Ouachita Baptist University Scholarly Commons @ Ouachita Alumni Magazine Ouachita Alumni Fall 2009 The Ouachita Circle Fall 2009 Ouachita Baptist University Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarlycommons.obu.edu/alumni_mag Recommended Citation University, Ouachita Baptist, "The Ouachita Circle Fall 2009" (2009). Alumni Magazine. Book 14. http://scholarlycommons.obu.edu/alumni_mag/14 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Ouachita Alumni at Scholarly Commons @ Ouachita. It has been accepted for inclusion in Alumni Magazine by an authorized administrator of Scholarly Commons @ Ouachita. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ouachita FALL 2009 DISCOV ERY The Chilean connection Remembering Dr. Coppenger Discovery expands horizons “Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has Discovery is an essential ingredient in Ouachita’s educational process. Whether it is academic discovery in the classroom, spiritual discovery through diverse seen and thinking what ministry opportunities or personal discovery through countless growth nobody has thought.” experiences, Ouachita’s commitment to the love of God and the love of learning provides an ideal environment for students to discover and explore new horizons. Albert Szent-Gyorgyi Highlighting the university’s call to “Discover the Ouachita Difference … academically, spiritually, personally,” this issue of The Ouachita Circle is dedicated to the pivotal role of discovery in the lives of students, faculty, staff, alumni and “The beginning of knowledge friends of Ouachita. is the discovery of something The Circle’s lead article by Dr. Lori Hensley, assistant professor of biology, emphasizes that “discovery begins when we admit what we don’t know.” By we do not understand.” recognizing that knowledge and understanding are “processes more akin to Frank Herbert puzzles than road maps,” she adds, “we learn to persist through challenge and welcome the joy inherent in ongoing discoveries of ourselves and our world.” Discovery at Ouachita ranges from discovering the inviting setting of the new Student Village (pages 5-6) to lessons learned by a team of students involved in “All truths are easy to understand a recent mission study trip to Santiago, Chile (page 8). Affirming the impact of once they are discovered; the the international missions experience in the lives of students, faculty sponsor Ray Franklin said, “Trips like this enable students to learn things which cannot be point is to discover them.” taught in the classroom: culture, language, travel, ministry, etc.” And that is the Galileo Galilei essence of discovery. On a practical level, the pages of The Circle also enable Ouachita alumni to discover details about one another’s lives and to reconnect with friends from bygone days. Such was the case for Hapi Wanje (’85), a facilitator for Mission of Mercy Kenya, who was among alumni featured in the Summer 2009 issue of “The art of teaching is the art The Circle. “I want to thank you for the story in the magazine,” he wrote. “I have of assisting discovery.” been able to connect with a few friends with whom we have not been in touch for years.” He added that the article “helped my friends learn about Mission of Mark Van Doren Mercy, which is a plus.” Such moments of discovery are significant indeed. For our faithful readers of The Ouachita Circle, allow me to share one other note about the magazine. The Circle recently was honored by the Arkansas chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators with a pair of Bronze Quill Awards of Merit – one for general excellence and one for “Make your ear attentive to publication design. This follows our earlier announcement of The Circle earning wisdom, incline your heart to national recognition from Baptist Communicators Association. We are pleased to produce an award-winning publication aimed at helping readers “Discover the understanding. ... Then you will Ouachita Difference.” discern the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God.” Proverbs 2:2, 5 Trennis Henderson Vice President for Communications President Rex M. Horne, Jr. Vice President for Communications Editor Trennis Henderson Assistant Director of Communications Associate Editor Brooke Showalter Zimny Vice President for Institutional Advancement Wesley Kluck External Director of Alumni Chris Babb Internal Director of Alumni Lauren Land The Ouachita Circle is a publication of Ouachita Baptist University’s alumni and 2 4 10 communications offices. Send address changes and class notes to the Alumni Office: 410 Ouachita St. OBU Box 3762 2 Discovering new worlds of learning Arkadelphia, AR 71998-0001 Dr. Lori Hensley, assistant professor of biology, explores how the process of research and E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 870-245-5506 discovery produces a valuable sense of accomplishment. Contact the Communications Office: E-mail: [email protected] 4 Student Village ushers in “new era” Phone: 870-245-5208 The dedication of Ouachita’s new student housing facilities was a university milestone. “This is Printed by Twin City Printing and Litho, Inc. in North Little Rock, Ark. a completion,” President Horne declared, “but more than that, this is a great beginning.” Cover photo by Callie Stephens, a junior mass communications major from Conway, Ark. 7 Defining the Ouachita difference Campus leaders discuss Ouachita’s commitment to help a new generation of students discover Board of Trustees Curtis Arnold Mollie Morgan the Ouachita difference academically, spiritually and personally. Phil Baldwin Betty F. Oliver Clay Conly J.D. Patterson Julie Dodge Faron Rogers 8 Hands-on missions in Chile Lewis Eady Phillip W. Smith Jay Heflin Rita Spillyards A team of students in Ouachita’s Pruet School of Christian Studies gained valuable Frank Hickingbotham William H. Sutton international ministry experience during a recent mission trip to Santiago, Chile. Craig Jenkins Jeff Teague Taylor King Ray Turnage Larry Kircher Susan Wamble Richard Lusby John Ward 10 Homecoming 2009: Tigers & Tunes Joe Bill Meador Gene Whisenhunt Students, faculty and alumni celebrated a jam-packed Homecoming week that featured National Directors a live tiger at OcTigerFest and a Tiger Tunes victory by Campus Ministries. Mike Buster James V. Kelley Chancellor Ben M. Elrod President Emeritus Daniel R. Grant Ouachita Alumni Advisory Board President Suzanne Duke Franklin First Vice President Rick Briscoe Second Vice President Sharon Francis Plyler 9 Sports Update: Lady Tigers named top academic team in Division II women’s softball Arkansas Advisors: Kelly Patterson Baldwin, Janet Ehren Gathright, Euodias 12 Campus Update: Ouachita wins inaugural Battle of the Ravine Blood Drive Goza, Rebecca Meggs Harris, Nathan Hurst, Kale Magness, Tom Murphree, Scott 16 Class Notes: Dr. Raymond Coppenger’s life and legacy span 100 years Snider, Heather Brandon Spruill, Terri Bell Swedenburg, Sheri McMullan Swindler and 22 Faculty Profile: Dr. Gary Gerber coordinates annual Festival of Christmas extravaganza Mel Thrash Out-of-State Advisors: Gray Allison, Sarah 23 Staff Profile: Joey Licklider keeps things running smoothly behind the scenes at JPAC Atkinson Bennett, Angela Harris Kilgore, Scott Meador, Christine Roberson Street, 24 Closing Thoughts: Dr. Horne emphasizes that discovery sparks lifelong learning Eric Torrence and Jan Mitchell Williams DISCOVERY Discovery helps open doors to new worlds of learning by Lori Hensley s a mother of two young boys, I am Unfortunately, this can make us unwilling missing?” or most simply “What is that?” Awitness to ongoing discovery. My 2-year- to take chances and face failure. We learn We want our students walking away with old asks “What’s that?” hundreds of times to play things safe. However, by recognizing more than a degree. We want them to gain a a day, and I marvel at the precious light in that knowledge and understanding are sense of understanding of themselves, their his eyes as he learns new words and gains processes more akin to puzzles than road times and the world in which we all live. In the understanding of the world around him. That maps, we learn to persist through challenge “getting” of life, the “getting” of understanding motivates me to ignite that same light in the and welcome the joy inherent in ongoing seems among the most important things we eyes of my students. discoveries of ourselves and our world. can acquire. If our students leave here unable Discovery begins when we admit what we Aristotle observed that all people desire to to see the world with new eyes and not open don’t know. This questioning admission opens know; Ouachitonians would agree. The art of to discovery, we have failed them. doors to more questions and eventually to teaching, in many ways, models and instills a Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming understanding. life of inquiry. Modeling and instilling discovery and his colleagues were awarded a Nobel Yet we have all come of age in a culture allows students to recognize that fear and Prize in 1945 for the discovery of penicillin. that puts a premium on being right. For frustration accompany the process alongside Fleming is reported observing that he didn’t example, when as students we focused the desire to solve the problem. We search wake up planning to revolutionize medicine on making a grade rather than acquiring for understanding, it eludes us, we search on Sept. 28, 1928, but persistent questioning understanding, we are treating knowledge and again and again and search again. Thus the and