The Signal | Ouachita Baptist University | 2.13.19

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2.13.19 | Vol. 127, Issue 15| www.obusignal.com

Black and White reception inducts new Honors students

By SARAH RUSH Staff writer The Carl Goodson Honors Program hosted one of its most important and well-known traditions – the Black and White Reception. The formal event was held in Walker Conference Center last Thursday and featured several special guests, a keynote speaker and ceremonies for inductees and thesis scholars.

“Often times, one of the strongest elements of scholarship is community. [Within the honors program], we often work collaboratively,” Cole Jester, academic chair and former social chair of Alpha Tau, explained. “By incorporating social aspects, we create greater community.”

The reception is certainly a social event as well as a ceremonial one. During the event, guests enjoy live piano accompaniment, coffee and desserts. Time is also set aside for guests and honors students to converse and meet other members in the program.

This year’s evening ceremonies began with an introduction by Jordan Gills, chairperson for the event, followed by a prayer led by Alpha Tau chaplain Zack Tomlinson. Special guests included OBU president Dr. Ben Sells and his wife Lisa, Judith and Will Goodson, the daughter-in-law and grandson of Dr. Carl Goodson, keynote speaker Molly Bowman Maj and her fam-

ily, Vice-President of Academic Affairs Dr. Stan Poole and honors program alumni.

Research travel grants were then presented by Dr. Barbara Pemberton, director of the honors program.

“The Carl Goodson Honors Program has been funding student research for over fifty years,” Pemberton said. “These grants are selected not only for excellence in research proposals – but very importantly – for active participation in the honors program.”

The grants assist students with researching abroad or in the U.S. for their honors theses. The awards are given annually to a Garrett Ham Scholar, Ben Elrod Scholar and Carl Goodson Scholar.

After the presentation of travel grants, all new members were inducted into Alpha Tau, the social organization of the Carl Goodson Honors Program. The induction, followed by the pledge recitation, is arguably the most prominent purpose of the Black and White.

Inductees each received a certificate and lit a candle, then returned to their seats.

All members then stood and recited the Alpha Tau pledge, which reads, “As a member of the Carl Goodson Honors Program, I pledge to honor Christ as I pursue academic excellence in my field of study and research and to support my peers in our scholarly community of Alpha Tau.” Molly Bowman Maj, honors

Hannah Smith z Photo lab

MOLLY BOWMAN MAJ speaks to the Carl Goodson Honors Program’s annual Black and White. Maj is a 2014 graduate of Ouachita and an Honors Program alumna who addressed the program inductees about her own experiences as an Honors student.

program alumna and keynote speaker of the event, then spoke on her experiences as an Honors student at Ouachita, detailing the impact that it had on her professional and personal life.

Maj graduated from Ouachita in 2014 as a mass communications and Christian theology major with an art minor and was a Ben Elrod Scholar in 2013. She received her master’s degree in international business from John Brown University, and she now works at Saatchi and Saatchi X, a successful advertising agency. Maj shared with students how all her classes,

even those classes unrelated to her major, helped her later on in life and encouraged students to build a good spiritual foundation.

Honors officers also presented badges to students who had proposed their honors theses.

“It’s really exciting. I’m glad I made it this far,” said Tucker Douglas, one of the badge recipients. “The most exciting thing is getting to learn with the professor inside and outside the classroom.”

After proposing their theses, students spend one-on-one time with a professor for four hours of course credit. Scholar’s Day, which

will be held in April, will showcase presentations by students about their completed theses.

Dr. Sells completed the event by speaking a few words of encouragement and leading a closing prayer. Students signed the member book on their way out, concluding the meaningful evening for both old and new members alike.

For more information about the honors program, visit Ouachita Baptist University’s website under the academics tab or contact Dr. Barbara Pemberton at pembertonb@obu.edu. n

Kluck Grants to be awarded for service U.S. Navy Concert Band

By SARA PATTERSON Staff writer The start of another semester brings the start of more service opportunities for many students at Ouachita. The Kluck Service Enrichment Grants for the 2019 spring semester will be awarded to the deserving student recipients this month.

The Kluck Service Enrichment Grants have been in existence for over 20 years and are intended to fund small-scale, student-led service projects.

Dr. Wesley Kluck, vice president of student development, donated the money for the Kluck Service Enrichment Grants in 1998, years before he began working at Ouachita. Kluck gave the check to former Ouachita President, Andy Westmorland, on his inauguration day.

“It was the first big gift, that I considered, that I ever gave to Ouachita,” Kluck said.

“He gave money to put into an endowment, which of course the interest of that comes into the account, and that’s what we use every semester, the nice thing about it is we have these rolling funds that will just keep being provided,” said Ian Cosh, vice president for community and international engagement.

Since 1998, Kluck’s gift to promote service at Ouachita Baptist

University has continued to grow and help an increasing number of students impact the local community.

Cosh sees these service enrichment grants as “mini-grants” that give students the unique opportunity to serve the community with their individual abilities and interests.

The Kluck Service Enrichment Grants are typically awarded in amounts of $250 to $500 for each local service project. Cosh believes these service grants are helpful to students because they are not functioning as funds for permanent service organizations, but rather give students the chance to experience different types of service projects without having to commit to something long term.

“Everything doesn’t have to be done on a permanent basis… a one-time effort at something you’re passionate about is perfectly fine. I think at times, people feel locked in,” Cosh said.

According to Cosh, the application process is designed to be brief. In the application, students are asked to provide a one-page statement providing the purpose of their service project, what will happen during the project, who will be involved, and any funds that the group may already have.

“We don’t want to make this so clunky that people go ‘oh I don’t have time to fill out that.’ It’s not about the paperwork. We want a

little bit of accountability, but in as light a manner as possible,” Cosh said.

The Kluck Service Enrichment Grants offers both flexibility and opportunity to recipients. In many cases, the resulting student service projects have been a one-time success. In other cases, however, the funding that projects have received from Kluck Enrichment Grants have led to growth and strengthened establishment of ongoing service projects in the Ouachita Community.

Kluck likes the service grants because of the range of service projects they have funded.

“We’ve helped clubs who were struggling -like Fellowship of Christian Athletes- to get started, we’ve helped the international clubs who’ve kind of struggled to get started [and] we’ve helped Big Brother Big Sister,” Kluck said.

While the types of projects resulting from these grants vary, Kluck believes that community involvement is the most important part in the success of these projects.

“There’s been a whole variety of things, but the best ones have been where our students get other students involved to invite the community -particularly the children in the community- to learn some skill, get some knowledge, have some interaction, so they gain something plus they have some interaction with the college students,” Kluck said. n

to perform at Ouachita

By RACHEL MORENO News Bureau

Ouachita will host the U.S. Navy Concert Band in a free performance on Thursday, March 14, at 7:30 p.m. in Jones Performing Arts Center. Arkadelphia is one of 25 cities in 10 states where the U.S. Navy Concert Band is to perform during its 2019 tour. The concert is free and open to the public.

The Navy Concert Band, the premier wind ensemble of the U.S. Navy, will present a wide array of marches, patriotic selections, orchestral transcriptions and modern wind ensemble repertoire.

While there are six performing ensembles in the Navy Band, the Concert Band is the original band and has been performing public concerts and participating in high-profile events for more than 90 years.

“Being able to see and hear the Navy Band live is such a thrill,” said Dr. Gary Gerber, Ouachita’s dean of the School of Fine Arts.

“They are one of the finest bands in America and represent this country at all types of military and official functions. … The concert will be a memorable experience for everyone who attends.”

One of the U.S. Navy Band’s primary responsibilities – and as a signature outreach program of the

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U.S. Navy – involves touring the country. All of the band’s primary performing units embark each year on concert tours throughout specified regions of the country, allowing the band to reach audiences in areas that do not have the opportunities to see the Navy’s premier musical ensembles on a regular basis.

“This concert will be a memorable experience for everyone who attends.”

Dr. GARY GERBER

The concerts are family-friendly events, meant to be entertaining to veterans, families, individuals and those interested in joining the Navy.

All Navy Band performances are free and open to the public.

The Navy Concert Band consists of sailors who are full-time professional musicians and are enlisted in the U.S. Navy.

To reserve free tickets to the concert, visit obu.edu/boxoffice or stop by the JPAC Box Office from 1-5 p.m. on weekdays. For more information, call the box office at (870) 245-5555. n

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[from our perspective]

What’s your ideal Valentine’s Day date?

Julia Williams Editor-In-Chief

Will Blase News editor

Will Johnson Opinions/ Sports editor

Anni Williams Copy editor

Catherine Lyp Arts/ Features editor

“Movie marathon in my sweat pants with tacos and oreos.”

“Netflix and a Chipotle burrito.”

“Spending time with my lovely family.”

“Roadtrip to go get tacos.”

“Watching movies by myself.”

TOP

5

Valentine’s Day Traditions

5 4 3 2 1

Sending surprise Valentines Discount candy Sending yourself flowers Galentine’s Celebrations Eating an entire pizza by yourself

News Briefs

A look at the biggest news of the week Trump leans toward wall deal President Trump seemed to lean toward agreeing to a deal with Congressional Democrats to avoid a second government shutdown and partially fund the promised wall on the southern border of the U.S. Asking for $5.7 billion to fund the project, President Trump and the newly elected Congress rang in the new year with a 35-day partial government shutdown.

This proposed bill by the new Congress would grant only $1.4 billion to the border wall fund and would fund the government for the rest of the fiscal year (until Sept. 30).

The funds available from this verbal agreement would allow for 55 miles of new fencing in the Rio Grande Valley, but falls short of the 215 miles requested by the White House in December.

Source: AP

Oscars to be delivered offscreen Due to a time-constricted presentation, the 91st Academy Awards will be presenting four categories offscreen.

The nominations will all receive their acknowledgement, but the handing of the coveted Oscar trophy will all happen during commerical breaks.

The four categories to receive this snub are: Cinematography, Film-editing, Make-up and hairstyling, and Best live-action short.

Each winner will still have their acceptance speech televised, but the speech will not be live.

The Academy president, John Bailey, said, “we’re committed to presenting a show we’re all proud of,” leaving fans hopeful that the categories won’t be pushed into anonymity.

The 91st Academy Awards will be televised on Feb. 24.

Source: AP

2019 Grammy Awards Female artists and rappers took home the bulk of the awards from the Grammys, which took place Sunday night hosted by Alicia Keys.

Artist Childish Gambino’s “This is America” snagged the Grammy for both record and song of the year. This is the first rap-based song to win in either category.

Female rapper Cardi B took home the Grammy for best rap album, while Kasey Musgrave’s “Golden Hour” received the coveted best album award. The award for best new artist went to the popular artist Dua Lipa.

Prominent talent such as Kendrick Lamar and Donald Glover, better known by his stage-name Childish Gambino, declined performances at the event and chose not to attend.

Source: AP

Sundance, Windrider Forum provide Newbell, Hays present conversations on film, art and faith “A Conversation on Race”

By HAYDN JEFFERS Staff writer Ten Ouachita students recently attended the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. Dr. Rebecca Jones, associate professor of communications, Dr. Doug Sonheim, chair of the Department of Language and Literature, and Dr. Amy Sonheim, professor of English, accompanied the students on the week-long trip.

The students were part of the OBU at Sundance course that Ouachita offers every other year.

“We [Jones and Doug Sonheim] took our first group in January of 2014,” Jones said.

While at the festival, students attended the Windrider Forum, a gathering of over 200 students from colleges, seminaries and graduate programs who are interested in film, faith and culture. The Windrider Forum was created 15 years ago to help bridge the gap between Christians and the secular film industry.

“It’s the idea of letting the Holy Spirit be uncensored and unlimited, letting God blow over you and through you. You’re looking for Him in the movies and the filmmakers and the industry. God is not limited by denomination or gender or country, or even industry,” Amy Sonheim said.

Sundance films often tackle difficult subjects. Several of the films this year, such as the documentary “Always in Season,” were packed with raw emotion and challenging content. “‘Always in Season’ gives some background on the horrific American history of lynching, and it’s a really difficult story to watch and be confronted with,” Jones said.

“There is no filter in a Sundance movie,” Ryan Motl, a freshman mass communications major and English minor, said. “Every film’s topic is pure and powerful.”

Hannah Perkins, a sophomore

Rebecca Jones z Courtesy

By GRACIE STOVER Staff writer

OBU @ SUNDANCE class poses outside the Windrider Forum with Ouachita faculty Dr. Rebecca Jones, Dr. Doug Sonheim, Dr. Amy Sonheim and Jason Jones. This forum was one of many events in which students studied the ineegration of film and faith.

graphic design major, loved being able to watch a film and speak with the director and even cast members about it immediately after. She did find it frustrating to choose between Sundance films and events, though.

“There are a lot of experiences to choose between. Sometimes you’ll buy a ticket to a film and not get in, but it will be too late to try and see anything else,” she said.

The students and professors got to choose how they spent their individual festival time, which means that they collectively watched several of the 112 films featured. They all attended the Windrider Forum, though.

“I don’t think we would do Sundance if not for the opportunity to engage with the Windrider Forum. It creates the opportunity for sense-making in light of faith,” Jones said.

Everyone followed Windrider’s premise by finding holy moments in their Sundance experiences.

Amy Sonheim encountered her own holy moment when a woman

pulled her phone out during a film. Amy asked her to put it away, and the woman turned around and snapped that she was on her phone because her elderly father was in Hospice.

“She was sitting right in front of me, and her six-inch screen was suddenly all I could see. I felt that everybody in that audience could have had something that was painful for them, and many of us go to the movies to get reprieve from whatever the pain is,” she said.

The woman stayed on her phone but kept it tucked inside her purse instead of at chest level from that point on.

“I didn’t agree at all with that woman’s response, but she did make me ponder,” she said. “How important is art? How important is beauty? That was the hardest moment for me, but the best because I realized that we had both given a little bit, and she realized she can’t make her life the center of everybody else’s life. That was my holy moment at Sundance.” n

P re s i d e n t B e n S e l l s a n d Ouachita’s Multicultural Student Programs, on Monday, hosted the lecture “A Conversation on Race,” featuring two very accomplished authors, Ouachita’s own Dr. Danny Hays and Trillia Newbell of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Hays is the author of “From Every People and Nation: A Biblical Theology of Race” and is the dean of Ouachita’s Pruet School of Christian Studies.

Newbell is currently serving as the Director of Community Outreach for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission for the Southern Baptist Convention, and she has authored such works as “Enjoy: Finding the Freedom to Delight Daily in God’s Good Gifts,” “Fear and Faith: Finding the Peace Your Heart Craves,” and “United: Captured by God’s Vision for Diversity,” as well as the children’s book “God’s Very Good Idea.” Her writings focus on faith, family and diversity, and her messages of inclusivity and respect provide a sense of calm and positivity about the world today.

Dr. Sells said of Newbell, “I heard [her] speak at a conference, [and] she was outstanding…

She reflects a new generation of Baptist speakers and authors that resonates with college students.”

Tensions between people seem at a high all across the country today, and it is vital that young adults learn how to navigate discussions and hear different perspectives about ethnicity, gender and age. Monday’s event served as a focus on multicultural awareness and the beauty of “every tongue, every tribe, and every nation.” This is part of a larger lecture and art appreciation series in celebration of Black

Multicultural Student Programs z Courtesy

History Month.

“A Conversation on Race” was followed yesterday by the “Love Your Neighbor” Black History Month Chapel led by Newbell.

Tonight there will be a poetry gathering, beginning at 8 p.m., in the Evans Student Center, and on Friday, there will be an alumni spotlight for Lewis Shepherd.

Other February events include a choir performance by the Greater Pleasant Hill Baptist Church and “‘Stomp the Yard’ Historical Context of African American Sororities and Fraternities.” The Riley-Hickingbotham Library features the “Black Author Spotlight” daily.

Multicultural Student Programs was established on campus to provide support for minority students. According to Ouachita’s official website, it “seeks to provide an environment in which minority students are an integral part of the Ouachita community and to stimulate and institutionalize the awareness of diversity through personal relationships and cultural programs involving students, faculty, staff and the community.”

For more information about the Multicultural Student Programs, please visit the Ouachita website. n

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Alex Blankenship z Photo lab editor TIGER TUNES HOSTS AND HOSTESSES (LEFT TO RIGHT) Paige Price, Cameron Conner, Felicia Valdez, Zach Meyers, Clay Mobley, Philip Robinson, Hannah Hill and Emma Pitts sing in last year’s show. Hosts and hostesses for the 2019 Tiger Tunes show will be selected on Saturday during open auditions at Verser Theatre.

2019 Host, Hostess auditions to hit Verser stage

By CALEB BYRD Staff writer

The 41st edition of Tiger Tunes officially begins on Saturday with Host and Hostess auditions.

Students from across campus will take the Verser stage Saturday afternoon in hopes of securing a spot in the 2019 Host and Hostess ensemble. A panel of judges will assess auditioners by their musical and dancing abilities as well as their stage presence and confidence. Saturday evening, OSF representatives will add the new group of hosts to a GroupMe and they will begin work on the 2019 show.

Starting at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, the auditions will be open to the public and heavilysupported by the Ouachita community.

The auditions will be one of the most important parts of the year-long Tiger Tunes planning process, as the Hosts and Hostesses are the most consistent and visible part of the show.

Ouachita Student Foundation (OSF) director Jon Merryman puts together a judging

panel consisting of the Hosts’ music director, choreography director, an OSF sponsor and an outside judge who assesses entertainment in an attempt to get the best group possible.

“Hosts and Hostesses are a key part of Tiger Tunes,” said OSF President and 2016 Host Alec Edmonds. “Many people will not remember shows, but they will remember the Hosts and Hostesses. Having great Hosts and Hostesses is something we look for in OSF and something we look for as our judges pick.

They look for people who not only sing and dance well, but really represent Ouachita well because this position as a Host or Hostess is a big name. That’s something we love because we have great students at Ouachita, and we want to showcase them.”

The Host and Hostesses turn into Ouachita celebrities for the first few months of every school year. They are some of the most visible students on Ouachita’s campus as they sing and dance on stage numerous times throughout a Tiger Tunes show. This means 1,500 people see and recognize their faces

every performance. This means that, apart for their performing ability, judges look for Hosts and Hostesses who will represent Ouachita in a positive manner.

“We want for them to be good representations of Ouachita,” said Addy Goodman, director of special events for OSF. “During the Tunes season, they take on the character of a Ouachita celebrity. We want these people to have good GPA’s, be well-liked on campus and be kind to the people around them. We don’t want to be putting a spotlight on someone who doesn’t necessarily deserve it.”

For anyone auditioning to be a Host or Hostess, it is a nerveracking experience. Performing on stage in front of many peers is difficult, but it is nothing compared to performing in front of 1500 people during the Tiger Tunes performances, Therefore, while singing and dancing are integral parts of being a Host or Hostess, the judges are also looking carefully at the performer’s stage presence and confidence. Past Ouachitonians who got the job say they focused heavily on stage presence during

their preparation process.

“I worked on my stage presence a lot, because I’m very awkward,” said 2017 Host Aaron George. “That was something I had to be mindful of in my audition … I hadn’t really sung much before auditions, just being on a stage by yourself. I had done choir, but it’s a lot different being the center of attention. I think that was a big obstacle to overcome.”

George studies accounting, not performance, so the obstacle was even greater for him than many other Host-hopefuls. The obstacle is so large that George is one of only two non-music majors to perform as a Host or Hostess in the past two Tiger Tunes shows.

While being a music major is by no means a requirement for being a Host or Hostess, it provides one a massive advantage when auditioning.

“Being a music major helped me be as comfortable on stage as I was,” said Edmonds, who studied Worship Arts at the time of his audition.

While George did not have much experience performing, he did have a tactic to overcome his

nerves and perform well for the audition.

“During the audition, I tried to go on autopilot,” George said. “The more I overthought it, the more problems it would produce. During the dance, I focused on looking comfortable.

That was the main thing – looking comfortable and being comfortable on stage.”

The audition process is just the first step on the remarkable journey of Tiger Tunes, both for the hosts and the directors.

After Saturday, the new group of hosts will begin to work on their music, and, beginning in the fall semester, they will practice nearly every day to perfect their performance. Those long hours of practice time draw the group together and create lifelong memories and friendships, but it all leads to the performances, which former hosts agree is the most exciting part.

“The performances were a lot of fun,” George said. “All the quick changes backstage, hanging out with those people I had gotten really close with and being on stage at Tiger Tunes, it was a lot of fun.” n

M.O.R.E. to sponsor campus events for Black History Month

By MANDY HALBERT Online staff writer

Multicultural Organization Reaching Equality (MORE) emerged in 2018 and has been making its voice heard around Ouachita. This month, the organization will be hosting events all over campus in observance of Black History Month.

“MORE is an organization whose goal is to serve as a safe haven for minority students and also to serve as a way to bridge the gap between minorities and non-minorities,” President of MORE Neeshia Harvell said.

“It’s to build mutual understanding and help minorities feel comfortable in going out and reaching outside the organization and for non-minorities to feel comfortable coming in and connecting with non-minorities.”

The organization was recently re-established after the former group, Reaching Out to Multicultural Students (ROMS) went inactive due to lack of membership in 2011.

“My freshman year, I came here and I didn’t know anyone,” MORE public relations chair De’Ja Smiley said. “I wasn’t involved in anything, and then there was a Coffee and Conversation held second semester of that year, and a lot of minority students came and expressed their concerns and the things that they had issues with on campus. Once we had that, it kind of started MORE.” Students who attended the Conversation and Coffee expressed their concerns about minority students struggling to get

involved on campus. Discussion led to the founding of MORE to allow these students to find a safe place to seek involvement.

“I hadn’t realized how many students were going through the same thing I was going through,” Smiley said. “I remember we talked about how we didn’t feel like we could be involved, but I think we were so busy complaining that we hadn’t even tried.”

The group gave students a place to safely connect with others like them, and also with those are different. MORE is open to students of all races and backgrounds in hopes to promote unity and to create a safe haven for students.

“We don’t want everyone to think it’s just for minorities,” Harvell said. “We want to open up the opportunity for everyone to connect. We want to help everybody to get out of their comfort zone. I know race is a big elephant in the room. We want people to be able to go up and have a conversation with someone who doesn’t look like you and doesn’t act like you.”

MORE has given minority students a louder voice on campus and has raised awareness for racial issues and discussions.

“We’ve had minority retention, so we’ve increased in that,” Harvell said. “I’d like to think MORE has played a part in that. We’ve done more events, like Black History Month, which was nonexistent when I first came to OBU. We’ve also seen the faculty and staff trying to relate more with minorities. It has really been a great effort, and we give Dr. Sells a lot of credit for that, too.”

Last year Ouachita celebrated

Signal

The

Multicultural Student Programs z Courtesy

Multicultural Student Programs z Courtesy TOP LEFT: MORE students celebrate Soul Food Lunch in the Ouachita Commons. BOTTOM LEFT: MORE students celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with members of Ouachita faculty, staff and administration at a community dinner hosted by Henderson State University. RIGHT: MORE will be sponsoring numerous events for Black History Month in the coming days.

Black History Month for the first time in the past few years.

MORE is responsible for much of the planning and for many of the events that have been organized.

“I think it’s very important for Black History Month to be celebrated,” Harvell said. “It gives us that presence, and it’s a reminder that we wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for these people. I think it’s very important to remember them.”

The organization has worked with faculty to plan several events for this month including Soul Food Lunch, the Beloved Community Art Exhibit, Black Author Library Spotlight, Poetry Night, alumni spotlights, Community Choir night, 90’s

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Dance and more for students to learn about the history of African Americans and to acknowledge their successes.

“I’ve noticed people only expect black students to play sports,” Smiley said. “I felt like that must be the only thing that black students are being acknowledged for, in my opinion. Once Black History Month kicked off last year, it shows a progression. It’s important that things like Black History Month and Hispanic Heritage Month be celebrated on campus.”

MORE is currently small in size, but members of the group’s leadership team hope to see membership numbers increase.

“We’re really small right now,

Ouachita Baptist University Office: Evans Student Center E-Mail: signal@obu.edu Phone: 870.245.5210

but I hope to have a lot of students involved in MORE,” Smiley said. “It’s not just for minority students, it’s for everyone. One thing I want to see for MORE is the numbers go up. I think right now it’s hard, because students don’t know where they fit in just yet.”

Students can get involved in MORE by attending upcoming Black History Month Events. The group will hold meetings every other Monday in McClellan 208 starting after February.

“We’re new, and the campus has been very patient with us,” Harvell said. “It’s a learning process for all of us. It’s very exhausting, but I think we would all say it was worth it.” n

The Signal is the student newspaper of Ouachita Baptist University, and is published every Wednesday during the fall and spring semesters when school is in session. The newspaper is distributed free of charge; 1,200 copies are placed in more than 20 locations across campus.

Opinions expressed are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the newspaper staff or university. The Signal is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the Associated Collegiate Press and is printed by the Nashville Leader.

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Annual Muse Project to showcase student-directed works

By WILLIAM GOODSON Staff writer

Students Scotty Scott, Amy Lytle and Lauren Terry will be directing their own projects as a part of Ouachita’s Department of Theatre Arts’ annual Muse Project in the Verser Theatre. The shows will be performed Feb. 14, 15, 16 and 18 at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 17 at 2:30 p.m.

According to Scott, a senior from Bentonville, his production, “Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind,” his show will be comprised of 30 plays in 60 minutes.

The show will also feature a lot of audience participation. During the show, audience members will call out which play they want to see next, choosing from the numbers that will be hanging above the stage. In fact, at the end of the show, an audience member will roll dice to determine the number of plays that will be different the following night. In total, Scott and his team have actually created 42 individual skits, not just the 30 that will be in each play.

Scott talked about the challenges that came along with producing a play with so many variables. For example, there are nine cast members, and making sure they all know their role for each skit, and that they know where to be on stage can be challenging. I would imagine this is especially true considering the entire production was created in about two months.

It has become obvious why people should come; it is one of

the only plays you will ever see where the audience is instructed to yell at and engage with the performers. As well as being a unique experience for the audience, I have heard it is pretty funny from those who saw the preview last week.

“On top of being really funny, this show will make you think as well,” Scott said.

The second show from the Muse Project, “Things That Bind Us,” is a production from both Amy Lytle, a senior from Plano, Texas and Lauren Terry, a senior from Evansville, Ind. Lytle wrote the script for the play, Terry handled the choreography and both co-directed the production.

“Things That Bind Us,” is a monologue and movement piece that follows an estranged group of friends who are brought back together through the death of a friend. Over the course of the play, the characters have to face each other as well as their past.

This show is about grief, coping, reconciliation and acceptance.

“The characters go through a lot, and there is heavy material in the show. But they all come out of it at peace with the past and each other,” Lytle said.

For the audience, this show will be a chance to connect and empathize with another’s point of view. The audience can put themselves in the characters’ shoes, feel what the characters feel and experience what they might be going through. In doing so, the audience may consider how they might have handled the situation differently themselves and why. In addition to writing the script, Lytle served

Alex Blankenship z Photo lab editor

Alex Blankenship z Photo lab editor STUDENT ACTORS in this year’s student-directed Muse Projects practice on the Verser Stage for “Things That Bind Us” and “Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind.” Both shows are set to open tomorrow night.

as the acting coach, found music to accompany the show and worked on blocking actors.

Terry explained more about the process of creating a Muse Project play. It starts with a submission of what should be a thorough and well thought-out play. Details such as the budget, schedule and script should all be included. It must also be

clear how the play will serve the community. If the play is determined to have met all these criteria, then it will be chosen to produce on the Verser stage.

Terry also mentioned that one of the most important aspects of this show is connecting to and empathizing with stories of others. However, as director of choreography, Terry also

mentioned that the audience can be moved by the dance in their play, as well.

“Dance can be very evocative and evoke emotion”, Terry said.

Lytle and Terry only had about two months to put the whole show together. Needless to say, this process is anything but easy, and these directors have all put in countless hours. n

Animated film to entertain children, adults alike

By CATHERINE LYP Arts / Features editor

While most animated movies are targeted primarily at children, there are a select few that both adults and children can enjoy.

In 2016 Warner Bros. Pictures released “Storks.” The film follows Tulip, voiced by Katie Crown, and Junior, voiced by Andy Samberg, as they try to deliver a baby to its family.

“Storks” begins with a flashback that shows how the storks went from delivering babies to delivering packages for Cornerstore.com. Shortly after the flashback, it is revealed that Junior is going to be promoted to boss, but before he can be given the position, he must fire Tulip, a human orphan who causes trouble within the company. Unable to fire Tulip on her birthday, Junior decides to hide her in the abandoned baby factory by offering her a fake job in the letter sorting department.

At the same time that Junior is told he will be promoted, a kid named Nate Gardner, voiced

by Anton Starkman, decides he wants a baby brother. After his parents deny his request for a brother, Nate wanders into their attic and finds an old brochure for the storks, leading him to send them a letter asking for a brother. Shortly after Tulip begins her new job, she receives Nate’s letter and promptly enters the letter into the baby machine.

The remainder of the movie follows Tulip and Junior as they face various difficulties while on a mission to deliver the baby to Nate and his parents.

There are several components that combine to make a good animated movie, one of the most important of which is the animation itself. The animation in “Storks” is fantastic. It’s crisp and smooth. Within the animation, character design also makes a large impact. Each character is uniquely designed with their own personality that is brought to life through their clothing and physical features.

For instance, Tulip is a

character whose personality is heavily based on her being abnormal, which is portrayed by her super curly red hair, big eyes and immensely expressive facial expressions.

Similarly, the various birds that are in the movie all have their own unique character that is influenced by not only their personality, but also facts about that specific type of bird. For example, one of the birds that Tulip is friends with is a chicken for whom she invents a jetpack so that he can achieve his dream of flight since chickens can’t fly.

Along with animation and character design, humor plays an important role in animated films, especially those that are targeted at children as well as adults. “Storks” is an animated movie that does a really good job of being funny. The movie is full of laughable jokes, gags and character interactions, with a large portion of the movie being comedy-based. However, while comedy is good in animated films, there is a possibility that if too much humor is used, it can feel forced. While there are a few moments in Storks that don’t quite hit the mark, the majority of the jokes are enjoyable.

In most children movies one of the most necessary components is that the story have some sort of lesson. While there is not a definitive lesson or moral within “Storks,” the story focuses on love as part of its end goal for the characters.

For example, at the beginning of the movie, Junior doesn’t enjoy being around babies, but he slowly grows to love and enjoy taking care of them. In fact, as the love between characters and for the babies increases throughout the movie, they culminate to the end sequence which showcases various babies and their new parents.

Finding a good animated movie that is enjoyable for adults and children can be tough. “Storks” may have some downfalls, but as a whole, it combines to create a beautiful movie that can not only be laughed at and loved by children, but adults as well. n

Amazon z Courtesy

Passion Pit influences electronic music

By WILL BLASE News editor

Passion Pit’s “Manners” traversed a perfectly taut tightwire in the electronic industry when it released in 2009. Finding itself in stride with bands such as MGMT and Hot Chip, Passion Pit changed how people viewed electronic music—it made the genre more accessible. Pitchfork said it best in the first line of their review, “destined to be loved or hated.”

The album features “Sleepyhead,” a song that singer/songwriter Michael Angelakos originally wrote for his girlfriend as a Valentine’s Day gift. The song was originally included on Angelakos’s debut album, “Chunk of Change,” which released in 2008.

Angelakos acknowledged that the band had no hesitation when asking themselves whether or not to put the breakout song.

For fans of the indie band, the inclusion of “Sleepyhead” was welcome and it finally felt like the band achieved a “complete” and polished rendition. This passion project truly deserved to be expanded upon and like many others, we’re thankful that Angelakos chose to pursue his musical talents.

But even “Sleepyhead” can’t carry the entire album and Angelakos knew this from the

start. Through a complex swirl of dance music and mellowed out punk rock, the band fleshed out “Manners” and cemented themselves as pioneers within the genre.

“Manners” encompasses Angelakos’s varied musical talents alongside band member Xander Singh. Singh, known for his fixation on synthesizers and pop music, buffs out the album’s edges alongside 70s and 80s dance beats that are insatiable and demand to be danced to.

One of my favorite songs on the album, “Little Secrets,” is full of beautiful imagery and wordplay, but through an initial listen, the song doesn’t seem to make much sense. This balances out the “destined to be loved or hated,” mentality that many face when trying to judge Passion Pit. High-pitched singing and slight auto-tune allows for catchy lyrics that pique the audience’s interest, but it’s incredibly hard, even with trained ears, to catch every lyric on the first listen.

“The Reeling” follows the story of a couple trying to rescind their actions and hide from the people they’ve always been. Incredibly deep, the song feels out of place among the bass-lines and upbeat drums, but still manages to strike an emotional chord.

Passion Pit jumps into the getaway car, proving accomplice to so many bands preferring these faster and more obscured

lyrics. This turns many listeners away from the genre, as they have trouble keeping up with the high BPM (beats per minute) and electronic voices amidst the synthetic pop.

You can feel Angelakos’s heart being poured out into “Little Secrets” and feel the reservation and hurt that he places into “Swimming In The Flood.” For me, this solidifies the first half of the album’s intensity and beauty, while the second half has a few filler tracks and tries to close strongly with “Sleepyhead.”

Often overlooked is “Let Your Love Grow Tall,” which immediately follows “Sleepyhead.” The song doesn’t feel like anything else the album has to offer. It carries the emotional weight of “The Reeling,” but highlights a strong piano performance and slower, more intentional lyrics.

Personally, I love the album.

Each hook feels masterfully crafted and the band’s beats are infectious. I find myself humming a riff or mindlessly mumbling lyrics every time I hear a single. But “Manners” is meant to be experienced in one continuous session. If you’ve heard “Sleepyhead” and enjoyed it, I implore you to listen to the album in its entirety. Each song transitions fluidly into the next, wrapping together the weight and emotion of the lyrics and audio art into one journey. n

OPINIONS

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www.obusignal.com

Nerd culture challenges stereotypical classifications billion dollars in revenue. Their secret? Three words-- Free-toNews editor play. Games that rely on a freeto-play model usually rely on Nerd culture is often associated micro transactions to buffer out with a negative connotation. In their income. stereotypical fashion, jocks were But Free-to-play bridges a often perceived as the cool kids at player gap. Instead of having school and kids that ran around to carefully save one’s money with comic books or “Dungeons and Dragons” guides were picked on and made fun of. Today, there seems to be a stark shift in what’s cool. Jocks and ‘nerds’ are all playing the same games, following the same influencers and watching the same movies and television shows. It seems that kids are beginning to hone in on what’s popular more than trying to be Mr. or Miss Popular.

Take “Fortnite” for example. Epic Games, a company whose legacy was slowly falling into echoes of the past, took one last shot at making the next great game. They revamped a project that had been teased as a zombie survival game to play with friends and turned it into a battle royale.

Battle royale games are the current trend in the gaming industry that place players into a “Hunger Games” situation. Users battle it out to see who remains victorious—think for a hot game release, they “Highlander’s” there can only have instant access (if they be one. Everybody is playing own a gaming device) to a this genre and all the major fully functional game for free. companies are trying to find new As of today, Fortnite has over ways to alter their current state.

200 million players worldwide, “Fortnite” took this idea and almost 40 million of those being hit the ground running. In 2018, monthly users. These 200 million “Fortnite” brought in over three

By WILL BLASE

players are built from a diverse pool who come together to form one massive community.

Had nerd culture and the advancements in video games taken a position on the backburner, companies like Epic Games wouldn’t be able to put up insane numbers and appealed to

about the front yard, and you’re all looking for something to do.

Do you scrounge together the money to go and see a movie about the long-forgotten prince of Atlantis who must rise against his tyrannic brother and unite the kingdoms under the sea?

As interesting as the premise

a massive crowd. But the gaming industry hasn’t seen the largest benefits from a pro-nerd culture society. This honor, undeniably, goes to the film industry.

Imagine this, it’s 1982. Your friends have all gathered at your house, leaving their bikes strewn

may be, the odds against this movie seeing the light of day are extremely slim. But in 2018?

Production companies know that zany and wild films like this are going to rock the box office and likely pad their pockets.

“Aquaman” broke the record

Ask The Signal

By JACOB COTTRELL Staff writer

What is there to do around here on the weekend?

As one weekend has ended and another one quickly approaches, we brace ourselves with the daunting task of finding something to do either on campus or around Arkadelphia.

This question probably runs through all of our minds at least once a weekend, when we just find ourselves sitting in our dorms or apartments, looking with blank stares at the wall.

With the weather going from winter snow to summer heat, hopefully I can give to you some ideas that might be able to help spruce up the weekend plans. From things to do around campus and in Arkadelphia, to maybe taking a drive with friends to Hot Springs, join me on this adventure to find something exciting to do in the great Natural State.

Before we say that there is nothing to do, we need to recognize a big lie that we small school, small town students easily fall into when comparing our school and city to Northwest Arkansas or any other major city. Our town has plenty of things to do, but we have to search for them and find these activities that most of us will come to love. Let us start with our campus to try and find activities that you can do or go with friends to enjoy.

Our school is full of talented people that we can go watch

perform on the weekends. We are about to come into the stage of the semester where there are many different plays and other theatrical productions being put on in JPAC or Verser. The good news is that if you are an OBU student, you can get in for free, so talk about a short walk and saving money.

Although the arts are available some weekends, we must also appreciate the facilities provided for those who like to play sports.

We have SPEC, where you can go play basketball with your friends, or like me, attempt to play some basketball with the guys. We also have the racquetball courts, if you want to go sit in a heated room and hit a rubber ball off the walls at each other. I have tried this and it’s fun. I didn’t know the rules, but I enjoyed it because it’s a free sauna. Behind Evans Student Center, you can walk down to Speer Pavilion and enjoy sitting or swinging down by the river with friends.

There is much more that we are offered here on campus but let us move on to what we can do off campus. A very short ride off of campus you have the Bluff where you can go and sit on the park benches, look out over the Ouachita River with friends, throw the hammocks up and read a good book. If you are into sweets and coffee, recently within the Fall semester some bakeries have opened up.

There is Samantha’s Sweets on 7th Street and Daylynn’s Bakery across the street from the Bluff.

You can go enjoy a cup of coffee and a good homemade cookie or cinnamon roll. If you want to

grab dinner or lunch, our small town has a lot to offer. From Burger Barn to The Great Wall Buffet you can find all different styles of food.

With a little drive through Caddo Valley you can find yourself at Lake Degray State Park. Here you can go grill or play a round of golf in the State Park, which is well kept and has plenty of space for a large group of friends to go hangout.

Now if you are contemplating wanting to hop in the car and take a day trip to Hot Springs, I would say do it. Hot Springs is a very fascinating city, offering you a little bit of everything.

From the horse races at Oaklawn, to bathhouse row, to walking around the National Park, this city has everything for almost everyone, if you are willing to drive about 40 minutes to get there. My favorite thing to do there is grab some coffee at Kollective Coffee and Tea and then walk less than five minutes to get to Fat Bottom Girls and grab a delicious cupcake.

During the walk up and down the strip, you can find stores ranging from boutiques, candy shops and hole-in-the-wall restaurants. One restaurant that I am personally excited for is the opening of Texas Roadhouse in Hot Springs.

During my time here on campus I have found myself not having much to do, but quickly realizing that our school, town and surrounding area has a lot more to offer than meets the eye. I hope this has given some insight on how to spend your weekends here on campus. n

Submit your “Ask The Signal” questions at signal@obu.edu.

for largest gross-income for a DC Universe super hero film. The film amassed a whopping $300 million before being released in US theaters, going on to command the US box office for the month of December.

Jason Mamoa’s larger than life character seems ridiculous, but in our nerd-based culture, this is just another superhero—nothing unique other than his powers and origin story.

There’s no way to deny it—nerd culture has been very kind to superheroes and major comic book companies. “Avengers: Endgame” comes out this April and will likely go uncontested in the box office for its first month.

My not-so-“hot” take on all of this is that people truly enjoy living out lives and adventures through characters who face little to no resistance in their daily lives— lives that share little to no resemblance of their own. These high-tech personas that we can pour ourselves into have proven inviting not only to ‘nerds.’

It helps that so many games have adapted a free-to-play model, uniting such a broad player base of varied individuals.

Every day, we stray further and further away from stereotypical labels, like jocks and nerds, and though the cost may be higher and higher fixation and dependency on technology, I believe it’s a beautiful thing to see so many people being able to connect through so many different media. n

Worship styles wrongly divide modern Church

By ETHAN DIAL Online editor

Psalm 150: 6 says, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.”

When it comes to worship, the Bible is clear on one thing: God is deserving of every creature’s worship. Not only that, but He is also worthy to be praised by the earth itself. One of my favorite worship songs right now says, “If the mountains bow in reverence, so will I.” The creator of the universe and the one who set the whole world into motion doesn’t clarify whether or not we should praise Him through old hymns or contemporary songs. He simply calls for us to worship Him with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength.

One of the most significant issues facing the church today is division, specifically when it comes to choosing the style of worship.

We have churches who are having contemporary worship services for younger generations, while also having a more traditional service with hymns for the older crowd.

Though this practice may cease temporary strife, I believe it is not beneficial in the long run.

Growing up the son of both my church’s preacher and pianist, organist or whatever she needed to be at the time, I have always enjoyed all styles of worship music.

Some of my fondest memories are sitting in the car with the radio off and belting out harmonies to a series of hymns my family would sing on every road trip. I also enjoyed turning on K-Love and listening to the latest releases in the Christian music world. Many Saturday evenings, my family would even gather around the television in the living room and sing along with the Gaither Vocal Band.

Though I’ve always realized how blessed I have been to grow

up the way I did, it is only as of late that I’ve become aware of how lucky I was to have parents who appreciated all kinds of worship.

It is time for churches to stop fussing and fighting about what songs the congregation sings every Sunday morning. What does it matter as long as what you are singing glorifies the Lord?

Though everyone has a preference, church isn’t about the individual; it’s about the whole. It’s about the body of Christ coming together as one in unity to worship and study the word of God. It’s about lifting each other up, praying for miracles, leaning into your brothers and sisters for your needs and ultimately, being spiritually filled so we have the energy to do what God has called us to do, which is live for Him. How can we go out into a world that is so chaotic if our churches have just as much division within them?

Every Sunday when you walk into the sanctuary, you shouldn’t be thinking about what song you want to worship to. If you are, or even if you’re simply agitated or saddened that your favorite song wasn’t sung, maybe you should look inward and question your motivations. Worship isn’t about us or our preference. It’s about Jesus.

Just know, I’m preaching to the choir as well. At times, I, the one who enjoy all types of worship songs just want to hit the next button when a song I’m not too fond of begins. Therefore, we all need to be reminded about the point of it all.

We are called to praise Him in all circumstances—to lift our voice to the God who took on death itself so that we could live. This is what worship should be about.

This is why we have a choir and a congregation who stands in unity to sing praises to the Lord. This is why we sing. n

SPORTS

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Tigers open promising season under new head baseball coach

By WILL JOHNSON

Sports / Opinions editor The last three seasons, Ouachita’s baseball team has struggled to maintain consistency, and the results have shown in the team’s final records. They turn the page to 2019 with hopes of bringing back that winning culture the team envisioned in the offseason. Under new head coach Luke Howard, the Tigers feel they are beginning to build the foundation of a future GAC champion.

“As a team, our goal is to turn the program in a winning direction,” senior pitcher Adam Bahloul said. “The group of guys we have are fully bought in and grinding it out every day to get this program to the level it needs to be at. We take pride in our program.”

The Tigers (3-3) already see the hard-working culture leading to success early in the season.

Bahloul earned GAC Pitcher of the Week honors after tossing six scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts against Henderson State. Bahoul’s performance helped Ouachita claim its first win of the year.

“This offseason, I really focused my effort into developing command of all my pitches, because last season I had the stuff, but what got me in trouble was command,” Bahloul said. “Winning Pitcher of the Week was definitely a nice way to start the season. It’s nice to see hard work pay off, and it shows that the pitching staff at OBU is beginning to grow.”

Bahloul’s maturity as a pitcher is characteristic of what Howard wants to see from all his players.

Abby Blankenship z Photo Lab FRESHMAN INFIELDER CHRIS WILLARD attempts to tag out the sliding University of Arkansas-Fort Smith runner at third. Willard has started all six games for the Tigers in the early baseball season.

Howard spent seven seasons as an assistant at King University (Tenn.) before taking the head coaching job with the Tigers.

Howard ended his campaign with the Tornado on a positive note, going 29-19 in his final season. He now returns to Ouachita to coach at a familiar school. A school where he spent 2008-11 as an assistant coach before transitioning to King University.

The players are beginning to buy into Howard’s coaching philosophies, including senior infielder Aaron Studdard.

Studdard has a team-leading .316 batting average in the

early season, but he believes his biggest contribution to the Tigers comes in the dugout.

“I’ve worked a lot on having the ability to lead. Whenever adversity hits, I worked really hard to be the guy that the team could lean on when they need someone,” Studdard said.

“Whether that be on the field or off the field, I made it my job to be there for them as a teammate, friend and brother.”

Another key contributor is sophomore starting pitcher Brandon Matros, who returns to the squad after a challenging offseason. Matros was unable to finish the 2018 season due to

an elbow injury. His recovery process was positive, further motivating him to pitch a full, injury-free season with Ouachita.

Matros also believes the new culture of encouragement has aided his motivation to retake the mound and lead the Tigers.

“We have lots of new faces and a new culture moving us in the right direction,” Matros said.

“On the field, we are going to be relentless until the last out, and it is going to be a fun season if we compete like we have so far.”

Sophomore slugger Tyler Riebock returns after putting together solid first-year numbers a season ago. Riebock adds the

extra juice that the batting lineup looks for each game. His three home runs and nine RBIs lead the team offensively, but he’s always looking to improve his abilities on the field. Most importantly, Riebock is a team player, just like many of his fellow teammates.

His goal is to win as many games and possible and, as a result, channel a larger fan attendance.

“Our fans should know that this season, we want to make baseball a culture at OBU again,” Riebock said. “This year is the start of something special.”

Ouachita plays today at 2 p.m. against the University of the Ozarks at Rab Rodgers Field. n

Smith reaches next stop on softball journey OBU Football secures talented in-state recruits on Signing Day

By CAITY HATCHETT Staff writer

Mabry Smith started playing softball when she was five years old. The sport has always been her favorite, and with a baseball coach for a father, it is not hard to see why. Smith’s father was actually the one to get her into the sport, and Smith spent a lot of time around the baseball field with him. Once she began playing, travel softball became a big part of her life.

“I started playing softball when I was five. My dad really got me started on this journey because he was a baseball coach, so I grew up around it,” Smith said. “I have a really cool history.

I played travel ball my whole life, and softball has always been my favorite sport.”

When Smith entered the high school softball arena, she faced some new challenges. Striking out for the first team she tried out for, Smith transferred high schools. At her new high school, Smith found herself playing for the varsity softball team—an event that would eventually lead her to Ouachita. In this new arena, Smith was able to be seen by college recruiters, and she caught the eye of Ouachita’s Coach Mike McGhee.

“I tried out for my 2A high school and did not make the team. I ended up transferring and made varsity at my new 5A school,” Smith said. “This new high school I transferred to was where I got exposed to college coaches. Coaches talked, and through the exchange of info through the coaches that’s how Coach McGhee heard about me.

He then began watching me play in the summer through travel ball.”

Smith ended up graduating high school early, and she entered college here at Ouachita as a member of the softball team.

Smith knows that it was the right choice; she is enjoying playing softball here and is thankful to Coach McGhee for recruiting her.

She was ready to get started with her future and more than ready to test her softball skills.

By CALEB BYRD Staff writer

Alex Blankenship z Photo Lab Editor PITCHER MABRY SMITH is in her first season with the Tigers. She struck out a career high 16 batters in an eight-inning complete game against Christian Brothers University.

“I decided to come to college early because Coach McGhee mentioned coming a semester early to play,” Smith said, “and I thought that it would be a good decision to get out of Texarkana and get started with what I want to do with my life.”

While still adjusting to college life, Smith has definitely worked out a good system for balancing her athletics and academics. For her, planning is crucial. She gets a head start on her assignments for each week because she knows how tired she will be at the end of the week. This allows Smith to give herself a bit of a break as the week is winding down.

“I am still adjusting to playing sports and academics, but I’m getting the hang of it,” Smith said. “I just jump in all of my assignments for the next week either on Sunday or Monday, so when I am tired and don’t want to do any more work at the end of the week I don’t have any or I may just have a little.”

Being a student athlete here at Ouachita is a unique experience. Smith has definitely discovered that to be true, and her background makes it an even more interesting experience. She

is excited to be here, but knows she will have to work hard. She does not discount the value of a Ouachita education, and she knows just what all of her hard work will mean later in her life.

“Having a degree from Ouachita speaks volumes, but being able to handle school and sports speaks louder,” Smith said.

“I hope that my future employer looks at that and appreciates that and I may have a better chance at the job opportunity.”

With Coach McGhee facing a battle with cancer, this season has become more important to the softball team. Smith knows that the battle will be tough for her coach, but she knows that the team can come together to work hard and win. It will not be an easy season, but Smith is optimistic about the outcome. The team wants to make this a memorable season for Ouachita—and for Coach McGhee.

“Seeing our team grow together this year is what makes softball worth it,” Smith said.

“As Coach McGhee battles his cancer, we have to come together to work as a team and win as a team for him. This year is going to be special.” n

The heart of Ouachita’s football success over the past decade has been Arkansas high school players. The Tigers look to carry that tradition into the next decade having signed an Arkansas-centric class of 2019 on National Signing Day last Wednesday.

The Tigers signed 39 high school seniors and 29 of them, or 74 percent, graduated from Arkansas high schools. Eleven of the Ouachita signees earned allstate honors in high school and 20 earned all-conference. This wide array of talent gives the Tigers a good chance to continue their football success in the future.

Ouachita’s success over the past ten years has been founded on a reversal of recruiting trend and a focus on recruiting local high school athletes. In Todd Knight’s first nine seasons as Ouachita head coach, the Tigers failed to finish a single season with a winning record. During that time, Ouachita focused its recruiting efforts on the national junior college scene, picking up players who would come into the program ready to play immediately, but who were not always well-versed in the culture and schemes of Ouachita.

Kngith reversed his recruiting strategy in the mid-2000’s to recruit Arkansas-based high school talent. This strategy has served to increase the Ouachita’s success in the Great American Conference and its fan base around the state.

Attracting local talent means attracting people who care about Ouachita and its athletic success.

A high school or junior college football player from Florida or Georgia probably would not have heard of Ouachita before receiving a recruitment letter in the mail. His friends and family back home would probably be disconnected from the team and would have trouble keeping

up with the student-athlete’s performance. Recruiting local players means the football program has student-athletes with more of an emotional connection to the school and that results in better performance on the field.

While recruiting local talent is important, it is not everything.

If Ouachita recruited the Arkadelphia High School football team to play every year, they probably would not have won four conference championships in the past eight seasons. No offense to the Arkadelphia Badgers – they have won two straight state championships – but not all of their players are capable of playing at Ouachita.

The Tiger coaching staff has to go out and find the best players in the state – players who often times fly under the Division-I radar. Of course, Ouachita would not have been able to sign Treylon Burks, a four-star wide receiver from Warren who signed with the Razorbacks.

Instead, they signed Burks’ Warren teammate, Keemontrae McKnight, who was an all-state wide receiver at the high school level. McKnight will likely prove to be a star at Ouachita, but he probably would not have been nearly as successful at a Division I school. These players who don’t necessarily have the size to be recruited by major football programs, such as the 5-foot-8inch Allie Freeman or the 5-foot10-inch Austin Warford, have been key to the past two GAC championships for Ouachita.

National Signing Day 2019 was a big day for Ouachita. The football team signed a solid class of players who will hopefully carry its success into the future.

While not all 39 will remain on the team for the next four years, there are sure to be a few players in the group who will have a GAC Conference Championship ring on their finger when they walk across the Cone Bottoms lawn at graduation. n