Written by Samantha Politinksy
This year the Archives and Special Collections put on a display of Steve Bell’s collection. “From the Newsroom to the Classroom: The Life and Lessons of Professor Steve Bell” at the Archives and Special Collections is more than a tribute, it’s a living archive of a journalist whose life and career mirrored the most pivotal moments in American history. The display follows his life through the items Bell and his family donated to the archives and was curated by his granddaughter, Samantha Politinsky, who is the current E. Ruth Dunning Graduate Assistant for the Archives and Special Collections. The exhibit’s first cases trace Bell’s origins, a small-town football player from Iowa who married his high school sweetheart who happened to have a knack for public speaking. His first major story was in Omaha, Nebraska where his Emmy-winning documentary The Outsiders spotlighted high school dropouts. He soon left Omaha to start reporting from New York and Washington.
The second case captures Bell’s immersion into the political turbulence of the 1960s. As an ABC News correspondent, he covered the 1968 presidential election, the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and the Newark riots. These moments, documented through photos and artifacts, show Bell not just as a witness to history, but as a steady voice during times of national upheaval.
By far the most eye drawing items are in the next set of cases. Bell worked for NBC for many years in that time he was the anchor for ABC News Washington and part of the original Good Morning America cast in 1975. During this time at ABC, Bell also became acquainted with multiple US President’s he worked with every administration between Nixon and Clinton in some capacity. The next set of cases detail Bell’s time in Vietnam. Spending time with soldiers and unarmed, Bell reported from the ground for years. His decision to remain nonviolent, even in war zones, speaks volumes about his ethical compass. While he served his duty in Vietnam his family, his wife and two daughters, also followed along and stayed in the relatively more peaceful cities of Hong Kong and Saigon.
Bell’s later work, highlighted in the final four cases, reveals a journalist who never stopped advocating. At KYW-TV in Philadelphia, he championed the struggles of Vietnam veterans, earning accolades not just from media organizations but from the veterans themselves. His reporting extended to environmental issues, demonstrating a curiosity and compassion that transcended traditional news beats. After many years working in journalism he settled with his wife in Muncie and taught TCOM at Ball State. As the Edmund F. and Virginia B. Ball Chair in Telecommunications at, Bell mentored aspiring journalists with the same integrity that defined
his career. His legacy lives on through the Steve Bell Memorial Scholarship for Ethics in News Reporting, awarded annually to students who embody fairness, thoroughness, and truth.
The exhibit doesn’t just celebrate Bell’s achievements; it invites reflection on the values that shaped them. His life’s work exemplifies journalism at its best: unbiased, courageous, compassionate, and committed to the public good. As visitors walk through the exhibit, they’re not just encountering history, they’re meeting a man who believed in the power of truth, the importance of mentorship, and the enduring impact of community. Steve Bell’s story is a reminder that journalism, when practiced with ethics, truth and conviction, can shape not just headlines, but lives.
The University Libraries will hold an opening ceremony commemorating Bell and the newly installed exhibit on Friday, November 14th from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm, located at the Archives and Special Collections, Bracken Library Room 210.
The exhibit will be on display outside of the Archives and Special Collections on the second floor of Bracken Library until June 30th, 2026.