Ouachita Stories

In recent months, students from Ouachita Baptist University’s Department of History have showcased their work at both statewide and national events. Four students presented at the inaugural Arkansas Liberal Arts and Humanities Day in Little Rock on Nov. 13, and another group from the department presented at the American Historical Association’s four-day annual meeting in Chicago, Illinois, last month.

Arkansas Liberal Arts and Humanities Day was a first-of-its-kind event, bringing students from seven universities in the state together for a series of presentations in the rotunda of the Arkansas State Capitol. Ouachita students participated in the day’s activities as part of an advanced topical seminar. Dr. Myra Houser, associate professor of history and chair of the Department of History, describes it as “a senior-level course that mimics a first-year graduate or professional-style class.”

Senior Abi Forbes from El Dorado, Arkansas; senior Jameson Tankersley from Conway, Arkansas; sophomore Debora Cojan from Maumelle, Arkansas; and sophomore Daniel Montgomery from Hot Springs, Arkansas, presented on the histories of coffee, tea and chocolate to an audience that included fellow students, professors, state legislators and members of the public.

The American Historical Association serves as the nation’s largest body of professional historians and is comprised of individuals and organizations studying all eras and geographies of history. Each January, the AHA holds its annual meeting, which seeks to provide historians with an opportunity to network, attend skill workshops and share their research. Ouachita’s representatives were among the few undergraduates to present at the event, and they included Sydney Davis, a sophomore from Murfreesboro, Tennessee; David Pannell, a senior from Houston, Texas; Joe Phillips, a senior from Van Buren, Arkansas; Cojan; and Montgomery.

The group presented a poster covering a multi-year, professional-grade project completed by the department’s Research Seminar course. Students created a website titled “From Buffaloes to Badgers,” which consists of oral histories from local community members who experienced the integration of Arkadelphia’s public schools. The class also worked with the City of Arkadelphia to develop biographies for its Black History Month honorees.

“I appreciate the collaborative element these two conferences represented for the students who presented,” Houser said. “It was special to see them come into their own as they talked with people about their work and soaked up professional development experiences. There is so much we can do in the classroom, but it is always impactful to see these students thriving outside of it, too, which is our ultimate goal.”

Ouachita’s history program offers a carefully developed experience that allows students to acquire the professional skills and knowledge base needed to succeed in a variety of careers and vocations. The Department of History helps these students develop breadth and depth in their work through courses covering U.S., European, African and Caribbean histories. On-demand courses focusing on smaller geographical and chronological pieces of history are also available. For more information, visit obu.edu/history or contact the Office of Admissions Counseling at 870-245-5110 or [email protected].

Lead photo by Meghann Bledsoe

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