Sandra Combs, holding up a “wolves up” gesture in The Herald office, wearing a shirt that reads “JOURNALISM MATTERS. Now More Than Ever.” Combs served as the previous Herald adviser during her 17-year career at A-State.
School of Media and Journalism students lost a beloved professor and adviser when Sandra Combs, a former associate professor of multimedia journalism, died last week.
Combs came to Arkansas State University as an associate professor in 2008, after teaching at Michigan State University and Wayne State University. She retired from the faculty of the School of Media and Journalism in April 2025, where she also served as adviser to The Herald, the student newspaper, during her 17-year career at A-State.
Former Herald Editor-in-Chief Rachel Rudd said she benefited from Combs’s mentoring for several years.
“It’s hard to put into words how Ms. Combs has impacted me,” Rudd said. “But the memory that’s been replaying in my mind these past few days is one from when I’d just been told I was going to be hired as the editor of Jonesboro Right Now. I was driving home and called her to tell her the news, and I remember her being so excited and proud. These past few days, it’s the excitement in her voice. That’s stuck with me.”
Sandra Combs and Herald editors pose for a photo at the 2024 Southeast Journalism Conference. Editors pictured are (from left) Elijah Templeton, Jacob Keene, Anna Cox, Caroline Averitt, Jerry Don Burton and Rachel Rudd
Combs impacted students professionally and personally.
Laila Casiano, 2025 A-State graduate, said she fondly remembers how Combs always made time for her, even when she first joined the newspaper staff.
“I would be so nervous to just hang out in the Herald office and she would keep me company, talking about the news or how my semester has been for far,” Casiano said. “She was always interested in hearing about my personal and academic life.”
(From Left) Laila Casiano, Sandra Combs and Shailey Wooldridge pose for a selfie. Casiano and Wooldridge, A-State graduates, served in editor positions at The Herald.
In addition to advising The Herald, Combs served as co-advisor for the Arkansas State Association of Black Journalists chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ). A-State is home to the only recognized NABJ student chapter in the state.
The NABJ said Combs was a dedicated storyteller, educator and mentor. They also said she embodied the spirit of excellence, service and community.
Combs was also a proud supporter of the Red Wolves women’s basketball team and could often be seen courtside at home games.
Active in several professional organizations and university committees, Combs was a Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver Center for the Advancement of Women in Communication Fellow and was recognized by the Craighead County NAACP with its Unsung Hero award. Her professional memberships also included the National College Media Association, the Society of Professional Journalists, and the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.
A native of Orlando, Combs completed her bachelor’s degree at the University of Florida and her master’s degree at Michigan State University.
The visitation will take place from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., Friday, at Woodard Funeral Services in Jonesboro. The funeral is scheduled for 10 a.m., Saturday, at First Baptist Church on Kitchen Street, also in Jonesboro.
Categories: News
Leave a Reply