Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

HSU and OBU ranked nationally by U.S. News and World Report

Both universities in Clark County have been ranked in the top tiers of their perspective categories by U.S. News and World Report, according to Billy Tarpley, director of development at Henderson State University.

Tarpley was the speaker at the Gurdon Rotary Clubs meeting on Thursday, Aug. 30. He said the magazine ranks colleges each year, and HSU and Ouachita Baptist University are honored to be among the its picks of the best.

One reason thats so critical is because so many students from Clark County go to HSU  and OBU for that matter, Tarpley said.

Henderson was ranked in the top tier of masters level colleges in the south, and there are 60 universities in each tier, Tarpley said.

Ouachita ranked number one among other baccalaureate level colleges in the south.

Thats crucial, Tarpley said of the ratings effects on the current attempts to strengthen Clark County through economic development. Its really gratifying to have that in our own backyard. It would be a shame for any of us in Clark County to take it for granted.

Although the new rankings cannot be tied to this years enrollment figures, Tarpley said things are already looking up at HSU. This year brought the largest freshman class to campus in the schools history. In August, 817 new students came to the school. That number is up by more than 200 from last year.

Over 10 percent of the new freshmen at HSU are from Clark County.

Henderson has also seen growth from other areas of the state  most specifically Union County where Murphy Oil Corp. has established a scholarship to pay the college tuition for every El Dorado High School graduate. Henderson is the only university to match that scholarship to provide other expenses such as room and board.

Our numbers across the board are higher, he said. Whenever schools grow, it brings outside dollars into the local economy.

Several members of Rotary noted seeing students in Arkadelphia stores recently stocking up on items for their dorm rooms and other back to school necessities. Tarpley said parents will often even purchase their college student a vehicle in Clark County to that they can get it serviced at a local dealership.

Tarpley also noted that HSU has a large percentage of first generation college students.