Donna Lampkin Stephens
Lecturer of Journalism
Educational Background:
Pursuing a Ph.D. in Mass Communication with an emphasis in History and Law at The University of Southern Mississippi.
M.Ed. in Special Education (Teaching Visually Impaired Children), UALR, 1999.
M.A. in Journalism and English, University of Arkansas, 1994
B.A. in English and Journalism, University of Arkansas, 1985.
Personal Bio:
Born in Camden, Ark. Married to Ken Stephens.
Publications:
Worked as a sportswriter for the Arkansas Gazette from 1984 until the newspaper closed on Oct. 18, 1991. Since then, have worked as a freelance writer for a number of publications, including the Log Cabin Democrat in Conway, North Little Rock Times, Maumelle Monitor, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 501 Life Magazine, AY Magazine and Arkansas Golfer.
Positions Held:
Director of Publications and Community Relations for the College of Fine Arts and Communication, 2006-present.
Panels and Papers/Presentations:
The Conscience of the Arkansas Gazette: J.N. Heiskell Faces the Storm of Little Rock, presented to the American Journalism Historians Association National Conference, Seattle, Oct. 2008. Paper won the Robert Lance Memorial Award for the Outstanding Graduate Student Paper in the country.
Productions:
The Old Gray Lady: Arkansas’s First Newspaper, 90-minute documentary film on the history of the Arkansas Gazette. 2006. Producer. Shown at the Ozark Foothills, Little Rock, Hot Springs and Northwest Arkansas documentary film festivals.
Is You Is: A Louis Jordan Story, 60-minute documentary film. Humanities scholar. Shown at the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival.
The Crisis Mr. Faubus Made: The Role of the Arkansas Gazette in the Central High Crisis, 30-minute documentary film. 2009. Producer.
Organizations:
American Journalism Historians Association, University Women, Society of Professional Journalists, Arkansas College Media Association, Arkansas Sports Club (board member), board member Arkansas Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall of Fame, P.E.O. Chapter E
Grants:
For The Old Gray Lady and The Crisis Mr. Faubus Made:
$52,000 — Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation
$30,000 — Arkansas Humanities Council
$30,000 — Darragh Foundation
$10,000 — Anonymous donor
For Is You Is: A Louis Jordan Story
$30,000 — Arkansas Humanities Council
Activities and Honors:
Three-time selection, Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers