With humor, humility, and a touch of the extraordinary, Ozzie Smith, baseball’s legendary “Wizard of Oz,” captivated the crowd at Southern Arkansas University during the 20th Annual Farmers Bank & Trust Distinguished Speaker Series on Thursday evening at the W.T. Watson Athletic Center.
The milestone event, presented by Farmers Bank & Trust and the SAU Foundation, brought together alumni, students, and community leaders in celebration of excellence, service, and opportunity. Over the past twenty years, the Distinguished Speaker Series has raised over $1 million to support scholarships through Farmers Bank & Trust/Dr. Bob L. Burns Distinguished Speaker Scholarship Endowments, ensuring that future Muleriders continue to benefit from this enduring partnership.
SAU President Dr. Bruno Hicks welcomed guests with gratitude and reflection on two decades of the Distinguished Speaker Series. “For twenty years, Farmers Bank & Trust has helped us bring stories of perseverance and purpose to our students,” Hicks said. “Our friends at Farmers Bank & Trust have literally touched every facet of our campus through their gifts and service to SAU. Their contributions to SAU will impact higher education for generations to come.”
Elizabeth Burns Anderson, a Magnolia native who serves as the senior vice president of Farmers Bank & Trust and executive director of the Farmers Bank & Trust Foundation, spoke with deep emotion about the event’s origins and her late father’s vision for uniting the community through education. “When my father first had the vision to bring distinguished speakers to Magnolia, he had no idea of the lasting impact it would have on our small town,” Anderson said. “Twenty years later, we have raised over $1 million dollars for scholarships and created something truly special for Southern Arkansas University and this community.” She continued, “My father planted a seed, but each of you sitting here today helped it grow. We do not just celebrate the past; we celebrate what is yet to come, and we keep believing in the power of education to change lives.”
In a conversation moderated by Yolonda Lankford, Smith traced his journey from Southern California sandlots to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He explained how the nickname “Wizard” grew organically from his style of play and shared the creed that guided him through setbacks. “It is not the turbulence in life that defines you. It is your ability to walk through the window of opportunity when it presents itself,” he told the audience. He recalled not being drafted out of high school, working construction in Clarinda, Iowa, and betting on himself until the right chance came. “Do not let anyone deter you from your dream. Work hard, be the very best that you can be, and it will eventually work itself out.”
Smith described how consistency and preparation became his greatest strengths. “The goal was never the Hall of Fame,” he said. “The goal was to be as good and as consistent a big league ballplayer as I could be.” When the Hall call finally came, he remembered the flood of emotion. “All of the work, the frustration, and the sweat and tears came out,” he said.
As the audience rose in a final ovation, Smith left them with a simple measure of success that matched the night’s spirit of purpose and possibility. “Be ready when opportunity comes and keep working until it does,” he said.
The program also honored David Gordon, a junior majoring in Instrumental Music Education from Fairview, Oklahoma, and Jayla Carter, a junior Mechanical Engineering major from Camden, Arkansas, recipients of this year’s Farmers Bank & Trust scholarships. Both students expressed gratitude for the life-changingsupport provided by the SAU Foundation and the bank’s continued investment in student success.
Over the past twenty years, the Farmers Bank & Trust Distinguished Speaker Series has featured an impressive list of notable guests, including Tim Tebow, Archie Manning, Terry Bradshaw, and Emmitt Smith, each leaving an indelible impact on the SAU community. This year’s milestone event not only celebrated two decades of inspiration and partnership but also reaffirmed the enduring commitment of Farmers Bank & Trust to Southern Arkansas University and the region it serves. Through vision, generosity, and faith in the power of education, Farmers Bank & Trust continues to help SAU students pursue their dreams and build a brighter future for generations to come.
