Ouachita Stories

From the "Ouachitonian": Allyson Oliver

With the unknowns that carried into the summer, junior political science and psychology major Allyson Oliver from Conway wondered if the internship she had in place would carry through. She had the privilege to intern in the public affairs office of Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge. Fortunately, Oliver’s experience was only delayed a month due to the pandemic and was virtual only a portion of the time.

From the "Ouachitonian": Abbigale Sullins

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic left many students with ruined plans during the summer of 2020. For sophomore music and chemistry major Abbi Sullins from Benton, that was not the case. Sullins worked as a medical screener for the coronavirus at the Saline Memorial Hospital in her hometown of Benton. Sullins had a history at Saline Memorial as her mother Amy worked in the hospital for many years when Sullins was a child.

From the "Ouachitonian": Levi Dade

While on a mission to answer his questions about Christianity, Levi Dade, a sophomore Christian Studies and Spanish double major from Senatobia, Miss., started his podcast, Defending Christianity. Through his podcast, Dade’s goal was to answer common questions regarding the Christian faith.

From the "Ouachitonian": Kiyia Floyd

One of the most common questions Ouachita students were asked was, “How did you end up at Ouachita?”

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.

Ouachita's Dr. Nathan Reyna receives national Innovation in Education Award

Dr. Nathan Reyna, associate professor of biology at Ouachita Baptist University, has won the first Innovation in Education Award from the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB).