LITTLE ROCK — Japhanie Gray of Blytheville (Mississippi County), a junior broadcast journalism major at Arkansas State University, is the 2014 recipient of Arkansas Farm Bureau’s Marvin Vines Memorial Scholarship. The award was announced at the University’s College of Communications Honors Banquet April 16.

Gray, 21, is the daughter of Stephanie and Leon Gray. She is on track to graduate in 2015 and hopes to pursue a career as a television or radio talk show host. She has a 4.0 overall grade point average. 

Arkansas Farm Bureau endows the scholarship, which honors the memory of Marvin Vines, farm director for more than 25 years at Little Rock radio station KAAY. Since 1980, it’s been awarded annually to a broadcast major at Arkansas State. 

Gray has gained valuable experience having the opportunity to produce and host an ASU-TV public affairs program, “You, Me and the Community” on the local cable access channel and assisting on a  Jones Mobile Television production of the ASU-UCA football game in 2011. Gray has also assisted on several ESPN football and basketball broadcasts and has obtained extensive on-air radio experience working as program director and talk show host for Red Wolf Radio. 

“Eventually I want to combine my love for radio and television and produce and host my own national program for entertainment and community service purposes,” Gray said. “My main goal is to use my skills in broadcasting to give back to the world in a productive manner by informing, educating and inspiring others.”

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Japhanie Gray, a junior broadcast journalism major at Arkansas State University, received the Arkansas Farm Bureau Marvin Vines Memorial Scholarship from Dr. Mary Jackson-Pitts, a professor in the department of media, at the college's annual honors banquet in Jonesboro April 16. Photo courtesy of Chelsea Hays.

Arkansas Farm Bureau is a nonprofit, private advocacy organization of more than 190,000 families throughout the state working to improve farm and rural life.