Ouachita Stories

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Ouachita to hold Spring Commencement on May 9

April 28, 2026

Ouachita Baptist University will hold its 139th spring commencement on Saturday, May 9, at 9 a.m. in front of historic Cone-Bottoms Hall.

news

Tiger Serve Day unites multiple generations in service

April 24, 2026

On April 11, over 655 Ouachita students and volunteers joined together to complete 88 projects for Tiger Serve Day. While anticipated by students and community members each semester, this one was extra special for Judy Duvall, director of the Ben M. Elrod Center for Family & Community.

news

Ouachita names Dr. Tim Knight vice president for academic affairs

April 22, 2026

Ouachita Baptist University has named a new chief academic officer, Dr. Tim Knight, who will become vice president for academic affairs effective June 1, 2026. Ouachita President Ben Sells announced the appointment to the campus community earlier this semester.

Ouachita finance students manage $6 million fund, attend Quinnipiac GAME Forum

April 17, 2026

Ouachita's Elrod Center awards $6,900 for servant leadership projects

April 10, 2026

Upcoming Events

Apr 28

Faculty Meeting

Apr 28

Athletic Awards Ceremony

Apr 28

Worship Studies Project

Aaron Washburn, Sr.

Apr 29

Traffic Court

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The Signal Student Newspaper

OUACHITA CIRCLE: FALL // WINTER 2025

The alumni magazine of Ouachita Baptist University

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Ouachita has faced high times and low times. Years of strength and years of struggle. Through all these seasons — institutional and individual — one certainty remains: God's faithfulness.

The Why Behind Our Traditions

While we often want to hold on to the comfort of traditions, I think it’s important to ask why they were important to us. What about the behavior do we long to preserve? I often remind students to think beyond the behavior of a tradition and consider the belief behind it. What is it about the tradition that is important? Often, the importance is found in the why.

Staff Profile: Sonny Jackson

One member of the Ouachita family was Sonny Jackson. Once a professional middleweight boxer in the Pacific Northwest, Sonny wasn't a Ouachita graduate. But he was very much part of the family as a member and later the head of Ouachita's grounds crew.

Staff Profile: Rosemary Chu

When I give the newly arrived freshmen a taste of Ouachita history before classes start each fall, I tell the inspirational story of Rosemary Chu. What Chu had was the investment she had made in Ouachita. And Ouachita invested in her.

Faculty Profile: Phil Rice

What an honor it is to share a few words about a man who impacted my life so profoundly. As a good Baptist, I thought I would arrange my thoughts around three alliterative points: paper, people and purpose.

Ken Sandifer (left) with two students conducting field research on poisened fish. Photo from the 1965 Ouachitonian yearbook.

Faculty Profile: Kenneth Sandifer

Tim Knight shares about his professor and colleague, Kenneth Sandifer, professor emeritus of biology at Ouachita.

Faculty Profile: Bill Downs

Melinda Mayo reflects on her professor, Bill Downs, professor emeritus of mass communications, who served Ouachita for 41 years.

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