JBU News & Information

SILOAM SPRINGS, Arkansas (Nov. 1, 2025) — In a wild explosion of white, thousands of John Brown University fans launched the traditional toilet paper storm after junior guard Trae Oetting netted the Golden Eagles' first bucket of the season with 19:16 remaining in the first half, marking the raucous start of the school's 43rd annual Toilet Paper Game.

What began as a spontaneous celebration in 1984 has evolved into a nationally recognized spectacle, with USA Today, ESPN, CBS Sports and Bleacher Report all hailing it as one of college basketball's premier fan traditions. The first basket of the season's home opener triggers thousands of fans to shower the court with toilet paper, drawing an automatic — and worth it — technical foul.

“We've got a lot of new guys who haven't experienced this,” said head coach Jason Beschta.

Oetting, a true junior from Kickapoo High School in Springfield, Missouri, not only scored the TP toss-inducing basket, but tallied 21 points and collected six rebounds.

“He's a really great one to coach. He's a special player. He's a special young man. I gotta say, we've got a lot of those. We know he (Trae) is a warrior. He's been hitting big shots since his freshman year. He's done so many good things for us, but he sets a standard,” Head Coach Jason Beschta said. “You've got some guys who will just do it by how they play, but then you've got guys like Trae who will even enforce it with his words. And that's one of the special things about him as he's grown, he's an upperclassman now. His growth over the summer in that way, as a leader, that he's really found and developed confidence to have a voice and he's earned that. I think the more that that develops in him, along with those other couple guys, I think we have a chance to do some really special things.”

Kimberly-Clark continued its partnership with the Golden Eagles for the eighth year, donating 4,000 rolls of toilet paper. Fans exchanged canned food items for half the rolls, with all donations and remaining toilet paper benefiting the Manna Center, a local food bank in Siloam Springs.

The Ecclesia College Royals returned to Bill George Arena for their third appearance in the crowd-favorite matchup. The first two matchups were in 2017 and 2018.

The Golden Eagles defeated the Royals with a final score of 94–68.

SILOAM SPRINGS, Arkansas (Oct. 22, 2025) – John Brown University President Chip Pollard and his wife, Carey Pollard, were awarded the Mark Simmons Service Above Self Award by the Siloam Springs Rotary Club on Oct. 14 for their decades of service to the Siloam Springs community through John Brown University, First Presbyterian Church and various leadership positions.

Pollard became JBU president in 2004 and has led the university for 21 years, overseeing more than 26 state-of-the-art building projects and renovations, most notably in the engineering, nursing and art departments. During his leadership, the university has received over $385 million in gifts, and the institution’s endowment has more than quadrupled to over $200 million.

Together, the Pollards have served in the community, teaching preschoolers at their local church and opening their home to JBU students for various classes and gatherings. Chip Pollard has served on multiple regional boards including Mercy Northwest Arkansas, Arvest and the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation. They raised their four children in Siloam Springs and now have eight grandchildren.

“Carey and I are deeply honored to receive this award, especially one bearing Mark Simmons’ name,” Chip Pollard said. “When we came to Siloam Springs 21 years ago, we didn’t know what to expect, but we quickly discovered the blessings of being part of the Siloam Springs community. Our children were educated here, our church family welcomed us and the Siloam Springs community has supported us in countless ways.”

The Mark Simmons Service Above Self Award is named after Mark Simmons, board chairman and former CEO of Simmons Foods, who was the first recipient of the award.

John Brown University is a leading private Christian university, training students to honor God and serve others since 1919. Arkansas’ top-ranked regional university (U.S. News) and top-ranked private university (The Wall Street Journal), JBU enrolls more than 2,500 students from 34 states and 43 countries in its traditional undergraduate, graduate, online and concurrent education programs. JBU offers over 50 undergraduate majors, with top programs including business, nursing, visual arts, engineering, teacher education, psychology, computer science, construction management, graphic design, family and human services, and engineering. Fourteen graduate degrees are available in business, counseling and cybersecurity.

– 30 –

SILOAM SPRINGS, Arkansas (Oct. 22, 2025) – Joe Walenciak, Ph.D., distinguished professor of business, was awarded the 2025 Rotary Impact Award by the Siloam Springs Rotary Club on Oct. 14 for his years of work in Guatemala with the “Guatemalans Can Lead” program.

The educational program was founded by Rosita Tirado, a former student in the Walton International Scholarship Program at John Brown University, and is aimed at developing leadership skills in young people in Guatemala. The program is led by a team of young volunteers, and hundreds of JBU students have participated over the years, changing many lives. The Siloam Springs Rotary Club financially supports the ministry.

“Receiving the Rotary Impact Award for 2025 from the Siloam Springs Rotary Club is both humbling and encouraging,” Walenciak said. “This award is not about my role — it highlights Rosita’s leadership, the determination of the Guatemalan people who are working for change and the importance of empowering local leaders to shape their own communities. To me, this recognition serves as a reminder that lasting impact is achieved through collaboration, service and faith in the ability of others to lead with strength and hope.”

Walenciak, a professor in the Soderquist College of Business since 1982, has a deep history with Guatemala, including teaching at the country's most prestigious university during a sabbatical and leading numerous JBU groups to serve in the country over the last three decades. He started working on the “Guatemalans Can Lead” program as an advisor in 2005.

The Siloam Springs Rotary Club has served the community of Siloam Springs and beyond for over 100 years. The Rotary Club holds its biweekly meetings at Simmons Great Hall at John Brown University.

For more information about the Siloam Springs Rotary Club and how to get involved, visit its Facebook page here. For more information about the “Guatemalans Can Lead” program, visit the Facebook here.

John Brown University is a leading private Christian university, training students to honor God and serve others since 1919. Arkansas’ top-ranked regional university (U.S. News) and top-ranked private university (The Wall Street Journal), JBU enrolls more than 2,500 students from 34 states and 43 countries in its traditional undergraduate, graduate, online and concurrent education programs. JBU offers over 50 undergraduate majors, with top programs including business, nursing, visual arts, engineering, teacher education, psychology, computer science, construction management, graphic design, family and human services, and engineering. Fourteen graduate degrees are available in business, counseling and cybersecurity.

– 30 –

SILOAM SPRINGS, Arkansas (Aug. 28, 2025) – The Center for Healthy Relationships at John Brown University is proud to announce an expansion of its programming through its signature BRAVE Relationships workshops, designed specifically for those serving on the front line.

The BRAVE curriculum equips first responders with tools to cultivate strong personal relationships, with a special focus on romantic and intimate connections.

This new initiative, made possible by a generous gift from Arvest, will focus on relational health among first responders. In partnership with the Siloam Springs Police and Fire Departments, the CHR will deliver the BRAVE Relationships workshops to local first responders.

“We believe everyone deserves access to healthy, thriving relationships,” said Rosemary Flaaten, Ph.D, executive director of the CHR. “We’re honored to partner with our local police and fire departments to bring this transformative program to those who give so much of themselves every day. On every shift, our first responders are brave, and we hope to help them build BRAVE relationships at home, as well.”

For more information about the Center for Healthy Relationships and its BRAVE curriculum, visit chr.jbu.edu.

John Brown University is a leading private Christian university, training students to honor God and serve others since 1919. Arkansas’ top-ranked university (The Wall Street Journal) and top-ranked regional university (U.S. News), JBU enrolls more than 2,200 students from 37 states and 42 countries in its traditional undergraduate, graduate, online and concurrent education programs. JBU offers over 50 undergraduate majors, with top programs including nursing, psychology, business, computer science, construction management, graphic design, family and human services, and engineering. Eighteen graduate degrees are available in business, counseling, cybersecurity, and education.

The Center for Healthy Relationships (CHR) at John Brown University, established in 1998, equips individuals, couples, families and communities with practical, innovative tools to foster flourishing personal and professional relationships. Through initiatives like Relationships@Work, Team Marriages and the CHR on Campus, the Center offers workshops, resources and support rooted in God’s design for connection and commitment. Over the past 26 years, the CHR has hosted more than 1,500 events and reached over 35,000 people — many at low or no cost — to encourage healthier, more relationally effective communities.

SILOAM SPRINGS, Arkansas (Aug. 21, 2025) – John Brown University reached a record enrollment of 1,423 students on Wednesday, Aug. 20, when it welcomed 441 new students to the Siloam Springs campus for the start of orientation. The incoming class includes 374 freshman, 59 new transfers and 8 students returning after one or more semesters away.

For the third year in a row, incoming class numbers exceeded 435 students which, in addition to strong retention numbers, account for the record enrollment. Total enrollment in 2024 was 1,352 students.

“At a time when families are carefully weighing the value of higher education, many are intentionally choosing Christian universities like JBU,” said Ryan Ladner, vice president for enrollment management. “They see that JBU offers rigorous academics that equip students for professional success, integrated with spiritual formation. The fact that we’ve seen record numbers for three years running reflects the trust families place in JBU to prepare their students for both career and calling.”

The top five departments that incoming class students enrolled in are business, visual arts, nursing, engineering and teacher education.

JBU students represent 34 states and 51 countries.

Final enrollment numbers are officially reported after the 11th day of classes.

John Brown University is a leading private Christian university, training students to honor God and serve others since 1919. Arkansas’ top-ranked university (The Wall Street Journal) and top-ranked regional university (U.S. News), JBU enrolls more than 1,910 students from 34 states and 51 countries in its traditional undergraduate, graduate, online and concurrent education programs. JBU offers over 50 undergraduate majors, with top programs including business, nursing, visual arts, engineering, teacher education, psychology, computer science, construction management, graphic design, family and human services, and engineering. Fourteen graduate degrees are available in business, counseling and cybersecurity.

SILOAM SPRINGS, Arkansas (June 2, 2025) – Amy Fisher, chief human resources officer at John Brown University, has been selected as one of 12 professionals nationwide for the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources’ (CUPA-HR) 2025-26 Emerging CUPA-HR Leaders program.

The yearlong program identifies emerging leaders in higher education human resources who have demonstrated a strong commitment to the profession and a desire to shape its future.

The 2025-26 Emerging CUPA-HR Leaders program will be led by exceptional current and past CUPA-HR national board leaders and national office staff, and the new cohort will serve July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026.

Fisher has served at JBU since 2007 and currently oversees human resources, risk management, government relations and Title IX compliance. She is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and holds an MBA from JBU.

“Amy’s selection is a well-deserved recognition of her professional excellence and the significant impact she has made at John Brown University and beyond,” said Kim Hadley, JBU executive vice president. “She has earned the respect of colleagues across Arkansas and the nation through her leadership, strategic insight and unwavering integrity. We are delighted to see her selected for this distinguished program.”

CUPA-HR serves more than 40,000 HR professionals and higher education leaders at nearly 2,000 institutions and organizations across the country and abroad. The association provides knowledge, advocacy, resources and professional development to support workforce and organizational excellence in higher education.

For more information about CUPA-HR, please visit https://www.cupahr.org/.

John Brown University is a leading private Christian university, training students to honor God and serve others since 1919. Arkansas’ top-ranked university (The Wall Street Journal) and top-ranked regional university (U.S. News), JBU enrolls more than 2,200 students from 37 states and 42 countries in its traditional undergraduate, graduate, online and concurrent education programs. JBU offers over 50 undergraduate majors, with top programs including nursing, psychology, business, computer science, construction management, graphic design, family and human services, and engineering. Eighteen graduate degrees are available in business, counseling, cybersecurity, and education.