ARKADELPHIA, Ark.—Declaring that the members of Ouachita Baptist University’s graduating class of 2010 “are indeed difference makers,” President Rex M. Horne, Jr., presided over the university’s 123rd spring commencement exercises May 8.
University officials conferred a total of 291 degrees on 288 graduates, including 250 Bachelor of Arts degrees, 29 Bachelor of Science degrees, seven Bachelor of Music degrees and five Bachelor of Music Education degrees. The Saturday morning service, held on the front lawn of Ouachita’s historic Cone-Bottoms Hall, attracted thousands of family members and friends.
Ouachita’s 2010 graduating class featured more than 120 honor graduates, including 24 who graduated summa cum laude with a grade point average of 3.95 or higher, 43 who graduated magna cum laude (3.75 GPA) and 58 who graduated cum laude (3.5 GPA). University officials also recognized 11 graduates who completed Ouachita’s Carl Goodson Honors Program and 32 members of the Alpha Chi national honor society.
The Ouachita Board of Trustees voted unanimously to confer an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree on Dr. David Uth, a member of OBU’s class of 1979, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the field of Christian ministry.
Introducing Dr. Uth, senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Orlando, Fla., President Horne told the commencement crowd, “There are certain things that happen in the churches where David Uth serves – they grow, they minister, they have a vision for the world, they make an impact for the cause of Christ and they are certainly world changers.”
Affirming that Dr. Uth’s “vision is for the nations,” Dr. Horne added, “His heart is grounded in a passion for the Lord Jesus Christ and his roots are deep in Arkansas and at Ouachita Baptist University.”
Dr. Uth, who holds Master of Divinity and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, is a former member of the Ouachita Board of Trustees and currently is a trustee of the Southern Baptist International Mission Board. He previously was pastor of churches in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas, including First Baptist Church of Camden, Ark., and Immanuel Baptist Church of El Dorado, Ark.
“Standing here and receiving this incredible honor is a testimony of God’s grace,” Dr. Uth said. Addressing the graduating seniors, he noted, “It’s a great honor to graduate. It’s a great thing to be able to sit here and to receive a degree. But I’ve got a question: Where are you going? That matters far more than where you are today. It’s my prayer that you will set your sights high.
“In order to end where you want to end, you’ve got to start today,” Dr. Uth emphasized. “It’s not as much about where you are as where you’re going. It’s my prayer that where you are going is to finish what God has given you to do. … May the Lord bless you as you finish, but even more importantly, may He bless you today as you start a new part of that journey.”
Dr. Horne, who has served as Ouachita’s president since 2006, also addressed the graduating class. “We started this journey together, most of us, four years ago,” he reflected. “Because of that, I will always look upon you as a very special class. … What a privilege it has been as we embarked on this wonderful journey together at Ouachita Baptist University.
“You are men and women of character, of passion, of devotion, of great ability,” President Horne said. “You are indeed difference makers and we will look forward to seeing what is going to take place in the years ahead. You will serve mankind in numerous ways in hundreds of places and we’re very proud. We congratulate you.”
Three graduates of Ouachita’s Pruet School of Christian Studies who earned 4.0 GPAs read Scripture during the commencement ceremony: Nicholas Dawson of Collierville, Tenn.; Darlene Seal of Bryant, Ark.; and Philip Williamson of Batesville, Ark. Dr. Horne also recognized three graduates of the Reserve Officer Training Corps: John Atkins of Arkadelphia; Jonathan Malcolm of Huntsville, Ala.; and Leonard Goodnight of White Hall, Ark.
Ouachita Baptist University, a private Christian liberal arts university in Arkadelphia, has been ranked the No. 1 Baccalaureate College in the South for three years in a row by U.S. News & World Report. With an enrollment of almost 1,500 students from more than 30 states and 50 nations, Ouachita seeks to foster a love of God and a love of learning in a vibrant, Christ-centered learning community.
A video of Saturday’s commencement exercises is available on the university website at www.obu.edu/broadcast.
