The Levee Podcast

Jalissa Hollingsworth (Ozarks '26) leads a crew of Sports Information student workers every weekend as they live stream Eagles Sports. She has helped implement new equipment which is transforming how people watch Eagles baseball, softball, soccer, and more. The Levee's Estefania, who is part of that crew, profile's Jalissa's work bringing these stories into the next generation.HostEstefania LopezGuestJalissa Hollingsworth

During Spring Break 2026, university chaplain Jeremy Wilhelmi took a group of students on a trip along the Freedom Trail, a trip he's made multiple times before. These journeys follow the civil rights movement through the South, and the Levee's Irene Dames chronicled this year's trip.HostIrene Dames

Senior Catasia Ferguson (Ozarks '26) shares her experiences studying abroad in South Korea, including learning how to embrace challenges, using new technology to help explore her surroundings, and whether she may move there in the future.Host:Irene DamesGuest:Catasia Ferguson

Political science students from the University of the Ozarks share how their time in the program has helped them shape their views on civics, politics, and leadership.Host:Estefania LopezGuests:Dr. Daniel Fudge - Assistant Professor of Political ScienceCristhel MejíaRoberto Castro Kaleb Jacobs

Poets and poetry fans gathered at the University of the Ozarks this semester to hear another round of competitive creations. After several rounds, audience members and judges crowned another Poet Laureate of the Spadra Valley; Catasia Ferguson. The Levee's Makayla Hollowell sat down with Ferguson, as well as finalists Matthew Dunsworth, KJ Lewis, Prudence Majoni, and Shemarie Munroe, to hear their poems and more about how they create their work.

This week, University of the Ozarks Theatre opens their production of "Elephant's Graveyard" by George Brant, a true story of the 1916 execution of a circus elephant in a Tennessee town. The show is a mix of fact and legend told by characters embodying people of the town who witnessed Mary the Elephant's death, a tale highlighting "the deep-seated American craving for spectacle, violence and revenge." Brant's narrative draws a connection between the hanging of Mary and lynching in the Jim Crow South. The Levee host Estefania Bautista Lopez spoke with Walton Professor of Theatre Dr. Macy Jones and Philosophy of Religion Professor Dr. Dave Daily to discuss those connections as well as the necessity of examining the subject of lynching today.

Homecoming week is a chance for University of the Ozarks students and alumni to connect about their shared experiences. Many Eagles, though, might have very different ideas about what a traditional homecoming feels like - if they even had that tradition at all before arriving on campus.University President Rich Dunsworth sits down with Levee hosts Hailey Ritter and Kjersta Lybbert to talk about his 13 years of homecomings at Ozarks, the value of connecting generations of Eagles, and some traditions from the past that might be better off left there. What even is a bed race, anyway?

A popular figure on campus is Jeremy "Chaps" Wilhelmi, the university chaplain. He organizes trips each year to help students explore how Ozarks' values and mission to remain true to our Christian heritage play out in the world outside of campus. At the beginning of the fall 2025 semester, Chaps took a group to Kansas City for one such trip. The Levee's Hailey Ritter spoke to students after they came back about what they experienced, and how it affected their understanding of what it means to be an Eagle.

Being outgoing about faith has challenges today. Ozarks students Sheyla Zamora and Taegan Schnurr are members of Baptist College Ministries, and spent their spring break in Panama City Beach, Florida, providing free shuttle rides to people and talk with them about their faith. The Levee's Estefania Bautista Lopez talks with them about how it went and what they learned.

Gabriel Mendoza, Daniella Ugarte, and William Guillen won big at the ACC Capital Governor's Cup business competition in April. They took first place in the small business elevator pitch category and third place in the small business plan category. You can listen to the first episode where the three describe their eco-friendly pet bed business idea here.The Levee's Estefania Bautista Lopez talks with the trio about their win, representing Ozarks on a bigger stage, and what's next for their business idea.

"Out of everything you want to automate... why would you want to automate human creativity?" Host Melany Serrano is joined by Ozarks seniors Mirian Miralda (Art/Marketing) and Alexandra Melgar (Business Administration / Art) to discuss the impact of emerging AI technology in the arts world. They also share their paths to finding art as a pursuit in life, and how it will impact their futures once they graduate.

The University of Ozarks Theatre Department staged "John Proctor is the Villain" in the spring of 2024. The 2022 play written by Kimberly Belflower debuted on Broadway shortly before the University of the Ozarks performance, directed by Tony award winner Danya Taymor and with Stranger Things star Sadie Sink in its ensemble cast. The story takes place in a small high school during the 2018 #MeToo movement, where students reading The Crucible and discussing abuses of power must also navigate accusations of sexual assault and other misdeeds among their friends and family members. Dr. Macy Jones, the Walton Chair of Theatre at U of O, talks with host Kjersta Lybbert about the story, its central questions, and how students today navigate those topics. "John Proctor is the Villain" will run April 24-26 and May 1-3 at the Walton Fine Arts Center on the university campus.

Ozarks students Gabriel Mendoza, Daniella Ugarte, and William Guillen want to reduce textile waste while making a comfy, unique bed for your pets. That's the idea behind Pet Buddy, their entry into the 2025 Governor's Cup business plan competition. The team from Ozarks is in the finals, with the winner to be announced April 16 in Little Rock.The trio are the first students from the U of O to compete in the Governor’s Cup since 2012, and none from the university have ever won the competition. Host Estefania Bautista sat down with them ahead of the contest to talk about their product, their pets, and their business accomplishments.

The University of the Ozarks is a diverse place, with students and faculty from dozens of different nations. Levee host Estefania Bautista Lopez discusses the spring International Fest event with organizers Nicole England, the International Program Manager for U of O, and senior Jorge Mendoza.

Science at the University of the Ozarks reaches for the stars - and recently impressed NASA for doing so. Dr. Christie Sampson, a biology professor at Ozarks, talks with host Russell Jones about space radishes, her time tracking elephant poachers, and how microplastics research can impact the way we fish here in Arkansas.

Dr. Chris Sarver, assistant professor of political science, talks with host and media instructor Russell Jones about the big waves made by U of O's Model UN team in their 2023 appearance. He shares how his time in the Peace Corps helped shape his approach to politics, and how students are adapting to the current political climate without losing their heads.