Admissions team hosts Yard Sign Blitz for new class

BY KATE ELLIS Staff Writer

in Finance,” Callan said. “Austin’s wife, Ashton, is also a 2008 Ouachita graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education and Teaching. Soon after graduating, Austin and Ashton got married. Then, they moved to California, and this is where they got their vision for Tacos 4 Life. Together, Austin and Ashton have four boys and many animals, including a pet donkey named Taco.”

Talks of Tacos 4 Life coming to Ouachita are not exclusively recent. In fact, the idea was first considered five years ago, but 2023 ended up being the perfect moment to finalize a warm Ouachita welcome to the company.

“Ouachita, Sodexo and Tacos 4 Life met five years ago regarding the idea of putting the restaurant into the Evans Student Center. During the original meetings, it was determined that it was not the right time to put the concept into Evans Student Center,” Callan said. “Within the last year, we revisited the idea of putting Tacos 4 Life into Evans Student Center, replacing the Sandella’s concept for a revitalized and refreshed look. We felt like this was the correct change for the campus at this time.”

Since the announcement of Tacos 4 Life making its way to Arkadel- phia, students have provided feedback in the form of conversations happening around campus and on social media platforms. Ouachita sophomore Madison Gray is embracing the exciting change.

“Change is always good, and after a while, having the same options to eat can get old. While the options that we have to choose from suit many taste buds, adding a Tacos 4 Life will be a good change to campus,” Gray said. “This gives students a variety of things to eat on campus, as well as giving back meals to those in need.”

Students are also thrilled about the full-circle moment the company is providing by showcasing alumni success in the center of campus. Ouachita junior Caroline Smallwood is looking forward to supporting Ouachita alumni.

“I think it’s long overdue, especially since the chain was created by Ouachita alumni,” Smallwood said. “When I first heard the news, I couldn’t wait. It supports Ouachita alumni and also gives the students something they love.”

Tacos 4 Life will greet Ouachita students before they know it and will provide a remarkable opportunity for all students to give back, support alumni and munch on some yummy tacos.

The pandemic changed a number of things on campus, but in May of 2020, Ouachita’s admissions staff refused to let the Yard Sign Blitz tradition become history. Prior to the pandemic, Ouachita yard signs were passed out to incoming students at Early Registration in the spring, but when this event was done virtually in 2020, Ouachita staff members hit the road and hand-delivered the signs to the houses of each incoming student.

Senior admissions counselor and one of the brains behind Yard Sign Blitz, Dillon Thomas, explains how admissions has kept this beloved tradition alive.

“Since we got a great reception from both incoming and current students, we knew that we wanted to continue this tradition,” Thomas said. “Now, we have tons of current students helping out. The atmosphere on campus is one that is very welcoming and where students put others first. Students are willing to sacrifice their time in order to welcome others to the Ouachita family.”

This tradition has allowed many staff and faculty members to connect with future students outside of Ouachita’s campus, which creates a special sense of community for these prospective students before they even begin their time as a tiger. Thomas reflects on his favorite memory from passing out signs.

“My favorite memory is when I surprised a student with the yard sign at their job at Whataburger,” Thomas said. “We normally place the signs directly in the yard, but a mom made this special request. I met her in the parking lot, and the mom was able to get her student outside where I was waiting to surprise her with the sign. She was so thankful and astounded.”

Yard Sign Blitz encompasses many of Ouachita’s best qualities, including an emphasis on student and staff relationships and the feeling of intertwined community. For many of the incoming freshmen, this is their first interaction with current students, staff members and what life is like at Ouachita.

“In my opinion, the Yard Sign Blitz is the official welcome by current students to those who will be starting in the fall,” Thomas said. “Notes are written on the back of the yard signs, telling the incoming freshmen how excited we are for them to be a Ouachita Tiger and how they will enjoy being a part of the Ouachita family. They cannot believe that we would spend time driving to their house to deliver a yard sign, and they are so appreciative. These future tigers are reminded of what drew them to Ouachita in the first place – that this university is a special place that intentionally connects with anyone who steps foot on campus.”

On May 16, many of Ouachita’s students will be making the journey back to their hometown, but this time, they will have a yard sign in hand to deliver to a future tiger. Yard Sign Blitz is not only a fantastic way to ease prospective students into their transition to college, but it is also proof that Ouachita’s influence extends far beyond the physical campus.