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‘Sounds of Christmas’ returns tonight
Tonight, Arts and Life is partnering with Emmet Cahill, the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, and Harding’s Grand Chorus and Orchestra to present the second annual gala Christmas concert called “The Sounds of Christmas.” The performance will be held in the Benson auditorium at 7:30, and tickets are still available, with prices depending on
The first “Sounds of Christmas” last year was a phenomenal success, with the Benson almost completely sold out, and so the Department of Music wanted to bring
The Harding Grand Chorus consists of both the Chorus and Concert Choir. Over the semester, they have been rehearsing songs for the concert separately and occasionally meeting together for joint rehearsals. The Chorus consists of around 60 members and meets every weekday at noon for rehearsals, focusing on sacred unaccompanied pieces, while the Concert Choir has around 40 members, meets on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at noon, and performs various hymns and spirituals. Together, as the grand chorus, they will sing several selections, including traditional Christmas choral classics and also relatively unknown and antiquated arrangements like “Olde Christmastime.” Cahill will sing solos for most songs backed by the glorious sound of the Grand Chorus.
Wes Rogers, a sophomore in Chorus, reflects on his favorite song.
“O Holy Night is always one of my favorite pieces in the program every year,” Rogers said. “Performing alongside the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and Emmet Cahill, the piece is just powerful. It fills the entire room.”
Emmet Cahill is an Irish tenor who is best known as the lead singer of the PBS phenomenon. According to his website, Cahill “recently made sold-out debuts at New York’s Carnegie Hall and with the world Tabernacle Choir. His Irish album debuted at #1 on the Billboard World Music Charts with Sony Music USA. Recent appearances include: The Today Show, New York’s St Patrick’s Cathedral, US Pentagon, Atlanta Symphony Hall.”
The members of the
are excited to perform with Cahill again. Caitlyn Arnold, a sophomore and member of Chorus, reflects on last year’s experience.
“He’s actually so kind and really fun to chat with,” Arnold said. “Every time we had to restart something, he was just so kind about it, and on top of that, he’s incredibly talented. It’s like listening to an angel. He has this short little Irish man who’s his friend and follows him around and helps him out. I think he’s his manager. They’re both just the sweetest.”
The Grand Chorus will meet with Cahill and the symphony orchestra for their only full rehearsal tonight at four before the performance. Despite this, the Grand Chorus is well prepared. “From the chorus’ end, it doesn’t feel rushed or pulled together last minute,” said Rogers. “We’ve dedicated pretty much every rehearsal after our lectureship concert to this music. It’s always interesting to put all the pieces together, but we’re all individually prepared.”
Harding reacts to former admissions counselor’s arrest
Harding terminated an admissions counselor’s employment after he was arrested in November.
31-year-old Marcos Moralez was arrested Nov. 12 on five felony charges of distribution, possession and viewing matter depicting child sex. He was arrested by the Conway Police Department in Conway, Arkansas, and was booked in the Faulkner County Detention Center that afternoon.
Harding acknowledged Moralez’s arrest to faculty and students on the afternoon of Nov. 14. The president’s office emailed faculty and staff, while dean of student life Zach Neal contacted students. The emails were identical, except for the person to contact if students and faculty and staff had questions.
“Harding University is saddened to learn of the arrest of Marcos Moralez, an admissions
counselor,” the emails said. “He has been placed on unpaid administrative leave.”
Placing Moralez on unpaid administrative leave included removing his access to buildings on campus and his Harding email.
Assistant Vice President of University Communications and Marketing Jack Shock said on Dec. 1 that Moralez is no longer employed at Harding. He said the University is not involved in the case aside from being listed as Moralez’s employer in court records.
“Our legal team hasn’t had any official notification from either Faulkner County or the state about this case,” Shock said.
The court record said Moralez’s review hearing is set for Dec. 8. More information will be available online after he appears in court.
A Harding alumnus, Moralez worked in the admissions office after he graduated in 2021. He recruited students in the southwest and plains regions, which includes Arizona,
New Mexico, Wyoming, Oklahoma and Colorado.
Shock said Dr. Nate Copeland examined the admissions and enrollment office’s policies and procedures with his employees after Moralez’s arrest. He said they are also searching Moralez’s records and communications with families he contacted during recruiting efforts.
The University addressed the arrest again in chapel on Nov. 18 after HU16 covered the story during chapel announcements.
Executive Vice President Jean-Noel Thompson got on stage and encouraged students to pray for Moralez and all those involved with the case.
“ That’s something we don’t take lightly here at Harding, and we are certainly working through this very sad, difficult situation,” Thompson said. “I would ask that you join me, wherever you are, in praying for him, praying for healing in his life, praying for those that his decisions have impacted, in
an awful way. That’s who we are. We’re going to stand for what’s good, what’s true, what’s right, but we’re also going to offer up prayers for people who make really, really bad decisions.”
MICHAEL WRYE beat reporter
KENZIE JAMES news editor
Irish tenor Emmet Cahill performs in last year’s “The Sounds of Christmas” production in the Benson Auditorium. Cahill will be performing at this year’s edition of the production tonight.
Marcos Moralez, 31, was arrested by Conway Police Nov. 12. Moralez currently faces five felony charges.
Photo provided by JEFF MONTGOMERY
Photo provided by Faulkner County Sheriff’s Office
vocal ensemble
Ireland giveaway aims to engage alumni
KENZIE JAMES news editor
This week, one alumnus was awarded a free trip to Ireland because they updated their contact information with Harding.
Director of alumni and parent relations
Heather Kemper said the giveaway winner was already contacted, but will be publicly announced on Dec. 8.
The alumni relations office this fall hosted a giveaway for alumni who updated their contact information with the University. The prizes included a framed Harding watercolor print, a gift card to Harding’s bookstore, free registration for Uplift, a family Spring Sing package and the grand prize – two tickets for the Inspiring Ireland tour in May 2026.
Senior advancement officer Jalaina Hammett said the giveaway is part of the University’s efforts to update alumni’s contact information. The alumni database was affected when Google’s policy changed in spring 2024 and Harding deleted all alumni email accounts.
“It was a huge disruptor,” Hammett said. “We’re having to figure out ways to update all of our alumni information, which has been hard.… We want to help them know what’s going on on campus, all the different fun activities, all the great things we have going on for all our new programs and the new expansions, and what students are doing. The Ireland trip is the best way to just incentivize but also get the message out, because everyone’s sharing it.”
Advertisements for the giveaway began during Homecoming week in October, and included social media posts and posters around campus displaying former Harding president Dr. David Burks’s face. University
Communications and Marketing graphic designer Kendal Escue worked on the giveaway ads and had the idea to use Burks as the face of the campaign.
“His face, voice and mannerisms are iconic to Harding and familiar to several generations of alumni,” Escue said. “He has long been known for his businesslike presence, so featuring him making silly faces broke the fourth wall and helped transform an institutional voice into a personal and relatable one. Whether someone saw the pouty face and felt a little sad or laughed out loud, it sparked interaction.”
Kemper said the goal of the campaign was to interact with disengaged alumni. She said these alumni have an affinity for Harding but were less involved because they were busy with their families and careers. The giveaway campaign was an effort to incentivize the disengaged and reconnect them with the University.
“I’m excited for [the Ireland trip winner], especially if it has been someone that’s been disconnected,” Kemper said. “One of the objectives of the alumni travel program is that it does give us a great chance to reengage with alumni and to develop a relationship over a shared experience.”
Kemper said over 4,000 alumni updated their information because of the giveaway. Comparatively, 800 alumni updated their information when alumni’s Harding emails were deleted.
“I think [the campaign] accomplished what the goal was, … which was to make a splash, hopefully get the attention of our disengaged,” Kemper said. “I would definitely consider it a success.”
Honor society welcomes new sponsors and members
Alpha Chi hosted their annual induction on Nov. 16 after moving from the Honors College to the provost office this fall.
The honor society recognizes the top 10% of junior and senior students at Harding, and was previously associated with the Honors College. Provost Marty Spears said the Deans Council made the decision to move the responsibility of Alpha Chi so the organization has a broader focus on campus.
“While many students in Alpha Chi are also in Honors, a significant number are not
in the Honors College and there was at times confusion about the connection between Honors College and Alpha Chi,” Spears said.
The transition also included new sponsors for the society: history professor Julie Harris and assistant professor of art Enrique Colón. Spears said the change in sponsors is a learning curve, but it creates a chance to honor past traditions and create new opportunities.
“The society provides a lifelong membership and also offers students various opportunities on campus for scholarship and research activities, including a journal where students can publish their papers and a national conference where they can present their research,” Spears said.
Photo by KENZIE JAMES
The new sponsors welcomed 72 inductees into the honor society in November. President Caden Haustein and vice president Hailey Stevens helped lead aspects of the ceremony.
“I gave a charge to the new inductees to use their academic achievement in humility and with integrity for the purpose of action in love,” Haustein said. “The sponsors took a picture with the new inductees, and then refreshments were served to friends, family and the inductees to celebrate their achievements.”
Junior Camille Bewley, a new member, said it is important for her to be supported in her academic work through being a part of Alpha Chi.
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Students balance studying and social club functions
Students return from Thanksgiving break to spend their days in the library or a coffee shop, studying for final exams. Commonly known as “Dead Week,” this time used to be devoted to academics; social clubs and extracurriculars were not supposed to have activities. But in recent years, this changed.
As students write papers and memorize facts, other students are on the front lawn taking photos for their club’s semi-formal. Campus Life continues to host activities in the evenings. Is “Dead Week” actually dead anymore?
The Bison asked 79 students this question. Most said that no, “Dead Week” is not dead.
Is “Dead Week” actually dead?
Photo provided by UCM
Dr. Burks poses for a photo for the Ireland alumni trip giveaway ads. Alumni updated their contact information with Harding for a chance to win the free trip.
Alpha Chi sponsor Julie Harris shares opening remarks during the organization’s induction. The Nov. 16 ceremony was the first since the honor society separated from the Honors College.
Alpha Chi inductees pose for a photo on the Heritage staircase. The organization welcomed 72 new members this semester.
Photo by KENZIE JAMES
CARTER OWENS beat reporter
Graphic by
“Alpha Chi is a national honor society intended to provide a strong foundation
support system for students who love
academic
community opportunities
life — those of us who deeply want to learn
grow into scholarly servants in our future careers,” Bewley said. “Alpha Chi promotes truth and knowledge past the college experience — that’s why it matters.”
MELANIE GUYETTE
Graphic by KENZIE JAMES
KENZIE JAMES news editor
This past week for Thanksgiving break I was with my best friend’s family at their cabin on a river. The weather was freezing but we still walked down to the bank and enjoyed the quiet, beautiful place. My favorite thing to do by lakes, rivers or beaches is look for pretty rocks. I look for agates and granite and quartz, I break open geodes and collect any other little shells or bird feathers or driftwood I can fit in my pocket. Sometimes I bring a cup or a bag to fill. The person who gave me a love for this hobby of hoarding is my Grandpa. He is observing everywhere he goes out in nature for something special to bring home. He is one of my favorite people, and some of my best memories are outdoors with him.
He would show me pieces of petrified wood, eagle and raven feathers and could tell me the name of any kind of rock I would pick up. In Alaska, where I’m from, the beaches are made up of mostly rocks and barely any
Heart Shaped Rocks
sand. One my favorite places to be is there, beach combing and bringing what I find back to my Grandpa’s house to look at together. He worked for state parks in Alaska for years, and he built a lot of the stairways, cabins and outbuildings I grew up camping in and playing on. On one camping trip in January when I was a kid, we snowmachined into a dry cabin on a frozen lake for the weekend. At night, it was below zero outside but inside the cabin I was sweating. Because all night he stayed up, feeding the woodstove to make sure we would never feel even a little bit cold.
Since I was a kid I knew my Grandpa could do just about anything. He could fix anything, build anything and answer all my questions. He let me steer his truck when I was little, before I could reach the pedals. And when I got older he secretly let me drive his Jeep (definitely under the legal age limit) on the backroads. Now we joke about our speeding habits and he says, “well, who
Harding University hosted its annual lighting ceremony on Nov. 17th, kicking off the holiday season’s festivities. The entire campus is adorned in bright lights, colorful Christmas wreaths, photo stations, hot chocolate and apple cider on tap. In the weeks leading up to the event, heralds are sent to proclaim its arrival. Those heralds are in the form of workers, mechanical lifts and trucks filled with Christmas wreaths. The orange bucket trucks congregated in the quad, their towering presence among the trees like Brontosaurus feeding on the highest branches. In any other context, preparation for the lighting ceremony can be annoying; however, it is my most exciting inconvenience. I do not mind the noise pollution caused by the lifts, or the traffic made by the workers adorning the trees near the Caf. Every masterpiece comes with sacrifices.
The lighting ceremony is more than the lights. It is an actualization of the season’s spirit. The experience begins at dusk, when the sky is a deep purple and the sun makes its last appearance for the day. There is a sharp chill in the air that makes you pull your scarf a little tighter and see your own breath ghosting in front of you. The artificial lights turned off and for a moment, the campus quad takes center stage, though you struggle to see it. The night sky is not enough to illuminate the campus. The towering trees above act as a natural roof, and the surrounding buildings become the four walls.
Under the blanket of darkness, the countdown begins. “Ten…nine…. eight…” The collective breath continues, “…three… two…one!” In a single, silent, breathtaking instant, the world is transformed. Thousands of lights burst to life, and the once familiar redbrick buildings are instantly transformed into
staff
Randi Tubbs
editor-in-chief
Abbi Crocker lifestyle editor
Kenzie James news editor
Andrew Reneau
taught you how to drive!”. I haven’t seen him in almost two years now, we live so far apart. He is still at home in Alaska, plowing his driveway in the winter and sitting on the porch in the summer. I call him as often as I can and we could talk for hours if we had time. We talk about church, religion and politics but we also talk about this newspaper and my school or whatever else is going on. When I tell people about him I say he’s my best friend and I’m not exaggerating. I love to listen to his jokes and stories, we always have something to laugh about. We don’t agree about everything but we don’t argue either. He always reminds me of what’s most important in every situation.
This past week when I was picking up rocks, I found three heart shaped stones. These ones in particular always remind me of him. After my Grandma passed when I was younger, he put a large heart shaped piece of granite he had found next to her picture on his hutch. And if you ask him about it he’ll say that’s where his heart is, still next to her. This physical depiction of the love he has is so special to me. On Sundays, ever since I have been at college, I get extra homesick. I don’t know what it is about this day in specific, maybe because my whole life every Sunday afternoon was a family meal with my Grandparents. Most often I would fall asleep after lunch on their couch to the sound of a football game or NASCAR. On Sundays now I am homesick for the beaches and my sisters, but especially for a cup of coffee at my Grandpa’s dining room table, watching the birds out his window and chatting with him. No matter how far away I am from his house, I will always pick up heart shaped rocks and wish he was there to see them. Sometime soon I’ll see him again and I’ll probably have a pocketful of something from outside when I leave.
Lights, Camera, Apple Cider
of this magically delightful drink. Hot apple cider is by far the greatest thing produced
Eli Dean
Abby Davidson
surprise that it was intentional. I have yet to try eggnog, but I am wondering whose idea it was to drink eggs. The worst of all is sweet tea. I absolutely hate it. If you have not yet torn this article to shreds, I do want you to know, beloved reader, that I acknowledge the blasphemy of my sentiments. I make an exception, however, in the form
Abby Barry
Clara Kernodle
Time of writing: 5 a.m.
Y’all, I dig social norms. For a while, when I was 15, I thought it was so cool to be different and hip. For whatever reason, I’m not like that anymore. I’m not making any moral judgments; I’m just more comfortable with blending in and being behind a screen. Based on what I have seen in chapel, some of y’all should share my passion.
Wednesday morning, I saw something that nearly made me lose my breakfast. I saw a couple during chapel, and the guy was belting out tenor like he was trying to outshine Emmet Cahill. The oddity was that he had his hand firmly set on the girl’s leg. I don’t know why. Perhaps the leg chose him like Mjolnir, and he received special powers of musical endurance when he held it. Perhaps he was practicing driving a stick shift, the way his eyes stared up at the stage while his arm meandered about. Maybe it was muscle memory, or pure instinct. I can thankfully confirm to his family and close friends that he still has full control of hand-eye coordination and fine motor
wreaths. Get your scarf, and if you are from a warm climate like me, walk with gloves and hand warmers. The lighting ceremony is a glorious experience with friends, faculty and of course, hot apple cider.
Edgar Cardiel asst. photographer
Michael Wrye
movements. When we stood to sing, the couple shared a quick hug.
I think a good tenet to start this argument from is that, generally, the “A” in PDA is supposed to be tucked away. Everybody does it, and everybody knows about it, and so nobody feels the need to speak about it. “A” is the largest secret the world has created.
That couple (oh, the cringe overtakes me even in memory) was clearly confused about why secrets are kept. They must have thought (in their innocent hearts) that because nobody outwardly participated in “A,” the entire human population was anxiously anticipating the day a brave pair would spite social boundaries and free us from prudery. This is wrong, and mistakes PDA for a child slowly winding a jack-in-the-box. PDA is slightly similar to that child’s toy in that I am certainly surprised when I see it, but where a child’s surprise turns to mirth, I am left sobbing and vomiting and wishing I had bricks for ears.
To sum up my thoughts, PDA is a timid shirking of social standards and shows an utter lack of social intuition. These charlatans are either clueless as to how their deviance affects the public’s psyche, or they know that I want to plug my ears with styrofoam every time I see that couple on a bench, and continue anyway. Chapel is the wrong time to pursue social change. I should not be wiping sleep from my eyes just to have to wipe away a memory of what some couple did at 9:12 a.m.
My solution to this problem is to install six-foot-tall plexiglass panels on the sides of each seat in the Benson. Oh, and give Theta large, inflatable cavemenstyle wooden bats to go around thumping transgressors over the head. Or build a co-ed dorm.
RENEAU is the opinions editor for The Bison. He may be contacted at areneau@harding.edu.
Natalia Lago
Guest writer Randolph Joseph
Opinions editor Andrew Reneau Head copy editor Abby Barry
RANDOLPH JOSEPH is a guest writer for The Bison.
ABBY BARRY is the head copy editor for The Bison.
ANDREW
brilliant, classic white. The towering trees are draped with glittering lights. Every lamppost,
Randolph Joseph
Sarah Blythe
Samples of gold
Editor-in-chief Randi Tubbs
I began to craft just over five years ago, a couple of months into the COVID-19 lockdown. I started out sewing bandanas and face masks, which slowly turned into dresses and thrift flips. Eventually I was spending late nights surrounded by fabric scraps as I sewed a fashion portfolio for AP Art and made my own homecoming and prom dresses. Then, for Christmas of 2020, I was gifted a beginner’s crochet kit and was immediately smitten. I’ve always been an artsy person – never wanting to sit still for too long and always feeling guilty if I didn’t accomplish something that day. Crafting fixed a problem I didn’t even realize I had. With sewing and crochet, I never procrastinated, and I never felt like I had “wasted” time. I had something to show for every hour I spent. But the more I made, the more I realized that none of it actually felt like me. I loved the process, but I didn’t love wearing the results. Most sewing projects didn’t fit my style, and every crochet piece felt either too colorful, too bulky, or just not well-crafted enough. In hindsight, these were things I was completely capable of controlling – I just didn’t know how yet.
In my senior year, I found knitting and basically solved my problem. Knitting felt calmer, more deliberate, and higher quality. It is almost like my brain finally felt in sync with my hands. With crochet and sewing, I often felt rushed, like the stitches were forcing me to make designs that I never really wanted. With knitting, everything felt intentional. I chose colors, textures and patterns that would be a dream thrift find. I made things I actually wanted to wear instead of just wanting to finish. For the first time since I started crafting, my projects didn’t feel like a compromise between my skill level and taste – they finally felt like me. Knitting did not make me feel like I had to close the door on my world. I could knit while watching a movie with friends, talking to family, or riding along on a roadtrip. Because this process finally felt like me, I found myself so much more excited to share it.
I used to dread giving people my handmade things because deep down I didn’t love them myself. Knitting allowed me to shift my love to craft from a coping mechanism to something that let me love people better, literally stitch by stitch. The current months, full of holidays as they are, have made that especially clear. My school bag has basically become a portable yarn basket and my free time has turned into a countdown of “who’s next” on my list of handmade gifts. It hasn’t been stressful, but a way for me to really soak up all of the winter vibes that make up the reasons why it’s my favorite season, along with the fact that knitwear is winterwear.
This Christmas, as I finish projects with yarn trailing out of my bags and tape measures falling out of my pockets, I’m realizing that crafting means more to me than just curing my need for productivity. It’s a reminder that things we make with our own hands, while they require tolerance for tedious work and patience, hold our time, our growth, and our love.
Remember the last time you had to order a textbook? Or when you last bought college merch for a sports game? Perhaps your HU Direct had an error, and you called the only number you trusted to help: the Harding University Bookstore. Likely, for serious concerns and questions, you were directed to Angela Shaw, the manager of the HUB. She worked in the HUB as a student in the early ’90s, and now finds herself running the store she once stocked. She has been contributing to Harding since beginning as a full-time bookstore employee in 2008 and operating as manager since 2024.
Shaw wears many hats. Among these hats, she observes the sales of the bookstore and adjusts merchandise orders accordingly. She removes or introduces new colors and styles depending on what the student body is purchasing, so we can thank her for all our stylish apparel! A seemingly boring responsibility of Shaw’s is to analyze sales reports, which are calculated into statistics. The HUB sold 172 hats on family weekend alone! Without these numbers, the bookstore would not be able to stock appropriate amounts of merchandise or keep up with ever-changing trends.
As manager of the bookstore, Shaw is responsible for overseeing her employees. This task takes little time on her part, because her team is reportedly self-sufficient.
“Our crew knows their tasks and how to achieve their goals. I am blessed to spend eight hours a day working alongside people that I genuinely like
The Unsung Hero of the HUB
and enjoy,” Shaw said.
She also enjoys organizing the stock on the floor, rearranging clothing and mugs in more appealing ways.
The mark of a skilled leader is their willingness to work alongside their employees. Joetta Martin, who has worked closely with Shaw, told tales of
her interactive leadership skills and how they reflect in her work. “More often than not, she’s working right alongside us rather than simply delegating from her office,” Martin said. This hands-on approach is only the surface of what makes Shaw beloved by all who know her. “[Shaw] sets an excellent example for us with her strong work ethic,” Martin said.“She consistently anticipates ways to improve store operations and efficiency, which helps me and my coworkers flourish at our job.”
The HUB’s newest hire and good friend of Shaw, Windy Blythe, admires Shaw for her strength, integrity and kindness.
My mother has a purple cardboard box in the pantry. It’s decorated with a pattern that is simple, muted, and elegant. I would add “regal,” but that might be going too far. After all, we are talking about a Kleenex box. And an empty one, at that.
Why does my mother keep an empty Kleenex box?
To explain, I have to go back to the Great Depression. I know—I sound like my friends in the history department, who can never tell an anecdote without giving at least twelve decades of context. I promise, I’ll be brief.
My grandmother was beloved by everyone, a dear, kind woman. Having raised her family during the 1930s, she was careful with money. Which is a virtue in nearly every way except one. Bless her heart—she stocked her bathroom with cheap, one-ply toilet paper.
There are some things you simply have to splurge on. My mother, growing up under this scratchy regime, vowed not to repeat the same pattern and has been loyal to brand-name tissue products ever since. Kleenex and Angel Soft all the way.
Puffs? Heavens, no.
For the most part, these brands have been good to us. But lately, the Kleenex people have been pushing it. And I don’t just mean with their icky Lotion tissues, which add more moisture to the nose than they take away. I’m talking about their box designs.
You see, for years, my mother bought the same light grey Kleenex box with delicate pastel flowers on it. If Laura Ashley had a line of facial tissues, they would look like this. They matched the décor of the bathroom beautifully.
But then, something terrible happened. Kleenex changed the design. No warning, just, “Boom.” We’re in Kroger one day, and there’s some wretched new box on display. The family immediately fanned out across the city, checking the clearance shelves of every grocery store to hoard as many light grey boxes with the delicate pastel flowers.
Weeks later, when we were down to the last one, Mom had an idea. After the box was
empty, she gently pried the ends open, careful not to tear the flaps.Then she emptied one of the newfangled horrors and slid the tissues carefully into the old box. She sealed the edges with Elmer’s, and voila! New tissues—same classy style. Plus, the process could be repeated. You always knew when a new refill was happening, as the box would be standing on end, smelling faintly of paste, with a paperweight delicately balanced on top. She used that one box for five years.
Mom had found a way to outwit the Kleenex people, no matter how often they messed with
“Her actions speak louder than words,” Blythe said. “They encourage me to grow and improve every day.”
Blythe appreciates Shaw’s compassionate nature most of all, and described her boss as “ready to help whenever there’s a need.” Shaw’s willingness to answer questions and offer help have made Blythe feel at ease in her new job.
“This truly makes working in the bookstore something I look forward to,” Blythe said. You will rarely find Shaw sitting behind her dark, imposing desk in her corner office. Instead, look for her across the hall in Shipping and Receiving, upstairs in Textbooks, or behind the counter of the Harding University Bookstore. She always has an entertaining story or kind word to share with her co-workers. Her personable nature lends to her success as a manager, since the best leaders are those who can relate to their employees.
Surprisingly, Shaw considers herself an introvert, but she finds the reward of being HUB manager lies in the guest interactions: “Whether it be a student who looks like they’re having a rough day or an alumni who hasn’t been on campus in decades or a potential student with mom and dad who have questions about Harding, there are so many wonderful people that enter our doors each day,” Shaw said. “And every one of them leaves a mark on my heart.”
their designs. They could inflict one travesty after the next upon the sneezing public, and she stayed serene. One new box that came out was shaped like a slice of watermelon. Another one had zebras on it, for crying out loud. If we want watermelons and zebras, we will have a picnic at the zoo.
You may laugh, but there’s a long tradition of tacky-proofing your Kleenex. An entire industry produces plastic tissue box covers for the express purpose of keeping design consistency in the bathroom, no matter what mad box patterns hit the store shelves.
And to hide those indelicate rolls of “TP” on top of the commode, crafty home decorators have long used crocheted slipcovers. If you put a half-doll on top, it looks like she’s wearing a hoop skirt to hide the Angel Soft. Not that Mom cares for these, you understand.
But that’s why she keeps an empty Kleenex box in the pantry. Her last light grey one with delicate pastel flowers gave out years ago, and she slowly got used to the elegant purple replacement. Which is good. Because have you seen the new Kleenex boxes?
One is bright turquoise with green leaves and blue-and-orange toucans. If Tarzan had a head cold, this is the box he would want. It does not match Mother’s bathroom. Another new option is purple, but not the nice purple. No. This one adds green lily pads and gaudy orange leaves.Not to mention the box with the flamingo, which is beyond outrageous. Elvis might have liked the jungle theme, but we do not.
Please do not tell us that you think the new boxes are cute. That will only encourage the Kleenex people. Last week I saw a new design on the shelves that was covered with neon orange paperclips. I felt queasy just looking at it.
I realize it is difficult to resist progress. But when you hit 91, surely you’ve earned the right to protect your décor from obnoxious tissue boxes. Keep up the fight, Mom. I’ll get the glue.
Sneezing in Style
Narrative columnist Michael Claxton
RANDI TUBBS is editor-in-chief for The Bison. She can be contacted
Guest writer Sarah Blythe
SARAH BLYTHE is a guest writer for The Bison.
The Dugout Dispatch
Pass interference. Holding. Ball. Strike. Targeting. Offsides. Traveling. Technical fouls. Rules are important. If you want to be successful in any way of life, rules are what you have to follow. As a writer, the AP Stylebook is my rules, so when I don’t use the Oxford Comma or use a specific version of lay and lie, it’s straight from the rulebook. Sports, like any organization that wants to succeed, needs rules. If a football field had no out of bounds or if a baseball field didn’t have a fence, then the games would be played totally different ways.
Some rules are meant to be more about safety than they are about making sure your foot is behind the line of scrimmage. It makes sense that you can’t shove someone during a basketball game, throw a baseball at someone’s head, grab a facemask or any other out of line violent acts. Those types of rules aren’t as subjective as the ones that cause the most anger between your average sports fan or player, and it’s pretty obvious why.
On Jan. 28, 2023, the Lakers versus the Celtics on national television. LeBron James vs. Jayson Tatum at the Garden, tied with just seconds left at 105 apiece, what more could you ask for as a sports fan?
James drives into the lane, ready to silence the deafening Boston crowd, he shoots. “SLAP!” He misses. Tatum fouled him. Now onto the line for two free throws to win the game, right?
Well, not exactly. The ref didn’t see it, he didn’t call a foul. The game goes to overtime. James is in disbelief. So are the rest of the Lakers. Patrick Beverley goes into the crowd and asks if anyone took a photo of the foul. A photojournalist gives him his camera with a photo clearly showing Tatum fouling James. “Pat Bev” takes the camera and walks over to referee Eric Lewis before the start of overtime and shows Lewis the foul he didn’t call. Beverley immediately gets a technical foul, and the Celtics eventually win in overtime. A few months later in May, Lewis’ family is outed as being Celtics fans and Lewis himself is investigated for running a burning Twitter account that the primary purpose of was to defend him. Lewis resigned after 19 years in August, which ended the NBA’s investigation of him.
It’s a silly story, one that in the grand scheme of things doesn’t matter. It’s no Rams-Saints NFC Championship game, it’s no Armando Galarraga’s *almost* perfect game, it’s no Tim Donaghy and it’s no grand conspiracy theory that will somehow allow the Chiefs to magically get into the playoffs this year. It is, however, a microcosm on how we view sports today. The idea of knowing immediately whether or not a call made by an umpire is wrong or right creates a lot more scrutiny for those whose jobs it is to get the call right. And in the world of sports gambling, that only increases the fervor of fans to blame umpires first and then the players next when their bet doesn’t cash out. What are my opinions on refs? Well, during any given baseball game, I witness on average about 14 ball-strike calls not called correctly. Some are worse than others, like when Adrian Johnson missed 23 calls on May 10, but some are exceptionally good, like when Mark Ripperger and Nic Lentz didn’t miss a single call in two separate April games. Starting next year, for the first time ever in the history of MLB, teams are going to be allowed to challenge ball-strike calls made by umpires during games. Johnson’s 23 missed calls won’t happen ever again likely, but like how pass interference used to be something you could challenge in the NFL, it’s best to wait to see how things play out before making assumptions. Usually, for better or for worse, sports fans know the umpires who miss calls more than the ones who get them right, and that’s one of the main problems I have with how we view refs or umpires. We should celebrate success when it happens, but it’s also painful to see an obvious missed call in a football game that could change the course of a team’s season and afterwards nothing be done. It’s why at the Thanksgiving table this year, my extended family that is obsessed with the Green Bay Packers, sighed in relief when things went their way on some very sketchy calls. When your season is on the line, you want the refs on your side. When you begin to feel like they’re not, you get ugly moments like when Texas Longhorns (“horns down” as my Oklahoma Sooner-obsessed friend Isaiah Phelps would say) fans threw trash on the field after a pass interference call last season. A knee-jerk reaction I have is that umpires or refs aren’t held accountable enough for their mistakes. They’re not fined in the same ways that the players are for when they call them out. But when I start to think about it, we as fans are often the ones to hold them too accountable, and maybe that’s enough.
Bisons ride strong first half in win over Pitt State
Simmons said. “It was so impressive, and I thought our guys came ready to play and executed really, really well.”
Harding’s first two scoring drives in their 37-21 win over Pittsburg State University were textbook portrayals of their ability to strike from any distance at any time. Their first drive, a 17-play, 99-yard clock killer that saw nine and a half minutes go off the clock in the first quarter, gave the Bisons the lead. Then, after holding PSU without much to show during their first three drives, senior Braden Jay completed a 59-yard touchdown to cap off a drive that lasted less than one minute. Harding head coach Paul Simmons said that the opening drive was critical in setting the tone for his team.
“I said all week long that if we can start fast, that would be a really big deal,” Simmons said. “To go 99 yards on your first possession, that is how you define a statement drive.”
Harding was up 37-7 with 12 minutes left in the game, but two fumbles in their own territory after the Bisons elected to take out key starters gave the Gorillas great field position, and within four minutes of game time the Harding lead shrunk to 16. After a Harding punt with 5:25 left, PSU only managed one first down on their next drive, turning the ball over on downs in Harding territory, ending the comeback threat. Simmons said that he was thrilled with the way his defense played and wants to keep that rolling into next week.
“When it was our ones, and they had to have it, I thought our defense was suffocating,”
In the game on Saturday, senior linebacker Clark Griffin eclipsed 400 career tackles, the most of any active player in DII football. Named the Great American Conference Defensive Player of the Year, he said that it’s a special feeling to be among the greats at his position, but he credits his teammates and coaches that put him in the right spots to succeed.
... I thought our defense was suffocating. It was so impressive...
“It’s special,” Griffin said. “I’m in the right spot a lot of the time, so I just make the play for my guys. It’s a great honor, but it’s a team deal.”
Harding rushed for 437 yards in the win, and is currently on pace to break their own single-season record for total yards in a season that they set during their 2023 national championship run. Every box score is a testament to the depth that the Bisons have on offense, and one stat speaks for itself in that regard.
The current record for yards per carry for a running back of any NCAA division level is 8.2 yards per carry, held by both Memphis’
Darrell Henderson (2016-18) and Houston’s Chuck Weatherspoon (1987-1990). To qualify for the career list, a running back needs to have at least 300 carries for their career. In the game on Saturday, Jay ended the day with 301 career carries with an average of 12.3 yards per carry. Fellow running back and junior Andrew Miller said that it’s not Jay’s running ability that makes him special, but his blocking ability when other backs are trying to get scores, which was evident in Saturday’s game when Miller was able to rush for 171 yards and three touchdowns.
“He’s not only just the most electric ball carrier in DII, he also blocks his tail off,” Miller said. “When you got guys like that making plays, it’s not too hard to run into the end zone.”
The weather was not pleasant on Saturday, with most of the game filled with cold wind and rain that made some moments more difficult than they normally would be. Getting traction on the turf and securing pitches was sometimes hard, but the Bisons stayed the course, trusted their teammates and ultimately got the job done. Miller said that patience was the key, especially when trying to find gaps to break off big runs.
“I was trying to be patient,” Miller said. “Not every play is going to be a big, long run, but I know that our blockers can get it done.”
Harding will once again host a playoff game for the Super Region 4 final against the University of Texas Permian Basin Dec. 6 at 1 p.m. in the first ever meeting between the two schools.
Bisons kick off playoff run with 38-16 win
Photo by JEFF MONTGOMERY
Senior Christian Franklin runs past Northwestern Missouri State defenders for a touchdown during the Bisons’ 38-16 win Nov. 22. The Bisons offense started the posteason with 427 rushing yard in the rout.
On Nov. 22, the Harding Bisons kicked off the first playoff game of the season at home in First Security Stadium. The cold weather and cloudy day did not overshadow the performance the football team put on to defeat the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats and secure a spot in the second payoff game. With a final score of 38-16, the Bisons exceeded fans expectations. Harding finished with 475 total yards and 427 rushing yards. This victory for the Bisons led them into the second round playoffs, and has students and fans excited for the possibility of another National Championship win.
Defensive line coach Tre’von Biglow praised the team’s morale and integrity preparing for this game.
“Our guys, they were ready to roll and prepared at a phenomenal level,” Biglow said.
He noted the team’s ability to be confident in their mission each game. “If you walk into a game with too many nerves–now you’re scared to make plays– and our guys do a really good job of not doing that, and believing in the process.”
The Bisons have competed with Northwest Missouri State before, and were not successful, so this win held much significance for the team. Biglow emphasized how this was a victory for older and past players specifically, to get revenge on the field.
Defensive back Curtis Jackson explained the team’s mindset for the playoffs.
“The confidence that we have, with the undefeated season and then the relationship we have in the locker room and on the field, it just helped us so much going into that playoff game,” Jackson said.
Jackson described the moment he felt was most pivotal in this game.
“I think it was the very first drive, my teammate number 12, Troy Wiseman, he had a pass break up on the very first drive against the wide receivers that are really good,” Jackson said. “And with that, I feel like it just started off in a good moment.”
Head coach Paul Simmons looked back on the days leading up to the game: “You know our guys had a really good week, the energy was high, the focus was high, the attention to detail was really high, we definitely had an expectation of playing really well” Simmons said. The game held many highlights for the Bisons but one in particular stood out to Simmons that sealed their success. “Probably the play of the game was the interception by Jordan
felt like the game was basically over at that point.”
– Paul Simmons, head coach
Eli Dean
Team captains and seniors Mike Ericson (left), Ty Dugger, Christian Franklin and Clark Griffin walk arm in arm together to prepare for the coin toss during Harding’s 37-21 win over Pittsburg State Nov. 29.
Sports Editor
Photo by JEFF MONTGOMERY
ELI DEAN sports editor
Mays–it
ABBY BARRY head copy editor
Searcy showcases Christmas spirit
In 2024, Southern Living magazine named Searcy the “cutest Christmas town in the South,” and Searcy is proud to maintain that title. Throughout the town of Searcy this month, there are a series of light displays to relay the Christmas spirit. There is also a display on Harding’s campus on the front lawn, first presented in a lighting ceremony held on Nov. 17.
Harding alumnus Mark Moore began the tradition of the Harding lighting ceremony.
“Back in the late 1980s, a few of us just wanted to bring some Christmas spirit to campus,” Moore said. “There was no grand plan or committee, we simply thought the
campus would look a little brighter and more festive with some Christmas lights. That really was the whole inspiration: a small group of students wanting to spread some cheer.”
Harding’s Christmas light display joins others throughout Searcy to add to the town’s Christmas spirit.
Berryhill Park in Searcy boasts one of the largest light displays in town. Also present at the park are replicas, formed from Christmas lights, of Searcy landmarks.
A project mapping light display will be featured on the White County Courthouse. This will make Searcy the first community in Arkansas to feature said project mapping light display. While visiting the courthouse, you can also take a stroll through downtown Searcy, as they have additional light displays throughout town.
Spring Park, near downtown Searcy, has light displays as well as two bridges with lit arches.
Yancey Park offers a light display including a walking path under hanging lights. For the first time, Yancey Park is decorated according to a theme. The lights and decorations adhere to a Candy Land theme, after the popular board game, including painted candy canes donated by people in the community.
Further, the historic Black House has a beautiful Christmas light display as well. The process of creating these displays, a part of a beautiful and important tradition of Searcy, requires in-depth planning.
The Holiday of Lights committee has two co-chairs, Tonia Hale and Tommy Centola, who plan the annual experience.
“After the first [day] of the year, thinking of new things and new ideas that we can do next year,” Hale explains. “We discuss things that work, things that didn’t go over well, things we need to add to and things we need to do differently.”
They work hand in hand with a multitude of different departments throughout Searcy. The committee is proud to maintain the role of organizing and executing the event, helping Searcy hold on to the title of “cutest Christmas town.”
Amanda Simone, a sophomore at Harding and citizen of Searcy, expressed her love for the town and the significance of this tradition.
“It draws the community of Searcy all together,” Simone said.
The Christmas light displays will be up throughout the Christmas holidays, spreading good cheer all season long.
Tiny homes project for homeless launches in Searcy
Local outreach Mission Machine broke ground on the building of a group of tiny homes for people experiencing chronic homelessness due to mental or physical disabilities. The facility will include independent living spaces for up to eight individuals. It will also have a
common space which contains a living area, kitchen and dining area, laundry room and restroom with showers.
The ceremony was attended by several influential members of Searcy’s community including White County judge Lisa Brown and Searcy mayor Mat Faulkner.
Before the ceremony began, the goal of $300,000 had yet to be fulfilled, but since has been reached. This means that the project will
begin immediately, starting with the concrete foundation slab and plumbing.
Karen Kelly, the president of the board for Mission Machine and Harding nursing faculty member, said that the project was made possible both by several generous monetary donations and many donations by companies of construction supplies and labor.
“This has truly been a project where the community has come together to care for
ceremony for
some of our most vulnerable neighbors,” Kelly said.
The project will take around six months to complete, but potentially longer due to weather conditions. Several contractors are donating services and materials to the project, with Connell Construction overseeing.
Mike Phifer, the director for Mission Machine, said he is overwhelmed by the start of this project. The project had been a dream at Mission Machine for years because it targets a group of people that in years past seemed impossible to help, but now it is becoming possible.
“There has always been one group of people we’ve helped for years that never seemed able to go anywhere and that’s people with underlying issues, usually people with mental illness – there just isn’t a place for these folks,” Phifer said. “This project coming to life is a faith-builder, to see it come to life really shows God’s hand on this ministry.”
Both Phifer and Kelly said that the hope for the project is to provide a community of support for these chronically homeless individuals.
As the project gets underway there will be many volunteer opportunities approaching, while donations for furnishing the facility are still needed. All details to help and donate
NONA NIELSEN beat reporter
NATALIA LAGO beat reporter
White County judge Lisa Brown speaks at the groundbreaking
Mission Machine’s new tiny homes community for people experiencing homelessness. Mission Machine is a nonprofit that provides aid to individuals
The Christmas lights of Searcy are on full display at Berryhill Park (shown at left and bottom) and Harding University’s campus (shown at top). The lights are part of an annual event that begins each November to celebrate the holiday season.
Photos by BRILEY KEMPER
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Williams host golden ticket dinner
Harding University’s very own President and First Lady, Dr. Mike and Lisa Williams, have taken a page out of Willy Wonka’s book, becoming well known for gifting golden tickets to unsuspecting students. These golden tickets serve as invitations to a dinner held at the president’s home, hosted by the Williamses. The most recent golden ticket dinner took place on Wednesday, Nov. 12.
Students are randomly given tickets and may invite one friend to accompany them.
Sophomore Caleb Smothermon was invited to the dinner by one of his friends. He commented on the events of the evening, which began with a devotional based on Romans before the group entered the home and enjoyed dinner.
“After we were done eating we were free to talk or look around or leave,” Smothermon said. “I had some great conversations with my friends and some people I had just met. We even got to talk with Dr. Mike Williams, and he was very kind and funny, and he tried to connect with each of us in some way.”
Smothermon shared an appreciation for PresidentWilliams’ intentions behind the dinner gatherings.
“Dr. Williams told us he likes to throw these parties from time to time in order to give people breaks from their school work,”
Smothermon said. “They invite people so they can connect with the students, and they call the president’s house the Harding house because he wants everyone to feel like they belong.”
Sophomore Lexi Howell also attended the most recent golden ticket dinner. She was invited by Assistant Professor of Mathematics Jill Davis after chapel while on her way to the Student Center.
“Mike and Lisa made it clear that their house was Harding’s house,” Howell said.
“I love that they are so happy to welcome in students. It’s such a different experience than most college students probably have, like at state schools where you don’t even know who the president is.”
Howell described the evening, noting that students had the chance to meet one another, connect with the Williams family, and even meet the Williamses’ granddaughter and two sons.
“We hung out for quite a while at their house,” Howell said. “Some of us were just talking, others were playing the piano, and some people were taking photos with Dr. Mike. At the end of the night we thanked them and left.”
Junior Nate Farris attended one of the golden ticket dinners in the fall of his sophomore year. Invited personally by Dr. and Mrs. Williams, he said he appreciated
how genuinely hospitable the couple was.
“I really liked how they made us feel at home and welcome,” Farris said. “They did a good job of going around and talking to
all of us even though there were quite a few of us. It was cool to be able to see and talk to Dr. Williams in a casual setting.”
Friendsgiving celebrations spread across campus
In the two weeks preceding Thanksgiving break, several campus groups hosted Friendsgiving celebrations, from social clubs to the main campus cafeteria.
Lady Chapel, a weekly chapel for women in the social sciences, hosted a Friendsgiving the evening of Nov. 13. Dr. Melanie Gallagher, associate professor of political science, helped host the event.
“This is our second year to do Friendsgiving for the women in the social science chapel,” Gallagher said. “We do it as a way to encourage friendship and camaraderie within this community of women.”
The Lady Chapel Friendsgiving, held in a classroom in the Holland-Waller, shared a potluck of traditional Thanksgiving foods and watched “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.”
The Honors College also celebrated a Friendsgiving on Nov. 18 in the Sears Honors House. Activities director and sophomore Elyse Rogers planned and executed the event.
“I wanted to give everyone a chance to hang out and celebrate the holiday before
we go home,” Rogers said. “We had a great turnout and a lot of fun.”
Friends at the honors event shared the Thanksgiving foods seen in “A Charlie Brown
Thanksgiving,” including ice cream sundaes, jelly beans and toast.
Women’s social club Ju Go Ju also celebrated the occasion with club members on Nov. 16.
Junior Chandler Donlin planned the event as the club’s activities director.
“Ju Go Ju’s Friendsgiving comes from a desire to create a supportive chosen family while being away from home,” Donlin said. “The night offered to bond and celebrate gratitude together during a busy and sometimes stressful semester.” The club event was hosted in the Honors House.
Finally, the campus dining hall held an all-day Friendsgiving on Nov. 20. Junior Madison Shields attended the event during lunchtime with friends.
“My favorite food there was the green bean casserole,” Shields said. “The gravy, turkey and ham were also really good.”
The cafeteria also had Thanksgiving desserts available. “A highlight was the ice cream bar,” Shields said. “It had a lot of toppings. The best part always is the warm brownie with ice cream and hot fudge.”
From large gatherings to small get-togethers, campus groups celebrated the coming holiday and provided a friendly space for students to gather.
CLARA KERNODLE assistant copy editor
President Mike Williams poses with sophomores Caleb Smotherman and Reece Blackburn following Golden ticket dinner. The dinner hosted by President Williams included a meal and devotional.
Students share a meal together before heading home for Thanksgiving break. Many different groups held Friendsgiving meals.
Photo provided by MELANIE GALLAGHER
SIDNEY DAVIES beat reporter
Photo provided by CALEB SMOTHERMAN