Since 1998, Ouachita student organizations have had the opportunity to apply each semester for Kluck Student Enrichment Grants, or KSEGs. These grants, which average between $250 and $300 per organization, are used to maximize student involvement in the community and to enhance student growth.
The recipients were announced through a campus-wide email Oct. 11 and have been awarded $2000 to several new projects.
This semester’s student representatives and their organizations are: Tara Cruse and the Tri Chi Women’s Social Club, $100; Brooke Schaefer and the Big Brother/Big Sister program, $550; Katie Potts and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, $200; Daniel Graham and the Campus Ministries/Backyard Bible Club, $350; Shannon Eubanks and the Ouachita Student Educators Association, $300; Samantha Frank and the Campus Ministries Internationals, $300, and Lindsey Reynolds, Program Design and Management, $200.
These organizations will use their grants in a variety of ways, which range from OSEA’s Race for Books last weekend, which helped supply children’s books for Arkadelphia libraries and classrooms, to CMI’s project of feeding students at a Japanese Bible Study.
Tri Chi women’s social club used their money to spread school spirit by sending encouraging notes, snacks and goodie bags to students on the soccer, football, volleyball, cross country, swimming and diving teams.
“We really wanted to find a way to show the athletes that we still care and that we love and support them,” said Tri Chi spirit officer Tara Cruse, a junior Christian studies and Christian ministries major. “To see their appreciation and excitement at the little things has been amazing and it shows that our efforts really do make a difference in their Ouachita experience.”
Sophomore nutrition and dietetics major Katie Potts of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes said that FCA has applied for and been blessed with receiving this grant each year. “We use this grant to help supply refreshments at our meetings and to pay speakers that come to talk to our athletes,” she said. “Our goal in FCA is to reach out to Christian athletes on campus to build their faith in hopes that they can reach out to other athletes and students.”
Another group, the Program Management and Design class, will use their funds to sponsor six activities for students, including table tennis, a Wii competition, and a rock-paper-scissors tournament. PMD will also use their grant to teach indoor climbing to local students participating in the Arkadelphia Alternative Classroom Experience.
The Big Brother/Big Sister program was awarded a KSEG grant which will provide T-shirts for Ouachita students and their “little brothers and sisters.”
“The little brother and sister shirts are going to say ‘I have a Big Brother/Sister at Ouachita who really loves me!’ The boys will have blue shirts and the girls pink,” said senior Christian studies and Christian ministries major Brooke Schaefer. “Ours are going to say, ‘I have a Little Sister/Brother who really loves me!’ The program is bigger than ever this year so we wanted to have t-shirts to wear and hopefully make our little ones feel a little more loved.”
