Broadcast icon Gary Dolphin to announce inaugural Iowa journalism scholarship recipients
Students from across Iowa will receive scholarships from the Gary Dolphin Journalism Grant Fund during a press conference at 9 a.m. Monday, August 10. The conference will take place in the TH Media Building Community Room, 801 Bluff Street, Dubuque, Iowa. Members of the media who cannot attend in person will be able to attend virtually.
“I’m honored to support the next generation of journalists” says Gary Dolphin, longtime “Voice of the Hawkeyes.” “Preparing students for careers in the media is essential for keeping Iowa communities informed and engaged.”
Dolphin will speak at the event about the purpose and history of the scholarship fund. Dolphin has been the play-by-play announcer for University of Iowa Hawkeyes football and men's basketball for over 25 years, becoming one of the most recognized and trusted voices in Iowa sports broadcasting.
During the press conference, Dolphin will personally present checks to the scholarship recipients. Several of the inaugural winners are expected to attend in person to accept their awards and share what the scholarship means to them.
Dolphin established the fund with the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, which serves seven counties in the region of Iowa the broadcaster calls home.
“Empowering communities is core to our mission,” says Mary Jo Jean-Francois, Vice President of Impact at the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque. “Ensuring that communities have access to accurate local news and information is key to ensuring people are empowered to make decisions that affect the well-being of the places they call home.”
The Gary Dolphin Journalism Scholarship Fund was established to support students pursuing their educational goals in journalism and related fields, reflecting Dolphin's own commitment to the Iowa community he has served throughout his broadcasting career.
Open to students from Iowa, Southwest Wisconsin, and Northwest Illinois, the scholarship supports those pursuing degrees in journalism, broadcasting, communications, marketing or public relations. It provides scholarships to current and prospective college students in these fields, as well as stipends to current students majoring in one of these areas who intern at a local news and information outlet.
The Community Foundation is the Northeast Iowa chapter of the national organization Press Forward. As the Iowa chapter, the Foundation uses the power of philanthropy to directly support local reporters and publications and increase access to the type of information that helps democracy thrive.
Members of the media are invited to attend and are encouraged to arrive early for interviews and photo opportunities with Gary Dolphin and the scholarship recipients.
Event Details:
What: Press conference announcing the five inaugural Gary Dolphin Grant Scholarship Fund winners
When: Monday, August 10, 2026, at 9:00 a.m.
Where: TH Media Building Community Room, 800 Bluff Street, Dubuque, Iowa
Photo ops: Gary Dolphin, "Voice of the Hawkeyes"; scholarship recipients; fund representatives