Ouachita Baptist University recently honored students at its 2019 Academic Awards Banquet. The event recognized various academic and leadership achievements by students throughout the 2018-2019 academic year. The annual banquet is sponsored by Ouachita’s Student Senate.

Carrie Hill, a senior graphic design major from Benton, Ark., was awarded Ouachita’s highest academic honor as the university’s Overall Academic Achiever. Hill also earned top academic achiever in the School of Fine Arts, was honored with the Francie Phelan Outstanding Senior award from the Division of Applied Arts and was recognized as a Carl Goodson Honors Program Blue Ribbon Finisher.
Ouachita’s Senior Outstanding Man is Drew Harris, a kinesiology & leisure studies and education double major from Benton, Ark. Ouachita’s Senior Outstanding Woman is Julia Williams, a mass communications and political science double major from Arkadelphia, Ark. The Outstanding Man and Woman are selected by Ouachita’s faculty and staff. Williams also was named the top academic achiever for the School of Humanities, earned a Publication Award for leading The Signal student newspaper, was a recipient of the Curtis Echols Lion’s Club Scholarship from the W.H. Sutton School of Social Sciences and was recognized as a Carl Goodson Honors Program Blue Ribbon Finisher.
Other top academic achievers in each school include:
  • Hickingbotham School of Business – Lauren Lovelady, a senior finance major from Hot Springs, Ark.
  • Pruet School of Christian Studies – Danielle Osborne, a senior Christian studies/Christian ministries and biblical studies double major from Jonesboro, Ark. Osborne also earned the Outstanding Student in Christian Ministries award.
  • Huckabee School of Education – Brittany Ratliff, a senior mathematics and secondary education double major from Fort Worth, Texas
  • Patterson School of Natural Sciences – Andrew Crook, a senior mathematics major from Little Rock, Ark. Crook also earned the Outstanding Senior – Mathematics award, Outstanding Student in Italian award and was recognized as a Carl Goodson Honors Program Blue Ribbon Finisher.
  • Sutton School of Social Sciences – Wesley Oliver, a senior history and public history double major from Conway, Ark. Oliver also earned the Outstanding Senior R.C. Daily Award.

The Mrs. J.R. Grant Endowed Award for freshman and senior female students were given to Kayla Whittington and Samantha Ortiz. Whittington is a freshman pre-medicine major from North Little Rock, Ark. Ortiz is a senior elementary education major from North Richland Hills, Texas.
The Mrs. Betty Oliver Grant Endowed Awards for sophomore and junior female students went to Sabreena Alfaro and Laura Spradlin. Alfaro is a sophomore Christian studies/Christian missions major from Magazine, Ark. Spradlin is a junior music major from Cordova, Tenn.
Dr. Chris Brune, professor of finance and holder of the George Young Chair of Business, was named by students as the Lavell Cole Most Inspirational Professor.
The Rotary Club Service-Above-Self Award was presented to Anna Claire Goodroe, a senior nutrition/dietetics major from Lucas, Texas.
Individuals honored by the Carl Goodson Honors Program and Ouachita’s seven academic schools include:
CARL GOODSON HONORS PROGRAM
  • Ben Elrod Scholar: Selby Tucker
  • Carl Goodson Scholar: Brooke Sanderford
  • Garrett Ham Scholar: Mattie Dodson
  • Blue Ribbon Finishers: Megan Bayer, Noah Bowman, Hannah Brandon, Logan Clay, Jessica Cook Snelgrove, Mattie Couch, Sarah Cowell, Andrew Crook, Duel Cunningham, Callie Anna Dunlap, Jake Edmondson, Carrie Hill, Mary Grace Hill, Cole Jester, Keeley Johnson, Kailee Jones, Bethany Lenards, Taylor Lymburner, Amy Lytle, Emily Manus, Mallory Mayfield, Evan Nelson, Brittany Parker, Abby Richett, John Thomas Ryan, Hannah Saunders, Colton Sims, Austin Sowerbutts, Lauren Terry, Kaitlyn Thomason, Laura Ward, Dillon Wester, Julia Williams
  • Most Valuable Professor: Amy Sonheim, Johnny Wink
HICKINGBOTHAM SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
  • Lera Kelly Outstanding Senior in Business Administration Award: Esther Horton
  • Margaret Wright Outstanding Senior in Accounting Award: Emma Shortes, Elizabeth Bennett
  • Eddie Ary Outstanding Senior in Finance Award: Chandler Ferrell
  • Johnny Heflin Excellence in Leadership & Academics Award: Abigail Brizuela, Drew Holland
  • Outstanding Business Scholar Athlete: Stormi Leonard, Matthew Ward

PRUET SCHOOL OF CHRISTIAN STUDIES
  • Andrew & Harriet Grant Hall Sophomore Ministerial Award: Laura Beth Warner, Rylie Slone, Cody Cagle
  • Outstanding Student in Biblical Studies: Cole Jester
  • Outstanding Student in Christian Ministries: Danielle Osborne
  • Outstanding Student in Christian Missions: Allyson Edwards
  • Don Harbuck Award for Excellence in Philosophy: Brenton Butcher
  • Preben Vang Award for Christian Theological Studies: Colton Sims, Ryan Graves
  • Elementary Hebrew Award: Phillip Lebsack
  • Old Testament Hebrew Award: Hannah Denninger
  • Zondervan Elementary Greek Award: Abby Putterill
  • Robert Stagg New Testament Greek Award: Nick Quinn
  • Outstanding Student at New Life Church Award: Jarrett Bolden, Joseph Tilley

HUCKABEE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
  • Alice Searcy Award: Caleb Woodfield
  • Outstanding Current Education Sophomores: Jordan Ford (Elementary), Shae Parker (Secondary), Bethany Crawley (K-12)
  • Sylvia Gates Webb Award: Katie Harmon
  • Maude Wright Memorial Award: Gracen Seabaugh
  • Phi Delta Kappa Teachers in Training: Kallie Polk (Elementary), Kailee Stinnett (Middle), Mattie Couch (Secondary)
  • Charles Chambliss Distinguished Educator Award: Ethan Edwards
  • Bob Gravett Outstanding Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Teaching Award: Nikki Clay
  • Tona Wright Outstanding Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Fitness Award: Jessica Williamson
  • Outstanding Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Pre-Professional Studies Award: Callie Tosh
  • Hannah Joy Sullivan Award: Zack Kelley

SCHOOL OF FINE ARTS
  • Francie Phelan Outstanding Senior – Graphic Design: Carrie Hill
  • Raybon-Berry Outstanding Freshman Visual Arts Major: Nicholas Herrington
  • Russell Shad Memorial Art Award for Outstanding Junior: Abby Leal
  • Theatre Arts Outstanding Student Award – Freshman: Danielle Thompson
  • Theatre Arts Outstanding Student Award – Junior: Meagan Woodard
  • Alpha Psi Omega Senior Award: Kenzie Henderson, Michaela Finley
  • Sigma Alpha Iota College Honor Award: Amy Lytle
  • Sigma Alpha Iota Scholarship Award: Danielle Schaal
  • The Presser Scholar: Cayli Campbell
  • Rachel Fuller Scholarship: Ansley McDonald
  • James Harrison Scholarship: Andrew Coop
  • Friends of Fine Art Scholar – Art: Hannah Perkins
  • Friends of Fine Art Scholar – Instrumental: Holi Barger
  • Friends of Fine Art Scholar – Piano: Melissa Lee
  • Friends of Fine Art Scholar – Theatre: Brooklyn Jennings
  • Friends of Fine Art Scholar – Voice: Hannah Anderson

SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES

  • Outstanding Senior English Major: Micah Overstreet
  • Outstanding Junior Louise Searcy Bennett Scholarship Award: Abby Morse
  • Outstanding Sophomore Herman Sandford Scholarship Award: Sara Patterson
  • The Sharpest Speer Award: Haydn Jeffers, Micah Overstreet
  • Bugtruck Gumption Award: Haydn Jeffers
  • Outstanding Junior Spanish Major: Kara DeLaune
  • Outstanding Senior Spanish Major: Sarah Cowell
  • El Tigre Award: Micah Overstreet
  • Outstanding Student in Latin: Tucker Douglass
  • Outstanding Student in German: Mallory Whitson
  • Outstanding Student in Italian: Andrew Crook
  • Bill & Vera Downs Outstanding Sophomore Mass Communications Student Award: Gabby Davis
  • Matt Turner Outstanding Junior Mass Communications Graduate Award: Josh Salim
  • William D. Downs Outstanding Mass Communications Graduate Award: Stormi Leonard
  • Roy Buckelew Outstanding Speech Major Award: Torey Harrison
  • Publications Awards: Addy Goodman (Ouachitonian), Julia Williams (Signal), Ethan Dial (Online Signal), Alex Blankenship (Photo Lab), Ashton Spence (Video Production)

PATTERSON SCHOOL OF NATURAL SCIENCES

  • Outstanding Freshman Biology Award: Thomas Harrington
  • Richard H. Brown Biology Award: Jakob Cuellar, Noa Cuellar
  • Outstanding Senior in Biology Award: Jake Edmondson
  • Outstanding Dietetics & Nutrition Award: Hannah Neago
  • Freshman Chemistry Award: Cade Haynie
  • Ethel & Nell Mondy and E.A. Provine Scholar: Alex Podguzov
  • Outstanding Graduate in Chemistry: Keeley Johnson
  • Harvey Research Award: Danielle Schaal
  • Rowland Memorial Award, Outstanding Senior – Mathematics: Andrew Crook
  • Rowland Memorial Award, Outstanding Senior – Math Education: Brittany Ratliff
  • Rowland Memorial Award, Outstanding Senior – Physics: Austin Connolly
  • Rowland Memorial Award, Academic Excellence – Math Education: Grace Kemp
  • Rowland Memorial Award, Academic Excellence – Physics: Keeley Johnson
  • Rowland Memorial Award, Academic Excellence – Computer Science: Caleb Webb
  • Mathematics Ambassador Award: Mattie Couch
  • Compassionate Scientist Award: Sarah Cowell

W. H. SUTTON SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

  • Everett Slavens Award to Outstanding Sophomore: Caleb McAdams
  • Lavell Cole Award to Outstanding Future Teacher: Josh Neago
  • Fran Coulter Award to Outstanding Junior: Austin Clements
  • R.C. Daily Award to Outstanding Senior: Wesley Oliver
  • Phi Alpha Theta Award for Outstanding Research Paper: Aaron East
  • Bob Riley Outstanding Graduate in Political Science Award: Cole Jester
  • Curtis Echols Lion’s Club Scholarship: Julia Williams
  • Psychology Faculty Award: Sandy Swanson, Lila Buchanan, Faith Moore
  • Zeitgeist Award: Lindsey Crowder, Kelsey O’Brien
  • Weldon Vogt Outstanding Psychology Senior Award: John Clay, Logan Clay
  • Outstanding Graduating Senior Sociology Award: Grace Howell, Maronica Howard
  • Justice Seeker: Davis Wadley, Melody Pruitt