Volume 133, Issue 2: September 18, 2024 by OBU Signal

SIGNAL

Tiger Tunes: An essential Ouachita tradition

BY MADELYN TULLOS Staff Writer

Calling the Hogs. Horns down. The 12th Man. The Grove. Rocky Top. Each phrase carries meaning, just not to everyone. The college experience fits no single stereotype. The field of study changes the contents of one’s to-do list for the week. The graduation year affects the building each student calls home. The location of the school influences the culture of the student body as a whole. Every college has its football. Every college has its school pride. Every college has its tradition. Ouachita bleeds purple and gold. Ouachita guards the Tiger. Every college has its own special thing, but not every school has Tiger Tunes.

“It’s like a little bit of glee in six minutes,”

“We’re excited to get onstage and look foolish in our costumes, but own it,” and “May the best man win; we’re really just hoping to secure second place.”

When described to a stranger un affiliated with Ouachita, the contents of this conversation would remain a mystery. When these Brooks Bell quotes are taken out of context, this individual would be left with many questions unanswered, but anyone on Ouachita’s campus would enter this conversation with much passion no doubt. His words are an immediate indicator of the popular topic to anyone in the Ouachita bubble. The atmosphere of Arkadelphia is affected in the middle of October. The small town seemingly grows smaller because of the connected-

ness of a people coming together for one specific reason. The population density grows for the weekend and not only does Cliff Harris Stadium bleed purple and gold, but JPAC becomes standing room only.

Jillian Covington, this year’s student director of Tiger Tunes and events chair for OSF, has a heart for Tunes, like many others on campus.

“Tiger Tunes is a student-led fundraiser put on by the Ouachita Student Foundation to raise money for student scholarships,” Covington said. “It is a long running tradition at OBU where clubs and organizations around campus come up with themed shows and turn popular, catchy songs into their own.”

OSF is not the only group at work during this busy season in order to raise money and keep students on campus. Tiger Tunes hosts and hostesses have already begun their preparation for show week, spending countless hours practicing their choreography and musical numbers. Haley Shourd, senior communications major, is back for her second year as a hostess, this time as the director.

“A host position puts you on a leadership pedestal as an unspoken leader of Tunes throughout the season,” Shourd said.

Since Aug. 23, she has met with the other seven hosts for practices, a vocal retreat and a choreography retreat to learn the show for this year’s performance. The remainder of Tunes season will be cleaning and perfecting all that they have learned. This Tunes will be the first year as a host for Bradey

Ussery, junior Christian studies major. He spoke of the importance of such a role.

“Being a host comes with the expectation of doing it well,” Ussery said. “Being a host is crucial for prospective students as we represent Tiger Tunes and our school well.”

Tunes is a showcase of Ouachita’s personality. It welcomes a little friendly competition which some take more seriously than others according to the The Men of Beta Beta Tiger Tunes director,

Ouachita nears enrollment record with 1,858 students

BY SAM BENNETT Staff Writer

Ouachita is celebrating a significant achievement this fall, with an enrollment of 1,858, the highest in almost six decades. The number is a positive sign for campus, especially in light of challenges faced by many small private institutions across the country.

“The enrollment record is a huge deal for Ouachita,” Admissions Counselor Will Wallace said. “We strive to grow every year, so another year with record enrollment is a great thing.”

Wallace also emphasized how fortunate the university has been in comparison to other small schools that have struggled with declining numbers in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“A lot of small private universities have not been as fortunate with enrollment in the past few years since COVID,” Wallace said. “A lot have seen their numbers decrease and many have even had to close their doors, so for us to have increased enrollment in the past

few years is a big deal for a school like ours.”

Wallace credited much of Ouachita’s enrollment success to its people and the community they have fostered.

“I think the people at Ouachita are one of the main reasons why our enrollment has been booming.

Our Communications and Marketing staff has also done a fantastic job advertising and getting the word out to prospective students about Ouachita. Our Admissions staff has done a great job going out on the road recruiting students, walking them through the admissions process, and ultimately helping them decide on Ouachita. Our faculty and staff have done a wonderful job making the Ouachita experience special, which helps students stay at OBU and keep our retention rate so high,” he said.

Wallace expressed confidence in the university’s ability to continue its upward trajectory, even as demographic trends in Arkansas predict a declining graduation rate throughout the natural state in the coming years.

Madi Darr, Ouachita’s admis-

sions counselor for the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, echoed the excitement over the Fall 2024 numbers, pointing out the challenges faced by private Christian universities.

“This is so important because we are a private Christian university, and statistically, enrollment tends to be lower for those types of universities, especially after the pandemic in 2020,” she said.

Darr emphasized the close-knit community as a major draw for students.

“We pride ourselves on communication with prospective students to make them feel the most wanted by Ouachita because we genuinely do want them,” Darr said. “No one is a number at Ouachita, they are a person and are truly loved by their peers, faculty and staff. That is the main reason people want to come to Ouachita, and it makes our enrollment grow.”

With a record-breaking 1,858 students, Ouachita continues to grow and thrive, maintaining its status as a welcoming, Christcentered environment for students, both new and returning.

Brooks Bell. “Tiger Tunes is full of singing and dancing but at the heart, Tiger Tunes is about keeping our friends here at Ouachita,” Bell said.

Defining Tiger Tunes is not an easy feat. It is truly an experience that cannot be put into words and is only understood by those who attend Ouachita and participate in this busy season of life. It is a rich tradition that has been beloved for decades and will continue to be for many to come.

Sept. 5 marked the first football

game of the season. Ouachita loves cheering on their Tigers during the game, but the announcement at half time had many on the edge of their seats. The time left in the second quarter became a countdown for the Tiger Tunes Reveal. With penguins, flamingos and babies, it’s going to be a wild ride. Might as well pop the corn because show week is going to be a circus. To predict the themes for this year would have been an impossible mission, so how’s that for Tiger Tunes 2024?

Department of Education takes flight for teaching conference in Atlanta

BY KADE LOOMIS Staff Writer

Twelve senior education majors attended the Ron Clark Academy New Teacher Training in Atlanta from Sept. 12-13. Rachel Pool, Dean of Education, explained what took place at the conference.

“Our students were able to learn about effective pedagogy and classroom management, as well as how to talk to parents and students,” Pool said.

To attend the conference, paid for by the Riley Grey-Pool Endowment, a Ouachita student must be a senior in the education practicum, have already completed a majority of their coursework and be set to start student teaching. Once the students return, they then can look forward to applying what they learned to their student teaching, which will begin the next semester.

The main speaker, Ron Clark, is nationally recognized as one of the best teachers in the country, having won Disney’s “American Teacher of the Year,” made an appearance on “Oprah” and written a

New York Times Bestseller book, “Essential 55.” Clark embodies a Harry Potter-esque approach to his teaching style, using the house system much like the series. Many schools around the country know the Ron Clark name, and some have even adopted his philosophy and started using the house system, like McElwain Elementary School in Texas, which now has six houses that all staff and students are a part of.

Because of Clark’s prominence in the education field, the conference was an incredible opportunity to learn from such a knowledgeable professional and will serve the students far into their careers.

Students also got to improve their network on the trip. Instructors from around the country were in attendance, ready to answer questions, discuss topics related to the education field and engage with OBU students.

The School of Education is working to make this a yearly trip.

“At the end of the day the goal is for these students to teach like a master teacher,” Pool said. “That’s exactly what Jesus did.”

The Women of Gamma Phi celebrate as their theme, ‘Sailors’ is announced during the Tiger Tunes theme reveal video. Tiger Tunes will take place from Oct. 9-12 in Jones Performing Arts Center and feature five shows available to the public (photo by Meghann Bledsoe.)

BY CAMRYN STROUPE Opinions Editor

Arkansas Highway 51 and US-67, known as Pine Street and 10th Street in Arkadelphia, are undergoing major changes in the coming years. The City of Arkadelphia, in partnership with Clark County, the Arkadelphia Regional Economic Development Alliance, Economic Development Corporation of Clark County and the Arkansas Department of Transportation, has broken ground on the Arkadelphia Bypass Project and Pine Street Widening Project, which will include Pine Street improvements and a bypass connecting AR-67 to I-30 south of the city. These projects have included the recent closure of a portion of Walnut Street beside Second Baptist Church and the drainage and utility work along Pine Street/AR-51.

The goal of the bypass is to help with downtown traffic from heavier vehicles, specifically logging trucks. Arkadelphia Mayor Scott Byrd spoke about the importance of this issue.

“Timber is a big industry in this area, along with education,” Byrd said. “When log trucks come from either direction to go south on Highway 67, they have to come from Pine Street and turn by the Tiger Mart, come to 10th Street and Caddo and turn left and turn again at 6th Street by Laster’s Furniture. There’s tons of issues with that with cars having to back up and make room. One of the biggest things we’re trying to solve is to get the log truck traffic out of downtown, out of our main thoroughfare.”

Traffic that is merely passing through the city, such as the

heavier trucks, will be able to continue south on an extended 10th Street/US-67 without turning onto Caddo St and heading into downtown. City Manager

Gary Brinkley has worked extensively on planning the project.

“The 10th Street extension will start about where the Captain Henderson House is and be expanded to three lanes,” Brinkley said. “It will go from there all the way to the new bypass south of town.”

This route will cut through several properties, including the previous location of KFC, and reconnect with the current US-67 with the bypass around Walnut Street. This project is projected to cost about $80 million, but Arkadelphia has received a significant amount of funding from ARDOT, Clark County and the Economic Development Corporation of Clark County (EDCCC). Land has also been donated from Henderson

State University and Ouachita Baptist University to help with the project along 10th Street and Pine Street.

The Pine Street Widening Project will improve drainage and utilities along the roadway, and will widen the road from two lanes to add a dedicated left-turn lane and improve curb, sidewalks and gutters from its 10th Street intersection to the intersection at 26th Street where the road has already been widened to five lanes (one of these being a dedicated left-turn lane). Brinkley explained how all of this work is connected to the project.

“It’s a holistic system because Pine will be widened and cleaned up with three fresh lanes, and then you’ll have sidewalks all the way down,” Brinkley said. “It’s going to be a really difficult and ugly project for the next two and a half years.”

The Pine Street project has a projected cost of $7.6 million,

but the quality of the street is expected to greatly improve between Ouachita and 26th Street.

“Over the next few years, we should expect a lot of orange barrels,” Brinkley said. “Once it’s done, it’ll have a wider space, be better for pedestrians and we’ll have that big curve opened up.”

These projects will be a waiting game, but they will be worth it for those who will be driving in Arkadelphia the next few years.

“It’ll be what it should’ve been from the start,” Brinkley said. “There will be inconveniences, but two and a half years from now, we will go, ‘gosh, we should’ve done this 25 years ago.’”

The main thing that the city government is asking from the people is patience.

“It’s probably going to get worse before it gets better,” Byrd said. “These are growing pains, but it’s going to be so

much better.”

Byrd and Brinkley both spoke of the importance of those who have helped the projects get to this point.

“Troy Tucker, Shelley Short at the EDC Alliance, Dr. Ben Sells, Dr. Wesley Kluck, Dr. Lewis Shepherd and Bill Wright have all helped tremendously with this,” Byrd said. “Robert Moore on the State Highway Commission, who graduated from Ouachita, was also instrumental in helping us get this.”

The biggest gratitude, however, was expressed for the people of Arkadelphia, who voted to continue a tax that has allowed for infrastructure improvements such as this.

“Most of all, the citizens that voted for the tax for us to continue on these projects are to thank,” Byrd said. “If they hadn’t, we wouldn’t be able to be doing what they are right now. They’re the biggest players.”

Dr. Reyna’s cell lab seeks to make a difference

BY EMILY HOWARD Staff Writer

Dr. Nathan Reyna, professor of biology and co-director of the Cell Biology Education Consortium (CBEC) at Ouachita Baptist University, has worked to assemble a Cancer Cell Research Lab for students to work and learn in. He has successfully continued the legacy of the lab, with the future looking bright as well.

The idea of a Cancer Cell Research Lab available for students to work alongside was sparked when Reyna looked to tweak his teaching style.

“Almost 10 years ago, I went on sabbatical,” Reyna said. “Another faculty member who was here, Lori Hensley, was making these videos for her students. I decided, when I came back from sabbatical, that what she was teaching was way cooler than what I was doing, so I needed to revise how I was teaching. So, I learned how to do this through the videos, and I felt like, if I can do this, we can help other people do this.”

William White, junior biomedical sciences major and student of Reyna’s, highlights Reyna’s passion and the advantages of the CBEC.

“He is the co-director of the CBEC, which integrates research into the classroom setting,” White said. “This is important for devel-

oping critical thinking and the soft skills gained from performing research that have a much larger impact on students than a traditional classroom approach. He is passionate about this because he loves empowering students by pushing their limits to show their true capabilities. He involves students by asking thought-provoking questions and encouraging students to use their collective knowledge to solve problems through collaboration.”

Jenna Malone, senior student researcher of Reyna, acknowledges the various different approaches and experiments Reyna utilizes in his classes and labs.

“His cancer research lab is a lab that studies multiple different cancerous cell lines (like glioblastomas and lung cells),” Malone said. “There is no one set experiment that is occurring at one time. It can range from oxidative stress trials, drug treatments or writing protocols and making videos to help others with cancer cell research.

As of late, Dr. Reyna has multiple research projects at one time over a multitude of different cell related topics. One of the most interesting projects currently is the partial sequencing of phage DNA that can be used for predictions regarding different protein functions and affinities.”

Malone also acknowledges Reyna’s passion towards the class and all the components in it.

“I believe Dr. Reyna is so pas-

sionate about his research and his science because he loves to learn and loves to see students grow in biology knowledge and curiosity,” Malone said. “Cell class is a lecture with Reyna of course, but the lab is the hands-on experience and mental stretch that makes the class that much more interesting. In lecture we learn about all the things that make cell biology worth studying, but in the lab, we put the lecture knowledge we’ve gained and apply it to our research,” she added.

Reyna took components of another educational method and mixed it with his own ideas, creating a new and interesting method of teaching.

“I put in educational components to it; we call them cell blocks,” Reyna said. “So, a cell block has written and video protocols and pedagogy notes for teachers. I have collaborators at UAMS that do research, and we try to mirror their research. Right now we are centering on how cancer cells signal other cells. We do lung cancer, breast cancer and all types of cancers. I believe research needs to be the key to how we teach. Anybody can read a textbook, but how you put it into the curriculum is a big part.”

The class and lab is not only a fun experience, but it also can provide students the opportunity for various things.

“The lab allows students to get involved in research they are curious about regarding cancer, which

could be the stress response of cancer and drug trials,” Malone said. “There are students that take courses with Reyna, and they are allowed to decide what minor lab they would like to conduct to explore or learn about a problem of their interest. With the guidance of Reyna, this course offers a new level of learning that applies the topics of lectures directly into the real world of research and allows students to take research topics that are being studied all over the world and learn how to develop their own version of this research right here in Arkadelphia.”

Students can choose to work with him over the summer, the semester or even a year on one of his personal active projects. Students have the opportunity to work alongside him in a more realistic environment. Those involved in these labs have unique learning opportunities and leadership roles as college students.

“They come together as a group instead of individually, and they have to design the experiment, read journal articles and then conduct the experiment,” Reyna said.

“So, they’re building their own cancer cells, they’re designing their own experiments and then they’re adding drugs, or some sort of treatment to cause the cancers to respond a certain way. Then, they go through and see if the cancers are actually responding.”

Reyna doesn’t limit these labs

to only students. He extends his knowledge, guidance and educational wealth to everyone.

“I think it’s a unique thing, and I think what is often missed is not only are we training OBU students, but there are 235 faculty in our group,” Reyna said. “I am going to the University of California, San Diego, to teach a workshop on how to do these things.”

However, like any large and expensive project, Dr. Reyna couldn’t do this alone.

“We went to the National Science Foundation and said, ‘If you can teach me to do it, we can teach others to do it,’ and they gave us half a million dollars and they’ve just given us another $500,000 for another five years,” Reyna said. “Over that time, we got other schools and other faculty to make cell blocks, and now the students in Ouachita mix and match and that’s how we started doing cancer research. We have a YouTube channel with 35,000 views a year and 70 videos.”

The passion that Reyna has for education, science and the growth of his students is truly admirable. This lab is not only impacting students at Ouachita, but has the potential to impact those far beyond campus, too.

“We think that we’re just people at Ouachita in little rural Arkansas, but we need to remember that what we’re doing is actually really important,” Reyna said.

Dr. Jack’s team reinvents brand, continues to uphold mission of service through business

BY JANET CARDEN Staff Writer

Dr. Jack’s hasn’t always been a fixture at Ouachita. It is actually relatively new, having been launched in 2013 by students on a mission trip who wanted to help the financial stability of an orphanage in Honduras. Ella Depriest, a senior business marketing major and the project manager for Dr. Jack’s business team, has poured countless hours into the vision of Dr. Jack’s.

“We want to help mission minded organizations sell coffee, and so we are more of a marketplace for them to use to sell more of their product,” Depriest said. “This is so they can get more publicity for their mission.”

Dr. Jack’s didn’t begin that way, however. It started with a Honduras orphanage and a question.

“Is there a way for us to have a business that does good with coffee, where we might be able to buy beans, in this case, from Honduras, use the profits and the proceeds from that to reinvest into an orphanage in Honduras?” said Johan Eriksson, Visiting Instructor of Business Administration and Director of Entrepreneurship Programs.

The original plan was to buy beans from an orphanage in Honduras that funded itself from the profit of the sales. Students wanted to help place kids in beds and get them off the streets.

“We had a Starbucks at one point, but it wasn’t operated by the Starbucks franchise,” Eriksson said. “It was operated by Sodexo. They ran it, and then they rebranded to Dr Jack’s. Sodexo is a wonderful partner because the company is so passionate about Dr Jack’s.”

While Sodexo offered a spot for students to get hot or iced coffee before class, students were given the opportunity to create a studentled business and serve coffee with a mission oriented purpose. Students who helped create the business even had a business name on the ready pointing at Ouachita’s founding President John Conger, naming it “Dr. Jack’s.” Dr. Jacks is just another example of our need to serve our Ouachita community, but also

reaching past our campus to serve around the world. The Dr. Jack’s team has crossed many borders in pursuit of its mission, and along with that has come many fruitful relationships. The partnership between Honduras and Dr. Jack’s developed with the help of Giovanni Leiva of Guatemala.

“He has been able to bring running water to his village in Guatemala,” Dr. Bryan McKinney, dean of Hickingbotham School of Business, said. “He’s brought a school to his old home in Guatemala.

He’s done some amazing things, and we feel like we’ve been a part of that, because part of the money he’s made has been from the coffee Dr Jack’s sells.We’re not officially connected to [the Honduras] orphanage any longer, where we started, but we’re still meaningfully engaged in the giving back business through the work of Leiva back to

his hometown in Guatemala.”

There are a plethora of stories just like Leiva’s with six coffee suppliers and more to come as the business team aims to expand, including mission minded coffee suppliers who provide a portion of their profit to help wounded veterans and victims of sex trafficking overcome very traumatic experiences.

“I think it’s a perfectly aligned business from a mission standpoint, of us trying to do what the New Testament calls us to do to ‘take care of the least of these,’” McKinney said.

Many students in the past few years have been able to go on a mission trip to Honduras where they build a home for an individual or family. This group interviews various candidates, all while doing Bible studies for the people who live in the area they visit.

Alaina Moore, senior accounting and finance major and the so-

cial media manager for Dr. Jack’s, shared her experience bonding with a mother and her family while on the mission trip in Honduras last year.

“We created this relationship with her, then we were able to give her this house, and she just started crying,” Moore said. “It was the sweetest moment. She told us that she wants a better life for her children, and she shared that she’d been praying for us; it was the most genuine moment for me.”

The business team helps by providing students with the means to get real world experience relating to student interests and their majors.

Kate Burris, junior accounting major and the leading accountant for the team, has gained professional skills from this experience.

“I think a lot of people can get their foot in the door, whether they are in communications, graphic de-

sign, business majors or accounting,” Burris said. “We have a lot of different roles, especially now that we have a working business. There are lots of opportunities for anybody to have great hands-on experience.”

Though the business team has a list of accomplishments already, they are aiming for even higher goals this year.

“We try to use the business to teach students to do good and amplify good missions,” Eriksson said. “We use the proceeds or the profits to reinvest into the business and bring students to see missions.”

The Dr. Jack’s business team sponsored by the Hickingbotham School of Business has made vast improvements in the everyday lives of people in Honduras and helped provide the funds for mission minded coffee bean suppliers to help those in need.

The 2024 Honduras misson trip team poses with the family that was gifted the house. The Dr. Jack’s team spent the week building the house and hosting Bible studies (photo from Alaina Moore).

ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT

Verser Theatre presents Schoolhouse Rock

BY CAMRYN STROUPE Opinions Editor

The Ouachita Theatre Department will present “Schoolhouse Rock Live!” Sept. 19, 20, 21 and 23 at 7:30 p.m. with a 2:30 p.m. matinee on Saturday, Sept. 21. The production is an ensemble show with a principal ensemble starring Nathan Price, Halle Jones, Katie Miller, Madisyn Sallas, Mac Ricks and Brooks Harrison. Director and professor John Forkner encourages people to attend.

“Our show, “Schoolhouse Rock Live!” is a nostalgic throwback musical for anyone who has ever sung along to ‘Conjunction Junction’ or ‘I’m Just a Bill,’” Forkner said. “Fans of the original ‘Schoolhouse Rock’ cartoons are invited to sing along to their favorites, while newcomers are encouraged to join in the fun, too. This show is guaranteed fun for all ages.”

Forkner added, “This musical tells the story of a young teacher who needs a little encouragement on his first day teaching, and that’s where Schoolhouse Rock comes in. This show features almost 20 musical numbers, each one performed in a different style. It’s definitely a party on stage.”

Before production, Forkner reached out to the playwrights of “Schoolhouse Rock Live!” and received permission to replace character names with the cast’s real

names. Junior Nathan Price plays the character known as “Tom,” a teacher, but instead will be named “Nathan,” and he is excited to showcase his role onstage. “Character archetypes are based on real people, and I feel extremely called out by the character I play,” Price said. “We’re identical. We’re both education majors, both nervous for our first day of school. Whenever I get there, I know I’m probably going to be nervous that first day teaching. We both love school. It’s just fun.”

Sophomore Madisyn Sallas has enjoyed preparing for this production.

“I play Madisyn, and she’s like the role of Shulie,” Sallas said. “I’m flattered to play her. When we met at the very beginning, [Forkner] described me as the sweet one, so I’m very proud. I think that this show has granted me the ability to really play, and it’s also just surprised me how many ideas I can actually come up with and how fun it is to put on a show when you have so much room to add things.”

Junior Kenzie Tatum is working as stage manager and discussed some of the lessons she has learned from the show.

“There’s definitely a learning curve to it,” Tatum said. “There’s a lot to keep up with. You have to write the reports and make the calls. Today, I’m getting the tech cues, putting them all in and figuring them all out. I’ve never worked

New school year brings fresh arts engagement opportunities

BY KATE ELLIS Editor-In-Chief

There are many differences that set the liberal arts education apart from other forms of higher schooling. Some of these differences are obvious, like the Ouachita required CORE, and others are more nuanced, going unnoticed by students but playing a large role in the function of Ouachita as a liberal arts university. One of these more subtle differences is the arts engagement series, which requires each student to attend a music, theatre and art production every year and submit some form of response or feedback.

To new freshmen on campus (or possibly even upperclassmen who are very far behind on their credits), the arts engagement series may pose a series of questions: Why is this a requirement? How do I know when the events take place? What is the overall purpose?

While these are all understandable questions, it takes but a mere look into the series to understand its significance.

First, it is requirements like this that round out the Ouachita experience and shape the students that attend, helping form them into fuller, more knowledgeable versions of themselves by the time they leave campus.

Another important feature of the arts engagement series is that it creates an audience from all corners of campus for those who participate and perform in the productions. The series fosters a culture of support among students, by bridging

the gaps between departments and encouraging students to push beyond the barriers of their academic school.

The sum of a liberal arts education is the freedom to roam and explore fields of interest outside of confined degree plans and class schedules. The arts engagement series offers an easy way for students to do just this, and to broaden their horizons beyond their normal daily routine and schoolwork.

As for knowing when the arts engagement events are taking place, Ouachita has incredible resources and staff which make this information readily available. Naomi Bates, Fine Arts Administrator, sends weekly emails to the student body highlighting the events for the week that count as a credit. The Ouachita online calendar also lists every fine art production.

In the next few weeks, there are countless opportunities to complete the credits. From Sept. 19-23, the theatre department is showing “Schoolhouse Rock Live!” with shows at 7:30 p.m. and one at 2:30 p.m. There are several recitals coming up, including the River City Men’s Chorus on Sept. 22 and the Guest Alumni Recital on Sept. 27. The Juried Student Art Show is on display in Hammons Gallery and can count as an art credit.

While the arts engagement series may seem like a daunting task for students to complete each year, Ouachita’s calendar is continually packed to the brim with events that satisfy each engagement requirement, making it easily attainable for students, even during the busiest of seasons.

tech before so to be up there in charge and telling them to go is all a challenge.”

Tatum discussed some of the most significant things she’s learned from working the show. “Sitting out in the house watching the show every night shows me what’s going on in the director’s mind,” Tatum said. “You can see how your attitude affects your performance. If I’m looking all gloomy, the people in the house can feel it in my performance.”

When discussing their favorite parts of the show, Price’s was simply one word: Lucretia. Lucretia Mott, a historical figure in women’s rights, features somewhere in the show. Price’s favorite moment in the show is when the Conjunctionettes make their appearance for “Conjunction Junction.”

“[They are] decked out in their train gear,” Price said. “My favorite moment of rehearsal happened when one of our actors who sings ‘Figure Eight,’ a song about the multiplication table, just got in such a funny mood and started laughing and couldn’t stop. So she sang, ‘Figure eight is half of four, figure four is half of four’ but she just had a laughing fit.”

Sallas had several favorite moments.

“My favorite line is, ‘Give me the rat, Nathan,’” Sallas said. “My favorite ensemble moment in the show would be ‘Interjections.’ I love that number; it’s very upbeat

and super fun. All of us are onstage, and it’s really exciting. My favorite personal moment is probably the ‘Adjectives’ number. I get to have so much fun in that one.”

Forkner discussed the reasons behind choosing “Schoolhouse Rock Live!” for this fall’s musical production, as well what he hopes the audience will walk away with.

“The starting place for this production came from the question, Why do we still come back to ‘Schoolhouse Rock’ after all these years?” Forkner said. “I think there’s an innocence and a playfulness to the songs that takes us back to a time when we felt safe and secure, and the world still felt like it was full of possibilities. Meanwhile, our world today feels gritty, cynical and scary for a lot of people. People are anxious about the future we’re moving toward.

That’s the ’world’ at the start of the play.

Forkner added, “Our young teacher, played by Nathan Price, starts the show as a nervous, riskaverse person. However, by the end of the play, he grabs the mic and sings his own solo. I think, deep down, we all have a solo we want to sing, but for whatever reason, we hold back. The world tells us no, don’t take that risk, don’t be vulnerable, don’t make mistakes because if you do it will end up on social media and potentially ruin your life. There’s little forgiveness for mistakes in today’s world. And yet, as Christians, we have been promised an abundant life. It’s my hope that this production encourages audiences to let go of their fears and embrace all the wild, unpredictable joys that life has to offer.”

Interstellar’s magic set to return to the big screen later than expected, original September anniversary date delayed

BY JACIE SELLARS News Editor

Christopher Nolan’s beloved film, “Interstellar,” will soon return to movie theaters for its 10th anniversary. According to Variety, viewers can watch the film in theaters and in 77mm IMAX screenings starting on Dec.6.

The film was orignally set to have a September re-release date, but was just recently pushed to December to align with a home entertainment relaunch, per Paramount Pictures.

Those who have not seen the film might wonder why “Interstellar” deserves a re-release. After all, three-hour-long films about space don’t always make $731 million at the box office. However, the magic of this film expands beyond genres and reflects the magic of Nolan as a director and storyteller.

Like most of Nolan’s work, “Interstellar” stuns its audience with incredible visuals. As its characters search for a new place to continue human life, they take the audience on a dizzying trip across galaxies, planets and even into the center of a black hole. According to Screen Rant, Nolan worked with an astrophysicist to create realistic visuals, and this research is evident in the film. The effects alone are a compelling reason to want to experience the film in theaters.

“Interstellar” also draws in viewers with a fascinating and suspenseful plot. The characters struggle

[from our perspective]

against time and nature as they fight for a better future, creating actionpacked sequences that will leave audiences on the edge of their seats. However, the film’s plot is not devoid of heartfelt moments. The cast, especially Matthew McConaughey, gives convincing and emotional performances, and the gorgeous score by Hans Zimmer is sure to touch viewers. All of these elements make for a great movie, but the true beauty of “Interstellar” lies beyond them, a galaxy past typical sci-fi films. Strip away the cinematography and space jargon, and there is a deeper message about love and humanity. The heart of the film does not exist in the depths of space, but in a family home, and this distinction changes everything. Audiences will be easily won over by Cooper, a pilot who is the film’s central character. Cooper flies into space with his family in mind, and his determination to return to them is admirable. Unlike many scientific films, “Interstellar” focuses on emotions, claiming that love is a force as powerful as gravity. Viewers see this theme throughout the film as Cooper’s

love for his family propels him to ultimately succeed on his journey.

“Interstellar” is subversive in its choice of villain. Although the movie presents many tangible obstacles, its main antagonist is not a person or place, but time itself. The characters can jump across space, but they cannot stop themselves from losing time. In the words of Dr. Brand, played by Anne Hathaway, “[time] can stretch and squeeze, but it can’t run backwards.”

The themes of love and time provide an eye-opening message to audiences- our time is limited. It pulls us away from what’s important and haunts us like a ghost. In the film’s final breathtaking, jaw-dropping moments, three hours of intricate storytelling distills down into a simple message. Ultimately, when our time is up, we will hold onto the way that we loved and the relationships we built.

Overall, “Interstellar” stands out because its heart is as ambitious and idealistic as all of Christopher Nolan’s work. This journey through space and emotion is one that many audiences will want to embark on again in front of a big screen.

Courtesy of Paramount Plus

The importance of voting in this year’s election, mail-in options for college students

BY PHIL BYRD Staff Writer

For many, the buildup to one’s first election is a new and exciting experience full of nerves and jitters. Others, however, view elections with apathy.

The 2024 presidential election is a landmark for many college students. For those not yet of voting age during the 2022 midterm and gubernatorial elections, this is their first opportunity to exercise their right to vote. For many others, this is the first presidential election they can vote in. Regardless, some stand at this comingof-age moment and wonder why they should even vote.

ly expected to be a safe Republican state, can put pressure on politicians to better represent the will of the people.

Others argue that their dissatisfaction with the major candidates justifies their lack of voting. This is a valid argument, as it is almost impossible for a politician to believe in every single one of a person’s views. But the argument for putting pressure on politicians still stands.

Non-competitive states still serve as an opportunity for dissenting voices to ensure that politicians do not move to an extreme political ideology.

Voting is the simplest and best solution for a citizen unhappy with the government’s policies. It is our democracy’s natural way to encourage change in government according to the popular will of the people.

Voting has not always been a right for 18, 19 and 20 year olds.

In fact, it was not until the passing of the 26th Amendment in 1971 that those aged 18-21 were enfranchised. Prior to that, the passing of the 24th Amendment in 1964 eliminated many barriers to voting for African Americans, and the 19th Amendment of 1920 and the 15th Amendment of 1870 gave women and African Americans, respectively, the right to vote. For many years, voting was a sought-after right, fueling many movements and adding to the fires of others, including the suffrage movement, the civil rights movement and many more. How has our society shifted so much that the foundation of our democracy is met with so much apathy?

Some may feel that their vote doesn’t count. This sentiment is shared by many who are not in the few swing states around the country. But this doesn’t take local elections into account, which affect local communities in a much more direct way than national elections. In the presidential election, a vote, even in a state like Arkansas, large-

Should the Republican candidate, in this case, former president Donald Trump, win Arkansas by fewer votes than expected, there will be more pressure on the presidential hopeful to govern more moderately to remain popular in that state.

There is one crucial step voters must take prior to election day: voter registration. The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 7. In order to vote in the upcoming election this November, you must register. College students who are from out of state can still vote in their home state via absentee ballot.

The deadline to request a ballot is Oct. 29. Those ballots must be returned by 7:30 p.m.on Nov. 5. College students can choose to vote in their home district, vote absentee or register their college as their address and vote locally.

Students can register to vote locally at the Clark County Clerk’s Office at 401 Clay Street in Arkadelphia. To register to vote at home or absentee, go online to votenaturally.org or to your local registration office.

My time in residence life

BY SKYLAR SCHAFFER Guest Writer

I am a senior going into my third year of working as an RA in Frances Crawford. Over these past few years, I have consistently looked back on my freshman year and when I first applied for Res-Life. I had no idea then, but becoming an RA would end up being one of the things that impacted my Ouachita career the most.

There are so many memories that I have, like meeting my girls for the first time, Tiger Serve Day at The Beehive, residents running up at Tiger Tunes and yelling “MOM!!,” the times when God showed up in unforgettable ways and every single meaningful conversation. All of these and more are just a small percentage of the love that I have for Ouachita Res-Life.

Res-life at Ouachita is a unique way to build lifelong memories and relationships. Apply for Res-Life!

Sophomore year! My first year as an RA. I was working under the resident director of Francie at the time, Hannah Pilcher, and it was an

absolute blast. As a first year RA, I went in unsure of how to bond with my residents and how to not be a “bad cop” but the reality of res-life, especially at Ouachita, is we are literally there to build connections with our residents and to help them when difficulties arise, like when they lock themselves out for example.

Very quickly into sophomore year, I realized that what I loved most about my job, was the fact I got to build friendships with these girls and to be a guide for them over their time at Ouachita. To this day, I still talk to those girls when I can.

Junior year! My second year in res-life, still in Francie! This was the beginning of working with RD Mallory Wallace, who if you do not know her, you should get to know her. Working with Mallory over the past year has been such an influential part of my life. She is full of wisdom and is always willing to share. My junior year was one full of packed days and nights, but truly, building relationships with my girls was so meaningful.

As an RA, we are there to help

our girls and to help our girls grow, but little did my First West girls know, they helped me to grow in so many ways and I am truly grateful for each and everyone of them.

Senior year! I am still in Frances Crawford entering my third year of res-life. As I look back on my last three years, I get sentimental when I realize this is my last year to be an RA in Francie and at Ouachita. Res-life has easily been the most rewarding experience I’ve ever had. Yes, we make an impact on our residents, but in all seriousness, they will end up impacting you more than that. The friends you make along the way and every single conversation you have, go into the realm of lifelong memories. The people you get to work alongside are friendships that will last forever and are people who want to see you succeed and are your best supporters. So many of my closest friends are the amazing people I’ve had the amazing opportunity to work with. So, apply to be an RA. You will not regret it. If you have any questions or would like to know more, reach out! I would love to talk about Res-Life with you!

Reactions to the Tiger Tunes theme reveal

BY MADISON BASCO Copy Editor

The time of year for sparkling lights, “Welcome Home” banners and students decked out in costumes and makeup is just around the corner, as the Ouachita Student Foundation’s Tiger Tunes Reveal kicked off the beginning of Tiger Tunes season on Sept. 6. Students and faculty gathered together during the half-time show, anxious to hear the themes of this year’s shows. The once loud and enthusiastic crowd simmered down, emphasizing the anticipation of such exciting news. With each theme that was announced, there were loud screams, students jumping up and down and jaws dropping as clubs and organizations finally had the chance to reveal their long-held Tiger Tunes secrets.

The themes are: The Men of Beta Beta: Babies, The Men and Women of Campus Ministries: Flamingos, The Women of Chi Delta: Corn, The Women of Chi Mu: Coral Reef, The Women of EEE: Three Ring Circus, The Men of Eta Alpha Omega: Penguins, The Women of Gamma Phi: Sailors, The Men of Kappa Chi: Robots, The Men of Rho Sigma: Miami Vice, The Men and Women of Student Life: Speed Drive, The Women of Tri Chi: Tomb Raiders and Tiger Blast: Mission Impossible.

I am super excited about this year, and I cannot wait to see how each club creates an interesting plot with their subsequent themes. Personally, I am especially excited to see what Campus Ministries does with Flamingos. I think it’s such an interesting and lively theme that will be sure to bring enthusiasm and excitement to Tunes Season. I am also very intrigued

by Tiger Blast’s theme of Mission Impossible as the band doesn’t typically have a set theme. I cannot wait to see what they have created this year.

Freshman Rylee Mitchell is participating in Tiger Tunes for the first time, and attended her very first Ouachita football game as a student.

“Being at the game was an exciting experience,” Mitchell said. “Watching the [Tiger]Tunes reveal with everyone was definitely the best part of the game. Seeing all the different social clubs cheering for their theme made me even more excited to participate in Tunes too because of how passionate they all were. The energy at the game was amazing, everyone was cheering and watching. I think it’s so cool how something as silly as college football can bring a whole student body together.”

Mitchell shares what she is most excited about following the reveal.

“One of my favorites is definitely EEE’s Three Ring Circus,” Mitchell explained. “I watched Tunes last year and I loved the pop star theme, so I’m super excited to see what they do for a circus theme. I’m also excited for Tri Chi Tomb Raiders. I really enjoyed their theme last year, and I can’t wait to see them pull off something great this year. Of course, I’m excited for CM Flamingos. I can’t wait to learn everything and make new friends.”

Mitchell is excited to be performing with Campus Ministries this year.

“I’ve danced my entire life and I love performing in front of people,” Mitchell said. “I’m also really excited to watch everyone else’s themes. I think everyone has an amazing theme this year, and I love seeing how people interpret and perform with the themes they were given.”

Tiger Tunes will take place in Jones Performing Arts Center.

The Frances Crawford Hall Resident Assistants and Resident Director (middle) pose outside of the dorm. The six Resident Assitants each have a hall in Frances Crawford with freshmen that they are responsible for during the school year (photo provided by Valeria Figueroa).

Abdul Hashimi set to begin first season on the wrestling mat in Ouachita purple and gold

BY JAKE ROMIG Guest Writer

Abdul Hashimi’s journey began on September 23, 2005, when he was born in Afghanistan. Abdul is one of seven children to his mother and father, with three brothers and three sisters. Growing up in the warzone that Afghanistan was and is, Abdul’s youth was harsh, there were days at school when there would be gunfire.

The school system operated a little bit differently in Afghanistan than it does in America. Students stayed in one class which ran from 9:30 in the morning to a little past noon. If students wanted to pursue extra course work they could go to school on Saturday to learn. Students also went to school nine

months out of the year in Afghanistan, but weren’t capable of going from November through January due to freezing temperatures, and not having the resources to make the school temperature regulated enough for students to be there.

Besides going to school, Abdul and his family had a farm at home they tended to their cows, goats, sheep and chickens. A big part of Afghani culture is farm life, so this was common among most people in Afghanistan. Job opportunities weren’t abundant in Afghanistan, so most people lived off their farms.

“People didn’t have a job for a year, but one of the reasons they made it was that they had animals and lived off the land farming and gardening,” Hashimi said.

Abdul’s father worked with the U.S. Military in Afghani -

stan which opened up the opportunity for them to come to America in February 2020, arriving in Dallas, Texas right before the outbreak of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Abdul’s oldest sister was not able to make the move from Afghanistan to the U.S. due to being over 21.

Upon Abdul’s arrival he struggled with school during the pandemic, having to go to school in a completely new way. Students in Afghanistan did not have access to computers so not only was Abdul learning a new language on top of moving to America during COVID where people were socially isolated, but he was also being exposed to a new form of technology that he now had to navigate to complete school work.

“I started school online, didn’t know how to use the computer, didn’t know how to

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join Zoom meetings, so I was missing a lot of assignments,” Hashimi shared.

After being in quarantine for a handful of months, Abdul switched from the first high school he was at to Lake Highlands where he and fellow Ouachita wrestler Cayden Byrd both obtained their high school degrees.

What the school system requires from students in America in relativity to Afghanistan is vastly different. Abdul explained that in Afghanistan students had one composite test each semester that determined if they passed or not. Being exposed to multiple tests and assignments every week was something new for Abdul but not something he shied away from.

After working extremely hard, Abdul graduated high school with a 3.5 GPA and a burning passion to stay in his pursuit of education.

He also took to the wrestling mat. Wrestling was not very popular throughout Afghanistan, so the first time a classmate showed Abdul a video he was instantly intrigued. He started the next season and fell in love with the sport.

Coming into contact with head coach Kevin Crutchmer’s son, Oklahoma State Wrestler, division I NCAA All-American, and professional mixed martial artist Kyle Crutchmer at his high school, Abdul found his pathway to Ouachita. At Ouachita, Abdul is studying Finance in hopes of retiring his parents one day. He is also a central component of the wrestling team, and is looking forward to the season. Ouachita is extremely grateful to have Abdul as part of the campus community.

Soccer

Ouachita volleyball maintains winning record after two successful invitational appearances

BY KAMRYN BOYD Guest Writer

The tiger volleyball team had a successful weekend on Sept. 6-7 leaving the Reddie-Tiger Invitational with a 3-1 record, including two clean sweeps in matches against the Montevallo Falcons and the Missouri S&T Miners. Their last game of the weekend, while still a win, proved to be more of a challenge as the match went into four sets before the Tigers eventually took home the win against the McKendree Bearcats. Their single loss fell into the hands of the Mississippi College Choctaws. In the first two sets of this match, Mississippi College had gotten an early lead on Ouachita that they weren’t quite able to come back from. Trying to avoid being swept, the Tigers entered the third set with strong momentum and were able to take the match into a fourth set. Keeping the same energy throughout the fourth set, the Tigers were able to take another win and move the match into its fifth and final set. Although the Tigers put up a fight and took the match all the way to five sets, they just barely came up short and weren’t able to secure the victory.

Throughout these 4 games we saw players like Avery Jauz, Riley Braziel, Kailey Thedford and Courtney Hanson step up to the plate, be reliable on the court and help inch the team closer to victory.

From this weekend both Braziel and Thedford are tied at 45 kills, Hanson leads the team with 147 as-

sists and 9 aces, and Jauz leads with 49 digs.

We also saw several new faces enter the game including freshmen Abri Galante and Hillary McMahan, who earned her first kill of the season.

Not only were there amazing plays that showcased the Tiger’s skills and aggression, there was also a level of team work that set this group of girls apart from the rest. Great leadership and team encouragement were demonstrated throughout each match, which is something the Tigers wouldn’t have been as successful without.

This great weekend for the Tigers then carried them into their first game of the season oon Friday, Sept. 13, when the team traveled to Jackson, Tennessee to first face off against the Catawba College Indians for the Union University Classic. The tigers walked out of this invitational undefeated, with a win against Catawba, Edward Waters and Union University. The tigers entered this invitational never having played Catawba before, but clearly took what they’ve learned from the offseason and at the ReddieTiger Invitational, and showcased that in their first official non conference game of the year.

The tigers are set to travel to Bolivar, Missouri next for the Southwest Baptist Invitational where they will play Missouri Southern, Fort Hays State and Truman State on Sept. 2021.

The Ouachita volleyball season will run through the rest of the semester, closing out with the Great American Conference Championship Tournament which will be held at the Bank OZK Arena from Nov. 21-23.

The Ouachita volleyball team secures a winning record at the Reddie-Tiger Invitational (photo by Meghann Bledsoe).

Northwestern Oklahoma State

Centenary

Southern Arkansas University

Christian Brothers

VS Bob Gravett Invitational