Ball State is celebrating the 50th anniversary of our Office of Disability Services this academic year. It is a milestone that underscores our University’s unwavering commitment to students and their success—which includes providing on-campus access in every sense of the phrase.
Last year alone, the Office of Disability Services supported almost 4,000 students in ways that made a meaningful impact, including the coordination of the office’s Faculty Mentorship Program. This program connects new students with disabilities with a faculty mentor in their major. The mentors offer guidance on academic matters and on ways to adjust to college life.
The office also developed CARDS (Connecting Accessibility Resources with Disability Services), a Summer Bridge program designed to help students with disabilities acclimate to the university setting, develop strong self-advocacy skills, and gain a sense of belonging.
Here are a few significant highlights noted in the office’s 2022-2023 Annual Report:
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- Eighty-five percent of 2021 first-year students were retained in 2022.
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Eighty-six faculty members have been connected with 34 new student mentees in the Faculty Mentorship Program.
- The office dispersed $14,870 in scholarships and awards to 15 students.
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The meaningful impact that Ball State makes in the lives and educational pursuits of our students with disabilities is due in large part to our Office of Disability Services. I am grateful to Dr. Courtney Jarrett, our Disability Services Director, and her staff for their dedication. Their efforts contribute to Ball State’s overall mission to provide students with the foundation for a fulfilling career and a meaningful life. Honoring our promise to our students depends on providing access, equity, and support to all of them.
On Friday, March 29, the Office of Disability Services will hold an anniversary reception, which will follow the office’s annual awards ceremony. At the ceremony, we will recognize outstanding Ball State students and graduates with disabilities, and faculty and staff who go above and beyond for our students. The awards ceremony starts at 3 p.m. at the L.A. Pittenger Student Center, Cardinal Hall and Terrace Lounge. I will be attending the event and making a few remarks. I hope you can join us.
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Geoffrey S. Mearns
President
Ball State University
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Our Call to Beneficence Podcast |
Latest Episode of ‘Our Call to Beneficence’ Features Former Board of Trustee Member Hollis E. Hughes Jr.
Hollis E. Hughes Jr., who served as a member of the Ball State Board of Trustees for 27 years, is the guest on the March 2024 episode of the monthly podcast “Our Call to Beneficence,” hosted by Ball State President Geoffrey S. Mearns. This episode is available now.
During his time on the Board, Mr. Hughes was instrumental in helping shape the growth and expansion of the University’s campus—especially during the Ball State Bold and Cardinal Commitment capital campaigns. In 1989, Mr. Hughes received the Outstanding Black Alumni Award from the Black Alumni Constituent Society, and the Benny Award from the Ball State University Alumni Association. In 2016, Mr. Hughes was named a Sagamore of the Wabash.
Highlights of Mr. Hughes’ past community involvement include serving as the chairperson for the Indiana Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and serving as president and chief executive officer of the United Way of St. Joseph County in Indiana.
All episodes of the Our Call to Beneficence podcast are available on multiple platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.
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Lifetime Learning Releases Spring Catalog
With Lifetime Learning’s new Spring catalog, learners can explore how non-credit courses can help them reach new career heights and achieve life goals. College students may use exam preparation courses, skills courses, and funded certifications through the Workforce Ready Grant to gain a competitive edge in a job search. Mid-career professionals who need a résumé boost can learn skills that set them apart in the workplace and position them for leadership roles. New options include AI for Young Professionals, Professional in Human Resources (PHR®) certification, and Risk Management Professional (RMP®). Businesses may optimize customer-centric processes or cross-train their teams through workshop courses such as Customer Experience Excellence (CXX) or Applied Magic (Disney).
Ball State faculty are invited to submit a non-credit course proposal to suggest an addition to the Lifetime Learning portfolio. Proposals are reviewed quarterly and approved based on market demand, audience needs, and other market factors. Alumni or community industry experts are also invited to submit their ideas by using the external form to submit a course idea.
To learn more or to download the spring catalog, visit the website.
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What’s Next—Ball State’s Employee Engagement Survey Results
Ball State’s Employee Engagement Survey had an overall participation rate of 68 percent—which is consistent with participation levels for higher education institutions. Supervisors in each area will share the survey results with employees in ways that encourage conversations that will result in action plans for fostering greater engagement and fulfillment within the workplace. This survey was administered by Gallup Feb. 12-March 1. To share his gratitude to everyone who responded to the survey and briefly explain the next steps, President Geoffrey S. Mearns sent this email to all employees on March 14.
Explore Programs, Services, and Resources That Promote Healthy Lifestyles
As part of the initiative to help everyone within Ball State’s campus community maintain a healthy lifestyle, the Office of Engagement, Wellbeing, and Culture (Working Well) offers a variety of health and wellbeing programs, services, and resources that promote total wellbeing:
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Ball State University Foundation
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One Ball State Day 2024 is April 3; Gifts Support University’s Our Call to Beneficence Campaign
This year’s One Ball State Day (OBSD)—Ball State’s award-winning annual 24-hour online fundraising event—will take place April 3. Gifts can be made between midnight and 11:59 p.m. ET that day at oneballstate.bsu.edu.
Alumni, students, faculty, staff, and supporters of Ball State are welcome to make gifts in support of a specific school, college, department, or area of choice. Gifts made on this day, which are tax-deductible, could also earn matching donation funds, and also contribute to the University’s overall fundraising efforts for the Our Call to Beneficence capital campaign. Those who give are asked to share their OBSD gifting experiences. One way is to post about it on social media with #OneBallState and encourage friends to give as well.
While Ball State celebrates all its donors year-round, OBSD is a special day for giving and highlighting the University’s impact on people and communities throughout the world.
Learn more about One Ball State Day 2024 and how to give on the event website.
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Undergraduate Admissions & Orientation
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Help Welcome New Cardinals on Admitted Student Day, April 12
Admitted Student Day 2024 is expected to attract thousands of visitors to Ball State’s campus on April 12. This annual open-house-style event gives the University’s next freshman class an opportunity to celebrate its admission and experience Ball State firsthand with its families. Throughout the day, admitted students can explore their academic areas of interest, connect with faculty, interact with current students, learn about student life, and get information about important next steps for enrolling at Ball State.
To support this event, all faculty and staff are encouraged to wear Ball State gear, help guests find their way around the campus, and “roll out the red” for these potential new members of the Cardinal family.
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Spring 2024 Provost Immersive Learning Grants Winners Selected
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- Chris Baas and Jeremy Merrill, Department Landscape Architecture, for “Dunes Gateway Regional Design: Porter, Indiana.” Pilot Grant: $5,510
- Mark Cabus, Department of Theatre and Dance, and Ben Strack, Department of Media, for “Radiance Cinema.” Sustained Grant and Shafer Award: $50,000
- Kelly Fischer, Department of Psychological Sciences, for “Prism Project.” Sustained Grant: $31,752
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Andrew Gatza, Jenna Menke, Jonathan Watkins, and Jerry Woodward, Department of Mathematical Sciences, and Amy Leitze, Department of Elementary Education, for “Building Community of Practice: Content Partnerships in Elementary Education.” Sustained Grant: $50,000
- Reiko Ileleji, Department of Modern Languages and Classics, for Japanese 202. Pilot Grant: $7,970
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Shireen Kanakri, Department of Construction Management and Interior Design, for “Universal Sensory Hub with Furniture for Children with Autism.” Sustained Grant: $27,965
- Zahida Khan, Department of Architecture, for “Post Occupancy Evaluation Study of Indoor Environmental Quality and Occupant Behaviors.” Pilot Grant: $13,765
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Office of Business Affairs
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Business Affairs Publishes Monthly Blog
The BA Chirp is the Division of Business Affairs’ blog, which features posts published during the first week of each month. Topics of the posts include:
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- Periodic updates from Alan Finn, Ball State’s vice president for business affairs and treasurer, and the leadership team
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Spotlights that celebrate employees, build community, and foster connections
- Fun elements
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The blog’s next post will be published April 1. Current and past posts are available online.
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IRDS Completes ‘One-Click’ Access Integration to Data Cookbook
Institutional Research and Decision Support (IRDS) has implemented Data Cookbook, a tool to help define a business glossary, and Tableau, a dashboard visualization tool. Recently, IRDS completed an integration between these two tools that will allow Tableau users to click through directly from Tableau dashboards to business glossary definitions in the Data Cookbook.
The development of “one-click” access from dashboards directly to the Data Cookbook is an integration that will make it much easier to quickly understand what is presented in Tableau reports. This integration is an example of IRDS’ ongoing commitment to improve data literacy and empower users to engage with data more effectively.
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Office of the Vice Provost for Research
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First-Ever CHIRPS Week Set for April 15-19
Ball State’s inaugural CHIRPS (Creative works, High Impact practices, Research Projects, and Scholarship) Week is scheduled for April 15-19. This week is designed to showcase the extraordinary talents of students and faculty/staff mentors across campus and inspire interdisciplinary connection and collaboration. Highlights of CHIRPS Week include:
April 15: College of Health Student Research and High-Impact Practice Showcase, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Health Professions Building
April 16: Student Symposium, featuring the Outstanding Research Awardee’s keynote address, 1-4 p.m. at the Worthen Arena concourse
April 17: Oral Presentations Day and CHIRPS Week Reception, featuring the Outstanding Creative Endeavor Awardee’s keynote address, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. in Emens Auditorium
April 19: Immersive Learning Showcase, 1-3 p.m. in the L.A. Pittenger Student Center Ballroom
A reception to celebrate the inaugural CHIRPS Week will be held 12:30-2 p.m. on April 17 in the Ball Brothers Foundation Hospitality Suite on the second floor of Emens Auditorium. This event is free and open to the Ball State campus community. The reception will include heavy hors d’oeuvres, refreshments, musical performances, and the opportunity to connect with fellow students, colleagues, faculty, staff, and administrators. RSVP for the reception online.
For more information about CHIRPS Week, email Stephanie Roof, associate director of strategic initiatives, at slroof@bsu.edu.
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2024 MAC Football Schedule Announced
The Mid-American Conference (MAC) has announced its 2024 football schedule, completing a 12-game slate for Ball State that begins with non-conference foe Missouri State in a home opener at Scheumann Stadium on Sept. 7. Key dates highlighting the schedule are a Community and Family Weekend date on Oct. 5 against Western Michigan, and a Homecoming tilt three weeks later, against Northern Illinois, on Oct. 26. The Homecoming date offers special significance, as the Cardinals carry a two-game win streak against the Huskies into this Bronze Stalk Trophy rivalry game. Access the entire schedule online.
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R. Wayne Estopinal College of Architecture and Planning |
Landscape Architecture Student Earns Prestigious Award
Mona Hamed, a Master of Landscape Architecture student, has been selected as the winning graduate application for the 2024 CELA Dr. Charles Fountain Scholar Program. The CELA Fountain Scholar Program is an endowed annual award to acknowledge Black, Indigenous, and persons (students) of color in landscape architecture with exceptional leadership and design skills. As part of this prestigious award, Mona was honored at the CELA Conference in March, received a scholarship, and was presented with a framed certificate of achievement.
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Additional Estopinal College Student Accolades
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Hannah Jones, a 2023 Master of Urban Design graduate, received an Honorable Mention for the esteemed 2024 Hoosier Planning Award, for her exceptional student project, “A Guide for Development: The Sustainability Impact of Infill Development in Shelbyville, Indiana.” Learn more about Hannah's project online.
- Master of Architecture students Reshma Talukder and Soumi Sarkar received the 2024 Gertrude Lempp Kerbis Prize awarded by Chicago Women in Architecture (CAW) for their project titled, “NEXUS VEIL: Connecting Beyond the Surface. An Approach to the Adaptive Reuse of Big Four Bridge.”
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Liz Marthaler, a third-year Landscape Architecture student, and M.Arch student Garrett Stritzel participated in the Emens 3MT (Three Minute Thesis) competition. Both secured spots within the top 10 finalists from all participants across campus.
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Guest Lectures Scheduled for April
ECAP’s Sappenfield Guest Lecture Series has two speaker events remaining this semester. Both lectures begin at 4 p.m. in the Architecture Building, Room 100.
April 1: Neal Beckstedt, owner of Neal Beckstedt Studio
April 15: ECAP’s Ethan Whitehead Sustainability Lecturer is Nat Slayton, principal of ZGF Architects
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Miller College of Business |
Finance Students Compete in Research Challenge
Three Finance students competed as a team in the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute Research Challenge against students from other Indiana universities and colleges. The Ball State team—comprised of students Levi Gates, Owyn Yager, Michael Mitsynskyy, and Torin Dove—received first place for its valuation of Brown-Forman’s class B shares, and has advanced to the Midwest sub-regional competition. The CFA Institute Research Challenge is an annual global competition providing university students with hands-on mentoring, intensive financial analysis, and professional ethics training.
Students Compete in Sales Competitions
Miller College students recently participated in the Redbird Sales Competition in Tampa. Makenna Fredericksen landed a spot in the semifinals and finished in the top 12 competitors in the Redbird. The team also competed in Selling With The Bulls at the University of South Florida’s Muma College of Business, and had an incredibly successful competition. Ball State won 14 different awards:
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- Avery Guenther, Jacob Wilson, Briana Smart, and Gavin Ward - Fourth overall team in their flight
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Haydn Burzynski - Winners Circle
- Avery Guenther - Fourth overall in her competition flight, Winners Circle, and Second in Networking
- Jackie Hochberg - Second in Email
- Lillian Johnson - Third in Networking, Fourth in LinkedIn Messaging, and Fifth in Email
- Briana Smart - Fourth in LinkedIn Messaging
- Gavin Ward - Third in Networking
- Jacob Wilson - First in LinkedIn Messaging, Third in Networking, and Fifth in Voicemail
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College of Communication, Information, and Media |
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The Ball State Debate Team finished second in the Feb. 19 Indiana State Debate Tournament, and—for the 14th year in a row—the Ball State Speech Team won the State Championships. Within the individual categories, Speech Team students won first place 16 times and earned 37 other awards ranging from second to sixth place.
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Across the categories in this year’s Broadcast Education Association (BEA) Festival of Media Arts, the College of Communication, Information, and Media (CCIM) had four first-place winners, four second-place winners, one third-place winner, and eight others recognized with awards of excellence.
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CCIM students were recognized by the Associated Collegiate Press, as work from The McKinley Avenue Agency and The Ball State Daily News was nominated for the 2024 Advertising & Business Individual Awards, and Ball Bearings magazine was nominated for a 2024 Online Pacemaker Award. On March 9, the following winners were announced:
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- 2024 Advertising & Business Individual Awards
- Second Place, Video Advertisement Category: Staying IN Nature Advertisement, Matthew Borders and Colton Hendrix, The McKinley Avenue Agency
- Second Place, Audience Engagement Event Category: One Ball State, Olivia Ground, The Ball State Daily News
- Honorable Mention, Social Media Campaign Category: Free Tacos Puerto Vallarta, Anne Grady and Katie Harp, The McKinley Avenue Agency
- Honorable Mention, Best Advertising Representative Category: Edna Zheng, The McKinley Avenue Agency
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Presentation, Music Arrangement, and Contribution to a Musical
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On Feb. 11, Cynthia L. Smith, mezzo-soprano and assistant teaching professor of voice, presented at Indiana's National Association for Teachers of Singing Professional Development Series on “Accessible Programming of Songs Composed by Those Imprisoned During the Holocaust.”
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Scott Routenberg, associate professor of music performance, arranged four of the six symphonic jazz compositions on Singapore jazz pianist Jeremy Monteiro's 49th album, Tapestry (Live), including “Falling in Love Again,” “From Paris to Segré,” “Nostalgia,” and Chick Corea's “Windows.” This album has the distinction of being the first symphonic jazz album to be released in Singapore and remained No. 1 on iTunes’ Singapore Instrumental charts during its debut week (released Feb. 19, 2024).
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Bill Jenkins, chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance, played a significant role as the director of “The Carpenters Project,” a musical show created by Ball State graduates Amy Rafa, a singer based in New York, and Brent Marty, a musician living in Indianapolis. The project is a tribute to the iconic musical duo, The Carpenters. The duo was prominent in the 1970s with hits such as, “Rainy Days & Mondays” and “(They Long to Be) Close to You.” The musical show has been refined over time through workshops and collaboration with Mr. Jenkins to ensure its success and appeal to audiences. Amy Rafa and Brent Marty performed the show celebrating The Carpenters at the Laurie Beechman Theatre in Manhattan on March 7.
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‘Habits’ Latest Podcast Episode Focuses on Sleep
The latest episode of The Habits Podcast from the Healthy Lifestyle Center is called “Sleep 101.” Learn more about the world of sleep, plus common sleep issues and how to overcome them. The episode features an interview with Dr. Aubrey Shell, a clinical psychologist at IU Health who specializes in sleep disorders and cognitive behavioral treatment for insomnia; and
podcast director, Dr. Christina Doll, who discusses her journey to overcome her acute insomnia diagnosis. Future episodes of the podcast will feature information about health disparities faced by communities in East Central Indiana, and on Public Health Week, which will highlight the important contributions of health departments to community wellbeing. All episodes of this podcast are available at https://habitsbyhlc.buzzsprout.com/.
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Upcoming Lecture and Presentation
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McGovern Lecture Scheduled for April 11 The Department of Nutrition and Health Science has announced that Dr. Sheila Fleischhacker, USDA National Science Liaison, is this year’s McGovern Lecturer. The lecture is being held at 7 p.m. on April 11 in the Fine Arts Building Recital Hall, Room 217. The event is free and open to the public. Learn more online.
- College of Health Speaker Series Event Scheduled for April 17
The College of Health Speaker series will conclude with a presentation by Dr. Yihsin Tai, assistant professor of audiology at 1 p.m. April 17 in the Health Professions Building, Room 102. Dr. Tai will speak about the effect of COVID-19 infection and vaccination on tinnitus. In addition to teaching and conducting research, Dr. Tai supervises doctoral students in the Interprofessional Community Clinics.
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College of Sciences and Humanities |
Careers for Humanities Majors: Alumni Share Career Journeys with Students
Humanities majors often have a passion for their subject but are unsure of how to make a career in corporate, government, or nonprofit settings. Students can gain some insights about this during the “Careers for Humanities Majors,” hosted by the CSH Success Hub on April 17 in the North Quad Success Hub, Room 160. This event will feature several Ball State alumni from English, History, Modern Languages, Philosophy and Religious Studies. The alumni will share their experiences transitioning from college to the workforce.
Planetarium Prepares for Total Solar Eclipse
The Charles W. Brown Planetarium has a variety of events leading up to the Total Solar Eclipse on April 8. Special activities, workshops, programs, and eclipse lectures will occur the two weekends before totality. On April 1, solar telescope viewing parties will be set up at the scramble light to let bystanders view the sun in a unique way. View all the events on the Eclipse Calendar page.
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- The following presenters and award recipients are from the Department of Early Childhood, Youth, and Family Studies:
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Stephanie Ries, assistant lecturer, delivered an invited presentation titled, “Creating Collaborative and Coordinated Systems for Family and Community Engagement – Engagement versus Involvement,” at the Grant County Early Childhood Coalition’s 2024 Conference.
- Shu Su, associate professor, was awarded a CHIRP Faculty Award of $500.
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Jill Walls, department chair, presented “The Importance of Trauma-Informed Leadership in Higher Education” at the 2024 Academic Chairpersons Conference in Indianapolis.
- Scott Hall, professor, received a $10,000 grant to support the Isaiah 117 House project in Muncie, which provides temporary housing for children brought to child welfare services offices to await placement.
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Phillip Lobo, assistant teaching professor of English at the Indiana Academy, was awarded a Robert P. Bell Education Grant to fund his May term project, "Let's Build a World!!—Collaborative Game Setting Construction.”
- Janette Baker, a 2010 Teachers College graduate from the Department of Elementary Education, was recently honored as a Teacher of the Year by the Charleston County School District in Charleston, S.C.
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Frankenstein Initiative Considers Ethical Questions about AI
Dr. Emily Rutter, associate dean of the Honors College, and Dr. David Roof, associate professor of educational studies, have been collaborating with The Remnant Trust on a Frankenstein initiative. They have been considering the questions the novel raises about the ethics of technology and innovation in regard to our current artificial intelligence (AI) landscape. Dr. Bridget Lester and Pete Davis have been teaching on the novel this semester at Ball State, and have been pursing these lines of inquiry with their Honors College students. The Remnant Trust has displayed the third edition of Frankenstein (1869) in the Ball Honors House gathering area. The podium exhibit will be on display through April 29.
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J.R.R. Tolkien Collection Exhibition on Display Through December 2024
This Spring, University Libraries’ Archives and Special Collections unveiled a new exhibit celebrating the literary work of J.R.R. Tolkien. Showcased are materials from the Deborah and Fritz Dolak J.R.R. Tolkien Collection, which was donated to University Libraries’ Archives and Special Collections in 2013. The exhibit is located on second floor west of Bracken Library and will be on display through December 2024. Best known for his fantasy novels The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Mr. Tolkien was a linguist and showed an aptitude for language at a young age. He became proficient in Latin, Greek, and some Finnish, eventually creating his own languages.
Friends of Bracken Library Dinner and Kirkham Lecture Set for April 4
The annual Friends of Bracken Library Dinner, followed by the Kirkham Lecture, is scheduled for April 4 at the Alumni Center, Assembly Hall B. The event begins with cocktail hour at 6 p.m., and dinner at 7 p.m.
Titled “University Libraries Data Gala,” the lecture will feature guest panelists talking about the ways in which access to the services and resources provided by University Libraries has impacted their research, projects, and lives.
The panelists will be:
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- Rachel Cohn – assistant professor of art at Ball State, and foundations coordinator
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Joyce Huff – associate professor of English at Ball State
- Ella Lautzenheiser – a Ball State student
- Roy Weaver – emeritus professor of curriculum in the Department of Educational Studies, and former interim dean of Teachers College at Ball State
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Student-Athletes Honored for Academic Success
Ball State student-athletes were recognized for their outstanding academic accomplishments at the women’s basketball game on Feb. 28. Of the 258 student-athletes recognized, 96 earned a 3.5-3.74 GPA, 114 students earned a 3.75-3.99 GPA, and 47 students earned 4.0 GPA.
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