Ouachita Stories

More than 100 students from Ouachita Baptist University were recently honored at the university’s 2015 Academic Awards Banquet. The event recognized various academic and leadership achievements of the students throughout the past academic year.

The annual banquet is sponsored by Ouachita’s Student Senate. Student Senate President Josh Rubin, a junior biology major from Dallas, Texas, presided over the event.

Dustin Walter, a senior biology and chemistry double major from Marion, Ark., was awarded Ouachita’s highest academic honor as the university’s Overall Academic Achiever. He also was named top academic achiever in the J.D. Patterson School of Natural Sciences, the Outstanding Senior in Biology and the Outstanding Graduate in Chemistry and was recognized as a Blue Ribbon Finisher in the Carl Goodson Honors Program.

Top academic achievers in each of the other schools include: Erin Wilson, a senior business administration/marketing and management major from Hot Springs Village, Ark., Hickingbotham School of Business; Blake Kutter, a senior Christian studies/Biblical studies major from England, Ark., Pruet School of Christian Studies; Emily Payne, a senior kinesiology and leisure studies/recreation and sports ministry major from Mena, Ark., Huckabee School of Education; Cami Willis, a senior musical theatre and church media/production arts double major from Flower Mound, Texas, School of Fine Arts; Sophie DeMuth, a senior speech communication and Christian studies/Christian missions and Biblical studies triple major from Rockwall, Texas, School of Humanities; and Kevin Jackson, a senior history major from Milton, Fla., Sutton School of Social Sciences.

Ouachita’s Senior Outstanding Man and Woman, selected by faculty and staff, are Baronger Bieger, an English and biology double major from Rockwall, Texas, and Hannah Diaz, a history and Christian studies/Christian missions double major from West Monroe, La.

Dr. Stacy Freeman, associate professor of dietetics, was named by students as the Lavell Cole Most Inspirational Professor.

Other university awards include the Mrs. J.R. Grant Endowed Awards for freshman and senior female students and the Mrs. Betty Oliver Grant Endowed Awards for sophomore and junior female students. Recipients of these awards include Madi Polk, a freshman kinesiology major from Wylie, Texas; Emily Weeden, a sophomore worship arts major from Rogers, Ark.; Bonnie Magee, a junior accounting major from Conway, Ark.; and Kasey McLeane, a senior accounting and business administration/finance double major from Camden, Ark.

The Rotary Club Service-Above-Self Award was presented to Kristopher Torres, a freshman Christian studies/Christian missions major from Magnolia, Ark.

 

Individuals honored by the Carl Goodson Honors Program and Ouachita’s seven academic schools include:

CARL GOODSON HONORS PROGRAM

• Ben Elrod Scholar: Sara “Cat” Williams


• Carl Goodson Scholar: Kathleen Suit


• Honor Council Scholars: Elizabeth Bacon and Sammie Pascoe


• Garrett Ham Scholars: Collin Battaglia and Mack McGehee


• Blue Ribbon Finishers: Baronger Bieger, Hannah Gray Boren, Jordan Burt, Bailey Chitwood, Haley Dahl, Sophie DeMuth, Hannah Diaz, Macy Fouse, Kyle Hargis, Chloe Huff, Kevin Jackson, Sean Jackson, Jake Kausler, Joseph Koon, Jessie Little, Madeline Martin, Brian Monk, Emily Payne, Rachel Pruett, Anna Sikes, Allison Smith, Colby Smith, Marissa Thornberry, Kaiti Walker, Dustin Walter and Katy Wood


• Most Valuable Professor: Dr. Jennifer Fayard, assistant professor of psychology

HICKINGBOTHAM SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

• Lera Kelly Outstanding Senior in Business Administration Award: Nathan Gilbert


• Margaret Wright Outstanding Senior in Accounting Award: Kasey McLeane


• Johnny Heflin Excellence in Leadership & Academics Award: Jessica Chang


• Outstanding Business Scholar Athlete: Matt Mainiero and Spencer Knight

PRUET SCHOOL OF CHRISTIAN STUDIES

• Andrew & Harriet Grant Hall Sophomore Ministerial Award: Collin Battaglia, Libby Hilliard, Emma Riley and Dylan Watson


• Outstanding Student in Biblical Studies: Blake Kutter


• Outstanding Student in Christian Ministries: Haylee Garland


• Outstanding Student in Christian Missions: Sophie DeMuth


• Don Harbuck Award for Excellence in Philosophy: Kyle Hargis


• Preben Vang Award for Excellence in Christian Theological Studies: Kyle Lamothe


• Elementary Hebrew Award: Adam Jones


• Zondervan Elementary Greek Award: Emma Riley


• Robert Stagg New Testament Greek Award: Kyle Lamothe


• Outstanding Student at Ouachita Baptist University at New Life Church: Braeden Gregg

HUCKABEE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

• Alice Searcy Award - Freshman: Sarah Pettit


• Outstanding Current Education Sophomores: Luke Dawson and Abby Roberts


• Sylvia Gates Webb Award: Audrey Rodriguez


• Maude Wright Memorial Award: Jordan Williams


• Hannah Joy Sullivan Award: Audrey Rodriguez


• Phi Delta Kappa Teachers in Training: Caleb Cunningham, Raleigh Hansen and Rebecca Sanchez


• Charles Chambliss Distinguished Educator Award: Aaryn Elliott


• Bob Gravette Outstanding Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Teaching Award: Landon Moore


• Tona Wright Outstanding Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Fitness Award: Shelby McWhorter


• Outstanding Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Recreation Award: Maddie Patterson


• Outstanding Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Pre-Professional Studies Award: Ashley Johnson


• Outstanding Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Recreation & Sports Ministry Award: Emily Payne

SCHOOL OF FINE ARTS

• Francie Phelan Outstanding Senior - Graphic Design: Craig Martin


• Francie Phelan Outstanding Senior - Studio Art: Kathryn Coffey


• Raybon-Berry Outstanding Freshman Art and Design Major: Chad Satchell


• Russell Shad Memorial Art Award for Outstanding Junior: Treslyn Shipley


• Theatre Arts Outstanding Student Award - Freshman: Mattie Alexander


• Theta Alpha Phi Senior Award: Cami Willis and Kaylee Nebe


• Sigma Alpha Iota College Honor Award: Breanna Bucko


• Sigma Alpha Iota Scholarship Award: Sarah Talley


• The Presser Scholar: Victoria Clark


• Rachel Fuller Scholarship: Kimberly Attaway and Erin Cheshire


• James Harrison Scholarship: Shelby Sutton and Emily Weeden


• Friends of Fine Arts Scholar – Art: Courtney Gibson


• Friends of Fine Arts Scholar – Instrumental: Abby Thomas


• Friends of Fine Arts Scholar – Piano: Joanna Horton


• Friends of Fine Arts Scholar – Theatre: Lauren Hutcheson


• Friends of Fine Arts Scholar – Voice: Beth Crisler

SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES

• Outstanding Senior English Major: Marissa Thornberry


• Outstanding Junior Louise Searcy Bennett Scholarship Award: Abby Thomas


• Outstanding Sophomore Herman Sandford Scholarship Award: Emily Knicke and Shelby Spears


• The Sharpest Speer Award: Baronger Bieger and Marissa Thornberry


• Outstanding Senior Spanish Major: Taylor Wentz


• Outstanding Junior Spanish Major: Robert DeSoto


• Outstanding Sophomore Spanish Major: Shelby Spears


• El Tigre Award: Emily Knocke


• Outstanding Student in Latin: Ryan Bumpers and Zack Bumpers


• Communications Publication Award – Ouachitonian: Aly Smith


• Communications Publication Award – The Signal: Emily Terry


• Communications Publication Award – Photo Lab: Tyler Rosenthal


• Communications Publication Award – Video Production: Nick Burt


• Bill & Vera Downs Outstanding Sophomore Mass Communications Student Award: Barrett Gay and Caroline Poole


• Matt Turner Outstanding Junior Mass Communications Major Award: Anna Kumpuris


• William D. Downs Outstanding Mass Communications Graduate Award: Nick Burt and Aly Smith


• Roy Buckelew Outstanding Speech Major Award: Sophie DeMuth

PATTERSON SCHOOL OF NATURAL SCIENCES

• Outstanding Freshman Biology Award: Kori Bullard


• Richard H. Brown Biology Award: Jace Bradshaw


• Outstanding Dietetics & Nutrition Award: Bradley Hunter Heird and Alex Morrison


• Freshman Chemistry Award: Katie Dreher


• Ethel & Nell Mondy and E.A. Provine Scholar: Trevor Meece


• Harvey Research Award: Baronger Bieger


• Rowland Memorial Award, Outstanding Senior in Mathematics: Timothy Russell


• Rowland Memorial Award, Outstanding Senior in Math Education: Caleb Cunningham


• Rowland Memorial Award, Outstanding Senior in Computer Science: Drew Ervin


• Rowland Memorial Award, Academic Excellence in Mathematics: Emily Alderson and Keith McLeod


• Rowland Memorial Award, Academic Excellence in Computer Science: Nathan Hill and Hamilton Johnson


• Rowland Memorial Award, Academic Excellence in Physics: Crystal Brown


• Mathematics Ambassador Award: Kaylee Harper


• Becky Horne Endowed Pre-Nursing Scholarship: Amanda Brooks, Kayla Bullard, Taylor Campbell, Kayla Golden and Tryce Schalchlin

SUTTON SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

• Everett Slavens Award to Outstanding Sophomore: Jessica Saunders


• Lavell Cole Award to Outstanding Future Teacher: Rebekah Taylor


• Fran Coulter Award to Outstanding Junior: Blake Bowen


• C. Daily Award to Outstanding Senior: Paul Spann


• Phi Alpha Theta Award for Outstanding Research Paper: Roxanne Easter


• Bob Riley Outstanding Graduate in Political Science Award: Chelsey Hess


• Curtis Echols Lions Club Scholarship: Reagan Parsons


• Psychology Faculty Award: Stoni Butler


• Zeitgeist Award: AlleaBelle Gongola and Chloe Huff


• Weldon Vogt Outstanding Psychology Senior Award: Tracey Mardis, Maddie Myers and Allison Smith


• Outstanding Senior Sociology Award: Ashley Bullington


• Outstanding Junior Sociology Award: Hannah Osborne