Leland W. "Tex" Plunkett Journalism Scholarship

Leland W. “Tex” Plunkett taught at Arkansas State from 1936 until 1974, when he was declared emeritus professor of journalism. In his 38 years on campus, he saw the journalism department he founded become a division and lead to the formation of a College of Communications composed of the Divisions of Journalism and Printing, and Radio-Television. For years Tex, the winner of the first R.E. Lee Wilson Award for outstanding service to the institution, taught in the English department and sponsored the Herald in addition to other duties. He headed up the News Bureau, handled sports information, served as chairman of the Athletic Committee and headed the independent Division of Radio-TV, Journalism and Printing. A “Tex Plunkett Appreciation Day” was held in honor of Tex by his former students in 1967. At the time, more than 150 of his former students gathered to give him a banquet and kick off a drive for the scholarship fund that resulted in the establishment of this award.