Ouachita Stories

Tracey Knight, administrative assistant to the dean of the Pruet School of Christian Studies, was honored March 31 as Ouachita Baptist University’s 2010 Support Staff Member of the Year.

“The award was created in 2001 to encourage outstanding service by university support staff members and to recognize their work in all divisions of the university,” said Phil Hardin, chairman of the Staff Development Committee and assistant to the President for administration. “Each year the Staff Development Committee invites administrative supervisors to nominate deserving university support staff members for this recognition. The committee prepares a recommendation for the president, who makes the final selection.”

“We were very pleased to recognize Tracey Knight with this annual award,” Ouachita President Rex Horne said. “She was chosen because of her outstanding work at Ouachita: faithfully serving students, faculty, staff and the general public through her responsibilities in the Pruet School.”

Knight said she was sincerely shocked when she heard her name announced as the recipient. “Every year when it is announced, I think it could be anyone in this room because these women are all amazing at their jobs,” Knight said. “What’s fun is that we are all genuinely happy for the one who is chosen. That’s rare in today’s world, but it’s one of the things that makes working at Ouachita such a joy.”

The award is announced in conjunction with the annual university support staff outing, which is planned by Sherri Phelps, Ouachita’s director of human resources. The off-campus outing “provides our support staff with a relaxing day away from the office with their co-workers,” Hardin said. “The outing this year was to Little Rock, with visits to Heifer International and the ‘World of the Pharaohs’ exhibit at the Arkansas Arts Center, and with time for lunch at the River Market.”

“The award is a pat on the back but it’s also a challenge to continue striving for excellence in my job each day,” Knight said. “As a member of the university support staff, my job is to keep the dean’s office organized so students and faculty can focus on the reason they’re here—education.  It’s constantly busy, but I work with an amazing faculty and get to be around students who are some of the best people in the world. That God has allowed me to work in such a great place is a show of His grace to me and I’m grateful.”

This is Knight’s tenth year working at Ouachita. She lives in Arkadelphia with her husband, Tim, Ouachita’s J.D. Patterson Professor of Biology, and two children, Ashley and Caleb, both current Ouachita students.

By Meg Gosser