Ouachita Baptist University
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Ouachita Baptist University is private, liberal arts, undergraduate institution.
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[edit] Location
Ouachita Baptist University (OBU) is 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] Historical Notes
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 OBU due to expansion of the curriculum.
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.
On April 6, 2006 the OBU 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.
[edit] Academics
OBU offers various degree programs including business, education, natural sciences, humanities, social sciences, Christian Studies and Fine Arts. Ouachita was ranked in the top five by U.S. News and World Report for best comprehensive colleges in the South for the sixth consecutive year in 2007.
[edit] Athletics
OBU 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) traditional rival is Henderson State (Reddies). The two Arkadelphia colleges are separated only by a small ravine. They are fierce rivals in a variety of sports. The most storied rivalry -- one of the oldest in college sports -- is the "Battle of the Ravine" football game. This closely-contested series began in 1895.
[edit] Beliefs
OBU 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
- Shelley Breen, Heather Payne, Denise Jones, and Terry Jones of Christian pop music group Point of Grace
- Winston Bryant - Attorney General of Arkansas, 1990 to 1999
- Leon A. Green - notable legal scholar, dean of Northwestern University School of Law
- Cliff Harris - former All-Pro Dallas Cowboys safety
- Frank D. Hickingbotham - founder of TCBY, international frozen yogurt and ice-cream franchise
- William J. Holloway - Governor of Oklahoma, 1929 to 1931
- Mike Huckabee - Governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007
- Susan McDougal - involved in Whitewater scandal, author of The Woman Who Wouldn't Talk
- William Miller - professional football player in the Canadian Football League and the USFL.
- Nell I. Mondy - biochemist and international expert on the potato
- Roger Morgan - partner in Johnson, Sanders & Morgan, city attorney for Mountain Home, Arkansas, Cotter, Arkansas, and Lakeview, Arkansas
- Tommy Patterson - former NBA forward for the Baltimore Bullets
- TJ Bingham - Former NFL player
- John Shirley - Christian recording artist
- Beth Anne Rankin - Miss Arkansas 1994
- Lauren Davidson - Miss Arkansas 2002
[edit] External links
| Gulf South Conference |
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| Western Division: Arkansas Monticello • Arkansas Tech • Christian Brothers • Delta State • Harding • Henderson State • Ouachita Baptist • Southern Arkansas Eastern Division: Alabama Huntsville • Montevallo • North Alabama • Valdosta State • West Alabama • West Florida • West Georgia |
