O U A C H I TA
B A P T I S T
U N I V E R S I T Y
SINCE
1890
the
Signal
09.1.16 Vol. 125, Issue 1 www.obusignal.com
News Bureau y Courtesy
Dr. Ben Sells began his tenure as Ouachita’s sixteenth president on June 1 after he was unanimously elected by Ouachita trustees on April 7. Before coming to Ouachita, he worked as the VP for development at Taylor University in Upland, Indiana. Dr. Sells and his wife, Lisa, have four children: Emily, Patrick, Abby and Tyler.
A new president and a new vision for Ouachita By BARRETT GAY Editor-in-Chief
ICYMI: OBU trustees unanimously elected Dr. Ben R. Sells as Ouachita’s sixteenth president on April 7, 2016. He was chosen after a ninemonth search process led by Ouachita’s search committee and officially began his tenure on June 1. But—who is Dr. Sells? Since he’s the first presidential hire in over 60 years with no previous ties to Ouachita, it’s understandable if the name Sells doesn’t ring any bells. Here’s a brief introduction. * Although new to Ouachita, Dr. Sells is not new to higher education. “I grew up in a college president’s home. My father was the president of Southwest Baptist University. From the time I was 5 until I finished college—and that’s where I went to college—I grew up around Christian higher education…and watched my dad do what he did, and there was a part of me that said, ‘I like that. I might be interested in that,’” Dr. Sells said. “So like a lot of people, you’re influenced by your parents and their vocation, so that was certainly very formative.” Sells completed his Bachelor of Science degree at SBU, then went on to earn his Master of Arts and PhD in higher and adult education from the University of Missouri in Columbia.
SCAN FOR AN ONLINE EDITION
But before we get too ahead of ourselves—there was a milestone moment his senior year of undergraduate school that is probably worth mentioning. “Five of us one night, in February 1984, found ourselves in a prayer chapel, saying, ‘we really feel challenged by the Lord to live more faithfully to the Lord,’ and that led to — we didn’t know what to do next. We said, ‘well, let’s get together the next day.’ For the next 100 days we met almost every day, and it was just a deeply spiritual time, and then as a result of that, two of us came to the conclusion that maybe after we graduate we should stay and work with students. And about two weeks from graduation [I said], ‘well we both want to do this, why don’t we get married?’ We had never dated,” Dr. Sells said. “And three months later, we got married.” The newlyweds spent the following two years working on campus with students like they had said, as that desire was what drew them together. Later, in 1986, the couple moved to China to teach English for a year, where Dr. Sells says he “developed a love for all things Chinese.” After making his way back to the states, he completed graduate school, returned to his alma mater (SBU) as vice president for admissions and student life and was ultimately recruited by the International Mission Board. The IMB is a part of the Southern Baptist Convention that
“partners with churches to empower limitless missionary teams who are making disciples and multiplying churches among unreached peoples and places for the glory of God.” With IMB, he spent the next seven years traveling the globe, helping missionaries become more effective leaders in the field, starting and directing its International Centre for Excellence in Leadership. In a few years shy of a decade, Dr. Sells made the rounds to 35 countries. Regarding the cuisine he tried from various nations, he said, “I like everything. I will try almost anything…once.” He noted that the most powerful lesson he learned while abroad was from a mentor who told him: “good missionaries are learners, not knowers.” “They try to understand the culture and the language and the customs—and so I’m trying to do that at Ouachita,” Dr. Sells said. “I am an outsider. …I’m not an alumnus, I have no connection; [I’m the] first outsider in 60 years. So part of what I’ve had to do is, ‘well, what is the culture? The language? The traditions?’” So, how did Dr. Sells and Ouachita appear on each other’s radars? After a fulfilling seven years equipping missionaries abroad, he still felt the strong pull toward higher education that he felt as a kid and throughout his own collegiate and graduate years. He spent some time work-
ing at the headquarters of ENACTUS, “an international nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring students to improve the world through entrepreneurial action,” and though he was fulfilling part of his dream by working on campuses with college students, he longed to be at a Christian university. Fortunately, an executive recruiter for Taylor University in Indiana recruited Dr. Sells to be the VP for development. After over nine years of what he refers to as “a really good run,” a Taylor colleague notified him of an opportunity at a similar small Christian school in Arkansas. “I was drawn to the mission of Ouachita, the approach of Ouachita, the history really drew me,” Dr. Sells said. For the rest, well, refer to the first paragraph. * As Dr. Sells and his wife, Lisa, settle into Arkadelphia life, he’s noticed a thermal difference between Indiana and Arkansas. “Our dog pants a lot more in the summer here,” he joked. Dr. Sells enjoys walking their dog, Faith, along Feaster Trail. In addition to their pup, the Sells have three married adult children and one fifteen-year-old. He said the most gratifying aspect of parenthood is watching their kids go on to lead meaningful lives. “It’s fun to watch your children become adults. Every stage is rewarding, but I think the conversation
THIS WEEK AT OBUSIGNAL.COM
y Humans of OBU y COLUMN: Cimber Winfrey’s semester abroad y Features: WOW Steering photo spread
changes…they’re their own person,” Dr. Sells said. “And just to see, ‘what are they like? What is the Lord doing through them and in them?’” In October, they will be first-time grandparents. Currently, the pair is discussing what each want to be called. “At the end of the day, it probably depends on what the grandchildren call you,” Dr. Sells said. In the meantime, he’s been gearing up for his first academic year as president, visiting with alumni and their families, touring the campus and absorbing as much Ouachitonian culture as he can. “I’ve just found incredible network, connection…they really love this school, whether they’re a student now, or a faculty member who has stayed, or staff member for a long time, or certainly an alumnus who is looking back with the benefit of time,” Dr. Sells said. In just a few months, Dr. Sells has grown so fond of Ouachita, and he has a clear mission for the university’s progress. “The journey I’m on,” Dr. Sells said, “is asking two questions: what should not change, and what should change?” To find these answers, his team has created a website, www.surveymonkey.com/r/ largerdream, which asks those very questions. Students, alumni, faculty and staff are all encouraged to go online and take this survey so that he can find themes see SELLS z 3
CONNECT WITH THE SIGNAL
News
5
www.obusignal.com
Thursday, September 1, 2016 u page 2
this weekzCALENDAR Tweets of the Week
TOP
Danny Hays @Haysdanny 15 Apr I love my job. I get to study God’s word & then teach it to eager college students who love the Lord. It’s a great job. Even on Mondays.
TIGER FOOTBALL will face LABOR DAY is Monday, Sept. East Central Okla. University 5, and classes will not meet in tonight at 7 p.m. in Cliff Harris observation of the holiday. Stadium. OBU @Ouachita
15 Apr
TWIRP willsocial kick off-- toVERITAS will have an interest So howWEEK do you use media affirm and encourage Sunday, Sept. 4 with CAB drop-in meeting Wednesday, or to attack and tear doen? “Be ye kind to one another.” movie night and will continue Sept. 7 from 3-5 p.m. on the ESC (Eph. 4:32). Hmmm... throughout the week. bridge. For more information, contact Hannah Ramsey at Justin Young @JustinYoung072 ramseyh@obu.edu. 16 Apr The Harley Davidson leather vest must be the key to memorizing the entire Bible.
For more calendar events, visit obu.edu/calendar or pick up next week’s edition.
The Signal @obusignal 1 September Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for up-to-the-minute updates on everything going on around Ouachita Baptist. Twitter: @obusignal Facebook: facebook.com/obusignal Instagram: @obusignal
[from our perspective]
Advice for freshmen
5 4 3 2 1
Don’t wait until the night before to study for the map test. #chapeltweet wisely--your professors are watching. Always look both ways before you cross the street to avoid getting hit by CDA’s. Save your Chick money. If you’re having a bad day, find Dr. Kluck. He has Lindor truffles.
What was your summer jam?
Barrett Gay Editor-in-Chief
Ian Craft Sports Editor
Evan Wheatley Lifestyle Editor
Katie Kemp News Editor
Julie Williams Copy Editor
“Let it Go” by James Bay.
“Gulf Coast Time” Roger Creager.
“Fear” by Ben Rector.
The Hamilton soundtrack. The whole thing.
“It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock and Roll)” by AC/DC.
#PaintThePrez Twitter challenge aims to meet goal in days; achieves it in hours By BARRETT GAY Editor-in-Chief
You read that sign right. At Convocation chapel, Dr. Sells promised the student body that he would paint himself purple for the first football game of the season if
he reached 1,500 followers on Twitter by Thursday at noon. Before Tuesday’s chapel and the challenge, Dr. Sells had 881 Twitter followers. Not only did he meet his goal before the deadline, he met it just twelve hours after the initial request, and the numbers are still climbing. By the
time this article was written, Dr. Sells had acquired 1,553 followers. So Ouachita students, faculty, staff, alumni and fans, be sure to snap a pic with the sixteenth president at the game tonight and post it using the hashtag #PaintThePrez. n
“Tech neck” can lead to long-term health problems By KATHERINE CARTER Opinions Editor
While you may not think much of the ache you get in your neck after reading chapel tweets for too long, it’s actually becoming a serious issue in today’s society. “Tech neck” is the name of a condition that describes the headaches, neck pain, and numbness and tingling in the hands and fingers when one angles their head in a downward position, often to look at electronic devices. It is a serious condition that has plagued our society ever since the use of smartphones and computers has become widespread. According to an article written by Heather Moore, owner of Total Performance Physical Therapy in North Wales and Hatfield, Pa., the neck, when held straight, can support around 10 pounds. However, when one angles their head, such as in the case of one holding a smartphone, the weight put on the neck can reach up to around 60 pounds. This can cause a considerable strain on the neck, and, over time, headaches and neck pain.
There are a number of problems that “tech neck” can cause, according to an article written by chiropractor Dr. Jeff Manning, including the flattening of the spinal curve, decreased muscle strength, spinal degeneration, spinal misalignment, disc herniation, disc compression, muscle damage and nerve damage. While there are neck exercises that can alleviate some of the neck pain and headaches, doctors say the best way is to take preventative measures. When working at desktop computers, take short, frequent breaks so that the neck does not stay in the hunched position for long periods of time. When looking at a smartphone, hold it up to eye level so as to avoid bending the neck to look down at it. Angle the eyes rather than the neck when looking at a computer or smartphone so that the neck remains straight and properly aligned. In the 21st century, technology has become a huge part of everyday life; however, problems such as “tech neck” have become prevalent. It is important to remember that while work is important, it is also important to take care of one’s body. n
News
Thursday, September 1, 2016 u page 3
Sells z Continued from Page 1 of what aspects of Ouachita need to be left untouched and which ones need to be enhanced or altered. Dr. Sells explained that these suggestions will help his team develop a plan to make the necessary changes and achieve the “larger dream” for Ouachita. “This is going to lead to next fall, we’ll announce a 5-year strategic plan,” Dr. Sells said. Some already-known goals in this larger dream include increasing the student population size to about 1,7502,000 and adding new pro-
grams like nursing. “Part of what has to change is [to] ask, ‘what [do] today’s and tomorrow’s world look like? What are students interested in?’” Dr. Sells said. Dr. Sells looks forward to partnering with students and employees of Ouachita to discover these solutions. But that’s not the only thing he has been anticipating. Dr. Sells said he was looking forward to Tigers and Torches, which took place on August 21, because as a “freshman,” he hoped for a beanie. And hopefully, now, you feel a little more acquainted with our sixteenth president. n
Dr. Sells at a Glance Favorite Food: Chinese Favorite Candy: Hot Tamales Favorite Soda: Coke Zero Favorite Book: To Kill a Mockingbird Favorite Movie: Hunt for Red October--Jason Bourne movies are right behind that Favorite Band: Laura Story channel on Pandora Cats or dogs: dogs Early bird or night owl: early bird Favorite Color: purple Hidden talent: Pancake enthusiast--he loves making pancakes 3 material things you can’t live without: Newspapers, the beach and fried chicken
Academic Success Center, Speer Writing Center offer services to all students By JULIE WILLIAMS Copy Editor
Two Ouachita organizations are continuing to aid the students of this university. For all of those new to OBU, the Academic Success Center and the Speer Writing Center staffs will be continuing in their services to the new and old faces alike. The Academic Success Center began about five years ago. In addition to tutoring services, the ASC also houses the Academic Alert System, success skills workshops and study halls. Among the success skills workshops, a variety of topics are discussed, such as life plans or goal setting. While it started out small, more and more students learned about the resources available within the Center. The Center currently employs 18 tutors who have been recommended by professors in various schools of study across the campus, providing an interdisciplinary view. Nina Hefner, a senior tutor for the Center, mainly tutors history, while tacking on some help in Bible or English classes. She first became interested in becoming a tutor after attending some sessions for a math class in her freshman year. According to Hefner, most tutors work one-on-one with students throughout an entire semester. “We look to form a relationship with each individual and learn to work on specific needs,” Hefner said. Amber Goodrum, student success coordinator and director of the on-campus tutoring service, says she has often seen students show hesitancy in asking for help. There can be a negative stigma attached to the Center’s beginnings in remedial work. However, the Center has since grown to serve a variety of majors, GPAs and classifications. “There’s nothing wrong with asking for help,” Goodrum said. Schedules pertaining to small group meetings will be posted throughout the semester in relation to testing times. If interested in a oneon-one meeting with a tutor, fill out the information in the Academic Success Center office located in the first floor of Lile. If interested in becoming a tutor for the Center, recruitment will occur in the spring. In addition to tutoring assistance with the ASC, the Speer Writing Center offers a number of services to students of all majors and classifications. According to Professor Jennifer Pittman, coordinator of the Speer Writing Center,
the SWC has its origins in a class called “Special Studies,” created several years ago. Faculty soon saw a need for professional communication skills in all areas of study and decided to extend this to students of all classifications and majors. As Emily Knocke, a senior consultant to the Writing Center, puts it, meetings do not simply consist of grammatical help, but rather consultants often look to the paper as a whole. “In the first reading,” Knocke said, “we look for overall consistency in the prompt.” She continued by saying that they address common questions regarding sentence structure, switches in voice or simply any missing information from the prompt. Knocke added that it is advisable that students have some kind of idea of what their work needs improvement on when they meet, but consultants can brainstorm when a beginning is not easily found. “In addition to simply talking through it, we can help with a rough outline, finding resources and creating bibliographies and citations,” Knocke said. “Writing doesn’t happen in a vacuum,” Pittman said. “It’s not just having someone look at your paper and say, ‘Let’s put a comma or period here.’ It’s talking ideas. It’s looking for logic in an argument. It’s looking for opposing viewpoints, helping find a nay-sayer.” Pittman went on to note that the ultimate goal of the SWC is to promote a comfortable learning environment with the help of peers and fellow students. Being that it is completely student-run, most consultants are English majors, but among them, there can be found a variety of minors, providing a web of interdisciplinary help. “We are here not just to see better writing,” Pittman said, “but better writers.” The Speer Writing Center is located directly across from Chic-Fil-A in the Student Center and is open Mondays through Wednesdays from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. It is also open on Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Most meetings are approximately 30 minutes and can be scheduled by email at obuspeerwritingcenter@ gmail.com or by phone at (870) 245- 5301. Consultations will begin on Tuesday, September 6. If interested in becoming a consultant for SWC, students must fill out the consultant form, which requires the signatures of two professors. n
Gloria Davis z The Signal
Students square dance at last year’s Barn Bash TWIRP week festivities. TWIRP is one of Ouachita’s most highly anticipated fall traditions. Each day features a different theme.
Ouachita’s annual TWIRP Week promises fun for the nerd, islander, greaser and cowboy in all of us By KATIE KEMP News Editor
One of Ouachita’s most unique and anticipated fall traditions kicks off Sunday, September 4 and continues through the following Saturday, September 10. The week of themed parties dubbed TWIRP (The Woman is Required to Pay) week is exactly what it sounds like-women typically ask men to accompany them as dates to the events, and in order for couples to gain admission, the woman is required to pay. Various social clubs and organizations on campus will sponsor each night of the week, with every event themed differently. Themes for the week will include: Sunday, September 4--Campus Activities Board movie night; Monday, September 5--Chi Mu Geezer’s Night Out; Tuesday, September 6-Tri Chi 80’s night; Wednesday, September 7--EEE 50’s night; Thursday, September 8--Chi Delta luau; Friday, September 9--Campus Ministries barn bash; Saturday, September 10--Chi Rho Phi nerd prom. Campus Activities movie night will start the week out with a showing of “Captain America: Civil War” on Sunday night at 8 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets and pillows to sit on, and many students have worn pajamas to the event in the past. The movie will be shown in Walker Conference Center. The week will continue on Monday night with GNO (Geezer’s Night Out), sponsored by the women of Chi Mu, beginning at 6 p.m. Because Chi Mu was established just last year, this will be the first TWIRP week to feature this particular night. Attendees are encouraged to come to the event in their
best senior citizen attire. “People should expect something different,” said Kacy Spears, a charter member of Chi Mu. “Go to TWIRP because it’s fun, relaxing and a unique experience to Ouachita!” The women of Tri Chi will host their annual 80s night on Tuesday starting at 6 p.m. in the Tiger Den. The event will feature costumes inspired by the 80s and the best music from the decade. “In preparation for this
TWIRP Week 2016
September 4--CAB Movie Night September 5--XM GNO September 6--TC 80’s Night September 7--EEE 50’s night September 8--XD Luau September 9--CM Barn Bash September 10--XPO Nerd Prom
evening, we have made some awesome 80’s playlists, cut out so many Pac-Man characters and spray painted records to hang around,” said Faith Reed, president of Tri Chi’s 2016 pledge class. “The atmosphere is going to be so tacky and neon and all things 80’s, and we are excited!” EEE women’s social club will take the week back several more decades with their 50s night on Wednesday. Starting at 6 p.m., the Tiger Den will look like a scene straight out of “Grease.” The evening will include swing dancing, several different games and contests and, of course, music and costumes from the 50s. “I like seeing everyone come because not everyone wears the traditional poodle skirt,” said Emily Brosius, a
junior member of EEE. “Everybody comes with what their own idea of what 50s is, so I like seeing everybody’s costumes.” Chi Delta’s Thursday night luau encourages island attire and will feature a series of Hawaiian-themed couples’ games. Couples will receive points for each game, and a winning couple will be determined at the end of the night. Barn Bash is always one of the most highly anticipated nights of TWIRP week, and this year’s will surely not disappoint. Hosted by Campus Ministries, the event will begin at 6 p.m. at Bridges Farm. Festivities will include square dancing and a barbeque dinner. Tickets for this event are $9 each and include the dinner. Ticket prices will increase to $10 each starting on Monday, September 5. “You should come to Barn Bash so you can look like a fool learning to square dance with a bunch of awesome people. And there’s barbeque!” said Suzanna Rieves, a ministry leader for Campus Ministries. The week will round off with Chi Rho Phi’s nerd prom on Saturday in the Tiger Den beginning at 6 p.m. This event calls for nerdy attire and will include dancing, a photo booth and games. TWIRP week is always revered as an essential freshman rite of passage. Many Ouachita upperclassmen credit TWIRP week with establishing some of their strongest friendships in college, and the week helps ease the transition into college life. “The pictures are always so much fun, looking back on the memories of dressing hilariously with your favorite pals… What could be better?” Reed said. Tickets for each night are $3 for singles and $5 for couples, excluding Barn Bash, which are $9. n
Features
www.obusignal.com
Thursday, September 1, 2016 u page 4
Katie Kemp z Courtesy KATIE KEMP, junior mass communications major from Conway, visits the Poás crater during her summer abroad in Costa Rica. Visiting the crater was one of Katie’s many unique summer experiences.
When abroad, do as the sloths do By KATIE KEMP News Editor
For a month at the beginning of this summer, I lived with a family in San José, Costa Rica while I took Spanish courses at the University of Costa Rica. I obviously went with the intent of improving my fluency in Spanish and experiencing the culture, and was thankful for the opportunity to live with a host family in order to do so. My host family was eager to give counsel and provide suggestions on what to do and see as well as answer any questions I had regarding life and culture in Costa Rica One of the first things I did when I arrived was convert my American currency into Costa Rican colones, and I immediately had questions about the appearance of the currency. Each paper bill was brightly colored and had either a prominent Costa Rican person or a type of animal across the front. I quickly picked out a bright green bill with a huge sloth on it as my favorite, and as soon as I got home, I made sure to ask my host parents why a sloth was Costa Rica’s chosen representative on one of their most common bills. “Oh, we have lots of those,” my host mom informed me. Apparently, sloths could be spotted in parks, along beaches and even on the campus where I was studying for the month. You would have to look pretty hard to find them sometimes, but if there was a cluster of trees, there was probably a sloth wrapped around one of the trees’ branches. My host mom explained to me that sloths are highly respected by Costa Ricans, so they appear in many places within Costa Ri-
ca’s culture, including on some of the currency. It makes sense that Costa Ricans hold sloths in high regard. The country is said to be one of the happiest in the world, and its people swear by the concept of “pura vida,” or “pure life.” This phrase can be used as a greeting, a description, an encour-
tain its purity. The more time I spent in Costa Rica, I started to realize that sloths are the perfect embodiment of the concept of “pure life.” I never saw a sloth that didn’t have a kind of creepy, but definitely content grin on its face. Sloths aren’t worried about much at all--they pick a tree to climb into and settle into one of its branches for days at a time. Sometimes they will hang from the
consists of vegetation, so they never have to worry about hunting for their meals (which is good, because anything they tried to hunt would definitely outrun them). They spend most of their lives lazing away in their trees and don’t have a single worry in the world. For the most part, they live pure lives free of much trouble. I studied abroad with the intent of learning a language and immers-
“One of the biggest lessons I took away from my summer was to live my life a little more like a sloth.” --Katie Kemp
the sense that I should be lazy and pick a spot that I’ll only move from once a week, but that I should be content in the life I have. I should take life as it comes to me and be happy with it. I’ve been abundantly blessed in my life, far beyond what any sloth will likely experience, and I often let stress and menial worries get the better of me. Katie Kemp z Courtesy If sloths had schoolwork and deadlines and “real KATIE PREPARES for her first day of class at the University of Costa Rica. She made the most of her four, short problems,” they weeks at the university by applying and adding to her acadmeic knowledge and skills from her time at Ouachita. life probably wouldn’t freak out about them like I do-they would probably take their problems in stride and not let them intrude upon their happiness. They would basically do the opposite of what I do, and they are probably a lot more content than I am most of the time. So with the school year starting back up, Katie Kemp z Courtesy Katie Kemp z Courtesy I’m trying to tackle the semester with the most sloth-like attitude posAFTER CANOEING to the beach, Katie enjoys a relaxing THE CAMPUS library is one of the resources available to sible. If things start to day at Tortuga Island, a popular destination for tourists. students. Katie often used the library as a place to study. get busy and I start to agement or to express branch by their hands or ing myself in a different get stressed out, which contentment. It implies feet to get a better view of culture, and I was defi- is inevitable, I will take that your troubles are the forest, and every few nitely able to accomplish a moment to breathe, temporary because life days they’ll come down this. But one of the big- maybe sit in a tree and in its purest form is off of their tree for a lit- gest lessons I took away eat some leaves, and regood. “Pure life” means tle while, but other than from my summer was to member that life really keeping your life free of that, they hardly move live my life a little more is good when you stop worry in order to main- at all. Their diet mostly like I was a sloth. Not in and think about it. n
Features
www.obusignal.com
Thursday, September 1, 2016 u page 5
Dr. Wesley Kluck z Courtesy THE 2016 WOW Steering Committee takes time off from their hard work to enjoy the WOW purple and gold party with the new students. Front row (from left to right): Abby Root, Jamie Flowers, Margaret Geoffrion, Talor Tartaglia and McKenzie Wells. Middle row (from left to right): Evan Wheatley, Candee Jo Bloxom and Aaden Jones. Back row (left to right): Tim Harrell and Alec Edmonds.
Behind the scenes: WOW Steering By EVAN WHEATLEY Features Editor
Welcome to Ouachita’s world. After many hours of purchasing, packing and praying, you drive into Arkadelphia, pass Cliff Harris Stadium and head up the hill to a stop sign, where a few smiling students approach your overstuffed vehicle. With a clipboard and umbrella in hand, they slap a colored sticky note onto the inside of your windshield and bid you farewell with a hearty, “Welcome to Ouachita!” From there you are treated to great music, good food and a variety of events that help alleviate some of the anxiety of starting college. You develop relationships within your small group, receive your freshman beanie and maybe even participate in a little karaoke. However, as you strengthen friendships and make memories, those students on the hill are working tirelessly to set up your next event. After you rock out to “Breaking Free” from “High School Musical,” those same students stay an extra hour to pick up the purple and gold mess you and your friends leave behind. Known as the WOW Steering Committee, these nine students play an integral role in the annual success of Ouachita’s freshman orientation. “Welcome to Ouachita’s World (WOW) has been impacting the lives of new students since the late 90s. It is designed to bring students from different educational backgrounds, different cultures and different worldviews to our campus and show them how they might fit into the ongoing story of Ouachita Baptist University,” said Tim Harrell, student life director at Ouachita. “Without the efforts of the WOW Steering Committee, this event would not happen. Plain and simple.” Arriving on campus five days before move-in, the committee and Harrell set forth the basic vision for the weekend’s festivities.
Each committee member is assigned one or two events that they are in charge of planning and overseeing. “With Tim’s help, we keep all of the behind-thescenes work functioning to ensure a successful WOW for the leaders and freshmen,” said Abby Root, senior speech communication and theatre education major from Arkadelphia. “We team up group leaders and assign them
detailed work on spreadsheets to organize the information. The committee also makes necessary purchases if materials for events are not available. Nearly 100 WOW leaders arrive on Wednesday, and the committee is responsible for training them. Most of the day is spent going over the schedule, answering questions and demonstrating games for the leaders to use in their family group times and the WOW cup competition. However, even with the detailed preparation and
Rather than letting freshman family groups battle it out in the brown soup of the village circle, WOW steering sent them to vie for the WOW cup in the un-air conditioned hallways of SPEC, dodging slippery floors and human pyramids along the way. “During my time on WOW steering, I learned how to think quickly and effectively,” said Alec Edmonds, sophomore worship arts major from Little Rock. “There were multiple times when we as a group had to quickly come up with a plan when
current members affirm that the end result is worth every minute of it. “We have to work as a team for steering or WOW could not happen. While sometimes it gets very tiring, our reward comes from seeing the joy on the new students’ faces as they fall in love with Ouachita,” Root said. Harrell added, “Our model is not completely unique to OBU, but I think the longer weekend with high impact events are the key parts to our formula. To me, WOW is a pivotal moment in the lives of new students, and I have the privilege of being a part of that. I get to work closely with some of the best students on campus. Yes, Ouachita is a great school, but it’s the people that really make her shine.”
From Their Perspective
Stephen Curry z Courtesy STEERING MEMBERS Talor Tartaglia and Jamie Flowers help welcome new students to Ouachita during WOW move-in. To stay dry, committee members teamed up in pairs: one person held the umbrella, the other passed out sticky notes.
“Without the efforts of WOW steering, this event would not happen. Plain and simple.” --Tim Harrell their freshmen. We plan all of move-in and run it. We plan and execute the WOW cup competition, tigers and torches, as well as the purple and gold party.” Some events – such as coffeehouse – need little more than tablecloths, candy and votive candles, while preparation for family group time requires the grouping of WOW leaders, the assigning of freshmen to those groups and
effective training of the WOW leaders, something will always go wrong. Each committee member is prepared to respond to a situation in a timely manner, and this year that came in the form of a continuously changing rain plan. To keep their sticky notes and clipboards dry on top of the hill during move-in, committee members came armed with ponchos and umbrellas.
things didn’t play out as expected. My experience has given me such an appreciation for all the people who were on steering my freshman year.” WOW leader applications for 2017 will be available at the end of the fall semester. Next year’s WOW Steering Committee members will be chosen from those applying for WOW leader positions. The hours are long and the work can be difficult, but
McKenzie Wells, 20152016 Committee Member: “There was a moment when we all changed from being just a group of students passionate about WOW to good friends – friends that are servanthearted, encouraging and who you end up missing like crazy.” Candee Jo Bloxom, 2016 Committee Member: “I barely knew any of the other members coming into the week, but they were all very welcoming and great to work with. I got less sleep during the week than I ever have, but it was so worth it for the memories that we made.” Aaden Jones, 2016 Committee Member: “My goal going into WOW steering was to create an event that was good enough to welcome such an amazing class of freshmen. In spite of set backs and tiredness, we pushed through and put something together that we can all be proud of.” For more student testimonials and behind-thescenes photos from WOW steering, visit https:// w w w. o b u s i g n a l . c o m / behind-the-scenes-wowsteering/. For more information about getting involved with WOW or Ouachita Student Life, contact Tim Harrell at harrellt@obu. edu. n
Opinions
Thursday, September 1, 2016 u page 6
www.obusignal.com
From superheroes to “Swiss Army Man”: summer movie slump By EVAN WHEATLEY Features Editor
The heat may have been on this summer, but the box office wasn’t. Cluttered with lackluster sequels (“Independence Day: Resurgence”) and weak marketing campaigns (Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling’s “The Nice Guys”), the majority of the 2016 summer movie season proved unusually bland. In the midst of this however, Marvel delivered a meaningful superhero blockbuster. Paul Dano became best friends with Harry Potter’s dead body. And Pixar invited us to swim back into the world of “Finding Nemo.” While failing to reach the heights of 2015, this summer still offered several reasons to pay Redbox a visit this fall: “Captain America: Civil War” Eight years ago, Marvel took the reigns of the superhero genre with “Iron Man.” Twelve films later and Batman, Superman and the X-Men are still playing catch up. With both the comic book fan and casual moviegoer in the palm of its hand, Marvel could have played it safe with this one. A run-of-the-mill action fest would have brought in the dough, while also entertaining the masses. But, yet again, Marvel showed us why it’s number one. “Captain America: Civil War” poses a question that may have crossed your mind while watching “The Avengers” or “Age of Ultron”: in the midst of the mind-blowing action taking place on screen, how many innocent civilians were killed? Within the first half hour of the film, the Avengers are shown footage from major events in past Marvel movies, but rather than enjoying a shot of the Hulk smashing a few aliens into a building, the heroes see pieces of that building crush a bystander filming the chaos from his phone. Instead of watching Captain America throw his mighty shield, they are treated to the lifeless eyes of a woman caught in the crossfire of superhero and super villain. Shortly following this, Earth’s mightiest heroes are presented with a document, called the Sokovia Accords, which states that the Avengers must place themselves under the command of the United Nations or retire. Tony Stark signs. Steve Rogers doesn’t, ultimately pitting the two heroes against one another and leaving the rest to choose a side. While technically a Captain America story, “Civil War” plays out more like an Avengers 2.5, which works in the film’s favor. The Russo brothers mesh the darker tone of “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” with the humor of “Guardians of the Galaxy,” masterfully balancing a plethora of characters new and old. The dialogue is thought provoking, the action is spectacular and the performances have never been better. “Now You See Me: The Second Act” This film definitely should have been titled, “Now You Don’t.” Despite my bitterness toward this, I was looking forward to the return of the Four Horsemen this past May. And while this is not a well-made film, there is still
a lot of fun to be had. Led by illusionists Dylan Rhodes (Mark Ruffalo) and Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), infamous magicians known as the Four Horsemen are back to entertain
separated from her family long ago, Dory races off to find her parents, relying only on her poor memory to guide her. While this film is not a retread of “Finding Nemo,” it provides a few nods to the original, and many of the characters from “Nemo” return in supporting roles or cameos. The film also implements the voice talents of Idris Elba, Ty Burrell and
“Suicide Squad” If anything, the marketing team for “Suicide Squad” did their job well. Following the critical backlash against “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” the second trailer for David Ayer’s supervillain team-up showcased a more light-hearted tone than that of last spring’s Comic Con teaser, and all of the following trailers and TV spots
“The Birth of a Nation” (1915) will tell you that the title of Nate Parker’s 2016 Sundance hit was not chosen lightly. Parker devoted seven years of his life to writing, producing, directing and starring in this film, which chronicles the powerful story of slave preacher Nat Turner during the onset of the American Civil War. Witnessing the passion pour out of Parker follow-
Courtesy of Marvel Studios and thieve using their skills in deception and sleight of hand. Daniel Radcliffe also joins the cast as tech genius Walter Mabry, who forces the Horsemen to steal a chip that will give him control of all of the world’s computers. What made “Now You See Me” so entertaining was the chemistry between the Four Horsemen and the energy they brought to each of their shows. A nice subplot about a lone detective hunting down the magicians in between their shows also kept the viewers’ interest as they awaited the Horsemen’s next spectacle. This sequel offers an abundance of plot and new characters, but not enough spectacle. While Rhodes’ subplot is somewhat interesting, the resolution of it undermines the impact of the first film’s plot twist. The replacement of Isla Fisher’s Henley Reeves with Lizzy Caplan’s Lula as the female Horseman was also an unwelcome change. However, in the little time they do have in the spotlight, the Horsemen are once again electric. Their charisma and charm give the film just enough magic to overshadow its flawed storytelling and direction. “Finding Dory” A sour look crossed my face as my friends and I pulled into the parking lot of the Rave Theater in Little Rock. While I wanted to lose some sleep over “The Conjuring 2,” the rest of my friends had their sights set on the newest Pixar flick. Bitterly inhaling my package of raspberry sour straws, I slumped into my seat and made a valiant attempt to dislike this movie. However, much like with last year’s “Inside Out,” Pixar won me over yet again with “Finding Dory.” Ellen DeGeneres reprises her role from “Finding Nemo” as Dory: a kind, easygoing blue tang fish who suffers from shortterm memory loss. All is well under the sea until Dory randomly experiences a flashback from her childhood of her and her parents. Remembering that she was
Sloane Murray, who plays an adorable baby Dory in the flashbacks. The most interesting character addition, however, is that of Hank, played by Ed O’Neill. The irritable, pessimistic, yet kind-hearted octopus warms up to the spastic, forgetful nature of Dory, and their interplay throughout elevates the film’s drama and humor. Is it as good as “Finding Nemo?” Perhaps, but much like “Monster’s University” in 2013, “Finding Dory” differs in many ways from its predecessor and compliments it well. With sequels like “Cars 3,” (2017) “Toy Story 4” (2018) and the highly anticipated “The Incredibles 2” (2019) on the horizon, I am eager to see where Pixar takes our imaginations next. “Swiss Army Man” “Swiss Army Man” opens with a shot of an exasperated Hank (Paul Dano) preparing to hang himself on a deserted island. Bored, alone and without hope, a look of astonishment surfaces on Hank’s face as a body (Daniel Radcliffe) washes up on shore before his impending suicide. Desperately searching the body, Hank soon discovers that it is without life and is very flatulent. Through a series of odd and spectacular events, the body comes to life and the two go on a “road trip” of epic proportions to get Hank back home. The score for this film, while simplistic, is by far the most inventive I’ve heard in years. Directors Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert and cinematographer Larken Seiple craft captivating visuals, and Daniel Radcliffe gives his best performance since “Harry Potter.” Deemed the “farting dead body movie” at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, there were many who loved “Swiss Army Man,” and there were many who walked out of it. While not aimed for the casual moviegoer, underneath the surface-level absurdity of this film can be found relevant themes, genuine characters and a heart-felt story.
were edited to near perfection. The hype was real. The stakes were high. But how did it measure up? The characters and the talent behind them are the driving force behind “Suicide Squad.” DC could not have made a better casting decision than Will Smith as Deadshot, and Margot Robbie was nowhere to be found in this movie: there was only Harley Quinn. And where there is Harley Quinn, there will always be the Joker. All of the film’s promotional material pointed to Jared Leto’s clown prince of crime being the primary antagonist, but sadly this was not the case. The band of supervillains are instead tasked with taking on an evil more supernatural in nature, an odd choice considering that only two members of the squad actually have powers. The film’s pacing is abysmal, its story is bland and the reason that the squad gets together makes very little sense. However, these negative aspects did not compromise my enjoyment of “Suicide Squad” as a whole because of the humor and fun brought forth by the characters and their interactions with one another. I look forward to seeing more of these villains, and I remain optimistic about the future of the DC cinematic universe. Evan’s Top Five Fall Flicks 5. “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” (November 18) “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” brought an end to the beloved franchise five years ago…or so we thought. With the evergrowing popularity of J.K. Rowling’s Pottermore and recent release of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” it is only fitting to expand the cinematic universe this fall with “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” David Yates is returning to direct. J.K. Rowling is writing the screenplay. Shut up and take my money. 4. “The Birth of a Nation” (October 7) A little research on D.W. Griffith’s controversial
ing one of the Sundance screenings of his film was a true privilege for me, and I highly recommend checking it out in October. 3. “The Accountant” (October 14) Say what you want about “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” Ben Affleck was by far the best part of that movie, and it appears that he will be delivering another great performance in Gavin O’Connor’s “The Accountant.” Advertising for this film has been few and far in between, but its two trailers have grabbed my interest, while also not revealing too much about the plot. Also starring Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, Jon Bernthal and John Lithgow, this is one that I will definitely be seeing in theaters. 2. “Doctor Strange” (November 4) Helmed by horror director Scott Derrickson and boasting a star-studded supporting cast, Marvel’s first venture into the mystic arts may prove to be its weirdest and most intriguing project since “Guardians of the Galaxy.” Also, Benedict Cumberbatch in a Marvel movie? Do I need to say more? 1. “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (December 16) Gareth Edwards, director of “Godzilla” (2014), has teamed up with a few of the minds behind “Saving Private Ryan,” “Zero Dark Thirty” and “Black Hawk Down” to bring a gritty war element to the “Star Wars” universe. Following the events of “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith,” “Rogue One” will expand the overarching “Star Wars” storyline outside of the Skywalker family to explore the personal stories of rebel spies attempting to steal the plans to the first Death Star. Starring Felicity Jones, Mads Mikkelsen and the iconic voice of James Earl Jones as Darth Vader, this film should provide the perfect amount of nostalgia, while also whetting our appetites for the arrival of “Episode XIII” next year. n
Opinions
Thursday, September 1, 2016 page 7 u
www.obusignal.com
Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis pletely warp a message or even the perception of a By BARRETT GAY person’s character. Editor-In-Chief For example, apparently “Pro-Life” is the wrong label for me. I am, to many, Words are fun. Specifically, THAT fun 1) “Anti-Choice,” 2) “Antiword refers to a lung dis- Women’s Rights” and 3) ease resulting from inhala- “Anti-Women’s Health.” As a woman, it’s pretty tion of silica dust. It’s one of my favorite alarming to hear that I’m words, and not surprising- so anti-woman. ly one of the longest in the But that’s not the case at all, is it? English dictionary. But I’m not here to ex- I actually happen to be haust my column space opposed to state-funded talking about pneu- infanticide. monoultramicroscopic- See how much words silicovolcanoconiosis. I change the tone? That’s the beauty—and want to talk about words simultaneously, in the in general, how powerful they are, and my Editor’s wrong hands, the horror— Pledge to you for this year of words. as I help facilitate the pub- It’s why journalists and lishing of lots and lots of writers must take such words. great care to be precise In this case, that cum- with what they say. In this bersome word acted as day, people often cannot an attention-grabber. Of even afford the “that-wascourse, words can serve taken-out-of-context” jusmany purposes, in addi- tification anymore. Comtion to grabbing attention. municators must convey Words can appear on their message with enough banners for social or po- conviction, potency, clarlitical causes. They can ity, persuasiveness and comprise a song with com- brevity to be “sound-bite” pelling lyrics. They can proof. convey truth or obscure it. As the sage lyricist John And with enough manipu- Mayer would advise, “say lative vigor, they can com- what you need to say,” and
precisely that. All that to say… I am deeply passionate about language. As our editing staff stewards this publication, it is my goal that we be thoughtful when crafting and editing articles and encourage the staff writers to do the same. Speaking of editors! Here is a snapshot of this year’s #EditingSquad and their skills that will be necessary for the paper’s success. Senior Cimber Winfrey is the online editor. She’s perfect for this position. The Online Signal is evolving, and Cimber is ready to set the pace with creative ideas to make the website a strong multimedia platform. Katie Kemp, a junior, is on her second semester as news editor. She is a solid writer, and her technical excellence in AP Style will keep the news section clean and professional. Evan Wheatley, a senior, is the features editor. He is dependable - he consistently writes quality, interesting features and columns. Katherine Carter, a ju-
nior and the opinions editor, thinks critically about big-picture issues facing our nation when writing her articles. She’s also a stellar cartoonist. Senior Ian Craft is the sports editor, and that is right up his ally. This Josh Turner sound-alike (nicknamed The Man with the Golden Tonsils) has the sports acumen to give us a comprehensive rundown of everything going on in Tiger Nation. Julia Williams, a sophomore, is the copy editor with an eagle eye for errors. Not only that, she’s also an excellent writer. Be on the lookout for her political columns this election season. Last but obviously not least, senior Nate Wallace is the video manager. Do yourself a favor, go watch his videos. He’s super witty, and I really look forward to seeing what he creates this year. Finally, I can’t thank the following people enough for the role they’ve played in my college communications career: Dixon Land, the previous Editor-InChief, is a hard worker with a hilarious tag line,
“Bye! Don’t do drugs! I put cookies in your bags so you can make friends!” I really depended on his advice and level-headedness last semester as he prepared me for this role. Dr. Eurich, who knows my affinity for the Oxford Comma despite AP’s stubborn rules, has been a consistent source of encouragement, and she will be a great mentor to Cimber and me with the Online Signal. Finally, the Drs. Root, or “Jeborah,” as the newsroom staff likes to call them. What I love most about the Roots is that they want us students to make these publications (The Signal and The Ouachitonian) our own. They are always available to offer advice and assistance, but their goal is to launch us into the working world as competent, self-sufficient communicators. Saying “thanks” just doesn’t feel like enough. So with all that in mind, be sure to pick up a paper each Thursday and head to www.obusignal.com for student-made content. Here’s to a great year! Go Tigers! n
Talking politics and ideas with grace: B i r t h d a y f u n i n t h e remaining friends in disagreement summer over the years By JULIE WILLIAMS
By KATHERINE CARTER
Copy Editor
Ed/Op Ed Editor
In today’s age, the existentialist ideology of no moral absolutes struggles against what we know to be true. Friends, no matter what the world tries to tell you, there is such a thing as the moral conscience. There is such a thing as right and wrong. But how do we keep these boundaries and still remain friends with those who disagree? In a political season like this, we are all used to the squabbles across the aisle, the quips and stabs at people on the opposite end of the ideological spectrum. However, no one ever wants to disagree with a friend. That is becoming more and more frequent as November creeps closer and body temperatures get higher. July 21, 2016 saw the official Republican nomination for Donald Trump. The so-called “Never Trumpers” even made a motion to unbind the delegates on the opening night, which would allow the delegates in attendance to vote for whomever they wanted. That motion failed. A Wednesday, July 20 speech by Ted Cruz left everyone in anticipation of a possible endorsement, but yet again, that motion failed. July 25, 2016, only the next week, was the beginning of the Democratic National Convention. Just days earlier, a new Wikileaks scandal
revealed emails between DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Shultz and Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton. These emails personally attacked Bernie Sanders, a former Democratic nomination hopeful, leaving his supporters scathing about a “rigged system.” This only heightened after Schultz took a job offer from the Clinton campaign. Aside from the disagreements across ideological divides, parties are fighting within themselves. Friends against friends. Allies against allies. This creates a much deeper problem: disunity cannot stand against the true enemy. How do we further democratic discussion in the face of these disagreements, but still speak with grace? In 1 Corinthians 13, the famous “Love Chapter,” Paul tells the local church at Corinth that all gifts must be exercised in love or “charity.” While this passage is often read at modern weddings, this love was meant to describe the relationship of believers to others. As believers in Jesus Christ, we have the Truth of the Gospel within our hearts, which guides all choices in our lives, including the way we vote and the way we talk to people. This truth should not be sacrificed, compromised or ever apolo-
gized for. Never back down from Truth. Right and wrong are not negotiable, nor will any human discussion ever change what God has established. As political thinking Jesus-followers, we must be aware of the double standard: the “you can believe what you want to, just do it quietly.” But friends, that’s just not how we roll. Our faith is a very public one, one meant to be shared with all we meet. But our goal in speaking the truth should not be to prove that we are right. Our ultimate goal in discussion should be that the other sees the truth. The only way to accomplish this is to have our conversation rooted in love. I don’t mean the sappy, peace movement, teenager love. I mean agape- Godly love. Our conversation should be rooted in eternal thinking, praying that those who disagree will find the truth. Proverbs 15:1 says, “A soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger.” This is something that my quick temper has always struggled with: the urge to get loud and adamant when I know that I’m right, but no one will accomplish anything with harsh words. That just makes the opposition refuse to listen. Speech in the love and grace of Jesus is the only way to get anything done. n
facebook.com/obusignal twitter.com/obusignal instagram.com/obusignal
I miss summer already. While it’s great to be back at Ouachita, I’m not going to lie and say that I missed the homework that comes with it. What better way is there to live than spending it sleeping in, spending time with friends and not stressing out about papers and projects? There’s a lot to love about summer, but my favorite part has to be the birthday. Despite the fact that it’s usually over 100 degrees in Arkansas, summer is easily the best time to have a birthday, and mine is right at the end of July. Growing up, pool parties were a personal favorite; however, considering that I’m a quadruplet and I share my birthday with three other people, there’s always a little squabbling before a final decision is made. The first birthday party that I remember was my fourth, and our parents planned it at this kids gym. In 1999, that was the place to be. A bunch of kids from our church were invited, and we all had the time of our lives jumping into foam block pits and whatever else we could get into. I think we liked it so much that we had our fifth birthday party there as well. The funniest idea that we had for a birthday party was for our 12th birthday. The year is 2007, and High School Musical 2 is premiering on television for the very first time. What better way to commemorate our 12th birthday than to watch Zac Efron sing his heart out on TV? But it’s not like anyone can judge;
Ouachita Baptist University Office: Evans Student Center E-Mail: signal@obu.edu Phone: 870.245.5210
Barrett Gay
Katherine Carter
Ian Craft
Dr. Jeff Root
Cimber Winfrey
Evan Wheatley
Andy Henderson
Dr. Deborah Root
Katie Kemp
Nate Wallace
Barrett Gay
Ms. Tiffany Eurich
z EDITOR-IN-CHIEF z ONLINE EDITOR z NEWS EDITOR
z ED/OP ED EDITOR z FEATURES EDITOR z VIDEO EDITOR
z SPORTS EDITOR z PHOTO EDITOR
z ADVERTISING MANAGER
z ADVISER z ADVISER
z ONLINE ADVISER
this was 2007 after all. Perhaps my favorite birthday was my 16th birthday, and my two sisters and I (obviously by this point my brother wanted to do his own thing) planned a progressive dinner. It wasn’t anything fancy, but we thought it’d be something different than the usual pool party or sleepover. We started off with drinks at our house and then traveled to our aunt’s house for appetizers. After snacking on chips and salsa, we journeyed over to my paternal grandmother’s house where we dined on my dad’s world famous hamburgers, and then after we strolled over to my maternal grandparents’ house for dessert. It’s so hard to please three teenage girls, especially when they share a birthday, but the progressive dinner was a hit among everyone. While the food, the balloons and the presents were all great, it was the time that I got to share with friends that I really enjoyed. We ended the party with a sleepover (we were teenage girls, after all), and that was the end of it. What’s funny is that I wasn’t even crazy about the progressive dinner at first, but it’s easily one of my favorite birthdays ever. Although it’s fun sharing some of my summer memories, it’d be great to hear yours! If you have a great summer memory to share, whether it’s from this summer or a previous one, please send in your story to signal@obu.edu. n
The Signal is the student newspaper of Ouachita Baptist University, and is published every Thursday during the fall and spring semesters when school is in session. The newspaper is distributed free of charge; 1,200 copies are placed in more than 20 locations across campus. Opinions expressed are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the newspaper staff or university. The Signal is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the Associated Collegiate Press and is printed by the Hope Star.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Letters to the editor are encouraged and accepted, unless libelous, irresponsible or obscene. Letters should be typed and include a signature and contact phone number, and must be less than 500 words. The Signal reserves the right to edit letters for space and style. Letters should be sent via campus mail to Box 3761 or via e-mail to signal@obu.edu.
Sports
www.obusignal.com
Thursday, September 1, 2016 u page 8
Ouachita athletics set for banner year a 6’5 tight end, adds some much-needed length to the receiving core, and although he’s viewed as a better blocker than a receiver, the potential to be great is definitely there after posting 22 yardsper-catch in high school. Daniel Craig, a 5’9 205lb linebacker from Dardanelle, showed he was more than just a James Bond actor by tearing apart offenses with 114 total tackles on the year. Perhaps the prospect with the highest ceiling of them all, La’Darius McElroy, comes by way of Butler Community College, the best team in the nation inside the junior college rankings. Measuring in at an impressive 6’6 and 210 lbs., he looks to immediately step in and become a star for the Tigers. The other recruits show an amazing blend of smooth athleticism, position versatility and speed, a great deal of speed. With the way the GAC looks this year, look for the Tigers to once again finish near the top of the division and challenge Henderson for the top spot and put themselves in position to baptize their opponents all the way to the highly competitive NCAA playoffs. Ouachita returns strong teams in other sports in addition to football. Women’s and men’s soccer both field strong teams across the positions. The women’s team loses all-world player Haley Hatcher but has plenty of
talent to overcome that loss with All Central Region player Tessa Woodcock anchoring the team’s defense. Junior goalkeeper Jess McCauley looks to overcome injury and be a leader for the team this year. With head coach Kevin
leading the way up front, this team can hit you hard and fast from every position. After finishing with a record of 7-10-1, the only ways for this stacked team to go is up, up and up. Ouachita wrestling is con-
Wright back to lead the team, the Lady Tigers who finished the season having three, fourpoint games, look to avenge their loss in the conference championship this past year and come out kicking and screaming for joy on top of the GAC. For the men’s team, nothing is more obvious then their stockpile of athleticism at every position on the field. Defender Christian Mayho might be one of the fastest players on the team, and with the quick twitch speed of goalkeeper Ben O’Brien, the other teams in the GAC are going to be hard pressed to score. With fowards Matt Wallak and Tinashe Chigede
sistently strong, and after the loss of Dallas Smith, you might expect this team to falter a bit. But worry not good fan! Blake Clevenger jumped into the scene as a sophomore last year and took the reigns, and looks like the next great Tiger wrestler. Ouachita swimming finished the year with a participant in the national swimming trials. Alexander Podguzov, who comes to us by way of Russia, finished in the top 16 in both the men’s 100 and 200 backstroke to give the Tigers a top 30 finish in the national competition. This was one of their best finishes in years. With Podguzov being a sophomore
this year, watch for the Tiger Sharks to pull a little Michael Phelps magic out of their hat and continue their winning ways this season. In volleyball, the Lady Tigers finished with a winning record at 15-12 last season. Don’t put too much weight on the GAC pre-season poll though, as it has them criminally underranked at 8th this season. With early matchups against Spring Hill and Kentucky Wesleyan College on September 2nd in Huntsville, expect the team to create fireworks early. Ouachita tennis is known for its continued success, and last season was no different. The men’s team finished in the conference championship, although they narrowly lost to East Central University. Both the men’s and women’s team finished the season winning the ITA All-Academic award, which is awarded to a team with an average grade point of 3.2 or higher, showing Tiger athletes not only succeed on the court but can serve their tests as well. So for the freshman needing a release from the new, actually challenging world that is college or the senior who wants to do as much for Ouachita before they leave, don’t worry, you have plenty to root for this season. Whether it’s one of them or all, Ouachita athletics share one trait: excitement.n
bunch of different coaches around the league and the SPORTS EDITOR one in Tulsa just worked best for me. I had a tryout period, and they brought me on,” Goals. They are what you Tessa said. dream of. They are what you As a young child Tessa strive for. They are what you loved soccer. Starting at spend your whole life trying age three, she played it all to conquer. For senior Tessa through high school. When Woodcock, her goal: to make the time came to choose a sure no school, she one on the became opposing set on team gets Ouachita. the ball Te s s a past her signed to score with OBU a goal of and ima differmediately ent kind. saw a role T h e s e as a degoals hapfender for pen on the the Tigers. field, and “ M y Tessa has OBU caspent her reer has life makbeen reing an art ally interout of this esting, it’s sport. incredibly One of Dr Kluck z Photo Credit c o m p e t i the best tive and Senior Lady Tigers defender Tessa Woodcock players challengto step ing. Not on the field for Ouachita to mention it’s fast paced, for women’s soccer, Woodcock, sure. The hardest part has a kinesiology major from Ft. been managing my time on Worth, Texas has translated the field with my schoolwork. her success in the GAC to the But don’t get me wrong, it’s next level and done what few awesome. Some of my best OBU athletes get a chance to friends are on the team, and do: move on to a higher level. I’ve been able to grow as a Tessa spent the summer play- person and a player thanks to ing center back with the club this team,” Tessa said. FC Tulsa Spirit of the Wom- Balancing schoolwork and en’s Premier Soccer League. soccer adds a new level of “I told my coach I really difficulty to the sport, but she wanted to play after I gradu- says the coaches make it as ate. I asked him what my easy as possible on them. chances were, and he agreed “It’s pretty difficult. The that I could definitely play. So soccer program works hard in that case, I wanted to play at it, though. They’ll find over the summer and make people and put us in the sure I had as much experience same classes so we can study as possible. My coach told me together. It brings the team about the Women’s Premier together in a way. Our travel League, which is an un-paid schedule is so weird, it’s hard - but still professional and on professors and us. It keeps very competitive - league of us accountable. You have socgirls my age. He emailed a cer, and your free time is for
schoolwork,” Tessa said. As a defender, Tessa doesn’t get to spend too much time near the other team’s goal trying to score. Her role on the Tigers and Spirit is to stay back and be the last wall of defense to protect the goalkeeper from the barrage of scoring that could come their way. Nevertheless, Tessa said her favorite moment of her career involved a time she nailed an incredible goal. “My sophomore year here at OBU, we were playing in the GAC tournament. We made it to the end and were playing the in the tournament championship game. In the eleventh minute of the game, one of Ouachita’s seniors had a free kick and kicked it towards the goal. I jumped up and headed the ball in for the score! It was my first goal that season. After that we stopped any attempt they had at scoring and we won the game! So that goal ended up winning the championship game. That’s a great feeling,” Tessa said. With the Tulsa Spirit, Tessa played two games every weekend for two months. As
the only Lady Tiger on the team, she has had to adjust to a new style and - most importantly - a new team. With players from all over the U.S., the Spirit featured athletes from Oral Roberts University, University of Incarnate Word and Western Kentucky, among others. This season, the Tulsa Spirit hit a little bit of a rough patch, and the team currently sits at 2-10-1 with 7 points scored on the season. Tessa said this has taught her so much, though. “It builds character. It has shown me how to push through and fight, especially when I’m dying and I need break. Most importantly, it has taught me how to work well with a brand-new team,” Tessa said. In soccer, you need three things to succeed: good footwork, a pair of slides to wear after games and a great attitude when it comes to teamwork and committing your life to the sport. Tessa knows how important those last two are. Funny enough, Tessa says her teammates make fun of her quite often because she doesn’t watch any soc-
cer, but they get along great. If the most casual soccer observer came to Arkadelphia and watched the Lady Tigers play, they would immediately notice how well they play as a team. Being in an amiable environment like this for three years prepared her incredibly well for the challenge of moving up a level in competition this summer. Playing soccer her whole life, Tessa loves the sport, but knows unfortunately it doesn’t receive the attention that the “Big 4” sports do. When asked about how she thinks it could be fixed, her business classes immediately kicked into gear. “The professional teams can help! The easy solution to the problem is advertising! How many times can you remember seeing advertising for a soccer team. People don’t see the sport enough,” Tessa said. Competition, teamwork and a passion for the game, that’s what Tessa Woodcock is all about. Her goal is to dominate on the field and prevent the other team’s goals. What’s yours?n
By IAN CRAFT SPORTS EDITOR
Are you one of the hundreds of students who are equal parts excited and stressed for the fall to come around? The fall brings with its autumn wind heaps of homework and group projects. After a few months of summer jobs and lying out on Lake Hamilton, students get to come back to Ouachita and brave the challenge of integrating back into the daily grind. Fret not! There is something to save you from this insanity. That’s right, fall sports are right around the corner! Some of the most exciting and beloved Tiger sports happen during this semester, including football, wrestling, volleyball and soccer. The jewel of tailgating season, Ouachita Football, brings with it the anticipation of the next step. The Tigers finished last season 7-4 with two games of over 30 points, two of those being over 50 points. After a season of such a monumental offensive output, things are trending upward for the Tigers as they look to take that strong foundation, make it to the playoffs and beat the school across the street. The Tigers had as successful of an offseason as they could have hoped for, signing 23 recruits on National Signing Day. Broxton Brown, a 5’10 195lb explosive athlete from Sheridan, will play defensive back. Jake Adams,
Woodcock takes her talents to Tulsa By IAN CRAFT
Dr Kluck z Photo Credit Woodcock prepares to kick the ball away from the goal. As a defensive specialist, she was named All Central Region for her play in 2015. Woodcock will be a senior leader for the Lady Tigers this fall.