Thirty students at Ouachita named to Who’s Who

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May 26, 2022 - Felley Lawson

Thirty students at Ouachita Baptist University have been named to the latest edition of Who’s Who Among American Colleges and Universities.

The students were chosen by Ouachita’s faculty, staff and 2022 senior class based on their academic performance, leadership in extracurricular activities, community service and potential for success.

The Ouachita students included in Who’s Who are:

Maddie Bailey, 21, is a political science major from Bauxite, Ark., and a graduate of Benton High School. At Ouachita, she was named to the President’s and Dean’s lists, received the Bob Riley Outstanding Graduate in Political Science award and was a member of Pi Sigma Alpha national honor society for political science, Theta Alpha Kappa national honor society for religious studies and theology and Alpha Chi national college honor society. Bailey served as special events chair and director of Tiger Tunes for the Ouachita Student Foundation and president of the Pre-Law Society. She was a member of EEE women’s social club and participated in the Carl Goodson Honors Program, where she was a Blue Ribbon Finisher and a recipient of the Carl Goodson Travel Grant. She volunteered through Campus Ministries Life Group and Big Sister mentor programs, as well as Tiger Serve Day. A member of The Summit Church in Saline County, Bailey served as an intern with the Arkansas Baptist Foundation and was a member of the Kanakuk K1 office staff. Through the Chicago Semester Program, she also served as an intern with Chicago Volunteer Legal Services in Summer 2019. Her participation in the Carl Goodson Honors Program sparked her passion for fighting human trafficking and hopes to pursue this through a career as a prosecuting attorney.

Abigail Blankenship, 21, is a communications & media/strategic communications major from Little Rock, Ark., where she is a member of Immanuel Baptist Church. A graduate of Little Rock Christian Academy, Blankenship received the William D. Downs Outstanding Mass Communications Graduate award and the Matt Turner Outstanding Junior Communications Major award and was named to the President’s and Dean’s lists. She was a WOW new student orientation leader and a member of the President’s Leadership Circle, the Tiger Serve Day leadership team and Homecoming Court, as well as the EEE women’s social club, which she served as online media chair. Blankenship was photo lab editor during her junior and senior years. While at Ouachita, she was a USGA P.J. Boatwright Jr. Intern with the Arkansas State Golf Association during the summers of 2020 and 2021. Blankenship plans to pursue a career in photography and social media.

Matthew Branch, 22, a communications & media/sports media major from White Hall, Ark., is a graduate of White Hall High School. He was named to the President’s and Dean’s lists at Ouachita, where he was the student director and a founding member of the Ouachita Sports Digital Network. Branch received the William D. Downs Outstanding Mass Communications Graduate and Outstanding Communications Sophomore awards and was also a member of the Ouachita Student Foundation, the President’s Leadership Circle and the Varsity Diner Home Group. He volunteered through Tiger Serve Day and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and was a broadcast intern for the Mile High Collegiate Baseball League, as well as a radio broadcaster for the Bearden High School Football Team. Branch plans to pursue a career in sports broadcasting at the professional or collegiate level.

Cross Brandon, 22, is a music industry major from Little Rock, Ark., where he graduated from Pulaski Academy. At Ouachita, Brandon served as president of Kappa Chi men’s social club, volunteered through Tiger Serve Day and was a member of the Saxophone Quartet, Jazz Band and Wind Ensemble. A recipient of the David Glaze and Barbara Stubblefield scholarships, Brandon earned first place in the 2019 Wind and Concerto Competition. While at Ouachita, he was a member of the worship team at the Church at Rock Creek and a recurring guest artist at Second Baptist Church in Little Rock. He was also a volunteer with the Arkansas Food Bank. Brandon plans to pursue a career as a professional doubler, a musician who plays two or more instruments from the six woodwind families and can play more than one instrument during a performance.

Sebastian Bustillo, 22, is an engineering physics, applied mathematics and computer science triple major from Tegucigalpa, Honduras, where he graduated from Lighthouse Christian Academy. At Ouachita, Bustillo was named to the President’s and Dean’s lists, was the 2022 top academic achiever in the J.D. Patterson School of Natural Sciences and was a resident assistant and apartment manager. He also served as a tutor in the Academic Success Center and volunteered through Tiger Serve Day. Bustillo was a Patterson Summer Research Fellow, a research assistant the Nevada National Security Site, a data science summer intern at Stanford University and a technical program manager at Amazon. He plans to continuing scaling his edTech startup.

From left: Maddie Bailey, Abigail Blankenship, Matthew Branch, Cross Brandon, Sebastian Bustillo

Erica Dixon, 24, is a graphic design major from Arkadelphia, Ark., and a graduate of Arkadelphia High School. She was a member of Tiger Steel drum ensemble, served as president of Tri Chi women’s social club and was a Kappa Chi men’s social club little sister at Ouachita, where she was elected 2021 Homecoming Queen. As a student, she was employed at Cookie Advantage and was a member of First Baptist Church, Arkadelphia. Dixon plans to pursue a career in design and communications.

Hannah Dwiggins, 21, an elementary education major from Amity, Ark., received the 2022 Phi Kappa Delta Teachers in Training Award. A graduate of Centerpoint High School, Dwiggins was a member of EEE women’s social club and served as chaplain of Kappa Delta Pi honor society for education while at Ouachita. She was a student leader for juniors and seniors at Caney Missionary Baptist Church in Bismarck and served as a volunteer summer church camp leader. Dwiggins plans to pursue a career in teaching.

Michaelyn Ferrell, 22, is a business administration/marketing and communications & media/strategic communications double major from White Hall, Ark., where she graduated from White Hall High School. At Ouachita, where Ferrell received the 2022 Dr. Lera Kelly Outstanding Senior in Business Administration Award, she volunteered through Tiger Serve Day, was a member of the WOW steering committee and served as president of the EEE women’s social club. Ferrell plans to join her family’s business, Hunter’s Refuge, in White Hall.

Cannon Fisher, 21, a nutrition & dietetics major from Wynne, Ark., was a home school graduate. Fisher was named to the President’s List at Ouachita, where he was selected to conduct research with the J.D. Patterson Summer Research Program and was the only undergraduate nutrition student in Arkansas chosen to present their research at the Council on Undergraduate Research’s annual Posters on the Hill session in 2021. He was a member of the American Chemical Society, the Ouachita Student Foundation and the Cheer team; served as president of the Student Dietetic Association and Tiger Tunes director for Student Life; and was a Chi Delta women’s social club beau. Fisher volunteered through Tiger Serve Day and Meals on Wheels, and welcomed students to campus as a member of the Cheer team. While at Ouachita, he worked as a breastmilk technician at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock. Fisher plans to become a clinical dietitian and a university professor.

Gracen Goudy, 22, is a communications & media/mass communications major from Benton, Ark., and a graduate of Bryant High School. Named to the President’s and Dean’s lists at Ouachita, she received the Roy Buckelew Outstanding Speech Major Award, served as co-editor of the Ouachitonian and president of the EEE women’s social club, volunteered through Tiger Serve Day and was a WOW new student orientation leader. Goudy was a member of the Ouachita Student Foundation and the President’s Leadership Circle and was elected to the Homecoming Court. She worked as a youth intern at First Baptist Church, Arkadelphia, and as a freelance writer for the Arkansas Baptist State Convention, and plans to pursue a career in communications and marketing.

From left: Erica Dixon, Hannah Dwiggins, Michaelyn Ferrell, Cannon Fisher, Gracen Goudy

Katie Gray, 21, a middle school education major from Dallas, Texas, is a graduate of Lake Highlands High School. At Ouachita, she was named to the President’s and Dean’s lists and was the recipient of the Department of Education’s Maude Wright Memorial Award, the John and Gloria Elrod Scholarship and a Ouachita Student Foundation scholarship. Gray was a WOW new student orientation leader, a member of the Wind Ensemble and a member of the EEE women’s social club, where she served as a discipleship group leader and was co-director of the winning Tiger Tunes show, “Roaring TwentiEEEs.” She worked as a tutor for America Reads and for Ouachita’s Academic Success Center, was a family ministry intern at North Highlands Bible Church and was a children’s ministry intern at The Branch Church. Gray plans to pursue a career in public education as a middle school teacher and administrator in Dallas.

Austin Guymon, 23, is a history major from Little Rock, Ark., where he graduated from Little Rock Christian Academy. At Ouachita, Guymon was a linebacker for five seasons on the Tiger Football team, where he was a two-time all-Great American Conference honoree. He was named to the Dean’s List and served as song leader and sergeant-at-arms for the Beta Beta men’s social club. As a student, Guymon worked as a summer counselor at Kanakuk Kamp. He is a graduate assistant for Tiger Football at Ouachita.

Nicolas Hazlett, 21, is a physics engineering major from Greenville, Texas, where he graduated from Greenville High School. Named to the President’s and Dean’s lists at Ouachita, Hazlett was a member of the President’s Leadership Circle and received a Tiger Network Leadership Scholarship. He participated in the Department of Theatre’s One-Act Play Festival and was vice-president and Tiger Tunes director for Kappa Chi men’s social club, a WOW new student orientation leader and a Tri Chi women’s social club beau. He was also a member of the Steel Drum Band and the Ouachita Student Foundation. Hazlett volunteered through Tiger Serve Day, Vacation Bible School, backyard Bible clubs, the Monticello Children’s Home, the Humane Society, Spirit of Giving and Lighthouse of Prayer. As a student, he was a children’s ministry intern, a staff member at Camp Walk on Water and a construction worker. Hazlett plans to pursue a career as a civil engineer.

Cloe Humphry, 21, is a worship arts major from Benton, Ark., and a graduate of Bryant High School. Named to the Dean’s List at Ouachita, she was a member of Ouachita Worship and the Worship travel team, Ouachita Singers and Concert Choir. Humphry was also a life group leader and a worship leader for Refuge, and was voted Miss Congeniality during the 2022 Miss OBU Pageant. She is interested in missions and plans to pursue a career as a church worship leader.

Harry Jeffrey, 22, a chemistry and biology double major from Conway, Ark., is a graduate of Harmony Grove High School in Camden, Ark. He was named to the President’s and Dean’s lists at Ouachita, where he served as president of the American Chemical Society and treasurer of the Student Senate. Jeffrey was a member of Gamma Sigma Epsilon honor society for chemistry, Tri Beta biological honor society and the WOW steering committee. He was also a member of Eta Alpha Omega men’s social club, where he served as social chair, secretary, historian and Tiger Tunes director, and received the Shelby Seabaugh Spirit of Tunes Award. Jeffrey worked as a tutor for the Academic Success Center and volunteered through Tiger Serve Day, the WOW steering and parent committees and Eta Highway Cleanup. He plans to enroll at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in order to become a physician assistant.

From left: Katie Gray, Austin Guymon, Nicholas Hazlett, Cloe Humphry, Harry Jeffrey

Dane Jester, 21, a biology major from Hot Springs, Ark., graduated from Benton High School. Named to the President’s and Dean’s lists at Ouachita, Jester was a Blue Ribbon Finisher in the Carl Goodson Honors Program where he served as academic chair, social chair and community service chair. He was a member of the American Chemical Society, the President’s Leadership Circle, Student Senate and the Beta Beta men’s social club, where he was chaplain and social chair. Jester volunteered through Tiger Serve Day and worked during the summers as a research intern at Arkansas Children’s Hospital and a patient care technician at CHI St. Vincent. He will attend the UAMS College of Medicine with the goal of eventually serving his community as a physician.

Molly Maddox, 22, is a communication sciences & disorders major from Jonesboro, Ark., and a graduate of Valley View High School. She was named to the President’s List at Ouachita, where she was a member of the Alpha Chi national college honor society and the Ouachita Student Foundation. Maddox served as president of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association, parliamentarian of the Student Senate, pledge mistress of the EEE women’s social club and a TranServe volunteer. She plans to attend graduate school and pursue a Master of Speech-Language Pathology degree.

Buck McKnight, 21, a Christian studies/biblical studies & theology and Christian studies/Christian ministry double major from El Dorado, Ark., is a graduate of El Dorado High School. At Ouachita, he was named to the President’s and Dean’s lists and was a member of Ouachita Worship, Refuge and the Beta Beta men’s social club. McKnight is a freelance musician and plans to pursue a career in clinical mental health counseling.

Jazmyn-Rayne Parker, 22, is an elementary education major from Jefferson, Ark., and a graduate of White Hall High School. Named to the President’s and Dean’s lists at Ouachita, she was a member of the President’s Leadership Circle, was a WOW new student orientation leader and served terms as vice president and president of Kappa Delta Pi honor society for education. Parker was elected to the Homecoming Court, served as keeper of the beaus for the EEE women’s social club and volunteered through Tiger Serve Day. She worked as a summer camp counselor and a unit coordinator at Kanakuk. Parker plans to teach first or second grade at Eastside Elementary in Cabot, Ark., and in the future, to pursue Master of Education degrees in curriculum and instruction and in reading intervention.

Sara Patterson, 21, is a Christian studies/biblical studies & theology major from Wylie, Texas, where she graduated from Wylie High School. At Ouachita, she received a Garrett Ham Travel Grant as well as the Outstanding Sophomore Herman Sanford Scholarship Award in the Department of Language and Literature and the Preben Vang Award for Christian Theological Studies in the Chesley and Elizabeth Pruet School of Christian Studies. A Blue Ribbon Finisher in the Carl Goodson Honors Program, Patterson served as editor-in-chief of the Signal and was a Homecoming Court nominee. She was a member of The Pruet Sisterhood, Theta Alpha Kappa national honor society for religious studies and theology, Sigma Tau Delta international English honor society and the Tri Chi women’s social club. Patterson volunteered through Tiger Serve Day and was a life group leader. She worked as a babysitter for campus faculty families and was a freelance writer for “Arkansas Baptist News.” In Fall 2022, Patterson will attend Baylor University’s Truett Seminary to pursue a Master of Divinity degree, with hopes of becoming a Bible professor.

From left: Dane Jester, Molly Maddox, Buck McKnight, Jazmyn Parker, Sara Patterson

James Renshaw, 22, a business administration/management major from North Little Rock, Ark., graduated from Baptist Preparatory School in Little Rock. He was a life group leader and Refuge speaker at Ouachita, where he was a member of the Ouachita Student Foundation. He served as chaplain and historian of Beta Beta men’s social club and on the leadership team of the Monticello Children’s Home. While he was a student, Renshaw worked as a men’s youth intern at Second Baptist Church in Arkadelphia. He plans to pursue a career in pastoral ministry.

Anna Roussel, 22, is a communications & media/strategic communications and political science double major from Searcy, Ark., and a graduate of Searcy High School. Named to the Dean’s List at Ouachita, Roussel served terms as vice president and president of the Ouachita Student Foundation and was co-editor of the Ouachitonian. She was a Midwest Model United Nations Outstanding Delegate, served as historian for the EEE women’s social club and was elected to the Homecoming Court. Roussel volunteered through Tiger Serve Day and Hot Springs KLIFE, as a Campus Ministries life group leader and as a WOW new student orientation leader. While a student, she worked at Kanakuk Kamps, was an intern to Gov. Asa Hutchinson and was a marketing intern at First Community Bank. Roussel plans to pursue a career in marketing and development or in politics.

Cora Saddler, 22, an English and Spanish double major from Cabot, Ark., is a graduate of Cabot High School. Saddler was named Ouachita’s 2022 Overall Academic Achiever, the university’s highest academic honor. She also earned distinction as Academic Achiever and Outstanding Senior English Major in the School of Humanities and as a Blue Ribbon Finisher in the Carl Goodson Honors Program. Saddler received a Ben Elrod Research Grant, an Outstanding Sophomore Spanish Major Award and Outstanding Sophomore and Junior Herman Sanford scholarships. She also earned first place for academic research in the Assayers 29 and 30 competitions. Saddler served as honor secretary and co-president of Sigma Tau Delta international English honor society at Ouachita, as president of Alpha Chi national college honor society at Ouachita, and as a member of the Wind Ensemble and the Tri Chi women’s social club. She will soon begin an internship with “Streetwise Magazine,” a publication that helps give stability, voice and dignity to people experiencing homelessness in Chicago, and will pursue a Master of Arts degree in English with a concentration in creative writing at the University of Maine, beginning in Fall 2022.

Lucie Shepherd, 21, is a communications & media/integrated communications major from Rowlett, Texas, and a graduate of Rowlett High School. Shepherd was named to the Dean’s List at Ouachita where she was a resident assistant, a Refuge Worship leader and a staff writer for the Ouachitonian. Shepherd was also a member of the Ouachita Student Foundation, Tri Chi women’s social club, Ouachita Worship and the President’s Leadership Circle. While at Ouachita, Shepherd served as a worship leader at Crosspoint Church in Bryant, Ark., a worship team member at New Life Church in Hot Springs, Ark., and as a worship and youth group leader at her home church, First Baptist of Rowlett. She held a part-time internship with the Arkadelphia Public Schools and volunteered through Tiger Serve Day. Shepherd plans to work in event planning with the goal of becoming a wedding planner in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, area.

Emily Tarr, 22, is an elementary education major from Fort Worth, Texas. A graduate of Lake Country Christian School, she was named to the Dean’s List and served as a life group leader at Ouachita. Tarr was co-president of Panhellenic Council, where she also represented Tri Chi women’s social club. She has volunteered through Tiger Serve Day and through the preschool program at Park Hill Baptist Church in Arkadelphia. In Fall 2022, Tarr will begin her education career in Benbrook, Texas, where she will teach kindergarten.

From left: James Renshaw, Anna Roussel, Cora Saddler, Lucie Shepherd, Emily Tarr

Kate Vernon, 22, an elementary education major from El Dorado, Ark., is a graduate of El Dorado High School. Named to the President’s and Dean’s lists at Ouachita, Vernon served as fundraising chair and assistant Tiger Tunes director for Tri Chi women’s social club and was a member of the Ouachita Student Foundation, Student Senate and Kappa Delta Pi honor society for education. She volunteered through Tiger Serve Day, Campus Ministries and WOW new student orientation. While at Ouachita, she worked as an art teacher at Dance Praize, a K-1 counselor at Kanakuk Kamp and an associate at The Pottery House. Vernon will be the K-5 art teacher at Benbrook Primary School in Benbrook, Texas.

Kayla Whittington, 22, is a chemistry, biology and Spanish triple major from North Little Rock, Ark., and a graduate of North Little Rock High School. She was selected Outstanding Senior Woman and was one of two students named Outstanding Graduate in Chemistry at Ouachita. A Blue Ribbon Finisher in the Carl Goodson Honors Program, Whittington was a Mondy-Provine Scholar and received the Mrs. J.R. Grant Endowed Award as a freshman. She was a member of Alpha Chi national college honor society, the American Chemical Society, Gamma Sigma Epsilon honor society for chemistry, the Tiger Serve Day leadership team and Gamma Phi women’s social club, where she has served as panhellenic chair, chaplain and president. She has worked as a summer intern with the North Pulaski Baptist Association and conducted research during the summer through the J.D. Patterson School of Natural Sciences at Ouachita and Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Whittington will attend the UAMS College of Medicine in Fall 2022, with the goal of becoming a pediatric pulmonologist.

Jael Winterholter, 22, is a Christian studies/biblical studies & theology major from Fort Wayne, Ind. A graduate of Lakewood Park Christian School, Winterholter was named the 2022 Top Academic Achiever in the Pruet School of Christian Studies at Ouachita. She was a Garrett Ham Scholar, a Blue Ribbon Finisher in the Carl Goodson Honors Program, a member of the President’s Leadership Circle and has been named to the President’s List. Winterholter was student assistant to The Pruet Sisterhood and has been elected to the Homecoming Court. She has served as chaplain for the Tri Chi women’s social club and the Alpha Chi national college honor society at Ouachita, as a life group and Noonday ministry leader through Campus Ministries and as a member of Theta Alpha Kappa national honor society for religious studies and theology. Winterholter has volunteered through Tiger Serve Day and through Feed Arkadelphia. She has taught the college Sunday school class at Cedar Grove Baptist Church in Arkadelphia and has worked as a student ministries summer intern at Central Ministries in Fort Wayne. Winterholter will pursue a Master of Divinity degree and a Ph.D. with the goal of teaching in the field of biblical scholarship.

Ryan York, 22, is a communications & media major with a double emphasis in sports media and multimedia journalism from Plano, Texas, and a graduate of Plano ISD Academy High School. York has been named to the President’s List at Ouachita, where he was a Campus Ministries life group leader, Chi Mu women’s social club beau and manager of the men’s basketball team. He has been a staff writer and sports editor for the Signal and a volunteer soccer play-by-play broadcaster for the Ouachita Sports Digital Network. York has served as social media chair and fundraising chair for the Eta Alpha Omega men’s social club and has volunteered through Tiger Serve Day, as a student ministry small group leader at Second Baptist Church in Arkadelphia and as a DNOW leader at Immanuel Baptist Church in Little Rock. During the summers, he has worked as a cashier at Academy Sports & Outdoors, as a camp counselor and projects team member at Pine Cove Ranch in Tyler, Texas, and as a community support coordinator with Youthworks in Denver, Colo. York plans to pursue church ministry full time.

Parker Zucha, 22, a finance and business administration/management double major from Sachse, Texas, is a graduate of Wylie High School. Named to the Dean’s List at Ouachita, Zucha was a member of the Ouachita Student Foundation, was Tiger Tunes director for the Beta Beta men’s social club and was an EEE women’s social club beau. He serves on the worship team at his home church and is a member of the band Third Floor Village.