In an effort to highlight service at the heart of campus life, Ouachita Baptist University held its annual University Community Service Awards on April 22. The event was hosted on campus by the Ben M. Elrod Center for Family and Community. Ian Cosh, director of the Ben M. Elrod Center for Family and Community and assistant to the president for community development, set the tone for the evening with his opening words on service.
“The awards banquet allows the university to honor the many students, faculty and staff who serve in ways that often go unnoticed throughout the year,” said Cosh. “The Elrod Center is committed to raising the service profile of Ouachita as an institution where learning involves learning to become a person of compassion and caring.…Our theme this year has been ‘Service: A Way of Life,’ and it captures what we are trying to achieve through our programs.” The evening highlighted this year’s service work conducted by students and faculty, as well as the dedication of those in the community.
The Community Service Excellence Award is presented to an individual who is committed to making the community of Arkadelphia a better place and who leads the way in promoting and exhibiting a spirit of volunteerism. This year’s recipients were Mr. Jimmy Bolt, Arkadelphia city manager, and Rev. Jerry and Mrs. Barbara Schleiff. Bolt was recognized for his service to the community and efforts to see Arkadelphia succeed and continue to be “a great place to call home.” The Schleiffs were recognized for their service to international students and missionary kids. Cosh said, “These adults are living examples of the fact that a life of service brings its own reward.”
The Foster Grandparents Program Award is given to the program’s volunteer of the year, recognizing an individual’s excellence in serving. This year’s award was given to Mrs. Mary Lewis Hunter of Sparkman, Ark. Over the past 19 years she has served more than 13,000 hours in Arkadelphia schools and the Sparkman ABC program. Her dedication and selflessness have allowed her to impact many people in the community.
Miki Arkhipova, a senior psychology major from Moscow, Russia, was the recipient of the International Student Award. The award was presented to her for outstanding service contribution to fellow students. Also recognized were students Cami Jones and Daniel Graham for their outstanding hours of service. Jones is a sophomore early childhood education and Spanish major from Mansfield, Texas. She has 256 hours of service documented for the 2007-2008 school year. Her hours of service have been spent planning Tiger Serve Day, tutoring in Arkadelphia schools, as well as volunteering at the Clark County Humane Society, Clark County Food Bank and more. Graham is a junior business management major from Richardson, Texas. He has 344 hours of service documented for the 2007-2008 school year. His hours of service have been spent playing with kids at Backyard Bible Club, participating in Tiger Serve Day, leading a Freshmen Family Group and volunteering with Fellowship Church Youth and Children.
Others recognized for their service were volunteers of America Reads/America Counts, ElderServe, Campus Ministries, Community Outreach Program through English and those who are a part of the TranServe program, allowing their documented service hours to be placed on their transcript.
For more information about service opportunities at Ouachita, please contact the Ben M. Elrod Center for Family and Community at (870) 245-5320.
