SILOAM SPRINGS, Arkansas (Nov. 10, 2023) – The Council for Christian Colleges & Universities announced that Ted Song, Ph.D., chief diversity officer at JBU, has been selected as one of the first three CCCU Presidential Fellows along with Keith Hall, Ph.D., (Azusa Pacific University) and Sarah Visser, Ph.D., (Calvin University).

The Presidential Fellowship Program is a new, yearlong fellowship to prepare leaders to answer the call to the Christian college presidency. Each year, the CCCU will select one to three individuals for the fellowship who currently serve or have previously served as CCCU commissioners and who demonstrate exceptional strength of character, competence and leadership potential. 

During the one-year fellowship program, Presidential Fellows will access numerous opportunities for professional development, leadership development and networking.

Song is associate professor of electrical engineering, chief diversity officer and chief innovation officer at John Brown University. He also serves as vice president of the Christian Engineering Society and chair of the CCCU’s Diversity and Inclusion Commission.

“On behalf of the JBU community, I want to congratulate Dr. Ted Song for being named an inaugural CCCU Presidential Fellow,” said JBU President Chip Pollard. “We know of Ted’s excellence and faithfulness, not only to the mission here at JBU but also to other institutions in the CCCU, and we are grateful for this opportunity for him to grow in his leadership.” 

SILOAM SPRINGS, Arkansas (Oct. 27, 2023) - John Brown University Music & Theatre will present "The Addams Family," music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, Oct. 27-28 at 7:30 p.m., and Nov. 2-4 at 7:30 p.m., at the Berry Performing Arts Center on the Siloam Springs Campus.

Based on the classic characters created by Charles Addams, "The Addams Family" is a wacky musical comedy that celebrates family and love in the most unlikely of places.

"The Addams Family is a goofy, wacky, weird musical comedy that is somehow so relatable and touching," said Liesl Dromi, assistant professor of music at JBU. "Our team of music & theatre students, faculty, staff, and local professional musicians have had an absolute blast bringing this production to life. We hope our audiences enjoy it as much as we do!"

SILOAM SPRINGS, Arkansas (Oct. 27, 2023) - The tradition started on Nov. 12, 1983, when a group of J. Alvin Brown Hall residents and members of the rugby team decided to encourage students to sneak in rolls of toilet paper and let them fly when the Golden Eagles men's basketball team scored the first field goal of the season-opening game. 

Jeff Berggren ’84 was serving as the sports information director during the game and admitted that students weren't sure what head coach Curt Pickering would think about their technical-foul inducing stunt. Luckily, the team won the game and a tradition was born.

"Of course, we paid the price the next day with no toilet paper in J. Alvin until the janitors replenished the supply," Berggren said.

It still took several years before the tradition was embraced wholeheartedly by the school and became the students' most-loved tradition.

Students no longer have to raid the school TP supply thanks to a partnership with Kimberly-Clark who has donated 4,000 rolls of toilet paper for the game for the last seven years. Fans exchanged canned food items for a roll of TP to toss, and the other 2,000 rolls will be donated, along with the canned food items, to the Manna Center, a local food bank in Siloam Springs.  

This year's game against Barclay (Kan.) was no exception with a packed-out crowd at Bill George Arena.

When junior guard Drew Miller sunk the first basket from 3-point range 47 seconds into the game, the crowd let loose and sent a cascade of toilet paper streaming onto the court from all sides.

"It's such a special small college tradition, and every player gets excited about the first game," said Jason Bescheta, head coach of the men's basketball team. "It builds an incredible energy throughout the entire JBU community."

SILOAM SPRINGS, Arkansas (Oct. 26, 2023) – John Brown University's Creciendo Juntos program received a grant from Tyson Foods totaling up to $20,000.

Creciendo Juntos, Spanish for "Growing Together," empowers Latino students living in the U.S. to flourish in higher education through a supportive community focused on mentorship, education and service, helping students fulfill their God-given potential.

This investment will allow Creciendo Juntos to help over 75 students attend workshops, host community events such as Loteria Night and the Hispanic Heritage Festival, and cover the cost of book vouchers.

"We are grateful to partner with Tyson as we look to positively impact the lives of our students and our community," said Marcos Gutierrez Angulo, Creciendo Juntos program director. "Tyson's partnership will create both immediate and long-term impact, and we look forward to seeing students transformed as a result."

Additionally, Gutierrez hopes this investment from Tyson Foods will improve college enrollment, retention and graduation rates.

“We are thrilled to be able to provide this investment in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, and to assist in improving the lives of our neighbors,” said Tim Grailer, senior director of social impact, Tyson Foods. “We take seriously the responsibility we have as a community member to help scale the good work being done by our nonprofit partners.”

SILOAM SPRINGS, Arkansas (Sept. 25, 2023) - John Brown University Music & Theatre will present "The Play That Goes Wrong" by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields, on Sept. 29, 30, Oct. 6 and 7 at 7:30 p.m., and a matinee performance on Oct. 7 at 2:00 p.m., at the Berry Performing Arts Center on the Siloam Springs Campus.

The play that goes wrong chronicles the disastrous attempts of a local drama society to stage a great murder mystery.

This hilarious physical comedy is full of theatrical surprises. Watch out! Both actors and audience members might end up rolling in the aisles.

"I saw the original production in London, and I thought it was the funniest show I'd ever seen," said Josiah Wallace, associate professor of theatre at JBU. "The whole team has been putting the hours in on this one, and we all have a fair number of scrapes and bruises to show for it."

SILOAM SPRINGS, Arkansas (July 14, 2023) – John Brown University alumna MacKenzie Martz ’20 premiered her film "The Story of Mr. Glass" at the Bentonville Film Festival (BFF) on June 17, 2023. The film was shot partly to fulfill her film degree from JBU.

The film's subject, David Glass, is a renowned business executive known for his impactful leadership in the retail industry and sports management. As the former CEO of Walmart from 1988 to 2000, Glass spearheaded the company's significant expansion, driving its transformation into a global retail powerhouse. Additionally, he served as the owner and CEO of the Kansas City Royals baseball team, overseeing its successful turnaround and the Royals' remarkable journey to win the World Series in 2015. Glass's strategic vision and commitment to excellence have left an indelible mark on both the business and sports realms.

"I chose to direct this film because I wanted to share the full story of my grandfather's life," Martz said. "For years I went with him to business meetings and watched him give speeches, never fully understanding what he did. In my eyes, he was just my grandfather who took me to play laser tag and get ice cream. He always encouraged my love for film, and I feel that it is my duty as his granddaughter to tell his story in an authentic and meaningful way."

Every student enrolled in the film program at JBU must complete the senior film project, a two-semester process that requires students to take a film from an idea to a finished product, which is viewed on campus at the end of the year. Students graduate from the department with experience in all aspects of film production, as well as generating a film production book, which is an extremely valuable tool when looking for jobs after graduation. 

"David Glass was an innovative retailer, diehard sports fan, and loving family leader. His perseverance propelled him to leave his small town and pursue his dreams," says the film description. "Through hard work, leadership, and faith he became one of the greatest business minds of our generation. After successfully building Walmart beside Sam Walton, he left to pursue another love...baseball. Through it all, his priority was rooted in family and faith."

After completing their project, students are strongly encouraged to submit their films to various film festivals and contests and so MacKenzie submitted "The Story of Mr. Glass to the BFF.

"It was such an exhilarating week filled with unforgettable moments," Martz said. "We were fortunate enough to have an encore screening, allowing our film to be showcased twice. The outpouring of support from numerous individuals was truly heartwarming and I will forever be grateful."

Martz was also featured on a panel to talk about her film that included the CEO and president of Walmart, Doug McMillon, and was moderated by Tony Waller, Walmart's vice president of constituent relations and racial equity.

"The festival also presented an opportunity to connect with an array of kind-hearted and talented individuals," Martz said. "Without a doubt, this experience will remain etched in my memory."

Martz said she is extremely grateful for her producers Devon Gulati and Devin Arnone, who provided unwavering support and were featured by her side at the film festival.