Ouachita Baptist University
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Ouachita Baptist University is an American university offering undergraduate education.
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[edit] Location
Ouachita Baptist University is a private liberal arts university located in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Arkadelphia is approximately 65 miles southwest of Little Rock and approximately 73 miles northeast of Texarkana. Arkadelphia has a population of over 10,000, not including the student body at OBU and the student body at Henderson State University. The school is named for the Ouachita (pronounced Wash'-uh-taw) River which forms the southern campus boundary.
[edit] Brief history
OBU was first opened on September 6, 1886 and has operated on a daily basis since that date. It was originally located on the campus of Ouachita Baptist High School. Its present location is on the former campus for the Arkansas School for the Deaf, which relocated to Little Rock. Its first president, Professor J. W. Conger, was elected on June 22, 1886. The organization was originally founded as Ouachita Baptist College. In 1965, the status and name were changed to Ouachita Baptist University due to expansion of the curriculum.
On April 6, 2006 the Ouachita Baptist University Board of Trustees unanimously selected Dr. Rex Horne, former pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Little Rock, to serve as the fifteenth president of Ouachita Baptist University.
In 1949, the original Old Main building, used as the administration building and library, was destroyed by fire caused by a bolt of lightning. This occurred the evening after graduation, so students (including many World War II Veterans) helped to rescue most of the books from the library.
[edit] Academics
Ouachita Baptist University offers various degree programs including business, education, natural sciences, humanities, social sciences, Christian Studies and Fine Arts. Ouachita was ranked fifth by U.S. News and World Report for best comprehensive colleges in the South in 2005.
[edit] Athletics
Ouachita competes in the Gulf South Conference in sports and maintains NCAA Division II status in major sports. The swimming and tennis programs regularly rank in the NCAA Division II top 25 polls. OBU's (Tigers) rival is Henderson State (Reddies) in the "Battle of the Ravine." (Both schools are in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.)
[edit] Beliefs
Ouachita Baptist University is affiliated with the Arkansas Baptist State Convention, which is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. Ouachita is dedicated to Christian and educational excellence.
[edit] Notable alumni
- Eva Ware Barnett - Composer of "Arkansas," Arkansas State Anthem
- Cliff Harris - Former All-Pro Dallas Cowboy safety
- Shelley Breen, Heather Payne, Denise Jones, and Terry Jones of Christian pop music group Point of Grace
- Tommy Patterson - Former NBA Forward for the Baltimore Bullets
- Frank D. Hickingbotham founder of TCBY, international frozen yogurt and ice-cream franchise
- Leon A. Green - notable legal scholar, dean of Northwestern University School of Law, professor at the following institutions: Yale University, University of Texas School of Law, and University of California Hastings College of Law
- William J. Holloway - Governor of Oklahoma, 1929 to 1931, Democrat
- Winston Bryant - Attorney General of Arkansas, 1990 to 1999
- Mike Huckabee - Current Governor of Arkansas, Republican
- Susan McDougal
- Chris McGee
- Nell I. Mondy - biochemist and international expert on the potato
- Roger L. Morgan - City attorney for Mountain Home, Lakeview, Cotter and Flippin, Arkansas. Parter in Johnson, Sanders and Morgan of Mountain Home, Arkansas.
