Campus Life
Find what you love. Find people who love it too.
At Ouachita, 95% of students live on campus. That means the people in your 9 a.m. class are also the people down the hall, in the student section on Saturday and across the table at Dr. Jack’s Coffeehouse.
From student-led worship on Thursday nights to social clubs (our version of Greek life), community service with the Elrod Center and Tiger Tunes, there’s always something to put on your calendar or ease into at your own pace. Classes come first, after all.
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Of Undergrads Live on Campus
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Student Organizations
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Social Clubs, Found Only at Ouachita
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Student-led Ministries
Faith & Service
At Ouachita, we’re committed to a love of God and a love of learning. Campus Ministries gives you opportunities to explore what you believe and grow in your faith. Join weekly student-led worship, find a Life Group or go on a mission trip over spring break. Pick from 20+ student-led ministries.
You’ll also find plenty of ways to serve your neighbors, around the block or around the globe. Through the Elrod Center, you can tutor in local schools, connect with a senior adult and participate in events like Tiger Serve Day. The Ouachita community gives more than 40,000 volunteer hours each year.
Rec Life
Intramurals have something for every level of competitor, from former high school starters to people who signed up because a friend needed one more player. Try something you didn’t play in high school, like inner tube water polo. And don’t be surprised if a professor shows up on the other team.
Off the field, our campus overlooks the Ouachita River, sits minutes from DeGray Lake and is tucked into the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains. That makes Outdoor Rec an easy sell. Kayak the Caddo or hike 10 miles of trails around Arkadelphia. When you want a little city, Hot Springs is 25 miles away.
Clubs & Organizations
No matter your major, you can join the Cyber Club, learn to play steel drums or be a part of La Fuerza, our Latino & Hispanic student organization. With 60+ organizations, you can also write for The Signal or sing with the MSP Gospel Choir. Some are national chapters, and others are unique to Ouachita.
Ready to lead? Run for Student Senate and give your classmates a voice in campus decisions. Or join the Ouachita Student Foundation, the students behind Tiger Tunes and Tiger Traks, who raise scholarship money for fellow students. You’ll invest in Ouachita and grow as a leader in the process.
What does Greek life look like at Ouachita?
Social Clubs, the Ouachita Way
Instead of national fraternities and sororities, Ouachita has nine social clubs: five for women and four for men. Some are over 100 years old. Each one was founded here and exists only at Ouachita. Social clubs give you a place to build community and a chance to lead.
More than half of our students aren’t in a social club at all, and that’s more than
okay. You’ll find your people (and can be in Tiger Tunes) either way.
How does Ouachita care for students?
When parents drop a student off at Ouachita, they're leaving them with people who care. Residence Life staff live on the halls, helping with everyday needs and pointing students to the right resources. Ouachita’s own police officers patrol campus and know the students they serve. A nurse-led clinic offers free walk-in care, and a local physician sees students on campus three afternoons a week. Free, confidential counseling helps with stress, anxiety or grief, and the Academic Success Center offers free tutoring when a class starts slipping. Student may be “on their own” for the first time, but they won’t be alone.
Quick links: Counseling Services | Health Services | Campus Safety & Emergency Management | Academic Success Center | Disability Accommodations
Campus Highlights
FAQ
Social clubs recruit early in the spring semester during Rush Week. That gives freshmen a full fall semester to settle into classes, meet people and get to know the clubs before deciding anything. Clubs extend invitations, called bids, on the Saturday after Rush Week. Choosing not to rush is completely fine, and plenty of students thrive without joining a club.
For most students, yes. Undergraduates are expected to live on campus unless they qualify for an exemption, because so much of a Ouachita education happens outside the classroom. About 95 percent of undergraduates live on campus.
No. Ouachita is a Christ-centered university affiliated with the Arkansas Baptist State Convention, but you don’t have to be Baptist or a Christian to come here.
Orientation (Welcome to Ouachita’s World) is the easiest place to start when you move in. Before that, Rec Life hosts an outdoor summer orientation. And Campus Ministries leads a retreat early each fall to help you connect. Groups publicize opportunities throughout the year and, honestly, checking your Ouachita email will keep you in the loop. You can also browse the student organizations list or stop by the Office of Student Life.
Plenty, especially outdoors. DeGray Lake Resort State Park is minutes from campus, the Ouachita and Caddo rivers are great for kayaking and Hot Springs is 25 miles away. Little Rock is an hour's drive.
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