Arkansas Tech University Homecoming 2025 concluded on Sunday, Oct. 26, with the joyful sounds of a gospel brunch hosted at Hull Building Student Union by the Black alumni organization within the ATU Alumni Association.
The event was highlighted by a performance from Malik Oliver, who completed his hospitality administration degree from Arkansas Tech in 2018. He went on to obtain a master’s degree in higher education administration from the University of Arkansas and began his career in education, first in student affairs at the University of North Texas and then as a teacher in the school districts at Dallas, Texas, and Terrell, Texas.
In late 2024, Oliver began moving toward a full-time commitment to ministry. He is now worship director at Impact Church DFW in Texas.
“The joy of it all is seeing the fruition of what you do for God come into play,” said Oliver. “You see the people that you impact, and you see the result of the impact. To be able to wake up daily and choose to walk with Christ is an amazing choice, but it’s also a blessing. It brings me great joy to be able to do this every day.”
During his days as an ATU student, Oliver was selected for the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators undergraduate fellows program. He was named to Who’s Who at Arkansas Tech, he was an officer for Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and he was president for the United Voices of Praise choir at ATU.
These days, Oliver is a rising star in gospel music. He is an Indie Blu Music label artist who performed at the 2023 MNRK Music Group nominee reception, sang at the 2023 SOAR Awards pre-show, was a 2024 and 2025 SOAR Awards presenter and performed a tribute to Bishop William Murphy in 2024.
“I’ve been in spaces where I’ve seen people be healed from mental health…I’ve seen people be healed from cancer,” said Oliver. “It’s just simply because I’ve been so faithful to what God has given me that when I go out into the different worlds and spaces that He puts me in, my ministry somehow connects to their resonation of what they’re dealing with. It’s almost like a full-circle moment where I know what I’m doing is what God has called me to do. Although I do enjoy it, it’s just such a blessing to know that I’m a part of the body of Christ that’s changing the world.”
In addition to Oliver, Jasmine Foster Wilson was also a featured performer at the ATU Homecoming weekend gospel brunch. Wilson, a three-time graduate of Arkansas Tech, shared her story of perseverance to become a college graduate. She recalled how Carolyn Crawford, then the director of disability services and testing at ATU, pulled her aside and gave her the confidence to keep moving forward.
Today, Wilson is paying that kindness forward as assistant principal at Morrilton High School.
“This (Homecoming) weekend has been beautiful,” said Oliver. “A lot of people are saying it was raining all weekend, but in my Bible and in my understanding of what it says about the rain, rain brings new beginnings. That full-circle moment for me is a new beginning to come back as a now national gospel artist who started at Arkansas Tech, who was involved in the music department here, who had the gospel choir here…it’s just full circle because now the seeds that I started and put in the ground are blooming. I’ve seen them grow. It’s an honor and a blessing to be able to do this.”
