Ouachita Stories

From the "Ouachitonian": Kirsten Swanson

As high school graduation grew near for Kirsten Swanson, a dietetics and nutrition major from Canyon Lake, Texas, she struggled to make a college decision. After realizing she was unsure of what she wanted to do career-wise, Swanson decided to take the year off and started her journey for what would become a seven-year gap period.

From the "Ouachitonian": Julianna Parsons

Julianna Parsons, a freshman business entrepreneurship major from Celina, Texas, is Madame Pastry. Parsons has baked recreationally and professionally in her time as a baker and has drawn her inspiration from the sweeter things life has to offer.

From the "Ouachitonian": Hunter Swoboda

TikTok took the world by storm in 2020 as a social media app that allows users to create and share fun videos. Each video can consist of dancing, comedy or anything in between.

From the "Ouachitonian": Hannah Pilcher

Hannah Pilcher, the resident director of Frances Crawford Hall, found a unique opportunity for ministry within her job in the freshman girls’ dorm. Pilcher is originally from Little Rock and has spent the past eight years pouring into the lives of freshmen girls and resident assistants, as a student and as an RD. Her time at Ouachita inspired Pilcher to build relationships with others that directly parallels her experience as a student.

From the "Ouachitonian": Eric Phillips

When going home in the Spring 2020 semester became a reality for students, staff and faculty at Ouachita, one of the greatest challenges became how to continue to feel motivated and inspired while in isolation. For Eric Phillips, chair of the Department of Theatre Arts, specializing in light, stage, costume and prop design, this reality was one he felt he could help bring some inspiration and encouragement to. Luckily for Phillips, roughly a year before being sent home due to the COVID-19 outbreak, he decided to take a season on sabbatical.

From the "Ouachitonian": Bill Phelps

Coming to Ouachita as a student many years ago, Bill Phelps never could have imagined being at Ouachita for 36 years. Studying history and planning to attend law school, programming and IT were far from Phelps’ radar at the time. The trajectory of his future changed forever whenever he became willing to try something new.

From the "Ouachitonian": Chloe Lay

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that disturbs nerve cell activity in the brain, which will cause the person to experience seizures. This disorder affects 1.2 percent of people in the U.S.. That comes out to around 3.4 million people nationally. Chloe Lay, a freshman elementary education major from Little Rock, Ark., is a victim of this disorder.

From the "Ouachitonian": Trey Lamb

Trey Lamb, a freshman Christian Studies major from Oak Grove, Ark., had a plan, but it was going to take hard work, commitment, and prayer. He was selfless and totally reliant on the Lord. He had this plan for a while and had to figure out how to execute it with grace and efficiency.

From the "Ouachitonian": Nancy Hardman and Carol Morgan

Students who major in communication sciences & disorders at Ouachita are commonly known around campus as “Speechies.” The speech pathology program is led by two professors, Dr. Nancy Hardman, professor and chair, and associate professor Carol Morgan.

From the "Ouachitonian": Carli Copell

Most people have had good experiences with glow sticks and dance parties, but Carli Copell, a junior psychology and sociology double major from Canton, Texas, couldn’t say the same due to an injury that involved a glow-stick and her losing her hearing.