The Bison - Vol. 99, No. 14

University celebrates Spring Sing’s golden anniversary

College of Bible and Ministry hires faculty for fall semester

The College of Bible and Ministry recently hired two faculty members to begin during the 2024-2025 school year.

The college will welcome Alicia Williamson and Patrick Bowman to Harding in the fall semester. COBAM announced the two faculty members via an instagram post March 26.

Williamson has served as an adjunct professor of Bible at the University for the past three years. Before relocating to Searcy in 2018, Williamson spent 14 years working as a church planter and a public school teacher in New Jersey.

Williamson holds a master’s degree in systematic Theology and Christian ministry from the Harding School of Theology and is currently working on her doctorate in practical theology.

Dean of the College of Bible Monte Cox said Williamson is a very talented teacher. “She was hired because she’s really good [at teaching],” Cox said. “She is already very invested in disciple-making groups on campus.”

With the retirements of Ross Cochran, who specializes in religious education, and Jerry Bowling, who specializes in spiritual

formation, Williamson’s specialties are a good fit for the gap left in the college. Williamson is currently working on a dissertation on spiritual formation in young adults in Ghana.

“I’m going to interview the students there to get an African perspective of what emerging adulthood is like for them and see if there’s similarities and how those things have impacted the spiritual formation of American young adults and see if that is happening there,” Williamson said. “It’s cool because it’s a hole in the research, and I get to speak into that and give a voice to our African brothers and sisters.”

Williamson said she is looking forward to being a full-time faculty member and having a permanent space in the Bible department.

“I feel really confident stepping into that role, not just as a female, but also as a theologian,” Williamson said. “I’m really excited to get to use my experiences and all of my knowledge to be able to be a blessing and fill a gap where our Bible department is going to have a gap.”

Williamson has previously taught World Christian, freshman Bible classes and Christian Families with her husband Carl Williamson. She said she looks forward to

teaching a childen’s ministry class and classes on spiritual formation.

Bowman, a Louisiana native, is finishing his dissertation in religious studies with a concentration in historical theology at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Bowman said it is “a surreal feeling” being able to teach at his father’s alma mater.

“I am thrilled that the position opened up and that I get to follow in my father’s footsteps,” Bowman said. “I came to Harding [for the interview] thinking it was going to be a great fit, and I left thinking it was going to be an even better fit for me and my family.”

Bowman and his wife are expecting their third child and will move to Searcy in the coming months. Bowman said he is excited to take on the challenges of being a faculty member at the University.

“With the excitement, there will also be challenges and a lot of newness at the same time,” Bowman said. “There will be faculty members who will help me tap into their wisdom and guidance as I face potential challenges.”

Cox said Bowman is an engaging professor, and Cox values faculty that do not have a learning background from the University.

“It’s nice to have someone who wasn’t a Harding product to come and join us,” Cox said. “I feel like it enriches us in a lot of ways.”

The 2024 Spring Sing ensemble cast sings on the Benson Auditorium stage March 25. This year marked the 50th anniversary of Harding Spring Sing.

The College of Bible and Ministry hired Patrick Bowman and Alicia Williamson in this month to start as faculty members in the fall semester.

Photo by MACY COX

Photo provided by Patrick Bowman Photo provided by JEFF MONTGOMERY

School of Theology appoints new dean

Associate professor of Bible Peter Rice was hired as dean of Harding School of Theology in the midst of the campus moving from Memphis to Searcy. His appointment was announced in an email to Harding colleagues Feb. 27.

Rice was a member of the HST academic transition team since its formation in fall 2023. The purpose of the team was facilitating a smooth transition from the Memphis campus to Searcy.

“When the current dean of HST decided not to continue, I got tapped as a possible replacement,” Rice said. “I was hesitant since I knew what a big job it is. But as I thought about it and prayed about it and talked it over with others, I decided I was the right person to lead HST moving forward, and I went for it.”

Rice received his undergraduate degree from Oklahoma Christian University, his master’s in theology from Abilene Christian and his doctorate from Baylor University. Rice said not having been a Harding or HST student comes with limitations but also strengths.

“HST has a rich history full of legendarily faithful and talented people — a legacy I’m stepping into and learning on the fly,” Rice said. “That’s a challenge, but being an outsider can also be a strength for me.”

Rice said he hopes his experience at three other excellent universities will bring something new to the table.

“There’s a cross-pollination effect that I think is good for HST and good for Harding,” Rice said.

As dean of HST, Rice’s responsibilities focus on HST’s academic program, including classes, professors, students, classrooms and budgets.

“I’m also charged to cast a vision for HST’s future, to look forward prayerfully and hopefully and try to shape HST’s path,” Rice said. “It’s a humbling responsibility, and I’m grateful for it.”

Rice said he wants HST to continue being faithful and rigorous. He also wants to continue relationships with churches in Memphis, while building relationships with churches in the White County area as well.

Monte Cox, dean of the College of Bible and Ministry, served as the chair of the HST academic transition team and was in charge of hiring Rice. Cox will also serve as the direct supervisor of Rice in his position as dean.

“He had no Harding connection, and I like that about him,” Cox said. “So many of us went to Harding and then we went to Harding School of Theology. There is, I think, a lot of value in having somebody who had neither of those experiences.”

Cox said Rice has many interests and is well-read in many different fields.

“He’s just really good and raises the bar high, appropriately so, but he can communicate in a way that’s down-to-earth,” Cox said.

According to Cox, he asked Rice to be a part of the transition team because of untapped administrative talents that Cox perceived.

“Dr. Rice has the right personality and the right gift set to do a really challenging job, and he’s doing really well,” Cox said.

HST student Aidan Broome said Rice is an excellent teacher, and he thinks that will help him serve well as dean.

“Dr. Rice is insightful and humorous in class,” Broome said. “He maintains a lighthearted atmosphere even while discussing difficult and challenging topics. I believe he will bring the same excellence to his role as dean as he does to the classroom.”

Board appointee anticipates first meeting as member

TIANE DAVIS editor-in-chief

Nearly four months after alumna Amy Emerson’s addition to the Board of Trustees, Emerson is preparing for her first meeting as a member, which will take place May 2-3.

Emerson, a 1996 Harding graduate and native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, is poised to bring more than 20 years of leadership experience in pediatric care, family advocacy and community engagement to the now 20-member board.

“The most important thing is just the wellbeing of Harding and the students at Harding and the legacy of Harding,” Emerson said. “One thing I learned is that everything the

board of trustees does is done with a lot of prayer and time. I think there’s a reason why big decisions are not made quickly because I think sometimes it does take time just to spend time in prayer and be open and willing to hear responses.”

Emerson said she will have a better idea of what her goals will be as a Board member after she attends the meeting, but that she has a few general goals in mind.

“My personal goal is always to lift up the people around me and just to support the students in any way that I can,” Emerson said. “The students are at the heart of what we do.”

Chairman of the Board Charles Ganus, who was added in 2010, underscored the significance of Emerson’s appointment and

the upcoming meeting. He said the ideal Board member is one who fully supports Harding and its mission and offers leadership,

My personal goal is always to lift up the people around me and just to support the students in any way I can.

influence and spiritual insight.

“Amy has a servant heart, continually exhibited in her family life, her active work with her church family, and her leadership roles with various nonprofits that serve youth” Ganus said. “She and her husband, Clint, are active supporters of Harding. Amy has gained respect across Oklahoma, and beyond, for her impassioned service and advocacy.”

Ganus said Harding has benefitted every board member, which is something they want every student to experience during and after their time at the University.

“Amy will be another strong board member fully engaged in the mission of Harding,” Ganus said.

President Mike Williams emphasized the collaborative relationship between the Board and the University administration. The University President is the only employee of the Board, Williams said, which means he works closely with them in “shaping policy” and “setting the strategic direction of the school.”

Williams said with four members added to the Board in recent years, it is continually evaluating current and future members.

“There is an elaborate vetting process,” Williams said.

“As the custodians of the institution’s mission and values, Board members set broad policy directives, monitor administrative activities, and evaluate progress toward strategic goals,” Williams said.

With Emerson’s addition to the Board, Williams said he anticipates a fresh perspective and renewed dedication to Harding’s mission.

“Dr. Emerson will be a passionate advocate for the student experience,” Williams said. “Her work has propelled her into many roles of influence where she fostered enhanced student achievement.”

MAGGIE SAMPLES

Dr. Peter Rice was named dean of Harding School of Theology in spring 2024. Rice served as a member of the transition team prior to his appointment.

Dr. Amy Emerson presents in chapel Mar. 13. Emerson was appointed to the Board of Trustees in fall 2023.

Photo by JEFF MONTGOMERY

Photo by JEFF MONTGOMERY

– Amy Emerson, Board of Trustees member

To everyone who just completed a 60-hour degree plan: I feel you. Take a deep breath. It’s over.

I recently added a second major of Applied French. Never in a million years would I have guessed that’s what my future held in store for me. I took French simply because of the three-semester foreign language requirement for English majors. In hindsight, I can very clearly see God’s hand in the process.

Don’t get me wrong, I still don’t have it all figured out. Seeing the next two years of my life planned out on paper was reassuring, but it also felt limiting and uncomfortably set in stone. Someone recently referred to me as a “passionate person” — a characteristic I have never considered myself to be but am now realizing is quite true. Before deciding on adding Applied French as a second major, I tiptoed around the thought of adding it as a minor — theological studies as well. As much as I wanted to say “yes,” I had to determine the best course of action. I can’t stay in college studying every field that interests me, but oh, how I wish I could.

This raises an important question: “How do we as college students rectify our passions that

Spring Sing is a time of year for us five Stinnett sisters. We jokingly wish each other, “Happy Holidays!” when the fresh air of spring arrives. We often follow with, “It feels like the Friday of Spring Sing outside,” to describe a perfectly crispy sunny day.

My oldest sister brought home a DVD of her first Spring Sing in 2006 — “Toon In.” Together, the Stinnett sisters experienced the buzz on campus and took in the grandiosity that was Spring Sing — “Camaraderie” the year after. Every year forward, we eagerly counted down the days to our favorite weekend in Arkansas and slowly, the anticipation of the arrival of spring itself would become tradition. The girls and I rotated one-by-one out of our seats in the Benson, up to the stage, and gracefully returned to cheer on the next sister. We spent those weekends together recounting favorite host numbers, best club shows, acting out the funniest intros and talking about the hosts like they were A-list celebrities.

From my first viewing, I waited. That waiting softened into longing. I longed for my own jersey night, longed to direct my own show, longed to be on stage in my own costume. I also spent lots of longing at the mailbox for the Spring Sing DVD we had ordered and I should have been jumproping — the digital age was about to peak, Katherine! All that waiting accumulated into some of the most heartful memories for all of us and made our

don’t neatly apply to majors, minors and class schedules when so much of our current life is based around them?” I don’t know if I have a satisfactory answer, but I do know this: When I was school, I in a general class at

professor for life advice when it came time to graduate. He warned about the temptation to fill our schedules and leave no room for spontaneous activities. Keep this in mind during registration season. Internships, intersession classes and job interviews might be the only things worthy of space in your mind right now. And God will work through those experiences, but don’t feel stifled if, right now, you want to explore something Harding doesn’t offer a class for.

I can’t mention registration without sharing appreciation to all the advisors on campus. Thank you for bearing with us through our quarter-life crises as our college careers come to a close much faster than we would like. A big “thank you” to my wonderful advisor who put up with my ever-changing mind about what I wanted. You offered wisdom at a time when I most needed it. And we both made it out alive after spending two hours and fifteen minutes navigating the uAchieve software.

Stinnett’s Spring Sing Journey

own time as students that much dearer.

Finally, my semester of splendor arrived. The TNT/ZP directors wrote and executed a winning show in 2015 — Charlie and the Chocolate Tragedy. That Saturday night celebration felt like a win for the whole Stinnett family — we had never placed first! And I’m wearing a green wig and orange face paint in all the pictures!

Because of my grown affection, I rallied another win for TNT/ZP/Stinnetts with the help of my team of penguins, and I interacted with Spring Sing as often as anyone would let me over the course of my four years. I made costumes, painted sets, talked through ideas and rehearsals with anyone who would listen and even worked as my best friend’s dresser when she hosted. Many of my good friends throughout college hosted or danced in the ensemble — little Katherine couldn’t believe she was going to Sonic with A-list celebrities almost every night of the week! Little Katherine also didn’t know to look forward to the daily phone calls she would get in New York when her youngest sister made her directorial debut. That year of chats are now

cherished memories to add to the heaping pile that makes my heart so fond of Spring Sing.

I quickly learned that the heart of Spring Sing lies in the people who create it — more than a weekend of shows or a first place trophy. It’s the memories and songs and reunion. For Club Directors and Production, it’s a year of creative labor coming to life. For a lot of us, it is or was a semester (or two… or eight) of creating friendships that still have life or getting to show a semester’s creative work that then creates the life on campus for all of us to enjoy and remember.

As of 2023, the last Stinnett sister to grace the stage bowed her last. So, to be back in 2024 as a Judge for the 50th feels like the closing of a nearly perfect circle. Once our expectation, now our experience makes up almost twenty years of history that connects us five sisters to five decades of footsteps that, too, pattered across the Benson stage.

The connection that many tie to Spring Sing comes in vast variety, closed circle or not — it lives in the memories, the present moment, the expectant future and in the faces that come to mind in reflection.

The quick, crisp, airy breeze on the Friday of Spring Sing continues to remind me that across five decades, still, United We Stand.

KATHERINE STIN-

NETT is a guest writer for The Bison. She may be contacted at kattstinnett@gmail. com.

Imade my bracket as I do every year ––artfully crafted toward the underdog. If two teams are close in rank, I choose the lesser rank. This strategy has proven me well: I’ve won three brackets, and I am currently leading in this year’s tournament. I hope I didn’t just jinx myself.

I think the underdog story is so popular because of what it communicates to us. We want to root for them because their success seems to communicate, “You can overcome the challenges!” It’s even a trope we see over and over in the media; look at movies like “Rocky,” “Kung Fu Panda,” “Facing the Giants,” “Legally Blonde,” “Moneyball” and countless others. We want to beat the odds!

Major names like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Audi Crooks and Paige Bueckers show up on our screens and tell us we are capable of big things. Although not all these teams are underdogs, we still sit and root for them because they give us something to be excited about. When I watched Iowa’s game against West Virginia, I couldn’t peel my eyes off my little phone screen. When I called my dad Tuesday morning, we talked about the game like we were on the court.

Sometimes when hype videos play in chapel, I get emotional. When I hear my friend Lauren talk about her experiences on the Harding women’s soccer team, I smile at the shared goal. Since I am a washed-up athlete, I am constantly reminded of the inspiration a team can bring into life.

The other day, a professor asked me if I had ever tried to write an eulogy for myself. He said it might help me think about what I want to be remembered for, which may in turn clarify what I want to prioritize now. As I sat down later at home, I tried to think about the things I want to outlive my time.

I realized I need to get way better at sports so I can become a trending Google search. That way, no one would ever forget me. TikToks would circulate of my greatness, and people would put my face on the fronts of magazines. Maybe I would even get a statue made of bronze outside my old high school.

Obviously this is a joke, but this hyperbolic view points out vividly why living for fame is so silly. My favorite athletes should simply remind me of the importance of being a good teammate to others. Caitlyn Clark is made better by everyone who pours into her. I want to be someone who hopes in other people, has patience during tough times and celebrates success. I want to root for the underdog because I wouldn’t be where I am today without someone rooting for me. Find the people who cheer you on, even when the odds seem unbeatable. Spend your time in communities that tell you that you are capable and that you can overcome the challenges. When you have people to look up to and voices cheering you on, it is hard not to believe in yourself. When you stop feeling like an underdog, look around and find those who need hope and become their teammate.

To those who has invested in me — thank you. To those whose bracket I’m beating — I’m not sorry.

Graphic by BEN EVANS

Graphic by BEN EVANS

Graphic by BEN EVANS

The best traditions

Afreshman,

Weston Eades, was chosen as one of the six hosts for Spring Sing this year. A rare feat. . Maybe I don’t pay enough attention to Spring Sing, but this was the first time, in my Harding experience, that there has been a freshman host or hostess. . Additionally, I heard he had never attended a Spring Sing show in person before being chosen.

To me, this came as a surprise. The Spring Sing ensemble cast and group of hosts/ hostesses always seemed to me like a group of experienced students. Typically in their last few years of college. . The more I thought about it, however, the more I was convinced that I loved the thought of a freshman carrying on such a key Harding tradition. What are traditions if no fresh faces or newcomers eventually show up to perpetuate them? We have to welcome the newcomers eventually.

For the longest time, when I thought of the word “tradition,” the word “exclusivity” often came to mind. Tradition sometimes feels like an inside joke in the way that someone is often left out; it is such a special part of life that it feels natural to want to keep it to ourselves. I think this belief I had might have stemmed from some misconceptions I had about the Church while growing up, which I am ashamed to admit — for my sake and the Church’s.

The idea that God is a graceful and inclusive deity was an idea that took me a while to truly grasp. I have always been aware that He held those qualities, but they did not always translate into my own thoughts and actions as a Christ-follower.

For years, I was under the mindset that Christians held prevailing ownership over so many traditions, including Christmas, Easter, Lent and much more. I was the type of person who thought she was better for attending church every Sunday — even though my parents often had to drag me out of bed to go every week. I would look at a crowded church on Easter Sunday and feel a sense of distaste for the people I had not seen before, when I should have felt joy knowing they wanted to be there and were welcomed no matter what. Oh, how wrong I was. I have probably never been more wrong in my life. The best traditions are the opposite of exclusive.

A crucial part of traditions is that someone needs to continue them, lest they die. If traditions such as celebrating Easter or taking communion were exclusive to those who had knowledge about them or consistently practiced them, they would have died with the apostles.

Traditions are special and deserve to be treated as such, which is all the more reason for us to include — not exclude — others in the continuation of them.

Tradition does not stem from selectivity but from respect for, and a desire for community with all who uphold it. That is why the Church or any community at its best is inclusive to a diverse group of people rather than a standardized person who seems to fit the right description.

During my time at Harding, I have witnessed and been let in on so many great traditions. What makes the great traditions great is that I feel I would be included if I wanted to be. Though I have never participated in Spring Sing, I know I would be allowed if I asked. The invitations I have received to be included further into certain communities are what have made my love stronger for the groups that surround me. Inviting others to join in on traditions is essential to continuing them.

The idea of being inclusive is obviously not new. Every year, however, seeing how Spring Sing functions as a whole has led me to admire the traditions its leaders uphold. It is up to those who participate to not misuse the tradition as a way to exclude others. I still have not bought a ticket to Spring Sing this year, but I know I will be rooting for Weston either way.

This past January, I had the opportunity to go to New York with the Communication Department. We got up super early on Thursday morning to catch the train to Philadelphia for the day. After visiting the First Amendment Museum, we were all set on going to get some good food. So, we rode the subway to Reading Terminal Market where we walked through the maze of cakes, pies, juices, meats and enough food to keep your head turning for hours. I finally stopped at a booth that claimed to sell the “World’s Best Cheesesteaks.” I had never eaten a cheesesteak, and quite honestly, didn’t know what it was.

Now, I am not what I would call a foodie. I’m a very picky eater and like to stick to foods that I know I’ll like. My dad has always said,

The beauty of trying new things

“Some people eat to live, and some people live to eat.” I fall on the “eat to live” part of the spectrum and often don’t see the point in spending a ridiculous amount of money on food, as it will be gone in a second. I’d rather spend my money on a nice pair of shoes.

Anyway, when I stumbled upon the “World’s Best Cheesesteaks,” my dad’s voice ringing through my head, I decided that at that moment, I was going to live to eat. I ordered the first cheesesteak I saw on the menu, paid the cashier a whopping $18, thinking, “I could’ve bought a cute top from H&M with that,” and waited for my cheesesteak. It came out hot, the thinly sliced steak perfectly complementing the melted cheese. That cheesesteak, to this day, is still one of my favorite things I have ever tasted.

As people, we are constantly growing and being shaped by our experiences. When you try new things, you are actively shaping who you become. What is it that we are really afraid of when it comes to trying something? Failure? I have come to believe that you only fail when you stop trying. The result of trying something new does not always turn out like trying my c heesesteak did. Sometimes, trying something new is not fun, or it’s really painful. But it is always worth it because I have learned some of the most wonderful things from failure that I never would have if I didn’t try.

BAILEY COFFMAN is a guest writer for The Bison. She may be contacted at acoffman1@harding.edu.

Screwtape on Spring Sing

With Apologies to C. S. Lewis

My Dear Wormwood,

You will be surprised to hear from me after all these years. I confess that your failure during the war was so abysmal that I still cannot stand the smell of you. I trust your past eight decades in the House of Correction for Incompetent Tempters have been most instructive.

However, your eternal sentence has been commuted — against my vigorous objections — because we need every available hand at present, and someone down in the Lowerarchy seems to like you. Our campaign is going very well. Since your active days, church attendance in England has dipped below 10 percent, though of course that’s far too high for my comfort. Even better, America is fast following suit.

Earth is literally on fire, hatred and division are worse than ever, people are sinking in debt and technology provides even more numbing distractions than the Enemy’s prophet Huxley predicted. Much of the world seems well in hand.

Despite our progress, though, I’ve been at this business long enough not to become complacent about our success. The Enemy has an insufferable way of snatching victory from us. Hardly a sporting chap. And that, my dear Wormwood, is why you must be on your guard. We are sending you into the belly of the beast.

You’ve been assigned a new patient. He’s a freshman at a Christian University. Most American colleges used to be faith-based, but we’ve whittled the number down. And we’ve managed such an assault on these places from the outside that they are easily caricatured in a way that sometimes seduces even those who

believe in their mission. Hotbeds of hypocrisy and oppression! Bastions of superstition! Citadels of brainwashing and backward ideas!

Yet I know better than to believe our own propaganda. Do not be deceived, Wormwood. There is much to distrust in a Christian school from our point of view — the earnestness, the positivity, the constant devotional atmosphere, the unifying message woven through every class, stinking through every dorm, and fouling every miserable activity.

I especially dislike all the undesirable marriages that happen there each spring. While we have trained 20 twenty-year-olds to mock these so-called wedding factories, the kids are disappointingly inconsistent. What they parody one moment, they embrace the next.

There is much work to do. Your patient reeks of indoctrination, though he would never call it that because we have successfully tainted the word in their minds. He reads the Bible far too often, has roommates who — perish the thought — pray for him, and worst of all, he’s in a musical. I have read a dossier on this “Spring Sing” and shudder at what I find.

Over a thousand young people willingly give up hours of their free time to rehearse songs and dances, all the while deepening their friendships and laughing together. You will recall my previous thoughts about the dangers of “joy” and “fun” — if not, please review letter 11.

Yes, this “Spring Sing” produces exhaustion, which leads to ill tempers and can put him behind in classwork. But these are short-term

gains for us only. The long-term results are disastrous. Camaraderie — despite our best efforts to squash it, that word persists, and its spread is fatal to our Father’s cause. The fact such wholesome, entertaining, earnest and positive fun has been permitted to carry on for 50 years exposes an unforgivable failing on our part.

This show makes people happy! Viewers come to cheer on their friends. You get all the razzmatazz of a Las Vegas show without the gambling and the decadence that would make it tolerable to us. And even worse, it’s all in the name of raising money for charity! Blech! Plus, this year, I’m told they are bringing back past singers so that the awful spectacle will be intergenerational! The whole thing makes me ill.

It was not my idea to send you. You are far too inept to do much good, but we are short-staffed. So, you must tempt your patient. Keep him distracted during rehearsals. We both know his singing and dancing are not so bad, but don’t let him realize this. Let him despair of ever learning the steps or being worthy of the girl in the front row he has a crush on. Above all, aggravate his pride at the sacrifices he is making.

Make him aware of how tired he is, but don’t ever let him slip into that giddy state of exhaustion where he is punch drunk with fun. Unfortunate levels of happiness are bound to result. And finally, see if you can’t arrange a little power outage during the “United We Stand” number. That’s a message we hardly want to encourage. It could catch on.

Your affectionate Uncle, Screwtape

Illustration by GRACIE CORNETT

Narrative Columnist

Michael Claxton

Guest writer Bailey Coffman

It is such a tremendous honor, and it is a very elite group that will live on forever.

Butch Gardner

Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame to induct Harding alumnus

NIC

A Harding alumnus will be inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame April 19 for his talent and contributions to the game of basketball.

Levester “Butch” Gardner was a member of the Harding men’s basketball team from 1973-1977. During his time at Harding, Gardner earned Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference first team honors in four straight seasons and earned National Association of Intercollegiate Athletes All-American honors in his last three seasons.

With a scoring average of 21.1 points per game, Gardner holds the Harding career scoring record with a total of 2,255 points. Gardner’s No. 20 jersey is retired and hangs from the rafters of the Rhodes-Reaves Field House. Gardner was a part of the first induction class in 1989 for the Harding Sports Hall of Fame.

The induction came as a surprise for Gardner and members of the Harding community. Gardner said he found out about his induction after a board member called him.

“I actually was both surprised and excited,” Gardner said. “I knew that there [were] some efforts to get my name on the ballot and try to get me elected this time around.”

The Searcy native’s basketball success began before his career as a Harding Bison. Gardner played high school basketball for the Searcy Lions. Under head coach Birdie Rogers, Gardner excelled on the court despite a late growth spurt during his junior and senior years.

Gardner’s numbers continued to climb during his career as a Lion, averaging a double-double during his junior and senior

seasons. His success did not go unnoticed, and Coach Rogers was aware of it. Rogers once said he would “not trade Butch for any other player in the state.”

Due to his accomplished career as a Lion, Gardner was honored at a Searcy High School basketball game Feb. 16 with a banner that will hang in the school’s arena.

Despite gaining attention from Division I basketball programs, Gardner’s college

He was already an excellent basketball player, but he could play any sport that he wanted to learn how to play.

– Jess Bucy, Former head coach

commitment narrowed down to two schools: Harding University and Ouachita Baptist University.

The night before signing day, Harding Hall of Fame head coach Jess Bucy made one last push to recruit Gardner. Bucy talked with Gardner in his living room past midnight trying to convince the star to join the Bisons.

Gardner said Coach Bucy served as a great leader, mentor and developer of men during his time as Harding’s head coach.

“Coach Bucy was not only a really good coach, he was also a really great person,” Gardner said. “He has always been a great friend, and I learned so much about the game from him.”

Following the conversation, Gardner would join the Bisons, creating a historic partnership with Bucy and his teammates. Bucy said Gardner is one of the best athletes he recruited during his head coaching career.

“He was already an excellent basketball player, but he could play any sport that he wanted to learn how to play,” Bucy said.

Gardner said his choice to join the Bisons was a decision that positively impacted his life as a player and as a man.

“It was a great decision,” Gardner said.

“I had a great career, met a bunch of my lifelong friends and met my wife. It was a great decision, and I have no regrets.”

The success and positivity from Gardner has continued to shine a light on the Harding community during his time as a player and faculty member.

I consider myself very fortunate to not only have him as a player but also as a really good friend.

–

Harding Athletic Director Jeff Morgan grew up watching Gardner play with his older brother, Jerry Morgan. Jeff Morgan said it was a special opportunity to watch Butch play during his times of “pure childhood.”

“Just growing up as a little kid and sitting on the front row to watch was always incredible,” Morgan said. “For me, before there was Michael Jordan, there was Butch.”

Bucy said his friendship with Gardner has continued following his illustrious career as a Bison.

“I consider myself very fortunate to not only have him as a player but also as a really good friend,” Bucy said.

Gardner will not be the first Bison to earn the prestigious honor of joining the hall. The basketball star will join Bernie Cox, Ted Lloyd, John Prock and Preacher Roe as the only members of the Harding athletic program to be inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame. Gardner said he is honored and privileged to join a special group of coaches and athletes.

“It is such a tremendous honor, and it is a very elite group that will live on forever,” Gardner said.

The induction banquet will take place April 19 at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. The ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m. Tickets for the event can be purchased at arksportshalloffame.com.

As the induction approaches, Gardner said he is thankful for the support he has received throughout the years as a Harding player and Searcy resident.

“I always enjoyed performing for them, and the Harding community is second to none,” Gardner said. “I would not trade it for anything.”

FRARACCIO sports editor

Alumnus Butch Gardner holds his retired jersey Feb. 29 at the Rhodes-Reaves Field House. Gardner finished his career with a school-record 2,255 points.

Photo by JEFF MONTGOMERY

– Butch Gardner, Arkansas Sports Hall of Famer

Jess Bucy, Former head coach

Alumnus Butch Gardner attempts a layup at the Rhodes-Reaves Field House. Gardner was inducted into the Harding Sports Hall of Fame in 1989.

Photo provided by Harding Sports Archives and Nathan Looney

Men’s track team sets school records

ELI DEAN community editor

The Harding men’s track team is coming off a week with records broken and increased anticipation for the season ahead. The team had two separate meets last weekend, the Ole Miss Classic in Oxford, Mississippi, and the Dan Veach Invitational in Magnolia, Arkansas, and each brought success for the Bisons.

In Oxford, junior Antiwain Jones placed first in the high jump at 2.09 meters, and he still holds the record mark for high jump in DII this season. Coming off of being named a Great American Conference Track and Field Athlete of the Week alongside teammate sophomore Savian Bush, Jones said he is pushing through as the season winds down this last month until the NCAA Championships.

“As an athlete, there will be good and bad days, but you can’t let the bad days define you as an athlete or as a person,” Jones said. “I believe my teammates are all striving to increase their personal best marks as nationals are slowly coming up.”

For other athletes, the success is hitting all cylinders. After breaking a Harding team record in the javelin throw during the Harding Invitational March 15, sophomore Casen Hammit placed fourth in Oxford with a 56.07-meter throw. Hammit said setting records is always exciting but that he is proud of the overall team growth this season as his teammates also found similar success in their competitions.

“We have already accomplished so much as a team, and we are staying hungry for more,” Hammit said. “We are still working hard to improve, and being in season is only lighting the fire under us all the more.”

The team culture is another big reason why the team is getting victories left and right

WEBER opinions editor

An outfielder for the Harding softball team has continued her strong season as the Great American Conference tournament approaches.

Senior outfielder Jordan Cabana leads in batting average, slugging percentage, runs batted in, on-base percentage and total bases. As a senior, Cabana has had the experience to enjoy her success with the team.

“Our team is the most encouraging team in our conference, and maybe even in all of D2 softball,” Cabana said. “We are constantly lifting one another up, and we always have each other’s backs. I know if I don’t do my job at the plate, whoever is hitting behind me will do theirs. To win games you have to have confidence in one another. For example, I’m confident our lead off Macy will get on base, and our two hole Mariana will move her over so myself or one of my teammates can score Macy. Since we all have confidence in one another to get our jobs done, we have been really successful.”

The team has been on a 15 game winning streak, and is 13-4 in the Great American

individually. Hammit said the encouragement he gets from his teammates is playing a large role in his work ethic and that he is ready for what the rest of the season has to offer.

“There is no other team I’d rather be a part of, as they push me to be better on and off the track,” Hammit said. “Some amazing things are happening within this team — both athletically and spiritually. It’s like being a part of a family.”

“We are just getting started,” Helms said. “Ultimately, we have a national championship on our minds. It’s what drives our efforts.” Friday,

Another strong category for the Bisons is the discus throw. Harding has a one-two punch going into the national championships with freshman Lukas Stiper and senior Spencer Helms, who have both finished first and second at several meets this season. Helms said the strong start to the year for him and the rest of the team is just the beginning and that they each understand the overall goal of a national championship as the calendar turns to the last full month of competition.

Cabana powers Lady Bison offense through 2024 season

“They say that hitting is contagious, so when you see a hitter who is producing, it just kind of bleeds off to the other batters. We are a team that feeds off of each other’s energy and presence, so when we see a teammate doing well it’s just a good feeling because

we know that they are going to carry their good energy to the whole team.”

Sophomore catcher Kate Pierce shared this sentiment. Pierce noted that the success of the top of the lineup gives confidence to the rest of the team to do well.

“Jordan’s performance and success breeds team success,” Pierce said. “She has helped all of her teammates to be better both on and off the field. The sky’s the limit for our team.”

Cabana had been preparing for her last season by turning her weaknesses into her strengths. In the off-season, Cabana was hitting live off of the team’s pitchers. Hitting off of different pitches multiple times a week and working on certain pitches that Cabana struggled with allowed for team collaboration in refining skills needed to perform well during the season.

“This team is a big family, and I am thankful to have 19 sisters who support me through all I do on and off the field,” Cabana said. “There is no experience that compares to playing a college sport, especially when you get to do it with your best friends.”

Harding hosts Henderson State University for a three-game conference series beginning today at 4 p.m. at the Harding Softball Complex. The Great American Conference Tournament will begin May 2 in Bentonville, Arkansas.

EMMA

Junior Samuel Williams runs in a relay race Jan. 19 at the Pittsburg State Invitational. The Bisons finished in second place with 103 total points.

Senior Jordan Cabana connects for a base hit March 16 against Southwestern Oklahoma State University. The Lady Bisons swept the Bulldogs in a threegame conference series.

Photo provided by Jordan Cabana

Photo provided by Brylee Stewart

Conference. Fellow senior pitcher Abby Burch enjoys the team atmosphere and how Jordan has contributed to the energy. “Jordan has been doing well scoring and moving batters, which just overall adds a lot of positive morale to the team,” Burch said.

Terry Davis ensures love will always abound

RANDI TUBBS

Alumnus Terry Davis has been leading singing for the Harding community for decades. He enrolled in Harding as an undergraduate student in 1989, graduated in 1993 then graduated again with his master’s in 1997. Davis led singing at both of his Harding commencement ceremonies and has continuously been invited back to worship with and lead the student body in song. Davis said he led singing while he was in high school at Greater Atlanta Christian School. He almost gave up on his aspirations to be a song leader until he was encouraged to continue at Harding. As a student at Harding, Davis led singing frequently, especially on the high school visiting days in chapel.

“Harding helped me continue to use my gift,” Davis said. “I encourage all students to find and use their gifts from God. Don’t take for granted the opportunities given to you daily. I love the Harding student body and can’t wait until the next time.”

He worked with past and current Harding presidents David Burks and Mike Williams during his time as a student and after, which has contributed to his continued involvement with the Harding community. Davis and assistant professor of Bible and ministry Jason Darden go back 20 years. They

attended the same church in Atlanta when Darden was a teenager and have kept in touch ever since. Darden considers Davis a mentor in his faith along with his love for Harding. “Terry has a bubbly, infectious personality,” Darden said. “I’ve never seen Terry have a bad day and he’s just by nature an encourager. His love for Harding also runs super deep. Terry graduated from Harding and still comes back all these years later. That tells me a lot about his character and his love for this

university.” Davis named himself the “Unofficial Ambassador” to Harding,because of his own advocacy and the steady invitations from

admissions to come for the Black and Gold visitation days and off-campus events such as Exposure and Winterfest. Davis normally coordinates with Scott Hannigan, director of Admissions, and/or Logan Light, assistant dean for Campus Life and Chapel Programs, to make sure when he visits campus that he can help out in any way he can.

“I’ve always thought that Terry has a gift to share joy in such a unique way,” Light said. “It becomes infectious and his zeal for worship is authentic to who he is whether he is leading singing or not. He enjoys being here, and I think that students, faculty and staff pick up on that.” Light said Davis brings an energy to campus that cannot be ignored and that anyone can learn something from him.

“Believe it or not, Terry has bad days too … but he has a depth of faith and joy that surpasses the circumstantial,” Light said. “It is a reminder to me, and I’m sure to others, that no matter what life brings us, we can find ways to praise God and hold onto the hope of the everlasting. I’m grateful for the time Terry spends with us on campus, and anytime his schedule allows, I enjoy having him lead us.”

Robin Miller discusses the legacy of Spring Sing

The 50th anniversary of Harding’s Spring Sing brought back memories for many in the Harding community. For one faculty member, the nostalgia didn’t just include one specific show, but all 50.

Robin Miller, a professor of theatre at Harding, was involved as an audience member for several years before moving to technical and directorial positions. He sat down with The Bison and talked about watching the legacy of Spring Sing grow.

Q: What was your first introduction to and experience with Spring Sing?

A: My first intro to Spring Sing was basically welcome to Harding. My freshman year was the year that Spring Sing started. So I worked on the show, helped build what set we had for it [and] worked with some of the rehearsals — not actually on the run crew for that one. I actually got to sit in the audience. But from then on, I was some version of backstage or in a booth somewhere working with the show.

Q: In what memorable ways has this experience evolved, and how do you hope that it continues to evolve?

A: Spring Sing has changed a lot during the years — not only from an auditorium that seats at that time about 1,200 to an auditorium that seats three times that, but in its structure and its makeup. It has evolved as entertainment

EMMA MCDARIS guest writer has evolved [and] as Harding has evolved. Think about the title of the show: Spring Sing. When it first started, it was primarily a vocal competition. Singing was very much a part of the Harding experience at the time. We didn’t have portable music. People would stand in the cafeteria lines and sing just as something central today. People would get together on the front lawn and sing for a while. The phrase was “At Harding, We Sing” and it was very real. So what happened was when the Spring Sing first started, the focus was on the singing. The clubs actually performed on choral risers. What visuals there were was wearing the costumes. There was a conductor onstage like you’re used to seeing with a chorus who conducted but was more of an entertainer. And because they’re on choral risers, there were some simple hand motions, but it was not anywhere near the kind of visual piece it is today. The hosts and hostesses performed in front of the curtain because there wasn’t a lot of space. There was not the ensemble to back them up that there is now. The jazz band literally sat on the floor in front of the front row, and then we often had a band or a small combo on stage with the clubs because vocals [were] so important, and most of the clubs actually had a harmony acapella section somewhere built into their shadows. Over time movement got bigger.

Q: Why should anyone care about Spring Sing?

A lot of people ask, “Why do the show?” One, it’s a lot of fun. It’s fun for the

audience, and although it is work, it is fun for the people involved. But this show does a whole lot more than just entertain. This show is very much a fabric of the social life of this campus. Club rehearsals are as much social events as they are work events for the opening night. They are chances for people to work on a project together and create memories and get to know people, and yes, you’re with people with your club but [also] people combined from different clubs [and] people who are not in clubs get involved. You get to know folks. The club shows ask a large number of our students to step up and be leaders. It’s a challenge to lead 100 of your peers in a group activity. And as a theatre and music department, a lot of time is spent with those individuals, helping teach them how to be a leader, how to be successful, how to motivate and [having] people [step] up and doing that. Because it’s a huge learning curve, and it produces leadership skills that you don’t get in many places on the undergraduate level — skills that are very, very marketable. It’s those soft skills that we see. The other thing is, Dr. Frye has done the numbers, but participation in Spring Sing is a huge predictor of actually graduating from Harding University. As a rule, and I don’t have the exact number —I’ve heard it but I’ve forgotten it — well over 90% of the people involved in Spring Sing actually graduate from Harding. Very few other events or groups are

going to be able to say that. It’s also a huge recruiting tool. A lot of high schoolers come and see the fun we’re having and go, “I want to be a part of that.” And it’s also a great memory for our alumni.

Q: What are you most excited about for the golden anniversary of Spring Sing?

A: For this golden anniversary of Spring Sing this year, I’m excited to basically see what the energy brings to the show of this being the 50th year of Spring Sing and the 100th year of Harding … I’m excited about what this is going to bring, the invitation for old hosts to come back — many of these are people that I actually got to direct — and getting to work with them, and so I am not directly involved with the show this year.

Delta Gamma Rho sponsor celebrates 20 years with the club

The centennial year marked 20 years of service for a sponsor of one of Harding’s women’s social clubs.

Delta Gamma Rho began at Harding in 1989, and for approximately two-thirds of the club’s history, Armstrong Hall residence life coordinator Emily Myers has served as a sponsor for the group. Myers began as a sponsor for DGR in 2004 and looked back on her years of service.

“Over the last 20 years, there have been

It is my hope that my presence in Delta Gamma Rho has blessed many young women over the last 20 years.

lots of memories,” Myers said. “We have shared a lot of life including laughs, losses, games, events, engagements, weddings and trips. I think it was probably 16 years ago when several members and two of us sponsors went on a road trip together in my van to Niagara Falls for the weekend. We laughed a lot and just enjoyed the shared experience together.”

Myers started her journey as a sponsor to be more involved in the Harding community and to give back to the club that had supported her in her time at Harding.

“I respected the women who had been sponsors for me during my time in DGR, and I felt like that was a role I would enjoy,” Myers said. “I am in relationship with many women from my time as a sponsor. Those friendships have continued through the years and have been such a blessing in my life.”

Current DGR president Mattie Powers held Myers up as an example of leadership for club sponsors.

“Emily is a blessing to DGR because she always thinks about what’s best for the club,” Powers said. “She genuinely cares for the women in this club, and you can see that in her actions.”

Club sponsorship requires a certain type of person to successfully lead and make an impact in members’ lives. Kylie James, vice president of DGR, said Myers embodies all of the traits a sponsor at Harding should have.

“A good sponsor should be someone who cares about the individual members of the club as well as the impact the club has on the community,” James said. “They should strive to build relationships with the girls and serve as a support system/mentor for them.”

James said she also appreciates Myers’

unique perspective on how DGR changed and how Myers stayed firm with the core beliefs of the organization. “Having a sponsor who has watched the club grow over the years creates a feeling of security and reassurance that there is someone who has our back and that we can lean on in uncertain situations,” James said. “It is comforting to know that there is someone

we can trust to help make decisions and that has the wisdom to keep the club on the right path of growth. Because things do change over time, having someone who is flexible and open to change creates a positive and welcoming environment for the members.”

Photo by MACY COX

Armstrong Hall residence life coordinator Emily Myers poses in a Delta Gamma Rho jersey in the First Lady’s Garden. Myers has served as a sponsor for the club for two-thirds of the club’s history.

Photo by JEFF MONTGOMERY Alumnus Terry Davis leads singing at the convocation during chapel Aug. 21. Davis graduated from Harding in 1993, then earned his master’s in 1997 and has made a point to stay involved in the Harding community.

features editor

Robin Miller

EMMA MCDARIS guest writer

– Emily Myers, Delta Gamma Rho sponsor

Imagine and Believe hosts dessert auction fundraiser

KENZIE JAMES guest writer

Local nonprofit Imagine and Believe hosted their fourth annual “Dessert Auction Extravaganza” last night.

Imagine and Believe provides clothing, supplies, food and community for foster and adoptive parents in the Searcy community.

Founder Christine Faith said this resource is needed to help foster families with the expenses of caring for the children they take in because Arkansas’s Department of Health and Safety only gives foster parents about $13 per day.

“We just felt like it was a neat way to do a fundraiser at a time of the year where there’s not a lot of other fundraisers,” Faith said.

This year’s dessert auction was the first one volunteer Susan Harrington was involved in. Harrington has been working at Imagine and Believe for the last four months after being a Court-Appointed Special Advocate with the DHS.

Harrington said she was excited to be part of the fundraiser for the first time and that she helped decorate and set up the desserts.

Harrington said she found Imagine and Believe when she stepped back from serving as a CASA.

“I needed something to do to still help children,” Harrington said. “I have just fallen in love with [Faith’s] mission.”

“Our goal here is to let foster parents know they’re not alone,” Faith said. “The community cares about the mission God has given them.” Faith said she had the idea for the dessert auction when Imagine and Believe was looking for a fundraiser to organize because charities do not often host dessert auctions.

The auction was hosted at the Searcy Country Club, where it has been all four years. Leah Ruddell, the country club’s group coordinator, was in charge of creating the floor plan and decorating for the auction.

“It’s always been a real successful event out here, and we always enjoy having them out here,” Ruddell said.

Ruddell said the fundraiser, which is a silent auction, receives donations of items like Easter baskets from companies and businesses in Searcy. All the desserts are made and donated by individuals in the community. Faith said women from different churches make their “signature” desserts and that the auction allows them to share their work with the community.

The fundraiser also helps Imagine and Believe share more about their mission with the community. At each auction, a different

foster parent will make a brief speech about their experiences.

“It’s been really neat to see what an impact that’s had on the community,” Faith said. “A lot of people don’t understand foster care, but these people are missionaries.”

“Back in the Day” is a special section in The Bison newspaper in celebration of Harding’s Centennial year. Each print issue during the 2023-24 academic year will have pieces related to the Centennial, connecting our readers to Harding’s past.

This week, we look at the first Spring Sing winning show, “Sailing.” The show involved clubs Sub T-16 and Ko Jo Kai, and this year’s re-imagining involves numerous other clubs this time around – with Ju Go Ju, Titans and others joining in on the swashbuckling fun.

Graphic by BEN EVANS

HNSA hosts annual egg hunt fundraiser

BAILEY COFFMAN guest writer

The Harding Nursing Student Association has been getting ready for its annual Easter egg hunt fundraiser, where its goal is to spread excitement to families in the Searcy community. This event allows nursing students to help families enjoy the tradition of Easter egg hunts with ease. Individual eggs can be bought by families, which the nursing students volunteer to fill over a span of a few weeks before the eggs are placed in the respective families’ yards the night before Easter Sunday. As preparations for the Easter egg hunt fundraiser are underway, members of HNSA

said they are thrilled to participate in the excitement of the Easter season. Although the eggs have been filled and orders fulfilled, the second part of the fundraiser is approaching. McKenzie Wilson, a member of HNSA, expressed her enthusiasm for the event, highlighting the joy it brings to those involved. “I work in a daycare, and I see kids’ excitement over such little things,” Wilson said. “Easter egg hunts are something that most kids would be thrilled to experience.”

The fundraiser speaks to the heart of what HNSA stands for, which is serving the immediate community in a fun and engaging way. Through selling Easter eggs, the HNSA can continue to fulfill its motto, developing servant hearts through creating a sense of

togetherness during what can sometimes feel like a busy season. Maddie Lowry, president of the HNSA, spoke to the significance of the event in providing relief to parents.

“By selling these eggs, we are able to help busy parents still give their kids the joy of Easter,” Lowry said. “I still hunt eggs every year, and I’m happy we are able to make these kiddos’ parents’ lives a little bit easier.”

Dr. Kim Swenson, who is a sponsor for Sigma Theta Tau International Epsilon Omicron chapter, is the faculty adviser for HNSA.

“It’s a project we’ve done for two years, and it’s a lot of fun,” Swenson said. “It’s a way to connect Harding students to the community

and correlates with our program motto, ‘Developing Nurses as Christian Servants.’”

Although all students have the opportunity to participate, the event is organized primarily by the board of directors of HNSA. Students have the chance to get involved by signing up to fill Easter eggs and assisting in hiding them in yards across the community.

Although the ages of participants often vary, receiving gifts from the Easter bunny is something that appeals to kids of all ages, Swenson said.

“Some of the kids are older, but we always say you’re never too old for the Easter bunny,” Swenson said.

OUTPATIENT THERAPY AND CUSTOM THERAPY INTENSIVES

Photo by BRILEY KEMPER

Families in the Searcy community are invited by the Harding Nursing Student Association to participate in an annual Easter egg fundraiser. Harding nursing students spent the weeks leading up to this event filling the eggs.

Social clubs give back to community

Each Spring Sing club show competes for a local charity, and the prize money the clubs win goes to the charities they represent. During the rehearsal process, members of each show complete a service project for their charity.

The charities represented in Spring Sing are Mission Machine, Jacob’s Place, The Sunshine School, Habitat for Humanity, The Children’s Safety Center and Sparrow’s Promise.

Harding’s social clubs served their charities around the Searcy community through the spring semester by setting aside a day to complete their service projects.

“Journey Home” is the club show that

women’s social clubs Ko Jo Kai, Ju Go Ju and Shantih perform with men’s social clubs Sub T-16 and Titans, and they are competing for the Sunshine School.

The Sunshine School is a nonprofit K-12 school for students with special needs, and they also offer pre-K and adult programs.

“Journey Home” members went to the Sunshine School one evening in February and had an activity night with the students. They had snacks, games and face painting, while the Harding students spent the evening interacting and getting to know the Sunshine School students.

Sophomore Madison Rhodes, a JGJ member, said the service project meant a lot to her because she wants to teach special education and get to work with those students.

“I want to be there for them and love them and just do everything that I can do

to raise money for them and find ways to make them happy,” Rhodes said.

Sophomore Anna Sims is one of the Spring Sing directors for “Hooked on a Reeling,” the show for women’s social club Zeta Rho and men’s social club TNT.

Sims said their show is representing Habitat for Humanity and that for their service project, students helped work on a house that the nonprofit is fixing up for a family in need, doing everything from yard work to screwing on doorknobs.

“As Christians, we are called to live a life of service, and embodying this call is important to the members of our show,” Sims said.

Women’s clubs Delta Gamma Rho and Phi Kappa Delta partnered with men’s social club Omega Phi to represent Jacob’s Place with their show, “The Tales of Camp O-Lock-Choo.”

Jacob’s Place is a nonprofit homeless shelter for families with children. The house provides families with services including food, clothing and temporary housing.

Freshman PKD member Avery Wohlfeil said some of the students helped at Jacob’s Place by picking up sticks and garbage on the lawn, weed whacking, mowing and weeding in the garden. Students also worked inside the house to clean the floors, windows and appliances and take inventory of hygiene supplies.

“It really feels like what Harding is all about, and that’s reaching out to our community and just extending ourselves outside of the bubble of Harding that we know is really saturating Searcy with God and just how great he is,” Wohlfeil said.

KENZIE JAMES guest writer

Women’s social clubs Phi Kappa Delta and Delta Gamma Rho help with yard work at Jacob’s Place Feb. 24. Each club participating in Spring Sing competes for a local charity for which they complete a service project during the semester.

Photos by BRILEY KEMPER

MEET THE FACES

Senior Jackson Samuel was chosen to be one of the six Spring Sing hosts for the Centennial show after participating as an ensemble member for three years.

Samuel is an integrated marketing communication major who first saw Spring Sing when his older brothers performed before he was a student. In 2022, he served as Spring Sing director for men’s social club Chi Sigma Alpha, directing their show “To Bee Determined.”

After hearing he was chosen to host, Samuel said he was excited for the future.

“While I was proud of myself for accomplishing what I had been preparing for, I also felt honored to be able to host in such a monumental year with it being Spring Sing’s 50th anniversary and Harding’s Centennial year,” Samuel said.

Easter’s early date gave the cast less time to prepare for the show, Samuel said, but the hosts and ensemble met the challenge.

“In the words of Dottie Frye, we have often had to ‘divide and conquer,’ splitting up to accomplish a large amount of work in a small amount of time,” Samuel said. “Overall, we have trusted the process and are now ramping up to perform a solid show that we are excited to share.”

Samuel said he considers this year’s Spring Sing to be a celebration that attempts to bring joy to the audience.

“This show pays homage to numerous Spring Sing shows of the past while also looking to the bright and exciting future of this revered Harding tradition,” Samuel said.

Senior Eli Smith has spent most of his performing career at Harding on the Benson stage during Spring Sing.

A member of men’s social club Omega Phi, Smith participated in his club’s show his freshman and sophomore years with women’s clubs Delta Gamma Rho and Phi Kappa Delta. Smith was a member of the ensemble in last year’s Spring Sing show, “Stand Out,” and is now a host as a senior.

“There’s electricity that runs through the entire auditorium during Spring Sing that I can only describe as God being present within that space of us glorifying him through these talents, and it’s just an incredible opportunity,” Smith said.

This is also his third year choreographing a dance for one of the songs in DGR, PKD and OPhi’s show. Smith said he choreographed the zombies’ dance in “Haunted Harding,” the song “Live in Living Color” in “Living Color” last year and the song “Fabulous” in “The Tales of Camp O-Lock-Choo” this year. Smith said he is thankful for all the talented people he has worked with in Spring Sing this year and that he is excited to perform.

“It is a celebration of all of the work that people for 50 years of Spring Sing have put into it,” Smith said. “We get to share with them a culmination of our work but then also honor the culmination of work that they’ve put in, which has been a really cool opportunity for us.”

Senior Anna Grace Haley was chosen as a Spring Sing 2024 hostess. Haley has spent time participating in theatre at Harding, despite being a computer science major.

Haley first saw Spring Sing when she watched her older brother perform in 2014. Before college, Haley was involved in theatre and said she knew when she got to Harding that she would be participating in Spring Sing.

Haley participated in 2021 as a member of women’s club Phi Kappa Delta and in 2022 co-directed the winning show, “Haunted Harding.”

Haley said she found out she had been cast as a host during chapel and was completely shocked.

“It was just such a crazy experience to be like, ‘Oh, that’s my name,’” Haley said.

The rehearsal process has been difficult but will be worth it when the show is finished, Haley said.

“I know next week, it’s gonna just all come together magically, because that’s what shows do sometimes, and it’s going to be amazing,” Haley said.

Haley said she appreciates that theatre is not major-specific, considering she is a STEM major.

“A show is like a puzzle where you have all the pieces and then you put it together at the end,” Haley said. “That’s kind of the same thing with a lot of the sciences and computer science as well, where you have pieces of a program and then you put it all together at the end and it makes this complete thing.”

Jackson Samuel Eli Smith

Anna Grace Haley

Photos by MACY COX Graphics by BEN EVANS Illustration by MACY COX, JULIANNE BAKER

Traditionally, Spring Sing is hosted by four students. Two men and two women. The 50th annual Spring Sing brings on an additional two students, rounding off at six hosts. Senior Eli Smith, senior Emma Myhan, sophomore Anna Wright, senior Anna Grace Haley, senior Jackson Samuel and freshman Weston Eades plan to entertain the audience

OF SPRING SING

Sophomore Anna Wright stepped onto the Benson stage this semester in one of her dream roles: Spring Sing hostess.

Wright has been in previous Harding Theatre productions including “Cinderella,” “The Rivals,” “Mary Poppins” and “The Little Planet That Could” in last year’s Spring Sing production.

Being a hostess fulfilled a dream Wright had since she started attending Spring Sing shows in middle school, she said.

“Ever since I saw, I guess it would have been ‘The Greatest Show’ in 2018 or 2019, I was like ‘Oh my goodness, it would be such a dream come true to be a hostess,’” Wright said.

Wright also helped bring Spring Sing to the stage from the design shop, where she has worked this year to create costumes for the different theatre productions.

“Seeing everything being built from in the shop versus rehearsal is so interesting,” Wright said. “I have never seen so many sparkles in my life, and everything’s golden.”

Wright said making some of her costumes helped her to envision what she was wearing when the hosts and ensembles would rehearse numbers, so she knew if she needed to adjust her movements.

“I always feel like putting on the costume and stepping out on stage and the shoes and the hair and the makeup and everything is really like the last thing it takes for me to get in the zone for performance,” Wright said.

Freshman Weston Eades made a decision four days before host auditions that changed his involvement in Spring Sing. Eades said he was originally planning to audition for ensemble, not host. He changed his mind when Dottie Frye, the director of hosts, hostesses and ensemble, told him that those auditioning could use a microphone in the audition.

“Being a bass and being able to get your sound to travel further, that just changed my mind,” Eades said.

Eades said he started his performing career when he was 5, and his first show was a musical his dad wrote. His first performance at Harding was in “Mary Poppins” last fall as the park keeper, but being in Spring Sing is a little different than other shows.

For most musical productions, the cast and crew have the entire script at the beginning and slowly block scenes and learn the songs until the whole show is done.

Eades said Spring Sing is different because members of the show are working to build it up rather than chip away at parts of it.

Eades has not seen a Spring Sing show in person, so being a host and celebrating the anniversary will be his first experience with the show.

“It’s going to be a beautiful moment getting to be up there on stage with them with 50 years of all that history,” Eades said.

Anna Wright Weston Eades Emma Myhan

Senior Emma Myhan is one of the 2024 Spring Sing hostesses after being in the 2023 ensemble.

Myhan’s first Spring Sing experience was seeing Spring Sing: “Larger Than Life” in 2013. Ten years later, she was cast as a member of the Spring Sing: “Stand Out” ensemble.

“Being chosen as a host was a huge honor,” Myhan said. “The excitement was huge. I was so thrilled to not only be selected to be a part of such a massive production, but to be given the opportunity to host the 50th anniversary and be a part of such an extensive history.”

Myhan said the preparation has been rewarding and that the cast is encouraging. She said the cast’s encouragement has made the process rich and effective.

“It has truly been a representation of a Spirit-centered creative process,” Myhan said.

The most difficult part of the lead up to Spring Sing has been the mental preparation, Myhan said.

“The responsibility and legacy are both weights that we are blessed to carry, but they come with the need to work up to the confidence to step onto the Benson stage on opening night,” Myhan said.

Myhan said she has really appreciated the five other hosts throughout the preparation and feels that the dynamic has been one of the best parts of the months leading up to Spring Sing.

“We are all so close, and it has made the experience so enjoyable,” Myhan said. “Every rehearsal feels like hanging out with some of my very dearest friends.”