Ouachita Stories

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.

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.

Alumni profile: Michael Bleecker ('00) Leading the local church

Michael Bleecker didn’t come to Ouachita to study worship ministry. In fact, he’d never even picked up a guitar. But freshman year, that all changed. Now, Bleecker leads thousands of people in worship each week at The Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas.

Editor's Notes: Embracing meaning in the busy-ness

I rarely feel like I have the time to ponder, much less discuss, big questions in life around things like meaning, calling and purpose. It's enough most days to get my son out the door on time(-ish) for school, keep projects moving at work and make sure laundry is clean at home. It's easy just to feel like a "busy bee" rather than to see the importance of my place in "the colony."

Alumni profile: Lillian (Blackmon '59) Crenshaw, Increasing infant survival

“I have a very distinct memory of the first time I saw a baby die,” reflected Lillian Blackmon (’59) Crenshaw. “There was such a sense of helplessness. I had a strong feeling there had to be a better way.” Crenshaw spent much of her renowned medical career helping improve the survival rate for premature infants.

Alumni profile: TaJuan Wilson ('07) Educator, mentor & role model

A first-generation college student, Dr. TaJuan Wilson wasn’t sure where college would lead when he began. But he was determined to navigate college life successfully, and higher education soon became his specialty. Originally from Bearden, Ark., Wilson found Ouachita through TRIO programs.

Faculty profile: Barbara Pemberton - Interdisciplinary focus, religious lens

If you were to play two truths and a lie with Dr. Barbara Pemberton, you would probably lose. Facts about her you would guess are untrue would turn out to be the truth – like how she once took a group of Ouachita students to Saudi Arabia, where she and her husband lived for a time. Or how she belongs to the International Society for the Study of New Religions. Or how her latest religious analysis is a book review on drone metal and spirituality.

Faculty profile: Mary Chung & Carlos Feller, Developing more than skills

It has been quite a journey – spanning three continents – that has brought Drs. Mary Chung and Carlos Feller to Ouachita. Mary grew up in South Korea – the daughter of a pastor. While Mary dreamed of someday being a missionary, her father passed away when she was young, and her mother continued toward their family dream of serving as missionaries.

Alumni profile: Mitch Bettis ('90) Problem-solver, people-builder

In seventh grade, Mitch Bettis discovered the world of publications as a paper boy for Arkadelphia’s newspaper, the Siftings-Herald. “I loved everything about it,” Bettis said. “I loved the fact that, a couple of hours ago, there was nothing. Now, there were words and photos; it was a tangible product.” As president and CEO of Arkansas Business Publishing Group (ABPG) in Little Rock, Bettis directs the creation and sales efforts of more than 30 of Arkansas’ top weekly, monthly, semiannual and annual publications.

Alumni profile: Lt. Col. Naomi Mercer ('94) Building empathy

When Lt. Col. Naomi Mercer was a member of ROTC during her college days, she never envisioned a career that would lead her to teaching at West Point, educating women in Iraq and developing human resource strategy at the Pentagon. Mercer’s work has impacted individuals at home and abroad. She recently was awarded the Legion Merit Award after retiring from a 25-year career in the Army.