ARKADELPHIA -- Kathy Ramsey vividly remembers the first time she kissed a boy -- under a huge oak tree at Henderson State University.
It happened in the spring of 1981, just when the trees began budding and the air shed its chill. She and her boyfriend were enjoying a picnic lunch, when he leaned over a plate of grapes and planted his lips on hers.
"I was shocked at first, then relieved," Ramsey said with a chuckle, adding that she had led a sheltered life before college.
As HSU celebrates its 125th anniversary, Ramsey, who now lives in California, said she wanted her experience to be an official part of the school's history.
"For me, Henderson was my coming-out party," Ramsey said. "I met so many new and exciting people. I learned so much about the world and about myself. I really just think back on my days there with such fondness."
HSU officials are hoping to hear more stories like Ramsey's as they gear up for multiple celebrations during the fall and spring semesters.
They also are planning to dole out a healthy dose of HSU history and public-service work for students, said Jennifer Boyett, vice president of university advancement.
"We want our students to understand the importance of giving back to the community," Boyett said.
"Our first home football game on [Thursday] will also be a community day, where we will invite community members to campus, and they will be a part of all of our activities. And on Sept. 19, we will host 'Reddie to Serve Day,' where our students learn about giving back to the community through various projects. It's important for them to know how much the community means to them, and how much they mean to the community."
As part of the anniversary celebrations, the campus bookstore is selling a commemorative book, and the university's marching band -- known as the Showband of Arkansas -- is playing some music performed by bands of yesteryear.
A complete list of anniversary events is available at hsu.edu.
HSU always has been deeply rooted in its host city of Arkadelphia, a fact not lost on Boyett and others who want to further that bond.
From its founding in 1890 as Arkansas Methodist College, HSU always has contributed heavily to the city's economy and culture, city leaders have said.
HSU is the only university in the state to begin as a private school and transition into a public institution. The school also is the second-oldest university in the state, behind the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, which was founded in 1871.
Through the years, Henderson has been known by several names: Henderson-Brown College from 1911-1929, Henderson State Teachers College from 1929 to 1967, and in 1975, Henderson State University became the official name.
One of the worst disasters to ever strike a college campus in Arkansas happened at HSU in 1914, when a fire left many wondering if the campus could rebound from such a calamity.
The fire tore through and destroyed the main campus building, leaving only a cast-iron bell, which is still on campus as part of a memorial monument. Everyone escaped the fire alive, however.
Within a year, a new main structure was completed, and other buildings quickly followed.
Today, HSU is a lively campus with about 4,000 students and numerous construction projects. New student housing is nearly completed, and an expansive fitness center was completed a few years ago.
The university also recently opened its first satellite campus in downtown Hot Springs, something that HSU President Glendale Jones speaks about with great pride.
Jones, an alumnus and the first black president of the university, said he hopes his student-centered approach will create an even stronger university.
"I feel our focus is to bring in students and make their lives better, enrich their education and send them out into the world with a better understanding of life," Jones said.
"I know for me, Henderson was such a big part of forming who I am and who I have become. I know I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for the opportunities afforded to me by this school. And I am very thankful for that."
Jones added: "We are working hard to ensure that the next 125 years will be even better and brighter for Henderson. I think we are going in a positive direction, and we are going to make that happen."
Michael Taylor, a professor of communication and theater arts at HSU, advises the student-run newspaper and has taught at the school for the past 25 years. He praised the many students who have passed through The Oracle newspaper, as well as the campus radio and television stations, as being influential to change on campus.
"I have seen real changes in Henderson policies, construction and even the hiring of university presidents that were driven by committed student journalists," Taylor said. "One of the goals of a liberal-arts education is to teach students to communicate effectively in writing and in speech, and I am proud of the way our student journalists exemplify those goals as graduates."
Shannon Frazeur, a 2004 HSU graduate with a bachelor's degree in English, worked two stints as editor of The Oracle and described leading the campus newspaper as one of the highlights of her time at the university.
Frazeur added that the school's small size allowed her to form lasting bonds with people she met on campus.
"Though my friendships were almost strictly through my associations with the Honors College and the newspaper, I doubt I would have ended up as involved in either had I attended a bigger school when both of those organizations would have been bigger and more exclusive," she said.
In California, Ramsey, who graduated in 1984 with a bachelor's degree in English, said she always thinks back on her time at HSU with a smile.
She and the boy who was her first kiss lost touch a few years after college. Ramsey is married now with children. She hasn't been back to campus in more than a decade, but she said that one day soon, she hopes to show her daughter the oak tree under which her first romance blossomed.
"It's a special place," Ramsey said of HSU. "And I think most everyone who went there knows that. It will always be a part of me."
State Desk on 09/06/2015