The National Park College (NPC) Board of Trustees and campus community celebrated
Trustee Gail Ezelle’s retirement from the NPC Board of Trustees Wednesday. The Board
approved a resolution honoring Ezelle’s 38 years of service to the College and conferred
an honorary degree in her name during a special called meeting.
Special speakers included Dr. Sally Carder, former NPC President; Melinda Gassaway,
retired editor for the Sentinel-Record; Joyce Craft, NPC Board of Trustees Secretary;
Forrest Spicher, NPC Board of Trustees Chair; and Dr. John Hogan, NPC President.
Spicher said, "I have had the privilege of serving with Gail as a Board member as
well as an officer. She has been integral to the important growth and advances at
NPC over the past 38-plus years. Under her watch, NPC has conferred thousands of degrees
and certificates and improved lives through educational attainment. We wouldn't have
been able to accomplish such without her wise counsel."
“Gail has remained committed to the College's mission of student success since she
joined this Board in 1983. She has assisted me as both a leader and advisor, and she
did both with the highest levels of honor and integrity,” said Hogan. “Among many
accomplishments, she oversaw the merger with Quapaw Technical Institute in 2003, our
name change and rebranding in 2015, and, very importantly, three successful accreditation
cycles. I am grateful for her support of this campus and our students," he noted.
Ezelle first joined the NPC Board of Trustees in 1983. She served with all four presidents
and helped lead the College through a merger with Quapaw Technical Institute in 2003,
a name change and rebranding in 2015, the resurrection of athletics in 2016, the first
bachelor’s degrees on campus with Southern Arkansas University in 2019, approval of
the first NPC bachelor’s degree in nursing in 2021, three 10-year accreditation cycles,
and construction of the first residence hall on campus. She also contributed to the
construction of 10 new facilities including Charlotte Phelps, Gym Complex, Fisher
Campus Center, faculty office buildings, Lab Sciences, Frederick M. Dierks Center
for Nursing and Health Sciences, Dogwood Hall, Student Commons, and Marine Technology.
Ezelle is a member of the National Park Rotary Club, Leadership Hot Springs and numerous
other civic boards and organizations. She was interested in serving on the Board of
Trustees because of her long-time involvement in education which began when she worked
as a librarian while her children were in school. She participated in the Arkansas
State Parent Teacher Association and served four years as an educational lobbyist.
She established the Senior Arkansas Sports Organization as a non-profit in 1993 and
served on the Board of the National Senior Games Association.
Ezelle received the Governor's Leadership and Fitness Award for 2003 from Governor
Mike Huckabee as well as previously being selected by the Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce
as 'Outstanding Woman of the Year'. She was awarded the Spirit Award from Baptist
Medical Center in August 2006 and also received a "Certificate of Special Congressional
Recognition for outstanding work and commitment to Arkansas Senior Olympics" from
Congressman Mike Ross. She previously participated in swimming events during the games
and has qualified for the national games. Her late husband, Ralph, former Senior Olympian,
was the Arkansas Senior Olympic Results Manager. Together, they have five children
and many grandchildren.
Ezelle’s legacy of service in education is proof that promoting her family’s education
was always her top priority. Nine of Ezelle’s children and grandchildren have attended
NPC and two of them have gone on to earn a doctorate degree. She explained that titles
are of little importance in life and that she began her journey of educational service
as a mother of five involved with parent and teacher organizations in Texas. She later
moved to Arkansas and she became Parent Teacher Association President of Arkansas.
“It doesn't matter what title you have as long as you go forward and get the job done.
That’s what makes the difference,” said Ezelle.
