G. David Gearhart was born in Fayetteville, Washington County, Arkansas, on June 9, 1952.
He attended Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri, and graduated in 1974. Gearhart then enrolled in the University of Arkansas School of Law. Upon earning a law degree, he returned to Westminster as director of development.
In 1978 Gearhart accepted a development position at Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas. Four years later he took the position of director of development at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville and also earned his Ed.D. In 1985 Gearhart accepted the position of senior vice president of development and university relations at Penn State University. After serving there for ten years, he joined the consulting firm Grenzebach Glier and Associates as vice president and managing director.
Gearhart returned to the University of Arkansas as vice chancellor in 1998 and led the Campaign for the Twenty-First Century, which raised $1 billion for the university. In 2008 he became chancellor and held that position for seven years. Gearhart stepped down in 2015 to teach in the UA's higher education program for another seven years before his retirement in 2022.
#1: Composite image of early photo of David Gearhart and still frame from Pryor Center video interview
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#2: David Gearhart, 1953
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#3: David Gearhart, St. Joseph Catholic School, ca. 1958
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#4: David Gearhart, St. Joseph Catholic School; ca. 1967
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#5: David Gearhart (right) winning track event, Fayetteville High School, 1969
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#6: David Gearhart, Fayetteville High School, 1970
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#7: David Gearhart, Fayetteville High School, 1970
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#8: David Gearhart, president of student government (right) with Ralph David Abernathy; Westminster College, New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, 1970
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#9: David Gearhart, Westminster College, New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, 1971
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#10: David Gearhart (right) with Chip Robertson and Lady Mary Soames, daughter of Winson Churchill, standing next to a statue of Winston Churchill; Westminster College, New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, 1974
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#11: David Gearhart with Jerry Jones and University of Arkansas athletics director Jeff Long
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#12: David Gearhart receiving the Chancellor's Medal from Chancellor Alan Sugg, 2008
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#13: David Gearhart speaks at a University of Arkansas Board of Trustees meeting after being named chancellor, 2008
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#14: David Gearhart (second from right) with former University of Arkansas chancellors: (from left) Willard Gatewood, Daniel Ferritor, and John White, 2008
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#15: David Gearhart (right) with Earvin "Magic" Johnson; October 2008
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#16: David Gearhart (second from left) with his brother, Van, mother, Joan Gearhart-Havens, and brothers Doug and Jeff; ca. 2008
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#17: David Gearhart (right) with Chancellor Alan Sugg at the Univesity of Arkansas Board of Trustees meeting where Gearhart was appointed chancellor, 2008
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#18: Jane and David Gearhart at the Chancellor's House, University of Arkansas, 2008
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#19: David Gearhart (seated) with George H. W. Bush at the University of Arkansas, April 2009
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#20: David Gearhart with Mike Beebe and Dick Trammel, University of Arkansas, April 2009
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#21: David Gearhart and Johnnelle Hunt, University of Arkansas Board of Trustees meeting, May 2009
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#22: David Gearhart presenting Panama president Ricardo Martinelli the declaration for the Martinelli Endowed Scholarship, University of Arkasnas, February 2010
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#23: David Gearhart with Bill Clinton at the dedication of the Atkinson Courtyard at the University of Arkansas School of Law, Fayetteville, Arkansas; August 2010
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#24: David Gearhart (second from right) with the Dalai Lama, Geshe Dorjee (center), and Sidney Burris (far right); Fayetteville, Arkansas, 2011
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#25: David Gearhart with (l-r) Stephanie Streett, Bill Clinton, and Jane Gearhart; April 2012
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#26: David and Jane Gearhart; ca. 2013
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#27: David Gearhart (right), University of Arkansas; ca. 2014
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#28: David and Jane Gearhart with their grandchildren: (back row, l-r) Caroline Gearhart, Jane Gearhart, Lily Jane Gearhart, George Brockmann Gearhart Jr.; (front row) Ellie Hunt and Ben Hunt; 2019
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#29: Dave Gearhart with his family: (back row, l-r) Lindsey Gearhart, grandson George Jr., son, Brock, wife, Jane, Dave, daughter, Katy, son-in-law Justin Hunt (front row, l-r) grandchildren Caroline Gearhart, Lily Jane Gearhart, Ellie Hunt, and Ben Hunt; ca. 2020
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#30: Still frame from Pryor Center video interview with G. David Gearhart at the Pryor Center, Fayetteville, Arkansas, 2023
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#31: Still frame from Pryor Center video interview with G. David Gearhart at the Pryor Center, Fayetteville, Arkansas, 2023
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#32: Still frame from Pryor Center video interview with G. David Gearhart at the Pryor Center, Fayetteville, Arkansas, 2023
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#33: Still frame from Pryor Center video interview with David Gearhart at the Pryor Center, Fayetteville, Arkansas, 2023
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#34:
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
