By Madelyn Tullos, Online Editor-in-Chief
Dust collects on objects left untouched. It settles where motion stops. The tops of the fan blades, edges of forgotten picture frames, and the window sill when the sunlight hits just right. It gathers in quiet piles on countertops, waiting to be brushed away. Dust is the residue of absence, a sign that life has passed by with zero interaction. When no one reaches for a book, the bookshelf becomes a magnet for dust; its stillness marking the space where hands and curiosity once lived. Shelves collect dust when they are forgotten. The opposite is true for objects which are beloved; their surfaces paint a different picture, worn and marked by repeated attention. Dust is what remains when rhythm disappears. Consistency is dust’s biggest rival. It is a quiet force that keeps surfaces alive and keeps life in motion.
The alarm sounds and ends. The morning begins with his coffee in one hand and his Bible in the other. An intentional moment with the Lord and then a familiar drive to campus. The office door opens and a prayer is lifted for the lives he will touch that day. By the time it’s shut, hours later, the fruitful conversations from the day are in abundance. He takes the ride in reverse and spends the evening with one who has watched this pattern repeat for a lifetime. The rhythm slows but does not stop. An alarm is set and the routine begins again. This steady faithful routine has shaped the life and the legacy of Dr. Scott Duvall for more than 30 years. It’s because of this rhythm that dust never settles on the lives he touches. Every student, every conversation and every book carries the imprint of his constancy. He leaves no shelf forgotten and no surface untouched.
After more than three decades in the classroom, Duvall is preparing to close a large chapter in his life. Ouachita has been a part of his story for quite some time. He walked its halls and was shaped by its walls. As a graduating senior, he knew he wanted to go back and teach if the opportunity presented itself. He specifically wanted to pour into students in their formative years.
“I was interested in life formation,” Duvall said. And he’s done just that. Because of this desire, in 1989 he returned to his alma mater and took the role in front of the seats he was once sitting in. Being a professor in his thirties made him feel like he needed to prove himself. He remembers grading hard and pushing his students.
“As I’ve gotten older I’ve softened and focused more on the bigger picture,” Duvall explained. He has shifted from being academically rigorous to placing more of an emphasis on life. He has learned throughout the years that if you move too far into application and direction then you’re not serving the students well. You have to find a balance and leave space for growth.This formula must be working for him when you look at the amount of lives he has touched in his 37 years.
All 37 of those years have been done alongside his faithful bride Judy Duvall. The two met as students when Scott was a senior and Judy a freshman. A mutual friend made the introduction in the cafeteria and Christian Focus Week hosted their next conversations as they attended the sessions together. What first stood out to Judy about him was his faith. “His love for the Lord, his gentle spirit, and, of course, he was very handsome,” Judy described. They both held their time at Ouachita very special to them, but neither imagined they would return and dedicate their lives to serving this campus.
“When we left, we carried OBU with us,” Judy said. “But we didn’t have this future in our sights.” This career path may have taken them by surprise, but as they begin to reflect on this time, they are both filled with mixed emotions. As retirement approaches, the rhythm that once defined his life is going to change cadences. His consistency has kept the dust at bay, but this steady pace of motion is going to look different moving forward and this thought produces gratitude and grief.
“I’m really sad,” Duvall choked back tears. “I’ve had some amazing students with amazing moments in the classroom learning some pretty cool things.” He does not grieve the title. He will not miss the office nor the routine itself. It is the people. The relationships. The conversations. Judy explained that Duvall has a very tender heart and loves with his entire heart.
“You can go in and teach the material but there is something about entering into the lives of the people you teach and actually seeing and caring about them,” Judy said. That’s what Duvall does and has done for many years now. His heart is drawn to people. “He has a natural gift for teaching and communication, but it doesn’t stop there.” Judy noted. “He has a way of caring for students’ spiritual health, emotional health, and futures.” She has had a front row seat to his ministry in the classroom but also walks in stride with him through life.
Jesus is at the center of the Duvalls’ marriage. “He is the cornerstone and the bed rock,” Judy said. She made the distinction that their lives and marriage are imperfect, but that everything about their relationship goes back to the Lord. One thing she admires about her husband is that he is a true servant. “Most afternoons when I come home he has folded the clothes, texted me what he can pick up at the store and helped with household details,” Judy said. “He is just the real deal and the person you see in class is truly the person he is.” As someone who has known him for most of his life, Judy’s emphasis that he is very authentic stands true. She has watched him serve his students day in and day out. She noted the hours he spends in preparation and grading. While she does not read the papers, she knows how proud he is of the students he teaches. “I watch him believe in students and I’m so glad he’s been able to use this gift God has given him to impact so many lives.”
The Duvalls find joy in pouring into students. They live a life of service and have dedicated it to the Lord. While their time at Ouachita might be coming to an end, they leave behind a legacy that will never be erased. They have had a rich experience of working alongside a community of individuals who love them and love Jesus deeply. It is hard to leave a place that houses so many fond memories, but it’s a testament to both of them that they will never be forgotten.
It is Judy’s desire that students will remember her husband as one who loved God with his whole heart and loved them deeply out of this love. It is evident how much she adores her husband and because she knows he would never say it himself, she hopes students recognize “what a privilege it was to be under such a biblical scholar.” Duvall’s humility is evident in his response to this same question. How do you hope students remember you? “I’m just hoping they do,” Duvall answered. “It is hard resisting the temptation to think that everyone is going to forget about me.” Those who know and love him can assure him this will never happen. He will be remembered as one who helped so many figure out life. He not only taught the scriptures but was an example of how to live them out. After years of teaching thousands of students Duvall’s perspective rests in “hopefully it was a job well done.”
Dr. Duvall was the first dean of the Pruet School of Christian Studies. He has watched it become a school that has grown and touched a lot of people’s lives. “I don’t want to stop teaching, I’m just retiring from OBU,” Duvall said. He plans to start a podcast in the future to be able to leave people encouraged each day. He will appear at conferences in churches and does not plan to stop writing anytime soon. “One thing I can confidently say is I will not miss the bureaucracy side of this role,” Duvall said. He will miss the people but not the administrative details and responsibilities. One thing he is looking forward to is having no alarm in the morning. His schedule will be more flexible for his precious grandkids and those he loves. His retirement is well deserved after the years he has dedicated to Berry. Knowing his nature, this will not be the last time he walks the halls of Ouachita.
For 37 years, the alarm sounded inviting him back to the calling of his life. He answered it not for recognition or applause, not to go through the motions and certainly not for the paycheck. He did it for the lives of the students. Retirement will change the beat of his day to day, but this does not undo the years he already lived. This does not erase the prayers whispered behind a closed office door. This does not dismiss the conversations that stretched past the class hour; the steady presence that kept classrooms attentive and engaging. When asked what he wants people to remember about him, Duvall does not list the accomplishments of his books or accolades of his teachings. Instead, with tears in his eyes, he offers something far simpler. “Just don’t forget about me. We’ve had a good run.” A simple request from a man who never worked to make a name for himself, but to make a difference and shape the lives of students. J. Scott Duvall is a name that will be remembered, never left long enough for dust to settle.
