Mission & History

The Elrod Foundation was created primarily for the support of the Elrod Center. The center was established during the tenure of Dr. Ben M. Elrod, Ouachita’s 13th president. Dr. Elrod led in the creation of the center because of the values he held dear and wished to perpetuate through the operation of the center. Those values include a commitment to servant-leadership, sharing one’s blessings with others and giving back to the community of which one is a part. The four great loves of Dr. Elrod’s life were God, family, Ouachita and the church. He secured the involvement of generations of students in becoming servant-leaders through the mission of the center and the foundation that supports its work. Upon his retirement, the Ouachita Board of Trustees named the center in his honor.