Goodson Honors Program Blue Ribbon Finisher and received both the Department of Education’s Kathy Collins “Spirit of Teaching” Award and the Department of History’s Outstanding Future Teacher Award. The university also announced the Annie Abrams Living Legacy Award. This year’s recipients, known as Annie Abrams Scholars, were Eden Beasley, a senior music major from Benton, Arkansas, and Justin Shaw, a junior music industry major from Little Rock, Arkansas.
On April 11, over 650 Ouachita students and volunteers joined together to complete 88 projects for Tiger Serve Day. While anticipated by students and community members each semester, this one was special for Judy Duvall ’82, outgoing director of the Ben M. Elrod Center for Family & Community. For 25 years, Duvall has been committed to building relationships through service by providing opportunities for students to use their gifts to bless others and glorify the Lord. Over her time in leadership, she has expanded the Elrod Center programs, meeting specific needs for Arkadelphia residents. Elrod Center staff and student leaders coordinate the semi-annual event. Meeting for weeks in preparation, they visit community members, recruit volunteers and organize the projects and logistics. “Mrs. Judy has been one of the most impactful women to me during my three years of college,” said Margaret Guerra, a Tiger Serve Day Leadership Team member and junior communications and community & family services/human services double major from Benton, Arkansas. “She has poured into our leadership team intentionally, so that we may go and pour into the community.” Leigh Anne McKinney ’95, who has worked with the Elrod Center for 14 years, now steps into the director role to continue the legacy of service.
HICKINGBOTHAM FAMILY TRACK & FIELD HOSTS SPECIAL OLYMPICS, WIN WHIPPLE INVITATIONAL Ouachita welcomed six high school track & field teams to Hickingbotham Family Track & Field for the inaugural Win Whipple Invitational on Thursday, March 12. The event, held in honor of Arkadelphia native and Arkansas Track & Field Hall of Famer James Winfield “Skinny” Whipple, was the first high school track & field meet held on campus in over 30 years. “It was an honor to host this high school meet for the Whipple family,” Steve Guymon, Ouachita’s head track & field and cross country coach, said. “This event would not have been possible without our track & field student-athletes, generous donors and the work of our administration. They made this dream come true.” On April 1, the facility hosted its first Special Olympics event as athletes from across Clark, Garland, Hot Spring and Saline counties gathered for the Special Olympics Arkansas Area 10 Spring Games. “I had a previously established relationship with Special Olympics, and it was the first year since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic that we’d been able to host the event,” said Hallie Wallace, assistant professor of kinesiology. “I reached back out to see if Ouachita could host the Area 10 Special Olympics, and they were thrilled.”
Photo courtesy of Special Olympics Arkansas Area 10
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NURSING EARNS RENEWED ACCREDITATION; FACULTY RECEIVE STATEWIDE HONORS Ouachita’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program has received continuing accreditation status for the next seven years from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. Following an ACEN visit to campus last fall, the renewal was made official on April 30. Ouachita received initial accreditation in March 2021, and the continuing accreditation will last through ACEN’s next campus visit in 2033. “As a student, this accreditation demonstrates accountability and excellence within the nursing world,” Ashleigh Estes, a 2026 nursing and communications & media/strategic communications graduate from Keller, Texas, said. Earlier in the spring, three of the program’s faculty were named among Arkansas’ 40 Nurse Leaders Under 40 for 2026, presented by the Arkansas Center for Nursing. Ashley Knight ’11, Kayla Harrington and Leah Cruthis were part of the 11th class of honorees, which was recognized at the Leadership & Legacy Awards in Benton on April 20. “I am incredibly proud of these faculty members, as they represent the commitment to excellence in both nursing practice and education that defines our team,” said Dr. Amy Morris ’02, director of nursing for Ouachita. “Their leadership extends far beyond the classroom, shaping the learning environment and modeling the values we hope to instill in our students.”
AVA WEEKS CROWNED MISS ARKANSAS
photo by Katie Childs
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Ava Weeks, a Ouachita Baptist University English and secondary education double major from Conway, Arkansas, was crowned Miss Arkansas on June 13 at Little Rock’s Robinson Center. Earlier in the week, she won overall talent, onstage conversation and the Jessie Bennett Leadership Award. Outgoing titleholder Kennedy Holland crowned her. Weeks won Miss Ouachita Baptist University in 2025 and Miss Southwest Arkansas in 2026. She is the university’s 12th student to win the state title, following 2011 winner Kristen (Glover) Belew ’11. She competes at Miss America in September. The experiences carry a meaningful family connection: Weeks’ mother, April Gosser Cook ’94, was Miss OBU in 1992. “Ava has been such a great representative of Ouachita and an intentional friend through this journey,” said Anna Derby, a senior kinesiology major and the current Miss Ouachita Baptist University. “I am in awe of the hard work and dedication she has shown.” Weeks will pause her senior year for the full-time role but plans to return and complete her degree, aided by over $40,000 in pageant scholarships. “My faith is everything," she said. “I get the honor to not only represent an incredible organization, but to be a light and to represent Jesus.”
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HAMILTON, KIRBY RECOGNIZED FOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH Dr. Sharon Hamilton, associate professor of chemistry and holder of the E.A. Provine Chair of Chemistry in Ouachita’s J.D. Patterson School of Natural Sciences, has been named one of 12 inaugural recipients of the Arkansas Research Alliance’s Emerging Research Leaders program. Hamilton’s selection follows national attention this spring for work conducted in the university’s lab. In March, the American Chemical Society spotlighted research by Mieya Kirby, a senior biomedical sciences and chemistry double major from Fort Worth, Texas, ahead of her presentation at the society’s spring meeting in Atlanta. The presentation, titled “Development and characteristics of ester-linked NSAIDpolymer conjugates towards limiting suture site inflammation,” explored a new class of dissolvable sutures that release nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs at the site of a surgical wound over several weeks. It also highlighted opportunities for undergraduate research taking place at Ouachita. “Dr. Hamilton is great about collaboration and encourages students to explore ideas,” Kirby said. “She makes so much time for her students and allows for teaching throughout the research process.”
OUACHITA SINGERS TOUR IRELAND The Ouachita Singers recently returned from a tour of Ireland, highlighted by their June 20 performance at Music Celebrations International’s Dublin Choral Festival in historic St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The trip marked the latest chapter in the group’s nearly 70-year touring history, which has spanned North America, Europe and Asia. In addition to the Dublin Choral Festival concert, the Ouachita Singers performed at St. Kevin’s Kitchen in Glendalough, St. Nicholas Collegiate Church in Galway and St. Mary’s Cathedral in Killarney. Some of these places of worship date back to the Middle Ages. “The tour was nothing short of wonderful,” said Sophie McFarland, a rising senior worship studies major from Alexander, Arkansas. “Seeing new places, meeting new people and, of course, singing in multiple cathedrals was a life-changing experience.”
photo by Matthew Correll
RECOGNIZING MORE THAN 150 YEARS OF SERVICE BY RETIRING FACULTY & STAFF MEMBERS Retiring faculty and staff members were recognized in April at a celebration in McBeth Recital Hall followed by a reception. Those recognized and their years of service to the university are listed below. Jimmy Cox 4 years of service Grounds Crew
Melinda Fowler ’80 21 years of service Programmer
Judy Duvall ’82 25 years of service Director Emerita of the Elrod Center for Family & Community
Jim Rothwell ’78 45 years of service Assistant Professor Emeritus of Accounting
Scott Duvall ’80 37 years of service Professor Emeritus of Biblical Studies
Jim Taylor 28 years of service Professor Emeritus of Biology
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Steadfast through the semesters: Why the mental health of students matters
By Sandra Gilliland
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f you’ve spent any time around college students in recent years, you’ve likely noticed a shift. Today’s students are thoughtful, driven and deeply aware of the world around them — but they are also navigating unprecedented levels of anxiety, pressure and uncertainty. We are incredibly aware of mental health, yet many students feel less steady than ever. In counseling offices and classrooms across the country, a consistent pattern has emerged as students report increased experiences of anxiety, depression and isolation. That sense of isolation is not always about the absence of people but the absence of embodied connection — safe, present relationships where students feel known, supported and grounded. In a world that is increasingly digital and performance-driven, many students are left without the relational anchors that help them interpret their experiences and regulate their emotions. Without those relational anchors, many students struggle not only with distress but how to make sense of their experiences. This year’s theme for the Circle is “steadfast.” It’s a word that invites us to consider what it means to remain grounded in a world that often feels anything but. For today’s college students, steadfastness is not about ignoring struggle or pushing through at all costs in stoicism or selfsufficiency. Instead, steadfastness is the capacity to endure with hope, to remain anchored in truth, to stay connected in the midst of uncertainty and to grow into people who can both seek help and offer it to others. At Ouachita, this understanding shapes how we train future counselors and how we care for all students. We believe mental health is more than reducing symptoms — it is about forming whole persons in a deeply personal way. In our counselor education program, students are expected to build knowledge and clinical skills. They are also invited into the challenging work of personal growth through the development of empathy, self-reflection, ethical integrity, resilience and spiritual maturity. In this process, many come to a significant realization: before they can fully sit with others in moments of pain, they must be willing to examine themselves.
THREE TIPS FOR ANCHORING RELATIONSHIPS: • Consistent presence over time • Deep attunement & awareness • Willingness to repair when disconnection happens
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S T E A D FA S T This core element of the training process is where knowledge becomes personal and theory meets lived experience. Students begin to understand that being a counselor is about becoming the kind of person who can offer a steady, grounded presence to others. In this way, their own growth becomes part of God’s ongoing restorative work, which Scripture describes as the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18). They reconcile first in their own lives and then in the lives of those they serve. The world needs counselors who are more than technically skilled. It needs counselors who are steady. Counselors who can sit with complexity without rushing to fix it. Counselors who can remain present in the face of pain. Counselors who have experienced reconciliation with Christ and can offer grace, healing and hope freely to others. For Christians, steadfastness comes from a life anchored in the faithful presence of God. It’s the quiet confidence that we are not alone, even in seasons of uncertainty or struggle. This kind of rootedness allows us to grow through hardships and become people who are increasingly compassionate and present. Ouachita remains committed to helping all students pursue growth and healing in their own lives, whether through on-campus counseling services or through the formative work embedded in their classes. This dual commitment reflects a deeper aim: shaping them into people who can offer help to others in a world that desperately needs a steady presence in the midst of the storms. While we don’t have the power to calm the sea, we can hold fast, anchored to the God who can. Steadfastness is the presence of something deeper that holds us steady within the struggles of life. Perhaps now more than ever, that is exactly what our students — and our world — need most.
STEADFASTNESS IS THE CAPACITY TO ENDURE WITH HOPE, TO REMAIN ANCHORED IN TRUTH, TO STAY CONNECTED IN THE MIDST OF UNCERTAINTY AND TO GROW INTO PEOPLE WHO CAN BOTH SEEK HELP AND OFFER IT TO OTHERS.
Dr. Sandra Gilliland is professor of counseling and director of Ouachita’s mental health counseling graduate program.
OUACHITA COUNSELING SERVICES OFFERS FREE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT TO STUDENTS When students enroll at Ouachita, they receive free access to support with classes, in the residence halls and with their mental health. Some students benefit from one or two sessions of problem-solving, while some concerns may require more time, dealing with test anxiety, grief, pre-marital counseling, depression and more. Housed in the Office of Student Development, Counseling Services employs four licensed professionals who offer one-on-one sessions, support groups, anonymous online screening and remote counseling options. Staff seek to provide wise counsel based upon sound psychological understanding, biblical principles and Christian values. Scan the QR code to read more about setting up students for success, including 10 essential skills for college: obu.edu/studentsuccess
MEET OUR COUNSELING SERVICES STAFF:
DAN JARBOE, LPC
Coordinator of the University Counseling Center & ADA 504 Coordinator
SAUNDRA SCHULTZ, LPC University Counselor
SUE POOLE, LCSW University Counselor
KANEIL PURIFOY, LPC
University & Athletic Clinician
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I’M TAKING WHAT I’VE DONE AS A TEACHER, AND NOW I’M BUMPING IT UP TO AN ADMINISTRATIVE LEVEL.
D R. R AC H E L P O O L ’07
LEADS HUCKABEE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION By Chase Hartsell ’24, content specialist
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n the spring of 2005, Rachel (Waggener) Pool completed a philosophy paper for Dr. Margo Turner’s ’86 Foundations of Education class. When Dr. Turner returned the paper, there was a handwritten note: “Go get your doctorate and come back and teach with us.” Within 10 years, Pool had her doctorate and was teaching full-time at Ouachita. Pool recently completed her 15th year on the university’s faculty and her second year as dean of the Huckabee School of Education. A 2007 Ouachita graduate from West Memphis, Arkansas, who double majored in mathematics and secondary education, Pool vividly remembers her classes with current math faculty members Darin Buscher ’92 and Dr. Jeff Sykes. She also cherishes the lessons she learned from former education faculty such as Troy Garlin, Kay Calvert, Dr. Jeanna Westmoreland ’81 and Dr. Merribeth Bruning. During her time in the Carl Goodson Honors Program, Pool compared Jesus’ teaching strategies to the 22 components that she was assessed on as a student teacher. The project became foundational for her career, and she turned what she learned into a 2025 devotional book for teachers, “Go Fish.”
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S T E A D FA S T
Meet Dr. Pool HOMETOWN: West Memphis, Arkansas FAVORITE MOVIE: Anne of Green Gables BIBLE PASSAGE THAT MEANS A LOT TO ME: Micah 6:8
ROAD TRIP SOUNDTRACK: The sound of my two boys getting along WHAT I WOULD TELL MY 18-YEAR-OLD SELF: Bloom where the Lord plants you
COFFEE ORDER: No coffee, just Dr. Pepper and the Holy Spirit
FAVORITE OUACHITA STUDENT MEMORY: Traveling to California for my honors thesis through the Carl Goodson Honors Grant
SOMETHING PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW: I pitched for my high school softball team (and we were conference champs my junior year!)
THREE WORDS THAT BEST DESCRIBE ME: Mom, Teacher, Believer
IDEAL VACATION: Wherever my family is
WINNING TIGER TUNES SHOW I WAS IN: Tri Chi Girl Scouts
“I got a strong pedagogy from education classes, and because of Honors, I was also able to see Jesus as the Master Teacher, putting his content knowledge and his pedagogy to the test and learning how I can be effective in the classroom like him,” she said. “That experience has really shaped how I teach today.” Pool was also inspired by her mother, Susan Waggener, who taught geometry at West Memphis High School and was named the 2009 Arkansas Teacher of the Year. After graduating from Ouachita, Pool returned to West Memphis as an algebra teacher, meaning that the mother-daughter duo taught in the same department and had many of the same students daily. “In my prep period, I would go sit in her class and watch her teach,” Pool said. “I soaked in everything that she did. She was just a phenomenal teacher who believed in all students, no matter their circumstances.” Pool later taught at Fayetteville’s McNair Middle School and Benton Junior High School. In 2011, she received a call asking if she’d like to return to Ouachita as a visiting instructor for Foundations of Education as well as secondary and middle school education classes. The answer was a resounding “yes.” Before Pool knew it, her visiting instructor role became a fulltime position. From the beginning, Dr. Carrie Sharp ’85, associate professor of education, and the late Dr. Kathy Collins, associate professor emerita of education, served as her guides and close friends. “We were like the ‘Three Amigos,’” Pool said. “Carrie and Kathy just poured their heart and soul into mentoring me and showing me the different side of knowing Ouachita as a faculty member. They were amazing colleagues to help me navigate the education world.”
Between 2016 and 2024, Dr. Jeff Root ’82 served as dean of the School of Education. Pool cites Root’s example as one of the main reasons why she felt ready to take on the dean role herself. “He has been such a powerful mentor,” Pool said of Root. “I can see God’s presence in how Jeff prepared me for this next position. I got to watch him and see what he was doing as our dean, so that when it was my turn to take the role, I’d seen what I needed to do. He set me up for success very nicely.” Pool succeeded Root as dean on June 1, 2024, leading both the Department of Education and the Department of Kinesiology. Her background in the classroom not only helps her relate to students but also faculty. “I’m taking what I’ve done as a teacher, and now I’m bumping it up to an administrative level,” Pool explained. “I try to do individual appointments with every single faculty member before the school year starts and during the school year. I ask them about their goals, how I can pray for them and how I can cheer them on or assist them. Then, at the end of the year, we look back on our goals. It’s neat to see what we’ve done and where we can still grow.” Whether they’re taking classes, teaching classes or conducting work in the field, Pool wants every person in the School of Education to know one thing: she will be there for them. “If you want to be a preschool teacher or an occupational therapist, you’ve got a partner alongside you,” Pool said. “You’re not doing this journey alone. We’re going to have high expectations, being the best of the best, because that’s what God calls us to be.”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT STUDYING EDUCATION OR KINESIOLOGY IN THE HUCKABEE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, VISIT obu.edu/education
SUMMER 2026 | 11
STE A D F A S T
DR. N ICOLE P OR CH IA ’09
STEPS INTO LEADERSHIP OF STUDENT DEVELOPMENT By Anna Roussel ’22, MBA ’25, director of alumni relations
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icole Porchia never dreamed of being a vice president at Ouachita — what drew her to higher education was her love of serving students. That calling led her to a variety of roles over the years. In each position she’s held, part of her job has always been to be a voice and advocate for students, while also walking through tough conversations and guiding them through the real world. Excellence in each step along the way is what led to her appointment as vice president for student development in December 2024, overseeing Campus Safety, student conduct, Student Life, Residence Life, Academic Success and Counseling Services. Porchia graduated from Ouachita in 2009 with a degree in mass communications and soon obtained a master’s degree in higher education from the University of Arkansas, which stemmed largely from her experience working for TRIO programs and in Residence Life during undergrad. Porchia returned to Ouachita to lead the creation of and direct the Academic Success Center
During her own time as a student at Ouachita, Porchia connected to almost every corner of campus, serving as copresident of the Ouachita Student Foundation and student hall director in OC Bailey Hall, while also being active in her social club, photo lab, gospel choir, Upward Bound and in ROMS, the multicultural student organization at the time. She especially valued her relationships with faculty and staff. People like Marsha Whalen, along with professors and administrators like Dr. Bill Downs, Dr. Keldon Henley ’86 and Dr. Lewis Shepherd ’80, are among the long list of people Porchia reflects on while she’s putting in extra hours for her own students. Many conversations shared over meals and in offices with her college mentors offered her the encouragement she needed in school; to her, those people helped raise her. “Ouachita has given me so much, I’m not sure I would ever be able to repay this place,” Porchia said. “The people here believed in me; they gave me hope, they empowered me. One of the many
One of the many ways I feel like I can give back to Ouachita is giving other students the same experience that Ouachita gave to me. in 2012, centralizing all tutoring and helping students succeed in college. Porchia earned her doctorate from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2023, with a lot of encouragement coming from the students she was mentoring. “My students didn’t just witness my journey; they empowered it,” Porchia shared. “They were my biggest cheerleaders outside my family. Their unwavering belief in me during those long days made me realize that if they could see the potential in me, I owed it to myself to see it, too.” The areas Porchia leads sometimes involve having hard conversations with students and working through the less-thanglamorous parts of student development. Many of the decisions she makes are framed around her own experience as a parent, thinking about how she would want someone to help her own child grow. Though not every day is easy, every day is fruitful. “I’m certainly not immune to the demands of this work,” Porchia said. “But I feel called to it — that’s the difference between burnout and purpose. Every morning I pull into this campus and feel a rush of excitement. It’s that feeling of knowing exactly where you’re supposed to be and knowing that today, you get to pour into the lives of students.”
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ways I feel like I can give back to Ouachita is giving other students the same experience that Ouachita gave to me.” Part of finding that right place for students through student development has been helping first-generation college students, like herself, succeed in school. Porchia reflected on how the community here helps people face the challenges and barriers that are part of college life. “There’s no cookie cutter solution; I always say success is about finding your support system and your village,” Porchia explained. “I think for me, my job is to help students find that.” While her new appointment has exciting moments of celebration and success, the hard wins are especially rewarding. The moments Porchia loves most are when a student reflects after a difficult conversation and comes back to say they appreciate her being hard on them — getting to share growth moments. That, for her, is when she realizes they’re developing students. “My hope is that we will continue to meet the students where they are and we’ll all thrive as a community,” Porchia said. “I want people to think of student development as a team that helps underprepared students prepare, prepared students advance and our advanced students excel. We want to be a chain reaction of helping students wherever they may be.”
S T E A D FA S T
Me
a i h c r o P . r et D HOMETOWN: Prescott, Arkansas
FAVORITE MOVIE: Any Hallmark movie FAVORITE BOOK: How Full Is Your Bucket? BIBLE PASSAGE THAT MEANS A LOT TO ME: Proverbs 3:5-6 SOMETHING PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT ME: I grew up on a farm and I love gardening and quilting IDEAL VACATION: A relaxing family camping trip at DeGray Lake or on the coast COFFEE ORDER: One cup a day with plenty of creamer and sweetener! ROAD TRIP PREFERENCES: Lots of fresh fruit, nuts, trail mix and lots of road games WHAT I WOULD TELL MY 18-YEAR-OLD SELF: Trust the process. You are worried about where you will end up and how to get there, but you don’t need the whole map right now. The detours are part of the journey that will build your character. FAVORITE OUACHITA STUDENT MEMORY: Connecting with friends, faculty and staff who made the difference THREE PHRASES THAT DESCRIBE ME: Mom of two, student success advocate, woman of faith TIGER TUNES SHOWS I WAS IN: 2006, 2007, 2008 Women of EEE shows
SUMMER 2026 | 13
STE A D F A S T
—A STEADY I NVESTM E NT—
RETURNED
By Detri Brech
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S T E A D FA S T
M
ost of my life has been connected to Ouachita. From a 17-year-old at Arkansas Girls State to a professor helping lead the very program I discovered as a student there, Ouachita has been a steadfast thread throughout my adult life. I grew up on a family farm north of Warren, the daughter of a science teacher and first-generation college student. I always knew I would go to college; I never imagined it would be here. Then, the summer before my senior year, I visited campus twice — once for Girls State, once for a journalism camp — and something took hold. By the next fall I was moving into a third-floor room in Flippin, a pre-med major who had never heard the word “dietetics.” I heard it for the first time in an anatomy class. My lab partner mentioned her major, and the moment she described it, it sounded exactly like what I wanted to study. I made an appointment with Mrs. Joyce Morehead, who chaired the Family & Consumer Sciences Department from a small office in the back of the Home Economics House. I still remember sitting across from her as she laid out the courses for a Bachelor of Science in dietetics. She was the kind of advisor and teacher I would one day try to be. The program I had found was small. Ouachita had no fulltime dietetics faculty; our courses were taught by registered dietitians who drove to campus, professionals giving their time to keep a young program alive. In 1984, I was one of only three students to graduate with a degree in dietetics. Looking back, I’m grateful for the investment those professionals made to keep a small program going. It was an investment I didn’t yet know would shape my own life. I left to build a career of my own. I earned a master’s degree and became a registered dietitian, taught for a year, then spent nine years at the University of Central Arkansas while completing a Ph.D. at Oklahoma State. I was teaching in Missouri when an ad caught my eye: Ouachita was hiring a dietetics professor. I applied. I was selected. In 2000, I came home. Stacy Freeman was directing the nutrition & dietetics program then, and the two of us divided everything between us, all 41 hours of the major and every advisee. Our students were remarkable, and we walked each one through four years and toward the competitive dietetic internship they needed before they could sit for the registration exam. Ouachita couldn’t yet offer that internship. So we began to ask: what would it take to build one ourselves? The answer was years of patient work. We started with market research and committee reviews. I remember standing before the entire faculty, explaining the vision and asking for their vote of support. They gave it. We earned candidacy from the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics, hired Holly Kyzer, and in Fall 2020 welcomed our first cohort of dietetic interns — nine of them. Full accreditation followed. We added a fourth colleague, Danielle Watson, and launched the Master of Science in August 2022.
The contrast still amazes me. The fragile program once kept alive by visiting dietitians now enrolls graduate students in its Master of Science and Dietetic Internship, alongside 30 undergraduate majors. Today I tell prospective students: begin as a freshman, and in five years you can complete your bachelor’s degree, your master’s degree and your internship, ready to sit for the exam and go to work. When I look back, I see my own story and the program’s story growing along the same line. I arrived not knowing what dietetics was; I have spent 26 years helping our community know exactly what it can be. I was mentored by Mrs. Morehead, and I have tried to mentor as she did. What others kept alive for me, I have worked to keep alive for those who came after. Much about Ouachita has changed. The heart of it has not — lifelong friends now decades deep; faculty and staff who build relationships with students; colleagues who hold one another up. That is the fabric of this place, and it has held steady through the seasons of my life. Ouachita invested in me long before I knew what I would become, and my family and I have been blessed because of it. I am thankful.
Much about Ouachita has changed. The heart of it has not — lifelong friends now decades deep; faculty and staff who build relationships with students; colleagues who hold one another up.
Dr. Detri Brech ’84 is the Holt Professor of Dietetics and Pre-Medical Studies at Ouachita.
SUMMER 2026 | 15
STE A D F A S T
R e a l M o n e y, R e a l D e c i s i o n s :
THE GROWING LEGACY OF OUACHITA’S ARY FUND By Allie Bell and Chase Hartsell ’24, content specialist
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n 2000, Eddie Ary, associate professor emeritus of finance, raised $8,000 for students in his investments class to get realworld experience in stock portfolio management. When Ary retired in 2012 after 32 years of teaching at Ouachita, the university honored him and his wife by renaming the portfolio as the Eddie and Phyllis Ary Student Investment Fund. Today, the Ary Fund is thriving under the leadership of a select team of senior finance students. With the guidance of Dr. Chris Brune ’94, professor of finance and the George Young Chair of Business, the student managers have regularly provided average annual returns that outperform the market. Ouachita’s Board of Trustees has recognized the fund’s strong performance and consistently increased the portion of the endowment students manage. This summer, the Board agreed to raise the fund’s allocation to more than $10 million. “The Ary Fund represents one of the most meaningful learning experiences we offer in the Hickingbotham School of Business,” Bryan McKinney ’93, the school’s dean, said. “Seeing our students achieve such positive returns while integrating classroom learning with real-world investment decisions is exactly what business education should look like.”
THE ARY FUND REPRESENTS ONE OF THE MOST MEANINGFUL LEARNING EXPERIENCES WE OFFER IN THE HICKINGBOTHAM SCHOOL OF BUSINESS. – BRYAN MCKINNEY Members review current holdings and propose changes to the portfolio, analyzing 10 sectors of the economy and bringing recommendations to the team under the supervision of Brune. “On a personal level, it’s a unique opportunity for me to get to know team members outside of class,” Brune said. “There’s such a steep learning curve, and it’s fun to see them embrace their responsibility and rise to the challenge. I’m so proud of all the
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students over the years who have worked hard to help grow the fund to what it is today.” “Thanks to Dr. Brune, the Ary Fund stewards university resources well, affording transformational learning experiences for every student who has the privilege of participating,” McKinney said. “Students respect him deeply, and I’m grateful that our Board of Trustees shares that confidence and entrusts these significant resources to the fund under his oversight.” Tavin Wright ’26 of Hot Springs and Chloe Lane ’26 of Little Rock served on the 2025-2026 student management team. Both cited the Ary Fund as a practical growth opportunity that will set them up for future success. “The Ary Fund has prepared me for my future career goals by teaching me how to effectively work in a team,” Wright said. “Every week we vet and evaluate multiple stocks, so it’s important to know how to respectfully discuss and disagree with people while also being receptive to fair criticism.” “It has provided me with real-world experience in financial research, decision recommendations and portfolio management,” Lane said. “Without the Ary Fund, I wouldn’t have the confidence to walk into job interviews and discuss my experience in the field.” Earlier this year, the team had the opportunity to attend Quinnipiac University’s Global Asset Management Education Forum from March 19-20 in New York City. The forum is recognized as the largest financial conference of its kind, where students hear from industry-leading keynote speakers and participate in portfolio competitions to gain experience and expertise. Over 1,200 students from 135 colleges and universities attended, allowing students to learn new insights and perspectives while networking with finance students from across the country. “My favorite part was getting to talk to students from other schools about the structure of their funds,” Wright said. “These conversations made me realize how lucky I am to be a part of the Ary Fund where we have the autonomy to make our own decisions as a group.”
Allie Bell is a rising senior communications & media/ strategic communications and Christian foundations double major from Conway, Arkansas.
S T E A D FA S T
photos courtesy of university archives
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ARY FUND, CONTACT DR. CHRIS BRUNE AT BRUNEC@OBU.EDU OR VISIT OBU.EDU/ARYFUND. SUMMER 2026 | 17
STE A D F A S T
436 DEGREES 372 UNDERGRADUATE — 64 GRADUATE —
1,100+ CONCERTS & PERFORMANCES
BY PERFORMING ARTS STUDENTS
60+
STATE & NATIONAL AWARDS
in student media
Students in Campus Ministries & Christian Studies served in: Germany, Indonesia, Lithuania, Serbia, Chile, Dominican Republic, St. Louis and New Orleans.
$6 MILLION MANAGED BY SENIORS IN THE ARY FUND
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1,765 VOLUNTEER HOURS SPEECH PATH THERAPY
S T E A D FA S T
See full event coverage at: OB U.E DU /2026G R AD
TOP 5 UNDERGRADUATE MAJORS: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Kinesiology Biology Business Administration Communications & Media Finance
GRADUATE DEGREES EARNED IN: Applied Behavior Analysis, Business Administration, Education, Exercise Science and Nutrition & Dietetics
21 STATES // 15 COUNTRIES REPRESENTED 219 PRESIDENT’S LIST (at least once during their time at Ouachita) 50 GRADUATES WITH A 4.0 GPA 88 STUDENT-ATHLETES photos by Levi Dade ’23, Noah Gulley, Joshua Rhine ’26 and Evie Stake
SUMMER 2026 | 19
F A C U LT Y P R O F I L E
20 | OUACHITA CIRCLE
photo by Joshua Rhine ’26
F A C U LT Y P R O F I L E
Doug Reed
Professor of Political Science and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs By Anna Roussel ’22, MBA ’25, director of alumni relations
I
f “steadfast” is a word that weaves itself through Ouachita’s history, one of its strongest threads would be Dr. Doug Reed. At 41 years of service, he is the longest-tenured faculty member on campus, with a faithful devotion to Ouachita and her students. Reed isn’t shy to say he has the best job on campus, serving in two offices and working as both chair of the political science department and associate vice president for academic affairs. While his AVP role is gratifying on its own, Reed loves that it still allows him to teach. For him, the best part is working with students — though not every student in his department will go into full-time politics, he feels the lessons taught can be adaptable no matter their career choice. “I want students who are going to leave and be successful, but I also want them to become what I would consider responsible citizens, leaders in their churches and leaders in their community,” Reed explained. “America has lasted 250 years because of people who are attentive, responsible, active and understanding of our framework, trying to make things better.” His interest in politics started with observing such people, like his mother, who served as county clerk in his small rural county. Reed observed primary elections at the courthouse during childhood and watched officials keep a vote count on a giant chalk board, which felt like a “big celebration of democracy in action.” Experiences like this would eventually lead to a career in the field. After completing his B.A. at Southwestern Oklahoma State University and his M.A. and Ph.D. at the University of Missouri at Columbia, all three in political science, Reed moved to Arkadelphia, hired by Dr. Hal Bass, who has become both a friend and mentor over the years. Without Bass, Reed says he wouldn’t have had nearly as pleasant or successful a teaching career. “Kevin Brennan and I say probably at least once a month that the older we get, the smarter Hal sounds,” Reed reflected. “He’s guided me in innumerable ways from day one, helping me settle in and giving me confidence.” His role in the Office of Academic Affairs lets him carry on the tradition through new faculty orientation and the Faculty Development Committee, along with overseeing processes like research grants and course evaluations. One of the most rewarding parts of these tasks is the depth of knowledge about the university it provides. “A lot of people would be surprised at the innovative things faculty members have done, what they’re doing for growth and what they’re doing with students,” Reed said. “I get to have a better feel for what others are doing than the average faculty member or person in administration.” Reed feels one of the most gratifying parts of his longevity at Ouachita is looking around campus and seeing many of his former students now serving the same university. Similarly, it has been rewarding to see the children of his former students follow their parents’ path to Ouachita. “It makes you feel good that, for lack of better words, people trust Ouachita to teach their children because we did right by them first,” Reed said. “It won’t be identical, but wanting them to experience something similar is very rewarding.” When asked what steadfast means to him, Reed reflected that to him, it’s the idea of “staying the course,” despite the high highs and low lows. Over the past four decades, his love of students and his work have done just that.
“I want students to become what I would consider responsible citizens; leaders in their churches, leaders in their community.”
SUMMER 2026 | 21
STA F F P R O F I L E
Jay Derby
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach, Ouachita Football By Chase Hartsell ’24, content specialist
O
n Sept. 4, 1999, Todd Knight ’86 and Jay Derby stepped onto A.U. Williams Field for their Ouachita coaching debuts. The season opener was Battle of the Ravine, and their first task was to help Ouachita claim its first win over Henderson State since 1987. Months earlier, Derby, then wide receivers coach for Delta State University, received a visit from Knight, the Statesmen’s head football coach. After guiding DSU to its first Gulf South Conference championship in 1998, he was headed to Arkadelphia, Arkansas, to take over the football program at his alma mater, Ouachita. He wanted Derby to come with him. Derby didn’t know much about Ouachita or Arkansas. He grew up near the Atlantic coast in Goldsboro, North Carolina, studying and playing football at Guilford College. In 1994, a Guilford connection led him to Delta State. During his time in Cleveland, Mississippi, he met and married his wife, Susan, who also worked in the athletics department. They ran the football dorm together, and the thought of living in a real house was exciting. What thrilled Derby the most, though, was the opportunity to rebuild a storied program alongside Knight. In his first game at Ouachita, Derby, coaching defensive line, was tasked with stopping a Reddie offense that the Tigers hadn’t held below 20 points in over a decade. Ouachita’s defense ended up holding HSU to just 133 yards in a 34-14 victory. “That win brought a lot of energy to the program,” Derby said. More than 25 years later, energy has become a habit. Since taking over as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2005, Derby has led record-setting offenses that have fueled the Tigers to a league-record seven conference championships. In everything, he and his fellow Ouachita coaches have sought to stand by three Fs: faith, family and football. “Coach Knight has a Bible study set up every Thursday morning that our staff partakes in,” Derby explained. “It’s a huge investment into the lives of the coaches, and we’re trying to lead our players in the same way. We’re not perfect by any means, but Coach Knight has built a great culture within our program.” In Knight’s eyes, Derby has also been key in building the team’s culture. “For 32 years, Jay Derby has been much more than a coach to me,” Knight said. “He’s been a loyal, trusted friend, and his commitment, character and love for Ouachita have helped shape generations of young men. I am deeply grateful for the impact he has made on all of us.” During visits with recruits and their families, Derby speaks as a husband and father whose entire family has invested in the university. Susan has held multiple roles in the Hickingbotham School of Business, and both of his daughters, Caroline ’23 and Anna, a current senior, have studied at Ouachita and served as Miss OBU. “One of the many reasons Susan and I have stayed so long is that we wanted our children to graduate and get a faith-based education,” Derby said. “We’re proud to have them as Ouachita alumni, and they’re very proud, too. It gives us a perspective to help families understand it’s a great place to be.” “Jay, Susan and the girls have been a great fit at Ouachita,” Knight said. “What makes Ouachita a great place is families like the Derbys.”
“One of the many reasons Susan and I have stayed so long is that we wanted our children to graduate and get a faith-based education.”
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S TA F F P R O F I L E
photo by Joshua Rhine ’26
SUMMER 2026 | 23
ALUMNI PROFILE
Ambassador Mike Huckabee ’76 F R O M A R K A D E L P H I A TO J E R U SA L E M
M photo courtesy of Mike Huckabee
ike Huckabee’s road to an ambassador’s residence in Jerusalem started in south Arkansas. Huckabee earned his bachelor’s degree in religion from Ouachita in 1976, finishing a fouryear program in two-and-a-half years. He and Janet McCain ’76 knew each other from childhood in Hope, where they dated their senior year in high school, marrying soon after their first year at Ouachita. Huckabee leaned on scholarships and worked full time as a radio disc jockey to pay his way through college, studying between spinning records. What followed is well known in Arkansas and beyond. Huckabee pastored churches across the state, was president of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention, then served as lieutenant governor and, from 1996 to 2007, the 44th governor of Arkansas. He was a U.S. presidential candidate and hosted national radio and television programs, becoming one of the country’s most recognizable voices on public life. In April 2025, the U.S. Senate confirmed him as the United States Ambassador to Israel, and he presented his credentials in Jerusalem later that month. It is a posting rooted in a relationship that predates his political career: Huckabee traveled to the region early in life and has returned more than 100 times, leading thousands of others there. Now, he and Janet live in Jerusalem, a long way from the state where they met. Their son, John Mark Huckabee ’00, daughter-in-law, Lauren Brown Huckabee ’04 (married to son David) and daughter, Sarah Huckabee Sanders ’04, who now serves as governor of Arkansas, all graduated from Ouachita. “If I was starting over and could choose any university and go all expenses paid, I would absolutely make Ouachita my choice,” Huckabee said. “I’ve competed all my adult life with those who went to Ivy League schools but I’d put my education experience next to any. I’m forever grateful to God for the academic and spiritual influence it’s had on my life.”
Christopher Rice ’93 P U R P O S E OV E R A M B I T I O N
W
hen Christopher Rice returned to campus in March, he came back to a place his family helped fill. A 1993 Ouachita graduate and now an executive vice president at Shell, Rice grew up in a home that prized education and pointed its children toward Arkadelphia. Ten of his 11 siblings attended Ouachita. As Bryan McKinney ’93, dean of the Frank D. Hickingbotham School of Business, put it, the Rice family may have sent more students to Ouachita than any family since 1886. Rice keynoted the 33rd annual Business Administration Day luncheon, speaking to more than 250 students, faculty and business leaders. His message was less about climbing a career ladder than about serving. Early-career success, he told the room, rests on discipline, reliability and real relationships as much as technical skill. Lasting growth comes from adaptability, servant leadership and a willingness to lift the people around you. He urged students to treat technological advances as tools while they keep building the character and judgment that leadership will always require. In a Q&A session, Rice spoke about leaving the university’s close-knit campus for larger and larger places, and the impostor syndrome that can follow. He came to see that Ouachita had already given him what he needed. “Once you figure out you actually have what you need to get there, that changes everything,” he said.
photo courtesy of Christopher Rice ??????????
24 | OUACHITA CIRCLE
ALUMNI PROFILE
Kathryn Totty ’23 & Emilee Webb ’24 FR IE N DS OF TH E COU RT
K
athryn Totty and Emilee Webb met in their 8 a.m. Honors Contemporary World course as freshmen in the Fall of 2020, back when friendships had to form through masks and spacedout desks. Six years later, the two are linked again, this time as back-to-back editors-in-chief of the Arkansas Law Review at the University of Arkansas School of Law. Totty, a 2023 graduate who double-majored in communications & media and political science, led the review for 2025-2026. Webb, a 2024 graduate who paired English and political science with a Christian studies minor, was named her successor. Both credit Ouachita for helping them build habits that the job demands. Totty pointed to the Ouachitonian, where interviewing, writing and chasing down every last detail taught her to be the point person a publication needs. Webb highlighted late nights editing the Signal, where she learned what it means to be the last set of eyes to see something before it goes to print. They named professors as readily as their publications. Dr. Kevin Brennan’s Contemporary World and Model U.N. gave them research and argument skills. Dr. Hal Bass’ American Presidency course, Totty said, still feels like the closest thing to a law school exam she ever took. Totty published her own Note this year on rural legal deserts in Arkansas, dedicated in part to the Shepherds of El Dorado, fellow Ouachita alumni. Ouachita’s reputation at the law school, both agree, was built one class and one student at a time.
photo by Anna Roussel ’22, MBA ’25
Rear Adm. Matt Bolls ’98 CHARTING A COU RSE OF SE RVICE
F
or Matt Bolls, Ouachita was home before it was an alma mater. The son of missionaries to Niger, Bolls, like many “missionary kids” before him, came to campus and found a place that ended up shaping his life and family. His parents, Donald and Teresa Bolls, later served as Missionaries-in-Residence with Campus Ministries. His undergraduate degree, a Bachelor of Science in business management, launched a Navy career now in its 28th year. Commissioned through Officer Candidate School in 1999, Bolls earned a master’s degree in supply chain management from the Naval Postgraduate School and served as a supply officer aboard ships — including the USS McFaul, USS Shiloh, USS Chancellorsville and USS John C. Stennis — deployed to the Mediterranean, Persian Gulf and Western Pacific. Ashore, he commanded Fleet Logistics Center Jacksonville and served on the Joint Staff, working across branches of the military. His personal awards include two Legions of Merit. He most recently served as executive officer to the director of the Defense Logistics Agency at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. In May 2026, the U.S. Senate confirmed his promotion to rear admiral (lower half ). He now serves as the logistics, fleet supply and ordnance officer for U.S. Pacific Fleet in Hawaii. The promotion marks a milestone in a service-filled career that Bolls traces straight back to Arkadelphia. “It laid the foundation for my entire Navy career,” he said of his time at Ouachita. photo courtesy of Matt Bolls
By James Taylor ’99, assistant to the president for communications SUMMER 2026 | 25
S P O R TS U P D AT E
BACK-TO-BACK 20-WIN SEASONS
F
or the first time in 50 years, the Ouachita men’s basketball team pulled off back-to-back seasons of at least 20 wins, finishing the year at 23-7 after going 22-8 in 2024-2025. Dennis Nutt’s Tigers finished second in the Great American Conference regular season standings in both seasons. The 23 and 22 wins are Ouachita’s two highest single-season win totals in the NCAA era. The last time Ouachita won 20 games in back-to-back seasons was a stretch of four straight from 1972-1975. These teams won a pair of Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference championships and were led by the late Bill Vining Sr. ’51, whom the team honored with a special jersey patch throughout the 2025-2026 season. In January, the Tigers worked their way back into the national rankings for the first time since 2009, eventually rising as high as No. 16 in the National Association of Basketball Coaches NCAA Division II Rankings and matching the program’s previous superlative. Over the past two seasons, the Tigers have featured two GAC Defensive Players of the Year, two GAC Newcomers of the Year, a GAC Offensive Player of the Year, six All-GAC selections, two NABC All-District honorees and one All-American.
VOLLEYBALL CHAMPS
ELITE ELISE KNIGHT
With nearly the entire team back after winning the 2024 Great American Conference tournament championship and making the NCAA Division II tournament, it was no surprise that the Tigers, led by Coach Allison Frizzell-Kizer ’13, were at the top of the league once again in 2025. When the dust settled, the 2025 Tigers finished at 26-5 overall and 15-1 in conference matches to win the school’s first outright GAC regular season championship. Along the way, Ouachita was a perfect 13-0 at home inside the Sturgis Physical Education Center and put together multiple winning streaks, including a season-best 12 victories in a row that included 11 conference wins. The team never lost back-to-back matches, and all five of the team’s losses were to nationally ranked opponents or perennial conference championship contenders. Individual accomplishments for the year included five allconference selections, highlighted by senior Courtney Hanson being named the GAC Setter of the Year for the second time in her career. Hanson was joined by junior teammate Leah Gardner on the All-GAC First Team. Senior Emily Adams made the All-GAC Second Team. Juniors Kylie Kisgen and Kailey Thedford made the All-GAC Honorable Mention Team. Frizzell-Kizer was named GAC Coach of the Year.
Elise Knight wrapped up her Ouachita career by winning one of the most prestigious awards for NCAA student-athletes. By qualifying to compete in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2026 NCAA Division II Track & Field Championships in Emporia, Kansas, Knight also became eligible for the sport’s top academic honor. The NCAA Elite Scholar-Athlete award recognizes the true essence of student-athletes by honoring the individuals with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA’s championships. Double majoring in biophysics and professional chemistry, Knight completed her bachelor’s degree at Ouachita this past May with a perfect 4.0 cumulative grade-point average in a challenging academic arena. Knight is the first female and just the third overall studentathlete in university history to win the NCAA Elite Scholar-Athlete award. In addition to this honor, the Jonesboro native was named the Great American Conference Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year and a College Sports Communicators Academic All-American. She was part of two GAC championship cross country teams and received various regional and conference honors throughout her career. “Elise truly defines the ideal student-athlete,” Steve Guymon, Ouachita’s head track & field and cross country coach, said. “She is a humble and outstanding leader. We are all incredibly proud of her.”
26 | OUACHITA CIRCLE
RECORD-BREAKING SEASON FOR OUACHITA ATHLETICS Ouachita Athletics recorded another successful season in 20252026, featuring new school records in the Great American Conference all-sports standings. Following a banner year in 2024-2025, the Tigers were near the top of the league once again with a third-place finish in the GAC Commissioner’s Cup standings, which is based on total points, and a third-place finish in the GAC President’s Trophy standings, which is based on percentage points. The No. 3 spot in the GAC President’s Trophy is a new school-best for the Tigers. Ouachita broke school records in both races with 84.5 total points, which equates to 69.26% of the total points available. The Tigers had six top-three finishes over the past year, highlighted by a regular season conference championship in volleyball and runnerup finishes in men’s basketball and women’s cross country. Both track & field teams and the women’s soccer team all finished third in their respective standings. Not included in the GAC races is the men’s swimming & diving team, which finished as the runner-up in the New South Intercollegiate Swim Conference.
2025-2026 ALL-AMERICANS
S P O RT S U P D AT E DYLAN HORTON • FOOTBALL D2FOOTBALL.COM Elite 100 Squad
STEFAN DUCA • SWIMMING NCAA All-America Second Team
ANNA PHELPS • SWIMMING NCAA All-America Second Team
IAN REDMAN-AGUILAR • SWIMMING NCAA All-America Second Team
SAM RAGSDELL • SWIMMING NCAA All-America Second Team
JAMES SAVARESE • SWIMMING NCAA All-America Second Team
KATE NACHTIGAL • TRACK & FIELD NCAA All-America Second Team
ADEN HECHT • TRACK & FIELD NCAA All-America Second Team
MADI VANA • SOCCER College Sports Communicators Academic All-America Second Team
ELISE KNIGHT • TRACK & FIELD NCAA Elite Scholar-Athlete Award College Sports Communicators Academic All-America Second Team
RAMON STRASSMANN • TENNIS College Sports Communicators Academic All-America First Team
By Brian Ramsey, assistant athletic director for communications SUMMER 2026 | 27
C LASS N OTE S
CLASS NOTES connecting the circle
1960s Paul Jones ’64 is owner and president of Faith Properties of Anderson in South Carolina. Vida (Hill) Baker ’65 and her husband are celebrating more than 60 years of marriage. They have moved to assisted living in Maryville, Tennessee. Linda Harris Clements ’66 has been an independent cheer tumbling coach in Bossier City, Louisiana, since retiring from a 44-year career as a gymnastics coach in 2010. Carolyn Staley ’67 published a book that launched in Aug. 2025 titled “The Boy Next Door: My Sixty-Year Friendship with Bill Clinton.” Mrs. Staley also donated her large vocal music collection to the Ouachita library. It includes hundreds of items for use by voice students and teachers. Ray Vardaman ’67 continues to play his trombone at 80 years old, praising God for allowing him to do it so long. A retired music teacher, he’s performed in 13 countries on 23 different mission trips through the Global Missions Project. Ray is also rebuilding the same 1969 Opel GT that he used to drive to grad school in the early 1970s.
1970s Since retiring as a professor of Christian philosophy and ethics at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Mark Coppenger ’70 served a year as interim pastor of First Baptist Church in Henderson, Kentucky, and then a year as visiting lecturer in philosophy at New Saint Andrews College in Moscow, Idaho. Those moves and 10 grandkids have kept him and his wife, Sharon (South) Coppenger ’71, busy. Current and past writings are posted at markcoppenger.com.
28 | OUACHITA CIRCLE
Brad Rountree ’77 is celebrating 10 years since his heart transplant and 49 years on staff at New Liberty Baptist Church in Garland, Texas, where he is the worship pastor. He is also in his 24th season with the Dallas Symphony and Chorus. Brad and his wife, Rhonda, have been married for 43 years. Their son, Timothy ’09, is a detective for the Mesquite Police Department.
1980s Ken Locke ’81 is interim pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Noblesville, Indiana. He and his wife, Elizabeth Lindsey, live in nearby Beech Grove. Col. Edwin Payne ’81 retired after 46 years of honorable service with the U.S. Army and Department of Defense. Arthur “Chip” Broadbent III ’82 returned to the Little Rock area after 39 years in Norfolk, Virginia. He has enjoyed reconnecting with many of his friends from Ouachita and starting his next chapter of life in the “Land of Opportunity.” He now sings with the River City Men’s Chorus and Arkansas Chamber Singers and serves on the boards of Arkansas Learning Through the Arts and the Democratic Party of Pulaski County. He is the chair of the 2026 Stella Boyle-Smith Young Artist Competition with the Arkansas Symphony Guild and serves on the Little Rock Arts & Culture Commission. Bill Sudbery ’82 is a professional artist selling his commissioned and existing work to clients worldwide. He is a member of the Pastel Society of America and the National Oil and Acrylics Society. Bill previously taught for 25 years at schools across Arkansas and Florida.
Kent Priest ’83, as of Jan. 1, 2025, has officially and joyously retired as a forestry specialist with the Alabama Forestry Commission. Even though he loved what he did, he is not planning on returning to the wildfires and ticks anytime soon. Janet Jones Lowry ’85 retired July 31, 2025, after 40 years in early childhood education. Tyrone Blanks ’87 is now a sports announcer for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He is a retired investigator for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
1990s Kyle Hollaway ’92 successfully summited Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak at 19,341 feet, in early Sept. 2025 with 10 friends, including Jason Gerber ’04. Kyle and his wife of over 30 years, Rebekah Kinney Hollaway ’93, reside in Ferndale, Arkansas. They have eight children and six grandkids. Tricia (Taylor) Newsom ’92 is in her sixth year as superintendent of Dayton City School, a pre-K–8 district in Dayton, Tennessee, rooted in faith and servant leadership. She was named 2025 Southeast Tennessee Region Superintendent of the Year.
DO YOU HAVE A CLASS NOTE? — SU B M IT ON LI N E AT —
obu.edu/alumni/classnotes — OR E MAI L —
alumni@obu.edu
C LASS N OTE S Christa Finney ’94 received the 2025 National Athletic Trainers’ Association’s Athletic Trainer Service Award and was inducted into the Arkansas Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Fame as part of its 2025 class. John David Tolbert ’96 was recently promoted to senior vice president/deputy general counsel at Fannie Mae. In this role, he leads the Multifamily Legal team responsible for supporting Fannie Mae’s multifamily finance portfolio, valued at more than $542 billion. Andrew Bagley ’97 was recently named athletic director at Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas. Doug Hibbard ’99 earned his Ph.D. with an emphasis in church history from East Texas Baptist University’s B.H. Carroll Theological Seminary on May 23, 2025.
2000s Jay ’99 and Michelle (Vaughn) Baker ’00 have moved to Texarkana, Arkansas, after teaching abroad for eight years. Michelle will serve as principal at Trinity Christian School next year. Jay teaches high school math. Steven Paul Lewis ’00 is currently teaching at White Hall High and just finished his 13th year of teaching history. He teaches AP U.S. History, Honors Civics and Honors Economics. In Oct. 2025, he began working on his Ph.D. in history at Liberty University. Kevin Miles ’00 serves on the leadership team with Reach Out Youth Solutions to train youth leaders in Jesus-Focused Youth Ministry with Barry St. Clair. Darren Hull ’01 returned to Montana to serve as an agent for Coldwell Banker in Red Lodge after living in Wyoming for 10 years.
Gary Miller ’01 recently returned to CHRISTUS Health to serve as director of Clinical Education & Development with CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Medical Center in Longview, Texas. Courtney (Ray) Brewer ’02 is serving as a full-time STEM/ technology teacher at First Academy in Rogers, Arkansas. She recently completed a graduate certificate in Christian apologetics from Biola University. Courtney and her husband, Luke ’99, have a 14-year-old daughter named Avery Claire. Jean-Michel Hatton ’04 earned a master’s degree in European and international relations from Sorbonne Nouvelle University in Paris, France, in 2024. He is now seeking a Ph.D. within the same field. Chris Muckleroy ’05 was named CEO of the Bucket Ministry, an organization that shares the love of God through clean and safe drinking water. Before taking on this role in June, Chris worked in finance and at Cross City Church in Euless, Texas. He and his wife, Emily (Parker) ’05, have three children. Heather (Tackett) Wardle ’05 was elected to the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation — a 50-person board, where she serves as one of two women statewide. Mary Lynn (Burns) Patterson ’06 began her new position as copywriter for university advancement at Texas A&M-Texarkana in June 2025.
2010s Emily Adams Hwang ’10 lives in Chicago’s Chinatown neighborhood, where she and her husband, James, are involved in a local Chinese church. After previously teaching English to local immigrants, Emily is now homeschooling her two children while working on a master’s degree at Moody Theological Seminary in Chicago. Frank Vaughn ’10 graduated from Liberty University with a Master of Arts degree in human services counseling with an emphasis in military resilience. Jessica Winston ’12 works alongside the mission hospital in rural northwestern Zambia, where she previously worked fulltime. She has helped develop programs and protocols designed to decrease malnutrition rates and under-5 mortality. Dawson Pritchard ’14 is excited to have taken over as head coach of Ouachita’s Tigershark swim teams in 2026. He is grateful to take future generations of swimmers forward after being prepared by former coach, Steven Bostick ’08. Will Combs ’17 was promoted to assistant plant manager at Parker Hannifin in Benton, Arkansas, in 2024. He is also serving as a battery commander in the Arkansas National Guard.
2020s Olivia Brown ’20 is in her second year as a resident physician at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital in Ohio. After graduating residency, she plans to pursue a fellowship in pediatric gastroenterology. Jana Coke ’20 is now working as a registered nurse in the emergency room at South Arkansas Regional Hospital in El Dorado. Brittney (Schroeder) Harston ’20 has been a registered behavior technician with Unlocking the Spectrum in Longview, Texas, since April 2024. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst®.
SUMMER 2026 | 29
C LASS N OTE S
FACULTY AND STAFF UPDATE New leadership has taken shape across campus in a number of areas. Meet seven people who have recently stepped into their roles. Scott Clark, chief of Ouachita Police. After a career with the Arkansas State Police, Clark worked as a cattleman before teaching adjunct in Ouachita’s criminal justice program, joining the campus police department and eventually becoming chief of police and director of campus safety and emergency management for the university. Jana Hardage ’21, MBA ’25, director of human resources. Hardage joined Ouachita’s Office of Development in 2014 and was named the university’s 2021-2022 Support Staff Member of the Year before moving to human resources, where she now leads the office. Allison Kizzia ’95, senior director of the offices of Student Life and Residence Life & Housing. Kizzia oversees student organizations, new student orientation and campus housing, and has led Student Life for three years after previously serving in the Office of Admissions Counseling.
Leigh Anne McKinney ’95, director of the Elrod Center. A business graduate who previously spent nine years in international education and financial aid, McKinney built the center’s tutoring partnerships with Arkadelphia schools as associate director. She now leads community service initiatives for the university as director of the Elrod Center. Dr. Amy Morris ’02, director of nursing. Morris came to Ouachita in 2024 after 18 years at Baptist Health College Little Rock, where she served as dean of nursing. She leads a team of eight nursing faculty in one of Ouachita’s fastestgrowing majors. Anna Roussel ’22, MBA ’25, director of alumni relations and the Ouachita Student Foundation. Roussel has worked at Ouachita since 2022, serving in the Office of Communications & Marketing before moving to the Office of Alumni Relations in 2025. Dustin Wagley ’00, director of Campus Ministries. Wagley previously pastored Valley Life Church in Fraser, Colorado, before moving to Arkansas in 2024 to lead Campus Ministries. He oversees chapel, mission trips, life groups and many other student-led ministries.
LUNCHEON BENEFITING
scholarships for women, honoring
Julie (Hendrix) Dodge ’81
Susan (Shambarger) Goss ’80
Friday, November 6, 2026
Chenal Country Club | Little Rock For more information or to honor one of the 2026 Stepping Up honorees, contact: Carrie Roberson: robersonc@obu.edu • 870.245.4278 30 | OUACHITA CIRCLE Learn more at obu.edu/steppingup
Cheryl (Bass) Williams ’83
Kathy Collins
(posthumously)
De’Ja Robinson ’20 earned her master’s degree in social work on Dec. 20, 2024. Claire Phillips Burge ’21 started her role as morning show producer with a DFW Christian radio station, 90.9 FM KCBI, earlier this year. She also serves as their outreach coordinator, working with volunteers in Dallas. Robert Otero ’21 is now the head wrestling coach at his alma mater, Catoosa High School, in Oklahoma. He is excited to return after 10 years of wrestling development in Arkansas. Madelyn Wauters ’21 is an occupational therapy practitioner for Pediatrics Plus in Little Rock. She has the privilege of working alongside children as they discover new strengths and accomplish things they once didn’t believe were possible. Allie (Graves) ’23 and Ben Inmon ’22 are celebrating their return to Arkansas and buying their first home. Ben graduated from seminary last summer and now serves as the young adult pastor at New Life Baptist Church in Alexander. Jill Parsons ’23 is the founder and CEO of Media High Ground, a full-service advertising agency that celebrated its third year in business on April 22. Amanda Thomas ’23 began teaching kindergarten in Malvern in Dec. 2025. She is also in the MAT program at Henderson State University. Isaac Crow ’24 is working for Haag Brown Commercial Real Estate’s team in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Kenzie Faith (Cresswell) Smith ’24 joined the staff at Graves Baptist Church in North Little Rock. In 2024, she earned her degree in business administration. She and her husband, Jacob Smith ’23, live in Little Rock. Kamy Treat ’24 is now working as a scheduler with the Traveling Team in Conway, Arkansas, where they educate and equip college students across the nation for involvement in God’s global mission, as outlined in the Great Commission.
C LASS N OTE S
FUTURE TIGERS 2000s Joseph ’06 and Julie ’04 Shepherd welcomed daughter Lydia Magdalene Shepherd on Sept. 17, 2024.
Patrice (Dilbert) Christian ’05 and her husband, Durley, welcomed daughter Adeline Elianna Christian on July 18, 2020. Eric Marks ’07 and his wife, Katie, welcomed daughter Ellis Marks on July 26, 2025.
Jessica (Hardy) George ’11 and her husband, Jonathan, welcomed son William George on Jan. 2, 2026.
Katherine (Melson) Justus ’15 and her husband, Gregory, welcomed son Rhett Justus on Jan. 4, 2025.
Daniel ’08 and Cortnie (DeVore) Byrd ’11 welcomed son Beau Paul Travis Byrd on March 17, 2025.
Jordan and Katie (Theriot) Burt ’15 welcomed son John Luke Burt on Oct. 9, 2024.
Aubrey (Elliott) Adams ’12 and her husband, Nick, welcomed daughter Arden Ann Adams on March 10, 2026.
Clark ’14 and Aaryn (Elliott) Whitney ’15 welcomed daughter Whyley Whitney on Oct. 15, 2024.
Annaliese (Clark) Lindsey ’13 and her husband, Austin, welcomed daughter Leda Lindsey on April 4, 2025.
Katherine (West) Smith ’16 and her husband, Brandon, welcomed daughter Baylor Smith on Feb. 26, 2022.
Casey (Knight) Robinson ’13 and her husband, Ean, welcomed son Jax Ryder Robinson on July 22, 2025.
Claudia Brizuela ’16 and her husband, Guillermo, welcomed daughter Elena Sofia Rivas Brizuela on Feb. 23, 2025.
Emory (Clayborn) Long ’14 and her husband, Nick, welcomed son Beckham Clayborn Long on Nov. 19, 2025.
Bonnie (Magee) Sparks ’16 welcomed son Reid Sparks on July 6, 2025.
2010s Laura (Goode) Strong ’10 and her husband, Mark, welcomed daughter Eliza Strong on Sept. 28, 2016, son Troop Strong on Dec. 27, 2018, and son Boone Strong on July 25, 2021. Emily (Adams) Hwang ’10 and her husband, James, welcomed daughter Eliana Hwang on Aug. 11, 2020, and son Jonathan Hwang on Aug. 16, 2022.
SUMMER 2026 | 31
C LASS N OTE S Beth Anne (Caery) Peterson ’16 and her husband, Banks, welcomed son Rhett Benjamin Peterson on Aug. 6, 2025.
Sarah (Cowell) Castleberry ’19 and her husband, Evan, welcomed son Lane Shepherd Castleberry on Feb. 6, 2025.
Alyssa (Johnston) Franz ’17 and her husband, Mike, welcomed son Asher Orion Franz on Aug. 30, 2023, and daughter Chloe Lyra Franz on April 15, 2025.
Jordan ’16 and Jessica (Shell) Sharp ’19 welcomed son Graham Sharp on Aug. 17, 2025.
Jacob ’16 and Emily (Long) May ’17 welcomed daughter Blakely James May on May 5, 2025.
Hannah Banks ’18 and her husband, Tyler, welcomed son Bennett Banks on Jan. 18, 2026.
Alayna (Morphew) Scott ’18 and her husband, Brady, welcomed daughter Raelyn Scott on April 17, 2025.
Madeline (Rowe) Huddleston ’18 and her husband, Andrew, welcomed son Elijah Garrett Huddleston on Nov. 29, 2025.
32 | OUACHITA CIRCLE
2020s Brittney (Schroeder) Harston ’20 and her husband, Quentin, welcomed son Owen Harston on Dec. 12, 2021.
Alexandra Young ’20 and her husband, Corey, welcomed son Callahan Young on Feb. 25, 2026.
Mary Katie Boone ’21 and her husband, Brennan, welcomed son August Boone on Feb. 24, 2025.
Katlin (Jacobs) Hardin ’21 and her husband, Randle, welcomed daughter Skylar Grace Hardin on March 6, 2026.
Sean and Sydney (Parker) McKinney ’22 welcomed daughter Hope Ryann McKinney on Oct. 1, 2025.
IN MEMORIAM We remember the following alumni who have passed away, listed with their class years and dates of death.
1940s Mary Elizabeth Haynes Ponder ’46 • Jan. 5, 2026 Marjorie “June” Howell Waggoner ’48 • March 21, 2026
1950s Marion Gerome “Bud” Fray Jr. ’52 died Oct. 29, 2025, at age 97. Bud and his wife, Jane, served 28 years in southern Africa with the International Mission Board before he returned to teach missions at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and chair the department of religion at Ouachita from 1985 to 1989. While serving in Southern Rhodesia — now Zimbabwe — he worked to secure his alma mater’s admission of Michael and Mary Makosholo. In spring 1962, the Makosholos became the first Black students to enroll at Ouachita and, by most accounts, any private college in Arkansas. Bud is survived by Jane, his wife of 76 years; four children; three siblings; 14 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. Claris Johnson Jr. ’52 • April 16, 2025
C LASS N OTE S Don Moore ’55 died Oct. 14, 2025, at age 91. Known simply as Bro. Don, he pastored churches in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Louisiana, including 12 years at Grand Avenue Baptist Church in Fort Smith. Moore twice served as president of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention before leading it as executive director from 1982 to 1995. He was vice chairman of Ouachita’s Board of Trustees from 1977 to 1981. Moore preached on mission trips to Bangladesh and India and ministered to International Mission Board personnel around the world. In his later years, his ministry turned toward prayer, particularly calling senior adults to pray for revival. Don is survived by his wife, Nita; five children; 15 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren.
Joseph Michael “Mike” Turner ’59 • March 6, 2026
Elinor Ruth Sanderson Barnett ’56 • Oct. 25, 2024
John William Taylor ’62 • Feb. 1, 2026
Dr. John David Floyd ’56 • Nov. 18, 2025
1960s James “Jim” Andrew Massey ’60 • Feb. 21, 2026 Erma Tomazine “Tommy” Long Bishop ’61 • Feb. 20, 2023 Ernest Robert “Buddy” Coleman Sr. ’61 • Dec. 22, 2025 Catherine “Jane” Halbert Fox ’61 • April 24, 2026 Ruth Ellen Davis Harrison ’61 • Feb. 11, 2026 Kenneth Walker Davenport Jr. ’62 • Feb. 7, 2026 Emma Ruth Harris ’62 • March 5, 2026 Sandra “Sandy” Lee Pierce Holt ’62 • Dec. 3, 2025 John McMillan Hobgood ’63 • March 21, 2026
Martha Smith Armstrong Tiller ’56 • Nov. 16, 2024
Edward Hayes Lawhon ’63 • March 28, 2026
Norma Mae Stephens Williams ’56 • April 27, 2026
Carl Lester Willis ’64 • Dec. 29, 2025
Dorothy “Dot” Lybrand Buffalo ’57 • April 21, 2026
James Carey Williams ’63 • Feb. 17, 2026 Dr. Dan “Danny” H. Coker Sr. ’65 • Feb. 14, 2026
Dr. H. Hugh Floyd Jr. ’66 • Jan. 10, 2023 Dr. Janice Ann Garner Hardin ’66 • Nov. 12, 2024 Lt. Col. Charles “Chuck” Ernest Piker ’66 • Jan. 19, 2026 David Warren Chitwood ’67 • Dec. 10, 2025 Dr. Robert “Bob” Lewis Duncan ’67 • Nov. 24, 2025 Mary Ann Woodward Dutcher ’67 • Jan. 16, 2026 Sharon (Windham) Heflin ’67, 79, died Feb. 26, 2026, in Little Rock. Heflin finished her Ouachita degree in three years, married her high school sweetheart, Johnny Heflin, in 1967, and helped build the family’s businesses including Terminix and Legacy. A deacon at Second Baptist Church in downtown Little Rock, she served on Ouachita’s Development Council and led boards for the Baptist Health Foundation, Alzheimer’s Arkansas and others. Receiving the Elrod Center’s community service award in 2014, Heflin told students that service “can be time, talents, giving someone a ride to the doctor’s office — or a smile.” Sharon is survived by her sons, Jay Heflin ’93 and Marc Heflin ’95, and four grandchildren.
Darrell Lee Gray ’57 • Feb. 19, 2026
Merle “Elizabeth” Reeder Morgan ’65 • Nov. 18, 2025
Nancy Grace Burrow Norton ’58 • April 6, 2026
David Morris Parson Sr. ’65 • May 9, 2026
Dr. Douglas Emerson Holt ’67 • Jan. 1, 2026
Larry Dwight DeVorak ’66 • Jan. 4, 2026
James “Jim” Randolph Jordan ’67 • Nov. 28, 2025
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For more info, scan the QR code or visit OBU.EDU/GRAD -PROGRAMS SUMMER 2026 | 33
C LASS N OTE S Rev. Roy Allen Parker ’67 • Nov. 20, 2025 Robert Harold Bray ’68 • July 7, 2025 Mary Claire Spencer Duderstadt ’68 • Nov. 23, 2025 Judy McCaig Jones ’68 • Dec. 8, 2025 Dr. Gregory Lee South ’68 • Sept. 18, 2021 Janice Eve Buffalo Gooch ’69 • Nov. 12, 2025 Dr. Robert Paul Hogue ’69 • May 28, 2026 James William Laster III ’69 • Oct. 16, 2020 Melissa “Missy” Lynn Merrick Schaefer ’69 • Feb. 12, 2026 Marilyn Gail Turney ’69 • April 20, 2025
1970s
1980s Mary Gail Hiley Eldridge ’80 • Jan. 2, 2026 Dale Yeary Davidson ’81 • Jan. 3, 2026 Cynthia M. Lamb ’84 • July 28, 2025 Linda Lou Blasingame Newton ’84 • April 2, 2026 Sean Robert Seligman ’88 • April 12, 2026
2000s Steven Dac Voung ’02 • Dec. 12, 2025 Lawrence Dwayne Graves ’07 • Nov. 25, 2025
2010s Zachary Steven Parker ’15 • Dec. 21, 2025
Penelope Jo Horn ’70 • Oct. 22, 2022 Ronald Kincade ’70 • Oct. 23, 2025 Dr. Charles Wayne Winkle ’70 • April 25, 2025 Sheran Elizabeth Belshan Herrin ’71 • April 27, 2026 Rebecca “Becky” Ann Steele Kuntz ’71 • Oct. 29, 2025 Janice Ann Phillips Funk ’72 • March 1, 2026 Walter Evans Thomas ’72 • April 15, 2025 Dennis Winfield Dreyer ’73 • April 13, 2026 Donna Jo Connelly Blackwood ’74 • May 9, 2026 Margaret Martin Brazil ’74 • Jan. 24, 2026 David Elijah Beebe ’75 • May 18, 2026 Jane Marie Sharp ’77 • Nov. 21, 2025 Melinda Leah Truly Davis ’78 • May 1, 2026 Melinda Steiger Emerson ’78 • Oct. 9, 2025 Annetta Lynne Kinnaman Wasson ’78 • Nov. 28, 2025 Roxanne Watkins ’78 • Oct. 16, 2025 Teresa Wilder ’78 • May 19, 2025 Dorothy Faye McAnally Harkrider ’79 • March 1, 2026
34 | OUACHITA CIRCLE
2020s Katelyn Brown ’24 died Dec. 1, 2025, at age 23. A native of Houston, Katelyn came to Ouachita in 2020 and graduated cum laude in the Pruet School of Christian Studies. In Arkadelphia, she invested her time in a local church, the Southwest Pregnancy Center and Campus Ministries, leading its prayer team and serving on mission trips. She had recently begun a ministry residency at Champion Forest Baptist Church in Houston, where she served in children’s ministry while pursuing a master’s degree. Katelyn is survived by her parents, Sarah and Calvin Brown; her siblings, Will, Macy and Jake; and her grandmother, Cia Dreves.
FACULTY/STAFF Glenn Good died Jan. 19, 2025, at age 83. He came to Ouachita in 1969 and taught physics for 43 years, retiring in 2012 as the Charles S. and Elma Grey Goodwin Holt Professor of Physics. A graduate of Louisiana Tech, he taught at least two generations of Ouachita students, including several who came back as his colleagues. His favorite course was Intro to Physics for Pre-Professionals, and he never minded an 8 a.m. class. Glenn was also a beloved square dance caller who taught thousands of Ouachita students to do-si-do and allemande at the annual TWIRP event Barn Bash. He considered his students his kids. Glenn is survived by Evelyn, his wife of more than 60 years, of Arkadelphia and a niece, Paula Stegall. Bill Vining Sr. ’51, who mentored generations of students and athletes as Ouachita’s all-time winningest basketball coach and longest-serving athletic director, died Aug. 15, 2025, at age 93. Originally from Eudora, Arkansas, Bill played for Ouachita’s basketball team as a student before taking over the program at just 24 years old. A member of the NAIA, Arkansas Sports and Ouachita Athletics halls of fame, he remains the only men’s basketball coach in the state of Arkansas to achieve 500 career wins at a single institution. Bill was also an associate professor of physical education known for his superb badminton skills and instruction. He is survived by six children, 22 grandchildren, 38 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. To read a full tribute to Coach Vining, visit: obu.edu/coachvining
C LASS N OTE S
OUACHITA CAMPUS MINISTRIES SERVES WITH ALUMNI IN CHILE
F
or more than 30 years, Cliff ’84 and Cinthy (Garner) Case ’81 have carried the gospel across South America as missionaries with the International Mission Board, spending the last 18 of those years in Santiago, Chile. They have also raised two Ouachita graduates — sons Caleb ’09 and Clayton ’13. For much of their career, they have welcomed Ouachita students into their work, from English classes to sports camps to church planting. The partnership runs both directions. Cliff and Cinthy have returned to campus in the past to serve as Missionaries-in-Residence. Ouachita’s Pruet School of Christian Studies traveled to serve with them in the early 2000s, and Campus Ministries followed with its own team in 2010. Since then, the couple has hosted a steady stream of summer and semester missionaries on the field,
including Ouachita students. The latest chapter came this May, when a team of 10 from Campus Ministries spent two weeks in Santiago. Working alongside the Cases, the students served Iglesia Bautista Renacer en Cristo, pastored by Antonio Salamanca. They hosted Saturday field days, led Sunday worship and shared testimonies. On weekdays they split among three schools to help with English, PE, religion, music, drama and sports ministry. The Campus Ministries team worked through language barriers, with the Cases, church members, schoolteachers and other missionaries in the area serving as translators. The team navigated the sprawling city of Santiago and its robust subway system on their daily commute, ending the trip by rafting and ziplining along the Maipo River in the Andes Mountains.
D O YO U K N OW A H I G H S C HOOL STU D E NT WH O S HO U LD B E A
? r e g Ti
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SCAN THE QR CODE OR VISIT: obu.edu/refer TO POINT SOMEONE TO OUACHITA! SUMMER 2026 | 35
C L O S I N G T H O U G HT S
A LOVE THAT OUTLASTS US In 1984, in my first role in Christian higher education as an associate campus minister, I found myself drawn to Psalm 136. All 26 verses conclude with the same line: “for his steadfast love endures forever.” The Hebrew word is hesed. It names the loyal, covenantkeeping love that God has always had for his people. Steadfast. It is a word that belongs to Ouachita by God’s grace. And one of the ways God demonstrates his steadfast love to and through Ouachita is in the lives of our graduates. I know that in part because of a woman named Mary Ponder. Mary was a member of the Class of 1946. She spent her life in Nashville, Arkansas, working for many years as a loyal employee of a man named Corky Carlton. By all accounts, she was a joy to be around, the kind of person whose presence made a room better. She left a lasting impression on the Carlton family. Mr. Carlton had intended to give Mary a $10,000 appreciation bonus, but he died before he could. His son honored that wish and wrote the check. By the time it arrived, Mary had passed away as well, and the check was never cashed. Recently, Mr. Carlton’s grandson, Brian, sent a letter and a contribution to Ouachita. He had planned to send the money to Mary’s son. Instead, Mary’s son redirected it toward something larger than himself. He had already established the Mary Ponder Education Scholarship Fund here at Ouachita, and he told Brian that is where the gift belonged. And so it arrived: $10,000 carried across generations, through grief and loss and two deaths, to honor a woman whose quiet faithfulness had never been forgotten.
Consider what is held in that simple story. A grandfather’s generosity. A son honoring his father’s wishes. A grandson following through. Another son who pointed a gift away from himself and toward something larger. And at the center of it all, a woman named Mary, whose faithfulness left such an impression that, decades after her death, people are still finding ways to honor her. That is the long reach of a Ouachita life. That is what we are stewarding. Mary’s connection to Ouachita spanned nearly eight decades. Walking across this campus in 1946, she could not have known that students she would never meet would one day carry her name into their futures. But that is what steadfast lives do. They keep giving. They keep reaching. Long after the one who lived them is gone, they are still bearing fruit. Hers is a story about steadfastness. Not the dramatic kind, not the kind that earns monuments or headlines, but the quiet, daily, hesed kind. Mary Ponder was faithful in her work and her relationships, never knowing the ripples she was sending forward. This is the vision that must anchor everything we do at Ouachita. We must be grounded in our Christ-centered, Baptist identity. We must deliver a superior academic experience. We must be clear-eyed about our institutional realities and the forces reshaping higher education. But above all, we must never lose sight of why any of it matters: the changed lives of individual students, lives that ripple outward to their families, their communities and the world they inhabit. We are not simply in the business of granting degrees. We are in the business of forming people whose faithfulness outlasts them; people whose lives, decades from now, will still be bearing fruit they never got to see. Mary Ponder knew something about that. May we be that steadfast.
We are in the business of forming people whose faithfulness outlasts them.
Ben Sells, Ph.D. President
36 | OUACHITA CIRCLE
SCHEDULE
Wednesday, Oct. 7
TIGER TUNES 6:30 P.M. | JONES PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
Thursday, Oct. 8
TRUCKS & TUNES 4:30–7:30 P.M. | 5TH & OUACHITA STREET
Saturday, Oct. 10
TIGER FEST! TAILGATE & BRUNCH 9–11:30 A.M. | KLUCK PAVILION, CLIFF HARRIS STADIUM Join us for fellowship and fun! Campus groups will host drop-ins, a delicious brunch will be served (cash and cards accepted) and a CubZone for kids will be provided free of charge.
ALUMNI SWIM MEET 9:30 A.M. | WAGGONER POOL, SPEC
Enjoy dinner from local and regional food trucks! Cash and cards accepted.
VOLLEYBALL ALUMNI BREAKFAST 9:30 A.M. | INFORMATION AT OBU.EDU/HOMECOMING
OUACHITA VOLLEYBALL VS. EAST CENTRAL UNIVERSITY 6 P.M. | SPEC
MULTICULTURAL PROGRAM ALUMNI COFFEE & DROP-IN 10 A.M. | GREEN-BLEVINS ROTUNDA, MCCLELLAN HALL
TIGER TUNES 7:30 P.M. | JONES PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
BAND ALUMNI DAY 10 A.M. | INFORMATION AT OBU.EDU/HOMECOMING
Friday, Oct. 9
SWIM TEAM ALUMNI TAILGATE 11 A.M. | INFORMATION AT OBU.EDU/HOMECOMING
HOMECOMING PURPLE PLAZA PARTY 11 A.M.–1 P.M. | GRANT PLAZA/CAMPUS LAWN
PRE-GAME ACTIVITIES 11:30 A.M. | CLIFF HARRIS STADIUM
Amidst waving purple banners, you’ll find games and activities planned by campus clubs and organizations, a pep rally and a BBQ lunch on the lawn! Cash and cards accepted for lunch.
HOMECOMING FOOTBALL GAME NOON | BENSON-WILLIAMS FIELD, CLIFF HARRIS STADIUM
OUACHITA VOLLEYBALL VS. SE OKLAHOMA ST. 5 P.M. | SPEC OUACHITA FAMILY REUNION DINNER 6 P.M. | TIGER ALLEY (5TH ST. BETWEEN JPAC AND JSC) Celebrating the classes of 1976, 1986, 1996, 2006 & 2016. All classes welcome! Details and tickets at obu.edu/homecoming
TIGER TUNES 7:30 P.M. | JONES PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
T O L E A R N M O R E , V I S I T: OBU. E DU/HOMECOMING
Tickets available at obutigers.com
WOMEN’S SOCCER VS. EAST CENTRAL UNIVERSITY 1 P.M. | KLUCK FIELD CONE-BOTTOMS LAWN PARTY AFTER FOOTBALL GAME | CONE-BOTTOMS LAWN HOMECOMING STREET FESTIVAL 4–8:30 P.M. | TIGER ALLEY Grilled fajitas, street tacos and more will be served. Cash and cards accepted.
TIGER TUNES 5 P.M. & 8:30 P.M. | JONES PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
OFFICE OF ALUMNI RELATIONS
410 Ouachita St. • Box 3762 Arkadelphia, Arkansas 71998-0001
EVERY OUACHITA STORY STARTS WITH A VISIT Some things you just have to see in person. Hear the crowd roar at the Battle of the Ravine, celebrate the winning show at Tiger Tunes or walk through Grant Plaza for yourself.
UPCOMING VISIT EVENT DATES: OCT. 7 OR 8 • EXPLORE! OUACHITA, TIGER TUNES OCT. 30 • TIGER DAY NOV. 14 • BATTLE OF THE RAVINE DEC. 4 • A FESTIVAL OF CHRISTMAS FEB. 15 • TIGER DAY MARCH 12 • TIGER DAY
P L A N A V I S I T TO O U A C H I TA !
SCAN THE QR CODE OR VISIT: OBU.EDU/VISIT