Staff profile: James Richards

As a first-generation college student himself, James Richards said that helping other first-generation students navigate paying for and getting settled into college was a perfect fit. “I believe this job was sent from the Lord,” James shared. “I wasn’t looking for new opportunities when Karen and Brant Matros shared this opportunity with me. I love what I get to do every day now at Ouachita.”

Clothed with strength and dignity

More striking than the elegant setting or carefully prepared meal were these words – spoken with a tone of admiration and, on several occasions, muffled by tears – recognizing three women at the 10th anniversary Stepping Up for Ouachita luncheon.

Editor's notes: Wrestling with value and the choices it presents

I’ve thought a lot about value over the last few months – what I value, what value Ouachita offers, the definition of the word itself.

Alumni profile: Cliff Harris ('70)

When former Ouachita football star Cliff Harris is inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame later this year, you can bet that he will be thinking about his late father, O.J. “Buddy” Harris.

Alumni profile: Alice (Evans '45) Brooks

Alice Brooks is not the kind of person you would expect to leave behind a million-dollar estate gift. A hardworking schoolteacher in rural Arkansas, the impression she left on her students was undeniable. Thanks to her generous gift, her dedication to education will live on at Ouachita, as well.

Value at Ouachita

Value is subjective. What is priceless to one person may be worthless to another. Furthermore, there are many potential choices in between.

Alumni profile: Kim Fischer ('82) Practical help, spiritual purpose

Government employee by day, pickleball enthusiast by night and weekend warrior with the Arkansas Baptist State Convention (ABSC) Disaster Relief ministry – alumna Kim Fischer has been using her gifts, talents and experience to make a difference in the lives of those in crisis for nearly 15 years.

Distinguishing between calling and career for a life of meaningful work

Every semester I pass on to my Spiritual Formation classes an important distinction that has helped me think about meaningful work. These are usually first- and second-year students with a lot of questions. So, I add more questions to the pile. I begin by asking them things like, “Why did you come to college anyway?” or “Did you come to college just to make more money with a better job?”

Staff profile: Sherri (Greer '81) Phelps, An advocate for our people

Sherri Phelps always knew she wanted to work with people, but when she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in speech pathology from Ouachita in the spring of 1981, she hadn’t anticipated a career in human resources. When Ouachita offered Phelps and her husband, Bill (’81), jobs at the university, it was the beginning of four decades of service to Ouachita faculty and staff. They knew then that they were being called to lives of meaningful work right here at their alma mater.

Staff profile: Susan (Voris '83) Atkinson, Working behind the scenes

From freshman beanies to mortarboards, every student who is admitted to or graduates from Ouachita passes through the registrar’s office. From high school test scores, GPAs and concurrent credit to semester grades, degree plan requirements and graduation day, Susan Atkinson oversees the detail involved in moving students through their Ouachita careers.

Faculty profile: Allyson Phillips

Dr. Allyson Phillips began her studies in psychology assuming her path would lead her to counseling, but a professor encouraged her along the way to consider focusing on research. It was Ouachita’s empirical approach to studying psychology, research and observation-based learning that drew her to OBU. She now serves as assistant professor of psychology and chair of the Department of Psychology.

Roaring into view

It's the morning of the 2019 Battle of the Ravine football matchup, a tiebreaker year. A Henderson State win will force a shared Great American Conference (GAC) title; a Ouachita win will mean an outright championship for the Tigers, their third consecutive GAC title.

Closing thoughts: Defining value

What is the value of the Ouachita experience? It depends on who you ask. Students and parents are pleased that Niche.com ranks Ouachita #1 for “Best Value” among Arkansas universities. This helps explain why our undergraduate enrollment increased 4.5% the last three years while overall statewide enrollment decreased 16% the last decade.

Alumni profile: Flight 1420 Crash

It’s been 20 years since the Ouachita Singers, returning from a mission trip to Europe, crashed on the final leg of their trip in Little Rock on American Airlines Flight 1420. Survivors returned to Arkadelphia in June 2019 to mark the 20th anniversary of that night, June 1, 1999.

Developing students into scientists

The faculty in Ouachita’s Department of Biological Sciences are not only providing a valuable learning experience for students each day in Jones Science Center, they are setting a new standard for teaching science that is catching on across the nation.

Faculty profile: Glenn Good, Busy having fun

For Glenn Good, teaching at Ouachita for 43 years was more than a good job. It was a good time. “I didn’t have trouble going to work,” Good said. “Usually, I had an 8 a.m. class. Students didn’t like it, but I didn’t mind it.” Good was offered a job at Ouachita in 1969 to teach Pre-Engineering, Intro to Physics for Pre-Professionals – his favorite class – and Science for Elementary Teachers.

Honest to goodness: Faculty & staff explore meaningful work

This year, I was appointed to lead an initiative on the mission of faculty and staff to guide students toward “lives of meaningful work.” It started off like a bad round of Jeopardy. At first, I thought the answer I was seeking was “What is meaningful work?” By April, however, the question had become more specific. At Ouachita, we aren’t talking about any or all work. The heart of our work at Ouachita is studying. So the question for us Ouachitonians is “What makes academic work meaningful?”

Closing thoughts: Preparing for lives of meaningful work

At the beginning of the academic year, I used my Convocation address to help us initiate a university-wide conversation on the theme, “Lives of Meaningful Work.” It’s a phrase from our mission statement that speaks to one of Ouachita’s desired outcomes for graduates: that you will be prepared for such lives and work.

Staff profile: Shane Seaton, Modeling creation care

Growing up, Shane Seaton loved playing outside, hiking, camping trips with his family and going to summer camp. He also spent a lot of time outdoors with friends during college in Oklahoma, where he earned a B.S. in business administration from Southern Nazarene University. But it wasn’t until later that Seaton realized how transformational those outdoor moments had been. Now, those are exactly the kinds of experiences he seeks to provide for students at Ouachita.

Staff profile: Mike McGhee, A legacy in relationships

Head Softball Coach Mike McGhee entered his 17th season at Ouachita in the midst of a battle with cancer. He passed away Feb. 24. McGhee left behind a lasting legacy in the lives of his players, fellow coaches and coworkers.