September 26, 2024

     With the Fall semester well underway, I am grateful to all of our Ball State colleagues who planned or participated in the University’s many efforts to help our incoming students get acclimated to our beautiful campus.

     I am especially grateful to our Housing and Residence Life and Student Affairs staffs for their work on Weeks of Welcome, a series of activities aimed at helping our new students get acquainted with Ball State and more easily transition to college life.

    The beginning of the academic year is an opportunity to make meaningful connections with the people, places, and traditions that make our campus community special. It’s important to foster our students’ sense of belonging through academic and social experiences, to familiarize them with key locations and support resources on campus, to encourage school spirit, and to offer opportunities for students to meet one another.

     This Fall, we enrolled approximately 3,700 new freshmen, approximately 250 more students than Fall 2022. That’s in addition to the many sophomores and juniors who have transferred to Ball State and are also finding their place in a new space. I am confident that our staff has done a great job helping our incoming students lay a solid foundation for success in their college journeys.

Sincerely,

Geoffrey S. Mearns
President
Ball State University

Participate in Open Forums; Help Build on Ball State’s Strategic Plan

As Ball State develops the next iteration of the University’s strategic plan, faculty and staff are invited to participate in a series of on-campus open forums to build upon Destination 2040: Our Flight Path. Each forum—including one open to the off-campus community—addresses a different topic (listed below).

Participation at the forums can provide useful insights to the University’s strategic planning committee as it refines the strategic imperatives that will guide its work through 2030. The culmination of this strategic planning process will result, early next year, in the distribution of a draft plan for additional feedback. The goal is to present the final proposed plan to the Ball State’s Board of Trustees at its meeting in May 2025. 

Ball State's Writer-In-Residence Program Welcomes Hena Khan to Campus in October

The Ball State Writer-in-Residence (WIR) program will feature award-winning author Hena Khan in October. During this weeklong residency, Ms. Khan will host numerous campus and community events in Muncie. All WIR events are free and open to the public.

Ms. Khan is an award-winning author of picture books and middle-grade fiction. Her groundbreaking middle-grade novel Amina’s Voice was named a Best Book of 2017 by The Washington Post, NPR, Kirkus Reviews, and others. Ms. Khan has five new books coming out this year, including Drawing Deena, Behind My Doors: The Story of the World’s Oldest Library, and We Are Big Time—a graphic novel about “an all-girls, hijab-wearing basketball team.”

Learn more about Ms. Khan and this year’s WIR events online.

Fall 2024 Catalog Available Now

Lifetime Learning’s Fall catalog of non-credit courses—available now—offers a unique mix of skills training, certifications, and online career training. Explore new courses such as Data Analysis: Statistics Fundamentals, COMPASS, a consultation and evidence-based Autism intervention, and Identity Leadership by Stedman Graham, or earn a credential equivalent to credit as a pathway to a new degree. With multiple grant-funded programs available, career training might be free. Career success coaches are available to advise and support learning goals. Download the catalog and email lifetimelearning@bsu.edu with questions or to schedule an appointment.

Explore Programs, Resources Available for Faculty

The Division of Online and Strategic Learning’s Faculty Development Offerings webpage lists details regarding the many Fall 2024 programs and resources provided to all instructors teaching all modalities. From certificate courses to learning communities, the Teaching Innovation Team has programs to enhance the effectiveness of faculty members’ teaching practice. 

Current offerings include the following asynchronous programs and services:  

Recruitment Assistance Available for Attracting Top Talent

Help is available to recruit top talent for vacant positions on campus. Tiffany Turner, assistant director of talent acquisition, supports Ball State by leading and managing recruitment strategies across all academic and administrative departments. She oversees the recruitment process by sourcing prospective candidates on social media platforms such as Indeed and LinkedIn, creating position-specific flyers, and highlighting weekly open positions posted to all of Ball State’s social media accounts. 

Additionally, Ms. Turner coordinates with local organizations to host informational sessions to promote the University’s open positions. She collaborates with various stakeholders to ensure a diverse, equitable, and inclusive hiring process while aligning recruitment efforts with the University’s strategic goals. Connect with Ms. Turner to discuss your need for recruitment assistance by emailing her at Tiffany.Turner@bsu.edu. Ms. Turner will send you an initial intake form to complete so she can gather more information about your role and provide you with a detailed recruitment plan.

Claim Incentives Before it’s Too Late

The BeWell program provides cash back in Ball State employees’ December paycheck just for completing their annual physical with their primary care doctor and registering in Telus Health. This incentive is for active benefit-eligible employees and their spouses who are enrolled and have Ball State insurance as their primary health insurance.

The LiveWell program provides Ball State Vouchers for participation in various wellbeing activities. Vouchers include:

Participation in the BeWell and LiveWell programs is allowed every year. Documentation can be submitted until Oct. 31, 2024. For more information and accessibility to forms, visit the Working Well website.

ArtsWalk Events Set for Oct. 3

A special edition of ArtsWalk will take over downtown Muncie from 5-8 p.m. on Oct. 3. Enjoy local artist demonstrations, support vendors at YART (a makers art fair), explore DWNTWN exhibits and shops, sample tasty soups during the Soup Crawl, dance to live entertainment, and much more. The events are open to everyone. Most events are free. Tickets are being sold for Soup Crawl. A free shuttle will transport Ball State students and employees to the event.

Volunteer Opportunities Available at MCS

Anyone seeking a way to give back to the local community can do so at Muncie Community Schools (MCS). MCS always needs volunteers for various tasks, such as reading with students and helping at school events. To learn more, contact MCS Volunteer Coordinator Alison Quirk at alison.quirk@muncieschools.org.

United Way Campaign Offers Opportunities for Giving Back

The 2024 United Way Ball State Employee Campaign, which kicked off on Sept. 25, provides opportunities to donate to the local United Way annually. With the successful completion of many community service projects on the Day of Action—held on Sept. 6 this year—the campaign continues through Nov. 30 and offers Cardinals the chance to give back to our community effectively. This is thanks to matching dollars available through Ball Brothers Foundation and thoughtful stewardship of the funds by Heart of Indiana United Way. Funded programs are determined by expert research and a community-based committee, ensuring that every dollar is strategically invested to make the largest impact possible in our friends’ and neighbors’ lives and futures.   

Under the leadership of the 2024 campaign chair, Dean Scott Rutledge of the College of Health, the volunteers serving as team captains across campus this year will make sure that every active Ball State employee has multiple opportunities to participate in giving. Generosity can change lives across the region by improving the health, education, and financial stability of all members of our community. To give or to learn more, visit the United Way page on Ball State’s website.  

Applications for Ball State’s Top 100 Student Awards Due in October

Applications for the annual Top 100 Student Awards can be submitted until Oct. 13, 2024. Nominations are not needed. New this year: All Top 100 students will be recognized at a celebration event on March 22, 2025.

Established in 2021 by the Ball State University Foundation, the Top 100 Student Awards honor 100 outstanding Ball State junior and senior students who excel in three categories: academic excellence, campus leadership, and community impact. This awards program is also an opportunity to educate students on the importance of staying connected to Ball State once they graduate while continuing to grow the culture of Beneficence. 

Support Ball State Football by Attending Games

Ball State Football is celebrating its 100th season. Watch the Cardinals at Scheumann Stadium and enjoy the enhanced concessions, support local food trucks and vendors, and take advantage of one of college football’s most affordable experiences. Tickets can be purchased at ballstatesports.com. The remaining four home football games are as follows:

Saturday, Oct. 5 vs. Western Michigan
(Community & Family Weekend)

Saturday, Oct. 26 vs. Northern Illinois – Bronze Stalk Trophy Game
(Homecoming & Football Alumni Day)

Tuesday, Nov. 5 vs. Miami (OH) – Red Bird Rivalry
(Free shirts for the first 1,000 students)

Saturday, Nov. 23 vs. Bowling Green
(All-Century Team Reveal)

Time Travelers Program Wins Award

Estopinal College of Architecture and Planning’s Historic Preservation Time Travelers program has won the Indiana Landmarks’ 2024 Sandi Servaas Memorial Award, which recognizes outstanding achievement in historic preservation. The program, geared for children ages 9-12, fosters a deeper appreciation for history and community heritage through innovative, hands-on activities. As the youth-serving category winner, Time Travelers receives $1,000 and a sculpture, “No Doors to Lock Out the Past,” by the late Evansville artist John McNaughton.

With the goal of engaging children, the Time Travelers program uses creative methods, including sculpting building façades in clay, photographing architectural details, and building their landmarks. Activities such as scavenger hunts and walking tours help students discover local landmarks and architectural styles.

Indiana Landmarks is hosting a program on Sept. 7 that includes the presentation of the Sandi Servaas Memorial Award and other accolades.

Dialogue Days Scheduled for Oct. 23-24

Miller College will host Dialogue Days—the college’s annual professional development and networking event for students and alumni—Oct. 23-24. This year, more than 100 alumni from across the nation will return to campus during Homecoming Week to participate in more than 60 panel discussions and workshops. The Dialogue Days’ schedule of panel discussions will be available online approximately two weeks before the event. The campus community is encouraged to attend. Dialogue Days has a new feature this year: the Networking Lounge, where students will host networking for several hours each day in the student lounge area.

A New Economy: Regenerative Principles to Unlock a Sustainable Future

The Bryan Dean Forum will feature speakers from EY's New Economy Unit (NEU)—including NEU head Anastasia Roussou, and global climate change and sustainability services leader Matthew Bell, in Greece and the United Kingdom, respectively. The forum will be held at 3 p.m. on Oct. 9 in Whitinger Building, Room 144.

The speakers will present key messages from NEU's latest report, “A New Economy.” The report explores the systemic barriers to achieving globally desired sustainability outcomes and the principles that can unlock the transition to a regenerative economy. Learn more about the forum online.

NABJ’s Student Chapter at Ball State Earns Top Honor

Ball State’s National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) chapter was recently named the association’s 2023-24 National Student Chapter of the Year. The announcement was made during NABJ’s 49th annual convention in Chicago. Ball State’s NABJ student chapter earned this accolade for the student members’ work to address several community and campus issues and bring change. These efforts were also recognized with the three Student Life Student Organization Awards Reception (SOAR) awards the group earned. Co-led by Dr. Gabriel B. Tait and Dr. Maria Williams-Hawkins, the students are eager to continue their service on campus during this academic year.

Big Ten Network Vice President Visits Campus to Meet With Sports Link Students

Bill Friedman—vice president of storytelling and originals at Big Ten Network (BTN)—visited Ball State’s campus in September to host workshops and meet students in the Sports Link program. Mr. Friedman provided valuable perspective and tips for the students. Having worked at BTN since it launched in 2007, he has led the development and creation of the network’s original shows and storytelling, from episodic programming to feature-length documentaries. Before joining BTN, he began his career at ESPN, where he spent most of his time as a feature producer.

Professor Earns Design Awards

Shantanu Suman, associate professor of art, recently won two Graphis Design 2025 Silver Awards for his projects listed below. These projects are featured on the Graphis website and in the upcoming international Graphis Design 2025 Awards annual book.

Professor Leads Workshop in Pennsylvania

Jennifer Halvorson, associate professor of art, led a five-day intensive workshop this Summer at the newly expanded Pittsburgh Glass Center in Pennsylvania. The workshop, titled Press Molds: Two-Part Mold Design, Casting on a Horizontal, attracted students from Pennsylvania, Oregon, Texas, and Canada. Lily Rawson, Ball State instructor of art and alumna, joined Professor Halvorson as a teaching assistant at the workshop.

Assistant Clinical Professor Earns Award

Robin Cooper, assistant clinical professor of nursing, received a 2024 Sigma Phi Epsilon, Indiana Gamma Chapter, Outstanding Faculty Award at the organization’s awards ceremony held Sept. 22. Annually, the chapter recognizes three members of the Ball State faculty for outstanding teaching and work with students.

Follow Interprofessional Community Clinics on Social Media
The Interprofessional Community Clinics (ICC) are now on social media. Follow them on Instagram and Facebook to learn about available services in the Audiology, Speech Pathology, and Counseling Practicum clinics, and the Health Lifestyle Center (HLC). Information on HLC’s fitness classes—yoga, Zumba, and strength training—will also be shared via social media.

Chemistry, Biology Faculty Awarded $1.2 Million in Federal Grants

Faculty in the biology and chemistry departments applied for several National Institute of Health (NIH) grants and were awarded more than $1.2 million to study their topics of interest.

Ball State Becomes the First College to Host the Central Indiana Severe Weather Symposium

For the first time, the Central Indiana Severe Weather Symposium is coming to a college campus rather than a conference center. The Indiana Chapter of the American Meteorology Society selected Ball State University as the first host. More than 300 attendees from across the Midwest will gather at Pruis Hall for the Oct. 19 event. Sessions will focus on severe weather throughout the years—including the 2024 Winchester, Ind., tornado—and the future of the National Weather Service.

Accolades and a Publication

Naming Ceremony of Dr. Merle Fifield Contemplation Space Set for Oct. 2

The dedication of the Dr. Merle Fifield Contemplation Space on Bracken Library’s second floor, in the northeast alcove, is scheduled for 5-7 p.m. on Oct. 2. The event is open to everyone, and light refreshments will be served. Dr. Fifield was a highly revered and distinguished professor of English literature at Ball State from 1962 until her retirement in 1996.

University Libraries Makes The New York Times Subscription Available Campus-Wide

The entire Ball State campus community can now access The New York Times online via the University Libraries’ New York Times All Access subscription. This subscription includes access to news, podcasts, multimedia content, newsletters, Gaming, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter, and The Athletic. To access this content for free via the University Libraries’ subscription, campus community members must create an account using their Ball State email addresses—and cancel their existing New York Times subscriptions. To cancel existing accounts, contact the customer service department of the New York Times directly: edu@nytimes.com.

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