More than Just a Fan: How Reese Harder Is Using the Nest—ORU’s Growing Student Section—to Build a Community
Reese Harder
Hometown: Jenks, Oklahoma
Major: Medical Molecular Biology
At ORU home games, Reese Harder has become semi-famous as “that guy” … as in, that
guy sitting in the front row who’s extremely loud, wildly excited, and always cheering.
Some might call Reese an ORU “superfan,” but for Reese—who serves as Vice-President
of The Nest, ORU’s growing student section—athletic events are about more than just
being a fan.
“It’s great that we have record attendance,” Reese said, “but I don't want to become like every other college where we're only focused on the number of fans. The main thing we want to do is build community … a community that’s focused on Christ. I love high attendance, but if the fans are there for the right reasons, then it’s a better experience for everyone.”
The Fan Who Makes a Lot of Noise
Reese graduated from Jenks High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a school that’s been nationally recognized for its athletic success. At Jenks, Reese was part of the “Superfans,” a student-group that’s well known for filling stadiums and making noise. When he arrived at ORU, Reese wanted to bring that same enthusiasm to ORU games; he wanted to create a gameday atmosphere that was second to none.
“When I first got here,” Reese said, “some of the fans were a little more quiet and a little more reserved. But during my freshman year, things started to change. During the U.M.K.C. basketball game, we were on the floor, and I was in the front row screaming. I started doing my own chants and the crowd joined in. After that, I’d go to the games, and people would pull me to the front. Because of high school, I knew what a great atmosphere looked like, and I knew what I wanted the ORU crowd to look like.”
“Because of the Nest, the game-day atmosphere has completely changed at ORU. At the first home game last year, students were standing in line early, waiting to run in and get front-row seats. The games are exciting, but The Nest isn’t really about that. It’s about community."
Offering More Than Just a Game
As a freshman, Reese was asked to lead at basketball games, but he also set a goal to become a campus leader. That year, Reese took his first step into campus leadership by volunteering to serve as a Floor Chaplain, a position that isn’t typically held by an ORU freshman. After that, he took an even bigger leap into leadership, accepting the role of Vice President for The Nest, ORU’s growing student section.
“Because of the Nest,” Reese said, “the game-day atmosphere has completely changed at ORU. At the first home game last year, students were standing in line early, waiting to run in and get front-row seats. The games are exciting, but The Nest isn’t really about that. It’s about community. We make an intentional effort to create a place on campus where everyone feels like they belong, where anyone can have fun. It'd be easy for people to join and focus solely on the game, but that’s not the goal. Our goal is to be inclusive and Christ-focused.”
As a leader, Reese wants to take The Nest in a direction that’s different than typical student sections. Win or lose, he wants the stands to always be packed because of the relationships that are being built. In a way, it’s part of Reese’s ministry, to bring together fans—some who know nothing about sports—for the right reasons: to cheer and to glorify God.
“ORU is special because of the Christian environment,” Reese said. “Here, I’m growing in my relationship with the Lord, and I want that focus in The Nest too. On campus, we have a Christian culture, and it’s something students will also find at our games. And while The Nest should be fun, the focus shouldn’t be on what’s popular or who’s popular. The focus should be on a Christ-centered goal, which is what being a whole person is all about.”
ORU's The Nest
To learn more about how you can develop as a leader, please visit oru.edu.
ABOUT ORAL ROBERTS UNIVERSITY
ORU is a Christian, Spirit-empowered, interdenominational university in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with 15 years of consecutive enrollment growth. Regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, ORU offers over 150 majors, minors, concentrations, and pre-professional programs at the bachelor’s level, ranging from business and engineering to nursing, ministry, and more. Under the leadership of President Dr. William Wilson, ORU is preparing students from all 50 states and 151 nations (from 2019 to 2023) to be whole leaders for the whole world.
The Wall Street Journal ranked ORU as the #8 university in the nation for student experience and one of America's Best Colleges (2024). This new category rates the best colleges in the U.S. to have a great experience while attending. This ranking is powered by one of the largest ever independent surveys of verified college students and recent graduates in the United States. Niche recognizes ORU as one of the most diverse colleges in America, # 1 best Christian college in Oklahoma, and # 1 in Oklahoma for diversity. Princeton Review ranked ORU as the best regional college, and College Raptor ranked ORU as a Hidden Gem in the Southwest.
ORU has been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as:
- #1 in Undergraduate Teaching
- #2 in Most International Students
- #3 in Best Value
- #6 in Best College for Veterans
- #7 in Best Regional Colleges in the West
For more information, visit www.oru.edu.