Volume 131, Issue 10: April 6, 2023

the

VOLUME 1 31 , ISSUE 10 APRIL 6, 2023

S GNAL The heart of Ouachita news

CONTENTS PAGE 2 | WWW.OBUSIGNAL.COM

COVER STORY.............................3 NEWS......................................4-5 ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT...............6 OPINIONS...................................7 SPORTS......................................8

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Thanksgiving Break the

Julia Shands

S GNAL

PRINT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Valeria Gomez

ONLINE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Emilee Webb NEWS EDITOR

Jane Ellen Dial

Isaac Bourne SPORTS EDITOR

Rachel Dunnam OPINIONS EDITOR

Madison Basco COPY EDITOR

ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Dr. Jeff Root Adviser

Ouachita Baptist University Office: Evans Student Center Email: signal@obu.edu Phone: (870) 245-5210

Matthew Cheatham

AD COORDINATOR

Addie Chumley STAFF DESIGNER

Levi Dade

PHOTO EDITOR

Sarah Dean

PHOTO EDITOR

Dr. Deborah Root Adviser

Jackson Carter Online Adviser

The Signal is the student newspaper of Ouachita Baptist University, and is published twice a month on Thursdays 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.

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 email to signal@obu.edu.

COVER STORY WWW.OBUSIGNAL.COM | PAGE 3

Ouachita’s unsung heroes: facilities management

BY JULIA SHANDS Editor-in-Chief

They remain in the background, fixing showers, leaky faucets, broken thermostats, and a lot of the time, students’ attitudes, but when you’re in the industry, you’re in it for a lifetime. Ouachita’s unsung heroes, maintenance and facilities management, dedicate their lives to service behind the scenes.

Most would joke that it’s best to be left unseen because when they’re in the limelight, something has gone terribly wrong. Meanwhile, they could be doing the same work while making more money, but they choose to be here. They choose early mornings picking up trash and late-night calls for dorm floods. The maintenance staff is the backbone of what makes the Ouachita difference.

A step into Director of Facilities Management Jonathan Hughes’s office reveals the work of the maintenance staff. Here, their livelihood doesn’t stay behind the scenes. A bulletin board full of projects of the past and of the future is attached to the left side of his four walls. The Ouachita lamppost blueprint stays pinned here, showing the craftsmanship that went into the design of a small detail that has become a Ouachita emblem for many. Right behind his black swivel chair lays a punch-list folder of work orders from the newly built Terrace apartments. The folder rises about four inches tall, and it tells the tale of hard work. With one repair after another, the folder continues to grow.

Through the steady influx of complaints, students don’t realize the breadth of what facilities management covers. From hanging lights at homecoming to putting doors back on their hinges, they are the beaming definition of a jack of all trades.

“We like to say we fix anything that needs to be repaired from plumbing and heat and air to cleaning the buildings and taking out the trash,” Hughes said. “We also set up for special events. Whether it’s at Walker on campus or a football game, we do all that setup.”

They’ve got a well-oiled machine. No broken anything of any sort goes unseen with the system they have in place. The facilities management umbrella houses

and experience a quick change in routine, they don’t. They keep the white vans with a shining purple Ouachita logo on the side, making circles to ensure the campus doesn’t crumble for our return.

“The university doesn’t sit quietly in the summer,” Hughes said.

“We have groups that come in, so taking care of them and then turning around getting ready for y’all to come back, it’s pretty stressful.

We’re used to it, but that’s our

with another company, but when they know where their day will be spent, and what time they’re going to be done for the day, we’ve got all of the benefits of retirement, insurance and time off, so that’s a plus.”

If money is thin in one area, there’s a good chance it’s thin in another. Ouachita’s maintenance staff are overworked with a shortage of staff and underpaid with the funds available. They would do

OBU facilities management stands beside one of the vehicles they use to get to various projects on campus. This staff has worked hard during the academic year to keep our classrooms, housing and more up and running. (photo by Sarah Dean)

grounds, landscaping, building services, carpentry, electrical and a “shop guy” to maintain all travel vans and university vehicles. They have a work order system where they receive emails, and they have an extra system where work orders can be sent in for student housing.

Every crack and crevice of Ouachita’s campus is shielded by the men and women of OBU maintenance.

Waking up in the morning and putting on their grey button-up with an embroidered name tag sewn on like a badge of honor, those on staff are well adjusted to a routine. They arrive to work at an early hour, check their work orders and make their rounds. While students get to go home for breaks

busy, busy time. Just making sure everything’s ready for when y’all come back.”

It’s no secret that you get paid less at a private institution. Professors and faculty members have confessed to this, and it’s no different for facilities management. So, what keeps them here? Why would they continue to choose Ouachita when they could independently work on HVAC systems and take home a much larger profit?

“You know what your schedule is, and you know where you’re going to be,” Hughes said. “The university really can’t compete with anybody or any of the trades. We can’t compete at what price they will make at their own company or

a lot more if they could, but they have a tight budget. Not to mention, inflation is cursing everyone and everything and maintenance feels the pressure of it just as the normal person’s wallet does. When something unexpectedly breaks and needs repair, it comes out of their budget to buy the needed materials.

“What we spend on some program supplies, salaries, all different things, new equipment, it’s not enough,” Hughes said. “I mean, but we know that it’s always been that way. Especially right now with inflation. You just go through it a lot faster.”

When you’re in the industry, you’re in it for a lifetime. After 40-

plus years of laborious work, many retire. This is the problem that facilities management is currently facing. It’s difficult to replace those that have found passion in work that, most of the time, goes unnoticed.

“A guy that we have contracted out in this company we use - this is the last job that he will do,” Hughes said. “He will retire as soon as he’s done. He’s been in the business for 50 years. He’s worked for the university for 15 years, so he’s trying to finish up his last job.”

Luckily, the hands that help OBU function are loyal and dedicated and appreciated by the masses. While you hope someone in this role gets thanked for their contribution, you also hope that they enjoy their work. When OBU’s maintenance men pull up the gravel lot in the morning, they don’t need to be motivated to do a job well done.

They find value in their day-to-day.

“The university treats them well, but they like what they do,” Hughes added, “They really do.

The people that are here now, most of them have been here for a while.

I’ve been here 18 years but most of them have been here much longer.

They like being here. They stay here. It’s not hard to motivate and keep them going. They love making sure that you’re comfortable and that you have nothing to worry about while you’re going to school here. That’s what we want to do.”

They live a life of service behind the scenes, and they choose Ouachita every day. Not because they have to but because they want to. The maintenance trucks are driven with pride, and their grey uniforms are put on with purpose.

And most importantly, students’ attitudes are fixed just like the leaky faucet. Facilities management is not only the backbone of Ouachita’s campus, but they’re also the heart as they look to serve others with no reward in sight.

NEWS

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Missions teams go to Honduras and Nicaragua

BY CAMRYN MANNING Staff Writer

Over spring break, two teams left OBU for missions work in Central America. One team, sponsored by Dr. Jack’s coffeehouse, traveled to Honduras with a house-building project in a rural community.

A medical missions team traveled to Nicaragua to hold clinics in the region. Both teams had the same goal: to share the love of Christ with those around them in the communities.

The Dr. Jack’s team worked in the rural village of Suntular, Honduras. They nearly completed construction of two cinder-block concrete houses and gave the houses to residents that displayed the most need. The team worked with La Misión Bautista Dental de Honduras (The Honduras Baptist Dental Mission) in the area.

The Honduras team was led by senior Heather Brown who joined in August 2022. “When I heard about the potential to go to Honduras for a mission trip, I knew that this was the role I wanted to play in relaunching Dr. Jack’s,” Brown said. “Shortly after the first meeting, I became the philanthropy lead

for this trip.”

Junior Joey Whisenhunt was another Dr. Jack’s team member in Honduras. “Johan Eriksson is the director of the entrepreneurship program here at OBU, and he’s been wanting to do this ever since he got here,” Whisenhunt said. “I did a Bible study with him, and I’m also a project lead for Dr. Jack’s, so I had known about the trip for some time. I officially decided to go last semester.”

The team had great opportunities to share the message of Christ.

“Different groups would go door to door to invite people within the community to our church services held every night,” Brown said.

“At each house, we would ask for prayer requests and pray for them.

Our translators would then repeat our prayer in Spanish, and it was just such a great experience.”

The team didn’t just build houses; they built relationships. “The lesson I learned was that even though there’s a language barrier, God still works through a simple wave or smile,” Brown said. “It’s the little things. When we would pass people on the streets or see them at our service, we could smile and give them a wave, and they

The Ouachita Baptist University Dr. Jack’s team take a group photo during their trip to Honduras over Spring Break. The group worked with La Misión Bautista Dental de Honduras in Suntular, Honduras during their trip. (photo by John Ward)

would instantly light up.”

The Nicaragua team worked with Open Hearts Ministries to hold medical clinics in local churches.

“This was my second time on the trip,” Junior Mikayla Long said.

“We had a triage station where we took weight and vitals, a counseling station where we shared our testimonies and told them the gospel, a station where they saw the doctor and students scribed for the doctors and a pharmacy station where we delivered the medicine and told them how to take them.”

The clinics provided a medium for evangelism and connection with fellow believers in Nicaragua.

“Even through our medical work, we were able to share the gospel,” Junior Emma McCorkle said. “The number one takeaway I had from this trip was the joy and contentment in Jesus the people of Nicaragua show while still having so little in comparison to our culture. It was such an encouragement to experience that pure joy and hope.

The group had many opportunities to share the love of Jesus including fiestas at two different schools, door-to-door evangelism and counseling sessions with the clinic patients. “​​ On the trip, we were equipped to share our testimony to lead people to Christ,”

Junior Karlee Sutterfield said.

“God uniquely uses every person’s testimony if we simply share how he has changed our lives. I loved getting to do something I am so passionate about with some of my closest friends. It was so cool to see God work inside our group just as much as he worked in the hearts of the Nicaraguan people.”

Great lessons were learned and relationships made. “It was so inspirational seeing God’s joy and hospitality in these people,” Long said. “I learned that God’s love crosses any barriers and can be understood by all, even if you don’t speak the same language.”

Pruet School hosts “Keeping Faith” conference

BY JACIE SELLARS Staff Writer

The Pruet School of Christian Studies hosted “Keeping Faith,” a conference focused on recognizing and responding to child maltreatment, on March 28-29. “Keeping Faith” was held at Walker Conference Center and presented by Victor Veith, chief program officer of the Zero Abuse Project and founder of the National Child Protection Center. The conference will continue into April, which is Child Abuse Awareness Month and Sex-

ual Assault Awareness Month.

According to Title IX Coordinator Christa Neal, the ultimate goal of “Keeping Faith” was to raise awareness about abuse in faith communities.

“Many times, faith communities and churches respond poorly to child abuse because they don’t know what to do,” Neal said.

“They don’t understand it, or they don’t want to believe that these terrible things can happen. I think that having these training sessions and discussions will help that stigma and disbelief go away.”

Throughout the conference, attendees learned about child maltreatment in a Christian context.

Veith has experience in teaching about abuse, creating programs and working on public policy issues with child protection. The conference sessions included a general overview of physical and sexual abuse and a discussion of the spiritual trauma abuse can cause. The second day of the conference included an interactive presentation where attendees looked at case studies and practiced responding to a mock crisis.

Dean of Christian Studies Jeremy Greer said “Keeping Faith” broadened his perspective on child maltreatment. “This conference opened my eyes to evil that I wish did not exist, but now I am aware that it does,” Greer said.

Attendees included representatives from the Arkansas Baptist Association, children’s advocacy workers, pastors and church volunteers. It was also open to Ouachita students, faculty and staff. Neal believes that equipping students is especially important. “The students attending will go on to be

ministers, teachers, physicians and counselors,” Neal said. “They will develop a better understanding of child abuse dynamics, how to prevent it and respond to it, and that will be helpful in their future careers.”

“Keeping Faith” raised awareness to empower faith communities and child advocacy workers.

“The goal of the conference is to encourage people to have more open, honest and vulnerable discussions,” Neal said. “Hopefully, education, training and awareness will change the narrative.”

NEWS

WWW.OBUSIGNAL.COM | PAGE 5

OBU student releases song

BY KATE ELLIS Staff Writer

Boston Morris (left) and Kendel Givens (right) serve the Arkadelphia community by raking leaves. During Tiger Serve Day, over six hundred students participated in various projects to give back to the community that they call home. (photo by Levi Dade)

TSD 2023 a success

BY MATTHEW CHEATHAM Staff Writer

The day after a series of severe tornadoes caused extensive damage through seven midwest and southern states, 613 students, faculty and staff volunteered in the biannual Tiger Serve Day. Being an important part of Ouachita’s culture since its beginning in the spring of 1997, TSD sees OBU students, staff and faculty serve the community of Arkadelphia. This semester’s theme was titled, “Love God, Love Others.”

In total, over 100,000 hours of service in the community have come from TSD. This semester, 79 projects were visited and 80 teams set out to help seniors adults, schools and nonprofits around Arkadelphia and surrounding areas.

Each project lasted until noon, averaging three hours of service per team. Each team consisted of six to ten people, with the amount of teams dependent on the number of requests that the community had.

Isabella Bejarano, a junior elementary education major, was integral to the organization of Tiger Serve Day, serving as its project chair, and knows how unique it is.

“I had never been a part of a school or university that all gets together to serve their community on a specific day, and it is so special that we get to do this,” Bejarano said. “I just think it creates such a special connection to our community and allows us to escape the ‘Ouachita bubble’ in a way that impacts lives. I also think it’s so impactful that on the eve of Tiger Serve Day, we had a tornado warning because the first Tiger Serve Day in 1997 started as a response to a tornado that really affected the community. We hope that the spirit of responding to the needs of others with the love of God, focusing on both their physical and relational needs.”

This year, 613 students, faculty and staff divided up into 80 teams to serve the community in various forms of projects. The largest project was a senior adult’s house, where many members of the football team weedeated, mowed, raked, took down a treehouse, built a greenhouse, trimmed shrubs and hauled off various items.

Nonprofits that TSD was able to serve included The Plaza at Twin Rivers, Percy and Donna Malone Child Safety Center and Lighthouse Ministries, each play-

ing an important role in the community in various aspects. The Plaza provides assisted living with 24/7 care; the Percy and Donna Malone Child Safety Center provides a wide range of free services for child abuse victims, and Lighthouse Ministries serves as a food distribution center and thrift store.

The 2022-2023 Tiger Serve Day Leadership Team consists of Cabb Batson, Kelsey Bester, Bella Blankenship, Emma Bynum, Coleman Callan, Isabella Bejarano, Mallorie Carozza, Mika Celicourt, Isaac Crow, Levi Dade, Andrew Ellis, Kris Garcia, Valeria Gomez, Allie Graves, Kassidy Gray, Wes Guerra, Wyatt House, Seth Hunter, Conner Jacobs, Colson McKinney, Jill Parsons, Hannah Rossell, Noah Sanders, JD Scott, Julia Shands, Kallen Smith, Alyssa Strauss, William White and Wade Wilson. It is headed by Elrod Center director Judy Duvall and associate director Leigh Anne McKinney.

Tiger Serve Day allowed students, staff and faculty to make a difference and actively serve in broad-scale projects within the community. It acted as a reminder for Ouachita’s campus to have a servant’s heart and to “Love God, Love Others.”

Ouachita is known statewide for producing talented, driven students, and junior singer-songwriter Caroline Smallwood is a shining example. Since her explosion on social media and opportunity at American Idol last fall, Smallwood’s time in the limelight has done anything but dim, as she has continued to gain traction in the music industry and reach exciting milestones for her career. During what seemed like a musical hiatus to the public eye, she was quietly at work writing, recording and producing her new song, “Little Blue House,” which was released on March 24.

“I wrote the song about a year ago while driving home for spring break,” Smallwood said. “There was a little blue house on 271 where I lived, and I had always told my friends that I was going to buy it one day. Eventually, I realized that it wasn’t there anymore and found out later that it had been torn down. This was during a time in my life where I had a lot of change going on, so that moment inspired me to record a clip on my voice memo app. When I got home, I started working, and it only took about an hour to write.”

Partly due to her booming presence on TikTok, but mostly due to her remarkable talent, many doors have opened for Smallwood’s music career. She was able to meet with singer-songwriter Cas Haley, and with his help, began recording “Little Blue House” in January.

The recording process consisted of three studio sessions that lasted over the span of three days. The song was celebrated with a re-

lease party at Buffalo Joe’s, a local restaurant where the Paris, Texas native has performed many shows.

Smallwood was extremely candid about recording professionally and receiving feedback from listeners for the first time.

“This song is so personal and intimate, which made it kind of intimidating to release to everyone,” Smallwood said. “I’m so proud of it, and so far, people have received it well. I really want to do an album and record more this summer.

I think that since this was my first song, I took it too seriously and focused too much on individual notes as opposed to the emotion of the song, which is ultimately what music is all about. I had told myself that even if nothing comes from this process but a push to take my music more seriously, then it was a success. So much happened in such a short span of time, and it was cool to see that I’m capable of doing something like this.”

Smallwood has exciting times ahead and is very deserving of the recognition and success coming her way. “Little Blue House” can be streamed on all platforms and updates on new music can be found on Instagram and TikTok @ carolinesmallwoodmusic.

ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT PAGE 6 | WWW.OBUSIGNAL.COM

John Wick returns The Signal Sleuth Crossword to movie screens Complete the puzzle using clues found in this week’s edition of the Signal!

BY WYATT ASHLOCK Guest Writer

In 2012, a retired hitman, known as the Baba Yaga, saw his puppy murdered in front of him, and this brought him out of retirement back into the limelight of the life he left behind. John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is excommunicado from The High Table, hiding in the underground of New York with the Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne). With an ever-increasing bounty on his head, Mr. Wick must go against The High Table by reaching out to old allies. The High Table has sent Marquis Vincent de Gramont (Bill Skarsgård) to do whatever it takes to stop Mr. Wick, including placing a multimillion-dollar bounty on his head. Mr. Wick challenges the Marquis to a duel, a form of settling things in the way of The High Table, to take place at sunrise the next morning in front of Sacré-Coeur. The Marquis raises the bounty, sending every hitman in Europe after Mr. Wick. With 12 hours till sunrise, Mr. Wick must survive and make it to Sacré-Coeur or forfeit his life to The High Table.

The saga’s director, Chad Stahelski, has raised the bar in every installment to the “John Wick” franchise, and “John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)” is no exception. Stahelski creates an action-packed film with epic fight scenes, including many one-shot fight scenes. He uses the landmarks in France, including the stairs of Sacré-Coeur and the Arc de Triomphe, to masterfully choreograph fight scenes in a way that creates an intense rollercoaster of a movie.

Something unique that Stahelski does with this film is that he matches the style of the film to the style of the fight scene, from action to Japanese-style to western, creating a masterpiece. A fascinating thing

that the “John Wick” franchise has done is being inclusive such as writing a character to be mute in “John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017)” who communicates only using sign language and writing a visually impaired character for “John Wick: Chapter 4.”

Reeves has portrayed the Baba Yaga since 2012, doing a fantastic job at portraying his character and even doing most of his stunts to bring a deeper sense of realism to the role, which is impressive as Reeves is 58 years old. He does a great job portraying a man who has lost everything, trying to find himself in an unforgiving world.

Some of the stand-out actors in this film include the late Lance Reddick (Charon), the concierge and Ian McShane (Winston), the manager, who have both been a part of the franchise since the beginning. They are some of the best parts of the franchise. Donnie Yen (Caine) and Shamier Anderson (Mr. Nobody) both make their John Wick debut in the new installment.

Yen and Anderson help elevate the acting in the film to a new level, yet to be seen in the “John Wick” universe.

It is rare to see a series survive the third film curse, but John Wick’s third film was better than both the first and second movies, which left many fans, including me, worried about if chapter 4 could live up to the expectations. After seeing the film, it did not only live up to the hype but exceeded the hype in every way possible. From beginning to end, “John Wick: Chapter 4” brought the Wick world to a new level. I am very excited to see where the “John Wick” universe is going next. I loved every second of it. I highly recommend people to go see “John Wick: Chapter 4”, exclusively in theaters, earning it a 5 out of 5 tiger paws.

Down: 1. Artist who is currently on tour featured in this week’s edition (no spaces) 2. Crew featured in our cover story 3. Country where an OBU mission team held medical clinics 4. Famous ongoing basketball tournament Across: 5. Name of the event that happened Saturday, April 1 (no spaces) 6. Last name of the OBU student featured in this edition with a recent song release 7. Women’s sport covered in this edition 8. Keeping the _____ Conference 9. Country where an OBU missions team built two houses

OPINIONS A letter for the struggling senior WWW.OBUSIGNAL.COM | PAGE 7

BY KATIE BAYER Staff Writer Dear You, Four years sure go by in a hurry, don’t they? Spring break has come and gone, and now the race to graduation begins. By now, you are probably wringing your hands with nerves and are feeling all kinds of emotions that come with being a “senti senior.” Believe me, I’m right there with you. This final semester has brought much to our attention about our lives ahead and can cause all kinds of fear.

For many, finding a job may have been harder than anticipated.

The working world is competitive, which means more applications,

phone calls and rejections than you might like. You may also be struggling to decide what to do with the rest of your life, which can make job hunting no easier.

Finding a place to live comes with its own set of challenges and trials. As young adults, we are finally beginning to truly understand and appreciate how expensive the cost of living can get. There are countless variables to consider.

Do I find an apartment of my own, or stay with my parents until I’ve amassed more funds? What area or state do I want to live in? Will I be close enough to work and family?

But before all of this, you must acknowledge the elephant in the room with the rest of your peers.

The looming graduation date less

than a month away. For some, this brings nothing but excitement and joy. Others may feel the opposite, and more still may be feeling a flurry of emotions stir inside as they try to soak up every last moment they can.

For struggling seniors, the last month of college is brutal. We’re scrambling to finish projects, make good grades and fulfill what arts engagement credits we have yet to complete. But for Ouachita seniors, one of the worst things of all is watching the clock count down until we are no longer students together. We had no idea what a blessing this campus was going to be on our lives, and now it seems like we have to say goodbye all too soon. We will finally come to

know what it’s like to live outside of the innermost Ouachita Bubble.

As alumni, we won’t get to engage with much of the amazing Tiger culture that comes after school hours. We will slowly drift farther and farther apart and away from it all. Not getting to experience this special group of people as we once did can feel overwhelmingly sad.

In stressful times like these, take a few moments to look away from where you’re going, and instead look back at where you’ve been.

Senior year is not the only time you’ve struggled, and it won’t be the last, either. Our lives are full of struggles and unknowns, but that’s OK. These things are a part of what makes life so wonderful and worthwhile. Our struggles

help us to grow and overcome, to rise above and achieve that which seemed so impossible before.

Freshman You would be proud of where you are today. And four more years from now, Struggling Senior You will be even prouder of all the awe-inspiring things you are sure to do.

Being a senior is hard work, but you’re almost there! It’s OK to feel nervous, and it’s OK to be scared.

Maybe when we’re old and gray, we will look back on all the risks we took, all the friends we made, all the fears we faced, and realize, at last, that life is worth every struggle.

Congratulations, Katie (another struggling senior)

Swift on Tour: Are you ready for it?

BY EMILEE WEBB News Editor

Taylor Swift, an artist who just hit the top of the charts with her latest album release, “Midnights,” is currently in the middle of her newest tour, entitled “The Eras Tour.”

The idea of this tour is to take fans through all of her eras, encompassing a seventeen-year music career and ten unique albums. The setlist holds an astronomical 44 songs, and the show lasts around three hours. Fans are met with incredible vocals, stunning visuals and a fun atmosphere. The tour began March 17 in Glendale, Arizona and will end Aug. 9 in Inglewood, California.

This tour is Swift’s first since her 2018 “Reputation Stadium Tour,” as her previously announced 2020 tour, “Lover Fest,” was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Since her last tour, she has released four albums, and fans have been clamoring to see her take the stage and perform live once more. When “The Eras Tour” was announced, fans rushed to Ticketmaster to purchase tickets, and 3.5 million people registered for the presale.

After a chaotic release day, full of glitches and raised prices, many fans were left disappointed with Ticketmaster and left empty-handed after waiting in a virtual queue for hours. However, the 2.5 million fans that were able to snag tickets on release day have waited in anticipation ever since to see Swift perform.

Personally, this was my first time seeing Taylor Swift perform live, though I have been a fan since I was in elementary school. Multiple people encouraged me to attend, saying that her concerts are some of the best in the business.

I can honestly say that the concert lived up to the hype. I attended The Eras Tour on March 31 in Arlington, Texas, and I was blown away by the show. Swift sang for three continuous hours with very short breaks and incorporated all ten of her eras into one cohesive setlist.

There was something for every fan, young or old, new or seasoned.

The visuals were breathtaking, with some of the memorable ones being a full forest scene for the “evermore” album portion of the show, a woodsy, moss-covered cottage for the “folklore” section, a sparkly, country vibe for the “Fearless” section and even a giant chess-board during the “Midnights” portion. Although these sections may not seem like they fit together, Swift has created a show that incorporates all of the details and moments from her music career. Fans are to remain dazzled

and constantly entertained with a near theatrical production.

Although I had not seen Swift live before this weekend, I can confidently say that this tour is her best. The talent that is displayed each night by the supporting vocalists, dancers, band and Swift herself is incomparable. In addition, the whole night just made for an atmosphere of fun. The twelvetime Grammy-award-winning artist looked like she was having the time of her life onstage during every song. The audience went right along with her, traveling through the eras in style and singing along every step of the way. Fans from across the country gathered together to celebrate, and there was a sense of camraderie within the walls of the stadium. I would encourage you to snag a ticket to The Eras Tour if you can; it will be a night you will not forget.

SPORTS

PAGE 8 | WWW.OBUSIGNAL.COM

Softball team reflects on tough season

BY ALFONSO GONZALEZ GOMEZ Staff Writer

As of April 1, the Ouachita women’s softball team holds a 4-15 conference record, and they sit at 11th place in the Great American Conference standings. Losses against Henderson State and East Central have been down points for the team. However, wins against Arkansas Tech and Southwestern Oklahoma State have kept conference tournament hopes alive for the Tigers.

According to Coach Derrick Grimes, head softball coach since 2021, the season hasn’t been great, and the team is yet to play to their maximum capabilities. “We aren’t meeting the expectations we had as a team; we’re still striving to get better, and we’re still trying to work harder at it,” Grimes said.

Senior Lacy Ornelas, a regular starter on the team, is aware of the reality of the team’s situation.

“I think everyone can agree that this has been a tough season so far,” Ornelas said. “We have had a lot of games where we have played well but just come up short of the win.”

Despite the results, Grimes noted that the team has talent; he believes the girls have the ability to win. “There are always defensive plays, great hits, or strike outs from our pitchers that we can look at positively,” Ornelas added.

Additionally, off the field energy has been a highlight for the softball team this year. Fifth year senior Callie Jourdan said, “We have great friendships, and we trust one another out on the field. Our team chemistry is outstanding.” Even Grimes noted that the team’s camaraderie has improved since last season and become a high spot throughout the year.

Heading into the last stretch of the season the team’s main focus of change is on their mentality.

“We are in our heads, so our men-

Sophmore infielder Jessalyn Ahrens swings her bat for a loss against Central Missouri on Feb. 18. OBU’s softball team has struggled to secure wins and is ranked 11th in the Great American Conference with a 10-27 record. (photo by Levi Dade)

tality needs to change. Because of our standings, we are beating ourselves,” Jourdan said.

Grimes explains that self belief is important and the only way to get results in what may be consid-

ered the team’s hardest fixture of games. Both players and coaches recognize the group’s quality, but its losses have come at moments when not all areas are working at the same time. “We have to figure

out how to make plays at crucial times,” Ornelas said.

In conclusion, the softball team is hungry to make up for their losses and turn around a so far disappointing season.

their composure as the Miami Hurricane and UConn Huskies took the court for the night cap in Space City.

The second game was much more anticlimactic. Riding an early run by the Huskies, forward Adama Sanogo’s 21 points were enough to lift UConn over the Hurricanes 7259 despite Miami’s attempts to get back into the game.

“It means a lot to us,” Sanogo said. “It means everything we work for. The work has paid off, and still going and keep working and be able to go Monday night,” Sanogo said about the opportunity to play for a title.

The Huskies were too much for San Diego State in the final game, as scoring struggles caused the downfall of the veteran team.

The 16-seeded Farleigh-Dickinson Knights beat 1-seeded Purdue in the first round of the tournament, making it the biggest statistical upset of all time. (photo by AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

March Madness caps off with Final Four in Houston

BY ISAAC BOURNE Sports Editor

The road ends here. The mantra repeated multiple times across Houston as the Florida Atlantic, San Diego State, UConn and Miami basketball teams walked into NRG Stadium to play in front of 72,000 fans, hoping to bring home a division one national title.

First game up, the SDSU Aztecs took on the FAU Owls in a battle of the mid-majors, the first since 2011. In a hard-fought contest that saw the Owls take a 14-point lead at one point, the game went down to one 30-second time period.

After a mid-range jumper by the Aztec forward Jaedon Ledee, FAU’s Johnell Davis took the ball into the paint and missed after

excellent defense from SDSU’s forward Aguek Arop. With no timeouts left, junior guard Lamont Butler took the outlet pass, and after six dribbles down the court, retreated back before attacking the basket and pulling up in the midrange to sink the shot that would cement his legacy into Final Four history, giving the Aztecs a 72-71 win in dramatic fashion.

“It was about seven seconds after we got the ball, and he told me to go downhill, get something at the rim,” Butler said.“They did a good job cutting me off. Once I looked up, it was two seconds left, I knew I had to make a shot. I got to a shot I’m comfortable with. Went to a pull-up; glad it went in.”

Following such a harrowing moment, it was hard for fans to keep