Joel Gambill Speaker Series to Feature Dawnetta Van Dunk
JONESBORO – Dawnetta M. Van Dunk, lead program manager in the Office of Integrated Technology of the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs and founder of nonprofit organization STEM Innovation Spark Her, returns to Arkansas State University for the Dr. Joel Gambill Distinguished Speaker Series Wednesday, April 10, and Thursday, April 11.
The event takes place in the Education and Communications Building, room 224 at A-State, from 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. on both days.
During her time at A-State, Van Dunk played basketball and worked at The Herald. She will share how her time at A-State helped pave the path she has followed in her life.
"I have the fondest memories of working on The Herald and I use all I learned in my work and life today,” said Van Dunk.
She will be the spring guest lecturer for the series, speaking about the influence her education has had on her life.
“I grew up in Pine Bluff playing basketball from the seventh grade through my senior year and earned a scholarship to attend college, which brought me to A-State my sophomore year after leaving University of Southern Mississippi. I played basketball for A-State for two years and decided to focus my senior year on writing for The Herald as well as advertising responsibilities,” said Van Dunk.
She said the newsroom of the campus newspaper, working alongside her classmates, became her safe space.
“During my time at A-State, I was a sports writer for the Herald, led all advertising pagination my senior year, and was editor for the Black Student Union Newsletter and Advertising Club president,” said Van Dunk.
Education has played an important role in her life. Van Dunk graduated in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and advertising from A-State and earned a Master of Business Administration at the University of Illinois in 2002. She plans to complete a doctoral degree in education at Baylor University next year.
“I am trying to give balance to my career in higher education information technology (IT), government health IT, and my passion, which is my nonprofit that’s focused on increasing middle school girls’ interest in STEM,” she added.
With her nonprofit, she matches girls, especially minorities, with women leaders in the STEM field.
“Increasing Black girls’ enrollment in STEM studies in college is the focus of my doctoral studies at Baylor and I’m tying it all to my foundational knowledge in journalism and communications developed at A-State,” she added.
Van Dunk, who currently resides in Dallas, also enjoys flower gardening, participating in church programs, and hanging out with her one year old dog, Bella.
The endowed series began in 2008 in honor of Dr. Joel Gambill, who was the first full-time instructor of journalism at A-State where he taught for 44 years. He also served many years as department chair. During his career, Gambill was recognized with the Outstanding Educator Award and the Distinguished Service Award from the Arkansas Press Association.
More than 40 outstanding alumni of the program have returned to A-State to share their insight with current students in the speaker series.
