Ouachita Baptist University’s Ben M. Elrod Center for Family and Community held its annual community service awards ceremony on Tuesday, April 13, recognizing the service efforts of university students, faculty and staff during the 2020-2021 academic year. Ian Cosh, vice president for community and international engagement, also was honored for his more than 33 years of service to Ouachita and the Elrod Center.
Cosh received the Community Service Excellence Award in recognition for serving as director for the Elrod Center since its founding in 1997. He will retire this summer from his position at Ouachita.
“The Elrod Center has been one of my great passions since its start in 1997,” Cosh said. “We set a goal to transform the culture of Ouachita to include a deep and abiding commitment to service, and I believe that we have achieved that goal.
“The joy of serving impacts every student and instills a love of serving that will last a lifetime,” he added.
“Periodically, we give a Community Service Excellence Award for outstanding and faithful service to Ouachita and the community,” said Dr. Ben Sells, Ouachita president. “Ian is uniquely identified with Ouachita’s Elrod Center as a Ouachita graduate, the founding director of the center and leading the university’s community service since 1997.”
The Elrod Center, Campus Ministries and the Grant Center for International Education also honored volunteers and made special mention of seniors who have served in their programs.
“We are so grateful for all the many things our students do on campus, in the community and beyond to enrich the lives of others,” said Judy Duvall, associate director of the Elrod Center. Duvall will be director of the center following Cosh’s retirement.
The Elrod Center for Family and Community was founded in 1997 by Ouachita as a way to encourage service by students, faculty and staff by providing service opportunities within the community.
“It has been rewarding to see students genuinely enjoy service and learn how to serve faithfully according to their passion,” Cosh said. “Students have so much to offer to our community, so watching students become empowered servant leaders has given me great pleasure.”
Other students, faculty and staff who were honored at the awards banquet include:
Community Projects: Elizabeth Steely, Sabrina Cheek and Vanessa Vives.
America Reads/America Counts Senior Tutors for Fall 2020: Brittany Burr and Charlece Lake.
America Reads/American Counts Tutors for Spring 2021: Ana Barfield, Sabrina Cheek, Hailey Coulson, Gracie Davis, Natalie Fletcher, Mallory Gatson, Maggie George, Katie Gray, Katlin Hardin, Kelsie Lawhon, Allee Lipford, Hattie McDonald, Dominique Smith, Shelby Vassar Meredith West, Veronica West, Kyla Williams and Noah Worley.
Campus Ministries Leadership Team: Jack Bennington, Kayla Brown, Jacob Brown, Bailey Buettner, Darby Byrd, Kaitlyn Campbell, Riley Carson, Erin Chappell, Levi Dade, Taylor Darland, Sophie Davis, Aidan Doss, Valeria Gomez, Kaylie Green, MacKenzie Hall, Ashlyn Ham, James Lasley, Ansley McDonald, Noah McCallum, Faith Moore, Mallory Morris, Maggie Pinkston, Raegan Pyle, James Renshaw, Kinley Ritter, Anna Robinson, Abigail Sanders, Noah Sanders, Lucie Shepherd, Holly Shipp, Rylie Slone, Andy Strauss, Stuart Sowerbutts, Sabreena Thompson, Vanessa Vives, Emily White and Nathan Wuellner.
Cargill Leadership Award: Madeline Knight.
Child Safety Center Senior Volunteers: Sidney Salyers and Madeline Steely.
ElderServe: Hyland Alfonso, Meg Atchinson, Ellyn Bailey, Isabella Bejarno, Kelsey Bester, Jenna Biggers, Anna Black, Kaitlyn Bolton, Luke Brinkerhoff, Halley Bryant, Leslie Burris, Emma Bynum, Sabrina Cheek, Reese Chesshir, Kayla Churchwell, Andrew Coop, Carli Copell, Laurel Currie, Haley Day, Alex Delgado, Jade Dorman, Jaymee Dotson, Saba Esho, Jamie Fowler, Michal Felan, Karli Ferguson, Haley Ford, Mallory Gatson, Maggie George, Mara Gillespie, Emily Greenwell, Gracen Hambrick, Kelley Hayes, Ashlyn Heckman, Emmy Hipps, Anna Holiman, Ellie Hooten, Bailey Hunter, Jenny Johnson, Reanna Johnson, Gracie Jones, Madeline Knight, Cassie Lackey, Katelyn Langston, Molly Maddox, Aubrey McGhee, Madison McGhee, Madison Melcher, Candace Moix, Marlie Moix, Jacklynn Minton, Alex Moore, September Moseley, Erin Mullins, Bay Novak, Emily Pease, Claire Phillips, Sidney Pigott, Brooklyn Pitard, Brittany Pittman, Reagan Pyle, David Rainwater, Lauren Reams, Grace Rew, Abigail Roberts, Hailey Smith, McKenzie Smith, Hannah Spears, Grace Story, Jessalyn Vander Stucklen, Sidney Sundberg, Gracen Turner, Gracie Vaughn, Abby Walker, Sophia Ward, Madelynn Wauters, Hope White, Katie White, Paige Williams, Kiki Youmans and Estelle Zhang.
Feed Arkadelphia: Emma Bynam, Jennie Davis, Gwyneth Hadasa, Tehya Hinkson, Reanna Johnson, Bryce Krisell, Molly Mai, Victoria Mayfield, Camryn Shelton, Emma Stark, Sophia Ward and Hope White.
Human Development Center Pen Pals: Madison Rawls.
International Senior Students of the Year: João Rodrigues from Brazil and Estelle Zhang from China.
Kluck Service Enrichment Grants for Fall 2020 and Spring 2021:
Katelyn Harris for Tiger Serve Day gifts for city workers.
Karla Montiel and Nicole Porchia for La Fuerza student organization.
Monica Rutledge and Multicultural Student Programs for their mentorship program.
Gwyneth Hadasa and Maria Urbina for the International Club.
Madison Rawls for the Arkadelphia Human Development Center.
Lauren Reams for ElderServe pen pals.
Mary Madison Tolbert for Thanksgiving Food Baskets.
Dayja James and Monica Rutledge for Multicultural Organization Reaching Equality.
Hannah Terry and Ryan Lewis for Pan Harmony steel drum band.
Reanna Johnson and Myra Houser for Feed Arkadelphia.
Anna Robinson and James Taylor for Backyard Bible Club.
Peake Library Volunteer: Kaleigh Thomas.
Tiger Serve Day Leadership Team: Cabb Batson, Isabella Bejarano, Kelsey Bester, Abby Blankenship, Jacob Brown, Emma Bynum, Fallon Carder, Ali Chapman, Taylor Fielder, Wes Guerra, Will Guerra, Katelyn Harris, MacKenzie Hall, Tehya Hinkson, Josh Howington, Able Kusaloka, Madeline Knight, Barrett Malone, Hannah Martin, Raegan Pyle, Luke Roberson, Joao Pedro Rodrigues, Hannah Rossell, Noah Sanders, Julia Shands, Kallen Smith, Ryan Thompson, Taylor Savage, Caleb West, Kayla Whittington and Wade Wilson.
Thanksgiving Project: Mary Madison Tolbert.
TranServe (100+ service hours) for Fall 2020 and Spring 2021: Madison Allen, Emily Barton, Kaleigh Casada, Jade Dorman, Victoria Mayfield, Hannah Rossell, Sidney Salyers, Abbi Sullins, Grace Tidwell, Hope White and Vanessa Vives.
Zoom Tutors: Cabb Batson, Isabella Bejarno, Anna Black, Erica Chapman, Rylie Davis and Olivia Dixon McKenzie Smith.
For more information, contact the Elrod Center at 870-245-5320.
This was written by Mandy Halbert and originally published at obu.edu