You’ve seen them walking around campus in blazers and name tags, but do you really know who they are? They are members of the Ouachita Student Foundation.
“OSF is a student led organization with the motto of ‘students helping students,’” OSF President Mari Bednar said. “Our main goal is to help students by raising money for student scholarships.”
OSF raises approximately $100,000 each year in order to help students stay at Ouachita.
“Our two major events are Tiger Tunes in the fall and Tiger Traks in the spring,” OSF Vice President Haley Jo Wesson said.
In addition, OSF members give campus tours to prospective students, work in the concession stands and communicate to past, present and future students about all that Ouachita has to offer.
Reaching these goals is no small task, however. The organization is divided into four different committees: student recruitment, special events, fundraising and finance, and communications, which come together to make events and fundraisers possible.
None of this would be possible if they didn’t have great teamwork skills, which they achieved through their beginning of the year retreat. The first weekend back to school all current and new OSF members came together at the 4H Center in Benton to partake in team building exercises and set their minds and heart on the Lord.
“It for sure led us closer together. We had to learn that we can depend on each other to help get work done,” Bednar said. “The purpose of the OSF retreat was to bring us more together as an organization. We recently received new students, and we wanted to be sure that they knew not only all of the other members, but also that they knew why OSF was so important to the student body.”
Members engaged in team activities such as, canoeing with a blindfold, scaling 12-foot tall wall and learning the best, most concise ways of accomplishing tasks through teamwork.
Overall, the retreat helped “set the tone of students helping students as this new school year begins.” Wesson said.
The retreat provided students the opportunity to bond through a time of corporate worship, as well.
“My favorite part was probably the worship part. We had the opportunity to be led in devotion by our VP, Haley Jo Wesson, and Emma Riley and Drake Puryear lead us in worship,” Bednar said. “It was such a God fearing time, where we all served and prayed over each other. I could really sense the Spirit at work within this organization.”
Some of the other members agreed that worship was their favorite part as well, as it brought them together and helped them focus on having Christ at the center of everything they do this year.
If the retreat is any indicator of what the rest of the year holds then Ouachita students can expect great things from the OSF team, through the events they organize, as well as the way they lead by example.
For students interested in joining OSF, the application process will begin in the spring semester. Until then, Bednar encourages new students to ask upperclassman about their OSF experience.
“Next semester we will have sign ups and interviews. This semester, come to Tiger Tunes to learn more about OSF. If you see anyone in an OSF shirt, stop and ask them more about the organization,” Bednar said. “Our goal is to help students. We want to make an impact this year that is eternal.”
By Riley Madlock, Student Writer
