U N I V E R S I TY
OF
T H E
V O L U M E 3 8 /// FAL L 2 0 1 9
OZARKS
TODAY
Economic
IMPACT UNIVERSITY HAS $38.3 MILLION IMPACT ON STATE’S ECONOMY IN 2018
UNIVERSITY OF THE OZARKS
CONTENTS 2 Commencement
4 Enrollment
9 MacLean Hall
University awards 131 diplomas to 2019 Class
University sees record growth from Johnson County, Abroad
Residence hall undergoes major renovation
UNIVERSITY MISSION
TODAY AN ANNUAL MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF UNIVERSITY OF THE OZARKS VO LUME 3 8 /// FA L L 2 0 1 9
True to our Christian heritage, we prepare students from diverse religious, cultural, educational and economic backgrounds to live life fully. UNIVERSITY CORE VALUES
Growth, Honesty, Hospitality, Justice, Sabbath and Service UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION
Richard L. Dunsworth, J.D . ......President Alyson Gill, Ph.D......................Provost Steve Edmisten.. ............... .......Special Assistant to the President Reggie Hill.. ...................... .......Vice President for Marketing and Enrollment Lori McBee....................... .......Vice President for Advancement
VOLU M E 38 /// FA LL 2019
22 Family Legacy
24 The Keeper
30 Alumni Profile
Donaldson Turner Scholarship continues family legacy
Three-year soccer standout ready to lead women’s team
Artist Dylan Eakin ’13 is thriving in photorealism
University of the Ozarks students, such as senior business administration major Ralph Jean-Pierre (pictured, left), are gaining valuable experience, knowledge and skills outside the classroom through internships, part-time jobs, academic conferences and other extracurricular endeavors. See Page 18
PRODUCTION STAFF
UNIVERSITY DIRECTORY
Larry Isch, Editor Director of Public and Media Relations Phyllis Parsons Graphic Design and Brand Coordinator Vinnie Tran Graphic Design and Photography Coordinator
Admin Services........479-979-1208 Admission................479-979-1227 Advancement...........479-979-1230 Alumni Engagement.479-979-1234 Athletics...................479-979-1407 President’s Office.....479-979-1242 Public Relations........479-979-1433
PHOTO CREDITS
Vinnie Tran, Josh Peppas, Zach Thompson, Geoshan Lee and Susan Edens
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
Office of Alumni Engagement University of the Ozarks 415 N. College Avenue Clarksville, AR 72830-2880 Phone: 479-979-1234 E-mail: alumnioffice@ozarks.edu WEBSITE
www.ozarks.edu
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UNIVERSITY OF THE OZARKS
CLASS OF 2019 University Awards Diplomas to Largest Class in History
U
niversity of the Ozarks awarded bachelor’s degrees to 131 graduating seniors during the 2019 Spring Commencement ceremony, held Saturday, May 18, on the campus mall. It was the largest graduating class in the University’s 185-year history. The keynote speaker was Dr. Jeannie Oliver, a 1992 Ozarks mass communication graduate who is an educator, administrator and evangelist from Horn Lake, Mississippi. Oliver told the graduates they will face struggles and challenges in their early careers. “Don’t give up and stay focused on your goals,” Oliver said. “Don’t allow the outside distractions to keep you from staying focused. Pray every day and follow God’s will. He will show you how to make the right decisions and make the right choices.” Oliver also told the senior class the importance of strong, positive communication skills. “Be careful how you communicate with people, not only in your words but in how you say them — the non-verbal communications. You never know who may be watching you. That’s how you get the promotions and opportunities.” Representing the senior class, Angie Castro-Flores, a strategic communication major from El Salvador, presented the students’ welcome. Emilie Williams, a religion and philosophy major from Keller, Texas, led the graduating class in the Turning of the Tassel ceremony. Williams was the recipient of the 2019 Hurie Award as the outstanding graduating senior. Those graduates who were recognized for earning Summa Cum Laude honors (3.85 grade point average or higher) were, Emily Autry, Lamara Bazashvili, Shelby Carlton, Katherinn Chamale, Maria Corea, Haley Hanks, Mary Hoiland, Grasyn Langley, Henry Marin, Julio Molina, Stephanie Payton, Annie Rogers, Brenda Sandoval, Catherine Thompson, and Bahar Yapal.
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C A MPU S /// N EW S
Olivia Allard ROGERS, ARKANSAS Alma Arredondo Lopez PARIS, ARKANSAS Melissa Augustin PORT AU PRINCE, HAITI Emily Autry FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS Vincent Barber HIGHLAND, NEW YORK Jonathan Barham EMMET, ARKANSAS Skyler Barnes FARMINGTON, ARKANSAS Lamara Bazashvili MOSCOW, RUSSIA Shayanah Bien Aime ORLANDO, FLORIDA Paul Billings DALLAS, TEXAS Hailey Bromley HENSLEY, ARKANSAS Christina Burns MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE Neyssa Cadet PORT AU PRINCE, HAITI Fantasia Canady HARTMAN, ARKANSAS Shelby Carlton CLARKSVILLE, ARKANSAS Angie Castro-Flores SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADOR Katherinn Chamalé GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA Clay Conley ROLAND, OKLAHOMA Cristin Connor GUNTER, TEXAS Maria Corea SAN PEDRO SULA, HONDURAS Eleazar Coronado JONESBORO, ARKANSAS Justin W. Crider DALLAS, TEXAS Jeremy Cripps PARIS, ARKANSAS Ashton Davis CLARKSVILLE, ARKANSAS Derric Davis MESQUITE, TEXAS Haley Deal FORT WORTH, TEXAS Ny’Trell Dean AMARILLO, TEXAS Emily Dice HOUSTON, TEXAS Lauren Dotson SMITHVILLE, ARKANSAS Dakota Ebarb NEVADA, TEXAS Richard Farrar PLANO, TEXAS Brandi Fischer DICKINSON, TEXAS Makara Frazier SMACKOVER, ARKANSAS Duston Furtick CRANDALL, TEXAS Sean Garcia FORT WORTH, TEXAS Rosendo Cortes CLARKSVILLE, ARKANSAS Lance Gardner ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA Jonathan Gonzales AUSTIN, TEXAS Diamond Goodwyn GLADEWATER, TEXAS Dylan Gray SILOAM SPRINGS, ARKANSAS Christopher Green LEWISVILLE, TEXAS Shanice Guzman COROZAL TOWN, BELIZE Bailey Hall SHERIDAN, ARKANSAS Benjamin Hall FAIRBANKS, ALASKA
Daniel Hall SHERWOOD, ARKANSAS Haley Hanks CARTHAGE, TEXAS Falon Hanson FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS Edladin Harmon DALLAS, TEXAS Selena Haunty BELTON, MISSOURI James Hedgpeth FRISCO, TEXAS Kaitlyn Henrietta ALEDO, TEXAS Fernanda Sanchez MICHOACAN, MEXICO Nathan Hodge OLIVE BRANCH, MISSISSIPPI Mary Hoiland CLARKSVILLE, ARKANSAS Chauzney Hooks TEXARKANA, TEXAS Spence Jean Baptiste TABARRE, HAITI Kenneth Jewett BRYANT, ARKANSAS Romeo Josey NASSAU, THE BAHAMAS Brooklyn Keeling FARMINGTON, ARKANSAS Claire Kennedy ARLINGTON, TEXAS Adam King MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE Chance Koy HALTOM CITY, TEXAS Grasyn Langley DALLAS, TEXAS Sierra Lasher OLIVE BRANCH, MISSISSIPPI Gabriel Lavoi LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA Tristian Leonard FORT GIBSON, OKLAHOMA Rocky Liveoak GRANBY, MISSOURI Jada Mack MONROE, LOUISIANA Maria Mora RIVAS, NICARAGUA Henry Marín COLÓN, EL SALVADOR Fredy M. Martinez HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS Andrew Mashburn LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS Whitney McCrary MAYFLOWER, ARKANSAS Kaci McDonald TRASKWOOD, ARKANSAS Ryan McNeill ROGERS, ARKANSAS Rodman Mena MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA Cheyanna Miller WEST PLAINS, MISSOURI Emily Miller GRAVETTE, ARKANSAS Maggie Miller PITTSBURG, KANSAS Julio Molina Pineda TEGUCIGALPA, HONDURAS Shelby Morales ENGLAND, ARKANSAS Kimberly Moran DANVILLE, ARKANSAS Kaija Muldrew TEXARKANA, TEXAS Paige Myers HARRISON, ARKANSAS Krystle Nicholson CLARKSVILLE, ARKANSAS Robert Norton LAMAR, ARKANSAS Ana Ojeda CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO Riley Oliver BOWIE, TEXAS
Daniel Olvera GARLAND, TEXAS Carlos Orozco JALAPA, NICARAGUA Hailey Ostrander ALMA, ARKANSAS Tonya Palmer MONTICELLO, ARKANSAS Stephanie Payton HACKETT, ARKANSAS Regan Puryear GRAVETTE, ARKANSAS Mitchell Rains PANGBURN, ARKANSAS Cody Rea CLARKSVILLE, ARKANSAS Samantha Reed WYNNE, ARKANSAS Amada Reeve MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE Miguel Reyes CANYON, TEXAS Bradley Rice FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS Edwin Rodriguez MAYAGUEZ, PUERTO RICO Annie Rogers OOLOGAH, OKLAHOMA Rodrigo Roldan MEXICO CITY, MEXICO Jasmine Rosales BERRYVILLE, ARKANSAS Brenda Sandoval GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA Rhett Sells WAGONER, OKLAHOMA Jacob Sherrill KATY, TEXAS Rebeca Silva ROCKWALL, TEXAS Aubree Sisson CLARKSVILLE, ARKANSAS Hannah Smith BLUE EYE, MISSOURI Savannah Smith PERRYVILLE, ARKANSAS Dalton Spurgeon LEE’S SUMMIT, MISSOURI Zachary Stanley FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS William L. Kaden Stuart KELLER, TEXAS Samuel Swartz GRANBY, MISSOURI Brady Taylor PLANO, TEXAS Jamy Teni COBÁN, GUATEMALA David Thomas WHITE HALL, ARKANSAS Catherine Thompson CONWAY, ARKANSAS Samuel Todd BENTONVILLE, ARKANSAS Manuel Torres KELLER, TEXAS Mackenzie Turley CLARKSVILLE, ARKANSAS Breyden Varner COLLINSVILLE, OKLAHOMA Shane Walker FORT WORTH, TEXAS Zachary Walker FORT WORTH, TEXAS Georgia Warren WEXFORD, IRELAND Anicka Wilcox OLA, ARKANSAS Emilie Williams KELLER, TEXAS Bahar Yapal BERLIN, GERMANY Katherine Zamora MCKINNEY, TEXAS Isaías Zapata VOLCAN, PANAMA
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UNIVERSITY OF THE OZARKS
ENROLLMENT University Welcomes Second-Largest Class
A
record number of students from both Johnson County and abroad highlight University of the Ozarks’ 2019 Fall Semester enrollment numbers. A total of 825 students were enrolled at U of O as of Sept. 3, the official day of record for the semester. It marks the second-largest enrollment in the University’s 185-year history, 47 students fewer than last year’s all-time high of 872. This year’s numbers include 112 students from the University’s home county, Johnson County — the most in the history of the college. There are also a record 183 students from the Arkansas River Valley counties of Johnson, Pope, Conway, Franklin, Logan and Crawford. Reggie Hill, vice president for marketing and enrollment, said the University continues to emphasize the River Valley in its recruiting efforts. “We’ve been successful in conveying the message that high school students from the River Valley don’t have to leave the area to get a high-quality, private education,” Hill said. “It makes our jobs easier when these students we’re recruiting have heard of the successes of other students from their schools who have come to Ozarks. Those students came to Ozarks, received a great education, graduated in four years and went on to get accepted into top graduate schools or found great jobs in
their chosen profession. These are wonderful testaments of the value of an Ozarks education.” This year’s student body is one of the most geographically diverse in the University’s history, with a record 213 international students from 23 countries, including the Bahamas, Brazil, Chile, Congo Republic, Haiti, Guatemala, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Panama, Rwanda and Zimbabwe. “We continue to build strong relationships both locally and abroad,” Hill said. “The geographic diversity of our student body is one of the things that makes an Ozarks education unique and special. Providing a high-quality education in a multinational environment helps prepare our graduates to work in an increasingly global economy.” A total of 363 students hail from Arkansas, with 39 of the state’s 75 counties represented. Ozarks also has students from 25 states, stretching from Alaska to Florida. The top states represented include Texas (119), Oklahoma (44), Florida (14), Missouri (9) and Tennessee (9). The incoming class, which includes first-time freshmen and transfer students, is 240, one of the largest incoming classes in the University’s history. Enrollment at Ozarks is up 41 percent since 2013, when 585 students were enrolled.
“Providing a high-quality education in a 4 /// TODAY, FA L L 2 0 1 9
multinational environment helps prepare our graduates to work in an increasingly global economy.” — Reggie Hill
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Fall 2019 Enrollment
by the
NUMBERS
825 41%
Total enrollment, the second-largest in University history
240
Increase in enrollment since 2013
158
Health Science
57
Biology
50
Psychology
45
Political Science
36
Communication Studies
32
Environmental Science
27
Mathematics
25
282
112
Record number of students from Johnson County
Top Countries Represented 611
Guatemala
11
Haiti
70
Honduras
9
The Bahamas
64
El Salvador
8
United States
25
Number of students competing in athletics at Ozarks
Male
Business Administration
418 407
293
Female
Percent of international students, hailing from 23 countries
Undeclared
Elementary Education
2013 585
26%
Number of first-year freshman and transfer students in incoming class
Most Popular Majors
2019 825
Mexico
8
Nicaragua
8
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UNIVERSITY OF THE OZARKS
MEE T O UR NE W
FACULTY and STAFF BRANDON BARNES
ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
JUSTIN MCCORMICK ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT
DR. CHRIS SKINNER ASSISTANT PROFESSOR HEALTH SCIENCE
TUCKER HUGHES
VISITING ASST. PROFESSOR SPANISH
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR SOCIOLOGY
JAIME ENCINAS
ASSISTANT COACH MEN’S BASKETBALL
INSTRUCTOR MARKETING
DR. HEAVEN OLIVER
INSTRUCTOR BIOLOGY, HEALTH SCIENCE
TINA MCCAIN
ACADEMIC SUPPORT COORD. JONES LEARNING CENTER
VALERIE HARDESTY MANAGER OZARKS EXCHANGE
THOMAS ORR
ASSISTANT COACH BASEBALL
DR. ARGELIA SALDIVAR
DR. YASSINE DGUIDEGUE
JENNIFER AMATYA
DIRECTOR WALTON INTER. PROGRAM
DOMINIQUE BROADUS ASSISTANT COACH WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
VINNY BARBER ASSISTANT COACH WRESTLING
SUZANNA GARDNER
COACH STRENGTH & CONDITIONING
NICOLE JUSTICE MANAGER GLOBAL OUTREACH
DR. DENNIS BUBLITZ
VISITING ASST. PROFESSOR PSYCHOLOGY
AUSTIN HUCKFELDT OFFICER PUBLIC SAFETY
The new employees not pictured include, James Bowen, public safety officer; Grace Brown, women’s clay target coach; Lance Brown, men’s clay target coach; Morgan Frazier, adjunct professor; Jane Harris, adjunct professor; Katelynn Hopson, adjunct professor; Jessica Mongeon, adjunct professor; Gene Morgan, public safety officer; Tyler Mosby, assistant director of residential life; Shane Rogers, public safety officer; Melissa Rooney, adjunct professor; Janette Russell, public safety officer; and Will Vick, public safety officer.
US NEWS RANKS OZARKS 7TH University of the Ozarks has once again been featured in multiple categories in U.S. News & World Report’s annual college rankings. In its 2020 edition of Best Colleges, released this week, U of O ranked 7th overall among more than 80 regional colleges in the South — the 21st consecutive year Ozarks has been ranked in the “top tier” among regional colleges in the South. Ozarks has been ranked among the top 10 in the 12-state South Region in each of the past nine years. The overall rankings examine such criteria as academic reputation, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources and alumni giving. In addition, Ozarks ranked 19th among the “Best Value 6 /// TODAY, FA L L 2 0 1 9
Schools” in the South. The value rankings evaluate the cost of attending a university relative to the quality of the institution and takes into account such things as the percentage of students receiving need-based financial aid and the average institutional aid those students receive. “These rankings continue to confirm that University of the Ozarks is providing a high-quality, personalized and innovative education at a great price,” said President Richard Dunsworth. “We remain committed to controlling costs and limiting student debt while fulfilling the mission of the University.” The magazine’s annual late summer publication that analyzes institutions of higher education also had U of O ranked No. 1 in the South Region in the category of “Most International Students,” with 21 percent. The University was also ranked 25th in the South in the category of “Campus Ethnic Diversity.” The publication’s South Region consists of primarily undergraduate colleges and universities in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia and Virginia.
Q&A
Get to Know CAITLIN HUCKFELDT
Caitlin Huckfeldt was named the director of residential life in January after previously serving as the assistant director of residence life and student engagement since joining the University in July of 2018. Born and raised in western Michigan, Huckfeldt earned her bachelor’s degree in social work and Bible theology at Kuyper College in Grand Rapids, MI, before eventually earning a master’s degree in student affairs in higher education from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. She first got interested in student affairs while serving as a resident and student assistant as an undergraduate at Kuyper. After working in the social work field as a caseworker for three years following college, she decided to pursue a master’s degree and subsequently a career in student affairs. Her husband, Austin, is a public safety officer at Ozarks, and they have two dogs. HOW DID YOU DECIDE BETWEEN A CAREER IN SOCIAL WORK AND A CAREER IN STUDENT AFFAIRS? I came to realize the aspects of social work practice I loved and the population I most enjoyed were married nicely by a career in student affairs. Student affairs as a career path has afforded me the opportunity to utilize my social work background in my work with college students in university settings to promote student learning, development, success and holistic wellness.
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WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT WORKING WITH STUDENTS? I enjoy the opportunity to build individual relationships with students. Whether I am meeting with a student about a residential life question, working with a resident assistant or chatting with one of our student employees who assists with the front desk, these opportunities to work directly with students, hear their stories and learn from their experiences are invaluable to me. I also enjoy opportunities to support students as they encounter difficult situations. This season of development and growth, while exciting and monumental, does not come without its taxing and challenging moments. I enjoy working with students to process through their experiences, empower them to develop creative solutions, and support them in achieving their goals. WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES ABOUT WORKING IN RESIDENTIAL LIFE AT A UNIVERSITY? In residential life, and higher education in general, we strive to be student-centered in our policies, practices, resource management and programs. As generational culture has changed over the years, the needs of students have evolved as well. Our greatest challenge is to continue to evolve, meet and grow to anticipate the everchanging needs of our students in holistic ways. WHAT KIND OF ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE STUDENTS ABOUT CHOOSING AND GETTING ALONG WITH A ROOMMATE? Your roommate selection is one of the most accessible ways to branch out, grow and open yourself up to new friendships, hobbies or interests that you may not have explored otherwise. Consider choosing someone you may not know very well; someone who is from a different background than you, has different interests than you, or is pursuing a different degree program than you. This will serve to further enrich your college experience. Getting along with a roommate is all about intentionality. It’s important to establish mutual expectations, maintain them and hold each other accountable to them. Using this approach provides the structure for you to have open, honest, and respectful lines of communication. I always encourage roommates to create space to check-in regularly as well. This allows each person the opportunity to express their needs, exercise mutual respect and better define their relationship as roommates. WHAT’S IT BEEN LIKE TO WATCH THE MOST EXTENSIVE RENOVATION IN THE HISTORY OF MACLEAN HALL RIGHT OUTSIDE YOUR OFFICE WINDOW? It’s been a truly unique experience to watch MacLean’s transformation this summer. It is always extraordinary to see a project move through the planning phase into implementation and on to completion. I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have been a part of the process. I could not be more excited to welcome students back to campus where they will call this outstanding new facility their home.
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UNIVERSITY OF THE OZARKS
TECHNOLGY ... NEW STUDENT INNOVATION HUB LAUNCHED
A more visible and accessible Information Technology (IT)
department and a new student innovation hub were two of the exciting changes that greeted students, faculty and staff when they returned to campus for the Fall 2019 Semester.
The IT department moved its offices from the basement of
Mabee Administration to the 100 Suite on the first floor of Robson Library, across the atrium from Campus Perks. The new space includes an IT help desk that will be staffed several hours a day to assist students, faculty and staff with technological issues.
The Robson 100 Suite also will be furnished and equipped as
the new Chapman Student Innovation Hub, which will include a number of technological learning and application tools for students and the campus community. This redesign process will occur over the course of the semester.
“These are sometimes referred to as makerspaces or
educational and creative sandboxes,” said Special Assistant to the President Steve Edmisten. “This space will be a place where our students learn about and use the latest technologies in settings that range from formal academic, to informal collaboration, to recreation. We envision a hive of student activity for extended periods each day, providing space, resources and opportunities that will attract more students more regularly to the library and all of its rich learning resources.”
The innovation hub will include resources such as 3-D printers,
podcast production capabilities, smart TVs, digital projection components, charging stations, interactive consoles and gaming PCs and software. The space will utilize a large gathering area as well as smaller rooms for individual or small group collaboration. The current Apple and Microsoft computer labs will remain in their traditional workstation configurations.
“We want to start small and see where the students take us,”
said Vickie Alston, IT director. “We want this space to be about the students. We want them to imagine what it can be. Whether it’s just chilling out and charging their iPad or iPhone, or working on coding on a Mac or PC, playing games or trying out a 3-D printer,
more of an emphasis on student-centered learning. This space
we want students to learn, have fun and create.”
— Walker Hall rooms 220-222 or what was formerly known as the
Walker Hall Community Room — will include interactive touch
The innovation hub ties directly into the University’s most
recent campus master plan that placed an emphasis on creating a
screens, a portable podium and new collaborative furniture.
culture of experimentation that promotes innovation, creativity and
discovery.
creativity of our students, faculty and staff and allow for new ways
to learn, collaborate and conduct research,” said University Provost
In conjunction with the new student innovation hub, there will
be new space in Walker Hall dedicated to technology that will have
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“These innovation spaces will further support the passion and
Dr. Alyson Gill.
C A MPU S /// N EW S
EDUCATION PROGRAM EARNS REACCREDITATION
The University of the Ozarks’ Pat Walker Teacher Education
“I am certainly grateful for the support and participation
Program has been granted reaccreditation by the Council for
from our program partners, particularly for their necessary role
the Accreditation of Educator
in helping us produce quality teachers,” she said. “I would like to specifically credit the U of O
Preparation (CAEP) through 2024.
U of O’s program was granted
accreditation at the initial-licensure level and was one of 42 providers (colleges and universities) from 23 states and the District of Columbia that earned accreditation from CAEP during its spring review for their educator preparation
”These providers meet high standards so that their students receive an education that prepares them to succeed in a diverse range of classrooms after they graduate.”
faculty, our cooperating classroom teachers and the administrators from area school districts for their involvement throughout this process.”
The CAEP Accreditation
Council held its spring 2019 review in May, during which 42 providers
programs (EPPs). These providers
were approved under the rigorous,
join 196 previously accredited
nationally recognized CAEP
providers in promoting excellence in educator preparation,
Teacher Preparation Standards.
bringing the total of CAEP-accredited EPPs to 238.
receive an education that prepares them to succeed in a diverse
Created by the consolidation of the National Council for
“These providers meet high standards so that their students
Accreditation of Teacher Education and the Teacher Education
range of classrooms after they graduate,” said CAEP President Dr.
Accreditation Council, CAEP is the single specialized accreditor
Christopher A. Koch. “Seeking CAEP accreditation is a significant
for educator preparation in the United States.
commitment on the part of an educator preparation provider.”
University Provost Dr. Alyson Gill said, “I am extremely proud
Accreditation is a nongovernmental activity based on peer
of the education faculty and staff for their steadfast commitment
review that serves the dual functions of assuring quality and
to making our program, students and curriculum the best it
promoting improvement. Approximately 800 educator preparation
can be. The accreditation process is certainly challenging,
providers participate in the CAEP Accreditation system, including
but is critical for maintaining a quality program that produces
some previously accredited through former standards.
competent teachers for the state of Arkansas.”
standards. If a program fails to meet one of the five standards, it is
Gill also credited area school partners as well as other
EPPs seeking accreditation must pass peer review on five
Ozarks faculty members for the success of the education
placed on probation for two years. Probation may be lifted in two
program.
years if a program provides evidence that it meets the standard.
2019 Spring graduates from the Pat Walker Teacher Education Program pose for a final photo with Professor Pam Terry (Back row, second from left) before the May Commencement ceremony.
TODAY, FA LL 2019 /// 9
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CAMPUS
WILMA HARRIS ’06 retired as the University’s registrar in December. Harris worked at the University for 23 years, mostly in the Registrar’s Office. She first started at Ozarks in 1972 as the first administrative support staff in the Jones Learning Center. After several years living outside Arkansas, she and her late husband, Ed, returned to Clarksville in 1996, where she completed her degree while working in the Registrar’s Office. The University held a rededication ceremony on Nov. 7, 2018, for the J.T. PATTERSON ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES OFFICE in honor of the long-time business manager at Ozarks who died in 2000. The ceremony was attended by several members of the Patterson family, including J.T. and Lucile Patterson’s two children, Dr. Jack Patterson and Ann Patterson, both graduates of Ozarks.
MARIA COREA, a 2019 May honors graduate, won first place in the University’s annual Earth Day Essay contest, presented by the English department. Corea’s winning essay was titled, “A Bag of Problems: Getting Rid of Our Throwaway Culture.” The marketing and management major from San Pedro Sula, Honduras, was also named the 2019 Outstanding Student in Marketing during the Academic Honors day ceremony, held in May in the Walton Fine Arts Center.
DR. WARREN SCONIERS, (from left) DONNY FROST, VINNIE TRAN, PAM TERRY and AMY LLOYD were recognized in April at the Board of Trustees Awards Banquet. Sconiers and Terry were honored with the Richard and Katherine Bagwell Outstanding Faculty Awards, Tran and Lloyd won the Sims and Broyles staff awards, respectively, and Frost was awarded the Dr. Rick and Sherée Niece President’s Above and Beyond Service Award.
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headliners
EMILIE “WEAVE” WILLIAMS was named in April as the
2019 Hurie Award recipient, selected by the faculty and given to the outstanding member of the graduating class. The religion and philosophy major from Keller, Texas, was a Magna Cum Laude honors graduate who was active in Project Poet, Ozarks Interfaith, and the Presbyterian Campus Ministries. She is pursuing a graduate degree at Harvard Divinity School.
DR. CASEY ORNDORFF, assistant professor of mathematics, completed the 2019 Little Rock Half Marathon in a time of 1:59:27. He is believed to be one of the first people with cerebral palsy to break the two-hour barrier in the 13.1mile distance. Orndorff, who ran cross country at West Virginia Tech University, was featured on several local TV segments and newspaper articles following the accomplishment.
The U of O team of JUAN FERNANDO DE LA CRUZ, (from left) ALEC MERTIN, JULIO MOLINA-PINEDA and RICHARD JAVIER RODRIGUEZ took first place in the 2019 Arkansas Undergraduate Mathematics Competition (AUMC), held Feb. 23 on the U of O campus. It is the first top-three finish in the annual state-wide math competition for an Ozarks team since 2008 and is believed to be the first time an Ozarks team has finished first overall at the AUMC.
ANGEL WYATT, a sophomore psychology major from Coal Hill, AR, was named Miss Johnson County 2020 in June at the 78th annual Johnson County Peach Festival Pageant in Clarksville. Wyatt’s platform is “Broken Crayons,” which brings awareness to mental health issues. Wyatt, who is a member of the women’s basketball team and the Chamber Singers at Ozarks, will represent Johnson County at the Miss Arkansas Pageant next summer.
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UNIVERSITY OF THE OZARKS
$10 MILLION RENOVATION MACLEAN HALL
M
acLean Residence Hall, the stately “H” shaped, three-story student housing facility that has anchored the east side of campus for more than nine decades, underwent a $10 million renovation this past summer. The initiative was the most extensive refurbishment project in the building’s 93-year history and included a fire sprinkler system, new central heat and air systems, an elevator, and all new mechanical, electrical and plumbing components. The student housing capacity increased from 170 to 220 and additional common areas and laundry facilities were created. Here is a photo sample of the newly refurbished MacLean Hall.
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C A MPU S /// N EW S
TODAY, FA LL 2019 /// 13
UNIVERSITY OF THE OZARKS
ECONOMIC IMPACT A $38.3M ECONOMIC ENGINE ”In a lot of ways this study shows that we are thriving as an institution and that we’re making a real and positive difference in the region and in the state.” — PRESIDENT RICHARD DUNSWORTH
U
niversity of the Ozarks has an annual estimated economic impact of $38.3 million on Clarksville, Johnson County and throughout the state of Arkansas, according to a recent study. The University’s economic impact on the region and state was the focus of 2018 fiscal year study by researchers from the University of Arkansas’ Sam M. Walton College of Business Center for Business and Economic Research. It’s the U of O’s first economic impact study in at least 30 years. The study of the 2017-18 academic year showed $35.3 million in recurring annual economic impacts and $2.9 million in onetime construction impacts. The annual business operations of the University contributed $28.3 million to the overall economic impact, while student spending contributed $6 million. Visitors to University events, such as athletic games, graduation ceremonies, theatre and choir performances and other campus events, spent an estimated $946,676 in Clarksville and Johnson County. “I knew the University had an impact, I just didn’t know the economic impact was this great,” said U of O President Richard Dunsworth. “One area that really stood out was the impact of our students, their families and other visitors on the hotels, restaurants and other venues in Clarksville and Johnson County. That was really an eye-opener.” Dunsworth pointed out that the study was done two years ago, before the University set enrollment records and surpassed 800 students and prior to a $10 million renovation of the MacLean 14 /// TODAY, FA L L 2 0 1 9
Residence Hall. “When you think about adding 200 more students and a $10 million construction project into the equation, that’s even more impressive,” he said. According to the report, the University’s direct expenditures totaled $24.1 million, including nearly $10.3 million in payroll for faculty and staff. Of the total spending, $15.8 million, or 66 percent, occurred in the Arkansas River Valley. “University of the Ozarks continues to not only be one of the largest employers in Johnson County, but a key economic driver for the city, county and region,” said Brian Eisele, president and CEO of the Clarksville-Johnson County Chamber of Commerce and the Clarksville Regional Economic Development Organization. “When you see the growth and success they’ve had in recent years of attracting and retaining students and drawing visitors to the area, it’s an inspiration and model for other businesses and organizations in the county.” In addition to nearly 200 employees, the University has a wider impact on employment. The report highlighted that University operations supported an additional 309 jobs in Arkansas through indirect or induced effects. “Because of the University, an additional 300 other jobs exist,” Dunsworth said. “I’ve thought about the University’s impact from a dollars standpoint, but I had never thought of it from that viewpoint. When I read that, it was one of those ‘wow’ moments.” The report also pointed out that the University plans another $45 million in construction projects from 2019-2024. “As we look at non-donor funding sources, such as state and federal grants, many of them are tied to jobs data, and this study will allow us to show that we’re making an impact on employment and even more so in the future with our projected construction projects,” Dunsworth said. “In a lot of ways this study shows that we are thriving as an institution and that we’re making a real and
EC ON OMIC IMPA C T
BENEFIT TO OZARKS & COMMUNITY Kaspers restaurant (left) and the Clarksville Community Health Clinic in downtown Clarksville, are two recent initiatives that have benefited both the University and the Clarksville community.
positive difference in the region and in the state.” University officials and trustees are also thinking outside the box on ways to positively impact the community. Two recent examples of that are the transformation of a University building, Voorhees Hall, into a privately owned restaurant, Kaspers, and a partnership with a regional health care services provider to bring a walk-in medical clinic to a University-owned building downtown. Dunsworth, who grew up in rural Colorado, said his upbringing has influenced his take on what the town-gown relationship can be. “I grew up in a small town where there weren’t a whole lot of barriers between one entity and another,” he said. “I felt we could do some things to help the Clarksville community become more interrelated.” That led to discussions with the University’s Board of Trustees on how the University could contribute to the success of the Clarksville community. “The University has a beautiful location,” Dunsworth said. “Being only a couple blocks from downtown allows us to be in the heart of the activities of Clarksville. But downtown Clarksville, like many downtowns in cities of its size across the U.S., is being challenged. We began having conversations about how we might invest differently in the community. That led us to purchase the old Arvest Bank and bring in a health clinic, something that would benefit both out campus population as well as Clarksville. We also heard from business colleagues that the town needed a place where they might be able to take candidates or could conduct business over a meal. We partnered with the Kasper family to turn Voorhees into a restaurant, and now we have this amazing place called Kaspers.” Dunsworth said that colleges and universities should step up and be a leader in helping their local communities thrive. “Universities can play a unique role because in many ways they can be neutral,” he said. “We usually lack a profit motive as a nonprofit institution. However, if we’re able to help a community and also find secondary revenue streams, it can help us manage tuition costs. If nothing else, I believe universities can and should
be a facilitator and offer the space and the people to create those dialogues where hopefully entrepreneurship can happen or where creative solutions to challenges can occur.” The emphasis on local community has had other benefits as well, most notably in recruiting local students. A record 112 students from Johnson County are enrolled at Ozarks during the Fall 2019 Semester, compared to around 35 just seven years ago. “We knew we had to do a better job of recruiting students from Johnson County and that became a priority,” Dunsworth said. “When students from Johnson County are staying home to attend college, getting a great education and then going on to be successful in medical and law schools, in graduate schools or in their careers, those are amazing testimonials to our local constituents.” Another University initiative to help the local economy is a recently-implemented housing incentive program for faculty and staff to encourage them to live closer to the University through down payment assistance and buy-back programs. In the first two years of the program, 16 faculty and staff members have participated in the program. “It’s been a very successful program, a win-win for both the University and for employees,” Dunsworth said. “We’re helping families get into homes in Clarksville and we’re getting more faculty and staff living near campus. It makes for a more thriving and energetic campus, especially evenings and on weekends.” Dunsworth said he is excited about what the future holds for both the University and Clarksville. “It’s my belief that Clarksville is ripe for new development,” Dunsworth said. “We have the space and the infrastructure to thrive. And, if the city is thriving, Ozarks is more likely to thrive. Universities and cities are symbiotic. We influence each other, sometimes when we don’t even mean to. If we’re thriving, let’s share that with Clarksville. If Clarksville is thriving, they’re going to share that with us. There’s an old saying, ‘A rising tide lifts all boats.’ Let’s do what we can to make sure the tide is rising all across Johnson County and the River Valley.” TODAY, FA LL 2019 /// 15
$38.3
UNIVERSITY OF THE OZARKS
MILLION Direct total economic impact of University of the Ozarks on the state of Arkansas in 2018, according to a study by the University of Arkansas Center for Business and Economic Research.
7,075 PEOPLE
Approximate number of visitors to the campus who contributed an estimated total of $946,676 to the local economy while attending a variety of University activities, such as graduation ceremonies, athletic contests and other events.
$45
MILLION Additional projected impact of campus construction from 2019-2024.
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EC ON OMIC IMPA C T
$24.1 MILLION
Direct annual expenditures by the University to the local economy in 2018, including $10.3M in payroll for faculty and staff and $6.8M in facilities.
$119.2 MILLION
Estimated total annual earnings of the 4,204 alumni living in Arkansas, which represents .3 percent of the total state wages of $35.7 billion. Of these wages, $45.6M is the estimated increase in earnings for U of O alumni when compared to income they would have earned with a high school diploma.
$6
MILLION Estimated total amount Ozarks students spend annually in Johnson County, including $938,000 in off-campus rent and $943,000 on groceries.
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UNIVERSITY OF THE OZARKS
Whether it’s through internships, part-time jobs, academic conferences or nonprofit engagement, Ozarks students like Ralph Jean-Pierre are taking the initiative to gain valuable experiences and skills outside of the classroom.
A High-Energy Internship
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alph Jean-Pierre is passionate about helping improve the infrastructure and quality of life for the people in his home country of Haiti, so a recent 11-week internship with Clarksville Connected Utilities (CCU) was the ideal experience for him. CCU is the municipally owned utility that provides electricity, water, wastewater and internet services to the University’s home city. The three-credit-hour internship proved a great fit for Jean-Pierre, a senior business administration major who is interested in a career in energy development or agriculture economics. At CCU, he worked with the management team to map, record and compile reports about easements. Jean-Pierre secured the internship through the University’s Career Services Office. After going through the company’s online training program, which included topics such as workplace violence and computer security, Jean-Pierre began working about eight hours a week for three months. His work in analyzing, organizing and recording the city’s easements will help pave the way for the company to introduce new projects, including enhanced fiber networking throughout the city. “As a business administration student and someone who wants to learn as much as I can about infrastructure, this experience was incredibly beneficial,” he said. “I learned so much about the importance of organization as well as communication skills. You can study about these things in books, but there is nothing like experiencing it in the workplace. I think this experience is going to be extremely helpful as I apply for graduate schools and as I begin to look at ways to help my country improve.”
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STU D ENT /// EXPER IEN C ES
Scotland-Bound Vet
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ristin Connor’s part-time work in a Clarksville veterinarian clinic helped open doors around the world when it came time to apply for veterinarian school. The May 2019 biology graduate from Gunter, Texas, spent her senior year at Ozarks working several hours a week for a local veterinarian, Dr. Neal Jones of Clarksville Veterinary Clinic, just north of the campus. That experience helped her get into the prestigious University of Edinburgh in Scotland, considered one of the world’s top veterinarian medicine schools. Connor said she began thinking of pursuing an advanced degree in a foreign country after taking part in an Ozarks study abroad trip to Italy and Spain with Walton Professor of Music Dr. Sharon Gorman and later taking part in an independent research project on armadillos in Cambridge, UK. “I had an amazing time going for fun with Dr. Gorman and my desire to travel became so much stronger,” Connor said. “I absolutely loved integrating myself into another culture, even if just for a few days.” That a young woman from a small north Texas town of 1,500 would end up studying veterinary medicine at the sixth oldest university in the English-speaking world may seem remarkable to some, but not to Connor. “The University of Edinburgh is the best possible place for me to end up,” she said. “I will have so many opportunities to travel through internships, which is something that I have always wanted to do. Also, the veterinary school is considered among the top six in the entire world, which is amazing. I plan to one day open my own animal hospital, but I hope that I get the opportunity to travel to underdeveloped countries for aid work as well. There is so much good that a veterinarian can do for communities that do not have access to that kind of care.”
Natural Connection
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or the entire summer, the picturesque, six-million acre Adirondack State Park in New York was Jake Sawyer’s backyard playground. The senior English and environmental studies major from Mena, AR, served in an internship as a backcountry steward with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Sawyer secured the internship through the Student Conservation Association, a youth conservation non-profit that provides internships with federal and state agencies. Sawyer’s typical week consisted of a five-day “hitch” in which he hiked into a remote backcountry location and camped. He would patrol the area either by foot or canoe, doing duties such as trimming vegetation on a hiking trail, mapping illegal campsites, disassembling a deteriorating log bridge, or simply hiking around to educate other hikers and campers about the local environment. Sawyer said the internship instilled a new-found confidence about his future. “Having the opportunity for the on-the-ground experience with conservation has been everything I thought it would be and more,” he said. “The hands-on conservation work I did taught me a new awareness for the design and thoughtfulness, or lack thereof, that goes into building a trail, a campsite or a backcountry shelter. The entire experience will enrich my remaining few classes and help me even more as I move on from Ozarks into my professional life. Whether I end up as a park ranger, backpacking guide, or environmental writer, having this time spent working on trails and public lands will give me a strong sense of the practical reasons for my work.”
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UNIVERSITY OF THE OZARKS
Seeing the Big Picture
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s the media director/photographer this summer at the children’s camp River Way Ranch Camp in Sanger, California, Jake Holland learned his way around a camera. Taking more than 1,000 photos a day helped ensure that. “I became extremely more comfortable and confident working with a camera and that can only help me in my career,” said Holland, a senior RTV major from Sugar Land, Texas. “I not only took the photos, but I posted them on the camp website and set up a slideshow at the end of each session. Taking hundreds of photos on a daily basis let me really explore how different angles and modes on the camera work as well as how to enhance the images using editing software.” Just two weeks into the summer-long internship, Holland, known as “Tex” by the camp children, was promoted to media director, helping lead and handle scheduling for a team of photographers and videographers. “I felt like I learned a lot about being a leader and about the importance of communication with others,” Holland said. “There were more than 100 people on staff in multiple positions that I had to communicate with on a daily basis. Not only did I learn to become a better communicator with other staff, but also with children. There were on average 300 campers each session and I felt like part of my job was to get to know the faces of every camper and try to make a connection with them beyond just being ‘the guy who takes pictures of them.’ Overall, it was a great learning and growing experience that will benefit me for years.”
Chamber of Comfort
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ebecca Willems’ Spring 2019 Semester internship at the ClarksvilleJohnson County Chamber of Commerce couldn’t have come at a better time. Willems, a senior business administration major from Subiaco, AR, lost her father in March following a long illness, and the chamber staff was there to help comfort her during the difficult time. “It was a super hard semester because of losing my dad, and they helped me through the tough phone calls and breakdowns that happen,” Willems said. “They were always right there comforting me. I did not just gain co-workers or friends at the chamber, I gained another family. They were there when I needed them the most and I would not trade that for anything.” Willems secured the internship through Business Professor Robert Wofford’s applied statistics class and with help from Career Services Director Ruth Walton. Ozarks alumna Karlee Henson, who was working at the chamber, also helped her get the position. While working 10 hours a week, Willems helped the chamber prepare for its annual awards ceremony as well as promote events, create brochures, update the website and call chamber members. “I would really like to stay close to home and work in Clarksville, so this internship really helped me make connections with people throughout the county,” she said. “It was also a great experience because the chamber helped me adapt to all things that could possibly be thrown at me throughout life.”
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STU D ENT /// EXPER IEN C ES
Fearless Phage Hunter
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racie Millar’s excursion this past summer to a prestigious national scientific symposium reaffirmed her desire to go into research. Millar, a sophomore biology and business major from Athens, TX, joined Dr. Sean Coleman, dean of the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, at the 11th annual SEA-PHAGES symposium at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Janelia Research Campus in Virginia. Millar and Dr. Coleman had an opportunity to share the research they had conducted in an Ozarks class last year on bacteriophage, a virus that attacks bacteria. These bacteriophages, or “phages,” are very specific and can be found just about everywhere. The goal of the SEA-PHAGES program is to discover bacteriophage and enter them into a national database. “As the fear of antibiotic resistant bacteria rises we are constantly looking for treatments, and phage therapy might be a suitable treatment,” Millar said. “This class let us, as undergraduate students, be a part of a real and active research project.” Attending the symposium and giving a poster presentation also gave Millar a first-hand look at what researchers do. “It was exciting to be able to represent the University at the symposium. I learned so much from other students and professors. I was able to see true research in action. It was creative and fun to hear from undergraduate students who were passionate about research. It gave me confidence as a student and inspired me to want to continue in research.”
Spaghetti and Softballs
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omen’s softball player Taylor Teague had the opportunity to hone her athletic skills while also broadening her cultural horizons on a summer playing tour of Italy. Teague, a junior business administration and marketing major and all-conference utility player from Hope, Arkansas, and Eagles teammate Abby Mork were among those selected with other top NCAA Division III players to compete in a group of games organized by Beyond Sport, a global organization that promotes, supports and celebrates the use of sport to address social issues around the world. The two-week trip was her first time to travel abroad. “This experience definitely benefited me in so many ways as a player and a person,” Teague said. “While playing there, statistics didn’t matter, so there was no pressure. It was solely about playing and enjoying the sport I love. I feel like so many times I’ve been wrapped up in the pressure and just trying to ‘do well,’ instead of just playing ball. When you just play and love the game, it’ll love you right back and great things will happen. I never really noticed it until I played in Italy, and I am going to bring this mindset into next season.” Teague said her self-confidence also grew through the experience. “As a shy person, going on this trip was a big and scary decision, but definitely worth it. I made many good memories, and friendships that will last a lifetime. This experience changed me and my mindset about just being open to new opportunities and getting out there and experiencing new things. You never know, some of your best memories may come from them.”
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UNIVERSITY OF THE OZARKS
Donaldson Turner Legacy Lives on Through Scholarship
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he inspiring legacy of retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Claude L. and Helen (Turner) Donaldson lives on at University of the Ozarks through the lives of numerous young college students who benefit from an endowed scholarship in their names. The Donaldson Turner Endowed Scholarship supports students with evidence of need, who demonstrate strong academic performance and leadership skills. First preference for the scholarship are high school graduates from nearby Scranton (AR), where Helen Turner was raised. Claude Donaldson, a 1960 graduate of Ozarks and longtime military officer, initially established the endowment in 2006 in memory of his wife of 34-years, Helen Turner, who died in 1988, and Helen’s mother, Mary Opal Turner. Claude died in July of 2017 at the age of 87. The Donaldson’s four children — Mark, Barry, Scott and Karen — continue to support the scholarship as a tribute to their parents and to assist Ozarks students. “My father wanted to honor the memory of my grandmother and mother and provide an opportunity for others, particularly those local and without the means, to be able to attain their dreams through education,” said Karen M. Donaldson, an attorney in Cary, N.C. “He also knew the limited opportunity my mother’s family had to obtain an education as my grandmother only had an eighth grade education. He wanted to make a difference and give back.” A native of New Jersey, Claude joined the Army in 1948 and was eventually stationed at Fort Chaffee in Fort Smith, AR. It was there on a last-minute blind date that he met Helen, a former high
”Education was always extremely important to my father and he was able to further his career and attain his educational goals at University of the Ozarks.” school beauty queen from the small town of Scranton, AR, who was living in the area and working at the local phone company. “My dad and another Army officer were to go on a double blind date but the woman my dad was supposed to go on the date with couldn’t go because her mother was sick, so my mom was the substitute,” Karen said. “They met on that blind date and the rest is history.” 22 /// TODAY, FA L L 2 0 1 9
The Donaldsons (left) in the late 1950s with oldest son, Mark. In 2011, Claude Donaldson (above) was the recipient of the Alumni Legacy Award for his lifetime support of Ozarks.
Claude Donaldson served his country honorably for 21 years, primarily in military intelligence. After leaving the Army, he began a second career with the U.S. Social Security Administration. Throughout his life, he was involved in many civic and philanthropic activities, including AARP and Habitat for Humanity. Karen Donaldson said her father cherished his education from U of O. “Education was always extremely important to my father and he was able to further his career and attain his educational goals at University of the Ozarks,” she said. “He always spoke highly of the education he received there and told me it helped him to rise through the ranks in the Army and retire as a lieutenant colonel and to gain a second career with the federal government. He was thankful for the opportunities it provided him, which is why he wanted to give back and allow others the same opportunity with the scholarship fund, particularly those local to the area.” Karen said her family is proud to continue the legacy of her parents through the Donaldson Turner Endowed Scholarship. “My parents stressed to all of us the importance of an education and also giving back to others so that they may also have opportunity,” she said. “My parents knew that learning opened doors and helped us achieve advancement and equality, which is the foundation of our democracy and freedom. Learning opens doors and the University of the Ozarks did that for our family. Hopefully the scholarship fund will give the same opportunities to others that the University provided to our family.”
PH ILA N TH R OPY /// N EW S
Fishers’ Gift Aides Music, Religion PROGRESS UPDATE*
TOTAL CAMPAIGN ($55M GOAL)
$9.1M
$45.9M
REMAINING
GIVEN/PLEDGED
STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS ($15M)
$0
$29.2M
REMAINING
GIVEN/PLEDGED
ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT ($4M)
$0
$6.4M
REMAINING
GIVEN/PLEDGED
SCIENCE & LAB FACILITIES ($13M)
$10.4M
$2.6M
REMAINING
GIVEN/PLEDGED
ATHLETIC FACILITIES ($11M) $3M
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he University has received a gift commitment from John and Sue Fisher of Broken Arrow, Okla., and their daughter, Jennifer Fisher, of Bixby, Okla., to benefit the music and religious studies programs. The gift was made in honor of Jennifer, a 1993 U of O graduate, and will be used to fund faculty chair endowments for the music and religious studies programs as well as to help fund student scholarships. Jennifer was a general studies major and also sang in the University choir. John and Sue Fisher said the gift is a testament of their love for their daughter and for the role that U of O has played in Jennifer’s life. The gift agreement reads: “Jennifer has a great love for University of the Ozarks and the life she had while a student on campus. What she took away from her experience at Ozarks will remain with her always. Singing in the choir was a wonderful memory for Jennifer and she continues to sing with the campus choir during Homecoming and alumni choir events.” The gift is part of the University’s current five-year, $55 million CLIMB HIGHER Campaign that was launched in 2014.
$8M
REMAINING
GIVEN/PLEDGED
CAMPUS RENOVATIONS ($12M)
$9.3M
$2.7M
REMAINING
GIVEN/PLEDGED
COMPLETED PROJECTS MUNGER-WILSON CHAPEL $2.8M
GIVEN/PLEDGED
ALEXANDER-BOREHAM TENNIS CENTER $2.5M
GIVEN/PLEDGED
ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIPS $29.2M
GIVEN/PLEDGED
ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT FUNDS $6.4M
GIVEN/PLEDGED
OZARKS ANNUAL FUND (2018-19) $678K
GIVEN/PLEDGED
*The six-year, $55 million Climb Higher Campaign runs through Dec. 31, 2020.
“A strong America depends on an educated community to make informed decisions concerning its governance,” said John Fisher. “University of the Ozarks has demonstrated its ability as a leader in higher education, where students are infused with the understanding that the actions of conscience will stand the test of time. The University has been highly successful in equipping students armed with the skills and tools to function in a challenging world. We support the programs, the philosophy and the goals of University of the Ozarks and we are proud to have a part in providing for its continued presence in the academic community, where bigger is not always better.” John Fisher is retired from a business career where he held major positions with a Fortune 500 company in Chicago. Later in his career he owned a retail home center in Broken Arrow and served as a national bank director for 26 years. After graduating from Ozarks, Jennifer went on to earn a master’s degree in Christian education from Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky. Jennifer has served on the U of O Alumni Association Board of Directors and received the University’s Young Alumni Award in 2001. She is employed in the retail field. TODAY, FA LL 2019 /// 23
UNIVERSITY OF THE OZARKS
At first glance, K I A R A H E N R Y , with her soft-spoken demeanor and effortless, engaging smile, doesn’t appear to be one of the most competitive and accomplished student-athletes on the University of the Ozarks campus. But that’s exactly what she is. Henry is a three-year starting goalkeeper for the women’s soccer team heading into her senior season this fall. The three-time all-conference performer is already one of the top players in program history and will lead the Eagles in their quest to return to postseason play this year for the first time since 2015. “Kiara is a great team player and has been the backbone of our team for the past three years,” said Eagles Coach Natalie Dreyer. “She wants the best for her team, and will do whatever it takes to make sure she is putting the team before herself. Her teammates look up to her because of her selfless attitude and passion for the game.” Henry, a former standout at Rogers (AR) High School, was inserted into the starting lineup in the fourth match of her freshman season at Ozarks and promptly led the Eagles to victories in two of the next three matches, including a 1-0 shutout of conference-foe McMurry. Since then, she has started 47 consecutive matches in-goal for Ozarks, compiling an impressive 1.60 goals-against average, the best in program history. Dreyer said it’s a combination of attributes that makes Henry one of the top keepers in the region.
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OZAR K S /// ATH LETIC S
“She has great athleticism, work-rate, footwork and the ability to read the game,” Dreyer said. “As a goalkeeper, athleticism will take you a long way, but not many people are willing to dive in front of a driven ball or a foot to make sure the ball doesn’t go into the back of the net. The goalkeeping position is one of the most important positions on the field. Her agility and technical footwork have also helped mold her into the goalkeeper she is.” Henry said she has had to overcome some personality traits in order to shine in-goal for the Eagles. “When I first got here, I was really nervous and shy,” Henry said. “When I’m nervous and shy, I tend not to talk at all and talking is very important in my sport. I can see everything on the field, so communicating with my teammates is vital. As a freshman, I did not talk at all, and during my junior year I was talking a lot more, but I still think I can improve on that. I also think that I have improved on coming off of my line quicker. At first I was nervous about taking those chances, but now I trust my instincts more.” Her coaches and teammates say there is another side to Henry that many people don’t see. “Kiara may come off shy to those who have just met her or don’t know her, but don’t let her fool you,” Dreyer said. “In the locker room, she is the life of the party, always having to get a dance party going before we head to the field. She also has a very humble heart, and doesn’t like to show attention to her accolades.” Dreyer said Henry is constantly asking for feedback and looking for ways to improve her game. “She is extremely coachable,” Dreyer said. “Over the past three years, it’s been great to watch her mature, both on and off the field. Specifically, on the field she has made improvements every year. Coming in as a freshman she was a little timid, but she quickly grew out of her shell a few games into the season. Her strength has also improved, which helped her make saves that she didn’t make her freshman year. On the technical side, she has put in the extra work to improve her hands and her fundamentals. Getting repetitions is a huge part of her training, and it has helped her improve in every aspect of the game.” Henry began playing soccer at age 5 because she had an older brother who played. She began playing competitively at age 8 and quickly fell in love with the sport. As a standout at Rogers High School, she had numerous college options, but found Ozarks was the right fit. “I came to Ozarks twice on recruiting trips,” Henry said. “The first time I visited the University, I really liked the smaller classrooms because I work better in smaller groups. The second time I came was for a soccer camp. I really enjoyed being able to play with the team and how close the team was. That’s why I came to Ozarks.” The health science major said a high school knee injury led her to choosing a career path. “I tore my ACL in high school and I had to go through physical therapy, so I know what it feels like to not be able to play your favorite sport for a long period of time,” Henry said. “When I was finally released to do everything, I was so excited to get back to playing soccer. That’s why I chose health science as my major. I want to bring that kind of joy to other people.” Henry, whose 14 career wins in-goal and 8.3 career shutouts are both second-best in program history, made honorable mention all-conference as a freshman, second-team all-conference as a sophomore and third-team allconference last year. Her goals for herself and the Eagles are higher this year. With Henry protecting the goal and seven other starters back, including all-conference players Madison Chaney, Breanna Aguilar and Joey Long, the Eagles have their sights set on postseason play. “As a team, our main goal is to go to the conference tournament,” Henry said. “My personal goal is to make firstteam all-conference this year. I think if we have success as a team, the personal accomplishments will come, so we’re focused on the team goals.”
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EAGLES ATHLETICS
Gardner Tabbed as Strength Coach
Ostrander, Rankin Named Top Athletes
SID Peppas Recognized by Conference Office
In July, Ozarks named Suzanna Gardner as the strength and conditioning coach, a new position added to the athletics department this year. Gardner has served as a part-time strength and conditioning coach for the competitive cheer, women’s soccer and wrestling teams at Ozarks since 2016. She has a vast range of experience consulting and training professional, Olympic, collegiate and high school athletes. “I am humbled and honored to be part of something new,” said Gardner. “I am super excited to get started. I understand the work it will take, but I am looking forward to the challenge. I appreciate the trust from everyone. And, I want to establish a connection with our student-athletes because in addition to teaching them how to do things correctly in the athletic realm, they need to see me as someone they can trust.” Prior to Ozarks, Gardner was the director of training and Sports Performance at Soul Ruckus Athletics in Katy, Texas, for five years. A native of Uzbekistan, Gardner previously served as a consultant for the Kazakhstan women’s national wrestling team and is a certified Sports Performance Coach. The multilingual Gardner earned her bachelor’s degree in physical education and coaching from Chiu University. Gardner and her husband, LeRoy, the head men’s wrestling coach, are the parents of one son.
Nathan Rankin and Hailey Ostrander were named the 2018-2019 Athletes of the Year at the athletic department’s annual OZZY awards ceremony, held in May. Rankin, a sophomore member of the cross country, wrestling and track teams, is now a two-time recipient. Rankin was the first cross country runner in the school’s NCAA III era to qualify for nationals. In cross country, Rankin was a member of the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Region Team. In wrestling, he was all-conference, an individual conference champion and posted a 24-5 record. In track, he garnered all-conference honors. Ostrander, a senior point guard and shortstop from Alma, AR, was named allconference in basketball after averaging 13 points per game and hitting 53-of-162 from three-point line. In softball, she hit .320 with 32 hits and 16 runs while owning a .956 fielding percentage. The multi-sport standout earned all-conference in softball. The ASC Scholar-Athlete Medal of Honor honors went to women’s cross country runner and track athlete Hannah Smith and men’s soccer player Thomas Ross. The Breakthrough Athlete of the Year was Corey Muniz in wrestling, the Top record-Breaking Performance of the Year was Michael Harris in cross country and track, and the Team of the Year was women’s basketball.
Eagles’ Sports Information Director Josh Peppas was recognized as the 2018-19 American Southwest Conference SID of the Year by the conference in August. Peppas, a 2000 Ozarks graduate, has spent 18 years in the position. “Josh is a hard-working, blue collar guy that gets it done,” said Ozarks Athletic Director Jimmy Clark. “With 300 athletes, he does a fantastic job of promoting our student-athletes and coaches. His work ethic is second to none. He arrives early and stays late on a daily basis. He takes such great pride in his job and it shows. He constantly looks for ways to improve. We are blessed to have him on staff. I am proud that the ASC has recognized his greatness. That is something our staff has always known.” Peppas manages media activities for the 20 varsity athletic programs. He utilizes a mix of tools within the sports information operation to publicize the student-athletes and Athletics Department -- online via UofOAthletics.com and multiple social media channels, live stream game presentations, and statistical and historical services. “It is a privilege to work among the many talented Sports Information Directors within the American Southwest Conference,” said Peppas. “This award wouldn’t be possible without a supportive University of the Ozarks administration and a group of talented work-study students.”
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Browns to Lead Shooting Sports Programs The father-daughter duo of Lance Brown and Grace Brown have been tabbed as the new coaches of the clay target shooting programs at Ozarks. After a star-studded career that included a pair of national championships at Ozarks, Grace Brown will be the new head coach of the women’s clay target team, while her father, Lance, will be the new head coach of the men’s clay target team. The duo served as volunteer assistant coaches last season helping the program to its best finish (third) ever at the Association of College Unions International Collegiate (ACUI) National competition. Grace won the school’s first national championship in 2017 with a title in International Bunker Trap. She followed up with another national championship in 2018, this time in International Trap. Lance has been an assistant coach with the women’s and men’s team for seven years where he has helped the program win three individual ACUI national championships.
“We are thrilled with hiring two coaches with this type of championship success and experience,” said Athletics Director Jimmy Clark. “Not a lot of collegiate athletes can say they have won a national championship, let alone two, but Grace can. Her success in the sport speaks for itself. Lance has many years of collegiate experience and is known state-wide. He has coached
champions at the collegiate and high school level. As I’ve said in the past, this program has championship expectations, and I believe Lance and Grace will carry this tradition on.” The duo replaces Caleb Hemphill, who stepped down to pursue a law enforcement career in Texas. “I am excited to continue to be a part of the program,” said Grace Brown. “Coaching is just as rewarding as competing. Watching a student hit their first target or busting the most difficult target out there is exciting as a coach. And, I feel like we are ready for a team national championship.” Lance has more than 20 years of combined experience at the collegiate and high school coaching level, and more than a decade ago he assisted the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission with the implementation of the sport in Arkansas High Schools. “I expect big things out of our shooters,” said Lance Brown. “We want to win a team national championship. That is the ultimate goal.”
Eagles Hitman
Heading into his junior season of eligibility, Chase Edwards has already established himself as one of the most prolific hitters in Eagles baseball history. The 6-foot-1, left-handed designated hitter from Chandler, AZ, ranks among the program’s best in numerous season and career batting categories despite missing most of the 2018 season with a knee injury. Following the 2019 season in which he batted .382 with 9 home runs and 41 RBIs, Edwards earned various regional and national honors, including D3baseball.com All-West Region Second Team and Google Cloud Academic All-America® Second Team honors. Here are some of Edwards’ impressive numbers:
.377 83
Career batting average, secondbest in program history Career runs batted in (RBIs)
.580 .390
122 Career hits in 86 games played
Career slugging percentage, fourth on all-time list
Batting average during freshman season, one of the highest singleseason averages in program history
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E A G L E S HALL A T H L OF E T I FAME CS SPORTS Six alumni have been selected to be inducted into the University of the Ozarks’ Sports Hall of Fame during the Alumni Awards Ceremony on Friday, Oct. 18, in the Rogers Conference Center. The Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2019 includes:
BILL BALLARD ’56
Coaching
Bill Ballard ’56 of Benton, AR, was a three-year letterman in both basketball and baseball at Ozarks before going on to a successful coaching career. He earned Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference Pitcher of the Year honors in 1956, leading Ozarks to the conference baseball championship. He coached basketball at Ozarks from 1957-60 before moving on to Little Rock University (now University of ArkansasLittle Rock). As a 30-year-old, he helped UALR start its basketball program as its first head coach and athletic director from 1960-1965. He also helped the university establish its first baseball program. He was inducted into the UALR Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.
CHARLES “CHUCK” DANIEL ’71
Baseball
The late Charles “Chuck” Daniel ’71 played baseball, football and basketball at Ozarks and in 1957 became the only former Ozarks baseball player to play in a major league baseball game, according to the Society for Baseball Research. Daniel pitched for Ozarks in 1952 and five years later reached the major leagues with the Detroit Tigers. In a late-season matchup at Kansas City in 1957, Daniel pitched 2 1/3 innings, giving up three hits and striking out two. It was Daniel’s only appearance in a MLB game. An elbow injury suffered in a minor league game in 1959 eventually forced him out of baseball. He signed a professional contract with Detroit in 1952 for $4,000 and pitched a total of eight seasons in the minor leagues before retiring in 1961. The hard-throwing right-hander’s fastball was once clocked at 95 mph. He returned to Ozarks in the early 1970s to complete his degree and had a 38-year career with International Trucks. He passed away in 2008 at his home in Hot Springs Village, AR.
MANDI (CARTER) KOCH ’07
Basketball & Soccer
Mandi (Carter) Koch ‘07 of Greenwood, AR, was a multi-sport standout who excelled as a prolific scorer on the basketball court, finishing second all-time in program history. She scored 1,538 career points and pulled down 826 career rebounds, also second-most in school history. An athletic 6-foot-1 forward, Carter racked up four All-Conference awards, capping her senior season with All-Region honors from D3Hoops.com. Her junior season, she was voted to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Team. For her career, she averaged 15.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and over one block per game. Additionally, Koch lettered in soccer three seasons and earned multiple academic awards in both basketball and soccer.
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OLIVIA (FISHER) BICKFORD ’09
Basketball, Tennis & Soccer
Olivia (Fisher) Bickford ’09 was a three-sport standout for Ozarks from 2004-09, starring in basketball, tennis and soccer. As a four-year starter in basketball, Bickford earned All-ASC freshman honors in 2004-2005 and All-ASC All-East honorable mention honors following both her junior and senior seasons. She is fourth in career rebounding (817). In soccer, she was also a four-year starter, starting every game from her freshman to senior seasons. She was a team captain and midfielder. In 2006, she assumed goalie duties for an injured teammate and had 175 saves in 19 matches. In tennis, she played No. 1 singles and doubles for four years and remains third in career singles victories (22), fourth in career doubles victories (18) and fourth in singles winning percentage (.564). Bickford was a two-time U of O Female Athlete of the Year.
RONNIE COOKSON ’66
Coaching
Ronnie Cookson ‘66 won a total of 13 state championships, including seven straight, in a stellar 29-year career as the boys basketball coach at Scott County Central High School in Missouri. He led the Class 1A Braves from 1970-1995, retired, then returned from 2007-09. His overall record was 694-137 (.835 winning percentage) and was a remarkable 28-2 in state final four games. Along with 13 state titles, Cookson led his program to 22 conference titles and 22 district titles. He was named Missouri’s Coach of the Year five times by the Missouri Sportswriters Association and nine times by the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association. In 1994, he was named the Region 5 National High School Coaches Association Coach of the Year and Coach of the Decade (1980s) by Sikeston’s newspaper. The Scott County gym was named in his honor and he was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.
ROBBY FINNELL ’08
Baseball
Robby Finnell ’08 of Broken Arrow, OK, starred for the Eagles baseball team from 200508 and remains the program’s all-time modern era leader in career games started (160), home runs (31), RBIs (159) and walks (73). He is also among the career leaders in hits (2nd), runs scored (3rd) and slugging percentage (3rd). The hard-hitting designated hitter/first baseman also holds the single-season mark in RBIs (56) and is second in home runs (13). He was also 9-5 with a 3.94 ERA in his career as a pitcher. Finnell was a three-time All-ASC selection, including first team in 2008. He was named to ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America first team and the D3baseball.com All-America second team in 2008. Finnell helped the Eagles to a program-best 32-11 record and a national ranking during his senior season in 2008.
EAGLES ATHLETICS
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PORTRAITS Q& A WITH DYLAN EAKIN ’13
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fter several years of successes and failures, 2013 Ozarks art graduate Dylan Eakin is currently experiencing a high point in his art career. Living in Seattle, Washington, the photorealistic portrait artist is working as a full-time artist. Last year, his piece “Portrait in Precipitate” won the Figurative Art award of the prestigious Artzine Prize 2018 and earlier this year, the artwork won honorable mention in the Delta Exhibition at the Arkansas Arts Center. The Clarksville native and son of Ozarks Philosophy Professor Dr. Bill Eakin (pictured, left) entered Ozarks as an undecided major and decided to try his hand at art because a girl he had a crush on was an art major. Despite drawing always being a hobby, Eakin’s early focus was on sculpture. In an interview with Artzine, Eakin described his interest in photorealism as “an exploration of medium, an exercise in precision and selfdiscipline, and an attempt to engineer myself and my tools to produce the work of a machine.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 32
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in Precision
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HOW DID YOU END UP IN SEATTLE? I came to Seattle to pursue an artist residency at Pottery Northwest, back when I was a sculptor. The sculpting didn’t last, but the city was beautiful, and I had no reason to leave. HOW DID YOU FIRST GET INTERESTED IN ART? DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT YOUR FIRST ARTWORK WAS AND WHAT INSPIRED IT? I remember the moment. In eighth grade, my friend and I were playing this game where we’d close our eyes and scribble on a sheet of paper, and then see if we could find shapes in them, like cloud-gazing. Mine looked vaguely like a face, and I’ve been exploring drawing ever since. So thanks for the career, Charlie. HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE YOURSELF AS AN ARTIST? There have been a few iterations of who I am as an artist, but I currently define myself as a photographer. Drawing my photographs is a means for presentation, and there’s genuine joy in that endeavor, but photography is when I feel most creative. Translating them into charcoal is a replicative process, and it’s one that fulfills a need to stay busy, but there’s no intention of visually enhancing the source material. But there’s a whole conversation to be had about how fulfilling it is to explore a medium, such as charcoal, and discovering different techniques to achieve certain effects. So to answer the question, I am a photographer first, and a charcoal technician second. WHY DO YOU PRIMARILY WORK IN BLACK AND WHITE AS OPPOSED TO COLOR? I’ve never looked at my work and said “That would be more effective in color,” but honestly there’s a long road ahead, and approaching color will probably be part of my natural progression as an artist. I rooted myself in black and white mediums, like graphite and charcoal because of their affordability, so those became the focus of my exploration, but the moment they start to bore me I’ll be branching out. HOW DO YOU CHOOSE YOUR SUBJECTS AND WHAT INSPIRES YOU? Proximity is the big factor here; if I know you, I’ll draw you. But it works out, because I prefer drawing regular people anyways, 32 /// TODAY, FA L L 2 0 1 8 9
especially people who have no experience modeling. It’s difficult for me to get genuine expressions and emotions from people who are experienced in front of a camera. It sounds lofty, but there’s truth on the edge of discomfort. Visually, I’m inspired by texture, but all of this stuff goes hand-in-hand. I didn’t set out to be “antiperfection,” it just so happens that my idea of beauty revolves around acne scars, wrinkles, oily skin, and things like that. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY WAS YOUR BREAKTHROUGH MOMENT AS AN ARTIST? A few years ago, it was impossible for me to spend longer than eight hours on a drawing. I could whip up a decent portrait, but there was absolutely no growth in my abilities. I had been in a developmental rut for ten years. I had to force myself to spend more time on my work. My breakthrough happened when I learned how to invest myself into art. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE PROCESS YOU GO THROUGH IN CREATING A PIECE? Mechanical. As far as drawing is concerned, my intention is to mimic the work of a machine, so regiment becomes necessary. I have a daily quota, and I plan exactly how much I’m going to draw every hour. Deviating from the routine isn’t punishable by death or anything, but I’m not as effective when I do. IN RECENT MONTHS YOU’VE WON THE FIGURATIVE ART AWARD OF THE ARTZINE PRIZE 2018 AND WON HONORABLE MENTION IN THE DELTA EXHIBITION AT THE ARKANSAS ARTS CENTER. WHAT DO THESE RECOGNITIONS MEAN TO YOU AS AN ARTIST? It’s surreal. A big part of me still feels like a student, but getting recognized in a field of actual professionals, artists that I truly respect and admire, gives me such confidence in this direction. YOU’VE BEGUN SELLING SOME OF YOUR ARTWORK. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO YOU IN YOUR EVOLUTION AS AN ARTIST? Business changes art. Marketability becomes part of the conversation. This is barely an impact on me currently, but it’s enough to understand how money can influence an artist’s direction. If you have to choose between creating a potentially
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lucrative artwork or getting your day job back, it’s an easy decision. For instance, after a couple of years of putting my artwork out there, I’ve recognized that drawings of dead animals do poorly compared to a human portrait. Go figure, right? It honestly makes no difference to me if I’m drawing a dead pig or a living human, but it’s important to recognize that a change took place in order to adapt to the taste of the audience. I don’t think it negates the integrity of my work; I adore drawing people, but there’s certainly a shift. THE DETAILS IN YOUR ARTWORK OFTEN MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO TELL IF IT’S A PHOTOGRAPH OR A DRAWING. HOW DID YOU DEVELOP THIS TECHNIQUE AND HOW LONG DOES IT TYPICALLY TAKE TO COMPLETE A PIECE? Every drawing requires a different set of techniques, and each piece (hopefully) expands my “vocabulary” of charcoal, but it began as pure trial and error. Experimenting with different application methods was necessary for growth, and now my tool set includes Q-tips, toilet paper, cotton balls, tortillons, paper stumps and makeup brushes. But each one has a different effect on the paper. Each piece takes about a hundred hours. WHAT DO YOU HOPE VIEWERS GET OUT OF YOUR ARTWORK? I just want them to enjoy looking at my drawings. I think that drawing a photograph can encourage people to observe something closer, as if to say, “I think it’s important that these details are translated, and take a look to see if you agree.” Not everyone will be persuaded, but maybe it’s enough to start a conversation on the importance of observation. WHAT’S BEEN YOUR MOST SATISFYING MOMENT AS AN ARTIST? When I convinced myself to invest myself and my time into my work, my most satisfying moment was when I completed the first portrait with this adjusted philosophy. When I realized that an entire road map of progression had opened up to me. Compared to my current work, that old drawing looks rudimentary, but even back then I felt a whole world of potential, and I knew the only secret to growth was time and effort. It was incredibly powerful to me.
WHAT FUTURE PROJECTS ARE YOU IMMERSED IN? I’m currently planning my next reference shoot. My only tangible idea for it is “eyelash curler” so hopefully you’ll be seeing something like that at the Ozarks show. HOW WOULD YOU SAY YOUR TIME AT UNIVERSITY OF THE OZARKS HELPED YOU IN YOUR CAREER? With the University of the Ozarks, education is the tip of the iceberg. You can’t put a letter grade on the people you connect with, the genuine experiences you have, or, especially as an artist, the access to resources required to pursue whatever venture you feel most impassioned by. I definitely could have been a better student, but Tammy Harrington and Dawn Holder couldn’t have been better instructors. They’re the reason I came to Seattle. Whatever successes I achieve will always be due in large part to them, and to the University. I’m genuinely gracious for that experience. THE TITLE OF YOUR EXHIBIT AT U OF O DURING HOMECOMING 2019 IS, “THE MACHINES ARE TAKING OUR JOBS SO I’LL TAKE ONE OF THEIRS.” WHERE DID THE INSPIRATION FROM THAT TITLE COME FROM? Adapting myself into the regiments of photorealistic drawing requires an assimilation into automata. There’s not a single facet of the genre that doesn’t necessitate a direct confrontation towards a shopping list of personal weaknesses. Reforming my process of art production becomes a reconfiguration of human habits into mechanical ones, a method of self-improvement via photographic translation and a stick of charcoal. Delete subjectification. Delete inspiration. Draw the picture. Beep Boop. WHAT HOBBIES OR INTERESTS DO YOU HAVE OUTSIDE THE STUDIO? Cooking. I’m very proud of my meatloaf recipe. H OMEC OMIN G 2019
VISIT WITH PROFESSORS/MEET THE ARTIST FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18
5PM |
LOBBY, WALTON FINE ARTS CENTER
Catch up with favorite professors and enjoy the work of award-winning artist and alumnus Dylan Eakin ’13. TODAY, FA LL 2019 /// 33
UNIVERSITY OF THE OZARKS
Homecoming
AWARDWINNERS
2019 Alumni Merit Award Ananias “AB” Blocker ’70 A Life Changing Bus Ride
W
hen an 18-year-old Ananias “AB” Blocker II got on a bus in Moultrie, Ga., in August of 1966, he had no idea how the destination would change his life. Blocker’s bus ride took him to University of the Ozarks, where he excelled as a student before graduating in 1970 and embarking on a long and successful career in the business world. Blocker, now retired and living in Laurel, Maryland, is the recipient of the University’s 2019 Alumni Merit Award for meritorious work on behalf of his alma mater. He will receive the award during the Alumni Awards Ceremony, scheduled for 6 p.m., Oct. 18, on the U of O campus. The first in his family to attend college, Blocker had never visited the Ozarks campus before earning a scholarship from the national Presbyterian Church Foundation out of New York City. “I was determined to get a college education and to better myself, even if that meant getting on a bus and going to a college I’d never heard of,” Blocker said. “I had no idea how that bus ride would change my life.” Coming from an all-black neighborhood and attending an allblack school (William Bryant High) in Moultrie, Ozarks was a bit of an adjustment for Blocker. “During the 1960s, racial tensions were present in the United States, and Ozarks had some racial challenges as well,” Blocker said. “In order to survive, as a black person, black students formed a support group to help and encourage each other.” 34 /// TODAY, FA L L 2 0 1 9
While at Ozarks, Blocker delved into his business classes, tutored weekly accounting classes, played on the tennis team and helped organize and lead an Afro-American club, whose goal was to help recruit more black students to the college and to advocate for more unity among all races on campus. Blocker met his wife, Myrtis Watson, at Ozarks. The Little Rock native was the first black female cheerleader at the University. The two were married for 42 years before she passed away in 2009. In addition to gaining a life partner, Blocker excelled in his business and accounting classes at Ozarks and was offered jobs by two top national companies — Price Waterhouse and IBM — at a career fair his senior year. “I can’t emphasize enough how well my professors, and especially the business faculty, prepared me,” Blocker said. “I really got great individual attention and the professors were so accessible. When it was time to interview for jobs, my good grades, great referrals from my professors and my excellent communication skills served me well at the career fair.” Blocker chose to go with Price Waterhouse and he headed off to New Jersey, beginning a 43-year career in business and management. He moved to Maryland in 1976 to work as a manager for Digital Equipment Corp.(DEC) and stayed with the company until 2002, when he joined ManTech International Corp., as a program manager until his retirement in 2013. “I had a wonderful career in business and I owe it all to the education and the foundation I received at my high school, William Bryant, and my alma mater, University of the Ozarks,” Blocker said. “My education in accounting and business administration served me well throughout my career.” Despite working on the East coast, Blocker stayed involved with his alma mater, serving three decades as one of the leaders of the University’s black alumni group, made up primarily of alumni from the 1960s and 70s.
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“Our goal was to work with the administration to improve conditions on campus for black students and to help recruit more black students and faculty to campus,” he said. “We were also able to create scholarships for minority students and that was important. I think we were able to do some good things as a group and I’m proud of the work we did.” Blocker and his first wife, Myrtis, had a son, Ananias Blocker III, a Harvard graduate who went on to earn a master’s degree from Georgetown University. Blocker’s grandson, Phillip, is entering his third year at Georgetown and grand-daughter, Lindsay, is beginning her senior year in high school. Blocker remarried in 2016, to his current wife Cherry. Blocker remains active as a tennis player and has even served as a youth tennis instructor. His newest venture has been turning his hobby of making his homemade barbecue sauce into
an online business called A.B. & C. Southern Barbeque Sauce (www.abcsouthernbarbequesauce.com). “It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do and just never had the time,” he said. “It’s based on a recipe from a neighbor growing up in Georgia. I’ve been making it for family and friends for many years and people have always told me I needed to sell it. I decided to just give it a shot and see where it goes.” As Blocker looks back on his career, he said getting on the bus to U of O was one of the best decisions he’s ever made. “I don’t like to think where I might be if I hadn’t received that scholarship, gotten on that bus and come to Ozarks,” Blocker said. “I probably wouldn’t have a college education. The education I received at Ozarks prepared me for a life of working and intermingling with people from all over the world. For me, it was a dream that came true.”
2019 Alumni Achievement Award
PAULETTE NIEUWENHOF ’80 Paulette Nieuwenhof, is the recipient of the 2019 Alumni Achievement Award for recognition and distinction in her chosen professional field. Nieuwenhof is the executive director of the Arkansas Blood Institute, a non-profit organization based in Little Rock that provides blood products and services to over 40 hospitals throughout the state. A 1980 business administration graduate of Ozarks, she previously served as the business development director for The Poultry Federation. In addition to her management experience, Nieuwenhof has an extensive background in business development, public relations, and marketing in diverse industries including healthcare, agriculture, and automotive. She was chosen for the 2018 Arkansas 250 List by Arkansas Business and currently serves as an honorary commander at the Little Rock Air Force Base. The youngest of six children, Nieuwenhof was born in Balikpapan, Indonesia. She has two daughters, Anneke Bollman and Megan Toland, and three grandchildren, Halle, Braden and Jett. She is engaged to be married to the Rev. Dr. Jim Freeman.
2019 Young Alumni Achievement Award
BOULTON “BO” THOMAS ’14 Boulton “Bo” Thomas is the recipient of the Young Alumni Achievement Award for 2019. Thomas is a co-founder and chief operating officer of Nature Backs, a Northwest Arkansas-based e-commerce adventure lifestyle brand. A native of Mountain Home, AR, Thomas graduated with honors from Ozarks in 2014 with a degree in environmental science and political science. Soon after graduating from Ozarks, Thomas and his best friend began traveling the country to start their business to inspire people to experience the moment. Three and a half years later, Nature Backs is headquartered in Fayetteville and has grown to a team of 27 to inspire more adventures. In his free time, Thomas enjoys traveling, hiking, music festivals, disc golf, and simply sitting on his front porch.
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2019 Emerging Philanthropist Award
DR. ERIC STEINMILLER Dr. Eric Steinmiller, an educator and school administrator in Chicago, is a recipient of the inaugural Emerging Philanthropist Award, given to an individual, under the age of 40, who has demonstrated a record of exceptional generosity in support of the University’s mission and who has inspired others to give similarly. A native of Arkadelphia, AR, Steinmiller graduated from Ozarks in 2002 before going on to serve as a teacher and administrator in Texas, Louisiana and Illinois. He currently serves as an administrator at Theodore Roosevelt High School in Chicago. His vision is to create professional learning communities that use data to inform instructional practices, student achievement and student interventions. Steinmiller earned a master’s degree in art history from the University of North Texas and an Ed.D. in urban education and leadership from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He and his wife, Jaclyn, reside in Chicago.
2019 Emerging Philanthropist Award
DR. KENDALL WAGNER ‘06 Dr. Kendall Wagner, a primary care physician in Fort Smith, AR, is a recipient of the inaugural Emerging Philanthropist Award, given to an individual, under the age of 40, who has demonstrated a record of exceptional generosity in support of the University’s mission and who has inspired others to give similarly. A native of Waldron, AR, Wagner was the University’s 2006 Hurie Award winner as the outstanding member of the senior class. He went on to earn his medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). He completed a residency program in internal medicine-pediatrics, leading to specialized board certification in both adult and pediatric care. He and his wife, Kathie, have two children, Averie and Grayson. Wagner remains an active supporter of Ozarks and also serves on the board of the Harvest Time Kids Academy.
2019 Community Champion Award
CLARKSVILLE CONNECTED UTILITIES Clarksville Connected Utilities (CCU) is the recipient of the first Community Champion Award, given to an extraordinary individual, organization or business that has demonstrated exceptional generosity in support of the University’s mission and who has inspired others to similarly give. Formerly known as Clarksville Light & Water, CCU has collaborated with the University on numerous projects over the past couple of years, including saving the University more than $100,000 in labor and equipment services during construction of the new tennis facility. CCU has also assisted the University in the installation of new HVAC loads on top of campus buildings, underground boring services and the implementation of dedicated ultra-high speed fiber optic network transporting data on campus.
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Homecoming
VISIT WITH FRIENDS
OZARKS BLOCK PARTY & CONCERT F R I D A Y, O C T O B E R 1 8
7-10
PM
Join us on the campus mall for an Ozarks Block Party with food trucks, lawn games and a live concert featuring Knox Hamilton. Bring your lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy this family-friendly event. Festivities begin at 7 p.m. and the concert starts at 8 p.m. There is no charge to attend. ABOUT THE BAND:
Knox Hamilton (the name was taken at random out of an old yearbook found at a thrift store), is from Little Rock and was formed in 2010. The group specializes in a blend of retro dance-rock and indiepop. Hit singles include “Work it Out,” “Washed Up Together” and “Cool.” The group also has a full length album titled, “The Heights,” which was released in 2017. TODAY, FA LL 2019 /// 37
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EVENTS SCHEDULE we love! On the wings of love’s devotion we’ll come back to thee.
S AT U R D A Y, O C T O B E R 1 9
6:30PM
DELICIOUS NEW OFFERINGS
TASTE OF ARKANSAS
Taste of Arkansas is back with delicious new offerings. Sample unique food items from locally owned businesses from across the River Valley and choose from a number of craft beer options, all brewed in the state of Arkansas. Reminisce with old friends by the fire pit and make new connections while enjoying live music. We hope you can come out and get a taste of that famous Ozarks hospitality. This event is held in the backyard of the President’s home. Cost to attend is $5 in advance or $10 at the door.
REMEMBER THAT GOING HOME FEELING?
REGISTER ONLINE:
www.ozarks.edu/homecoming CALL FOR MORE INFORMATION OR REGISTER BY PHONE:
479.979.1234
Homecoming
MONDAY, October 14 Pep Rally — Downtown Clarksville 4PM Proclamation Signing — Johnson County Courthouse 4:30PM THURSDAY, October 17 Women’s Soccer Game — Hurie Soccer Field 1PM Men’s Soccer Game — Hurie Soccer Field 3:30PM Walton Arts and Ideas Series Presents Jugglology — Rowntree Recital Hall, Walton Fire Arts Center
7PM
FRIDAY, October 18 *Ozarks Golf Tournament — Clarksville Country Club 8AM Limited space first 30 teams (2 person teams) to register Check-In Hanna Room — Rogers Conference Center 10AM Alumni Only *An Ozarks Reunion (formerly the 50 Year Club) — Rogers Conference Center 11:30AM Alumni Only Raku Pottery Workshop — Room 113 — Walton Fine Arts Center 2-4PM Ozarks Speaks — Rowntree Hall — Walton Fire Arts Center 3PM Visit with Professors/Meet the Artist — Lobby — Walton Fine Arts Center 5-6PM *Ozarks Awards Ceremony — Rogers Conference Center 6PM Theatre – “Love’s Labour’s Lost” — Seay Theatre — Walton Fine Arts Center 7:30PM Ozarks Block Party (featuring Knox Hamilton and local food trucks) — Campus Mall 7-10PM Eagle Lounge Hanna Room — Rogers Conference Center 8PM SATURDAY, October 19 Check-In Hanna Room — Rogers Conference Center 7:30-10AM *Breakfast with the President — Rogers Conference Center 8AM Alumni Only Color Fun Run — Mabee Gymnasium Parking Lot 9AM Alumni Association Meeting — Rogers Conference Center 9AM Home(coming) on the Range — U of O Shooting Range 9AM Wrestling Open Practice — Mabee Gymnasium 9AM Alumni Tennis Match — Alexander-Boreham Tennis Center 9AM Alumni Baseball Game — Qualls Field 9-11AM Tours of MacLean Residence Hall— MacLean Hall 10AM-12PM Estate and Planned Giving Workshop — Baldor Auditorium 10:30AM Eagle Lounge Hanna Room, Rogers Conference Center 11:30 -3:30PM Ozarks Aerie Club Gathering — Mabee Gymnasium, Aerie Club Room 11AM Choir Rehearsal — Munger-Wilson Memorial Chapel 11:30AM-1PM Ozarks Family Carnival — Hurie Soccer Field 12PM Black Alumni Reunion — Lower Level, Munger-Wilson Memorial Chapel 12PM Women’s Soccer Game — Hurie Soccer Field 12:30PM Homecoming Ambassador Presentation — Hurie Soccer Field 2:30PM Men’s Soccer Game — Hurie Soccer Field 3:30PM *Taste of Arkansas — President’s Home 6:30PM Alumni & Staff Only Parents’ Dinner on the Town — 6:30PM Theatre – “Love’s Labour’s Lost” — Seay Theatre, Walton Fine Arts Center 7:30PM SUNDAY, October 20 Ozarks Remembers — Munger-Wilson Chapel 11AM Theatre – “Love’s Labour’s Lost” — Seay Theatre, Walton Fine Arts Center *Denotes an admission fee
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HOMECOMING 2018
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DUSTIN JAMES ’10, (seated, from left) STEFFI TEO ’11, DR. KENDALL WAGNER ’06, and SAIMA CHAUHAN ’99 returned to campus during Homecoming to take part in the annual event called, “More Than a Paycheck: Professions With a Purpose.” The four alums discussed how their career choices have led to fulfilling and rewarding professions.
KAYE (BAGSBY) PERSON ’77 received the 2018 Alumni Merit Award from University President RICHARD DUNSWORTH (left) and Alumni President MARK WATKINS ’76 during the
annual Alumni Awards Ceremony. Person retired in 2018 after 38 years teaching music in Tuckerman, AR. Her husband, Paul Person ‘78, is also a graduate of Ozarks.
TYLER WILSON ’11 (right) presented a commemorative gavel to MARK WATKINS ’76 during the Alumni Awards ceremony
of Homecoming 2018. Watkins, of Clarksville, was recognized for serving as president of the Alumni Association Board of Directors from 2015-2019. Wilson, who previously served as treasurer, also rolled off the board in 2019.
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A Look Back
The University dedicated the new ALEXANDER-BOREHAM TENNIS CENTER during a special ceremony held during Homecoming. Considered one of the top tennis facilities in the region, the center includes LED-lighted courts and PlaySight’s renowned smart court teaching technology as well as built-in seating, restrooms, concession stands and storage.
The family of the late REV. JIMMIE ’52 and LAURA ANN (SELF) ’52 THAMES was honored with the Alumni Legacy Award during the Alumni Awards ceremony. The Thames family has been associated with Ozarks for almost 70 years when Jimmie and Laura met on campus in the early 1950s. Three of Jimmie and Laura’s four children attended Ozarks.
KENT CECIL ’80 (seated, center, with family) was recognized with the 2018 Alumni Achievement Award during the Alumni Awards Ceremony. Cecil is president and CEO of Cecil Hardware, a business that has been a staple in downtown Clarksville since 1960. Cecil, a business major at Ozarks, has managed the business since 2006. TODAY, FA LL 2019 /// 39
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CLASSNOTES JERRY BRIDGES ’78 of Greenwood, AR, was named this summer as the recipient of the Bobby Doyle Soaring Spirit award by the Special Olympics Arkansas organization. The award recognizes “someone who has exceeded fulfillment of the mission in their community and who continuously spreads the message of Special Olympics Arkansas and selflessly goes above and beyond ordinary expectations to help everyone around them.” Bridges, a retired school administrator, is a long-time volunteer, director and coordinator with Special Olympics Arkansas. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
DR. ARDITH MORRIS ’73 retired in May after teaching communication and theatre at Arkansas Tech University for the past 37 years. Morris’ final production at ATU was “The Robber Bridegroom,” that played in February. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
WALLY BAILEY ’84 joined the city of Van Buren, AR, in June as its new planning director. Bailey retired earlier in the summer after previously serving as the director of planning in Fort Smith for 41 years. Bailey noted some of the highlights of his career in Fort Smith as being the
The Diary of Anne Frank Theatre Reunion 40 /// TODAY, FA L L 2 0 1 9
more than $55 million in voter-approved development following the 1996 tornado that hit downtown Fort Smith that led to the expansion of the convention center, expansion of Harry E. Kelley Park and other riverfront improvements and expansion of the city’s library system. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
FREDDIE FRYE ’85 recently took a new position to lead the church ministry with his wife, Nadine, at the Fayette Bible Church based in Fayetteville, GA. Frye will also teach and oversee the athletic program at the Grace Christian Academy, which is a private school associated with the Fayette Bible Church in Fayetteville. Frye has taught and coached high school and junior high basketball for the past 30 years in Louisiana and served as an assistant pastor at the Living Word Church for the past 17 years. He has had stints as a teacher and coach at Houma Christian, Ellender, Central Lafourche and Raceland Junior High School, and won more than 500 career games as a coach. He joined Houma Christian in 2000. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
TIMOTHY LAPOINTE ’89 of Aberdeen, SD, was appointed as the Great
Plains regional director for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, federal officials announced in June. LaPointe returns to the Great Plains Regional Office after serving as the Midwest regional director since February 2018. From 2011-2014, LaPointe served as the deputy regional director–trust services for the Great Plains Region and as Regional Director. He was one of the first fiduciary trust officers for the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians, where he oversaw trust financial programs for the Eastern Region, Eastern Oklahoma Region, and the Southern Plains Region. He also served as the FTO for the BIA Great Lakes Agency. A member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, LaPointe holds a juris doctorate from the University of Arkansas. The BIA Great Plains Region provides funding and support to 16 federally recognized Indian tribes located in the states of North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska. Tribes in this region encompass over 6 million acres. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
CHRISTIAN SANDOVAL ’92 has joined Texas A&M University-San Antonio (A&M-SA) as its new executive director of marketing and communications. Sandoval has more than 20 years of marketing and
Several alumni who took part in the theatre program in the late 1980s returned to campus in November of 2018 to attend the University Theatre’s production of “The Diary of Anne Frank,” a play that they had performed in 1988. Among the alumni and former faculty who attended were, (from left) Elioene “Ellie” Beserra ’89, Susan Edens ’93, Jennifer Fisher ’93, Gloria Garrison-Spalter ’92, Lisa Gruben-Inness ’93, Dr. Pat Farmer, Mary Wilson Zunick ’92, Steven Elliott ’97 and Stephen Babb ’92.
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brand development experience, including roles with National City Bank, Reliant Energy, Johnson Controls (Mexico), Western Union, Crest, Corona, Jose Cuervo, the Internal Revenue Service and Blue Cross Blue Shield. Most recently, he led the successful development and launch of Yes al Inglés, a leading English language learning platform for high school students within Mexico’s public school system. He has an MBA from Case Western Reserve and a MBA from Universidad Francisco Marroquín. Sandoval is pursuing a doctoral degree in leadership studies from Our Lady of the Lake University. He has served on several boards, including the YMCA of San Antonio. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
CARL MINDEN ’94 was named the new police chief of Bryant, AR, in April. Minden previously served as a major in the Pulaski County, Arkansas, Sheriff’s Office. He was with the Pulaski County sheriff’s office for more than 20 years, many of which were spent as the agency’s spokesman. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
FRANQUA “COACH Q” BEDELL ’99 joined the Missouri State University women’s basketball staff as an assistant coach in April. Bedell spent the previous six seasons as the head coach at Tallahassee (FL) Community College, where he won
Alex Gossett ’08 and Dr. Jessalyn Halsted ’08 welcomed their first child, Ellis Halsted Gossett, to the family on Oct. 24, 2019. The family lives in Rogers, AR.
the NJCAA Division I national title in 2018. Bedell was the Spalding NJCAA Division I Women’s Basketball National Coach of the Year that season after leading Tallahassee to a school-record 29 wins. He finished his six-year stint at TCC with a 124-62 record, and coached a pair of NJCAA first-team AllAmericans. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
DAVID ECHEGOYEN ’03 in June was named Walmart vice president for grocery, pickup, and delivery and services marketing in the U.S. and online at its Bentonville, AR, headquarters. He previously lived in New York City where he served as vice president and chief customer officer at Jet, an e-commerce startup that was purchased by Walmart. Saatchi & Saatchi X. A native of El Salvador, Echegoyen is married to alumna ANA CAROLINA (SALDIVAR)
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CAROL “KRISTIN” RIGGS ’04 of Fort Smith, AR, completed a master’s degree in school counseling from John Brown
University in 2018 and recently took a new position as a school counselor at Spradling Elementary School in Fort Smith. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
BOJAN JANKOVIC ’06 recently joined the women’s basketball coaching staff at Louisiana Tech University as an assistant coach. Jankovic spent the past four years as an assistant coach at Wyoming and has 15 years of collegiate coaching experience. In addition to his time at Wyoming, Jankovic spent time as an assistant coach in the collegiate ranks at Oral Roberts University (2010-15), Centenary (2006-10), University of the Ozarks (2005-06) and Texas A&M Commerce (2004-05). He also served as an assistant coach on the Serbian senior national team (2013-2017), including the team that won the gold medal during the 2015 European Championship which helped Serbia qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics. Jankovic and his wife, Bojana, have a daughter, Anja, and son, Vuk. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
CONTINUED ON PAGE 38
Class of 1968 Joins 50-Year Club
Several members of the Class of 1968 were on hand during Homecoming 2018 as the class was inducted into the University’s 50-Year Club. Among the class members present included (seated, from left) Harry Ringler, Bonnie (Renfrow) Starkey, Jackie (Lawrence) Hampton, Andrea (Anderson) Romo, (second row, from left) Armeda (Evans) Holmes, Donna (Fox) Barton, Geanne (Watkins) Newman, Fred Starkey, (back row, from left) Charles Pitts, Fred Romo, Ken Williams, Don Pennington, Ike Hill and Bob Newman.
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RYAN ROSE ’07 and TIFFANY (GLIDEWELL) ROSE ’07 were named associate pastors at Evangel Temple Assembly of God in Fort Smith in 2018. In this position, the Roses manage the ministerial and volunteer staffs, oversee 101 ministries, 35 Sunday school classes, and lead the young couples and family ministries. Ryan recently led Evangel Temple’s efforts as they partnered with the American Red Cross in providing the primary Evacuation Shelter for the Arkansas River Valley during the flooding in May and June of 2019. Ryan coordinated with local, regional and national news networks. The Roses still operate their business, Rose Auto Sales, in Barling, AR. They live in Van Buren, AR, with their three children, Kaden, Addison and Juliana.
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LAKAEN (MADDOX) SCHLUTERMAN ’11 was hired in July to become the new principal at Paris (AR) Elementary School. She served the last two years as assistant principal at the school, where she also was a teacher for five years. Schluterman said that her goal was to always advance in her career and as the assistant principal, she took on extra responsibilities to prepare her for the role of principal if the position was ever an option. “The timing came sooner than I had ever imagined, but I felt that I had worked hard in the assistant role and with the extra responsibilities I took on prepared me for the principal role.” She lives in Subiaco, AR, with her husband, Cody, and their children, Emery and Crew. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SHAYLA (MORROW) MONTELONGO ’12 was recently named chair of the World Languages Department at Bentonville (AR) West High School. Montelongo, who earned a master’s degree in Spanish from the University of Missouri, has taught Spanish in the Bentonville School District for the past five years and is also sponsor of the Spanish Club and Honor Society. She and her husband, Rodolfo, live in Bella Vista. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
TAYLOR PLUGGE ’13, who has served
The Rev. Freeling “Free” Clower ’69 and Betty (Wisdom) Clower ’72 of Clarksville celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with family and friends during a special event on the U of O campus in August. Married on Aug. 9, 1969, the Clowers are former Southern Baptist missionaries in Africa. A one-time high school history teacher and director of the Upward Bound program at Ouachita Baptist University, Free went on to seminary school and began serving as a full-time pastor until his retirement in 2017. He continues to serve as an interim pastor for churches in the Clarksville area. Betty has served as a teacher and paraprofessional in several schools as well as a deputy circuit clerk and university administrative assistant. The Clowers have two children, Heath and Heather, and five grandchildren. 42 /// TODAY, FA L L 2 0 1 9
will lead the areas of student activities, new student orientation programs and student organizations. She and her fiancé, Aaron, have a 4-year-old daughter, Addison. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
COREY DILLARD ’15 recently joined Mercy Hospital in Northwest Arkansas as an RN. Dillard earned an associate’s degree in nursing from National Park College in 2018 and previously worked at Washington Regional Medical Center. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
EMILY GORHAM ’15 is living in Texas where she is an engineer officer in the U.S. Army. Gorham earned a law degree from Washington and Lee University School of Law in Virginia in 2018. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
TREVOR LISTER ’16 was recently named a Fulbright Scholar and will spend most of 2020 in Brazil teaching English and facilitating a cultural exchange program. Lister is completing a master’s degree in Spanish from the University of Missouri in Columbia. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
TESSA (MESPLAY) FRANKLIN ’17 and her husband, Tanner, welcomed a baby girl, Hensley Blake, to the family on May 15, 2019. The Franklins live in Northwest Arkansas where Tessa is a middle school teacher. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
in the U of O Office of Admission since 2013, has transitioned into the director of student engagement position in the Office of Student Affairs. Plugge has been the assistant director of admission since 2017. As director of student engagement, she
DANIEL VALENCIA ’17 is living in
Joe Pennington ’05, shown with his wife, Ana Carolina (Garcia Leal) Pennington ’08, accepted a new job with Walmart in September after serving the past decade as a television meteorologist with Channel 5, KFSM, in Fort Smith, AR.
Jeff Pulliam ’85 was recognized by the Veterans Administration earlier this year for his 30 years of service to the organization. Pulliam is a mental health therapist at the Veterans Administration’s outpatient clinic in Searcy, AR.
San Salvador, El Salvador, where he is a social media assistant at USAID. Valencia
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provides outreach and communications support for all sectors in USAID’s bilateral and regional portfolio, including democracy and governance, economic growth, and education. He has worked for the organization since 2018. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
LUKE VERA ’17 recently completed his master’s degree in accounting from the University of Arkansas. He lives in Bentonville, AR, where he is an audit staff associate at BKD LLP and working on his CPA licensure. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
WESLEY NEEDHAM ’18 was recently promoted to financial relationship consultant at Regions Bank in Wynne, AR. He has worked at Regions Bank since 2018. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
BRENDA SANDOVAL ’19 has joined Hanesbrands, Inc., in Guatemala City as a sales analyst.
Dorett Tennyson ’88 (center) visited campus in October 2018 for the first time since she graduated. She got to visit with several former and current faculty and staff, including Levada (Mathis) Qualls ’55 (left) and Dawn Dvorack, director of leadership gifts and church relations. Tennyson is a project manager for Regional Institution Excellence in Belmopan, Belize.
2016 WALTON GRADS THRIVING BACK HOME Though they’re doing it in markedly different ways, 2016 graduates Liliam López and Debora Castro are each using their University of the Ozarks business degrees to make a positive impact in their respective Central America countries. The two former Walton International Scholars visited campus recently and talked about their professional careers. López, (pictured, left) a marketing and management/business administration major living in Choluteca, Honduras, is an analyst coordinator for the Agrolibano Group, one of the top cantaloupe-producing companies in the Americas. Castro, an international business and management major living in San Salvador, El Salvador, is a partnership/advocacy technical assistant for a USAID project called Bridges to Employment, which helps at-risk youth gain training and find employment. The Agrolibano Group exports more than 4,000 large shipping containers of melons each growing season, which runs from December to May. While the fruit is shipped around the world, about 50 percent of the melons head to either the United States or Europe. López is the coordinator of the Great Britain account, handling financial reports, quality control and customer service. López, who has worked for the company for almost three years, said it is especially satisfying to know that she is helping to promote and advance Honduras through her work. “I’m really proud when I hear about melons from Honduras that are eaten around the world,” she said. “People will send me pictures of the stickers and it’s really neat to see. I know the passion that the growers in Honduras have for their melons and I know the work that is done to produce them, so I’m especially proud to play a small role in producing something that is in demand all over the world.” López credited Ozarks’ diverse student population for helping her prepare to work for a global company. “At Ozarks, you learn to get along and interact with so many different cultures and that’s been very beneficial to me,” she
said. “I work with clients from all over the world and I strongly believe that my time at Ozarks helped me in my daily interactions with my clients. Ozarks helped instill in me cultural sensitivity and openness to others.” Castro has worked for almost three years for the non-profit Bridges to Employment project, which is funded by USAID and implemented by DAI Global, LLC. The program works with at-risk and vulnerable youth between the ages of 16-29 in El Salvador to “successfully integrate them into the workforce as fully qualified and productive citizens, helping boost the economy, lower crime and reduce illegal immigration.” Castro said the type of work she is doing is what she envisioned when she first came to Ozarks as a Walton Scholar. “When I was selected as a Walton Scholar, I had dreams of going back home and helping my country, but I didn’t know exactly what that would look like or how I could do that,” Castro said, “Now I’m working with a program which uses national and international cooperation that, working together, we actually change things for the better. It’s very fulfilling, professionally, for me because I’m contributing to the development of my country and actually making an impact. That’s exactly what I wanted to do.” Castro said she learned the importance of giving back at Ozarks. “The volunteering and service opportunities I had at Ozarks really opened my eyes to the impact that we all can have on others,” Castro said. TODAY, FA LL 2019 /// 43
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WEDDINGS Bristle McIntare ’09 married Bishop Bass ’15 on Dec. 29, 2018. The couple lives in Springdale, AR, where Bristle works for the University of Arkansas and Bishop works for JB Hunt.
Kelsey Ramsey ’13 married Allen Cowan on June 8, 2019, at Heritage Acres in Clarksville. The couple lives in Fayetteville, AR.
Dean Igert ’16 and Kayla Jo Gray ’17 were married on May 25, 2019, in Munger-Wilson Chapel on the U of O campus. The Igerts live in Fort Gibson, OK, where Dean is a manager for Enterprise Rent-A-Car and a part-time baseball coach and Kayla is an RN at St. John Medical Center in Tulsa. 44 /// TODAY, FA L L 2 0 1 9
Sarah Scroggins ’17 married Mitchell Clark on Feb. 9, 2019, at Trinity Chapel in Clarksville. The couple lives in Clarksville where Sarah is an admission counselor for U of O.
Mario Alejando Lopez ’14 married Doris Alvarado on Aug. 19, 2018, in El Salvador. The couple lives in El Salvador, where Mario is a market research analyst at Analitika Market Research and a part-time marketing professor at a local university.
Gracia Velasquez ’11 married Jacob Mayberry on Dec. 28, 2017, in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Mayberrys live in Salt Lake City.
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David James ’13 married Keely Curtis on June 15, 2019, in Berryville, AR. The couple lives in Harrison, AR, where David is a 7th grade social studies teacher and coach for the Forsyth R-III School District in Missouri. David recently completed a master’s degree in educational leadership from Arkansas State University.
Monica Seiler ’14 married Sean Harding on June 22, 2018, at St. Stephens Catholic Church in Bentonville, AR. The Hardings live in Rogers where Monica is a third grade teacher at Arkansas Arts Academy.
Clint Morrow ’15 married Seagan Harmon on Oct. 13, 2018, in Stella, MO. The Morrows live in Springdale, AR, where Clint is a logistics coordinator for PAM Transport.
Zach Zbylut ’16 and Jessi Murch ’16 were married on April 27, 2019, in Fayetteville, AR. The Zbyluts live in Springdale, AR, where they both work for the Springdale Public Schools.
Rocky Liveoak ’19 married Danika Ford on July 27, 2019, in Butler, MO. Former U of O Assistant baseball Coach Nathan Bacon performed the ceremony.
Sarah Canada ’16 and Erik Eklund were married on March 24, 2018, at Capitol Reef National Park in Utah. The Eklunds live in Wrangell, Alaska, where Sarah works for the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) medical clinic as a medical assistant. TODAY, FA LL 2019 /// 45
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MEMORIAM Ella Mae Young Willis ’35 of Morrilton, AR, died on Dec. 2, 2018, at the age of 103. She was a housewife and former co-owner, with her husband, of radio station KVOM AM-FM in Morrilton. Charlene McMillan Watson ’44 of Arlington, TX, died on Oct. 6, 2018, at the age of 95. She was a retired music teacher and assistant principal in the Arlington Independent School District. She served as state president of the Texas Music Educators Association and was the Star Telegram Woman of the Year in 2004. Catherine “Bitsy” Louise (Rogers) Bumpers ’47 of Phoenix, AZ, died on Dec. 30, 2018, at the age of 93. She was a homemaker, volunteer and was active in the Methodist Church. Bumpers was the recipient of the 2014 University of the Ozarks Alumni Legacy Award for her lifelong support of Ozarks. Gerald H. Fisher ’49 of Hot Springs, AR, died on March 2, 2019, at the age of 91. He was a former high school teacher and school superintendent and was the founding president of Garland County Community College (now National Park College) in Hot Springs. He was appointed by Governors Dale Bumpers and Bill Clinton to committees and task forces to improve Arkansas education, and he was recognized by the American Association of Two Year Colleges for his instrumental role in the establishment of Arkansas’ two-year college system. Greta Jean King ’49 of Ludwig, AR, died on May 12, 2019, at the age of 91. She was a retired homemaker and nurse and member of First Presbyterian Church of Clarksville. 46 /// TODAY, FA L L 2 0 1 9
Logan Arliss Green ’50 of Booneville, AR, died on Aug. 17, 2018, at the age of 94. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, a former high school music teacher in Magazine, AR, and Booneville, AR, and college choral director at UA-Fort Smith. James “Jim” Meadors, Jr. ’51 of Fort Smith, AR died on Dec. 9, 2018, at the age of 89. He was a retired Methodist pastor and served many different churches in North Arkansas. Martha Louise (Gray) Hayes ’52 of Hartman, AR, died on July 28, 2019, at the age of 103. She was a teacher in Johnson County for 40 years. The Rev. James Franklin Kinney ’53 of Bryan, TX, died on Jan. 15, 2019, at the age of 90. He was a Korean War veteran, retired school teacher and Southern Baptist preacher, serving churches for 40 years in Oklahoma and Arkansas.
in Arkansas. He and his late wife, Sylvia (Styles) Duncan ’59, were married for 62 years. Gary Pitt “Blackie” Bond ’58 of Rogers, AR, died on Nov. 24, 2018, at the age of 82. He was a long-time football coach and educator in Rogers. Sylvia Dee (Styles) Duncan ‘59 of Sardis, AR, died on Jan. 9, 2019, at the age of 81. She was a former daycare owner and Sunday school teacher in Gruver, TX. Harold William Johnson ’60 of Clarksville, died on July 12, 2017, at the age of 79. He was a member of the Methodist Church, the National Guard, Clarksville Fire Department and the Lions Club.
Dr. Charles “Charley” Joseph Smets ’53 of Fort Smith, AR, died on April 15, 2019, at the age of 87. He was a pharmacist and pharmacy owner for more than 40 years.
Earl Abbott ’61 of Titusville, FL, died on March 13, 2019, at the age of 81. He was a former J.C. Penney store manager and real estate developer and served as president of Titusville Chamber of Commerce and president of Titusville Home Builders Association.
Billy J. Stracener ’53 of Little Rock, AR, died on July 13, 2019, at the age of 87. He was a veteran of the Korean War and was a retired disc jockey and radio station manager.
Dr. Fred Blohm ’61 of Commerce, TX, died on Dec. 25, 2018, at the age of 79. He was a former professor and department head at East Texas Baptist University, retiring in 2004.
Ray Edward Basinger ’54 of Amarillo, TX, died on Sept. 26, 2018, at the age of 87. He was a retired football coach and educator and was the director of the Texas High School Coaches Association for many years. Basinger was elected to the Ozarks Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.
Gary Robert Bryant ’64 of Hot Springs Village, AR, died on Aug. 19, 2018, at the age of 76. He worked primarily in the medical field as a sales representative for McKesson, Squibb, Southwestern Bell Yellow Pages and Novartis.
Billy “Bill” N. Duncan ’55 of Sardis, AR, died on Jan. 11, 2019, at the age of 85. He was a former teacher and principal in Gruver, TX, and also served as a pastor
James Croker Hatchett ’64 of Fort Smith, AR, died on Nov. 13, 2018, at the age of 76. He was a retired teacher and principal in Fort Smith. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Ann (Needham) Hatchett ’65.
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Dr. Thomas “Tom” Edward Batie ’66 of Springdale, AR, died on March 20, 2019, at the age of 75. He was a retired pharmacist. He opened Medical Arts Pharmacy in 1977, where he worked until it closed in 1983. He then owned Ozarks Software System from 1984 until 1993. Jerry Allen Trowbridge ’66 of Booneville, AR, died on Jan. 13, 2019, at the age of 75. For more than 30 years, he coached and taught history, government and political science at Marvel, Elkins and Hackett schools in Arkansas. James “Jim” Franklin Daniels ’67 of Republic, MO, died on July 22, 2019, in Springfield, MO, at the age of 77. He was a U.S. Army veteran and longtime teacher and administrator in Missouri. Sandra Sue (Garrett) Forbus ’70 of Sardis, AR, died on Jan. 9, 2019, in Little Rock at the age of 70. She was a retired school speech-language pathologist in Bryant, AR. Jeffrey Bird ’74 of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, died on Feb. 8, 2019, at the age of 66 following a lengthy battle with cancer. He worked as a funeral director in the Akron, OH, area and was an avid collector. Dolores Skulman-Thompson ’75 of Ozark, AR, died on May 21, 2019, at the age of 91. She was a long-time teacher at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Altus, AR, until her retirement in 2003. John G. Crary ’76 of Paul Smiths, NY, died on Oct. 25, 2018, at the age of 65. Crary served as an Airborne Ranger in the U.S. Army for 21 years, a veteran of Desert Storm and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.
Patricia Mae (Hathaway) King ’81 of Fort Smith, AR, died on Aug. 16, 2018, at the age of 85. King was a long-time school teacher in Fort Smith before retiring in 1993. She also taught piano and voice and sang in the Fort Smith Coterie, Fort Smith Chorale and the Central Presbyterian Church Choir.
Farm, and Chesapeake Energy Arena and was an avid gardener and sports fan.
Ruth Anne (Hundley) Price ’82 of Fort Smith, AR, died on May 3, 2019. She was an avid singer and enjoyed sharing her love of music and family.
Jonathan James “J.J.” Taylor ’03 of Clarksville died on Jan. 22, 2019, in Little
John D. Nelson ’85 of Tucson, AZ, died on Oct. 14, 2018, at the age of 58, from colon cancer. He was a teacher assistant of special needs students and an avid skier and outdoorsman. Williams “Bill” August Neumeier ’85 of Fort Smith, AR, died on Nov. 19, 2018, at the age of 54. He was the owner and operator of Neumeier’s Rib Room and Papa’s Pub and Pizzeria. Bradford Lee “Brad” Sharpe ’88 of Charleston, AR, died on Feb. 26, 2019, in Fort Smith, AR, at the age of 62. He was retired from Bruce Rogers after 40 years of employment, beginning his career working in the warehouse and working his way up to CFO, vice president and head of IT during his tenure. John David Lochala, Jr. ’93 of Little Rock, AR, died on Feb. 5, 2019, at the age of 49 following a long illness. He worked in finance with American Express and several colleges and enjoyed art. Kenneth Wayne Gladden ’94 of Oklahoma City, OK, died on June 12, 2019, at the age of 55. He worked at Target, the Orr Family
Imogene (Verkamp) Stec ’94 of Fort Smith, AR, died on Nov. 18, 2018, at the age of 90. She was a former office and school secretary and was a member of Christ the King Catholic Church, the Presentation Circle and Condolence Committee. Mark Christian Dullnig ’98 of San Antonio, TX, died on April 19, 2019, at the age of 51. He was a proud Eagle Scout.
Rock at the age of 37. Ashley Nichole Wilson ’14 of El Dorado, AR, died on May 6, 2019, at the age of 26. She worked in electronic ads for Channel 5 News. Amy Ann Toombs ’17 of Clarksville, died on Feb. 21, 2019, at the age of 24. She was a disabled U.S. Army veteran.
Dallas Skaggs of Oark, AR, a retired maintenance worker at Ozarks, died on May 28, 2019, at the age of 83. He was a U.S. Navy veteran and retired fire chief. Edward V. “Ed” Smith of Dallas, TX, honorary lifetime member of the Board of Trustees at the University, died on March 16, 2018, at the age of 80. Smith joined the board in 1985 and chaired it from 1994-97.
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MEMORIAM Joseph “Joe” Wayne Hoing Feb. 25, 1948 — Aug. 27, 2019 In August, the University community mourned the loss of former long-time dean of students Joe Hoing, who died on Aug. 27, 2019, at the age of 71. A native of Coal Hill, AR and 1966 graduate of Clarksville High School, The former All-American collegiate football player had a positive and enduring impact on hundreds of Ozarks students in his 30-year career as an administrator and instructor at the University. Hoing served as dean of students for 29 years, until his retirement in 2014. He received the University’s Broyles Outstanding Staff Award in 1996 and 2007. As one alumnus said, “Joe was one of the first people I ever met on campus and was always friendly, always helpful, always joking. He never seemed to have a bad day or be in a bad mood. He embodied everything I loved about Ozarks.” He is survived by his wife, Carol Hoing of Coal Hill, and two sons, Jonathan Michael Hoing and Montana Mathew Hoing both of Coal Hill.
Dr. Douglas “Doug” Lynn Jeffries Dec. 27, 1950 — Oct. 28, 2018 The University lost a dear member of its family on Oct. 28, 2018, with the death of beloved biology professor emeritus Dr. Doug Jeffries at the age of 67. Jeffries served the University as a professor and mentor from 1991 to 2017, sharing his love of science with thousands of students who were fortunate enough to grace his classrooms. As one former colleague put it, “Through his actions as a tireless champion for animals, trees and education, Dr. Jeffries taught all of us about compassion, service and morality.” Jeffries served as co-sponsor of the University’s environmental organization, the Planet Club. In 1997 he and the Planet Club began an Annual Tree Planting Day that has resulted in the planting of 10 to 15 trees on campus every year until his retirement. At Ozarks, he received the President’s Above and Beyond, and Advisor of the Year awards, and in 2011 was awarded the Bagwell Outstanding Faculty Award. In 2012, he was given the Outstanding Volunteer of the Year Award from the Arkansas Urban Forestry Council.
Dr. Ruby Leona (Steuart) Reynolds ’48 Jan. 5, 1926 — April 15, 2019 In April, the University lost a beloved member of its family, 1948 alumna and retired biology professor Dr. Ruby Reynolds, who died on April 15, 2019, at the age of 93. After graduating from Ozarks with a degree in biology, Reynolds served a brief stint as a teacher at Hartman High School before returning to Ozarks where she taught in the biology department from 1948-1991. She also was chair of the biology department, head of the sciences area, and dean of women. She was the recipient of the 1991 Bagwell Outstanding Faculty Award. As one colleague said, “Even after her retirement, Ruby remained a stalwart champion for Ozarks and its students. She was a great educator who was known for her sharp mind and fine sense of humor and who was generous to all with her time and knowledge. A gifted biologist, botanist and gardener, Ruby was a pioneering woman in the sciences who created tremendous opportunities for generations of young women and men.” Reynolds is survived by her son, Lynn Earl Reynolds of Fort Smith. 48 /// TODAY, FA L L 2 0 1 9
MEMORIALS /// H ON OR A R IA
MEMORIALS AND HONORARIA Aug. 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019
MEMORIALS Charles and Dorothy Angell Mary Ellen Waychoff ’78 John Eugene Armstrong ’59 John T. Armstrong Trust Richard and Katherene Bagwell Bagwell Foundation Rick Bagwell Barbee Vickburg Alton C. and Eula H. Baker Joseph Baker ’69 Marge Lu Baker Joseph Baker ’69 Ray Basinger ’54 Bill Holder ’52 and Jane Wilson Holder ’55 Daniel Benton ’05 Vickie Benton ’98 and Dwight Benton Henry D. Bishop ’53 Ingrid Bishop Gary Bond ’58 Mary Holloway Dewett ’58 Roy Horne ’57 William Rail ’52 and Maxine Phillips Rail ’52 William Borland Sheila Doss ’80 Don Pennington ’68 Mary Millar Boyer Arthur Dercksen Beverly J. Brent ’70 Lonnie Qualls ’55 and Levada Mathis Qualls ’55 Hugh Brewer, Jr Steve and Dorinda Edmisten Gary Bryant ’64 Ron Laster ’64 and Maribeth Laster Lonnie Qualls ’55 and Levada Mathis Qualls ’55 Larry Edward Bryant ’64 Lonnie Qualls ’55 and Levada Mathis Qualls ’55 Catherine Rogers Bumpers ’47 Dawn J. M. Dvoracek and Frank Schull Johnnie A. Garrett Calvin Yvonne and Don Brooks Marian Riddell Cargile ’64 John W. Cargile ’61 Rev. Dick Carmack Joseph Baker ’69 E. Faye Ellison Castonguay ’58 Joe Castonguay Thomas Choate Betty Maples James H. Clark Anonymous
John Barnes Coleman Sean and Jennifer Coleman Harlan and Bertha Conger Nancy and Ronald Bateman John Coppic ’49 Alice M. Coppic R. Louis Dewett ’57 Bill Crowder ’56 Mary Holloway Dewett ’58 Cheryl Ziegler ’86 and Steve Ziegler Coy Doss Steve and Dorinda Edmisten John C. Dunlap ’52 Bill Holder ’52 and Jane Wilson Holder ’55 William Rail ’52 and Maxine Phillips Rail ’52 Relf Efurd ’53 Martha Dollar Efurd ’56 Vince Esposito Sammy Manning ’71 and Virginia Figliulo Manning ’74 Marge Figliulo Maura Figliulo Howerton ’80 and Bradley Howerton Deloitte Foundation Gerald H. Fisher ’49 Steve and Dorinda Edmisten Bill Holder ’52 and Jane Wilson Holder ’55 Larry and Cindy Isch Jim Forkner ’54 Joyce Graf Forkner ’57 Ed Harrington ’56 and Janet Graf Harrington ’58 Betty Jo Dickerson Foulke ’56 Otha Warren Dely Garcia Sammy Manning ’71 and Virginia Figliulo Manning ’74 Gary Lee Garner ’73 James Murray ’75 and Debra Murray Jim Goodman Sue Patterson Pine ’57 and Bob Pine Ann Davidson Goza ’69 Angela Wheeler Spencer ’98 and Shawn Spencer Sarah Carlin Graves ’85 Amy K. Graves Bobbie Head Hamill ’66 Sylvia Kauffeld Kinnear ’66 James Hatchett ’64 Ron Laster ’64 and Maribeth Laster Virginia Hicks Michael Shannon McBee ’89 and Lori McBee Bessie Joyce Lamb Higgs ’49 Donna Higgs-Jones Dylan Hill ’15 Edwin and Lynn Bell Duane and Sharon Birdsong Catholic Foundation Brian and Lisa Shipp
Jean Hinderliter Williams Frances Engle Wilson Donita Howard ’93 Diana Altes Pearson ’65 Dr. Doug Jeffries Connie and Michael Booty Blaine Caldwell ’69 and Cathy Sekowski Caldwell ’69 Cameron Coker ’14 Dawn J. M. Dvoracek and Frank Schull Steve and Dorinda Edmisten Sarah Eklund ’16 and Erik Eklund Larry and Cindy Isch Michelle and Scott Loving David Rawhouser ’69 and Jill Rawhouser Jeffrey Scaccia and Amy Scaccia ’09 Deborah Sisson Angela Wheeler Spencer ’98 and Shawn Spencer Betty and Wes Stockton Daniel and Ann Taddie Linda R. Johnson ’65 James Johnson ’57 James Lynn ’64 and Erma Lynn Georgia Ruth White Johnston ’53 William Rail ’52 and Maxine Phillips Rail ’52 Dickie Jones ’72 Pamela Shrigley Jones ’71 Faye Williams Raible ’72 and Gary Raible Lawrence and Ethelda Kauffeld Sylvia Kauffeld Kinnear ’66 Fred A. and Ophelia Jacobs Kauffeld Sylvia Kauffeld Kinnear ’66 Wanda Kauffeld Shively ’54 Robert “Bob” C. Key Advancement Team Pat King ’81 Donnie and Karla Harkreader Roy Horne ’57 David King ’54 Vernon McDaniel ’55 Geraldine King Morgan ’52 Lonnie Qualls ’55 and Levada Mathis Qualls ’55 William Rail ’52 and Maxine Phillips Rail ’52 Stewart Lamberson Debbie Stallings Mooney ’82 and Charles Mooney John David Lochala ’93 Susan Edens ’92 Lisa Gruben Inness ’93 and Jeff Inness ’98 Gloria Garrison Spalter ’92 and Ron Spalter Dallas Maples ’59 Betty Maples Joe Marler ’60 Joyce Wilson Marler ’59
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Charles Martin, Jr. ’57 Jetta Martin Hershell McClurkin Mrs. Mardell McClurkin Ernest McDaniel ’40 Jeanne McDaniel Mackie McElree Charlene McMillan Watson ’44 Harlan McMillan ’50 James Lynn ’64 and Erma Lynn Garry Metcalf ’73 Cordia Person Metcalf ’73 Martha Moore Dawn J. M. Dvoracek and Frank Schull Betty Ruth Morris ’58 Roy Horne ’57 John D. Nelson ’85 Toby Colvett ’83 Tommy E. Owens ’70 Glenda Dennis Owens ’71 and Steve Owens Edward Myron Parker Tommy and Judy Parker J. T. Patterson ’38 and Lucile Sanders Patterson Beth Patterson Duvall ’65 Ann Patterson ’75 and Max Snowden
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J. T. Patterson ’38 Vernon McDaniel ’55 Baker Peebles ’52 Bill Holder ’52 and Jane Wilson Holder ’55 Lee Phillips Drew and Joanie Mashburn Susie Maude Pittman ’39 Anonymous Billy Dickerson, II ’77 and Marion Dickerson Steve and Dorinda Edmisten Ann and Michael Lafferty Richard and Sondra McKelvey Don Pennington ’68 Denton Tumbleson ’74 and Jane Tumbleson Anne Queen Ben Queen Ab Ragon ’27 and Mary Ragon ’37 Dr. Bill and Kaye Nevins Michael A. Rail ’80 Sue Rail Wilkerson ’82 and Danny Wilkerson Ruby Steuart Reynolds ’48 Anonymous Krista and Douglas Denné Steve and Dorinda Edmisten Pat Farmer
Donnie and Karla Harkreader Bill Holder ’52 and Jane Wilson Holder ’55 Roy Horne ’57 Larry and Cindy Isch Phyllis Johnson Jones ’63 Dr. Bill and Kaye Nevins Don Pennington ’68 David Pridgin ’71 and Reba Geels Pridgin ’81 William Rail ’52 and Maxine Phillips Rail ’52 Noel Rowbotham ’61 and Charlotte Woodard Rowbotham ’63 Kathy Sexton ’73 and Ronnie Sexton ’73 Denton Tumbleson ’74 and Jane Tumbleson United Presbyterian Women Darrell Williams ’76 Jonathan and Donna Manley Wolfe Douglas Young James Ring Sheila Doss ’80 Catherine Ringley Marty Ringley Sherman ’84 and Geoff Sherman CONTINUED ON PAGE 46
MEMORIALS /// H ON OR A R IA
John Rotenberry ’62 Betty Maples William Shipman ’50 Beth Shipman Chrystine Angell Siu Barbara Angell Vogl and Rocky Vogl Dallas Skaggs Gilbert Parks, Jr. and Susan Burden ’67 Charles Smets Bill Holder ’52 and Jane Wilson Holder ’55 Edward V. Smith, III Steve and Dorinda Edmisten Larry and Cindy Isch T.L. and Lois Smith James Lynn ’64 and Erma Lynn Curtis Lee Spence Lance Spence ’91 and Virginia Spence Robert Dennis Spurlock ’65 Carl Miller ’64 and Madge Miller Tonya Tabor Sammy Manning ’71 and Virginia Figliulo Manning ’74 John Talley ’43 Sarah C. Talley Jonathan James “JJ” Taylor ’03 Dawn J. M. Dvoracek and Frank Schull Jeanne Taylor Sue Patterson Pine ’57 and Bob Pine Jake Tull ’10 Christopher and Mary Heller David and Selena Overholt Jack and Patricia Overholt Steve Quattlebaum Mary Ellen Richards John and Martha Tull Sue Tull Delores Wagoner ’56 Jetta Martin Mitchell Wagoner Peggy Johnson ’65 Rena Sue Laster ’70 Jetta Martin K. Charlene Watson ’44 Steve and Dorinda Edmisten Shannon Carlisle Huggins ’91 and Bryan Huggins David Rawhouser ’69 and Jill Rawhouser B.J. Webb ’63 Sylvia Kauffeld Kinnear ’66 Bernard Werner Steve and Dorinda Edmisten Dennis and Marie Wheeler Angela Wheeler Spencer ’98 and Shawn Spencer Don Gene White Sylvia Kauffeld Kinnear ’66 Linda Kauffeld White ’67 Harold Whitson ’34 and Pearl Dickerson Whitson ’35 Steve and Dorinda Edmisten Guy and Freda Kauffeld Willett ’52 Sylvia Kauffeld Kinnear ’66 Deborah D. Williams Allyn and Janice Donaubauer Steve and Dorinda Edmisten
Gray Gordy Luke and Donna Gordy Mary Inez Henson Larry and Cindy Isch Jeffrey Scaccia and Amy Scaccia ’09 Bryan and Carla Tipton Virginia Laster Williams ’43 Bruce H. Williams ’43 and Tracy Williams Harry Wu Joseph Baker ’69 Ruth Steuart Young ’48 Jonathan and Donna Manley Wolfe Douglas Young
Aug. 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019
HONORARIA Advancement Team Beth Patterson Duvall ’65 Bill Alexander ’55 and Linda Alexander Ray and Orvalene Holbrook Gary Bond ’58 Bill Crowder ’56 Mary Millar Boyer Dawn J. M. Dvoracek and Frank Schull Catherine Rogers Bumpers ’47 Dawn J. M. Dvoracek and Frank Schull Debbie Carlton Robert and Becky Neighbors Jo Ann Dunn Choate ’57 Betty Maples Sarah Clark ’17 and Mitchell Clark Anonymous Garrett Donnell ’20 Hugh and Pat Donnell Brenda Wheeler DuBois ’69 Angela Wheeler Spencer ’98 and Shawn Spencer James Duff ’63 and Sue Kauffeld Duff ’63 Linda Kauffeld White ’67 Beth Patterson Duvall ’65 James Lynn ’64 and Erma Lynn Ann Patterson ’75 and Max Snowden Dawn J. M. Dvoracek and Frank Schull Bruce H. Williams ’43 and Tracy Williams Dawn J. M. Dvoracek David and Jean Frazier Ben Queen Kirsten Endicott Carol Myers Claude Eubanks ’56 Bill Crowder ’56 Roseanna Ezell ’18 and Bobby Ketterer ’18 Anonymous Julia Frost Paul and Bobbie Ueunten James Goodson ’65 Linda Kauffeld White ’67 Betty Curtis Hardin ’58 John and Chris May Wilma Kimbrell Harris ’06 Deborah Sisson
Brett Hays ’06 Harold and Pam Hays Jane Wilson Holder ’55 Roberta Holder Bettye LaBorn Bill Holder ’52 Roberta Holder Sylvia Kauffeld Kinnear ’66 De’Ann Veteto Linda Kauffeld White ’67 Holly Mitchell Robert K. Bennett Rick and Sherée Niece Allyn and Janice Donaubauer Stephanie Alderson Noles ’18 and Greg Noles Anonymous Ann Patterson ’75 James Lynn ’64 and Erma Lynn Jack Patterson ’65 Beth Patterson Duvall ’65 James Lynn ’64 and Erma Lynn Ann Patterson ’75 and Max Snowden Reba Geels Pridgin ’81 Hilda Turner Ruby Steuart Reynolds ’48 James Lynn ’64 and Erma Lynn Wanda Kauffeld Shively ’54 Linda Kauffeld White ’67 Wirt and Torpy Skinner Thomas and Linda Skinner Hannah Smith ’19 Stephanie and Greg Noles Angela Wheeler Spencer ’98 Darrel Wheeler, Jr. ’75 and Sharon Goza Wheeler Kenneth C. Stewart ’87 David Pridgin ’71 and Reba Geels Pridgin ’81 Eleanor Thomas Dawn J. M. Dvoracek and Frank Schull Gregory Thompson ’91 and Christel Thompson ’93 Bo Funderburk ’00 Winston G. Wheeler ’20 Evelyn Rudko Bruce H. Williams ’43 Dawn J. M. Dvoracek and Frank Schull Tracy Williams Bruce H. Williams ’43 Frances Engle Wilson Cameron Coker ’14 Jim Wyatt ’61 Bill Crowder ’56
If you would like to make an Honoraria or Memorial in recognition of a loved one to the University of the Ozarks Annual Fund, please contact the Advancement Office at 479-979-1230.
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A FINAL WORD FROM JULIA FROST A BLESSED CALLING (Editor’s Note: Julia Frost retired in June after serving students with learning disabilities for the past 30 years in the Jones Learning Center, including as its director since 1994.) When I began graduate school in school psychology in 1979, I met a fellow student, Betty Robinson, and a friendship began. Little did I know that this friendship would shape my professional career and my life journey. After grad school, Betty was hired as the director of assessment in the Ben D. Caudle Learning Program at Ozarks, and I went to the Crawford County Special Education Cooperative. We then served as sounding boards for each other when we faced challenging situations. After Betty became the director of the Learning Center, she invited me to be a part of her staff on the third floor of Hurie Hall. In 1986, I left a brand new office in a public school, took a cut in pay, and moved into a tiny office at Ozarks that had been a closet. I wondered if I had made the right decision! However, I quickly found my home, and loved the students and staff. They were doing such amazing work, before computers, when at least two typists were available for all of the student papers as well as my psychoeducational reports. In 1988 the new Jones Learning Center (JLC) was built, and we were thrilled! We worked together to design the space and were so excited that everyone finally had actual doors on their offices after working in converted classrooms with shoulder-high dividers. In 1991 our family moved to Northwest Arkansas, and I worked in the public schools again. I honestly didn’t have specific plans to return to Ozarks. However, in 1994 I got a call asking if I was interested in coming to talk to the search committee about being the new director of the JLC. I wasn’t sure I would be comfortable being the boss of several people who were my friends, and I had no administrative experience, but I came to talk to that committee. After meeting with them, I will never forget what committee member Dr. Bruce Elmore said to me. “Your greatest strength in this position is your passion.” I definitely have a lot of that, and I guess that is what has carried me through the past 25 years! I am extremely fortunate that for the majority of my career I have had a job that was much more than a paycheck to me. It has been such a blessing to be involved in the lives of college students with disabilities and their families at such a pivotal time in their lives. Watching scared freshmen with little self-confidence grow into college graduates who are ready to take on the world has been a joy beyond any I could have imagined in my life’s work. As I leave this position in the very capable hands of Dody Pelts, JLC assistant director for the past 12 years, I am confident in not only her passion for our students, but also her leadership abilities as she builds on the JLC past successes and looks forward with a new vision for its future. One new emphasis that will begin in the fall semester is on employment for graduates, especially those impacted by social skills challenges. The employment initiative will help graduates build skills beyond those of the classroom to obtain meaningful employment. When students who have been in the JLC graduate, I always tell them that they will remain a part of the JLC family for the rest of their lives. I am confident that will be the case for me as well. Sincerely,
Julia Frost
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LEAVE YOUR LEGACY And Pave the Way for Current and Future Students By purchasing a personalized brick in the Alumni Plaza for yourself or a classmate, you’re not only leaving a legacy at Ozarks, but you’re also helping support current students through the Ozarks Annual Fund (OAF). With your gift of $300 or more to OAF, you can add your name or the name of a friend or loved one to the Alumni Plaza. This is a wonderful way for you to honor or memorialize a friend or loved one who attended Ozarks.
ARTIN MOT ION WALTON ARTS & IDEAS SERIES presents
The Nutcracker NOV 30 | 7 SATURDAY
PM
SEAY THEATRE/WFAC
The Western Arkansas Ballet Company will present a one-show performance of the classic Christmas ballet, The Nutcracker, which tells the story of a little girl who goes to the Land of Sweets on Christmas Eve.
Made possible through an endowment by the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation. There is no charge for admission and the public is invited.