One unique podcast changed the course of sophomore Molly Harris’ summer. Listening to a sports report in May, she heard the story of an athlete that performed a triathlon while juggling. That is when she decided to set a goal to compete in her first triathlon this fall — minus the juggling.

After spending 15 weeks training and preparing in her hometown of Terre Haute, Ind., Molly competed in her first triathlon on Sept. 1 in Bentonville, Ark.

Sponsored by the community of Bentonville, the first annual TRIFEST for MS was held Aug. 31-Sept. 2, in order to benefit the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences’ multiple sclerosis research department. Molly participated in the sprint triathlon that consisted of 500 meters of swimming, 15.1 miles of biking and 3.1 miles of running.

The highway is a dangerous place, and there are always concerns when driving back to school; most people make it back to campus safely, but others do not and end up in the hospital.

Mary Samoei, a Harding international student originally from Eldoret, Kenya, was riding back to campus from Alabama with friend Felix Martim and roommate Ryspei Sirma when the three were in a car accident. Martim was trying to adjust the air conditioning when he lost control of the car. The car flipped four times on the side of the road and left Samoei unconscious and injured. The other two made it through the accident without any harm but Samoei had been in the backseat without a seatbelt.

Freshman Bison football player DeMarcus Murphy was baptized Saturday Aug. 25 in the presence of the entire Bison team.

Murphy, recruited from Bentonville, Ark., arrived on campus Aug. 10 to meet the team for the first time. The Bisons’ Head Football Coach Ronnie Huckeba said the team spent a lot of time together at fall camp before school started, getting to know each other quickly.

Assistant Coach Dr. Clay Beason, Murphy’s position coach, said that in their position groups they had talked about maturing, discipline, success and honoring God.

A large crowd packed inside the festively decorated Ulrey Performing Arts Center last Saturday afternoon, but not for a show or for a dinner theater production. Instead, Searcy locals, Harding faculty and guests from around the nation gathered to celebrate the 90th birthday of the building’s namesake, Dr. Evan Ulrey.

Student Association president Will Waldron is a junior physics and math major living a college career brimming with experiences, opportunities and aspirations. Waldron was elected SA president in spring of 2012 and serves as the first junior in Harding history to hold the position.

For about four years, Harding students have occasionally observed the squirrels that populate campus. But Harding alumna Dr. Trixie Lee dedicated six years of her life to the study of squirrels in the Arctic for her dissertation, and this semester she has joined the Harding faculty as assistant professor of biology.