Today,FALL/WINTER 2004 1 - University of the Ozarks

CampusNewsFirst couple displays Southern hospitalityWhen Ozarks President Dr. Rick Niece and his wifeSherée were interviewing for the top position at the universityin the spring of 1997, they met with several graduatingseniors. One of the things that stood out in those discussionswas that many of those seniors had never been to thePresident’s Home.“We were surprised that these students had been here fouror five years and had never stepped foot in the President’sHome,” Dr. Niece said. “It just didn’t make any sense to us. Ithink it was at that point we decided if we were to get theopportunity to come to Ozarks, we would change that.”Change it they would. In the past seven years since theyhave become the first couple of Ozarks, the number of gueststhe Nieces have hosted in their home has surpassed awhopping 18,000, many of them students.Most of the students have entered the President’s Home aspart of three new traditions the Nieces began in their first yearat Ozarks: New Student Dinners, Senior Dinners and theGraduating Seniors Luncheon. The Nieces’ hospitality is sucha novelty that the student dinners were featured in a large,front-page article in Arkansas’ state-wide newspaper, TheArkansas Democrat-Gazette, in September.The president’s 3,300-square-foot, two-story house wasbuilt in 1969 through donations by the university’s AlumniAssociation.“The Alumni Association built the President’s House andwe feel it’s important to share the house with our current andfuture alumni, as well as the rest of the campus community,”Dr. Niece said.The New Student Dinners, usually held early in the FallSemester, have brought 2,266 incoming students to thePresident’s Home. The dinners are usually held in groups ofabout 25-30 and are held in what the Nieces call “the movieroom,” which is adorned with posters of some of their favoritemovies such asAmadeus,Casablanca and It’s aWonderful Life. Oneexample of a menu ata recent dinner wasLondon broil withsteamed green beans,fried potatoes andchocolate cake.“We started theNew Student Dinnersas a way to open ourhome to the8 Today, FALL/WINTER 2004Freshmen prepare to be served dinnerat the President’s Home.Images from theSenior Dinners,held at thePresident’sHome inNovember.students,” said Sherée. “The dinners give us an opportunity toget to know the students, learn their names, and to hearsomething about each of them. At the same time, they learnabout us in a more personal, interactive and relaxed setting.”Students are often surprised to see the university’spresident going from table to table refilling glasses of tea oroffering coffee to the guests.“By opening our home to the students and to the Ozarks’community, we are able to model our strong sense of serviceto others,” said Sherée. “We want students to understand thatserving others is a privilege.”Senior Dinners, held in November each academic year,are a time for the Nieces to thank the seniors for sharing theircollege years with them.“We enjoy watching students grow and develop interestsas they pursue their studies,” Sherée said. “We also evenremember where many of the seniors sat during their NewStudent Dinners. In many ways, they have become ourchildren during their stay at Ozarks. By having them in ourhome near the completion of their education, we learn abouttheir hopes and dreams for the future.”The Alumni Office uses the Senior Dinners and theGraduating Senior Luncheon in the spring to inform theseniors about their new status as U of O alumni and towelcome them as the newest chapter in Ozarks’ history.“Seniors typically find these dinners as an opportunity toreminisce about the times we all shared at Ozarks,” Dr. Niecesaid. “Many feel sad at the thought of leaving Ozarks upongraduation.”