Ouachita Stories

Highlighting the theme, “Totally Tigers,” Ouachita Baptist University’s homecoming weekend kicks off Thursday, Oct. 16, with Getting Ready for Ouachita’s World (GROW), Tiger Tunes 2008 and Tiger Prowl.

GROW welcomes prospective OBU students to campus to get a sampling of Ouachita life. After check-in at 5:30 p.m., students have the opportunity to attend a dinner banquet with other GROW participants as well as Tiger Tunes and Tiger Prowl on Thursday evening. After spending the night in the dorms, they will have the opportunity to sit in on classes and visit with current OBU students and professors.

Tiger Tunes is an annual show produced by the Ouachita Student Foundation to raise money for student scholarships. This year marks the 30th anniversary of Tiger Tunes. Performances will be held Thursday, Oct. 16, at 7:30 p.m. Friday Oct. 17, at 5 and 8:30 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 18, at 7:30 p.m. All performances will be held in Jones Performing Arts Center on Ouachita’s campus. Tickets for Thursday’s and Saturday’s shows are sold out, but tickets for the Friday performances may be purchased for $15 online at www.obu.edu.

Tiger Prowl includes Refuge, a student-led worship service taking place at Arkadelphia’s First Baptist Church immediately following Thursday’s performance of Tiger Tunes, and a midnight movie hosted by OBU’s Campus Activities Board. The movie will be showing in the amphitheatre on Ouachita’s campus following Refuge.

Homecoming festivities continue on Friday with class reunion dinners for the classes of 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1998 in Ouachita’s Walker Conference Center at 7:30 p.m.

On Saturday, OBU is hosting its inaugural OcTIGER Fest from 10-11 a.m., a time of fellowship and reunion with alumni, current students and both current and emeriti faculty and staff. Campus groups, including social clubs, organizations, athletic teams and academic departments will host outdoor drop-in receptions throughout the center of campus. Dr. and Mrs. Rex Horne will host a special gathering during the event. There will also be special activities available for the kids.

Following OcTIGER Fest, the Tiger Tailgate party and Class Reunions for the classes of 1968, 1978, 1983, 1998 and 2008 will be held on the lawn of Crews Practice Field. The Tiger Tailgate will feature food, live music and a CubZone with inflatables for the kids. Lunch tickets are $5 each (free for children under age 10).

In the homecoming football game, the Tigers will take on the Southern Arkansas University Muleriders at 1:30 p.m. at A.U. Williams Field. Pre-game activities including the crowning of the homecoming queen will begin at 1 p.m.

In honor of Tiger Tunes’ 30th anniversary, a dinner will be held in Walker Conference Center at 5 p.m. The dinner will honor past Tiger Tunes performers, participants and fans and is open to the public. Tickets for the dinner may be purchased for $10 (free for children under age 10) at www.obu.edu.

The weekend will come to a close with the final performance of Tiger Tunes Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. For the first time ever, overflow seating to view a simulcast of the performance will be available for this sold-out show in Verser Theatre on a first come, first seated basis. Donations will be accepted.

Also, in honor of the 30th anniversary of Tunes and the launch of the online Signal, the campus newspaper, the Signal staff is producing a live webcast of Tiger Tunes beginning at 7:25 p.m. on Saturday. In addition to broadcasting all of the club shows, the Signal team will provide behind-the-scenes interviews with cast members and special Homecoming news stories.

To view the Tiger Tunes webcast, log on www.obusignal.com on Saturday night. At the top of the home page will be a headline reading "Click here for the live broadcast of Tiger Tunes." The performance will also be available to view after the live performance airs. To keep up with Tunes news throughout the week, visit the online Signal to see a newscast with clips from the shows and a rundown of each night’s winners.

by Brooke Showalter