By Claude D. Baker, Coordinator of Alumni Research John W. Rhea, Jr. was a man always eager to reach out to help others. He and his lovely wife, Rosemary Thresher Rhea, were responsible for many philanthropic efforts, including 15 endowments at SAU. These endowments have benefitted individual students and academic
Thanks to a successful fundraising campaign that garnered more than $200,000 in donations, SAU dedicated the band facility in honor of SAU’s first band director, Richard Owen Oliver on April 18, 2015. The dedication took place at the 14,377 square-foot band rehearsal facility that opened in 2008, which was named the Richard O. Oliver Band
Following more than 45 years of service and countless speeches as a Mulerider, Southern Arkansas University’s retiring President Dr. David Rankin and his wife Toni were rendered speechless in May when they found out the University’s College of Business would be renamed the David F. Rankin College of Business. The announcement was made at
The Magnolia community and the Mulerider family came out to welcome Southern Arkansas University’s 12th President Dr. Trey Berry at a tree-planting ceremony on his first day in office. Berry spoke under the shade of the picturesque pines in the front lawn of SAU’s Overstreet Hall to a crowd of around 150. He pointed
Lawrence Bearden and David Nelson are the two newest members of the SAU Board of Trustees, both having been appointed by Governor Asa Hutchinson this year. When Bearden first came to SAU in the late 1950s, he had one goal: graduation. More than 50 years after successfully completing that first challenge, he continues to
A year after the kick-off of the “Raise the Roof ” pavilion initiative, the SAU Alumni Relations Board has decided to make it a three-year capital campaign to allow more time for funding a structure that will better meet the present and future needs of SAU, the alumni, and the Magnolia community. The vote came under
The Southern Arkansas University Alumni Association is hosting its annual Dinner of Distinction awards ceremony at 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 11, 2015, at the SAU Reynolds Center Grand Hall. Alumni and friends are invited to attend. RSVP by calling the SAU Alumni Office at (870) 235-4079 or toll-free at
The 2014 SAU Sports Hall of Fame inductees are recognized at the homecoming football game. Inductees included Tony Garcia (Baseball), Don Henson (Football), David Kirkpatrick (Baseball), Jim Leonard (Football), Stephanie Manning (Women’s Track), James Pettitt (Football), Krystal Poulin (Softball), Ken Schmidt (Football), and Michelle Shoppach (Coach – Volleyball).
The new Magnolia School District Superintendent John Ward was welcomed to the community Monday before his official first day on July 1 at an ice cream social at SAU. Ward earned his superintendent certification from SAU in 2008 and told the crowd of around 65 that he has appreciated the
1950-1959 Shortly before her death Dr. Ruth Couch ‘58 completed “The Noble Heritage of Harvey C. Couch School,” a history on this community school located in Calhoun, Ark. Dr. Couch has a great interest in preserving the history of community schools that have now been consolidated into larger districts. Dr.
