August 31, 2023

     During our Fall Convocation on August 18, I said that, because of the dedication and determination of our faculty and staff, our University has emerged from the pandemic better and stronger.

     I shared several statistics to demonstrate this point: 

     I am grateful to you–faculty and staff. Your persistence, passion, and creativity helped our campus through that difficult time. My convocation speech includes other examples of how Ball State emerged from the pandemic better and stronger. You can view my Fall Convocation remarks online.

     Knowing that bright days are ahead of us, I look forward to seeing what our campus community can accomplish this academic year.

Sincerely,

Geoffrey S. Mearns
President
Ball State University

Participation in one of several activities and projects listed on the United Way Day of Action webpage will help support United Way’s commitment to improving the lives and futures of Delaware County working families (or ALICE—Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, and Employed). Visit the Ball State United Way Day of Action webpage to learn more.

North Residence Hall is being renamed the Jack Beyerl Residence Hall in honor of Dr. Merrill C. “Jack” Beyerl, Ball State’s Emeritus Vice President of Student Affairs who served the University for 35 years in various positions—including director of the Counseling Center, director of Counseling and Psychological Services, and dean of Student Affairs.

Dr. Beyerl is being honored for his extraordinary contributions to the University. He led Ball State’s unprecedented expansion of its residence halls in the 1950s and 1960s to coincide with growing enrollment. His legacy of intentional foresight and planning has continued with every vice president for Student Affairs that followed him. Dr. Beyerl was also a staunch advocate for comprehensive services for college students with disabilities.

Ball State University will hold a grand opening on Sept. 19 for the Brown Family Amphitheater—a new outdoor performance and gathering space on campus that the entire community can enjoy. Located between Park and Pruis halls and between Noyer and Woodworth complexes, this grand lawn venue is an impressive performance facility for artists and audiences.

Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony will be a free jazz concert featuring the Ball State Jazz Ensemble with vocalist and Ball State graduate Tatum Langley, ’21. Additional details about the grand opening and jazz concert can be found online. Also, a preview community concert featuring singer/songwriter/guitarist Don McLean will be held at the amphitheater on Sept. 2.

The Brown Family Amphitheater is named in honor of Charles W. Brown, a 1971 Ball State graduate and longtime University supporter. Read more in this Ball State press release.

Sept. 20 (10 a.m.-4 p.m.) Keynote Address and lunch in Emens Auditorium; Afternoon workshops in the Student Center

Sept. 21 (8 a.m.-noon) Workshops in the Student Center

The 2023 Student Success Summit is an opportunity for campus partners to come together and discuss strategies to foster student success and well-being. The theme for the 2023 summit is “Sustaining Momentum for Student Success, Equity, and Change.” This year’s keynote speaker is Dr. Tia Brown McNair, vice president in the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Student Success; and executive director for the Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) Campus Centers at the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) in Washington, D.C. Registration—which is required to attend the summit—can be completed online.

Dr. Pablo Borboroglu, 2023 winner of the Indianapolis Prize, will be a guest lecturer at Ball State on Oct. 3. Dr. Borboroglu was recognized for his work to protect ocean and coastal habitats of penguins in numerous countries. He is the co-founder and leader of the Global Penguin Society, an international conservation coalition for the world's penguin species, and founder and co-chair of the International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission Penguin Specialist Group. This lecture is free and open to the public. Tickets, which are required for entry to the event, can be reserved online.

The Indianapolis Prize—part of an initiative of the Indianapolis Zoological Society, Inc.—awards $250,000 to an animal conservationist who has successfully advanced the sustainability of an animal species or group of species. This award is widely viewed as the Nobel Prize for animal conservation.

Ball State is preparing for the Higher Learning Commission’s upcoming site visit. Five peer reviewers will be on campus Oct. 23 and 24 to meet with numerous stakeholders: faculty, staff, students, Board of Trustees members, and others. Discussion in each session will focus on Ball State’s adherence to the accreditation criteria. All faculty, staff, and students are invited to participate in the open sessions addressing each criterion. More information about the accreditation process is available on the Institutional Accreditation website.

Stay Current on the Latest Statehouse News

The Office of Governmental Relations & Industry Engagement invites you to subscribe to its weekly newsletter, Statehouse Update. The newsletter provides updates on key legislation being followed by the University and insights into the legislative process. Sign up or view past editions of the newsletter.

Next Episode of Our Call to Beneficence Features Ball State Graduate and Former Ball State Board Trustee, Greg Fehribach

Greg Fehribach, ’81 MA ’83—Distinguished Faculty Fellow for the Office of Inclusive Excellence at Ball State University—is the guest on the next episode of the monthly podcast Our Call to Beneficence, hosted by Ball State President Geoffrey S. Mearns. This episode is available now.

At Ball State, Mr. Fehribach earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science, and a Master’s in Executive Development for Public Service. As an undergraduate and graduate student, he made history as the first student with a disability to be elected student body president at the University.

A Ball State Board Trustee from 2004-2007, Mr. Fehribach has led a successful career practicing law over the past 30 years. He founded The Fehribach Group, a company working with industry to promote universal design, and has received numerous honors and awards for promoting accessible design, accessibility, guidelines, and standards for people with disabilities. Mr. Fehribach serves on the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, an independent federal agency that promotes equality for people with disabilities through leadership in accessible design and the development of accessibility guidelines and standards.

All episodes of the Our Call to Beneficence podcast are available on multiple platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. Subscriptions and reviews are also encouraged to help grow the audience for this podcast.

Ball State Provides Primary Sponsorship for Habitat for Humanity Season-Opening Build

Several divisions at Ball State University this month are participating in and financially supporting Greater Muncie Habitat for Humanity’s Awareness Build—another example of the University’s ongoing commitment to enhancing the social vitality of its community.

The Awareness Build is a five-day micro-build by community partners and local news, media, and strategic communications professionals which jumpstarts the Summer and Fall home builds for Habitat. In addition to raising funds, the mission of those participating in the build is to raise renewed awareness throughout the community of the ongoing demand for housing and growing need funding as building costs continue to rise.

Nearly 20 University employees volunteered over the five days of building and a combined $5,000 in financial support was provided by the University, the College of Communication, Information, and Media (including the School of Journalism and Strategic Communication and the Department of Media), the Chief Strategy Office, and the Division of Marketing and Communications. Ball State Public Media and McKinley Avenue Agency—both entities at the University—are also supporting the build.

Other partners also part of this year’s Awareness Build include Indiana Public Radio, Woof Boom Radio, The Muncie Journal, NASH FM Radio, Aspect 6 Creative, The JMetzger Group, Intersection, and Trinity A Marketing. For more information or to learn how to support Muncie Habitat for Humanity, visit munciehabitat.org.

Read more in this Ball State press release.

Health Fair for Healthy Cardinals Scheduled for Sept. 13

Health Promotion & Advocacy and Recreation Services is holding the second annual Health Fair for Healthy Cardinals from noon-4 p.m. on Sept. 13 at the Jo Ann Gora Student Recreation and Wellness Center. At the fair, Ball State University students and staff can learn about the “Nine Dimensions of Wellness” and health and wellness resources, plus services available on campus and in the community. Additionally, fair attendees can receive interactive health education information, free sample items, and free health screenings. They can gain greater awareness of health risks and learn about community involvement opportunities, mini-Rec Fit classes, and more. All attendees will receive a health fair tote bag—and those who visit 10 or more fair booths will be entered into a raffle to win one of many health and wellness-related prizes.

Ball State Football and Volleyball Tickets on Sale

Tickets for the 2023 football and women’s volleyball seasons are on sale now. To purchase, visit BallStateSports.com/Tickets or call the ticket office at (765) 285-1474. The 2023 schedules for football and women’s volleyball are available online.

New Academic Affairs Professional Development Fund Supports Employee Growth

Ball State employees with Professional, Staff, and Faculty classifications—within the University’s Academic Affairs unit—can take Lifetime Learning by Ball State courses with little out-of-pocket expense.

An annual Professional Development Fund allows employees to enroll in continuing education courses that offer professional growth within a career path, which can benefit the employee, the employee’s department, and the University. Employees may utilize this funding for up to $1,000 per year. The employee will be responsible for a portion of the expenses. Annual funding will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The employee will complete an application that must be signed by their immediate supervisor. All applications will be submitted to Human Resources for approval, to confirm eligibility, and for release of the course funds. Once approved, Lifetime Learning will register the employee for the course.

Lifetime Learning hopes to partner with additional campus units to expand this program. Interested Academic Affairs employees and supervisors desiring to partner can contact lifetimelearning@bsu.edu for complete details.

Grant Funds Efforts to Share Stories About Military Veterans

The Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Cemetery Administration (NCA) has granted Kristin Barry, associate professor of Architecture, $337,464 as part of the Veterans Legacy Program. These grants aim to facilitate learning about and sharing the stories of veterans buried in NCA cemeteries across the country.

Along with a project team that includes Jonathan Spodek, a professor of Architecture in Historic Preservation; Wendy Soltz, assistant professor of History; and Sara McKinley from the Muncie Public Library, Prof. Barry will focus on highlighting the remarkable contributions of Indiana natives who served in the 28th U.S. Colored Troops (USCT), Indiana's only African American regiment to serve in the U.S. Army during the Civil War.

Lineup Announced for Fall 2023 Entrepreneurial Experience Speaker Series

Ball State University’s Entrepreneurship Center brings in entrepreneurs and executives to speak—giving students the chance to learn directly from and network with industry leaders. There is no cost to attend these lectures, but some of these events require registration. Below is the list for the Fall 2023 Entrepreneurial Experience Speaker Series. All lectures will occur 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. in Art and Journalism (AJ) Building, Room 175 unless otherwise noted. Lectures that require registration are marked with asterisks.

Aug. 31
Scott E. Morris
Entrepreneur, Investor
Scott E. Morris is a co-founder of LML Estate Management. LML Estate Management is part of the Crane Group. 

Oct. 26
Rigel Jackson
Entrepreneur, Photographer
Rigel Jackson owns Rigel Jackson Photography, an experiential photography studio.

Nov. 16
Jason L. Riley*
Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute hosts Wall Street Journal Columnist Jason L. Riley.
Mr. Riley has written about politics, economics, education, immigration, and social inequality for more than 25 years. (Student Center Ballroom)

Nov. 28
Marc Lore*
Entrepreneur, Investor, NBA Owner
Mr. Lore founded several e-commerce companies, including Jet.com. He sold Jet.com to Walmart in 2016 for $3.3 billion. Mr. Lore is the co-owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves with Alex Rodriguez. (6 p.m., Mr. Lore will be taking audience questions via Zoom; the audience will be in Room 175 of the AJ Building) 

Dec. 7
John Merriweather
President, CEO Managing Broker for XGO Business Brokers and Advisors
President, CEO of GO Destination Services
Mr. Merriweather launched his career in the United States Army in 1990, in which he served proudly for three years—including a tour in Operation Desert Storm.

CCIM Welcomes New Director of Student Success

Tréon McClendon began his role as the College of Communication, Information and Media’s (CCIM) director of Student Success on Aug. 7. In this role, he will assist with CCIM’s continued efforts to increase student engagement, success, and retention by envisioning, planning, supervising, and implementing new and existing college initiatives—including CCIM’s new Student Success Center. Mr. McClendon has held several positions in higher education and student success throughout his career, including as the director of Student Life, Development, and Leadership at Ivy Tech Community College; and as the inaugural assistant director of Undergraduate Admissions at Indiana University.

Incoming CCIM Freshmen attend Jump Start, Early Start programs

Throughout August, CCIM welcomed incoming freshmen participating in the Jump Start and Early Start programs. These initiatives are meant to help students acclimate to the changes and challenges college life presents. Students in Jump Start visited companies like Hirons Advertising Agency, and the Indianapolis Children’s Museum, to discuss career opportunities and tour the facilities. The Early Start program participants visited the NCAA Headquarters, the Hall of Champions, and Salesforce. They also participated in an Emerging Media and Communications workshop.

Grant Funds Training on Conflict Prevention, Resolution Skills for Staff at Two Muncie Schools

The Center for Peace and Conflict Studies at Ball State was awarded a grant by Muncie Community Schools (MCS) to train the staff at Grissom and South View Elementary Schools in conflict prevention and resolution skills. The final training session was completed Aug. 1, but the group will continue to be mentored throughout the school year. With his backgrounds in audiology, sport psychology, counseling psychology, anthropology, and criminology, Dr. Lawrence H. Gerstein, George and Frances Ball Distinguished Professor of Psychology-Counseling and director of the Peace Center, is leading this training team.

Latest ‘Habits’ Podcast Episode Discusses LGBTQ+ Health, Resources

The latest episode of the “Habits,” a Healthy Lifestyle Center podcast, is about LGBTQ+ health. In this episode, Leo Caldwell, assistant lecturer at Ball State's School of Journalism and Strategic Communication, discusses his health journey, and helpful resources for LGBTQ+ individuals. “Habits” is available online and on all major podcast platforms.

Learn About Canadian Wildfires’ Impacts on Air Quality

Read the College of Health’s latest blog post to learn more about the Canadian Wildfires’ impact on air quality and health, which populations are most vulnerable to bad air quality, and tips for staying safe and healthy during bad air quality days. 

CSH Opens New Success Hub as a Resource for Students

The new College of Sciences and Humanities (CSH) Success Hub—a space for CSH students to study between classes, collaborate on projects, and get connected with resources around campus—in North Quad, Room 160, opened Aug. 21. The hub’s official grand opening celebration is 3-5 p.m. on Sept.14.

Serving as a one-stop shop for students in CSH, the Success Hub assists students facing challenges or needing support by connecting them with academic and professional resources such as tutoring, advising, counseling, career coaching, and more. The hub is staffed by trained undergraduate success ambassadors and graduate assistants led by Dr. Melisa Stevens, director of Student Success in CSH.

Visit the redesigned space anytime and encourage CSH students to come to the hub for assistance.

Annual Star Party Returns on Sept.12

The Star Party—an annual event that showcases all the advantages and opportunities within the College of Sciences and Humanities (CSH)—will be held on the patio of the North West Residence Hall from 5-7 p.m. on Sept. 12. There will be pizza and games, plus opportunities for development of comradery.

The Star Party is co-sponsored by CSH, the Humanities Living Learning Community, and Residence Life.

Burris Teacher, Students Create Back-to-School Video

Burris Laboratory School emerging media and social studies teacher Rob Jones, and nine of his students, spent three days and 36 hours traveling over 1,500 miles across the state this Summer to create a back-to-school video. The video, which will be shared with Hoosier students and educators across the state, includes a message from Indiana Secretary of Education, Katie Jenner. Watch the video.

Ball State Hosts College Students, Faculty Member from Uzbekistan Through New ‘UNITED’ Project

Ball State University hosted 15 Uzbek college students, ages 18-24, and one Uzbek faculty member, from June 15-July 6, as part of a new exchange program: The U.S./Uzbekistan Network and International Exchange for Development (UNITED) program. UNITED was developed by Teachers College faculty members David Roof, associate professor of Educational Studies; and Rachel Geesa, associate clinical professor of Educational Leadership. UNITED was funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more.

Teachers College Holds Two Camp Experiences for Aspiring Educators

For two weeks this Summer, Teachers College organized two separate, week-long residential Summer camp experiences aimed at increasing high school seniors’ interest in teaching. Twenty-two high school students participated in The Flight Path to Teaching Adventure, spending four days at Camp Adventure serving as apprentice teachers alongside Ball State teaching candidates.

Honors College to Host Dr. William Lewis as the Fall 2023 Meyer Lecturer 

The Ball State Honors College will host Dr. William Lewis, a renowned expert on equity and belonging, as the Fall 2023 Meyer Lecturer. At the lecture—scheduled from 7-8 p.m. on Sept. 13 in the Ballroom of the L.A. Pittenger Student Center—Dr. Lewis will discuss his recent book, Sweet Potato or Pumpkin Pie: Conversations with My White Friends about Race. On Sept. 14, Dr. Lewis will lead Ball State students, faculty, and staff in a workshop focused on best practices for effective interracial dialogues from 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. in the Student Center, Room 303. These events align with Ball State’s enduring values of inclusiveness and social responsibility, as well as the strategic plan’s emphasis on institutional and inclusive excellence.  

Save Time Finding Journal Articles with LibKey Nomad

Faculty, staff, and students can download LibKey Nomad to save time searching for journal articles. When LibKey Nomad is downloaded, the Nomad icon appears on publishers’ webpages, Wikipedia, and other places to search for information. Clicking on the icon gives immediate access to an article or a link to access it through Interlibrary Loan.

How to download Nomad:

Library Instruction Available for All Ball State Courses

Faculty can schedule an instruction session for their courses this Fall semester. University Libraries offers library instruction, in-person and online, for a wide range of information and digital literacy skills—which can increase student success. After attending library instruction sessions during the Spring 2023 semester, nine out of 10 students reported being better able to complete course assignments. When faculty schedule an instruction session, librarians collaborate with them to identify the skills students need to succeed in their specific courses, and then develop a session designed to give students more competency in that area.

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