February 18, 2022
Dear Colleagues:
This month marks the second year of the George and Frances Ball Scholars Program at Ball State University. In February 2020, Ball State partnered with the George and Frances Ball Foundation to create this endowed scholarship initiative to significantly increase financial assistance for undergraduate students from Indiana.
With a one-to-one match on gifts and pledges, the George and Frances Ball Scholars Program doubles the impact of any gift made to new and existing scholarships that meet the criteria of the match. Since its inception, this program has been providing an incentive for new donors to support Ball State students by matching each dollar raised by the University up to $5 million.
To date, the George and Frances Ball Scholars Program has led to the creation of more than 60 new scholarships, and has secured financial commitments (pledges and cash) totaling approximately $4.5 million. As a result, there is approximately $500,000 in George and Frances Ball Foundation funding still available to be matched.
These gifts help advance our mission of preparing our students for fulfilling careers and meaningful lives. I encourage you to learn more about how you can make a matching gift to the George and Francis Ball Scholars Fund.
Below are a few more stories that I hope you will enjoy and then share. Let your friends and colleagues know how “We Fly” at Ball State.
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Sincerely,
Geoffrey S. Mearns
President
Ball State University
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Ball State University, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Announce Esports Partnership, Scholarships
Ball State University and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) announced, on Feb. 9, a partnership that will provide unique and meaningful opportunities for students engaged in Ball State’s esports program. On-hand for the announcement, made at the University’s Robert Bell Building, was television legend and 1969 Ball State graduate David Letterman—a co-owner of RLL.
Among the key aspects of the partnership is the establishment of the Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Scholarship, which will provide a $5,000 scholarship to two members of Ball State’s varsity esports team each year from the 2022-23 through 2025-26 academic years, advancing the program’s mission of recruiting and retaining the top esports talent in the world.
Ball State Esports student-athletes will also participate in community events to promote the e-racing series in conjunction with RLL.
To celebrate the partnership, two RLL drivers—Jack Harvey and Christian Lundgaard—participated in the Feb. 9 INDYCAR-Motorsport Games Pro Challenge from Ball State’s state-of-the-art Esports Center, utilizing the same racing simulator equipment that is available for and used by Ball State students. Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing formed its RLL Esport team in January 2021.
Ball State began its varsity esports program as part of its College of Communication, Information, and Media in January 2021, becoming a founding member of the Esports Collegiate Conference. The University’s Esports Production concentration, under CCIM’s Department of Media, delivers hands-on instruction for students to develop their skills in the field of esports media. Students in the program learn the history of esports, video production, streaming, and live event broadcasting.
Ball State has more than 700 students who participate in its student-run Esports Club, including more than 50 student-athletes on its varsity esports team, which is led by program director Dan Marino.
Read more about this strategic partnership.
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Ball State’s Online Degree Programs Again Ranked Among Nation’s Best by U.S. News & World Report
Ball State University’s online degree programs in high-demand fields have once again been recognized on a national level by U.S. News & World Report.
The well-known media company recently released its annual “Best Online Programs” list, as 10 Ball State Online programs finished in the top 30 in their respective categories, with two programs—both from Ball State’s Teachers College—ranking in the top 10.
Ball State degrees nationally recognized in the 2022 U.S. News & World Report “Best Online Programs” were:
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Ball State’s national online rankings in specialty areas included:
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Ball State also continues to rank highly among U.S. News & World Report’s best online programs for veterans, including:
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The U.S. News & World Report rankings are compiled annually and take into account factors such as faculty credentials, student engagement (which includes retention and graduation rates), class size, peer reputation, and the quality of the university’s student services and technology. Further details about the rankings and how they were determined are available at usnews.com/online.
For more information about Ball State’s online degree programs, visit bsu.edu/online.
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Heeter Family Commits $1 Million Gift to Support Ball State Scholarships, Athletics
Dave and Deb Heeter, both of whom are graduates of Ball State University, have made a generous commitment of $1 million to support their alma mater.
Mr. Heeter is Executive Vice President for Northwest Bank. He served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of MutualFirst Financial, Inc. and Chief Executive Officer of MutualBank from 2003 until 2020.
With their gift, the Heeters will establish a scholarship fund and support the Athletics Department.
The Heeter Family Legacy Scholarship, in support of Teachers College, will honor each of their parents. The scholarship honors Bob and Barbara Heeter as well as Jo Butler, life-long public educators. The Heeters’ daughter, Katie, is also a public educator.
Furthermore, the scholarship component of the Heeters’ donation qualifies for a dollar-for-dollar match from the George and Frances Ball Foundation through the George and Frances Ball Scholars Program, doubling the impact of the couple’s new scholarship.
The gift to athletics supports the Cardinal Excellence Fund, providing discretionary funding for emerging needs within all University sports.
Half of the overall gift will come to the University as a bequest from the Heeters’ estate, meaning that the Heeters have included Ball State in their wills.
Mr. and Mrs. Heeter earned bachelor of science degrees from the Miller College of Business in 1983, and have long supported their alma mater through service and philanthropy.
To fund your favorite Ball State programs, contact or visit the Ball State Foundation at bsu.edu/foundation.
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$1 Million Donation to Fund New Scholarships for Eligible Ball State Teachers College Students
Financially challenged Ball State University students studying to become K-12 math and art teachers are eligible for new scholarships, thanks to the generosity of the late Bill and Evelyn Stokes.
Last Fall, the William and Evelyn Stokes Foundation reached an agreement with the Ball State University Foundation to give $1 million in scholarships over the next four years to an unspecified number of students who demonstrate financial need.
The agreement gives Ball State’s Teachers College the discretion to distribute scholarship funds to help students pay for tuition, books and technology expenses, course fees, and housing. Most of the funding—$800,000—will go toward math education students, while the remainder will support art education students.
Bill Stokes earned a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Education from Ball State Teachers College in the 1950s and was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. He taught middle school math in Los Angeles and Los Altos in California, and in Germany for Department of Defense Schools.
In 1972, Mr. and Mrs. Stokes established the Stokes Publishing Company, which published books and manufactured classroom teaching tools. In 1979, Mr. Stokes patented the unique Overhead Calculator, providing teachers the capability to project both the calculator display and the entire calculator keyboard for ease of instruction by using any standard overhead projector.
To see a complete list of all scholarships offered to students in the departments of Early Childhood, Youth, and Family Studies; Educational Leadership; Educational Psychology; Educational Studies; Elementary Education; and Special Education, visit the Teachers College website.
To learn how to fund your favorite Ball State programs, contact the Ball State Foundation or visit bsu.edu/foundation.
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Ball State Sports Link Launches After-School Media Production Program for Muncie Central, Muncie Burris Students
Ball State Sports Link, the nation’s first academic track in sports media production, has launched a new, seven-week after-school program with high school students from Muncie Central and Muncie Burris: “Sports Media Production: The Experience.”
Chris Taylor, senior director of sports production and associate lecturer of media at Ball State, is leading the project along with students from the Sports Link program. Students from Muncie Central and Muncie Burris are working with Mr. Taylor and the Ball State students weekly. The high school students have been learning the elements of sports media production.
One highlight of the after-school program was the opportunity for the high school students to provide pre-event and live event coverage for the Jan. 29 Muncie boys basketball City of Champions Tournament at the historic Muncie Fieldhouse. The inaugural City of Champions Tournament featured four boys basketball teams: Muncie Central, Muncie Burris, South Bend Adams, and Greenfield-Central. Students in the after-school program provided pre-event and live event coverage for the entire tournament.
The students also had the chance to shadow Sports Link for its production of the Jan. 22 Ball State women’s basketball game vs. Central Michigan on ESPN 3.
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Ball State University Foundation Announces Inaugural ‘Top 100 Student Awards’ List
This award recognizes 100 outstanding junior and senior undergraduates who represent the spirit of Beneficence, Ball State’s institutional statue and icon that symbolizes the generosity of the five Ball brothers whose land donation to the State of Indiana allowed the University to flourish.
The students with the top 25 scores have been invited to attend an awards ceremony on Saturday, April 2, at the Ball State Alumni Center, where the Foundation will announce its Top 10 and top two students for 2022.
The Foundation will also recognize all Top 100 Student Award recipients during One Ball State Day on Tuesday, April 5. This event, which is being held from 3-4 p.m. in the lobby of the David Letterman Communication and Media Building, will include a casual reception and award pick-up opportunity. Students who earn a Top 100 award also receive a gold tassel to wear at their Commencement ceremony.
To learn how to fund your favorite Ball State programs, contact the Ball State Foundation or visit bsu.edu/foundation.
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Ball State Students, Faculty, Alumni Help Environmental Center Earn Unique Certification
Living Building Certification is issued in recognition of the achievement of the highest proficiency in the categories of Place, Water, Energy, Health and Happiness, Materials, Equity, and Beauty. Overall, some 20 imperatives had to be met during the design, construction, and occupation of the facility.
Other contributors to this collaboration were Cope Environmental Center staff—including Alison Zajdel, Kaitlyn Blanset, and Holly Miller; and Ball State’sCenter for Energy Research/Education/Service (CERES) faculty, staff, and students—including Robert J. Koester, CERES director and Ball State professor; Jeff Culp, CERES operations manager (ret.); and Lauren McWhorter and Ben Grayson, CERES research assistants and CAP graduates.
From conceptualization to completion, Cope Environmental Center took 10 years to finish. The center was completed in 2021. The Living Building Certification was granted towards the end of 2021.
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New Episode of Our Call to Beneficence Features Award-Winning Television Host, Media Critic, Columnist Brandon Pope ’14
Ball State University graduate Brandon Pope—an award-winning and Emmy nominated television host, media critic, and columnist—is the guest on the next episode of the monthly podcast Our Call to Beneficence, hosted by Ball State University President Geoffrey S. Mearns.
The podcast features President Mearns’ conversations with graduates and friends of Ball State who embody the spirit of Beneficence through their professional success and personal service. The episode featuring Mr. Pope is scheduled for release on or shortly after Feb. 24.
Mr. Pope, ’14, has had his work featured on CW26 Chicago, on WGN Radio, and in Ebony Magazine, Medium, and the Chicago Sun-Times. His work has taken him around the country and beyond the United States. He covered the 2012 and 2016 U.S. presidential elections, 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Indy 500, college football, the PGA Tour, plus the NFL and NBA playoffs. He also appears on podcasts and radio programs to discuss a wide range of topics.
All episodes of the Our Call to Beneficence podcast are available online, as well as on multiple platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. Subscriptions and reviews are also encouraged to help grow the audience for this podcast.
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Next Cardinal Compass Episode, ‘Ball State: Immersed in Communities,’ Airs Feb. 18
Don't miss the next episode of Cardinal Compass airing at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 18, on Ball State PBS and Indiana Public Radio. The episode can also be viewed on Ball State PBS’ YouTube channel.
On this month’s Cardinal Compass episode—titled, “Ball State: Immersed in Communities”—host Geoffrey S. Mearns, Ball State’s president, will be joined by guests Jennifer Blackmer, director of the Virginia Ball Center for Creative Inquiry, and Dr. Paaige Turner, dean of the College of Communication, Information, and Media. They’ll discuss how Ball State students are making a difference in Muncie and beyond.
Cardinal Compass is produced by Ball State University students from the College of Communication, Information, and Media.
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