By Avery Walker, Staff Writer
Homecoming week at Ouachita was filled with festivities, all about connecting family, students and alumni. Marked by events like Tiger Tunes, parties and a record-breaking field goal, this homecoming was certainly one to remember. For Abby Mosely, it was even more so.
On October 12, 2024, right before Ouachita’s game against Southeastern Oklahoma University, Abby Mosely, representing the Women of Tri Chi, was crowned homecoming queen, cheered on by her friends and family.
Mosley has a long history of being involved at Ouachita. In addition to studying secondary math education, she is the president of Tri Chi, a ministry leader with Campus Ministries, a member of the education society Kappa Delta Phi and now, homecoming queen. Mosley described the experience of being crowned. “I was definitely shocked,” Mosley said. “There were so many amazing girls [on court]. It didn’t feel real.”
At Ouachita, the homecoming queen and her court are an embodiment of the school and its values. They are girls who are involved on campus, passionate about what they do and those they represent, and most importantly, a picture of a Christ-centered life. These girls are recognized by their peers through a long process of nominations and votes, and finally, the homecoming queen is chosen as the one who best exhibits these qualities.
Malea Boreland, 4th runner up, explained what she believes the homecoming court should symbolize. “Homecoming court should represent people who have poured into others here on campus as well as different organizations,” Boreland said. “It should be less about popularity and more about virtue and service.”
Alongside being a picture of involvement and Christ-centeredness, the homecoming court represents the interconnectedness of all Ouachitonians, from current students to alumni. Mosley’s story is a perfect example of this aspect of OBU, and the way homecoming celebrates it.
“My mom was on court her senior year, and my dad was there supporting her,” Mosley said. “There’s a picture of them together. Having my dad come back to walk me was a very full circle moment.”
This special moment would not have been possible without the hard work of Student Life and the Student Senate. Heather Dunavan and Grace Sexton, co-chairs of special events on Student Senate, were primarily in charge of putting on this event. Throughout the month, they worked behind the scenes, buying the homecoming crown, ordering flowers, compiling the names of nominees, coordinating with student life development, getting tickets for girls and families for homecoming and supervising all the people and organizations involved in homecoming. Dunavan described the flexibility necessary for this job.
“This year’s court was so good,” Dunavan explained. “That’s why we had so many ties. We didn’t know how many runner-ups there were until the day before, so we had to hurry and buy more flowers.”
Sexton added that although the month was busy, they received plenty of support. “We had some great cheerleaders,” Sexton said.
Ultimately, everyone’s hard work paid off as the homecoming court was a success. “It was so sweet to see it pay off,” Dunavan said. “Everything went so smoothly and everyone did a great job.”
The student senate was aided by Allison Kizzia, director of student life. Kizzia explained homecoming’s significance to Ouachita and all it represents. “Ouachita is unique in the way that we emphasize it being ‘homecoming and family weekend,’ with Tiger Tunes and places where alumni can see each other,” Kizzia said. “[Homecoming] is a time to catch up on the stories that started when we were here together. It is important to remember who we are and what shapes us, and how OBU has had a continuing legacy in this process.”
From Moseley’s full-circle crowning, the cooperation of those who worked hard to put on the event and more broadly, the reunion of students, teachers and alumni, homecoming court was an event representative of the heart of Ouachita.
Moseley will return next year to crown the new homecoming queen, carrying on the legacy of her parents and of Ouachita as a whole.
