The Ouachita Student Foundation is hosting a drop-in meeting on March 1 for students interested in joining the organization.
The meeting will be held from 3-4 p.m. in the lobby of Hickingbotham Hall.
The online application will be open until Friday, March 3 at 5:00 pm for students interested in joining the organization, and interviews will be held the week of March 6-10. Students can sign up for an interview time in the alumni office in Cone Bottoms Hall.
The members of OSF are very excited about welcoming new members. “We want to get to know people who might want to be involved in OSF and tell them a little more about what OSF is, why we do it and why we want more students involved,” OSF president, Mari Bednar, said.
Students will be interviewed by current OSF members and asked a variety of questions, from what they are currently involved in to why they are interested in joining the organization. Those accepted will be placed on one of four different committees, including: student recruitment, fundraising and finance, special events and communications.
Working with the motto of “students helping students,” OSF members hold a significant leadership role on campus.
OSF members serve as ambassadors for the President,” said Jon Merryman, director of Ouachita alumni and the Ouachita Student Foundation. “They run Tiger Tunes and Tiger Traks and do other kinds of fund raising activities like getting sponsors for different events and working the concession stand at the football games to get as much money as possible to help students stay and finish their education.”
“OSF is important to the student body because this past year we kept about 90 students at Ouachita just because of the money that we raised through the Ouachita Student Foundation,” Bednar said. “Our goal is just to keep raising more money so that more students can stay at Ouachita. There’s proof that students would not be able to stay at Ouachita without these scholarships.”
OSF has given out $1.4 million in scholarships to date, according to Merryman.
OSF members do not limit their service to raising money for scholarships and hosting special events, however. These students desire to serve the community in their everyday life, as well. “Any time we saw a student that needed help, we were kind of in a race to see who could help that student first.” Bednar said, referring to members’ service last semester. “This year we have really tried to step out and serve students in all capacities.”
OSF is looking for new members who share in this passion for service. “There is not really a strict requirement for GPA; it’s more of a willingness to serve.” Merryman said. “What we are looking for is somebody who really has some time, wants to invest and wants to help other students.”
“We want someone who is committed,” Bednar said. “We want someone who is not scared to be a leader and step up and make a difference. [Students] can make an eternal impact by being a member of OSF.”
By staff writer, Camryn Reeves
