Justin Hardin, vice president for academic affairs and professor of biblical studies (left), presents William White (right) with an award for being the top academic achiever in the Patterson School of Natural Sciences. White was also named the university’s 2026 Overall Academic Achiever. | OBU photo by Joshua Rhine
By CHASE HARTSELL | OBU News Bureau
Ouachita Baptist University recognized student achievement in the classroom and beyond at its annual Academic Awards Ceremony in Jones Performing Arts Center on Friday, May 1.
William White, a biomedical sciences major from Little Rock, Arkansas, received Ouachita’s highest academic honor as this year’s Overall Academic Achiever. He was also named the top academic achiever in the Patterson School of Natural Sciences.
Olivia Beene, a communication sciences & disorders major from Enola, Arkansas, was selected as the university’s Outstanding Senior Woman. Nathan Clark, a history and secondary education double major from Longview, Texas, was the Outstanding Senior Man. He was also recognized as a Carl Goodson Honors Program Blue Ribbon Finisher and received both the Department of Education’s Kathy Collins “Spirit of Teaching” Award and the Department of History’s Outstanding Future Teacher Award. Ouachita’s Outstanding Senior Woman and Outstanding Senior Man are chosen by faculty and staff.
The top academic achievers in other schools included:
- Hickingbotham School of Business – Colson McKinney, an accounting and finance double major from Arkadelphia, Arkansas
- Pruet School of Christian Studies – Noah Terry, a Christian studies/biblical studies & theology and biblical languages double major from Arkadelphia, Arkansas
- Huckabee School of Education – Jameson Flatt, a kinesiology/pre-professional studies major from Blossom, Texas
- School of Humanities – Joshua Engle, a communications & media/film major from Clarksville, Arkansas
- School of Performing Arts – Angela Hibbard, a music major from Crossett, Arkansas
- Sutton School of Social Sciences – Bri Fehr, a history and political science double major from Fort Worth, Texas
Recipients of the J.R. Grant Endowed Awards for freshman and senior female students were Janna Moellenhoff and Addison Skelton, respectively. Moellenhoff is from Wildwood, Missouri, and is in the pre-professional program for veterinary medicine. Skelton is an elementary education major from Idabel, Oklahoma.
The Mrs. Betty Oliver Grant Endowed Awards for sophomore and junior female students went to Madison Holmes and Kylie Kisgen, respectively. Holmes is a biology major from Cabot, Arkansas. Kisgen is a communications & media major from Belleville, Illinois.
Eden Beasley and Justin Shaw were announced as Annie Abrams Scholars. Beasley is a senior music major from Benton, Arkansas. Shaw is a junior music industry major from Little Rock, Arkansas.
The Most Inspirational Professor Award was presented to Tracy Bell, associate professor of psychology.
Individuals honored by the Carl Goodson Honors Program and Ouachita’s seven academic schools included:
CARL GOODSON HONORS PROGRAM
- Ben Elrod Scholar: Silvi Cardona
- Garrett Ham Scholar: Zachary Wigginton
- Carl Goodson Scholar: Mark Kennedy
- Honors Council Scholar: Ella Blakely
- Blue Ribbon Finishers: Hannah Boswell, Riley Braziel, Adam Burke, Carson Burks, Morgan Callaway, Mika Celicourt, Chapman Cooper, Nathan Clark, Ella Davis, Madilyn Davis, Nadia Denman, Blake Dickenson, Ashley Dillman, Owen Dodd, Payton Dumas, Heather Dunavan, Jackson Edds, Joshua Engle, Hannah Goodrum, Zoë Graham, Maggie Gregory, Clara Griggs, Elizabeth Hahn, Russ Hensley, Angela Hibbard, Elise Knight, Jadie Langston, Nathan Price, Samuel Sexton, Ethan Smith, Tatum Smith, Breanne Steinfeldt, Raegan Swindle, Fritz Vetter, Clay West, William White and Landon Wright
- Most Valuable Professors: Olivia Owens and Dr. Sharon Hamilton
HICKINGBOTHAM SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
- Johnny Heflin Excellence in Leadership & Academics Award: Connor Radabaugh and Kodee Batchelor
- Outstanding Business Scholar Athlete: Ramon Strassmann and James Savarese
Department of Accounting & Finance
- Margaret Wright Outstanding Senior in Accounting Award: Grant Greenway and Caden Jenkins
- Eddie Ary Outstanding Senior in Finance Award: Tyler Andruss
Department of Business Administration
- Dr. Lera Kelly Outstanding Senior in Business Administration Award: Chloe Lane
PRUET SCHOOL OF CHRISTIAN STUDIES
Department of Biblical Studies & Theology
- Outstanding Student in Biblical Studies: Noah Terry
- Preben Vang Award for Christian Theological Studies: Angela Terry
- Biblical Hebrew Award: Peyton Macejewski
- Robert Stagg New Testament Greek Award: Jenna Case
Department of Christian Ministries and Missions
- Outstanding Student in Christian Ministries: Lillian Felton
- Outstanding Student in Christian Missions: Lilianne McDonald
Department of Philosophy
- Don Harbuck Award for Excellence in Philosophy: Angela Terry
Community & Family Services
- Community & Family Services Award: Zoë Graham
HUCKABEE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
Department of Education
- Alice Searcy Award: Nikki Van Druff
- Outstanding Current Education Sophomores: Audrey Herrell (elementary), Emma Collier (MSED) and Sydney Davis (SCED)
- Sylvia Gates Webb Award: Kaitlyn Dutton
- Maude Wright Memorial Award: Grace Hawthorne
- Phi Delta Kappa Teachers in Training: Anna White (elementary), Kiley James (elementary), Kaylee Smith (middle), Reese Hargrove (secondary), Cade Knoernschild (K-12) and Jacie Anderson (K-12)
- Charles Chambliss Distinguished Educator Award: Abi Forbes and Allyson Robbins
- Kathy Collins “Spirit of Teaching” Award: Nathan Clark
Department of Kinesiology
- Bob Gravett Outstanding Kinesiology Teaching Award: Madeleine Tipton
- Tona Wright Outstanding Exercise Science Award: Joey Babel
- Outstanding Kinesiology Pre-Professional Studies Award: Ava Dunagan, Christian Kratz and Jadie Langston
- Outstanding Kinesiology Recreation and Sports Ministry Award: Cable Glenn
- Outstanding Kinesiology Recreation and Sports Administration Award: Peyton Church
SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES
Rosemary Adams Department of Art & Design
- Francie Phelan Outstanding Senior: Cade Knoernschild and Bryce Benson
- Raybon-Berry Outstanding Freshman: Halle Browning
- Russell Shad Memorial Award for Outstanding Art & Design Junior: Emily Yokem
Department of Language & Literature
- Outstanding Senior English Major: Reese Hargrove
- Betty Raspberry McCommas Outstanding Junior in English Scholarship Award: Jake Ayotte
- Outstanding Sophomore Herman Sandford Scholarship Award: Matt Murray
- Betty Raspberry McCommas Outstanding Freshman in English Scholarship Award: Jordyn Purtle
- The Sharpest Speer Award: Ashton Arnold, Owen Dodd and Reese Hargrove
- Susan and Johnny Wink Scholarship: Cameron Self
- Bugtruck Award for Outstanding Departmental Service: Ashton Arnold
- Outstanding Junior Spanish Major: Cameron Self and Blaise Batson
- Outstanding Senior Spanish Book Award: Zoë Graham and Leah Gamble
- El Tigre Award: Lilly Moseley and Nathan Wardlow
William Fenna & Emily Rogers Department of Communications
- Melissa and Denver Peacock Outstanding Sophomore Communications Student Award: Josiah Wooten
- Matt Turner Outstanding Junior Communications Major Award: Madelyn Tullos and Gavin Wallace
- William D. Downs Outstanding Communications Graduate Award: Jacie Sellars
- Roy Buckelew Outstanding Communications Studies Award: Lilly Roddy
- Publications Awards: Jacie Sellars (Signal); Madelyn Tullos (Online Signal); Ellie Bennett and Hayden Wylie (Ouachitonian); Joshua Rhine and Matthew Correll (Photo Lab); Joshua Engle and Lily Roddy (OBUTV Arts and Culture); Lucy Barrera and Lexi Lunsford (Ouachita News Show); Isaac Bourne, Gavin Wallace and Madeleine Koelzer (OSDN)
PATTERSON SCHOOL OF NATURAL SCIENCES
Department of Biological Sciences
- Outstanding Freshman Biology Award: Taylor Shelton
- Richard H. Brown Biology Award: Jansen Garner
- Outstanding Senior in Biology Award: Clay West and William White
Department of Chemistry
- Freshman Chemistry Award: Margaret Catherine White
- Ethel & Nell Mondy and E.A. Provine Scholar: Noah Embry
- Outstanding Graduate in Chemistry: Elise Knight and Tatum Smith
- Harvey Research Award: Elise Knight
- American Chemical Society Outstanding Student in Organic Chemistry: Elise Knight
Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders
- Compassionate Scientist Award: Elizabeth Hahn
Department of Nursing
- Academic Excellence – Nursing: Kennedy McGuire
- Florence Nightingale’s Spirit of Human Kindness: Elle Riendeau
- Most Likely to Exceed: Julia Lance
Department of Nutrition & Dietetics
- Outstanding Dietetics & Nutrition Award: Maggie Gregory
Department of Physics & Engineering / Department of Mathematics & Computer Sciences: Rowland Memorial Awards
- Outstanding Senior – Mathematics: Tatum Smith
- Outstanding Senior – Physics and Engineering: Dylan Horton and Anna Claire Powers
- Outstanding Senior – Computer Science: Olivia Jenkins
- Academic Excellence – Mathematics: Tatum Smith
- Academic Excellence – Computer Science: Kodee Batchelor
- Academic Excellence – Physics: Tanner Nelson
- Mathematics Ambassador Award: Cade Martin
SCHOOL OF PERFORMING ARTS
Division of Applied Arts
- Theatre Arts Outstanding Design/Tech Student Award – Freshman: Elisha Leake
- Theatre Arts Outstanding Student Award – Freshman: Jordyn Purtle
- Theatre Arts Outstanding Student Award – Junior: Virginia Waterman
- Alpha Psi Omega Senior Award: Nathan Price
- Alpha Psi Omega Outstanding Service: Kenzie Tatum
Division of Music
- William Yick Collegiate Award: Valerie Barnthson
- The Presser Scholar: Dani Schager
- Rachel Fuller Scholarship: Kate Kelley and Karlie Johnson
- James Harrison Scholarship: Sophie McFarland, JP Walterhouse and Olivia Wreyford
Friends of Performing Arts Scholars
- Instrumental: Ian Dwyer
- Theatre: Gavin Anders
- Voice: Grace Wells
SUTTON SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
Department of History
- Everett Slavens Award to Outstanding Sophomore: Caleb Greenwich
- Fran Coulter Award to Outstanding Junior: Kivion Seals
- R.C. Daily Award to Outstanding Senior: Braden Tucker
- History Faculty Award: Chloe Jamora
- Phi Alpha Theta Award for Outstanding Research Paper: Bradley Dovel
- Outstanding Future Teacher Award: Nathan Clark
Department of Political Science
- Bob Riley Outstanding Graduate in Political Science Award: Ally Hylkema
Department of Psychology
- Psychology Faculty Award: Isabella Lewallen
- Zeitgeist Award: Blythe Hutchison
- Weldon Vogt Outstanding Psychology Senior Award: Rebecca Danuwar
Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice
- Outstanding Junior in Sociology and Criminal Justice Award: Addrie Gray
- Outstanding Graduating Senior in Sociology and Criminal Justice Award: Sydney Babb