Holly (Burris) Kyzer ('00)

Growing up around Ouachita’s campus, Holly Kyzer knew Ouachita was going to be an integral part of her life, but she never guessed she would be a faculty member, much less an instrumental part of re-launching graduate programs at the university.

Learning to serve

Equipping students to integrate faith and career as they build lives of meaningful work is a priority at Ouachita. And this fall, brand-new tools will be available to help them.

Jacob Keith Watson ('11)

Actor, singer, Broadway performer and Ouachita graduate Jacob Keith Watson fell in love with the university while attending Super Summer camp on campus as a teenager. He was drawn by the discovery that the school had a musical theatre major—the only one in Arkansas at the time.

Momentum appreciation

When I think of momentum, my first thought is the idiom “on a roll” and related examples. I think of physically rolling objects, like a ball rolling down a hill, the cheesy inspirational poster of a rollerblader that was in my childhood bedroom, the infamous Indiana Jones boulder chase. But you also can be metaphorically “on a roll” with various successes in life, big or small. Is there a better feeling than hitting every shot on the basketball court?

Terry DeWitt ('88)
Chair, Department of Kinesiology, and professor of kinesiology

As a high school senior in Gravette, Ark., Dr. Terry DeWitt didn’t have college on his radar until just before graduation. A first-generation college student, DeWitt enrolled as a freshman at the University of Central Arkansas. But he transferred after just one semester when his aunt, Nancy Hardman, encouraged him to consider Ouachita and Coach Buddy Benson offered him a work- study job as an athletic trainer.

Dr. Rickey Rogers named Ouachita's vice president for student development

Before he was Dr. Rogers, Ouachita’s dean of students, Rickey Rogers was an assistant football coach at Ouachita calling signals for the Tigers who played offensive skill positions.

New Master of Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction emphasizes "teaching as a calling"

Ouachita’s new Master of Education degree in curriculum and instruction program launched this semester as the latest post-baccalaureate offering in the university’s growing graduate studies menu. The 12-month program, designed to help teachers enhance skills and increase earning potential, prepares educators to become curriculum specialists and instructional coordinators as well as grow their skills in the classroom.

Jaymee Dotson on pace for extended reign

When Jaymee Dotson takes the field in the fall of 2022 for Ouachita women’s soccer, she has a chance to accomplish a feat that no one else has.

John Barber ('99) & Becky Ellis ('08)
Helping those impacted by disability

Alumni John Barber and Becky Ellis will tell you that life can lead to unexpected places. They both work for Joni and Friends, an international ministry founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, seeking to communicate the gospel and mobilize the global church to evangelize, disciple and serve people living with disabilities.

Hope by way of lament

“Back to normal.” Since the middle of last March, those words have felt like an impossible dream. As illness disrupted life for many and restrictions disrupted life for all, we longed for things to just be the way they used to be.

Motl takes on new mission as Sutton School dean

When classes at Ouachita resume in August, Dr. Kevin C. “Casey” Motl will have a cool story to share about what he did during his summer vacation: He flew the Millennium Falcon.

Matthew Shepherd ('98)

There are a few things that seem to be in Matthew Shepherd’s DNA—politics, law, Arkansas and Ouachita. He is a fifth-generation Ouachitonian, a family legacy starting with his great-great-grandfather, who attended Ouachita in the 1890s.

Steve Guymon

Some might think starting a track program would require a track. Not Steve Guymon. Sure, it would come in handy. But while plans are in the works to build one on campus, Guymon went ahead and grew Ouachita’s cross country and track & field teams from seven athletes in 2019 to 90 this fall.

Jason Tolbert ('97)
Chief Financial Officer

As soon as Jason Tolbert started his college search as a high school student in Wynne, Ark., he knew if he could afford to go to Ouachita, he would. It’s not hard to believe that, even then, making the numbers work was a top priority for Tolbert, who now serves as Ouachita’s chief financial officer (CFO).

Robert S. Moore Jr. given distinguished alumni award

Arkansas Highway Commission Chairman Robert S. Moore Jr. received the Distinguished Alumni Award for Public Service to the State of Arkansas from Ouachita during an August luncheon held on campus in his honor.

Pushing forward
building momentum takes effort

Around August, we (Angela and Matt) decided that we should start running every day. We had always talked about doing it, but it was always easy to think of excuses. Eventually, though, we decided that if we just woke up 15 minutes earlier each day, we could roll out of bed, run a mile and be back home by our usual wake-up time.

Dr. Jeremy Greer returns to Ouachita as the next dean of the Pruet School of Christian Studies

Dr. Jeremy Greer, a 1998 Ouachita graduate and second generation pastor, has completed his first semester as the new dean of Ouachita’s Pruet School of Christian Studies. Greer has long ties to the university as well as Arkansas Baptists in addition to higher education experience through teaching and administrative roles.

Construction in progress for 144-bed student apartment complex

Ouachita broke ground on a 144-bed, $12.6 million student apartment complex in August, with plans for it to be open for the Fall 2022 semester.

Leading and learning in a pandemic year - and beyond

Navigating college always has its unique challenges, but doing so in the midst of a global pandemic is a feat that seemed nearly impossible a year ago.

Rickey Rogers ('02), Dean of Students and Director of Residence Life

Rickey and Lydia Rogers have developed more than 20 years of history at Ouachita, in part due to simple geography. With Rickey recruited to play football from six hours away in Mississippi and Lydia coming from six hours away in Texas, Ouachita and Arkadelphia were right in the middle – which made attending college and settling after graduation here between their families a perfect fit.