Volume 131, Issue 9: March 2, 2023

the

S GNAL

Valeria Gomez

Emilee Webb

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Ouachita Baptist University

Office: Evans Student Center

Email: signal@obu.edu

Phone: (870) 245-5210

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.

Grimes beats odds, lives to see silver lining

BY KATIE BAYER Staff Writer

Noah Grimes was only three weeks old when it happened. He was being carried down the stairs by a family member when they suddenly tripped and sent him tumbling down to the ground below, hitting his fragile head against the floor. Noah suffered brain hemorrhaging and a skull fracture. He was rushed to the hospital, where he stayed in the NICU for three days.

Noah had been born prematurely. A newborn who was 5 ½ weeks early, he was more vulnerable than most. Emotions were high, and the frightening possibility of him not surviving hung like fog in the air.

Katherine Grimes, Noah’s mother, remembers the day of Noah’s fall and describes it as nothing short of a miracle.

“My mom [Noah’s grandmother] tells me that when it happened, I was super calm and just held him really close,” Katherine said. “He never lost consciousness to our knowledge. I just remember praying over him and singing to him and things like that. Days later, I just remember clinging to God and then saying, ‘I feel like God’s got bigger plans than this, that this isn’t going to be the end of his story.’”

Katherine was right. During those three days in the NICU, friends from all over came to shower the family with food, company, and prayer. Gradually, Noah was nursed back to health, but there were long-lasting complications.

“All my life, I’ve suffered from dyspraxia, which is the official medical term for: ‘I have fine motor skill problems,’” Noah said. “My hand-eye coordination is not good, which is why I played baseball for much of my life before high school to try to train that. I also have sensory processing problems that is the same type of thing

you see in autism, like bright lights and loud sounds. Grimes added, “If I get a bunch of homework assignments in a week, I can be really overwhelmed by that. When I was younger, I hated getting my photo taken because just the slightest sound of a camera clicking would set me off.”

Noah’s motor skills were not the only thing that were affected.

“A lot of my life growing up was in different types of physical and speech therapy,” Noah said. “I also suffer from speech apraxia, which means I’m not very good at translating what’s going on in my head. I often fluster my words – I know

livestreaming service. After talking with his old youth pastor, an OBU alumnus, he decided to join the communications department and become a Tiger himself. As a college freshman, Grimes was a founding member of the Ouachita Sports Digital Network and has used his experiences in the program to skyrocket to greater things throughout his university career.

“He has done everything on his own, and I have no doubt that he will continue to do that all throughout his life,” Katherine said. “He’s making his way in the world and without any help from us, so it’s a total God thing. He’s my miracle child.”

When asked what the silver lining was in his story, Noah gave a knowing smile.

what I want to say, but it doesn’t come out translating smoothly.”

Katherine was devastated when first learning Noah’s condition. “I can remember leaving and my husband and I just crying. The doctors pretty much told us that he might not ever be able to speak properly, that people might not be able to understand him his whole life. The hope just drained out of us.”

For the first 12-14 years of his life, Noah went to speech therapy. He was trained to become a better speaker by reading literature and rapidly read through any book he could find, including the Harry Potter series. In the third grade, Noah was reading at a sixth-grade level.

By the time he reached high school, Grimes had become the senior sports editor for the school’s

“I think there’s two,” Noah said. “The first, give God all the glory. You hear so many horror stories of kids being born early, and the mother’s health and the kid’s health being negatively affected. That could have happened to me and my mom, but it didn’t, and why? I don’t know. Only God does, but it might even lead up to this. I don’t know His grand plan, but ultimately, it’s going to be for His glory. Second, it taught me to have a great sense of humor. I think humor is one of the great gifts God gave man: the ability to laugh and to laugh with and at each other. I take aim at myself more than anyone else. I joke about it [the accident] – it’s not something that I’m ashamed of, it’s just part of my story.”

After graduating, Noah has plans to become a sound technician and gives much credit to Ouachita for how it has helped him grow.

“I love Ouachita. I love my story, and I hope it inspires others to be proud of what they’ve gone through in their life,” Noah said.

“And ultimately, I hope that God’s glory will be shown out of it, because in today’s age, it’s desperate-

ly needed.”

Noah’s story is a true testament to his faith. From sickness to success, he has never lost sight of the One who has made everything possible and does not take his life for granted. Noah is a true inspiration but says that he hopes others can look at his story and be directed to Christ.

“There have been points in my life that it’s frustrating because

therapy is not fun,” Noah said. “It’s repetitive – I’d go two to three times a week, and as a small kid, you don’t really understand why. But looking back on it now, it’s like God gave me this story for a reason. Not everyone gets this chance, so I don’t really want to waste it, and ultimately shine it back onto Him and His glory and His Kingdom, because if I don’t, then who will?”

Noah Grimes films a softball game last spring for OSDN. Grimes was dropped on his head as a baby and wasn’t expected to live, but through prayer and a miracle, he survived and was diagnosed with Dyspraxia. (photo by Abby Blankenship)

He’s making his way in the world and without any help from us, so it’s a total God thing. He’s my miracle child.

— Katherine Grimes

Elrod Center hosts Healthy Relationships Week

BY KYNDALL FOMBY-BELL Staff Writer

This week is Healthy Relationship Week (HRW) at Ouachita. What began as a marriage and family week on campus has now turned into a week full of support and aid for students in their relationships. The goal of Healthy Relationships Week is to advocate for healthy growth in both students’ personal and communal relationships, according to Judy Duvall, director of Ben M. Elrod Center for Family and Community.

Healthy Relationship Week is a program hosted by the Elrod center. Duvall explains some of the planning and preparation that goes into HRW.

“The planning begins in the fall as the theme is chosen and speakers and events are set up,” Duvall said. “Preparation includes marketing, coordinating speakers and spaces as well as a good amount of thought and prayer. As the theme of the week is ‘Healthy Me,

Healthy We,’ we looked at topics and speakers that could address this theme of individual and relational health.”

The speakers chosen this year are Susan Goss, a counselor and marriage and family therapist, Dr. Steve Goss who specializes in internal medicine and pediatrics, Jason Curry, founder of Finish Empty, as well as some of our faculty and staff; Sue Poole, Dan Jarboe Jason Greenwich, Rebecca Jones and Jerusa Carvajal. The speakers for the overnight retreat are Jeff and Mary Sanders, who are marriage and family therapists.

Earlier in the week, events were held for athletes and coaches and senior science majors. Ouachita has also hosted faculty speakers at Noonday and chapel. The events for the rest of the week will include a breakout session with Dan Jarboe and Sue Poole, Noonday and an overnight retreat for engaged and married student couples in Little Rock, Ark.

Leigh Anne McKinney, associate director of the Elrod Center, states why HRW is significant.

“Since relationships are such a significant part of a meaningful life, we want to do what we can to help our students do relationships well,” Mckinney said. “We think it’s important for students to graduate not only intellectually prepared for life, but also skilled at building healthy individual lifestyles, which directly impacts the health of the relationships with those around them.”

Gaining and maintaining a healthy relationship is essential in everyone’s life, but especially for college students who are continuously meeting new people every day. From professors to friends, each relationship can be a positive or negative influence.

“Establishing healthy rhythms and habits naturally leads to healthy relationships with others and creates a sense of well-being in all areas of your life,” Duvall said. “We want to provide our students with the tools they need to succeed and flourish in becoming healthy individually and in their interactions with others. ‘Healthy Me, Healthy W

e’ should hold more than one week of importance. It should embody relationships every day as you con-

tinue to build past, present and future relationships both in and out of the Ouachita bubble.”

OBU fosters body positivity with annual project

BY KAELIN CLAY Staff Writer

Ouachita has adopted a female body positivity program known as the Body Project. The group started meeting together on Feb. 21 and will meet every Tuesday through March 14. The program is a result of clinical research related to the excessive number of eating disorders facing society. The program provides exercises and conversations surrounding the harmful pressure of body image issues facing many young women today. The program sheds light on education and provides tactics for women to

improve their well-being.

Eating disorders are a widespread epidemic that causes damaging and unhealthy eating habits.

According to the National Eating Disorders Association, 28.8 million Americans are face eating disorders and is the second highest mortality rate compared to all other mental health disorders.

“People with negative body image have a greater likelihood of developing an eating disorder and are more likely to suffer from feelings of depression, isolation, low self-esteem and obsessions with weight loss,” their website says.

Ouachita students share common ground with many other Ameri-

cans, and because of this, the need for the Body Project exists not only at Ouachita but across America. Ouachita campus counselor and co-leader of the program, Sue Poole, recognizes the need for this program on Ouachita’s campus.

“We noticed that many OBU students who seek counseling services reported struggles with negative body image,” Poole said. “It’s so prevalent all around us so it’s no surprise that our students feel those pressures that lead to negative body image and the subsequent anxiety and depression around that.”

The Body Project focuses on five main goals and has gained a positive response from its participants.

“I haven’t collected any hard data on our students who’ve attended the groups, but the students who attend do so with enthusiasm and the vast majority tell us that completing this group was very helpful to them,” Poole said. “The format is open discussion, roleplay, writing and other activities guided by the group facilitators with these goals: define the appearance ideal and explore its origin; examine the costs of pursuing this ideal; explore ways to resist pressures to conform to an appearance ideal; learn how to challenge our body-related concerns and cultural pressures for thinness; learn new ways to talk more positively about

our bodies.”

The four-week afternoon program has taken place annually since 2019. Because of both the response and the need, the project is not intended to end in the coming years.

“We started offering the group in fall 2019 and have offered it once or twice every academic year since,” Poole said. “I plan to continue to offer it at least once every academic year. The need is there and not likely to end any time soon.”

For more information about the Body Project, all interested students can contact Sue Poole by email at poolesw@obu.edu.

OBU athletes and coaches attend a session with Jason Curry, the founder of Finish Empty during Healthy Relationships Week in 2022. The Elrod Center hosted a similar session with Curry for this year’s HRW on Monday. (photo by Sarah Dean)

Ouachita Student Foundation hosts Fund Run, raises money for students

BY RACHEL DUNNAM Opinions Editor

Since 1974, the Ouachita Student Foundation, also known as OSF, has been raising money for student scholarships. The second annual Fund Run hosted by OSF took place Tuesday on Ouachita’s campus. Fund Run is one of the main events during Tiger for Life week, which focuses on showing gratitude for Ouachita’s donors who help make many students’ experiences at Ouachita possible. All of the money raised from the race goes to help raise funds for student scholarships.

In light of OSF’S motto, “students helping students,” many Ouachita peers were participants in Fund Run. Other members of the Arkadelphia and Ouachita community ran toward the finish line alongside students. Both runners and volunteers were eager to help out with this event and make many students’ futures at Ouachita possible with less financial stress. Senior Caroline Derby and OSF president described the purpose and impact of the event, as well as the impact of OSF as a whole.

“Something that we’ve focused on in OSF this year is our ‘why,’” Derby said. “Why am I blowing

these balloons up? Why am I testing out a race course? The ‘why’ is different for everyone, but as a whole, our ‘why’ is to complete a mission of students helping students and helping peers complete their Ouachita education with less financial stress.”

The planning of Fund Run was led by junior Addy Cassell, junior Alex Savage, junior Joey Whisenhunt and sophomore Jillian Covington. Cassell and Savage serve as the philanthropy chairs, while Whisenhunt and Covington are the special event chairs. Both of these committees, alongside other members of OSF, put in a lot of work

to make this event possible and fun for everyone involved.

“There is a lot of planning that goes into executing events like Fund Run,” Whisenhunt said. “To put on Fund Run, students connected with Sodexo for food, campus safety to ensure the safety of participants on the course, Student Life for event scheduling and helping with the band and more.”

Fund Run was a fun experience for people of all ages and various levels of experience with running. Some people walked at their own stride while others sprinted through the 3.1-mile-long race. The atmosphere of the event was

encouraging and inviting as volunteers and other members of the community greeted the runners at the “Finish Line Party.” Accompanied by live music and snacks, everyone had a great time celebrating the accomplishment of completing a 5K while supporting the Ouachita community in the process.

One of the most agreed upon reasons why Ouachita is such a beloved place is the warm and welcoming community that it encompasses. OSF’s Fund Run is a wonderful representation of this community and the heart for service it cultivates within the lives and hearts of students and faculty.

Left: Whit Lawrence runs past the water station and toward the finish line during Ouachita Student Foundation’s Fund Run. (photo by Sarah Dean) Right: Addison Southerland, Sara Holman, Lindsay Ward and Melina West take a picture in front of the Fund Run banner before beginning the race. OSF hosted the 3.1-mile-long race and made preparations for all proceeds to go to student scholarships. (photo by Levi Dade)

New art exhibits arrive in MoPro

BY JACIE SELLARS Staff Writer

Two new art exhibits will be on display in the Moses-Provine galleries starting March 1. The exhibits will feature work from artists Dean Dablow and Anne Greenwood, and both exhibits will explore abstract themes.

The first floor will showcase an exhibit from Dablow titled “Everything is Abstract.” This exhibit is a series of two different bodies of work. The first body of work is a photographic series called “Art School Floors.” These photographs depict paint on classroom floors after artwork is done, demonstrating how anything can be art. The second body of work will be a series of abstract paintings on uniquely-shaped wooden panels.

Carey Roberson, gallery coordinator and associate professor of art and design, describes the exhibit as two thoughts from the same artist. “It will hopefully give people the idea that you don’t necessarily have to work with one medium to explore a train of thought,” Roberson said.

The second floor will display a collection from Greenwood entitled “Nature is a Haunted House.” This collection features detailed drawings and watercolor paintings of elements of nature, including

plant and animal life. These pictures are painted on a translucent plastic material called Dura-lar. Each painting is paired with a three-dimensional work of art. According to Roberson, the exhibit is about the crossing of domestic life and wildlife. “We are surrounded by this wildlife, but we might not necessarily see it, so Greenwood is really thinking about where those two worlds intersect,” Roberson said.

In order to bring art to Ouachita, the gallery staff views the artwork

ment credit by viewing the exhibits, and Robertson believes that the exhibits will also allow students to learn and grow. “We want to go beyond just providing credit,” Roberson said. “We want people to engage, to feel like there’s a spot where they can sit back and enjoy art. The work that comes through our doors gives students an opportunity to grow culturally and spiritually.”

and contacts the artists. The art professors seek to find work that will benefit the campus while also creating dialogue. “It’s not always about finding pretty work,” Roberson said. “It’s about finding work that confronts us, that challenges us to look at things from different perspectives, to come together and have a conversation.”

Students can receive arts engage-

Each exhibit will have a different process for setting up the galleries. Greenwood will help arrange her exhibit, while the first-floor exhibit will be arranged by faculty and student volunteers. There are many factors to consider when setting up an exhibit. “We try to think about the gallery flow, how someone would walk through the gallery and what objects go together,” Roberson said. “We also try to pair things together that create a conversation of colors, texture and subject matter.” Overall, the goal is to provide a viewing experience that matches the space.

When it comes to analyzing the artwork, Roberston has some advice for viewers. “Come in and slow down. Pay attention to the subject matter, even if it’s something you are not accustomed to, such as abstract work,” Roberson said. “Begin to find something within the work that you find interesting or can relate to, even if it’s

just a color or texture.”

Roberson also encourages viewers to read about the purpose of the work, even if it is not their favor-

ite. “Art is not always a noun. It’s a verb,” Roberson said. “It’s meant to communicate something, and that’s what is important.”

Arts Engagement Calendar

Maryann Kyle Recital March 2 at

p.m. McBeth Recital Hall

Ensemble

Anne Greenwood: Nature is a Haunted House March 1 - March

The ceramics exhibit by Logan Hunter and Hannah May was on display in January 2022. Two new art exibits will be on display in the Moses-Provine galleries starting on March 1. (photo by Sarah Dean)

Art is not always a noun. It’s a verb. It’s meant to communicate something, and that’s what is important.

— Carey Roberson

BY CAMRYN MANNING Staff Writer

Asbury University was a place of revival in the 1970s and once again made headlines as a chapel service extended over 400 hours of worship. After 16 days, authorities and campus staff were forced to step in due to an influx of 15,000 people overwhelming the small town’s resources and infrastructure.

The movement at Asbury University has sparked prayer and worship across college campuses. Here at Ouachita and Henderson State, students have gathered in prayer and worship for hours on end.

Noah Ambrose, a freshman at Asbury University, experienced the movement firsthand. “This was not something instantaneous

or planned,” Ambrose said. “It was the act of countless answered prayers. When chapel stopped, some people kept worshiping, and word spread; those in the room that day described the presence of God as so heavy and peaceful that they completely lost the concept of time.”

Having left for a swim meet, Ambrose noticed a marked difference in the campus when he returned.

“The campus was flooded with believers of all ages, backgrounds and cultures just coming together to worship God,” Ambrose said. “There was such a hunger present, and I knew it was genuine. I saw chains broken, relationships restored and guilt lifted. People who hated chapel before now didn’t want to leave. The whole thing was led with such humility by our

staff and students and is the start of something special God is doing here.”

Dr. Adam Jones, a graduate of Asbury Theological Seminary, heard much from his colleagues at the university during the time of revival. “They didn’t really call it revival,” Jones said. “It was termed an ‘outpouring of God’s love.’ We can watch videos online of people singing for hours, but what’s not shown on the videos is the true work of the Spirit going on: forgiveness of sins, confessing sins to other people and true spiritual growth.”

Thomas McCall, professor of theology at Asbury Seminary and a colleague of Jones, wrote about the events happening on campus in an article published by Christianity Today. “As an analytic theologian,

I am weary of hype and very wary of manipulation,” McCall wrote. “I come from a background (in a particularly revivalist segment of the Methodist-holiness tradition) where I’ve seen efforts to manufacture ‘revivals’ and ‘movements of the Spirit’ that were sometimes not only hollow but also harmful. I do not want anything to do with that. And truth be told, this is nothing like that. There is no pressure or hype. There is no manipulation. There is no high-pitched emotional fervor. To the contrary, it has so far been mostly calm and serene. The mix of hope and joy and peace is indescribably strong and indeed almost palpable—a vivid and incredibly powerful sense of shalom. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is undeniably

powerful but also so gentle.”

As believers, our mission remains true as ever. First, to praise God: if even one soul has come to Christ through this movement at Asbury, we are to give all the glory to God. We must pray continually that God’s will be done “on earth as it is in heaven,” whether His will here at Ouachita looks like what has happened at Asbury or not. Second, we must remember that prayer and worship are a way of life, not just a temporary emotional high. The Christian faith is rooted primarily in the Gospel, not feelings. Ultimately, it is only through the Gospel that we can worship God in both the highs and lows of life. True revival starts in the heart with one’s decision to live a life submitted to Christ, willing to take up one’s cross and follow Him.

Asbury revival sweeps the nation Arkadelphia loses community staple

BY ALFONSO GONZALEZ GOMEZ Staff Writer

The Arkadelphia Sonic mysteriously closed on Feb. 7. This has baffled members of the community and left faithful customers without their favorite place to eat.

For many students at Ouachita, the tragedy has struck deeply. Gael Gonzalez, an avid Sonic customer, explained his devastation over Sonic’s abrupt closing. “I haven’t felt like myself since its closing,” Gonzalez said. “Thursday afternoons have gone from being a delightful indulgence in a burger and fries to a devastating reminder that Sonic is still closed.” I believe Gonzalez’s comments represent the feelings of the community and showcase why Sonic has been a staple of Arkadelphia for the last

five decades. In addition to the chaos, this event has also raised speculation as to why Sonic closed in the first place. The Arkadelphian, Arkadelphia’s local newspaper, suggests there was mismanagement of the franchise. Anonymous sources claim the store wasn’t able to pay for ingredients and salaries despite doing well the first week of February.

In spite of all the negatives surrounding Arkadelphia’s favorite drive-in, one man has taken action, Ace Andrew Collins. Collins is a best-selling author who has lived in Arkadelphia for over ten years. Three days after Sonic’s closing Collins made a Facebook post where he poked fun at his wife’s need for Sonic ice. However, Collins quickly began to notice the true effect the restaurant’s shutdown had on the locals. People

who had their lunch breaks at Sonic suddenly felt a shift in their dayto-day lives and the small-town connection.

As a response, Collins began the “Sonic Gate” series on his Facebook, where he has made parodies about the event in order to garner attention. The parodies range from “Star Wars” to “Godzilla,” but they all encapsulate the message that people miss their local Sonic.

“Sonic has been a tradition here for literally decades,” Collins said. “People who are retired now were going to Sonic when they were in college and high school.” He continues by noting that since the Sonic was around in the 1960s that means two-thirds of Ouachita history has been marked by a Sonic around the corner.

Besides being a staple for the Arkadelphia community, Sonic is

also a place the town counts on for employment. To Collins, making sure the workers are able to stay afloat is important, and he hopes to highlight that with his videos.

Arkadelphia needs its Sonic back. For the sake of those who crave a quick lunch to those who rely on their employment at the restaurant.

Arkadelphia’s Sonic resides on 303 N. Tenth St. near Ouachita’s campus. Sonic mysteriously closed on Feb. 7 with no forewarning. (photo by Sarah Dean)

Baseball starts season, eyes conference title

caught up in series wins, but the expectations are high considering the season we had last year and the returning players we have from that team.”

The team brings back star hitters, junior G Allen and sophomore Wyatt Core, who both led the team in hits with 66 last season. Allen also led the team in slugging percentage, Core was second on the team in batting average. The Tigers also added transfer Michael Quinones, who leads the team in hits and batting average so far this season, and his adaptation to the team culture has been quick.

Hayden Childers. Timmons fin ished the season last year with a 9-3 record and had 70 strikeouts on the year.

“With the addition of a couple transfers on top of the guys that came back from last year, the bull pen and pitching staff has taken a big jump from the past few years,” Timmons said. “We have a lot of guys that have stepped into big roles that should see a lot of suc cess this season.”

BASEBALL SCOREBOARD

BY ISAAC BOURNE Sports Editor

The Ouachita baseball team is picking up right back where they left off in the NCAA DII regionals last season with some early success.

The team sits at 6-3, with a good repertoire of wins as they head into

conference play, facing Southwestern Oklahoma State this past weekend in a three-game series and finished 1-2.

“We have won two out of three every weekend so far, which in baseball is a recipe for success,” Head Coach Luke Howard said. “We try and concentrate on winning every game more than getting

“Being new to the team and culture has been quite a change for me,” Quinones said. “The biggest reason for me being acclimated so well to the culture is the brotherhood of the team. We do everything with each other from practice to eating, to studying, to even hanging out off the field.”

As for pitchers, the Tigers bring back juniors Cooper Timmons and

The hard work put in all across the roster is highlighted by Qui nones. “We have worked, worked and worked,” Quinones said. “From doing the little things right to the biggest things, detail to de tail, staying disciplined and fo cused on and off the field or the weight room. Yeah, we have our fun times, but when it’s time to lock in, we are ready.”

The Tigers come back home on March 10, where they will face Arkansas Tech in a two-day triple header at Rab Rogers Field.

Cheer squad wrapping up successful basketball season

BY KATE ELLIS Staff Writer

As Ouachita sports change from the hustle of football players on the field to the shuffle of basketball players on the court, one thing remains constant: the smiling faces of the hardworking cheerleaders behind these teams. Ouachita cheerleaders practice year-round to ensure that every skill is landed, pom is in place and stunt is properly executed. With the leadership of new coach Kristi Seals, the Tiger Cheer team has had both a transitional and successful year.

“This year of cheer has been so much fun,” senior captain Emmy Hipps said. “The transition to a new coach went a lot smoother than I thought it would. This sum-

mer coming into fall camp none of us knew what to expect, but Coach Kristi pushed us to be our best while also showing us love and grace. The transition was very easy as each member of the squad began to love her and respect her very quickly. We have loved cheering on the tigers through football and basketball with some of our best friends right there on the sidelines with us.”

As the season has drawn to a close, Coach Seals reflects on her first year as head coach.

“I have always loved cheerleading, so I was excited to be involved in the Tiger Cheer program,” Seals said. “I had a lot to learn, but thankfully Cris McGough, the previous coach, helped guide me and Cannon Fisher, who was the assistant

coach this year. I feel like we had great chemistry this year. You can often find the team together on and off campus. Getting to know them all and learning about who they are and what they are passionate about has been a blessing to me. It will be bittersweet to lose the seniors, but next year will bring fresh faces and opportunities for the juniors to step up and be leaders on the squad.”

The team finished the 202223 year on Feb. 25, cheering on men’s basketball. The squad will celebrate their successful seasons with sponsor Dr. Wesley Kluck’s annual four-course themed dinner and banquet. The downtime is little and the turnaround is quick, however, as the team will begin to look to tryouts coming April 1-2 to see who will next dot the sidelines.

Sophomore Pitcher Teddy Webb laughs with his teammates in Ouachita’s win over Northwestern Oklahoma State in early February. (photo by Madeline Circle)

Ouachita cheerleaders perform a group stunt to energize the crowd at the Battle of the Ravine football game in November. (photo by Levi Dade)