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4.17.19 | Vol. 127, Issue 23| www.obusignal.com
Ouachita students attend National Alpha Chi convention By HAYDN JEFFERS Staff writer Seven students represented Ouachita at the Alpha Chi National Convention earlier this month. The convention, which was held in Cleveland, Ohio, this year, ran from April 4-6 and featured students, faculty and speakers from all over the country. Dr. Myra Houser, assistant professor of history and sponsor of Ouachita’s Alpha Chi chapter, accompanied seven Alpha Chi members to the convention and documented their success on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. The students who attended the convention this year included Rebekah Biles, Jessica Cook-Snelgrove, Tucker Douglass, Lesley Howard, Carrie Hill, Lauren Lovelady and Wesley Oliver. A research team consisting of Cook-Snelgrove, Douglass, Howard, Lovelady and Oliver won first place in the Collaborative Research Competition. Their research, titled “Art, Age, and Apartheid: Generational Differences as Depicted in South African Art,” won them $5,000. Hill, a senior graphic design major and English minor from Benton, won first place for her visual arts presentation on the process of creating comics. “I actually didn’t finish my presentation until the night before,”
Hill admitted. “I had spent all day working on it, and I only had a chance to practice it a few times.” “So when I actually gave the presentation, I was more relieved than nervous,” she continued. “Everything had fallen into place, and I could just talk about my artwork. Everyone seemed to really enjoy it, which was encouraging; it’s nice to share my passions with curious strangers.” Hill, who had also been to last year’s Alpha Chi convention held in Portland, Ore., has been a member of Alpha Chi since her junior year. She also presented some of her artwork in Portland, which may have helped her prepare for her presentation this time around. Biles, a senior English major and Spanish minor from Tulsa, Okla., has been an Alpha Chi member since April 2017 and is the current chapter secretary. While in Cleveland, Biles got the opportunity to help with a chapter strengthening session in which she spoke about book clubs and learned how different chapter organize their own events. Biles’ favorite part of the trip was going to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. “It was amazing to experience music through the decades and learn so much,” Biles said. “I spent a total of three hours there and could’ve stayed longer if I’d had the time.” Biles also enjoyed the opportunity to explore Cleveland and
OBU Alpha Chi, Twitter z Courtesy
OUACHITA Alpha Chi students pose with their first place prize for their collaborative research on “Art, Age, and Apartheid: Generational Differences as Depicted in South African Art.” Dr. Myra Houser (TOP LEFT) acts as the sponsor of Ouachita’s Alpha Chi chapter.
learn how to be more independent. “These conventions have been very formative,” she said. “They’re shown me that I can navigate new cities successfully without getting lost, that I am capable and that I can present a topic well to others.” Biles was proud of Ouachita’s research team as well as of individual presenters and scholarship recipients. “I loved seeing everyone who
presented this year win prizes,” Biles said. “I was so proud I almost cried.” Howard, a junior psychology and art double major, was one of only 10 recipients to win the Alfred H. Noelle Scholarship, and Oliver, a senior history major, received the Pryor Scholarship for graduate study. Ouachita’s Alpha Chi chapter will celebrate new members next
Wednesday at 1 p.m., during Scholars Day. They will induct new members on the lawn outside the Hickingbotham School of Business. “We’re so excited to bring in new members,” Biles said. “Additionally, the award-winning collaborative research group will reprise their presentation on art and Apartheid [during Scholars Day].” n
Ouachita names Jim Lloyd American Chemical Society chapter hosts ‘Miracle Berry’ fundraising event director of athletic bands, By MANDY HALBERT Staff writer Ouachita’s American Chemical Society chapter hosted a Miracle Berries event on Tuesday, April 9 in the Jones Science Center. The ACS also collected donations for the Arkadelphia Ecumenical Food Pantry as an entry fee for the event. “Our goal was to provide a cool chemistry event that would also benefit the community,” ACS member Jessica Snelgrove said. “We provided the Miracle Berry Tablet and all the foods and drinks like lemons, limes, oranges, kiwi, pineapple, green grapes, sour green apples, sour candies, dill pickles, lemon juice, lime juice, sprite, coke, pineapple juice and even Lime Hot Cheetos.” The Miracle Berry Tablet allows the user to eat normally sour foods without experiencing the intensity of the sourness and leaves the foods tasting sweet. “Miracle berries are a real fruit, however we used the tablet form for our event,” ACS member Cameron Brownlee said. “Allowing the miracle berry concentrate to dissolve over your tongue, your taste buds become less receptive to sour tastes. This phenomenon allows you to eat sour foods such as lemons or sour candy without
being overwhelmed. It has also been applied in dieting and for chemotherapy patients.” The ACS plans events such as the Miracle Berries taste testing in hopes to demonstrate to others how chemistry affects everyday life. “We want to get other people excited about chemistry and science by showing them the fun parts of chemistry,” Snelgrove said. “This is important, because often there is a misconception that chemistry is just really hard stuff that only a few people can appreciate. However, this is not the case. Chemistry is used in everyday life all the time in sometimes simple ways.” Snelgrove said that the turnout was very good and the event was overall successful. “We ordered a large number of Miracle Berries, and only one was left over, so I would say it was very successful,” Snelgrove said. “Pretty much everyone was amazed at the transformation of the flavors, and we got to explain the chemistry behind it.” The event attracted participation of people throughout campus and the Arkadelphia community. “We had a variety of attendees, ranging from a small child to professors, and even the neighboring ACS chapter at Henderson,” Snelgrove said. “The goal of all ACS
events is to show others the fun and applicable parts of science, and in this event we were able to demonstrate that by eating food that was normally sour and was made sweet, a very memorable way to learn about chemistry.” The ACS was also able to collect many food items to be donated to the Arkadelphia Ecumenical Food Pantry. “We collected a large amount of canned foods and other shelfstable items,” Snelgrove said. “Some people brought more than one canned good, so we have more goods than we had planned.” The ACS says the Miracle Berries event was overall very successful because of its ability to demonstrate the impact of chemistry in a memorable and fun way for the community. “ACS organizes events like this to encourage the community and our students to participate in extracurricular events where they are able to learn and experience new things,” Brownlee said. “This is important because we should constantly be striving to find opportunities to learn and engage with our peers. We hope that events such as this one allow students, not just science majors, to learn the implications of science and how we can make a difference in our community.” n
instrumental music education By ASHLY STRACENER News bureau
Ouachita has named Jim Lloyd, Ouachita alumnus, as director of athletic bands and instrumental music education effective fall 2019. “I am so excited to be returning to my alma mater as athletic band director,” Lloyd said. “Great things are on the horizon for the Ouachita Marching Band.” “At Ouachita, we aspire to have one of the largest and most accomplished marching bands in the country for universities our size,” said Ouachita President Ben Sells. “Jim Lloyd, with his experience, is the right person to lead his alma mater to a higher level of excellence.” Lloyd earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Ouachita and his Master of Music Education degree from McNeese State University. Lloyd has 28 years of experience as a music educator in the public schools of Carlsbad, N.M.; Marion, Ark.; and Arkadelphia, Ark. Under his direction, the Arkadelphia High School Marching Band has been the Arkansas AAAA State Marching Champion for the past three years. He also has served
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as an adjudicator and clinician in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico and Tennessee. “I am very excited about Mr. Lloyd joining the Ouachita instrumental faculty,” said Dr. Craig Hamilton, Ouachita’s Lena Goodwin Trimble Professor of Music and director of bands. “I look forward to working with him in this new chapter for the Ouachita bands. Our students will benefit greatly from Mr. Lloyd’s experience and expertise.” “Ouachita is such a special place to me and my family,” Lloyd said. “I hope to carry on the proud traditions of the Tiger Marching Band while adding some contemporary ideas of my own. “Many things have changed over the years since I walked the halls of Mabee Fine Arts Center as a student, but the loving spirit of OBU faculty and students is still the same,” Lloyd added. “It feels like coming home.” Students interested in joining the Ouachita Marching Band or auditioning for band scholarships may contact Dr. Craig Hamilton at hamiltonc@obu.edu or (870) 245-5137. Color guard tryouts will be held Saturday, April 27. n
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News Briefs
A look at the biggest news of the week Notre Dame fire contained Late Monday evening, a fire terrorized the interior of the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, France. The fire destroyed the historic church’s spire and roof, but didn’t reach the twin medieval bell towers. Volunteers and authorities rushed to save the church’s precious treasures from the blaze. Artifacts have been taken to the Louvre, where they’ll be protected, restored and dehumidified from the smoke damage they may have received. The church’s spire collapsed onto the main altar, but specialists are sure that this is the most damage sustained by the church. They will be working in the coming days to assess the structural integrity and remove any remaining art, statues and treasures that survived the fire. Source: AP
New head coach Robert Dallimore to lead Ouachita women’s basketball
Little Rock Trojans z Courtesy (LEFT) Associate head coach Robert Dallimore congratulates a starter on the Little Rock Trojans. Dallimore has served as associate head coach for UALR since 2009.
ketball family to strive to become women of excellence in all that they do,” Dallimore added. “Ouachita hired a gem when selecting Robert Dallimore as their next women’s basketball coach,” said Chasse Conque, vice chancellor and director of athletics at UALR. “For a decade, Robert has been a critical piece of Joe Foley’s staff and has helped our program at Little Rock achieve national prominence. He is a winner, a grinder and a good Christian man who will represent Ouachita in a first-class manner. I couldn’t be happier for Robert and Sharon. The Dallimore family will be great assets to Ouachita and the Arkadelphia community.” “Robert is a tireless worker and grinder who has been instrumental in our program getting to the next level,” said Joe Foley, UALR head women’s basketball coach and Arkansas Hall of Fame Inductee. “He has contributed significantly in all aspects of our program, including but not limited to, player development, film breakdown and the recruiting of many of our top players. More importantly, Robert is a family man of high character who represents our program with excellence both on and off the court.”
Previously, Dallimore served as for four years at the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM) as associate head coach and assistant coach of women’s basketball and for nine years at Christian Life Academy (CLA) in Baton Rouge, La., as head girls basketball coach as well as assistant and head boys basketball coach. He also served three years in New Orleans as head basketball coach and head and assistant baseball coach at Redeemer-Seton High School (RSHS). During his 12 years as head basketball coach at CLA and RSHS, Dallimore’s teams’ cumulative record was 331-131, also winning nine district championships, five final four state tournament appearances and two state championships. Additionally, his baseball team won one district championship in his two years as head coach. Dallimore earned his juris doctorate at Mississippi College and bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University. He and his wife, Sharon, have one son, Caleb, and one daughter, Jordan. For more information, contact Director of Athletics David Sharp at sharpd@obu.edu or 870-2455181. n
Wilson remains with Seahawks Russell Wilson became the highest paid NFL player when he accepted a deal from the Seattle Seahawks on Tuesday. Rumors and speculation surrounded the player, as many expected him to leave the Seahawks after their defeat to the Dallas Cowboys in January. Wilson’s $140 million contract extension will last for four years, cementing his position as the highest paid player. This rounds to $35 million a season, propelling him over the previous highest paid player Aaron Rogers ($33.5 million). Wilson hopes to lead the Seahawks to numerous championships in his renewal with the team. He has helped bring the Seahawks to six playoffs in his last seven seasons, proving himself as a reliable renewal. Source: AP
Speechies host Ouachita baseball event for Group Living clients By CAITY HATCHETT Staff writer
By BROOKE ZIMNY News bureau Ouachita Baptist University Director of Athletics David Sharp announced that Robert Dallimore has been hired as women’s basketball head coach. Dallimore previously served as associate head coach for the Little Rock Trojans since 2009. “Coach Dallimore brings a wealth of basketball knowledge and coaching experience to our program,” Sharp said. “He has demonstrated the ability to recruit young ladies who want to excel in academics, on the court and in life. His work ethic and tenacious mentality will serve our program well as we compete for GAC championships.” “I am thrilled to have been chosen to lead the Ouachita women’s basketball program,” Dallimore said. “The commitment to excellence by our administration for all students spiritually, academically and athletically, along with the vision of the president, Dr. Ben Sells, and athletic director, David Sharp, to ‘Ouachita Rising’ is something I feel called to be a part of.” At the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR), Dallimore helped lead the Trojans to six NCAA tournament appearances and three National Invitational Tournament appearances in addition to four Sun Belt Conference (SBC) West Division titles, five SBC tournament titles and four SBC overall regular season titles. “Coach Dallimore brings a record of achievement and possess a deep commitment to advancing Ouachita’s mission, an important combination for our student-athletes,” said Dr. Ben Sells, Ouachita president. “I am truly excited about being part of Ouachita and the Arkadelphia community and am looking forward to the opportunity to mentor on a daily basis our bas-
‘Winter has come’ “Game of Thrones,” HBO’s popular medieval drama, aired the premiere of its eigth and final season on Sunday night. The show opened to 17.4 million viewers, a premiere-high according to sources from HBO. The show has made massive waves in media since its launch in 2011. Adapted from the novels written by George R.R. Martin, “Game of Thrones” follows the story of the Stark family and the constant battle for a seat on the deeply coveted Iron Throne. HBO acknowledged that nearly 50 percent of its audience streamed the show from their online service HBONow. The viewership for Sunday’s episode is nearly double that of the season seven premiere. For many, this will be bittersweet, but welcome nonetheless. “Game of Thrones” airs at 8 p.m. Sundays. Source: AP
This past Wednesday was a special one for Group Living, a non-profit organization here in Arkadelphia that helps disabled people. Ouachita’s speech pathology majors (or Speechies) and baseball team hosted an event for some of the clients from Group Living. The clients had a meet-andgreet with the baseball team, and then each client was paired with a starting player to stand by before the game started and their name was announced alongside their player’s name. After that, one of the clients from Group Living, Marvin, threw out the first pitch of the game. They then got to stay and watch the baseball game with the Speechies. “They were given jerseys to borrow and then got to do a meetand-greet with some players. They got baseball cards signed and got to ask some questions about the game,” Hannah Gray said. “After that, each client was matched with a starting player and they were announced along with them. Each client got to walk out on the field with their baseball player.” This event was special not only for the kids from Group Living, but also for the Speechies and the baseball team. A senior speech pathology major, Gray was one of the coordinators of the event, and she was grateful for Coach Howard and his team. “It is always fun for me to see other Ouachita students loving my
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people as much as I do. I honestly can’t say enough about how kind the baseball team was,” Gray said. “Coach Howard and his players went so out of their way to make the afternoon what it was, and it was just a flat-out joyful event because of it.” For Gray, this event is not just a fun time. It is also a way for the Ouachita community to interact with people who are different from them, and it fosters a connection with the Arkadelphia community. While the Speechies and the baseball team are the hosts of this event, it impacts more than just those two organizations and the Group Living clients. “I think this event is important in terms of community outreach because it allows all kinds of different people to come together and serve each other,” Gray said. “It creates a sense not only of tolerance, but of acceptance and love in the community.” But the event is a fun one. Aside for the clients’ enjoyment, the Speechies also enjoy the event; getting to see the joy in their clients’ faces makes all of their planning worth it. “The Speechies and the baseball team do this event because it’s so fun for everyone involved. Our Group Living clients are some of the most kind, gracious and fun people I know,” Gray said. “They make our day regularly, so we thought it would be sweet to make theirs. It also gives everyone involved an opportunity to interact with people who are a lot different than them.” n
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A Day in the Life at Ouachita: Mady Rottinghaus By GRACIE STOVER Staff Writer
A day in the life of Mady Rottinghaus is never boring. She is a sophomore pursuing a Bachelor of Science in biology and chemistry and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish. On campus, Rottinghaus is a member of the Carl Goodson Honors Program, Ouachita Student Foundation, Social Chair and Event Coordinator for the Women of EEE Social Club, a volunteer for Special Olympics, the OSF Interview Committee and Tiger Serve Day leadership. “I truly enjoy the variety of activities I am involved in, as it keeps me on my toes. As a biology and chemistry student, I spend most of my time in the library or in labs studying. I enjoy studying about the human body and am looking forward to using my studies for the future,” she said. “I stay very busy planning events as the Women of EEE Social Chair and I have loved every minute of it. From Mom’s Day to Family Day to mixers and now Formal, it has always been a priority to make events special for others. A day in the life of Mady is not boring one bit.” This busy schedule is what makes Rottinghaus such a role model and inspiration to many. She volunteers for numerous
events on and off campus, all while maintaining a high GPA…a pretty incredible feat. Mady’s dream job is to be a Pediatric Dentist. She loves working with children and loves the field of dentistry. She is inspired more and more every day to help others and believes that all starts with a smile. Off of Ouachita’s campus, Rottinghaus is just as busy. She is very involved in other service opportunities and organizations. She is the currently Miss White River and will compete at the Miss Arkansas pageant this June. Miss Arkansas is an organization that teaches young women the importance of volunteerism and service. Each woman competing has their own social impact statement, as well as serving the national platform of Children’s Miracle Network. Mady’s social impact statement for the Miss Arkansas Organization is “Appreciation of Language and Culture.” This platform gives Mady a voice and a platform to share her message with the people of Arkansas. Mady has opportunities to share her message with students in elementary, middle school and high school to teach kids the importance of people from different backgrounds, ethnicities and cultures and how they should be celebrated. She is also involved in the
Mady Rottinghaus z Courtesy MADY ROTTINGHAUS is a sophmore who is working toward a Bachelor of Science in biology and chemistry as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish. Rottinghaus has been involved in several activities on and off campus, including competing for Miss Arkansas 2019.
H.O.P.E. Program, a Kanukuk Summer Camp Counselor, a Children’s Miracle Network advocate and volunteer, a girls Volleyball Coach, a Child Development Worker and works in advertising for a T-shirt company to learn about the business world. “I have had the opportunity to develop a weekly after-school program for more than twenty ESOL students and their families
in a local school district titled, H.O.P.E: Helping Others Practice English. I have also provided students with academic tutoring, as well as offering reading assistance and Rosetta Stone to the parents.” Rottinghaus said that her motto is to be somebody who makes everybody feel like a somebody. She works hard to live out this motto and to pour her love out to the people of
Ouachita Baptist University and of Arkansas. “A goal of mine is to be intentional and personable with each person with whom I cross paths,” Rottinghaus said. “I am a firm believer that a difference can be made in this world simply by encouraging others and building them up. It is important to live a life of service above self for me and to give back in ways that I can make a positive impact.” n
Ouachita students to continue “Worthy” worship night By BROOKE WOESSNER Guest writer
Discussing a vision of genuine worship and fellowship in a Perrin dorm room, a few freshmen casted a vision of an event that would later become something that the Lord beautifully ordained for future semesters. In March of 2017, some freshmen put in place some concrete ideas regarding a worship event that would later be named, “Worthy.” “Worthy is a night for college students to come together and worship together,” said Sean Carney, a junior piano and Spanish double major from Little Rock. “We like to encourage colleges from different campuses, so that we can see that Christ’s Kingdom is a lot bigger than our single communities on our campus. Ultimately, we are to proclaim that Jesus Christ is worthy; he is worthy of a Friday night, of us driving to a certain location for us to gather and he is worthy of worship to him and him alone.” In preparation for the first “Worthy” night, the team did not exactly know what to expect. The fears came as the obstacles grew. The feedback that was coming in during the promotion of the first Worthy was overwhelmingly encouraging, so the team had to buckle down and figure all the minor and major details of the event. From flyers, to venue, to meals, to equipment, the whole event was completely student led. Held in a warehouse behind Owensville Baptist Church, the first Worthy night was underway. “We knew that we wanted to feed people, so food was one of the biggest struggles to figure out how we will get food for an unknown amount of people,” said Robert Pilcher, a junior music and Spanish double major from Little Rock. “One Sunday,
Bethany ran into this elderly lady who just willingly offered five hundred pounds of hamburger meat; this was just one of the people that the Lord used to enable the students to lead and host Worthy.”
“The first Worthy was a collaborative event; everyone wanted to help out because nothing had been done like this before,” said Pilcher. “It’s hard when you try to do something again and again when there is not this newness or
people only increased as each Worthy night grew. The volunteers that remain are some of the biggest prayer warriors of the event. It is now being held at Epoch Church in downtown Little Rock, a more central loca-
Justin Trostle z Courtesy
Justin Trostlez Courtesy (TOP) OUACHITA STUDENTS lead college adults in a night of worship and fellowship in an event titled, “Worthy.” (BOTTOM) Junior Landon Salman leads the student in a time of song at the most recent Worthy event.
Four semesters and two more Worthy nights later, the event has evolved slightly due to some students who have graduated, new people, new places, updated mission. While it seems to have changed a lot, the vision and purpose of the event remain.
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rawness to it because you can’t have that first feeling again; God still calls us to be faithful despite our human feelings.” Gathering volunteers may have gotten more difficult, and the event was becoming less collaborative. But as the amount of
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tion that is able to provide all the equipment. That change in itself, cut down time and cost tremendously. “It is not because of an event or because of us or anything we do, but it is because of God,” said Bethany Courtney a junior Music
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major from Little Rock. “Worthy is just a facilitator of God’s work.” Most of the blessings that have come from Worthy is not seen yet. The leadership team has been faithful in preparing and putting forth effort toward each one. For example, after the first one in the spring of 2017, they took a semester off to make sure their priorities are in check. As Worthy grows new hardships and blessings appear. “One of the hardest parts which also turns out to be a blessing is that I will not see all of the fruit that comes from Worthy,” said Landon Salman a junior Music major from Little Rock. “As believers, we want to tangibly see the fruit, but it provides this realization that this fruit is not of me, but of God.” A specific blessing that appeared in the Worthy night of the fall of 2018 was the gift God was able to provide through the students that attended for a missionary family that is close to Ouachita’s heart. “One thing about Worthy that I don’t want to be missed is that God wants this to happen and that’s been very evident throughout each Worthy he has provided things very big,” said Mercedes Svercauski a junior speech communications major from Hot Springs. “This past Worthy, God multiplied the money that was given. $550 for the Haynes family in Morocco was given through Worthy.” Regarding the future for Worthy, the students that started this event are soon to be graduating in the fall of 2020, so the hope is that it doesn’t end but new students take the lead in order to give all the glory to God. There will be another Worthy worship night on May 4, 2019, at Epoch Church in Little Rock, Ark. Coffee will be served at 6 p.m. and worship will begin at 7 p.m. n
The Signal is the student newspaper of Ouachita Baptist University, and is published every Wednesday 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 Nashville Leader.
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“Oklahoma” showcases story of hope, friendship By CATHERINE LYP Arts / Features editor
Last Thursday was the first performance of Ouachita’s 2019 Spring Musical, “Oklahoma.” Written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, “Oklahoma” follows the story of two friends, Curly and Laurey, as they come to realize that they have feelings for each other. Throughout the play, Curly, played by Clay Mobley, and Laurey, played by Michaela Finley, go back and forth teasing each other about whether or not they like each other. As the conflict between Curly and Laurey continues, the town is simultaneously preparing for a party where each girl in town prepares a basket of food, which can be bid upon with the purpose of raising money to build a new school house. While the town arranges everything for the upcoming event, various obstacles get in the way of Curly and Laurey becoming more than friends, one of which is the introduction of Judd Frye. Judd Frye, played by Micah Brooks, is a man that Laurey hired who lives in a shed near her home. Throughout
the play Judd and Curly fight non-violently to win Laurey’s heart, until the town party when they engage in a bidding war over Laurey’s basket. “Oklahoma” is full of a variety of components that add to the play as a whole. Through costume design, scenery, choreography, acting and directing, “Oklahoma” is formed. The sets and costume design come together well to illustrate the time period of the story. The sets and costumes are simple, yet intricate in an effortless way that fit well together and compliment not only the story, but also each character. The acting and music present throughout the play bring life to the characters. The vibrancy of the music and acting compliment each other well and bring the story together as a whole. While randomly performed musical numbers don’t normally happen in day to day life, the acting and portrayal of the story made the events of the play seem like something that could actually happen. Along with the main characters, the acting of the ensemble cast added to the plot. By having each character, no matter
Wesley Kluck z Courtesy
SENIOR KENZIE HENDERSON, playing Aunt Eller, sings to the crowd of the Oklahoma territory that the “farmer and the cowman should be friends.” The song includes the full ensemble cast in a comical beginning to the long-anticipated “box social” scene.
how minor, have their own personality and interactions with other characters the play was given a depth and life of its own. The relationships and background information for each ensemble character in the cast added to the story in a subtle way, making it seem like the story continues past what was performed. By including this additional
character development, the play felt more realistic. While various portions of the play compliment each other and are good in their own way, one of the best parts of “Oklahoma” is the choreography. “Oklahoma” is filled to the brim with choreography to compliment each song. The addition of the intricate dance numbers to go along with the music
made the show not only fun to listen to, but also fun to watch. “Oklahoma” is an entertaining, funny and musical journey of two friends accepting their feelings for each other, while dealing with difficulties along the way. With it’s strong cast of actors, great music and well thought out choreography, “Oklahoma” is an immensely enjoyable show. n
Lightning strikes again with DC’s “Shazam!” By WILL BLASE News editor
After a successful bout with the box office, DC films managed to revive their efforts to create a DC Extended Universe with “Wonder Woman” (2015) and “Aquaman” (2018). Critics and audiences scratched their heads in confusion at the sudden quality in the company’s comic book on-screen portrayals. Lightning struck twice, but could it do it a third time? This question sets the precedent for the charming and fun “Shazam!” starring Zachary Levi and Asher Angel. Billy Batson (Angel) is a 14-year-old kid living from foster home to foster home. He’s resilient, stubborn and, most of all, trying to find his birth mother. Billy enjoys running away from home, finding more joy in shutting himself off from the families that try to fill this void in his life. He’s troublesome, devious and often on the wrong side of the law, landing him in a new foster home run by Rosa and Victor (Marta Milans and Cooper Andrews), a married couple that met when they were living in a foster home. Billy even finds himself begrudgingly becoming close to his crippled, foster brother Freddy, played by the wonderfully talented Jack Dylan Grazer. Rosa and Victor provide a loving home for four other foster children (Grace Fulton, Faithe Herman, Ian Chen and Jovan Armand), creating a cohesive family—something Billy’s never had. Even after meeting his new “family,” Billy plots to run away
but through a series of events, finds himself at the foot of the Wizard (Djimon Hounsou) and suddenly the bearer of age-old superpowers. The character Shazam, originally penned in 1939 by comic legends Bill Parker and C.C. Beck, possesses the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the stamina of Atlas, the power of Zeus, the courage of Achilles and the speed of Mercury— Shazam is extremely powerful, maybe even a tad too much. We see this wonderfully displayed through Levi’s ‘manchild’ acting, allowing himself to share in the childlike joy of realizing that he has super powers… even some that he hasn’t discovered yet. Freddy is the resident hero expert and, together with Billy, the two set out to fully understand his powers. “Shazam!” lays it all on the floor, ultimately setting it apart from its DC counterparts. It takes the success of “Wonder Woman” and “Aquaman,” and makes a unique name and story for itself. The film isn’t trying to be moody, unlike Zach Snyder’s take on “Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice” (2015). “Shazam!” allows the kid inside all of us to thrive, pitting difficult situations like living in foster homes and unreciprocated love against the desire to rise up and find the joys in life. With a clever nod to “Big,” Tom Hanks’ 1988 blockbuster, “Shazam!” maintains its playful nature, paying homage to films that helped pave the way. Director David Sandberg is often considered a maestro of horror,
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but somehow transitioned seamlessly into directing this lighthearted superhero romp. The film is a breath of fresh air in the tiresome cycle of superhero flicks. Levi and Angel were casted excellently and at times I found myself genuinely appalled at how Levi nailed Angel’s mannerisms and intonations. Glazer’s sidekick mentality played nicely into the story and left me craving more of Freddy’s speedball, dark-humored character. While
boasting a few darker themes, “Shazam!” doesn’t burden the viewer with an intricate villain who receives little screen-time. Dr. Sivana, played by Mark Strong, is a character we can immediately understand— thanks to the introduction of the film. He wasn’t tiresome and cliché, but actually felt like a well-crafted anti-hero, ridiculous as his powers may be. I didn’t find myself praising his villainous methods as I did the cold and meticulously calculated
Thanos of “Avengers: Infinity War” (2017), but I did enjoy the scenes in which Strong was able to cement his character and motives. Sure there’s a few plot-holes and laughable moments, but “Shazam!” manages to stand out amidst the ever-growing superhero genre. Finding its roots somewhere between another installment in the “AntMan” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” franchises, “Shazam!” is certainly a film worth seeing. n
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First image of black hole introduces vast possibilities By WILL BLASE News editor
Last week, a global network of telescopes, operating in conjunction with the National Science Foundation, captured the first photographic evidence of a black hole. This supermassive black hole was discovered by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) in Messier 87 (M87). M87 is around 55 million light years from Earth, making this discovery a historic and incredible scientific feat. The captured M87 black hole is 6.5 billion times the mass of our sun. These gargantuan, celestial objects are often regarded with extreme fear and caution, seeing as black holes are notoriously dense—so dense that even light itself cannot escape. Through an invisible event horizon, commonly known as “the point of no return,” light is trapped forever in a losing battle against gravity itself. Light that hasn’t yet been captured around a black hole is bent, allowing scientists to observe things behind celestial masses—in this case, helping to locate the mass itself. The image almost looks like a poorly lit, glazed donut, but this is the light warping itself around the black hole. The lack of high resolution doesn’t detract from the image, but rather, the fact that this image was captured at all eradicates any need for high definition. For many, this is further proving of Einstein’s general theory of relativity. Einstein originally favored the theory of a static universe, but scientists found themselves on the opposing end of Einstein’s claims. This made for extremely large scientific findings in the study of space itself. Scientists toyed around with Einstein’s studies, eventually discovered
Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration z Courtesy EVENT HORIZON TELESCOPE COLLABORATION captured the first image of a black hole in the galaxy M87. According to NASA, this black hole is 6.5 billion times more massive than the sun, and it is approximately 55 million light-years away from Earth.
odd properties around extremely dense, faraway stars. At the center of a black hole, the curvature of space-time establishes a plane, referred to as a singularity. This massive gravitational force pulls light from surrounding areas, but scientists used this to their advantage, allowing them to spot the black hole with existing light and X-ray technology at the same time. This feat hasn’t been taken lightly in the science world. NASA engineers previously thought they would have to construct a telescope that would orbit the Earth and even then, it would only offer the slightest possibility
of capturing photographic evidence of black hole. For this many scientists, across the globe, to work together is incredible in itself. Eight telescopes were used, alongside precise timing and pinpoint accuracy, to achieve the final image—essentially creating an Earth-sized telescope. By providing various telescopes keyed into lower-energy radio waves and higher-energy gamma rays, scientists have exceeded even their own expectations. While black holes are hard to spot in space, they’ve seen constant portrayal through popular literature, television and film. “Star Trek” has utilized
Ask The Signal By SARA PATTERSON Staff writer
What books should I read this summer? With only a few weeks of classes left before summer, many students are looking forward to having more free time to do more of what they would like. For a lot of students, the summer is a great time to catch up on books that they have not had time to read during the school year. It has likely been a while since many students have picked up a book just because they wanted to read it, so it may be helpful to have some guidance regarding what is available and what people are raving about this year. Among the college-age demographic, books in the genre of self-help are popular. A biography with a helpful message for readers embedded into her story, “Becoming” by Michelle Obama, is an outstanding publication from this genre in recent months. Along the lines of self-help,
“Girl, Wash Your Face” by Rachel Hollis is an honest, contemporary book that encourages women to be more firmly secure in themselves and rooted in truth. A few more well-known self-help books related to the Christian faith, but books that are still well worth the read, include “The Screwtape Letters” and “Mere Christianity” by C. S. Lewis, as well as “Everybody Always” and “Love Does” by Bob Goff. Lewis’ books offer insight into the fundamental beliefs of Christianity and the daily challenges that Christians face. Goff writes with a similar goal and faith-based inspiration, but focuses primarily on how Christians are to practically live with limitless love toward others. Many college students are also interested in historical fiction. One of the most captivating eras of history for many readers today is World War II, more specifically, the Holocaust. “The Tattooist of Auschwitz” by Heather Morris is a story of a Jew living in a German concentration camp. When the rulers of the concentration camp find out that this one Jew could speak
several languages, he is hired to be the tattooist who marks his fellow prisoners. This dramatic and historically inspired book offers a unique perspective and intricate storyline to discuss such a horrific time in history. A couple of recently published fictional novels that primarily deal with individual identity include “The Shortest Way Home” by Miriam Parker and “A Cloud in the Shape of a Girl” by Jean Thompson. “The Shortest Way Home” tells the story of a woman’s journey across America to shed her sky-high expectations for her life and discover her true self. “A Cloud in the Shape of a Girl” uses three generations of women to dissect the role of family ties and the past in a person’s present decisions and personal identity. There are so many other great books in these genres and still other exceptional books in other genres. For more summer reading suggestions, making a trip to local bookstore could be a great activity to start off this summer and select a few good reads. n
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these celestial phenomena in countless episodes that make for entertaining television, while “Interstellar” (2014) featured a massive black hole in which the lead characters are constantly fighting against—losing precious fuel and hope in their fight against its gravity. Black holes and wormholes have been a constant element of prize winning literature, notably netting Dan Simmons a Hugo award for his work on “Hyperion.” There were a fair share of memes that arose from the image—the most popular being that it resembles the Eye of Sauron from the classic “Lord of
the Rings” trilogy. The internet even jumped to make a meme out of the gleeful image of Katie Bouman, a lead scientist who developed a crucial algorithm that netted the scientific pursuit success in its image processing. But among the playful jokes and comparisons, stood a prominent, genius female scientist who saw her life’s work enacted. The scientists who have dedicated their lives into exploring the unknown made it big with this discovery—making history for the better. Slowly, scientists are increasing our knowledge of this vast, endless sea of stars that we look to in wonder. n
Disney+: newest service in media entertainment By WILL JOHNSON
Sports / Opinions editor Disney’s streaming service, Disney+, recently made headlines as the newest platform to graze this technological movement. Disney is amassing all of its main entertainment studio content into one service, with a launch date set for Nov. 12. The brand-new site will remove the company’s movies and television shows from other streaming services, like Netflix, and incorporate them into Disney+ for a simple, organized access to all things Disney. By subscribing to this content, users will gain access to around 500 movies and 7,000 TV episodes at the touch of a button. Disney+ can also be streamed through a mobile device, smart TV or gaming console. This new highlyadvanced service provider reveals a trend that mass media and entertainment studios are placing more of a focus on: video streaming. Disney’s decision to create a streaming service clearly shows the surge in this area of technology. Companies like Netflix, Hulu and HBO already have platforms to release content online. ESPN has done the same with WatchESPN, an application that allows users the ability to
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live stream or replay popular sports (football, basketball, soccer, baseball/softball) while also viewing sporting events that aren’t recognized to the same national degree (lacrosse, rugby and even fishing). The network has also recently implemented ESPN+, a streaming platform requiring a subscription, like many other services, instead of watching through a television provider. ESPN+ is the new WatchESPN. The company has shifted some of its content from one service to the other and could see more as ESPN+ develops. One thing to note: ESPN+ is jointly owned by Disney, boasting 80 percent of the outlet’s stake. Disney understands the field of streaming and the importance in moving content to a single, readily-accessible platform. This movement is transformative in the changes that viewers are only beginning to see. Certain questions arise from television and movie progression as it affects the way people watch cable TV or a DVD. Streaming services may not entirely do away with the way people are familiar with viewing television or movies, but smart TVs and other devices with similar capabilities could result in a complete change in entertainment media forever. n
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Baseball battles Harding, weather conditions in GAC series By JACOB COTTRELL Staff writer
The Ouachita Tigers baseball team took the field this past week in a one-game series against Southern Arkansas University. They ended the week by starting the three-game series against Harding University, but the weather had different plans. The thunderstorm that rolled in on Friday and all day Saturday pushed the series to start Sunday with it finishing Monday afternoon. The Tigers adapted to the weather and schedule changes but ultimately ended up losing the SAU game and lost two out of three in the Harding series. The Tigers (17-23, 11-16 GAC) just could not find the hitting sticks in the Wednesday game against SAU. The game started off slow and with hopeful looks for the Tigers. The first inning and the beginning of the second, the Tigers held the Mule Riders at zero. With the Tigers at the plate, Hunter Gautreaux singled to right field bringing home Cade McBride for the first score of the game. The Tigers went into the third inning with the lead. The game then shifted into the hands of SAU fairly quickly after that. Starting the third inning with two runs and then third with three more runs, SAU quickly pulled away from Ouachita’s one-run lead. SAU did not slow down with the runs continuing to pile up going deeper into the game. In the sixth inning the Muleriders put up five more runs and ended the game with 10 runs and 13 hits. The Tigers on the other hand ended the game with one run and six hits. This was a
Person z Photo Credit Wesley Kluck z Courtesy THE OUACHITA BASEBALL TEAM lines the dugout at Rab Rodgers field during their April 1 game against Southeastern Oklahoma State University. The Tigers won two games in the three-game series.
tough game and a tough loss for the Tigers at home. With the thunderstorms passing through and dumping rain all weekend the Tigers started the three-game series with Harding on Sunday afternoon. The first game of the series was a slug fest by both teams putting up double digits on hits for the day.
With the beginning of the first inning the Bison’s put up two runs to put the pressure on the Tigers at their next at bat. With the pressure on, the Tigers responded, matching the Bison’s two run lead to tie the game. This was the beginning of a tight game that had both teams changing the lead multiple times. In the third inning alone, both teams met at
the plate and both put up three runs each. Going into the fourth inning, the Tigers were down by one and responded with Aaron Studdards pop fly to centerfield that brought Logan Huneycutt in for the tying run. Both sides of the game were matching each other hit for hit which was resembled on the score board. In the eighth inning, the Tigers tied the game
with a massive hit over the right field fence by Tyler Riebock which brought him home along with Chris Willard. This put the Tigers in a good position to win the game, but the Bison’s would return in the extra innings to finish the game with 10 runs to the Tigers nine. “Noah Fowler and Luke Scaggs pitched some solid innings and Reibock had a clutch tying home run in the eight inning,” junior Brandon Matros said. The Tigers met again on Monday afternoon to start the back to back games to finish the series and started them off with a sweep. With the first game underway, the Tigers took the lead and kept it for all nine innings. Ouachita brought in four runs quickly to shut out the Bison’s and not allow one run for the game, winning 4-0. Starting the second game, Harding came back with a good game at the plate. They quickly jumped ahead and did not stop running with the score, ending the game with thirteen runs. The Tigers caught maybe a small glimpse of hope in the sixth inning bringing in two runs, making a small dent on the massive lead. The Tigers closed out the game losing 13-2 with seven hits on the game. “We have some injured pitchers that we needed but couldn’t throw in the second game. They just hit well and we did not hit as well as we hoped for in the second game,” senior Bo Sutton said. Ouachita returns to the field on Friday for the final road series of the regular season. The Tigers face SAU in Magnolia with first pitch of game one set for a 6 p.m. start. n
Tiger softball plays three crucial Opinion: Excellent hire doubleheaders in seven-day span for women’s basketball By CAITY HATCHETT Staff writer
This past week was a busy one for Ouachita’s softball team. They played in a doubleheader against Henderson State University on Tuesday, then traveled to Searcy, Ark., this past weekend to play in a four-game series against Harding University. The Lady Tigers only won two of their six games, but they still fought hard and played well. The Lady Tigers (19-24, 17-16 GAC) pulled out a win in their first game against the Reddies of Henderson State (23-25, 1719 GAC), but fell in the second game. Ouachita scored their first point in the top of the second inning, when Samantha Ortiz hit a home run. Henderson scored in the bottom of the fourth, tying the game. The Lady Tigers came back to score in overtime at the top of the tenth inning, giving them a 2-1 win against the Reddies. The team put up a good fight in the second game, but fell to the Reddies, 1-0. On Sunday, the Lady Tigers faced off against the Lady Bison of Harding University (30-18, 2214 GAC). They fought hard in the
first game, losing by only a point to Harding. Ouachita scored three runs in the top of the first inning. Callie Jourdan hit a single to get on base and then advanced to home. Macy Wilson and Tobi Finley ran home when Jillian Jones hit a double. Harding scored a point in the bottom of the first, third and fourth innings, and Ouachita interrupted their scoring streak with a home run by Natalie Jackson in the top of the fifth. With the score at 4-3, the Lady Bisons tied the game in the bottom of the fifth. Neither team scored in the sixth inning, but Harding came back to score in the bottom of the seventh inning, making the game a 5-4 loss for the Lady Tigers. In the second game against Harding, the Lady Bison came out strong, scoring all of their runs in the bottom of the first inning. The Lady Tigers fought hard to catch up, scoring their first point when Madison Miller hit a home run in the top of the third inning. Neither team scored again for the rest of the game, giving the Lady Bison a 3-1 victory over the Lady Tigers. On Monday, Ouachita concluded its series against Harding with games three and
four. In the first Monday game, the Lady Bison took control early and often. Harding scored five runs in the second and followed with two more in the third. Ouachita managed just four hits, and only two batters reached scoring position in the game. The Lady Tigers lost 7-0. The final match of the series went the way of Ouachita. Though the Lady Tigers were outhit in the game, a big sixth inning, which included a Leighton Withers RBI double, gave the team the run support needed to sneak past the Lady Bisons 4-3 and steal a conference victory before returning home to Arkadelphia. This week, the Lady Tigers will play at home on Thursday and Friday in two doubleheaders against Southern Arkansas University. The games on Thursday will start at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m, and the games on Friday will also start at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Friday is also Senior Day for the Lady Tigers. The team will be honoring seniors Kelsey O’Brien, Samantha Ortiz, Marissa Butler and Halley Ryburn. Be sure to come out and support the Lady Tigers as they move into finishing up their regular season games. n
By CALEB BYRD Staff writer
Ouachita athletic director David Sharp made a home-run hire as the athletic department announced former ArkansasLittle Rock (UALR) associate head coach Robert Dallimore as the new women’s head basketball coach. When Coach Garry Crowder resigned as head coach in March, he mentioned that he hoped a new coach would reinvigorate the women’s basketball program and lead it back to the performances of which he knew it was capable. Dallimore looks to be just the man for the job. Sharp indicated in a press release Monday that he believes Dallimore’s experience in both coaching and recruiting will lead the Lady Tigers to compete for SEC championships. Dallimore added that he was excited to join Ouachita and strive for excellence “spiritually, academically and athletically.” Dallimore took over as associate head coach at UALR in 2009. In the nine seasons since, the Trojans have not had a single losing season. They went to the NCAA tournament six times, advancing to the second round
three times. They also made three appearances in the Women’s National Basketball Invitational (WNIT). Dallimore also added five Sun Belt tournament championships and four Sun Belt regular season championships to his trophy cabinet. As the leading assistant coach at such a successful school, Dallimore received plenty of experience coaching against quality opposition. He was also able to make valuable recruiting connections with Arkansas high school coaches. These two things can come together to make Ouachita women’s basketball a force to be reckoned with in the Great American Conference. Other Ouachita coaches have proven that with smart recruiting and strong player development, the Tigers can field a dominant team in any sport. According to past colleagues, Dallimore brings both of those traits to the Ouachita women’s basketball program. While it may take a few years to establish a new culture at the university and bring in the right kind of players to play his preferred system, it seems as if Ouachita has done an excellent job in establishing a firm foundation for the future of its women’s basketball team. n