Ouachita Stories

Ian Cosh, a longtime administrator at Ouachita Baptist University, has been named vice president for community and international engagement by Ouachita President Rex Horne.

Cosh, a 1987 Ouachita graduate, has served since 1998 as assistant to the president for community development, director of the Ben M. Elrod Center for Family & Community and Director of the Daniel & Betty Jo Grant Center for International Education. He previously was director of campus ministries, director of religious activities and associate director of the Center for Christian Ministries.

“Ian Cosh has proven himself across more than two decades here at Ouachita,” Dr. Horne said. “He is a strategic thinker and an effective planner.

“His management skills are seen in the varied responsibilities through the Elrod Center for Family & Community, the Grant Center for International Education, study abroad and campus ministries,” Horne added. “We are fortunate to have Ian in leadership here at Ouachita.”

“It is a great honor to serve at Ouachita with students, faculty and staff who share a common vision for serving others with integrity and passion,” Cosh noted. “Dr. Horne is a leader’s leader and the opportunity to continue to work with him closely on community and international engagement is a great honor and privilege.

“I look forward to building on the work that has already been established,” Cosh added. “We have new dreams to dream, new problems to solve and new challenges to overcome.”

Cosh, a native of Northern Ireland, grew up in Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia). He also has lived in South Africa, came to the United States in 1984 to attend Ouachita and became an American citizen in 1999.

In addition to earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from Ouachita in 1987, Cosh holds degrees from the Post Office Engineering College of Harare, Zimbabwe, and Louisiana Tech University in Ruston.

His community involvement has included service on the boards of several non-profit organizations, including serving on the Arkansas Governor’s Advisory Council on Volunteerism and as chair of the Arkansas Service Commission. He also is a past district governor for Rotary International District 6170 and was named District Rotarian of the Year in 2008 for his work on water projects in Zimbabwe. Cosh is a charter member and former president of the Arkadelphia Rotary Sunrise Club. He also is a multiple Paul Harris Fellow and a benefactor of The Rotary Foundation

As part of his commitment to global engagement, Cosh has led university students on service projects around the world, including trips to Australia, Kazakhstan, China, Indonesia, Taiwan, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia, the Dominican Republic, Japan and India. He also has engaged students in inner-city service, including work in New Orleans, Houston and San Antonio.

Cosh and his wife, Sharon, are members of First Baptist Church of Arkadelphia, where he has served as chair of the deacons, college Sunday school teacher and department leader. The Coshes have five adult daughters and four grandchildren.

By Trennis Henderson, OBU Vice President for Communication