Joel Gambill Journalism Scholarship

Dr. Joel Gambill created this scholarship to assist students seeking a career in journalism. Dr. Joel Gambill of Jonesboro graduated from Arkansas State University in 1965. Soon afterward, he was the first instructor in journalism hired by ASU’s renowned professor Tex Plunkett, the father of ASU’s journalism program, and spent the next four decades building the department into a national powerhouse. His awards and recognitions, too numerous to list in this space, include being named Outstanding Educator by the Arkansas Press Association as well as the organization’s highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award. Along with his dedication to education and journalism, he has devoted his time and talent as official scorekeeper for ASU men’s and women’s basketball for the past quarter of a century, missing only three games since 1975. Equally passionate about tennis, he captained five Jonesboro teams to the state championship.