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Conner communicates love for worship music

BY ELIZABETH STEELY Staff Writer

Cameron Conner has become a well-known person on campus, due to his incredible involvement in Ouachita Singers, Ouachita Sounds, Tiger Tunes, OBU Worship, among other activities.

Conner has a huge heart for worship ministry, and having the opportunity to shepherd younger generations has helped him fulfill his calling in life.

“I want to guide younger people and just be someone that they can talk to and come to for advice,” Conner said. “School is stressful and you really need those people who can pull you up when you feel like you’re drowning and really be with you.”

Conner decided to become a Life Group leader his sophomore year and has continued leading as a junior because he wants to find a group of younger men to invest in. One of the ways that Conner has been able to fulfill his calling to worship ministry is through being one of the leaders in OBU Worship. He has enjoyed the opportunity of being one of the students that leads worship in weekly chapel services. This has been one of the greatest growth opportunities Conner has had during his time at Ouachita, and it has pushed him to become a better worship leader.

“Some days have been hard, especially at the beginning,” Conner said. “Not every worship leader will be exposed to a congregation where some people are not really into the worship or don’t want to be there.”

With required student attendance for weekly chapel services, it has been more difficult to encourage students to be involved in the worship portion of chapel.

“I have to ask myself, how do we engage people here and how Junior Cameron Conner from North Little Rock poses as a 2018 Tiger Tunes host. This honor has been just one of Conner’s accomplishments and chances to flourish in the many opportunities Ouachita offers. (photo by Josie Pringle)

can we draw people into this atmosphere of worship?” Conner said. “I have learned that they’re going to give you what you give them, so you have to just freely worship like you normally would. It’s all about engaging them and being in that moment and they will become more receptive and mirror you.” One of the people who has impacted Conner’s worship ministry the most is Stephen Ray, a Ouachita alumnus and youth pastor at Colorado Community Church. While working together during Cameron’s summer internship at Fellowship North Church in Little Rock, Ray became a mentor and role model for him.

“There’s a kinship that exists between musicians that’s really not like anything else,” Ray said. “I was able to really pour into him not only musically but also to teach him about all of the experiences I’ve had as a worship leader so he could learn from them as well.”

According to Ray, Conner has an extremely bright future as a worship leader because he is in his prime and is so energetic. Conner is known for having many important qualities that are essential components of being a good worship leader, and his musical abilities have played a huge part in his success.

“He is a phenomenal singer and has perfect pitch in hearing harmonies,” Ray said. “This will help him lead a future team really well. He also is very versatile in the music that he can sing, so he will be able to speak to more than just one demographic.”

Besides just growing in his skills as a worship leader, being at Ouachita has also grown Conner as a person, both spiritually and emotionally. Before Conner was able to pour into younger students, he sought guidance from an older, wiser student. Noah Day, who graduated in 2019, not only served as Conner’s mentor but learned from him as well.

“He has taught me a lot about friendship, specifically when it comes to loyalty,” Day said. “He is a fierce lover of people and when I think of honesty and accountability, he’s one of the first people I think of.”

With Day’s counsel, Conner was able to grow in his relationship with the Lord, which helped him become the worship leader that he is today.

“He’s truly learned what it looks like to walk in light, vulnerability, accountability and the freedom that can only come through intimately knowing Jesus,” Day said. “I’ve seen him make really hard choices for the sake of better imitating Christ.”

Conner credits Ouachita’s constant Christian community surrounded by faith as the driving force for his spiritual transformation over the past three years of college. The opportunities that Ouachita provides have helped him really distinguish his call to worship ministry.

Ray and Day both agreed on the fact that Conner’s personality is a driving force that will help him continue to be successful.

“He has a very outgoing, gregarious, attractive personality that makes him so likable to people,” Ray said. “It reminds me a lot of Jesus’ ministry because people are attracted to who the Spirit is using. He has a strong sensitivity to the spirit leading.”

Conner’s plans after college are focused on him becoming the best worship leader possible. He plans to work in a church for a couple of years and possibly attend seminary to learn more about what God is teaching him, but his future goals do not stop there.

“I want to eventually start recording and releasing my own music and traveling around the world and ministering through that,” Conner said.

Being an active participant in so many of the different musical outlets at Ouachita has helped Conner gain crucial experience needed to help him while he pursues his path toward success. He believes the mentorship he has had from older and more experienced musicians coupled with his love for younger generations and leading them to God will aid in helping him achieve his future plans.

“I truly anticipate his future will consist of leading a powerful movement of worship amongst young Christians,” Day said.

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Student members of the Multicultural Organizations Reaching Equality (MORE) pose in front of Cone-Bottoms for their 2018-19 Ouachitonian photo. MORE has been heavily involved with the integration of the diverse student community at Ouachita and has helped plan this year’s Black History Month celebration. (photo by Alex Blakenship)

BY LANGLEY LEVERETT Staff Writer Black History Month events to educate, celebrate Black History Month, nationally recognized in February, has been commemorated for nearly a century. The OBU Multicultural Student Programs (MSP) are hosting a lecture event titled “Conversation on Race,” on Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m. in Hickingbotham Hall (100). This year’s theme is “African Americans and The Vote,” which honors both the 1920s movement of women’s suffrage and the 15th Amendment, which gave African American men the right to vote. This month is dedicated to remembering the advancements that minority communities have made and continue to make.

“This conversation invites students from all backgrounds to engage in courageous conversations around issues related to race and equity. Our Black History Month committee believes that nothing bridges the divide of race and culture like informed dialogue that’s grounded in shared understanding,” said Nicole Porchia, director of the Multicultural Student Programs. “This is an event you don’t want to miss. This conversation will be moderated by Mrs. Lisa Sells with guest speakers Pastor Brandon Barnard of Fellowship Bible Church-Little Rock and Pastor Phillip Pointer of Saint Mark Baptist Church-Little Rock.”

Through academic and social programs, MSP wants to see equal student representation and foster development through diversity.

“[MSP] provides support for underrepresented students on campus through academic initiatives, cultural enrichment programs, student organizations and the alumni network,” Porchia said. “The program is committed to their success, and every effort will be made to ensure that each student’s academic journey is a rewarding one. Co-sponsors and I work every day to ensure that Ouachita is a place where everyone can flourish. We offer multicultural students the tools to make the most of their college experience—and prepare for meaningful and rewarding careers.”

Porchia encourages students to be present, whether it’s at the events of Black History Month, or future events sponsored by Multicultural Organizations Reaching Equality (MORE).

“We encourage all minority students to be involved across campus in various leadership positions. In the past three years, we have seen a significant increase in students of color participating in the following areas: social clubs, OSF, Tiger Tunes, housing (Resident Assistants) and many other leadership positions on our campus,” Porchia said. “This type of change helps Ouachita as a whole develop an overall more diverse and inclusive environment on campus.”

President of MORE and senior studio art major Bri Benton’s focus is to overcome the gap of fear and hesitation. She wants to develop inclusiveness not only on campus, but also between MSP members. “Sometimes it’s really hard to feel like we have a place [on campus]. But [MSP] is a place where we can be ourselves. The biggest thing I want to accomplish is to form a community within MSP,” Benton said. “Once we form a community within ourselves it will be easier to push out into the OBU community as a whole. Forming that love for each other, uplifting each other, pushing each other to grow, is the biggest thing.”

Students can email Porchia or Benton to get involved. MORE meets on a bi-weekly basis. Volunteers are always welcome at events and individuals are especially encouraged to come to the first semester meeting to get more information.

“You have to look past everybody’s differences. Being open to learning new things about each other is the way,” Benton said. “You have to have an open heart, be able to listen and to learn. Look at what we’re doing together, how we relate, how we come together and how we love each other. If you look at those things first, you can fit in and see that we’re just the same.”

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Special Olympics promotes unity

BY KATIE TYREE Staff Writer

The Department of Kinesiology and Leisure Studies will host the Special Olympics Basketball Tournament on Thursday, Feb. 27 at the Sturgis Physical Education Center from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Amber Chelette, assistant professor of the Department of Kinesiology and Leisure Studies, looks forward to the event every year.

“It’s basically organized chaos, but it’s my favorite day of the year,” Chelette said. “I think my favorite part as a professor is watching my students. We really don’t give them a lot of time to train and prepare for it. We just kind of throw them in this very chaotic situation and we say, ‘Sink or swim,’ and they always swim.”

Around 250 student athletes and 200 student volunteers participated in the event last year. Volunteers are crucial for the event to run smoothly.

“I know that a lot of our students are service-minded and want to love on our community and this is just a really great way to do that because the community is coming to us, so you don’t even need to leave campus to do it,” Chelette said.

No experience is required for students at Ouachita to volunteer. “All you have to do is be willing to love people and smile and highfive and be encouraging,” Chelette said.

The Special Olympics program allows disabled athletes to participate in something that is often unavailable to them.

“Most of them do not compete or wouldn’t have made their regular school team so this gives them an outlet to participate and to have something of their own that they can own and can grow in and feel confident in,” Chelette says.

Chelette believes that the event

Last year’s participants excitedly wait to compete. Athletes are challenged and encouraged at this event. (photo by Hadyn Jeffers) is just as important for the students who volunteer and the student athletes who compete.

“It’s good for students to see that disability doesn’t mean that you are incapable,” Chelette said. “Thirty to twenty-five percent of our community are people with disabilities, so outside of this little bubble, you’re going to be interacting with people who are different than you, so this is a great way to get out of your bubble, get out of your comfort zone and learn how to interact with other people who have different challenges than you and different interests than you.” Chelette pointed out that experiences like this are important, especially considering the history of disabled exclusion.

“It’s probably better now than it was when I was growing up, but special education was in a completely separate building...there was no interaction,” Chelette said. “There’s been this idea that people with disabilities should be separated because they can’t participate in society, that they don’t know how to interact or they don’t want to interact. It’s this whole civil rights battle because of all these stereotypes and prejudices and biases that we’re not really aware that we have. We don’t know that we’re wrong.”

Students learn to overcome their limiting views of what disabled people are capable of through this event.

“People come and participate in the Special Olympics basketball event with complete blindness, and they’re able to use other techniques to figure out how to shoot the goal,” Chelette said. “Challenges are just challenges. They’re not barriers. They can be overcome if someone is willing to say, ‘You can participate, and you should participate,’ and to get out of other people’s way...that’s helpful for them going forward into their careers.”

Chelette is satisfied with the growth of the event and the unity it exhibits.

“A lot of what I see is what we’re wanting to get out of it,” Chelette said. “We’re blowing past these stereotypes that people have, we’re getting people out of their comfort zone, we’re giving them a day that’s honestly just fun.”

Online registration for student volunteers ends on Thursday, Feb. 20.

Students can register to volunteer online or by emailing Dr. Chelette at chelettea@obu.edu.

Recreational Life plans trip to Lake Catherine State Park

Ouachita’s Recreational Life will lead a hike to a waterfall at Lake Catherine State Park in Hot Springs on Monday, Feb. 24.

The event is free and all students are encouraged to participate. Participants should wear appropriate hiking clothing and shoes, bring a water bottle and consider packing additional clothing for playing in the waterfall.

The group will leave from the SPEC parking lot outside the climbing center at 3:30 p.m. and are expected to return to Ouachita around 7 p.m.

Situated on the man-made Lake Catherine, the park offers a variety of activities including fishing, golfing, horseback riding, snorkeling and music events. Visitors can also enjoy the historical plaques and tours.

The property was donated to the state of Arkansas by Harvey Couch in 1935 and was immediately deemed a state park. The park contains structures registered as historical places representative of rustic architecture dating back to the Great Depression era.

The park’s history and outdoor opportunities drew Shane Seaton, Ouachita’s director of Recreational Life, to choose it as a location for a student trip.

When it comes to selecting Rec Life trips, Seaton considers student interest and input, commitment in relation to the University calendar and accommodation for beginners in each activity. He desires to see students challenge themselves with new activities.

“I love using the outdoors to help people grow,” Seaton said.“I enjoy taking others to enjoy being outside.”

Whether someone embraces the BY RYLEE ROBERTS Staff Writer

big and beautiful aspects of God’s creation or admires God’s attention to the smallest details, spending time outside allows the individual to see God in a new way.

“Chapel and classes challenge who we are, our identity and how we see Christ,” Seaton said. “We use our heart a lot in those settings, but we are holistic beings. It is important to focus on using heart, soul, mind and strength.”

Rec Life presents students with opportunities to use their strength. Moving outside of the mental challenges presented in coursework allows each individual to engage with God in another area of His being.

“Hopefully someone can find an outlet of exercise that they enjoy,” Seaton said.

Recreational activities presented by the Rec Life office allow students to embrace engaging their bodies in various forms of exercise. Backpacking, canoeing and hiking trips only scratch the surface of what Rec Life offers.

Being outside can also powerfully impact relationships.

“To me, the outdoors create a sense of community,” Seaton said. When it comes to Rec Life activities, Seaton encourages participants to put their phones away and interact with one another. Eliminating distractions creates room for bonding with one another and with the elements of creation present in each activity.

Lee Grisham, a senior math major and English minor from Augusta, Ark., attests to Rec Life’s impact on relationship building.

“All in all, Rec Life has given me new opportunities to develop personally and with others,” Grisham said. “It gave me the chance to invest in underclassmen in a way you just don’t get from normal, everyday interaction.”