Telling your COVID story: A message from the university archivist

72 weeks. 504 days. 12,096 hours. The amount of time since COVID-19 quickly and dramatically changed life at Ouachita in the spring semester of 2021. We all have very clear memories of the week ending March 13. As the semester winds to a close at Ouachita, I ask for your help in documenting COVID-19 at Ouachita.

4 ways to break out of your comfort zone and have the college experience you want

As a rising senior, it’s incredibly easy for me to look back at my college experience and say, “College was a time for growth.” I started my time at Ouachita as a shy freshman who just wanted to earn her degree, maybe go to a few events and get out. I was afraid to try anything outside of my comfort zone, lest I jeopardize my education.

From the "Ouachitonian": Katelyn Franzke

Freshman graphic design major Katelyn Franzke had the opportunity to paint the distinguished Cone-Bottoms Hall for former White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Franzke had no idea that a post on Instagram would lead to her making a painting for Sanders.

From the "Ouachitonian": Morgan Masengale

It is not uncommon to hear of a student who went on a mission trip during the summer months as a Ouachita student. Morgan Masengale, a junior communication sciences and disorders major from West Memphis, Ark., experienced something that you will not hear when talking about mission trip experiences.

From the "Ouachitonian": William Read

The art of magic is wielded wisely by few. One of those skilled persons is freshman William Read. From illusion to hypnosis, this young man achieves it all.

Double duty: How I've juggled tennis and a double major without forfeiting my grades

When I came to Ouachita in the fall of 2017, I was a tennis player majoring in business administration/marketing who had no idea what I wanted to do with my time here. I just knew I needed a major and figured that a business degree could be applied almost anywhere once I graduated. If anyone had asked me what I wanted to do when I graduated, I would have looked at them like a deer in the headlights.

Composing the story of us

Whose story gets told, and who gets to tell it? These questions and others lie at the heart of my flagship course History of American Women, which I am fortunate to teach this semester. As an historian of women and gender, I eagerly anticipate every opportunity to teach the class. We all participate in the course of human events; we all deserve to see ourselves represented in the historical record.

Pandemic Profiles: Kristi Seals and Kristin Kesterson, Ouachita's COVID-19 Testing Center

For many Ouachita students, the slightest sign of COVID-19 symptoms or the realization that they have been exposed to a positive case causes anxiety, naturally. But since students returned to campus for residential learning in August 2020, they have had two on-campus “mommas” to call for guidance: Kristin Kesterson and Kristi Seals.

International Club presents International Food Festival, "Dorm Edition"

Ouachita’s International Club and Grant Center for International Education have reinvented this year’s International Food Festival in order to continue celebrating the many countries and cultures of its students! New on the blog, senior João Rodrigues shares about the Feb. 16 virtual event.

Ouachita Worship releases first original song, "Holy Fire"

After releasing more than half a dozen cover songs on YouTube, Ouachita Worship has recorded its first original song, “Holy Fire,” which is now available on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube.

From the "Ouachitonian": Able Kusaloka

Growing up in Zambia, Able Kusaloka, a sophomore business administration major from Garneton, Zambia, never could have imagined leaving his home and one day returning to serve the community that served him his entire life.

Theology of disability and the church

Part of Ouachita’s mission is to serve local churches, Arkansas Baptists and churches of Ouachita’s alumni and friends – which includes individuals with special needs. Ouachita’s master’s degree in applied behavior analysis (ABA) aims to do just that. Hear from Meaghan Wall with Stonebriar Community Church's special needs ministry for a biblical perspective of why this is so important.

How to improve your mental health, coping skills while in college

Everyone learns to cope, regardless of their situation in life, in ways that are healthy and unhealthy. For many young adults, college is a time when stress levels run high, sleep patterns are inconsistent and having one-too-many cups of coffee and stress eating – among other things – are common aids students use to keep themselves going. While this is often considered normal, the college years are a pivotal time for learning how to cope well in the adult world.

5 tips to get ahead if you plan to study two (or three!) college majors

If you are scanning the multiple academic schools and academic programs offered at Ouachita, you are likely to come across several that may pique your interest. You probably have several passions and talents already, so declaring one major over another may be a difficult challenge. Thankfully, having more than one major is an option!

From the "Ouachitonian": Dani Imrie

In Uganda, deaf children are commonly abandoned and left without assistance with medical needs or education. Within three months of visiting Uganda for the first time, Dani Imrie, a sophomore elementary education major from Jonesboro, Ark., saw a need and helped create a nonprofit overseas.

Pandemic Profiles: Chester Mitchell, Sr., and Coleman Rogers

With nicknames like “double trouble” and “salt and pepper,” Chester Mitchell, Sr., and Coleman Rogers are the carpentry team for Facilities Management at Ouachita and are not only rarely seen apart but also good friends. With the work the duo had cut out for them last summer, any less than two sets of hands and a good sense of humor would have made overhauling campus with needed protective measures incredibly difficult.

Fearful of going back to school? 3 reasons you can earn a degree online

Students working to earn a degree online are making the choice to envision a new future, and that can feel scary! But while it may take courage to make the jump to going back to school, it doesn’t have to feel like leaping without a parachute. Here are three reasons why you can earn an online degree.

Why it's okay to change your major, and how Ouachita makes it easy

The beauty of your freshman year is that you will take your first college-level courses and will likely have time in your schedule to take an elective or two in your area of interest. But something that is important to consider is: Will your college be supportive of you being unsure about your major, or if you do decide to change majors?

Four people you should get to know (and read) for Black History Month 2021

This year, as you celebrate the accomplishments and contributions African Americans have made to American society, take time to learn about the Riley-Hickingbotham Library’s four featured authors from four different genres, browse the other books on display and attend one of MORE’s programmed events.

Pandemic Profiles: Kari Ledford, Sodexo Retail and Marketing Manager

Consider providing three meals a day to Ouachita’s residential campus of roughly 1,500 students, physically distanced, observing the Arkansas Department of Health and CDC’s vigilant cleaning guidelines and all while keeping lines of hungry students moving. For Kari Ledford, Sodexo’s retail and marketing manager, and her team, their focus was always Ouachita students and their safety.