Arkansas State University

Arkansas State University (A-State or ASU) is a public research university in Jonesboro, Arkansas. It is the flagship campus of the Arkansas State University System and the second largest university in the state. The university was founded in 1909 and is located atop on Crowley's Ridge.
Arkansas State University is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity".
History
A-State was founded as the First District Agricultural School in Jonesboro in 1909 by the Arkansas Legislature as a regional agricultural training school. Robert W. Glover, a Missionary Baptist pastor who served in both houses of the Arkansas Legislature from Sheridan (1905–1912), introduced in 1909 the resolution calling for the establishment of four state agricultural colleges, including the future ASU.
In 1918, ASU began offering a two-year college program. In 1925, it became First District Agricultural and Mechanical College. A four-year degree program was begun in 1930. A & M College became Arkansas State College in 1933. In 1967, the Arkansas Legislature elevated the college to university status and changed the name to Arkansas State University.
In the fall of 2014, A-State welcomed its most academically prepared freshman class. The result of several years of growing both admission standards and increasing on-campus housing, A-State's incoming first-year first-time student composite ACT was 23.9 with an average high school GPA of 3.47 (Current freshman ACTs are 20-26 and the average high school GPA is 3.7). This was the third consecutive year of improvement for the ACT/GPA freshman classes for Arkansas State. The Arkansas State Honors College has grown 59% since 2009. The university also posted back-to-back high graduate counts in spring 2012 and spring 2013, producing the most graduates in a two-year period in school history. The university contains the largest library in the state of Arkansas, the Dean B. Ellis Library.
Campuses
Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, Arkansas (primary campus)
Arkansas State University Campus Queretaro, Querétaro, Mexico
Arkansas State University-Beebe, Beebe, Arkansas
Arkansas State University-Beebe Searcy Campus, Searcy, Arkansas
Arkansas State University-Beebe Heber Springs Campus, Heber Springs, Arkansas
Arkansas State University-Beebe at Little Rock Air Force Base, Jacksonville, Arkansas
Arkansas State University-Newport, Newport, Arkansas
Arkansas State University-Newport Marked Tree Campus, Marked Tree, Arkansas
Arkansas State University-Newport Jonesboro Campus, Jonesboro, Arkansas
Arkansas State University-Mountain Home, Mountain Home, Arkansas
Arkansas State University Mid-South, West Memphis, Arkansas
Arkansas State University Three Rivers, Malvern, Arkansas
Henderson State University, Arkadelphia, Arkansas
Former campus
Arkansas State University-Paragould, an instructional site of the Jonesboro campus closed in 2018
Academics
The university has more than 100,000 alumni and offers programs at the doctoral, specialist's, master's, bachelor's, and associate degree levels. They are organized into several colleges: Agriculture, Engineering & Technology, Business, Education & Behavioral Science, Liberal Arts & Communication, Nursing & Health Professions, Sciences & Mathematics, and Undergraduate Studies.
In 2018, Arkansas State was classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity". The university nevertheless maintains a focus on undergraduate instruction and small class sizes, with a student-faculty ratio of 16:1, ranked #76 in undergraduate teaching nationwide . The university is ranked #1119 (SCImago Rankings 2018) and #1645 (URAP Rankings 2020-2021) in the current global university ranking.
Master's degree graduate programs were initiated in 1955, and ASU began offering its first doctoral degree, in educational leadership, in the fall of 1992. A second doctoral program, in environmental science, was begun in the fall of 1997, and the doctoral program in heritage studies began in the fall of 2001. Newer doctoral programs are in environmental science, molecular biosciences, and physical therapy. In the fall of 2016, Arkansas State enrolled the first class of approximately 115 students to its branch of the New York Institute of Technology's medical school. The medical school is located on campus in the historic Wilson Hall.
Media
A-State's journalism program reorganized into the College of Media and Communication for fall 2013. The College of Media and Communication is home to three student-led media outlets and a NPR affiliate radio station. The Herald, a weekly student newspaper, was founded in 1921 and has a circulation of 5,000. ASU-TV, a program under the Department of Radio-Television, gives students hands-on experience in the field of television broadcasting. Starting in fall 2013, an Internet-based student radio station, Red Wolf Radio, was added to the student media. Arkansas State is also home to KASU, a 100,000-watt FM station, which is the oldest NPR affiliate west of the Mississippi River.
Athletics
Arkansas State participates as a member of the NCAA Division I Sun Belt Conference. The athletic teams, previously known as the Indians, are now known as the Red Wolves.
In 2012, the Red Wolves football team became Sun Belt Conference champions for a second straight year, finishing the regular season with a 9–3 record, and capped off its successful season with its first bowl game victory since becoming a Division I-A (FBS) program with a 17–13 victory over Kent State in the GoDaddy.com Bowl, as well as earning its first win over a ranked opponent since joining the FBS in 1992.
In 2013, the football team became the Sun Belt Conference champions for a third straight year, finishing with a 7-5 regular season record and won a second consecutive GoDaddy Bowl with a 23–20 victory over then 10-2 Ball State.
Greek life
Approximately 15% of ASU's undergraduate students are members of one of the 21 Greek organizations located on the campus.
Notable alumni
Joey L. Carr - American politician
Ann Clemmer - Republican former member of the Arkansas State House of Representatives from Saline County
Adrian Banks -American-Israeli professional basketball player for Hapoel Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball Super League
Bill Bergey - NFL player
Larry P. Arnn – president, Hillsdale College
Fred Barnett – NFL player
Mike Beebe – governor of Arkansas (2006–2014)
Earl Bell – Olympic bronze medalist in pole vaulting (1984) and former world record holder
Darren Benson – NFL player
Lonnie D. Bentley – professor and the department head of computer and information technology at Purdue University
Ty Bodden, Wisconsin State Assembly Representative
Gene Bradley – USFL player and NFL draftee
Ray Brown – NFL player
Rodger Bumpass – comedian and voice of Squidward on the popular TV show SpongeBob SquarePants
Ronald R. Caldwell – Arkansas state senator from District 23; real estate businessman in Wynne
Davy Carter – former Speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives, banker and attorney
Maurice Carthon – NFL player and coach
Rick Crawford – U.S. Representative for the First District of Arkansas.
Demario Davis – NFL player
John Dickson- former ABA player
Patrick Eddie – NBA player
Carlos Emmons – NFL player
Jake Files (bachelor's degree in accounting) – former state senator from District 8 in Fort Smith
Brad Franchione – two-time NJCAA National Championship head football coach
Jeremy Gillam – farmer and former Speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives from White County
Zachary Gramlich, American politician
Michael John Gray (B.S. marketing) – former Democratic member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Woodruff County; a farmer with a law degree
Michelle Gray (Class of 1999, B.S. accounting) – Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Melbourne in Izard County
Leroy Harris – NFL player
Jeff Hartwig – former U.S. record holder in pole vault
Julia Butterfly Hill – environmental activist
Thomas Hill – Olympic bronze medalist in 110-meter hurdles (1972)
Robert C. Hinson – U.S. Air Force lieutenant general
Beth Holloway – speech pathologist and motivational speaker, mother of Natalee Holloway
V. E. Howard, Church of Christ clergyman who started the radio International Gospel Hour, based originally in Texarkana, Texas
John K. Hutchison, former Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from 2013 to 2015; farmer in Harrisburg
Buddy Jewell, country music singer
Blake Johnson (exercise science) – Republican member of the Arkansas State Senate from Clay County; rice and soybean farmer in Corning
David Johnson – NFL player
Tyrell Johnson – NFL player, Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions
Ken Jones – NFL player
Al Joyner – Olympic gold medalist in the triple jump (1984)
George Kell – broadcaster and Hall of Fame baseball player
Koby Arthur Koomson – Ghanaian diplomat
Cleo Lemon – NFL player
D. Price Marshall – federal judge, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas
J. D. McKissic – NFL player
Ron Meeks – NFL and CFL player
Dennis Meyer – CFL coach
Josh Miller – member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Heber Springs; obtained associate degree from ASU campus in Heber Springs
Jerry Muckensturm – NFL player
David Nail – Mercury and MCA Nashville recording artist
Chris Odom – NFL player
Stetson Painter -Member of the Arkansas House of Representatives
Chad Puryear -Member of the Arkansas House of Representatives
Jordan Richard - Professional bowler; 2023 PWBA Player of the Year; three-time All-American at Arkansas State (2016, 2017, 2018)
Kyle Richardson – NFL player
Jerry Rook – former American Basketball Association player
Elbert Shelley – NFL player
George K. Sisler – posthumous Medal of Honor recipient from Vietnam War
Edward J. Steimel – Louisiana business lobbyist and columnist
Dan A. Sullivan – Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for Craighead and Greene counties since 2015; played basketball for ASU
Kellie Suttle – Two-time Olympic pole vaulter and silver medalist at 2001 World Indoor Championships and 1999 Pan American Games
Charley Thornton – sports figure
Debbye Turner – Miss America, 1990
Frederick C. Turner, Jr., one of first 3 Black students, first Black faculty member at ASU, Commander of SHAPE
Dave Wallace (Class of 1970) – member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Mississippi County; inductee of the ASU Hall of Heroes for his military service in the Vietnam War
Corey Williams – NFL player
Miller Williams – poet
Notes
References
External links
Arkansas State Athletics website
Arkansas State University System campuses
Buildings and structures in Jonesboro, Arkansas
Crowley's Ridge
Education in Craighead County, Arkansas
Natural Science Collections Alliance members
Universities and colleges established in 1909
1909 establishments in Arkansas
Tourist attractions in Craighead County, Arkansas
Public universities and colleges in Arkansas