Overcommitted and overwhelmed

Involvement is good – scratch that – involvement is great, and one of my personal favorite things about Ouachita Baptist University. There is something out there for everyone! My mistake was taking that as, “I am the someone for everything.” Ha, nope.

A prayer for wisdom in the back-to-school rush

As I write this, I’m looking through my newsfeed and seeing all the “first day of school” pictures. It wasn’t so long ago that I was posting these same photos. I love hearing the moms share how their kids responded to a new classroom, new friends, a new teacher and maybe even a new school. These transitions can cause our hearts to be anxious as we anticipate all the obstacles our child/children may encounter or needs they may have.

Leaving them to the Lord: Dropping off your freshman at college

As we neared the time for my oldest son Blake to leave for Ouachita, I began to ask God to give me peace and direction on being a mom – my most loved and highest calling – 100 miles away. What would it look like? How was I to be his mom without seeing him at the breakfast table, walking by his room and praying over him while he slept, hearing “Mom” 100 times a day, watching every hole of golf he ever played?

Behind the names: Cone-Bottoms Hall

Sitting squarely behind a carpet of grass that some call “Ouachita’s front lawn” and shaded by oaks and loblolly pine trees is historic Cone-Bottoms Hall, a landmark of campus since it was built in 1923.

Freshman Move-In Day: Advice for parents

Before moving my oldest child to Ouachita, we thoroughly studied the housing information on the website and analyzed the floor plan, feeling pretty proud of ourselves for our preparedness. While the day did not go entirely as we had envisioned, moving in child #2 at Ouachita went more smoothly as we had learned a few things along the way.

10 things parents of a college freshman need to know

In my 32 years as a Baptist Collegiate Ministries (BCM) campus minister at another Arkansas university, as well as a current consultant in collegiate ministry for LifeWay Christian Resources, I have learned a few things that every parent needs to know as they prepare to launch their freshman college student.

Confronting ableism

I have grown up in a society that condemns racism. Within the past few years, I have even seen more and more men and women condemn sexism. And yet, there is still one “inferior” group that is often discriminated against, having to fight an “-ism” that few people have heard of. Ableism is a real prejudice issue in our society. In short, ableism is discrimination in favor of able-bodied people.

TWIRP, Tunes, Dr. Jack? Decoding everyday Ouachita life #askingforafriend

We know you have questions about life in general at Ouachita. So, we’ve put together some common questions and answers to give it to you straight. You’ll start-off your freshman year with a few nuggets of knowledge to navigate this new world of Ouachita, complete with it’s own distinct culture and lingo – with no need to ask for your friends.

Besides having a name that's hard to pronounce, what makes Ouachita different? #askingforafriend

So you’ve heard of us – Ouachita Baptist University? Great! We are a leading liberal arts university and ranked nationally among “America’s Best Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report and Forbes magazines. But you might wonder, “So what makes Ouachita different?” Here are a few commonly asked questions about Ouachita, along with the answers. No need to ask for your friends!

How to survive the first day of freshman year

The first day of freshman year can be a scary thought. You are walking into a new place, with new people at your new home, and you have no clue how to take it all in. The best part of being a freshman is that everyone else in your class is right there with you, and the people who aren’t were there at one point. After talking to fellow students, I came up with a few tips to help you survive the first day of freshman year.