Ouachita Stories

More than 100 students from Ouachita Baptist University were recently honored at the university’s 2017 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.

Jace Bradshaw, a senior biology, chemistry and applied physics triple major from Arkadelphia, Ark., was awarded Ouachita’s highest academic honor as the university’s Overall Academic Achiever and also was named Senior Outstanding Man, an honor selected by faculty and staff. He also was named top academic achiever in the Patterson School of Natural Sciences, and earned the Outstanding Graduate in Chemistry and Outstanding Senior in Biology awards.

Ouachita’s Senior Outstanding Woman was Abby Root, an education and speech/theatre arts double major from Arkadelphia, Ark. Root also was honored with the Mrs. J.R. Grant Endowed Award for a senior female student.

The Mrs. J.R. Grant Endowed Award for a freshman female student went to Addy Goodman, a freshman mass communications and English major from Arkadelphia, Ark., and the Mrs. Betty Oliver Grant Endowed Awards for sophomore and junior female students went to Katie Jo Henley and Amanda Abbud, respectively. Henley is a sophomore mass communications major from Conway, Ark., and Abbud is a junior finance and business administration/management double major from Searcy, Ark.

Top academic achievers in each school include:

• Hickingbotham School of Business – Estefanie Perez, a senior business administration/finance, business administration/management and mass communications triple major from Maracaibo, Venezuela


• Pruet School of Christian Studies – Emma Riley, a senior Christian studies/Christian ministry and Christian studies/biblical studies double major from Fort Smith, Ark.


• Huckabee School of Education – Lizzie Hall, a senior elementary education and Spanish double major from North Little Rock, Ark.


• School of Fine Arts – Emily Weeden, a senior worship arts major from Rogers, Ark.


• School of Humanities – Shelby Spears, a senior English and Spanish double major from Aransas Pass, Texas


• Sutton School of Social Sciences – Jessica Saunders, a senior history and English double major from Maumelle, Ark.

David Stanley, instructor of music, was named by students as the Lavell Cole Most Inspirational Professor.

The Rotary Club Service-Above-Self Award was presented to Alex Holder, a junior accounting major from Sour Lake, Texas.

 

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

CARL GOODSON HONORS PROGRAM

• Ben Elrod Scholar: Ashley Sharpe, Anna Joie Valdez


• Carl Goodson Scholars: Alex Gianelloni, Morgan Howard, Mattie Couch, Mary Grace Hill


• Garrett Ham Scholar: Taylor Bascue


• Blue Ribbon Finishers: Emily Alderson, Kimberley Attaway, Collin Battaglia, Logan Bond, Michael Calhoun, Robert DeSoto, Caroline Dunlap, Elizabeth Fast, Libby Hilliard, Joanna Horton, Hamilton Johnson, Sammie Pascoe, Drake Puryear, Jodi Webb, Evan Wheatley, Hannah Wright


• Most Valuable Professor: Dr. Johnny Wink, Betty Burton Peck Professor of English

HICKINGBOTHAM SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

• Dr. Lera Kelly Outstanding Senior in Business Administration Award: Sidney Meriweather, Madison Parks


• Margaret Wright Outstanding Senior in Accounting Award: Ryan Bumpers, Zach Bumpers


• Eddie Ary Outstanding Senior in Finance Award: Dillon Farrell


• Johnny Heflin Excellence in Leadership & Academics Award: Evan McKinnon


• Outstanding Business Scholar Athlete: Logan Hampton

PRUET SCHOOL OF CHRISTIAN STUDIES

• Andrew & Harriet Grant Hall Sophomore Ministerial Award: Brenton Butcher, Austin Knight, Danielle Osborne, Nick Quinn


• Outstanding Student in Biblical Studies: Emma Riley


• Outstanding Student in Christian Ministries: Emma Riley


• Outstanding Student in Christian Missions: Mikayla Butler


• Don Harbuck Award for Excellence in Philosophy: Dylan Watson


• Preben Vang Award for Christian Theological Studies: Collin Battaglia


• Elementary Hebrew Award: Lindsey Johnson


• Old Testament Hebrew Award: Collin Battaglia


• Zondervan Elementary Greek Award: Nick Quinn


• Robert Stagg New Testament Greek Award: Emma Riley


• Theta Alpha Kappa Undergraduate Achievement Award: Libby Hilliard

HUCKABEE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

• Alice Searcy Award: Susannah Frith


• Outstanding Current Education Sophomores: Abby Richett (Elementary), Mattie Couch (Secondary), Sierra Westberg (K-12)


• Sylvia Gates Webb Award: Kallie Polk


• Maude Wright Memorial Award: Anna Norris


• Phi Delta Kappa Teachers in Training: Jordan Williams (Elementary), Hannah Pearce (Middle School), Kaylee Bond (Secondary), Kimberley Attaway (K-12)


• Charles Chambliss Distinguished Educator Award: Abby Roberts


• Bob Gravett Outstanding Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Teaching Award: Brittany Engel


• Tona Wright Outstanding Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Fitness Award: Jayme Shell


• Outstanding Kinesiology & Leisure Studies/Recreation Award: Megan Lorenz


• Outstanding Kinesiology & Leisure Studies/Pre-Professional Studies Award: Bryson Rial


• Outstanding Kinesiology & Leisure Studies/Recreation & Sports Ministry Award: Josh Kirby


• Hannah Joy Sullivan Award: Luke Dawson

SCHOOL OF FINE ARTS

• Francie Phelan Outstanding Senior in Graphic Design: Jennifer Bray


• Francie Phelan Outstanding Senior in Studio Art: Jan Whytock


• Russell Shad Memorial Art Award for Outstanding Junior: Chad Satchell


• Dr. Raouf Halaby Award for Exemplary Scholarship in Art: Jan Whytock


• Theatre Arts Outstanding Freshman Student Award: Dylan Blackwood, Meagan Woodard


• Alpha Psi Omega Senior Award: Jesse Bowron, Hannah Fender


• Sigma Alpha Iota College Honor Award: Elizabeth Shelby


• Sigma Alpha Iota Scholarship Award: Elizabeth Crisler


• The Presser Scholar: Jacob Hemsath


• Rachel Fuller Scholarship: Caylee Blocker, Gideon Garcia


• James Harrison Scholarship: Joy Biebighauser


• Friends of Fine Arts Scholar – Art: Carrie Hill


• Friends of Fine Arts Scholar – Instrumental: Sierra Westberg


• Friends of Fine Arts Scholar – Piano: Zhanxiu Lu


• Friends of Fine Arts Scholar – Theatre: Lauren Terry


• Friends of Fine Arts Scholar – Voice: Jessie Brunson

SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES

• Outstanding Senior English Major: Shelby Spears


• Outstanding Junior Louise Searcy Bennett Scholarship Award: Addison Crow


• Outstanding Sophomore Herman Sandford Scholarship Award: Aaron East


• The Sharpest Speer Award: Joanna Horton, Emily Knocke and Shelby Spears


• Outstanding Senior Spanish Major: Angella Valencia


• Outstanding Junior Spanish Major: Emily Bradley


• Outstanding Sophomore Spanish Major: Caleb Byrd


• Outstanding Student in Latin: Grace Kemp


• El Tigre Award: Rachel Bacon


• Bill & Vera Downs Outstanding Sophomore Mass Communications Student Award: Julie Williams


• Matt Turner Outstanding Junior Mass Communications Major Award: Katie Jo Henley


• William D. Downs Outstanding Mass Communications Graduate Award: Barrett Gay, Evan Wheatley


• Roy Buckelew Outstanding Speech Major Award: Daniella Brantley

PATTERSON SCHOOL OF NATURAL SCIENCES

• Outstanding Freshman Biology Award: Sheldon McCown, Michael Neathery


• Richard H. Brown Biology Award: Noah Bowman


• Outstanding Dietetics & Nutrition Award: Alex Bradley


• Freshman Chemistry Award: Cameron Brownlee


• Ethel & Nell Mondy and E.A. Provine Scholar: Nicholas Kowalkowski


• Harvey Research Award: Tyler White


• Rowland Memorial Award, Outstanding Senior in Mathematics: Emily Alderson


• Rowland Memorial Award, Outstanding Senior in Math Education: Kaylee Bond


• Rowland Memorial Award, Outstanding Senior in Computer Science: Logan Bond


• Rowland Memorial Award, Outstanding Senior in Physics: Hamilton Johnson


• Rowland Memorial Award, Academic Excellence in Mathematics: Kristina Beall


• Rowland Memorial Award, Academic Excellence in Math Education: Luke Dawson


• Rowland Memorial Award, Academic Excellence in Computer Science: Aitor Breton


• Rowland Memorial Award, Academic Excellence in Physics: Arden Hall


• Mathematics Ambassador Award: Duel Cunningham


• Compassionate Scientist Award (CMDS): Kelsie Adcock

SUTTON SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

• Everett Slavens Award to Outstanding Sophomore: Callie Anna Dunlap


• Lavell Cole Award to Outstanding Future Teacher: Brady Hibbs


• Fran Coulter Award to Outstanding Junior: Hailey Thompson


• Daily Award to Outstanding Senior: Elise Cobb


• Phi Alpha Theta Award for Outstanding Research Paper: Cassie Young


• Bob Riley Outstanding Graduate in Political Science Award: Abbey Little


• Curtis Echols Lions Club Scholarship: Parker Henley


• Zeitgeist Award: Angella Valencia


• Weldon Vogt Outstanding Psychology Senior Award: Daniella Brantley, Lindahl Freeze


• Outstanding Junior Sociology Award: Emily Cooper


• Outstanding Graduating Senior Sociology Award: Mikala Butler

 

Photo above: (From left) Jace Bradshaw, David Stanley and Abby Root were recognized with the three top awards at Ouachita Baptist University's recent Academic Awards Banquet. Bradshaw won top Overall Academic Achiever and Senior Outstanding Man as well as additional awards within the Patterson School of Natural Sciences. Stanley was named Lavell Cole Most Inspirational Professor. Root won Senior Outstanding Woman and the Mrs. J.R. Grant Endowed Award for a senior female student. Photo by Stephanie Bell. Click to download full image.

May 9, 2017