Ouachita Baptist University

Last updated

Ouachita Baptist University
Ouachita Baptist University seal.png
Former name
Ouachita Baptist College (1886–1965)
MottoVision. Integrity. Service.
Type Private university
Established1886
Religious affiliation
 Arkansas Baptist State Convention
Academic affiliations
 Space-grant
Endowment $65.4 million [1]
President Ben Sells
Academic staff
109 full-time and 51 part-time (fall 2022) [2]
Students1,784 (fall 2022) [2]
Undergraduates 1,730 [2]
Postgraduates 54 [2]
Location
Arkadelphia
,
Arkansas
,
United States

34°7′30″N93°3′10″W / 34.12500°N 93.05278°W / 34.12500; -93.05278
Campus Rural, 160 acres (65 ha)
Colors Purple and Gold
   
Nickname Tigers
Mascot Tiger
Website www.obu.edu
Ouachita.png

Ouachita Baptist University (OBU) is a private Baptist university in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. The university's name is taken from the Ouachita (pronounced WAH-shi-tah) River, which forms the eastern campus boundary. It is affiliated with the Arkansas Baptist State Convention, a state convention affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention.[ citation needed ]

Contents

History

Cone-Bottoms Hall, home to the Grant Administration Center, is the oldest building on campus Ouachita Baptist University 011.jpg
Cone-Bottoms Hall, home to the Grant Administration Center, is the oldest building on campus
Ouachita's Student Village residence halls are connected to the main campus via Heflin Plaza, a walkway that bridges the campus ravine Ouachita Baptist University 016.jpg
Ouachita's Student Village residence halls are connected to the main campus via Heflin Plaza, a walkway that bridges the campus ravine

Ouachita Baptist University was founded as Ouachita Baptist College on September 6, 1886, [3] and has operated continually since that date. It was originally located on the campus of Ouachita Baptist High School.[ citation needed ] Its current location is on the former campus of the Arkansas School for the Blind, which relocated to Little Rock.[ citation needed ]

The first president was J. W. Conger, who was elected to the post on June 22, 1886.[ citation needed ] The OBU Board of Trustees unanimously elected Dr. Ben Sells, former vice president for university advancement at Taylor University, as the sixteenth president of Ouachita Baptist University on April 7, 2016. Those who have served as president include J. W. Conger (1886–1907), Henry Simms Hartzog (1907–1911), R. G. Bowers (1911–1913), Samuel Young Jameson (1913–1916), Charles Ernest Dicken (1916–1926), Arthur B. Hill (1926–1929), Charles D. Johnson (1929–1933), James R. Grant (1933–1949), Seaford Eubanks (1949–1951), Harold A. Haswell (1952–1953), Ralph Arloe Phelps Jr. (1953–1969), Daniel R. Grant (1970–1988), Ben M. Elrod (1988–1998), Andrew Westmoreland (1998–2006) and Rex Horne (2006–2015). [4]

In 1965 the college changed its name to Ouachita Baptist University. [3]

Academics

Academic rankings
Liberal arts colleges
U.S. News & World Report [5] 178 of 185
Washington Monthly [6] 191 of 199
National
THE / WSJ [7] 401 of 600

The university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission with specific programs accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International), National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), National Association for Schools of Music, the Commission on the Accreditation of Athletic Training Education Programs (CAATE), and the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE) of the American Dietetic Association. [8]

The university was ranked 178 of 185 in the 2024 National Liberal Arts Colleges rankings by U.S. News & World Report. [9]

Athletics

Ouachita's iconic Tiger statue has stood in silent vigil over the campus since 1935 Ouachita Baptist University 006.jpg
Ouachita's iconic Tiger statue has stood in silent vigil over the campus since 1935

OBU fields intercollegiate men's teams in baseball, basketball, football, soccer, swimming, tennis, cross country, and wrestling. Women's sports include basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis and volleyball.[ citation needed ] The school mascot is the Tiger, and colors are purple and gold. As of fall 2011, Ouachita began competition in the Great American Conference.[ citation needed ] The Tigers football team were the conference champions of the inaugural 2011 season and the 2014, 2017, 2018, and 2019 seasons. [10] In wrestling, a sport not sponsored by the GAC, OBU competes as a single-sport member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference. [11]

In 2010, Ouachita Baptist was the first university in Arkansas to offer an NCAA wrestling program. Dallas Smith, a four-time All-American, earned the program's first national title at the NCAA Division II National Championships in 2015. [12]

Notable alumni

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Upper Iowa University</span> Private university in Fayette, Iowa

Upper Iowa University (UIU) is a private university in Fayette, Iowa. It enrolls around 3000 students and offers distance education programs that include centers in the U.S., an online program, an independent study program, and formerly had centers in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. UIU has a total student enrollment of more than 3,000 students.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gulf South Conference</span> Collegiate athletic conference

The Gulf South Conference (GSC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level, which operates in the Southeastern United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arkadelphia, Arkansas</span> City in Arkansas, United States

Arkadelphia is a city in Clark County, Arkansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,380. The city is the county seat of Clark County. It is situated at the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains. Two universities, Henderson State University and Ouachita Baptist University, are located here. Arkadelphia was incorporated in 1857.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colorado College</span> Private liberal arts college in Colorado Springs, Colorado, US

Colorado College is a private liberal arts college in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It was founded in 1874 by Thomas Nelson Haskell in his daughter's memory. The college enrolls approximately 2,000 undergraduates at its 90-acre (36 ha) campus. The college offers 42 majors and 33 minors. Notable alumni include Liz Cheney, Dutch Clark, Thomas Hornsby Ferril, James Heckman, Steve Sabol, Ken Salazar, and Marc Webb.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California Baptist University</span> American religious university

California Baptist University is a private Baptist Christian university in Riverside, California. Founded in 1950 as California Baptist College, it is affiliated with the California Southern Baptist Convention, an organization affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. CBU is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.

Johnson & Wales University (JWU) is a private university with its main campus in Providence, Rhode Island. Founded as a business school in 1914 by Gertrude I. Johnson and Mary T. Wales, JWU enrolled 7,357 students across its campuses in the fall of 2020. The university is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Campbellsville University</span> Private Christian university in Campbellsville, Kentucky, U.S.

Campbellsville University (CU) is a private Christian university in Campbellsville, Kentucky. It was founded as Russell Creek Academy and enrolls more than 12,000 students. The university offers associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schreiner University</span> Presbyterian university in Kerrville, Texas

Schreiner University is a private Presbyterian university in Kerrville, Texas. The university enrolls an estimated 1,300 undergraduate and graduate students. It offers over 40 four-year undergraduate programs, an MBA and a master of education. Established in 1923, it has been coeducational since 1932. The university is also home to Schreiner Institute, a college-level service academy preparatory program for those who did not receive appointments or nominations straight out of high school, ROTC, and veteran services. Prior to the founding of the Schreiner Institute, Schreiner University was home to Greystone Preparatory School, a service academy preparatory program, which now operates at the University of the Ozarks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gardner–Webb University</span> University in Boiling Springs, North Carolina

Gardner–Webb University is a private Christian liberal arts university in Boiling Springs, North Carolina. It was founded as Boiling Springs High School in 1905. Gardner-Webb is a classified among "Doctoral/Professional Universities".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northland College (Wisconsin)</span> Private college in Ashland, Wisconsin, US

Northland College is a private college in Ashland, Wisconsin. It enrolls 526 full-time undergraduates and employs 60 faculty members and 99 staff members. Northland College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cliff Harris</span> American football player (born 1948)

Clifford Allen Harris is an American former professional football player who was a safety for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons. A Pro Football Hall of Famer, he appeared in five Super Bowls and was selected to six consecutive Pro Bowls. Harris retired from football at 31 to focus on his work within the oil business.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aurora University</span> Private university in Aurora, Illinois, U.S.

Aurora University (AU) is a private university in Aurora, Illinois, United States. In addition to its main campus, AU offers programs online and at its George Williams College campus in Williams Bay, Wisconsin. Approximately 6,200 students are enrolled in bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs at Aurora University.

Brewton–Parker College is a private Baptist college in Mount Vernon, Georgia, United States. Brewton–Parker was founded in 1904 and is affiliated with the Georgia Baptist Convention.

The University of Sioux Falls (USF) is a private Baptist university in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. It is affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA. In fall 2014, the university enrolled a total of 1,142 undergraduate students and 311 graduate students.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Mount Olive</span> Private Baptist university in Mount Olive, North Carolina, U.S.

The University of Mount Olive is a private university in Mount Olive, North Carolina. Chartered in 1951, the university is sponsored by the Original Free Will Baptist Convention and accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. A member of the NCAA Division II Conference Carolinas, its sports teams compete as the Mount Olive Trojans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henderson State Reddies</span>

The Henderson State Reddies is the school mascot and athletic emblem for Henderson State University, located in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Henderson athletic teams compete in NCAA Division II intercollegiate sports and they are members of the Great American Conference for all 12 varsity sports.

The Ouachita Baptist Tigers football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Ouachita Baptist University located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. The team competes in NCAA Division II and are members of the Great American Conference. Ouachita Baptist's first football team was fielded in 1896. The team plays its home games at Cliff Harris Stadium / Benson-Williams Field in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. The Tigers are coached by Todd Knight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great American Conference</span>

The Great American Conference (GAC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level, with headquarters located in Russellville, Arkansas. Athletic competition began play during the 2011–12 school year. Its twelve all-sports member schools are located in Arkansas and Oklahoma in the South Central United States. In addition, the conference has four affiliate members in men's soccer, two of which are in Kansas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011–12 Great American Conference championships</span>

The Great American Conference sponsors championship events for 12 of its 13 sports. The football champion is the team with the best conference record.

References

  1. ↑ As of June 30, 2009. "U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2009 Endowment Market Value and Percentage Change in Endowment Market Value from FY 2008 to FY 2009" (PDF). 2009 NACUBO-Commonfund Study of Endowments. National Association of College and University Business Officers. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 14, 2017. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "College Navigator - Ouachita Baptist University".
  3. 1 2 Lyon College 1872-2002: the Perseverance and Promise of an Arkansas College (c). University of Arkansas Press. 2003. pp. 392–. ISBN   978-1-61075-255-8.
  4. ↑ "A Brief History of Ouachita". Ouachita Baptist University. Ouachita Baptist University.
  5. ↑ "Best Colleges 2024: National Liberal Arts Colleges". U.S. News & World Report . Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  6. ↑ "2023 Liberal Arts Rankings". Washington Monthly . Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Rankings 2022". The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education . Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  8. ↑ Ouachita Baptist University: Accreditations and Memberships, Retrieved 2012-08-05
  9. ↑ "Ouachita Baptist University". U.S. News & World Report Best College Rankings. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  10. ↑ GAC Press Release, Retrieved 2012-02-28
  11. ↑ "GLVC Wrestling Admits Ouachita Baptist as Associate Member" (Press release). Great Lakes Valley Conference. August 2, 2018. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  12. ↑ "First time for everything | NCAA.com". www.ncaa.com. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.