The Bison Newspaper - Vol. 98, No. 03

University celebrates Williams’ inauguration

Harding University inaugurated Mike Williams as president on Sept. 16 as a culmination of a series of events celebrating the beginning of his presidency and also marked the start of a new chapter in Harding history.

During his inaugural speech, Williams revealed the University’s new motto, “Inspired Purpose,” which in an email Williams explained that the meaning of the motto “aspires to create the world God intended from the beginning.”

“We’re on an inspired pursuit of faith,” Williams said. “We’re inspired to be transformed, we’re inspired for a search for meaning, we’re inspired to search for truth, to search for excellence. We’re inspired to think, to discern, and to be reflective…we want to be inspired to courageously lead.”

The inauguration celebration was a focus on Harding’s history, Candice Moore, assistant vice president of university marketing and communications, said. Many of the speaker’s themes focused on how Harding came into being, the changes it experienced, race relations, the institution’s future and unification.

Moore said inaugurations are rare events because in Harding’s nearly 100 years of operation, there have only been five previous presidents.

“It [was] an exciting opportunity to hear from our new president and express gratitude for our heritage and hope for a bright future,” Moore said.

The two-day celebration began with a legacy torch relay. Members of the Harding cross-country team ran from Morrilton, Arkansas, to campus along back roads.

“The Legacy Relay is an active symbol of the Harding story,” Williams said. “Just as pioneers of the Christian education passed the torch onto the next generation, this relay began in Morrilton, Arkansas, at Harding’s original campus, and students helped recreate the story of our history as they ran to Searcy.”

“We just wanted to be a part of it,” senior Jackson Pruim, captain of the cross country team, said. “We were excited for a new president, and we wanted to have our own little footprint on the history of Harding.”

Junior Tiag Campney said the relay was a cool experience because he was able to run part of the original route from Morrilton to Searcy, and he was able to see the University’s changes from its beginning to its present state.

“It was kind of a humbling thing just to view it with my own eyes and see where it started,” Campney said.

“The torch, the torch of inspired purpose, has been passed onto us,” Williams said. “Each generation has faithfully carried the vision up till now, but this, this is our moment. This is our moment to carry the torch together.”

Williams, the sixth president of the University, previously served as president of Faulkner University from 2015-22 (a Church of Christ affiliate in Montgomery, Alabama). Prior to his Faulkner presidency, Williams worked at Harding for 28 years — from 1987-2003 in admissions and enrollment management. Following, he spent 12 years as vice president of advancement.

Williams began a presidential tour across the South Tuesday, Sept. 20, in Dallas. Various cities will be visited during the tour, ending in Little Rock on Nov. 17. Williams will open Lectureship this Sunday at 7 p.m. in his first speaking engagement since the inauguration.

Public Safety increases campus patrols

Public Safety announced via an email sent out Sept. 9 that they would be working in collaboration with the Searcy Police Department to increase patrols on the city walking trail that runs through campus.

The decision to increase patrols on certain city walking trails was announced by the Searcy Police Department by a Facebook post on Sept. 8.

“With the recent tragedy that took place in Memphis, we wanted to do something here in Searcy to give our local runners and walkers a sense of security,” the Facebook post said.

The tragedy mentioned is referring to Eliza Fletcher, a teacher from Memphis, Tennessee, who was abducted and murdered during her morning jog on Sept. 2.

The police department is focusing their patrols on the trails that run from Berryhill Park to the area behind the Searcy High School football stadium. The main times being patrolled are certain weekdays from 8-9 a.m.

“We picked this time frame for those that may go for a run or walk after dropping their kids off at school,” the department said in the Facebook post.

Craig Russell, director of Public Safety, said the department wanted to provide a message of security on campus by partnering with the Searcy Police Department and patrolling the portion of the city walking trail that runs through campus.

“We try to be responsive to what the specific needs of the community are,” Russell said. “We don’t have unlimited resources, but we can make sure we’re targeting those resources in areas they’re most needed.”

Russell also said he encourages runners and walkers to go in pairs and always carry a cell phone and for students to take advantage of the courtesy safety escorts provided by the Public Safety department from 6 p.m. to midnight each night.

Junior Julianne Phillips said she appreciates the increased patrols on campus.

“I’m from Memphis, so that plays into my opinions on this, but I do think that as a female college student it is important for us to have increased safety measures,” Phillips said.

For any emergencies on campus, call 911 for the Searcy Police Department and 501-279-5000 for Public Safety.

EMMA JONES editor-in-chief

BEN LANE sports editor

(Top) Senior Hayden Bailey lights a flame on the Benson stage signifying the end of the Legacy Relay. (Bottom) Dr. Jean-Noel Thompson, President Mike Williams and Lisa Williams pose during the inauguration ceremony.

(Top) The Thundering Herd prepares to perform during the inauguration ceremony. (Bottom) President Mike Williams speaks at the ceremony.

President Mike Williams talks to students after the inauguration ceremony that took place Sept. 16. The celebration happened on Family Weekend and was preceded by the Legacy Relay from Morrilton, Arkansas, on Sept. 15.

Photos by MADISON MEYER

Photos by MADISON MEYER

Photo by MADISON MEYER

Admissions team offers first Harding YOU day on campus

Harding Admissions hosted its first Harding YOU day on Monday, Sept. 19, to provide a more personal experience for high school students.

Senior director of admissions Scott Hannigan said the admissions team sought to improve the program over the summer.

“When admissions looked at the visit days’ structure and program this past summer, they wanted to reevaluate and see how admissions could do better and what are some of the things that they could potentially keep or add to the program,” Hannigan said.

Harding YOU days will be capped at 25 students, allowing students to get a more personalized tour around Harding’s campus. They will also have a custom schedule during their visit. The program will only be one day long on either Mondays or Fridays. YOU days will be close to federal holidays, high school breaks and high school spring breaks to make it easier for students and parents to visit Harding.

Hannigan said the Harding Admissions team wants to be “shepherds to walk alongside the students.”

“Every high school student is different and we want to meet them where they are,” Hannigan said.

In order to be more involved with the process and for the students to feel welcomed and loved as they come into Harding, the directors want outgoing students to feel comfortable attending programs such as Black and Gold days, which is a much larger group of 250 people. But if the students are more laid back and not as outgoing, they can participate in the Harding YOU days, which will be capped at a fewer number of students.

Junior Elena Gartrell wrote in a past Harding Admissions Instagram post that “the campus felt like home and I knew I could find forever friends at Harding.”

Admissions wants to make this a relational experience by showing incoming students

different people in organizations and social clubs to get them more connected, which inspires conversations with Harding students and professors and grows their connections with the people of Harding.

“We really enjoyed our tour today,” Lisa Clapp, one of the parents attending the program with her daughter, Rosa, said. “I loved that it was so personalized to Rosa’s needs and the direction she is hoping to go. The groups were small enough to get to know a few people and have time to ask the questions we had. The campus was beautiful and had such a small intimate feel. Overall it was a great day.”

Harding students in England react to queen’s death

Students participating in the Harding University in England (HUE) program had the chance to witness London earlier this month during one of its most significant events in recent history.

Queen Elizabeth II died Thursday, Sept. 8, just two days before HUE students left England. After hearing the news, several groups of students rushed to the London Underground — the city’s railway system — to make their way to Buckingham Palace and honor the fallen queen.

Sophomore Gabe Jones said it felt like a normal Thursday afternoon in London. After expecting either flooded streets because of uncertainty or completely empty streets for mourning, he said he saw none of that — everything seemed normal. When Jones arrived at the palace, however, he said it no longer felt like an ordinary day.

“There were dozens of news reporters,” Jones said. “I couldn’t even see the sidewalk

because of the flood of people, and it all felt very chaotic. As I glanced at the palace through the crowd, I could see the flag of England waving at the top. That’s when I heard someone next to me say, ‘That’s the first time I’ve ever seen the flag at half mast.’”

Sophomore Scarlett Davis said that when she arrived at the palace, the mood was somber and respectful. She said it was different than she would have expected back home.

“In the states, people in a group that large would have been talking so much and making so much noise, especially for an event like this, but the British didn’t,” Davis said. “They just quietly stood around looking at the palace, except for the spontaneous outbreak of claps or singing every once in a while.”

The students who chose to stay in their flats and avoid the crowds said the atmosphere in the city was noticeably different, even miles away from the palace. Sophomore Abbey Williams said the change was almost instant.

“The locals that are usually laughing and talking outside got very quiet,” Williams said. “I heard gasps and immediate talk about what

was going to happen next. It was really cool to see a change in behavior.”

HUE director Lauren Knight heard the news merely hours after swearing an oath to the queen as a newly accepted British citizen. With her citizenship ceremony being at 4:15 p.m. that day, she was one of the last in the country to be sworn in under Elizabeth.

“We’ve never known life without her,” Knight said. “So for me, it felt like it was kind of weird in that as I’m coming in, she’s leaving, so it was like a passing of the baton in a really silly way — like for my entire life up to that point, she had been the queen, and now as I was coming into citizenship, it would kind of be like a new era.”

Knight said her view of the royal family, specifically the queen, is a little different than it was when she lived in the United States.

“When you look at her as an American, she’s more of a celebrity, and for British people, as I am one now, we look at the royal family more as military,” Knight said. “We respect them for their lives of service and duty, so it’s very sad. She was really admirable.”

Fun at the fair

made to fairground buildings, including the rodeo arena.

The White County Fair was held last week in Searcy after a year of planning by the fair board to make improvements on the previous fair.

The fair in White County is over 80 years old and is one of the largest county fairs in Arkansas, with over 20 volunteer fair board members and separate committees for individual venues offered by the fair.

Alan Quattlebaum, president of the fair board, said that over the past two years there have been expansions and upgrades

Quattlebaum also said that two years ago they changed from the International Professional Rodeo Association to the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association, and the rodeo has doubled in size, with 158 entries, because of this change and the arena expansions. Quattlebaum said people from as far as Michigan, Georgia, Florida and Oklahoma have come to the new arena, and Joe Beaver, an eight time world roping champion, has been to the Searcy rodeo arena.

“We have so much stuff that I don’t know if there’s another fair around here that’s got

what we offer for the public to come see at the price that is charged for people to get in the gate,” Quattlebaum said.

This year the fair offered a carnival, a demolition derby, an education building, a merchant building, the PRCA rodeo, a livestock barn, a pony barn and a petting zoo. Gate prices for adults on Friday and Saturday was $8.

“We appreciate all of the sponsorships and the people that support us by coming through the gates to help pay for everything that goes on out there,” Quattlebaum said.

Gail Snyder, fair board secretary, said the fair board spends a year working on the fair and improving the previous year’s fair.

“We’ll have a meeting next month,” Snyder said, “and we’ll discuss this year’s fair and what needs to be done for next year.”

Snyder said one popular feature is the fifth quarter on Friday nights, when admission is free after 10 p.m. and the fair is open till 1 a.m.

Harding sophomore Kristen Glenn went to the fair on Monday night for $1 night, when entry and all rides cost a dollar. Glenn said she rode a lot of rides and won a plush at one of the games.

“I love fairs, so this was a lot of fun,” Glenn said.

MACY COX

asst. photographer

TIANE DAVIS guest writer

Harding University Admissions hosts a Harding YOU day for incoming students on Sept. 19. Harding YOU days have provided more personalized visit experiences for potential new students.

Mourners place flowers in the gates of Buckingham Palace following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Sept. 8. Harding students in the HUE program were in London and had visited Buckingham Palace earlier that day.

Photo by MACY COX

Courtesy of HUNTER CORKER

MAGGIE SAMPLES

lifestyle editor

Fairgoers smile during one of the rides at the White County Fair. The event took place Sept. 12-17 and hosted many attractions, including agricultural shows, a rodeo and ticketed rides.

Photos by MACY COX

The fairest of them all

Searcy’s biggest event of the year has come and gone — and I am not referring to the inauguration. I am, in fact, talking about the White County Fair. The fair has been coming to White County since 1937. I’ve been privileged to attend for the past nine years as a native Searcian. I make no exaggeration when I say that in my mind, the fair is truly the crux of what it means to experience the South.

The car races, the rodeo, the rides, the food, the animals, the people watching, the sheets of yellow tickets crammed into your pocket, the feeling of gravel in your shoes, the food sloshing around in your stomach

after a few too many rides on the “Scrambler.” Nowhere else can you ride a ride that has you seated on practically a plank of wood with only duct tape for a seatbelt. Nowhere else can you spend $100 and only leave with a giant “South Park” pillow and a stomachache. I spoke with a few underclassmen that had never been to a rodeo or the fair before, and the consensus was that it seemed “exactly like Hannah Montana: The Movie” or that it reminded them of an episode from the show “Euphoria” or something generally out of a movie. I was blown away that they had received some culture shock from the experience. Nevertheless — the fair is nostalgic for me. I think back to going there in junior high and praying I’d get to sit next to my crush on a ride. In high school, it was the week where for at least one night you could dress up with your friends and go giggle in a circle at the cute guys in line in front of you. It’s the time for “If I die on this ride…” conversations with your best friend who is holding all of your belongings for you

outside and gnawing on a six-pound turkey leg without a second glance from anyone.

I am not ashamed to admit that every year without fail, I romanticize the fair, even with all its worn-down rides and various barnyard smells. There is something about it that is so intrinsically “American.” You can’t help but participate. Most importantly, though, the fair has given us Harding students a way to interact with our community. Whether it be buying from a local business, giving a child your leftover tickets at the end of the night or simply being kind to volunteers, you are making a difference in this community. If you did not get to go last week, you haven’t missed your chance. Thankfully the State Fair is next month in Little Rock. As a final word of advice: If you didn’t feel like throwing up on the way back to your car — you didn’t do it right.

BAILEY KING is a guest writer for The Bison. She may be contacted at bking1@harding.edu.

Be one

Guest Writer Michael Wester

“B e One.” That was the message Dr. Mike Williams gave us as he spoke in chapel on the first week of the 2022 school year. It was not only the theme of chapel this school year, but a message intended to spark unity among the student body as we enter this new chapter in Harding’s history.

Every student body strives for unity. In the past, things like race relations, gender and sexuality issues have afflicted Harding just as they have wider society. In Williams’ speech, he made a point to call out those who may feel like they don’t belong at Harding and assure them that this was not the case. While his sentiment sparks hope, past words and actions of many on campus make me hesitant to trust this appealing vision. How can Harding be one when we separate the gender roles and call them “equal?” How can this be a motto we rally behind when the sound of a woman lifting her voice in worship to our creator causes

us to leave Benson Auditorium because it’s “not biblical?” Have we forgotten Miriam, or Deborah, or Mary the mother of Jesus? How can we be one in a chapel where we are not all represented in worship?

You and I get to decide to make Harding’s campus a better place.

– Michael Wester, senior

For years, Harding’s recruitment slogan was “You belong at Harding,” so why do we revoke that sentiment when we find out who someone is in a relationship with? Can we really be one while still using words like “gay” as an insult, or throwing out slurs directed toward a community of people who have continually faced oppression at the hands of “the bride of Christ?” “Be one.” Is this truly an attainable

Faculty Finds

English Paulette Bane

In the introduction to her collection

“Voices in the Air,” poet Naomi Shihab Nye reminds us that “Quiet inspiration may be as necessary as food, water, shelter” and advises us to give ourselves “regular times a day for reading and thinking — even if just for a minute or two” (xiv-xv). Most of us would agree such pauses are helpful, even essential. But how many of us prioritize quiet inspiration in the same way we prioritize other necessary functions such as eating and sleeping?

Nye argues that no matter how busy we are, we do have time to pause. She asks, “How long does it take to read a poem? Slowing to a more gracious pacing — trying not to hurry or feel overwhelmed — inch by inch — one thought at a time — can be a deeply helpful mantra. It’s a gift we give our own minds” (xv). Nye’s advice rings true to me, a poet and lover of poetry, as well as the broader question she’s asking us to consider: What space can poetry open in our lives, and why do we need such apertures? Nye suggests taking a moment to read a poem will inform the other moments and activities of the day. The poem may

What’s good

Mmhmm

Last semester, my friend Jackson and I were “kidnapped” by some of our club sisters of Delta Nu. They drove us around the back roads of central Arkansas at 10 p.m. on a Monday with the intent to culture us swine in the sophisticated verse of Taylor Swift, whom they claim is the best musical artist of all time. After they were satisfied with their crash course for us, they talked about how the beauty of Taylor’s writing lies in the fact that she speaks to universal human experiences like having a broken heart, being oppressed by broken systems and turning 22. As someone who has never been in a serious relationship, is not oppressed by the patriarchy, nor has turned 22, I can appreciate and value Taylor’s lyrics, but cannot seem to resonate with them.

On our way back to school, I asked if I could share my favorite album, and I promised the lyrical genius was on par with Dr. Swift, so they allowed me to play Relient K’s 2004 alternative rock album, “Mmhmm”.

The album begins with, I must admit, a mediocre song, but it serves a very important function within the album. The chorus, “I’m still waiting for you to be the one I’m waiting for” lets the lyricist join his audience in the mindset that there are better and worse people, as well as the assumption that we are of the better variety.

goal? Can we really be one? I believe the answer is yes, and it starts with a choice. It starts with a choice to see the person next to you as a child of God and someone who deserves the same respect you would demand yourself. It starts with a choice to stand up for those whose voices are not being heard and fight for change wherever we see inequality or injustice. We all have a choice. We can choose to stay comfortable where we are, or we can choose to be proactive and inspire change in our circles, which will spread to the community around us.

You and I get to decide to make Harding’s campus a better place, a place where everyone is empowered and everyone truly belongs. We as a student body must choose to do better, we must choose to be better and we must choose to be one.

MICHAEL WESTER is a guest writer for The Bison. He can be contacted at mwester@harding.edu.

Pause for poetry

become the lens through which we view an encounter, or the poem may inspire creative thinking about the world around us — the kind of thinking that elevates the ordinary, that is pro-creative, that solves problems and that laces our encounters with others with grace. Nye is talking about more than individual enjoyment or healing. It’s about community. Our cultural songs and stories can bind a community together as well as unite other cultures in global citizenship. But how does a poem perform such a function? How can reading a poem operate on both the individual and communal level? How does poetry inspire healing and unity?

When we turn to poetry, we approach it with an open heart, ready to be moved. We don’t know what we will encounter, but we want something: the stories of others, the stories in which we encounter our truer selves. We want emotions and experiences named and described; we want to feel things new, old or borrowed. This transformation begins with a pause from the momentum of the day. The poem is a liminal, or “in-between,”space outside

of the structure of our daily grind. Dwelling in this state interrupts the forward movement toward the activities and obligations of our day. In this timeless, liminal space, a person can experience new ways of thinking or being in the world. But it doesn’t end there. What occurs in the liminal is brought back into the structure and invigorates it, bringing new understanding, growth and possibly healing.

We must slow down long enough to care for ourselves and others. Stopping to look, breathe and appreciate increases the likelihood of doing so again, or of pausing to avoid conflict, or choosing one’s words more carefully. Poetry can help us return to ourselves — to be centered, mindful beings that see the world and others with deep love, patience and wisdom.

If you would like to pause to read poetry, Souvenirs meets each Tuesday from 7-8 p.m. in the Honors House to read works by classic and contemporary poets.

PAULETTE BANE is a guest writer for The Bison. She may be contacted at pbane@harding.edu.

For the first half of the album, the lyricist jumps between a state of being overwhelmed and being carefree, and he even says “On and off, the clouds have fought for control over the sky, and lately the weather has been so bipolar, and consequently so have I.” He frames his problem as something that afflicts him, which can be seen in the song titles, “Be My Escape” and “I so Hate Consequences.” Even the fickle nature of his attitude throughout the first part of the album contributes to the feeling that these consequences are something he can step into and out of at will.

The pivot point of the album, “Which to Bury; Us or the Hatchet?” is the point at which the lyricist realizes that not every action can be escaped, nor is he blameless for the often overwhelming and disappointing nature of his own life. The song deals with the feeling one has when salvaging a friendship after a deep failure. This segues into “Let It All Out,” which continues the same feeling in which the lyricist writes “I will trust you with the confidence of a man who’s never known defeat, and I’ll try my best to just forget that that man isn’t me,” as an acknowledgment of his state of blame for the ruin of his relationship.

The lyricist then grapples with guilt in songs like “Who I Am Hates Who I’ve Been,” along with his frustration with himself for continuing in the same mistakes in “This Week the Trend.” Now, the relationship throughout the album has been ambiguous, but whether it is romantic, platonic or spiritual, the lyricist comes to grips with the reality of fallen humanity in “Life After Death and Taxes,” where he says “Forgiveness comes, and all of the rest is what passes away.” He turns to God in the finale, “When I Go Down,” writing, “I’ll watch myself settle down into a place where Peace can search me out and find that I’m so ready to be found.” The lyricist understands that while there is no escape from his brokenness, it can be forgiven.

I would say that between “Mmhmm”’s musical aesthetic, lyrical genius and pleasing cover art, it is my contender for the best album ever made for the same reason that Augustine’s “Confessions” is widely held as the most important work of church literature: It speaks to a universal human nature of brokenness and being made new. Relient K speaks profound truth concerning the complex nature of humanity. “Mmhmm” taught me that to make mistakes is to be broken while also teaching me that to be broken is only to be human.

staff guest contributors

Emma Jones editor-in-chief Sara Hook features/layout editor

Sophie Rossitto news editor

Ben Lane sports editor Sierra Tackwell community editor Malachi Brown opinions editor

Maggie Samples lifestyle editor Gabriel Huff head copy editor Cianna Jay asst. copy editor

Emma Weber editorial assisstant Madison Meyer head photographer Balazs Balassa asst. photographer

Macy Cox asst. photographer Gracie Cornett cartoonist Bonnie Spann business manager

Cooper Turman graphic designer Wagner Valdez asst. graphic designer Stacy Roibal beat reporter

Emily Stinnett historian April Fatula faculty adviser Michael Claxton narrative columnist

Michael Wester Bailey King

Paulette Bane Luke Ziegler

Watkins Kelly Emily Stinnett

Mitch Friesenborg Carter Thweatt

– Bailey King, senior

The fair is truly the crux of what it means to experience the South.

Guest Writer Bailey King

Opinions Editor Malachi Brown

MALACHI BROWN is the opinions editor for The Bison. He may be contacted at mbrown33@harding.edu.

Ten Thousand Words

Under the sea

A lmost every little girl has a favorite princess. Even in college, most people probably still have an opinion about who their favorite princess is and why.

For most of us, it was easy to see ourselves represented in the official Disney princess lineup growing up (Yes, there are official and unofficial princesses). The Disney Princess franchise was started in 2000 and included 10 princesses, three of which were POC (princesses of color).

Today, the lineup includes 12 official princesses: Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Pocahontas, Mulan, Tiana, Rapunzel, Merida and Moana. Five of the current princesses are POC. However, Disney is releasing a new live-action version of “The Little Mermaid,” featuring Black lead Halle Bailey as Princess Ariel.

In season two of HBO’s hit drama

“Euphoria,” the character Cassie, played by Sydney Sweeney, establishes a beauty regimen where she wakes up at 4 a.m. and performs a multi-step ‘self-care’ process that includes but is not limited to serums, creams, hair removal, gua sha sculpting and facial steaming. She does all this to chase after an idealized form of self-care in hopes that the object of her obsession, on whom she bases her self-worth, Nate Jacobs, will glance in her direction. While Cassie’s intense beautification lies in the extreme, it is hardly unheard of. Society’s obsession with beauty (newly rebranded as ‘self-care’) is endemic of its pursuit of vanity in all forms.

What makes you beautiful

while those for women essentially follow a 20-year trend cycle. How the Greeks and Romans thought the ideal man should look resembles how Michelangelo carved the David, or Jacques-Louis David painted “Napoleon Crossing the Alps.” For the past three millennia, the beauty standard for men has gone unchanged. Women and their bodies, on the other hand, are expected to fit the fleeting fad. Compare statues such as the Venus de Milo to what is displayed on “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” or even to the beauty standard 10 years ago. While the standard set for men is just as unrealistic, they do not have to conform to passing trends.

time distinctly Caucasian. It is a cultural appropriation of physical features.

The Teacher writes in Ecclesiastes, “All is vanity and a striving after the wind” (1:14 ESV). Vanity is nothingness. What humanity fails to grasp about beauty is that it comes from God. The true beauty of the Holy God is not nothingness, for God constitutes everything. While vanity is chasing after the wind, beauty chases after the Lord.

Ariel was my favorite princess when I was little. I liked that she was a mermaid; that was about my only reasoning. It was also not hard for me to project myself onto her character because she looked like me.

Since the trailer for the new “The Little Mermaid” was shown at the D23 Expo on Sept. 9, my social media has been flooded with videos of young Black girls reacting to the new version of a beloved princess that looks like them. I won’t lie and say I haven’t teared up a few times watching these.

I have, however, also seen a few critiques of Bailey’s casting as Ariel, people saying things such as ‘it doesn’t make sense for a Black lead to play a character in a Danish fairy tale.’

To that I say, it does not matter because she is a mermaid and it is a fairy tale. Why does it matter that a fake mermaid from a fake European story is not European looking? Critics using this logic must also hate the original 1989 animated version of “The Little Mermaid,” because it is nothing (and I mean nothing) like the original fairy tale.

Something I always took for granted when I was little was the representation of girls who looked like me in the movies I loved, a luxury that many people my age did not have. Disney’s first official Black princess, Tiana, was not introduced until the release of “The Princess and the Frog” in 2009- and even then, she was green for most of the movie. It makes me incredibly happy that a younger generation is getting another Black princess to feel represented by.

Representation in the entertainment industry has grown by leaps and bounds, but there is always more that can be done for people to feel more represented in the movies and shows they love.

Hardly a modern problem, humanity’s desire for physical beauty is timeless. The ancient Greeks believed that a person’s moral and spiritual virtue tied directly to how goodlooking they were. Someone who was more physically attractive was more righteous. This concept, transliterated as “kalokagathia,” influenced their sculpture, literature, ethics and politics. That idea still operates today. However, modernity relegates it to subconscious processes. Videos have circulated on TikTok discussing ‘pretty privilege’ and how people who conform to conventional attractiveness have it slightly easier.

What is more interesting is how beauty standards for men remain relatively unchanged,

In The New Yorker article titled “The Age of the Instagram Face,” Jia Tolentino describes how social media has created an unattainable mold for how faces should look. This face, which is virtually impossible to achieve without the intervention of plastic surgery, is a homogeneous representation of globalization. It is exotic while at the same

W ay back in the spring of 2004, I had only been at Harding nine months. One morning I was glancing at the chapel schedule before heading to Benson Auditorium. I poked my head into my department chair’s office and asked, “Who is Nerdly Greenback?”

“You’ll see,” he said, with a cryptic grin.

When Dr. David Burks introduced him, a tall man came through the curtain wearing a buttoned-up, green plaid coat and a matching hat with ear flaps. He introduced himself as “Nerdly Greenback, Patriot,” and then unleashed a 15-minute barrage of one-liners. He spoke of his fortunes in life: “I started out with nothing and still have most of it left.” Or this: “Opportunity was right under my nose, and I blew it.” He said he liked to start each day with a smile and get it over with early.

Nerdly gave helpful life advice: “Call your friends during their Super Bowl and tell them about your problems,” “Stare at people through the tines of a fork and pretend they’re in prison,” “Never go to bed angry — one night we stayed up for three days.”

Long before we called them dad jokes, Nerdly had thousands. Some landed and others bombed, but he plowed on unphased. The crowd loved his definition of politics: “‘Poly’ means many, and ‘ticks’ are blood-suckers.”

I later learned that Dr. Don Diffine (pronounced DIF uh NAY) was no different in the classroom. In his economics classes, if you glanced out the window, you missed three jokes. He loved turning cliches on their heads: “I have the heart of a little boy,” he would say, “which I keep in a jar on my desk.”

Not that he wasn’t a serious man. After all, he was a former Air Force captain and squadron commander who had served in Vietnam. He had a Ph.D. in economics and

taught for 45 years in Harding’s College of Business Administration (COBA). He founded the Belden Center for Private Enterprise Education, a one-man think tank from which he produced 11 books, 30 monographs and a quarterly journal. He sponsored Harding’s economics team for 35 years.

He testified on money matters before Congress, served on the Council of Economic Advisors for three different governors and spoke frequently at professional meetings, where he was in demand as a “stand-up economist.” His office wall was covered with awards, which he viewed with modesty: “I was never good at sports,” he joked, “but then I learned I could buy trophies.”

In his five decades at Harding, he estimated that he had taught 16,000 students. In 2016, he taught a thirdgeneration student. He joked constantly with his classes — when they yawned, he called it “a silent BOO” — and they returned the favor. He even had one favorite student evaluation engraved on a plaque on his desk: “If I knew I only had one hour to live, I’d want to spend it in Dr. Diffine’s economics class . . . because it feels like an eternity.”

One by one, he would take his COBA colleagues to lunch. On any given day, he might ask two or three people before he found someone who was free, and then he would happily say, “You were my third choice.” One colleague recalled that at these lunches “Don would always ask how

you were doing, but barely after you had started talking, he would interrupt to say, “Enough about you; let’s talk about me.”

But behind all the humor was a kind and sensitive man. He adored his wife Dion and treasured their 58 years together. He was a loving father and grandfather. For years, he taught the tenth-grade Bible class at church. He mentored his students, hosted them in his home and kept up with them after they graduated. He sometimes left $50 tips when dining out. He constantly sent notes of encouragement to people, often signing off with “Onward, Christian soldier.” After he retired, he volunteered all over town.

Yet Don could never resist a chance for a line. When he helped supervise the Senior Ministry for older adults at church, his motto was “Keep moving — don’t give the buzzards a place to land.” He called his preacher “The Sermonator” and gave him a matching T-shirt.

Diffine even found humor in death. He wrote his own eulogy and titled it, “Grandpa Gets a Casket.” He wanted his headstone to read, “Don’t just stand there, water the flowers.” He told one friend that he wanted to be cremated.

“Just once in my life,” he quipped, “I’d like to have a smokin’ hot body.”

His Latin motto was “Veni, Vidi, Velcro”: “I came, I saw, I stuck around.” Ever the showman, he’d be happy that his memorial was well advertised with flyers around campus. As his colleague David Kee said at the funeral, “Let’s honor a legacy of faithful living, generosity, good humor and free enterprise.”

If you are like me — “and I know I am,” he always added — that’s what you’ll do.

BYLINE POLICY:

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Bison, Harding University 11192, SEARCY, AR 72149-0001.”

The Bison provides an opportunity for class writers to contribute work under the byline “guest writers.” Due to this arrangement, staff writers may rewrite a portion of the guest writers’ stories as they deem necessary, while still identifying the work as the guest writers’ own. OPINIONS

MICHAEL CLAXTON is the columnist for The Bison. He contacted at mclaxto1@harding.edu. postage paid at Searcy, Arkansas 72143.

Editor-in-Chief Emma Jones

Illustration by Gracie Cornett

Narrative Columnist Micahel Claxton

EMMA JONES is editor-inchief for The Bison. She can be contacted at ejones19@harding.edu.

– Emma Jones, editor-in-chief

I always took for granted... the respresentation of girls who looked like me in movies I loved.

Guest Writer Luke Ziegler

LUKE ZIEGLER is a guest writer for The Bison. He may be contacted at lziegler@harding.edu.

– Luke Ziegler, junior

What humanity fails to grasp about beauty is that it comes from God.

Graphic by Cooper Turman

Graphic by Cooper Turman

Players Only

Over the summer, I pulled out my father’s yearbooks. For context, my father excelled in various sports and was very involved. He played sports his entire life, whether pickup basketball games or in the leagues with the Marines. As I was flipping through this yearbook, I noticed the sports section. I tried to spot his face among the basketball team and realized there was no women’s team. Nor was there a women’s track, volleyball, golf or tennis team. There were none.

I, like many other children, idolized my father. I marveled at his athletic accomplishments, wanting more than anything to participate in his hobbies. He was my role model. I welcomed athletics. I quickly realized as I grew older that athletics were not as welcoming to me.

You may be asking what I mean by this welcoming. Women can play sports now; it is true we have reached a point in society where women can participate. This is due to legislation like Title IX, which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, but we have yet to reach full acceptance in this changing tide.

Our generation has built new cornerstones of women’s athleticism from gymnasts like Simone Biles to tennis players like Serena Williams. But their journey to success was not only challenging in the athletic sense. Women face additional barriers in the world of athletics. Despite this, they persevered in their work. Society nevertheless shows that their hard work and resilience can be quickly undermined and that their platform stands on shaky ground.

With such a short U.S. history of women in collegiate and professional level sports, women who advance in these careers are met with backlash. We have witnessed how female coaches are represented in the media and how readily accepted moments of passion for male athletes are mercilessly criticized for women. We have seen the harms in industries that revolve around women athletes, where abuse is rampant until recently addressed. Women have been reduced not to their athletic ability but their presentability. They’ve been discredited, dehumanized and disrespected, yet they persevere. Despite these added obstacles, they carry on.

Even in my own experience, I used to listen to unfounded rhetoric about women’s sports spitefully said by men who hold no athletic ability. I heard those intimidated by the strength of my teammates call them “ugly, gay, a tryhard.” On several runs with my teammates (as young as sixth grade), I was harassed by cars, stalked and catcalled (in broad daylight). I used to entertain hypocritical objections to my athletic wear.

Though heavy laden with additional walls to break in their athletic careers, where funding and opportunities are less, female athletes seldomly receive respect and support (even in their childhood). Many female athletes still dedicate their lives to a sport. I can’t think of a better role model than that. Through adversity, they are pushing the boundaries of what they are told they can do. They follow their dreams, and the beauty of their journeys will be celebrated for centuries to come, while the words of their critics will fade.

We cling to these athletes as images of what is to come, the long-fought desire to be able to enjoy not only our hobbies but to excel in our careers, athletic or otherwise. Not all of us are called to be professional athletes (I certainly am not), but those who are should be welcomed with opportunity and support. Until that time when society accepts women in this way, female athletes will carry on their hard work through humility.

There will be a day where, in the same way that I idolized my father, a little boy calling a female athlete their hero will be less of a taboo. There won’t be degrading distinctions between teams or rhetoric that diminishes women, but encouragement to every young girl to keep fighting on, letting them know we are watching and cheering them on to take on the world and win.

Buff the Bison returned to First Security Stadium on Sept. 10 during the first football game of the season against Southeastern Oklahoma State University. Buff said he is honored to be Harding’s mascot and is thrilled to show off his new look. Buff stands 7-feet tall and now sports his new football uniform. He has been Harding’s mascot for as long as he can remember.

Buff brings an enthusiastic attitude everywhere he goes, but especially to football games. Sophomore Jhalen Spicer, running back for the football team, said Buff is a great addition to the sidelines.

“He brings a lot of energy and brings a lot of hype to the football team,” Spicer said.

Buff’s constant positivity and friendliness

make a positive impact on the team. Yet his influence is not limited to the athletes on the field.

Buff is a huge fan of the cheerleading team and has a ton of school spirit to share with them. Junior cheerleader Hartley Carroll said the cheer team loves Buff’s support. He makes the effort to roam around the home section at games and greet the Bison fans with high fives and fist bumps.

“It’s cool to see Buff make a point to interact with all the kids,” Carroll said. “He represents Harding well.”

Buff the Bison has seen so much change and growth at Harding over the years as a mascot. He is excited to represent Harding for another football season as an accent to the enthusiasm that the crowd already brings to games. He said Harding Sports is like icing on the grass cake to the community Harding

has built. Though Buff misses his roots on the prairies, he is content to call Harding his home. He is reminded of home when he grazes the grass at the football stadium but also enjoys eating the entire salad bar at the Range Dining Hall for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Buff said he wouldn’t be standing where he is today, on all four hooves, without the bovine that has gone before him. He is thankful for the Harding Football team inviting him into their brotherhood.

“I can’t describe the feeling of leading the walk of the brothers, wind blowing through my fur and my brothers at my sides,” Buff said. “It’s humbling every time.”

Buff the Bison is an avid reader of The Bison and encourages the rest of the Harding herd students to do the same.

Students compete in spikeball tournament

A spikeball tournament took place at the Harding intramural fields last Saturday, Sept. 17. The tournament was a way to advertise the sport to students around campus who may be unfamiliar with it. Junior Will Nixon participated in the tournament and said spikeball can grow bigger on campus.

“Spikeball is a sport a lot of people on campus would love to play if they knew more about it,” Nixon said. “I think it’s a good intramural. It only takes up one day, and it’s not as big of a time commitment. It’s easy to sign up for if it would only take an afternoon, and I think it’s also a great

way to get involved with the community, especially on [Family Weekend].”

Junior Ethan Dycus, who also played in the tournament, agreed with what Nixon said about community involvement regarding intramural sports.

“Intramurals are just a great way to get to know people,” Dycus said. “There’s not a lot of pressure. It’s fun and you get to do a lot of team-building stuff. Intramurals are a good way to chat with new people, and talking with them while you are playing a game is a lot easier than walking up to somebody.”

Junior Josie Scott decided to play in the spikeball tournament because she said she enjoys the sport and being active while

spending time around other people.

“I have played spikeball for fun for a couple years now,” Scott said, “but I would love to participate in future tournaments like this, no matter the activity.”

Harding offers multiple sports for all levels of athletes interested in competing, from beginners, to amateurs, to experts and every skill level in between. Intramural sports are open to all students, except for intercollegiate athletes, who cannot play in the sport they are already rostered in at the NCAA level. There are still openings for students in several intramurals, including flag football, softball, spikeball and beach volleyball.

‘He represents Harding well’

Role models Buff the Bison returns for football season

MITCH FRIESENBORG guest writer

EMILY STINNETT guest writer

Buff the Bison gives high fives to the crowd at the finale of the final mile of the Legacy Relay on Sept. 15. Buff returned this season standing 7-feet tall and sporting a new uniform.

Students compete in a spikeball tournament On the intramural fields on Sept. 17. Several new intramural sports were introduced this semester, including flag football, softball, spikeball and beach volleyball.

Photo by MADISON MEYER

Photo by MADISON MEYER

Women’s Cross-Country Bri Hall

Student athletes interested in writing a Players Only column may contact sports editor Ben Lane at blane1@harding.edu.

“Players Only” is a special column written by Harding athletes. In this week’s issue: Lady Bisons senior cross-country runner Bri Hall discusses struggles that female athletes have historically faced.

Four locals run for Searcy mayor

EMMA JONES editor-in-chief

Four candidates are running for mayor of Searcy this election cycle, three of whom are Harding graduates.

Current mayor Kyle Osborne announced that he is running for re-election, and April Butler, Mat Faulkner and Jason McGlawn have also announced their candidacy for the position.

Before Osborne was elected mayor last term, he worked 33 years with law enforcement in Searcy and served as the chief of police. In a video posted on his campaign website, Osborne discussed leading Searcy during a global pandemic and his plans to continue expanding opportunities in the community.

“Facing a global pandemic certainly rocked our whole world, but through it all, I’m proud to say that Searcy stayed strong,” Osborne said. “As a community, we’ve continued to see growth and expansion. We have seen collaborations among community

leaders, business owners, schools, nonprofits and our citizens, and this is only the beginning.”

Butler has been a teacher at Searcy High School for the last 17 years. She is a Harding alumna and worked as a dorm mom and an adjunct professor at the University for several years. She said she believes her position as an educator gives her a unique perspective of Searcy and that she’s focused on bringing more transparency to city government.

“More can be done as far as letting residents know what’s going on in the city,” Butler said. “We need to be more proactive in our work with the city chamber, and even more proactive in our work with the state economic council.”

Faulkner, a Harding alumnus who previously worked as the assistant technical director in the theatre department, is the founder of Think Idea Studio, a digital marketing firm based in Searcy. Faulkner is running under the motto, “together we can do

so much.” He said the meaning behind his motto was inspired by the idea that the Searcy community is better and stronger when it works together.

“We should embrace collaborating with those who have different skill sets, experiences and viewpoints than our own,” Faulkner said. “I think it is important to note that it is not on a single person to improve our community; rather, it is a cooperative effort of every community member to improve our town.”

Also a Harding alumnus, McGlawn is a sergeant for the Searcy Police Department. He earned his bachelor’s and two master’s degrees from Harding and previously taught in the Department of Education. McGlawn said one of his focuses is making people the priority of city government, and he has found a unique way of making connections with community members during his campaign.

“Since I declared that I’m running for mayor, I started using a hashtag on Facebook — #literallyrunningformayor

— and running in different neighborhoods,” McGlawn said. “If I see somebody, I’ll stop and talk to them, and it’s opened a lot of awesome conversations with people. No matter what happens with the race, I know that God has used it to make me grow.”

The Searcy Regional Chamber of Commerce held a Zoom forum with the mayoral candidates yesterday at 2 p.m. Though the forum was inviteonly, it was recorded and will be shared with the public at a later date, according to a Sept. 19 article by The Daily Citizen.

Early voting for the Nov. 8 election begins on Oct. 24 and will be held at the White County Cooperative Extension Office and the Carmichael Community Center. Students who maintain a permanent or temporary residence in Searcy can change their voter registration to this area if they want to participate in this year’s election cycle.

Get Down Downtown Festival Returns

CARTER THWEATT guest writer

Downtown Searcy will be the place to be as the annual Get Down Downtown festival returns this weekend.

The festival has occurred 13 times in the past 15 years (two years were missed due to COVID-19). The event is run by an organization called Main Street Searcy, and the group’s director, Amy Burton, described some of the events of the weekend in detail.

“It’s a two-day festival which will take place Sept. 24 and 25,” Burton said. “One of the things people always love is the live music, and we have some great acts this year. On Friday, we’ll have a contemporary Christian lineup of three bands, and on

Saturday, we’ll have some local bands perform before the Marshall Tucker Band comes on. Some of the college students may not know who the Marshall Tucker Band is, but I guarantee they’ll have heard some of their songs.”

Besides the music, the festival will have two full days of various kinds of entertainment, as well as food from local businesses and arts and crafts. Burton said there will also be kid-friendly entertainment on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Burton said the whole event has been a lot of work to put together, but it’s been a lot of fun and has been well worth it.

“It’s really been more fun than it has been difficult,” Burton said. “I have a great

group of people behind me, and with them helping me out, we’ve been able to accomplish a whole lot to prepare for this event.”

One of those people is Harding senior Jaxon Nash, who is working as an intern for Main Street Searcy this fall. He described some of the work he’s done to prepare for Get Down Downtown.

“For the past few months we’ve been accepting and approving all different types of vendor applications,” Nash said. “Also, since Main Street Searcy is a non-profit and the event is free, we’ve had to look for funding for the event. That’s been a lot of the work.”

After all the preparations, however, the event is a great one when it all comes

together. Junior Addi Province grew up in Searcy and has fond memories of attending the festival.

“I was surprised at all the different groups of people there,” Province said. “It’s also neat to get to have some hometown pride when people from out of town enjoy Get Down Downtown, too.”

Burton also mentioned the pride the event brings to the Searcy area, and all the good it does for local businesses. There is one event she is particularly excited about though.

“We’re going to have a chainsaw artist,” Burton said. “He’s going to discuss his work and what he does, all while carving a 6-foot bear.”

Community garden completed and thriving

WATKINS KELLY guest writer

In the spring of 2022, the Student Association (SA) announced a community garden project. Now, months later, the garden is providing for both students and members of the Searcy community.

The garden consists of three large beds and holds sweet potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants and a variety of peppers. The vegetables can be picked by anyone, whether they are affiliated with Harding or not. As well as providing food to students and community members, the SA also regularly donates vegetables to Jacob’s Place Homeless Mission.

The garden is primarily tended by members of the SA Garden Committee. Sophomore Parker McNeal, a committee member, said the work was very rewarding.

“We’re constantly looking after the garden,” McNeal said. “We are proud of the work we’re doing and the ways we are helping feed the community.”

The committee members each have a designated day of the week to water the garden and are consistently monitoring the progress of the vegetables. Junior Ella Duryea said students besides committee members were also encouraged to lend a hand and should take advantage of the garden themselves.

“If students want to contribute, they are welcome to come and help us water and weed the beds,” Duryea said. “But we also want students to feel comfortable picking what they need and benefiting from the garden.”

Duryea, the junior female SA representative, is in charge of the committee and works directly with the Harding Physical Resources Department to care for the garden. Duryea said exciting plans for the garden are in the works, including more beds, a composting system and updates to the space surrounding the garden.

“We’re working toward making it a place people want to come and spend

time,” Duryea said. “Our hope is that the garden can be a place of respite, and an opportunity to get away from our lives of busyness.”

Senior Meg Sledge, president of the SA, originally proposed the idea of the community garden and worked to make the vision a reality.

“Our vision was to create a space of solitude, a place for people to go and have inspired conversation,” Sledge said. “We wanted to show people the importance of having to grow and maintain something. It’s exciting to see that vision be realized.”

Graphic courtesy of Get Down Downtown

Graphic by COOPER TURMAN

Photo courtesy of Kyle Osborne

Photo courtesy of Mat Faulkner

Photo courtesy of April Butler

Photo courtesy of Jason McGlawn

The Department of Music concluded a songwriting contest on Sept. 17, with a music tracking workshop led by bluegrass musician Tim Crouch. The winners of the contest were senior integrated marketing and communications major Addison Carney and senior information systems major Joseph Oliver, who started the band Rivers West together. Both winners had their songs recorded publicly, while Crouch explained his processes.

“We had heard about Tim Crouch before,” Carney said. “We were really hoping one of us was going to win, so the fact that... we got to do two songs today and we each got to have a song recorded by such a world class musician is so awesome.”

Recording studio owner Jon Raney, Music Department Chair Jay Walls and audio event specialist David Robison judged the 16 songs submitted, choosing two out of the 12 composers to be the subject of the workshop. Robison said it was a tough process, because while some of the songs were great entries, they also had to pick songs that Crouch, who has his roots in bluegrass, could demonstrate best.

process of tracking it. Crouch said the point of the workshop was to show how to help a songwriter develop their song.

“I was proud of the turnout,” Crouch said, “and I thought the songs were good. I hope [the winners] are proud of where we got musically.”

is one of the few engineers in the country that can do every step of the recording process himself: tracking, mixing, mastering and graphic design.

best.

“We’ve got to pick the songs that we feel like will be the most educational and give students the best opportunity to see him working in his environment,” Robison said. “We’re going to lean toward the ones that we feel like he can be the most effective with.”

Crouch did not hear either of the songs ahead of time — he listened to each one at the workshop once before going into the

of time he listened to each one workshop to different

Robison said he wanted Crouch to lead the workshop because his method of tracking is unique and Crouch can take things to a different level because of his professional ability.

“It’s such a different approach to how to create music,” Robison said. “It’s not sitting down and reading the music on the page. It’s him listening to it and putting his twist and flavor on what this person has written.”

Raney’s participation was another unique feature of the workshop. Robison said Raney

“You can literally walk into his studio with an idea and play it and he can go through that whole process of taking that idea and making it a finished product,” Robison said. “Very few facilities are able to do all of that and to do it at the level and the quality that [he’s] able to produce.”

The two songs will be mixed and mastered, and Carney and Oliver have the option of recording vocals to be added later. Both songs will also be available to Harding for classroom or promotional purposes.

Junior presents research funded by NASA@ MyLibrary

During a visit to a library in Gravette, Arkansas, this past summer, one Harding student saw firsthand the potential of science education to bring people together.

Junior JoAnna Campbell said she traveled to the town to give a presentation about science concepts through NASA@ My Library, a program that promotes science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education in underserved communities across the country.

Campbell said although the library in Gravette was small, she enjoyed seeing many people from the community attend her presentation.

“It’s good to be a part of something bigger than your purpose that you’re trying to accomplish,” Campbell said. “So it was really nice seeing how all those people in that town came together for that certain event.”

Campbell has also presented her work at Harding Academy and said she hopes to visit more local schools. She has incorporated many visual elements into her programs, including original videos, demonstrations and printable handouts. Her presentations focus on an array of topics: different forms of life, space science

and NASA initiatives such as the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope. For one demonstration, Campbell showed children how to grow plants in Martian soil.

Chemistry Department Chair Cindy White has served as Campbell’s adviser for these projects. She said Campbell has shown strong organizational skills and an eye for detail, as well as a knack for connecting with young audiences.

“She has really good public speaking skills, and so she’s able to convey information, and she’s also very good at bringing information down and putting it on children’s level and things like that,” White said.

White said she and chemistry professor Heather Hollandsworth applied for a grant from NASA@ My Library in 2021, and Harding was one of six universities that received funds. The professors encouraged students to apply through Harding to get involved with the program.

Campbell said she emailed the head of NASA@ My Library and was later approved to work with the program. Hollandsworth said three other Harding students were also chosen, but they have since graduated or moved on from the program.

The Harding students collaborated with eight libraries across the nation, including two

Sophomores teach college class at Downtown

CIANNA JAY asst. copy editor

Sophomores Darcy Grace Durden and Jack Moody began an internship teaching the college class at Downtown Church of Christ this semester. Their role involves weekly lesson planning, picking up refreshments for class, leading table discussions and teaching alongside Dr. Kraig Martin, the deacon of college ministry at Downtown, and Kent Jobe, the minister at Downtown.

Martin said the internship began when he and Jobe decided to focus the college class this year on Biblical teachings about living the good life. He said it is an area of interest for students and an often overlooked topic by the church.

“Once that decision was made, we wanted to find two students who could join us on the teaching team for this Sunday morning class,” Martin said. “Darcy and Jack both demonstrated an interest in campus ministry, a love for God and a desire to help build a community of students exploring the good life together.”

Durden said this internship has been a collaborative process, where Moody and her share the burden equally and have

complementary ideas. She also said teaching at Downtown has taught her the importance of preparation.

“It’s taught me that preparation is pretty important, but also that you don’t have to fully rely on your ability or your knowledge, because the spirit really intercedes whenever you’re talking about things like this,” Durden said. “And it is very beautiful how…the spirit is in everyone and is working so well.”

Moody agreed with Durden, saying lessons change with inspiration from the Holy Spirit and other people who add to and strengthen ideas. He cited last week’s lesson as an example.

“This past week we had kind of a set plan of how the lesson was kind of going to go and the trajectory of it,” Moody said. “And when we started to discuss it, it took different turns or people brought up different ideas and concepts that we hadn’t really thought of before.”

This internship has provided an outlet for Moody and Durden to be involved in a lifestyle of ministry, something they both were looking for. Martin offered advice for other Harding students searching for teaching opportunities.

in Alaska, to create educational presentations, Hollandsworth said. They did most of the work virtually, but Campbell took the initiative to go to Gravette in person.

“She’s done a great job with going above and beyond what we even asked her to do,” Hollandsworth said.

Campbell said she hopes her work with the program, as well as additional research she is doing through NASA to study water

filtration, will help her build a strong resume to apply for physician assistant school.

Campbell also said she has learned a lot about the vast scope of life science while working on the library projects.

“It’s just insane how much life there is that we don’t even know about,” Campbell said, “and that there’s such an energy with children that they want to learn more, and it’s kind of exciting for the future in STEM.”

“All Christians, including students, should be involved in ministry, and teaching is one ministry among many,” Martin said. “ I would recommend that any students interested in Bible teaching should pray for guidance, seek the advice of others about whether or not that ministry fits their talents and then, if it seems best, actively look for places to teach with others.”

Durden and Moody’s class meets at 9:30 a.m. every Sunday to discuss the good life and its virtues. The topic this week is faith.

“We’re covering the virtues like love, faith and hope, and we just wrapped up love,” Durden said. “We’re going to talk about what faith is versus what faith isn’t and kind of go into how we can build our faith in everyday life.”

SARA HOOK features/ layout editor

Professional musician Tim Crouch plays a guitar track in the song tracking workshop in the Reynolds Recital Hall on Sept. 17. As the winners of the campus-wide song writing contest, seniors Addison Carney and Joseph Oliver’s songs were tracked and recorded in a public workshop by Crouch.

Photo by MADISON MEYER

SOPHIE ROSSITTO news editor

Junior JoAnna Campbell delivers her presentation to be recorded on cam era in the HU16 TV studio on Sept. 7. Campbell received a grant through NASA@MyLibrary for her research.

Photo provided by HU16

Sophomores Jack Moody and Darcy Grace Durden sit in the Heritage Lobby on Sept. 20. Moody and Durden are teaching a college class at Downtown Church of Christ this semester.

Photo by BALAZS BALASSA

Campus Life hosts student activities

MALACHI BROWN opinions editor

As the novelty of the new school year wears off, Harding’s Campus Life has been working to bring fun activities to the student body.

Campus Life worked hard to help put some zeal back into the hearts of students. One of these breaks in the monotony of academic life is bingo night, held at LateNight Caf every Tuesday. It is sophomore Lexi Earnhart’s favorite part of the week.

“We have a lot of really cool prizes,”

Earnhart said, “and I get to yell really loud.”

Junior Lisanne Cheatham said her favorite Campus Life event is Karaoke Night, usually held Friday nights. The next one will occur on Sept. 30.

“My favorite part is making my friends go up on stage and sing embarrassing songs,” Cheatham said.

Campus Life Director Abby Stinnett has a lot else planned throughout the rest of the semester.

“I’m really excited for I Heart HU week,” Stinnett said. “I think it will be a really fun week. We’ll have a trunk or treat. I am also really looking forward to Relay for Life. We’re going to have a booth there, and we’ll sell some really funny stickers.”

Recently, Campus Life hosted DOUBLECAMP, a band that played at Bison Park during Family Weekend on Sept. 15., and also announced the second concert of the year.

“Nov. 5 in the Admin Auditorium, Bad Suns will be performing,” Stinnett said.

Tickets will start to go on sale for $10 today, Sept. 23.

All of these events are fun ways to pass time, but are also simple yet powerful ways to build community.

“I love that we all get to just enjoy being around each other and the community that Harding has and that we just get to be silly and goofy and fun,” Earnhart said.

Concerts held as part of inauguration celebrations

STACY ROIBAL beat reporter

There were multiple live performances on campus over the inauguration and Family Weekend as part of the celebration for Harding’s sixth president.

On Thursday, Sept. 15, Campus Life brought in the band DOUBLECAMP to perform in Bison Park. The event was open to the community and had food trucks parked nearby. Many concert goers were crowded near the stage, while others were spread across the grass, sitting on blankets and lawn chairs.

Since this was a public outdoor event, there was a noticeable public safety presence. Officer Alan Ely said they expected it to be a relatively calm environment, but were there should any incidents arise.

Campus Life director Abby Stinnett said that over the summer President Mike Williams told her he would love to have some entertainment for inauguration weekend. He planned for Thursday to be all about the students and wanted something fun for that evening. Stinnett knew exactly who to bring back.

The band DOUBLECAMP opened for the COIN concert last fall, and, according to Stinnett, they really enjoyed the experience and said they would love to come back if Campus Life ever wanted them to.

The duo consists of lead singer Joe Neary and guitarist Jordan Burmeister. They also brought a musician named Hayden Cotcher to play drums for the show.

Inauguration Crossword

“They are really fun,” Stinnett said. “They’re super chatty, and they’re just excited to perform live music.”

On Sept. 16, the Harding Department of Music brought in the bluegrass band Cedar Hill as part of their Arts & Life Performance Series.

The classical bluegrass group is made up of five members: DJ Shumate on banjo, Dalton Harper on guitar, Frank Ray on mandolin, Patty LaFleur on bass and Pete Brown on Fiddle. The band was also joined by special guest musician Tim Crouch who primarily played fiddle but also brought out his acoustic bass guitar for a couple of songs.

While introducing the band, Dr. Jay Walls, director of the Arts & Life series, said the group performed at the Royal Festival Hall in London, the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee, and have provided entertainment in Arkansas and abroad since 1967.”

Cedar Hill walked out on stage to much applause from the audience, and founding member Frank Ray said into his mic, “y’all ready to have some fun?” before they launched into their first song.

The energy was kept up throughout the show as audience members cheered after every solo and several clapped along to the beat. Walls said the members of Cedar Hill write many original songs to perform.

“On a special weekend such as this for Harding, we’re honored to present this concert of outstanding artists from right here in Arkansas, and we’re blessed to have them with us,” Walls said.

Graphic by

Campus Life hosted a DOUBLECAMP concert for the second time, this time at Bison Park on Sept. 15. Cedar Hill performed a bluegrass concert with musician Tim Crouch in the Anthony and Wright Administration Auditorium on Sept. 16. Both concerts were performed on Family Weekend.

Photo by MADISON MEYER

Graphic by COOPER TURMAN