Ouachita Stories

Volunteers serving through Ouachita Baptist University’s Ben M. Elrod Center for Family & Community were celebrated at the center’s annual University Community Service Awards banquet in Walker Conference Center on Tuesday, April 15.

“Since 1997, the Elrod Center has served as the hub for volunteer service at Ouachita,” said Judy Duvall, director of the Elrod Center. “Our banquet is a wonderful opportunity to gather Ouachita volunteers together and celebrate a year of service. It’s a way to say thank you and give honor to the students, faculty and staff who serve the community all year long in impactful ways. With over 160 people there, it was a joyful, celebratory event.”

Tuesday Melton, a senior biomedical sciences major from Bauxite, Ark., was named the recipient of the Cargill Leadership Award. Established by Dr. Ben Elrod’s longtime friend, Dr. Bob Cargill, the award goes to a student whose servant leadership honors the life and legacy of Elrod. This academic year alone, Melton collected over 100 TranServe hours as a volunteer with the Arkadelphia Human Development Center and ElderServe – all while being a student-athlete on the Tiger softball team.

Shelby Cheek, a senior psychology major from England, Ark., received the Cindy Stroud Service Award. Named in honor of Elrod Center board member Cindy Elrod Stroud, the award recognizes a student exhibiting the qualities of a strong servant leader. Cheek was selected for her work as a student leader at the Arkadelphia Human Development Center for the past three years.

Jackson Lipscomb, a senior biomedical sciences major from Sherman, Texas, and JD Scott, a senior graphic design and communications & media/integrated communications double major from Oak Leaf, Texas, were awarded this year’s Michael Allison Service Scholarships. The scholarships, created by Ouachita graduate and friend of the Elrod Center, Michael Allison, honor rising seniors who demonstrate outstanding leadership and service to Ouachita’s campus and local community. Lipscomb accumulated more than 100 TranServe hours in 2024-25 through After School Tutoring and the Tiger Serve Day Leadership Team. Scott also served as a member of the TSD Leadership Team.

Phil Exner, a senior finance and business administration/management double major from Konstanz, Germany, took home the Outstanding International Student Award. Selected by the staff of the Grant Center for International Education, the award is given to a student who displays excellence in both academics and character while representing the university’s international program. This year, Exner was named the Hickingbotham School of Business’ Outstanding Business Scholar Athlete and finished the regular season as the No. 1 singles player in the national ITA NCAA Division II Men’s College Tennis Rankings. He was presented the Outstanding International Student Award in Searcy on April 15, after helping the Tigers clinch the 2025 MIAA/GAC South Division title at Harding.

The following Ouachita students, faculty and staff were also honored during the annual dinner:

After School Tutoring: Blaise Batson, Hannah Boswell, DeAnna Brown, Noah Canon, Silvi Cardona, Ella Marie Davis, Shamuel Gill, Reese Hargrove, Haley Jackson, Audrey Kendrick, Isabella Knight, Luke Lawson, Jackson Lipscomb, Cara Malin, Gwen Michaels, Autumn Moss, Rachel New, Abe Owen, Jillian Rachuy, Katie Reeves, Amelia Rogers, Anna Kate Saxton, Kaylee Smith, Victoria Sprague and Mary Kathryn Staley

America Reads / America Counts: Olivia Beene, Kayla Brown, Gracie Campbell, Zach Cloud, Shayla Conley, Ashley Drees, Madison Goff, Hannah Gonzalez, Zoe Graham, Reese Hargrove, Jada Harrell, Katelyn Hartsell, Haley Jackson, Isabella Knight, Jadie Langston, Katie Reeves and Mary Kathryn Staley

Arkadelphia Human Development Center: Olivia Beene, Shelby Cheek, Jadie Langston, Tuesday Melton, Amelia Rogers and Mary Kathryn Staley

Campus Ministries Leadership Team: Abby Adcock, Tyler Andruss, Meghann Bledsoe, Malea Borland, Silvi Cardona, Mallorie Carozza, Matthew Cheatham, Zach Cloud, Ben Combs, Joshua Engle, Lillian Felton, Clayton Fitzpatrick, Cable Glenn, Hannah Gonzalez, Tate Goodrum, Malaya Graham, Zoe Graham, Clara Griggs, Wyatt House, Emry Johnson, Isaac Lawson, Matthew Lloyd, Jackson McDonald, Jonathan McEndree, Jenna McGraw, Hannah Moss, Abby Moseley, Finley Nipper, Ashley Perry, Anna Grace Rankin, Georgia Richards, Tanner Roberts, Kaylee Smith, Mary Kathryn Staley, Braden Wagley, William White and Allie Jane Wilson

Celebrate Gratitude: John Hunter Crum and Hannah Matthews

ElderServe: Mackenzie Amaya, Kate Barrera, Allie Bell, Kyndall Fomby-Bell, Nathan Clark, Zach Cloud, Debora Cojan, Lydia Crow, Liberty Crouse, Sophia Cunningham, Abigail Drennan, Kasey Dumas, Emma Dill, Sara Faddis, Hope Ingold, Isabella Knight, Ashley Koeth, Cara Malin, Mckinley Melcher, Tuesday Melton, Eliza Parker, Ashley Perry, Ligia da Silva, Allie Jane Wilson and Alissa Young

Elrod Center Enrichment Grants: Dr. Carol Carter, School of Nursing and Meals on Wheels for Homebound Seniors; Johan Eriksson, Business Plan Development class; and Dr. Angela Douglass, Girls in STEM

Feed Arkadelphia: Jake Ayotte, Silvi Cardona, Mika Celicourt, Sophia Cunningham, Hannah Gonzalez, Isabella Knight, Jarrett Rogers and Sarah Grace Wisener

Kluck Service Enrichment Grants: Mackenzie Amaya, La Fuerza; Morgan Calaway, American Chemical Society; Miles Dickinson and Lucas Harrington, Rho Sigma men’s social club; Kinsey Gregory, Tri Chi women’s social club; Matthew Lloyd and Clara Griggs, Campus Ministries and Monticello Children’s Home; Aksa Mathew, International Club; Hannah Matthews, Women in STEM; and Noah and Angela Terry, Resident Life & Housing and Starlite Apartments

TaxServe: Kate Burris, Andrew Ellis, Julianne Fletcher, Colson McKinney, Mason McKinney, Jeanie Curry and Dana Dixon

Tiger Serve Day Leadership Team: Zac Baker, Anna Cabaness, Mallorie Carozza, Mika Celicourt, Liberty Crouse, Andrew Ellis, Kristopher Garcia, Sam Gregg, Margaret Guerra, Ashlynn Hecht, Wyatt House, Hope Ingold, Conner Jacobs, Qara Johnson, Ashley Koeth, Jackson Lipscomb, Emma McClurkin, Colson McKinney, Mason McKinney, Zach Moore, Dani Schager, JD Scott, Mary Kathryn Staley, William White and Ella Wooten

TranServe Students with 100 or more hours: Blaise Batson, Olivia Beene, Gracie Campbell, Nathan Clark, Zach Cloud, Ella Marie Davis, Emma Dill, Andrew Ellis, Joshua Engle, Madison Goff, Zoe Graham, Jackson Lipscomb, Matthew Lloyd, Qara Johnson, Colson McKinney, Mason McKinney, Mckinley Melcher, Tuesday Melton, Ashley Perry, Kaylee Smith, Mary Kathryn Staley, William White and Sarah Grace Wisener

Lead photo by Meghann Bledsoe

• Tags:
• Awards/Honors
• Community Service
• Elrod Center