About Ouachita

Founded in 1886, Ouachita Baptist University has a distinguished record of service and strong academic reputation in Arkansas and throughout the region. It has been ranked by U.S. News and World Report among the five best universities in its classification in the South for the past five years and has been found in the top ten for more than a decade. It also is considered an excellent value, being named to the top five in the “Great Schools, Great Prices” category.

Ouachita employs 117 full-time faculty members, 77 percent of whom hold a terminal degree. All are involved in teaching, and many also engage in research activities that result in the publication of numerous articles, books, and occasional film and documentary projects. Ouachita students are challenged to complete a program of interdisciplinary studies (CORE Curriculum) and in-depth study in majors and minors appropriate for their interests and abilities.

Student-athletes compete for fourteen men’s and women’s teams in the NCAA Division II Gulf South Conference. Both basketball teams reached the play-offs last year. Both tennis and swimming-diving squads are ranked in the top ten nationally and recognized for outstanding academic achievement. The graduation rate of student-athletes is well above the national average for NCAA institutions.

Campus activities include a vital program of religious activities and community service, effective student government, strong student publications, vigorous intramural sports, and local social clubs for men and women. Opportunities are available for international study and exchange and a variety of national and international mission trips.

Ouachita’s enrollment this past fall was 1,502 undergraduate students representing 34 states and 62 foreign countries. More than 80 percent of those students live in university housing on the beautiful, 85-acre campus in Arkadelphia (population 10,900) which is situated on a bluff above the Ouachita River.

Recent campus improvements include Hickingbotham Hall (School of Business); the Ouachita Commons dining and banquet facility; and upgraded facilities for athletics and intramurals. These and other projects were made possible through a capital campaign and the regular gifts of alumni and friends that exceeded $73 million since 1998.

>> You can read more about Ouachita's history on the About Ouachita section of our website. .