 | |
Former name | Indiana State Normal School – Eastern Division (1918–1922) Ball Teachers College (1922–1929) Ball State Teachers College (1929–1961) Ball State College (1961–1965) |
|---|---|
| Motto | "We Fly"[1] |
| Type | Publicresearch university |
| Established | 1918; 107 years ago (1918) |
| Founder | Lucius L. Ball, William C. Ball, Edmund B. Ball, Frank C. Ball, George A. Ball |
| Accreditation | HLC |
Academic affiliations | Space-grant |
| Endowment | $411 million (2024)[2] |
| President | Geoffrey Mearns |
| Provost | Anand Marri |
Academic staff | 1,245 |
| Students | 20,440 (fall 2023)[3] |
| Undergraduates | 14,874 (fall 2023) |
| Postgraduates | 5,566 (fall 2023) |
| Location | ,, United States |
| Campus | Small city, 1,140 acres (4.6 km2) |
| Other campuses | |
| Newspaper | The Ball State Daily News |
| Colors | Cardinal and white[4] |
| Nickname | Cardinals |
Sporting affiliations | |
| Mascot | Charlie Cardinal |
| Website | www |
 | |
Ball State University (Ball State orBSU) is apublicresearch university inMuncie, Indiana, United States. The university has three off-campus centers inIndianapolis,Fort Wayne, andFishers, Indiana. The university is composed of ten academic colleges. As of 2023, the university enrolled about 20,400 students with 14,900 undergraduates and 5,500 graduate and doctoral students. The university offers about 120 undergraduate majors and 130 minor areas of study[5] and more than 100 masters, doctoral, certificate, and specialist degrees.[6]
In 1917, theBall brothers, industrialists and founders of theBall Corporation, acquired the foreclosed Indiana Normal Institute and gave the school and surrounding land to the State of Indiana. TheIndiana General Assembly accepted the donation in the spring of 1918, with an initial 235 students enrolling at the Indiana State Normal School – Eastern Division on June 17, 1918. Ball State is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity".[7]
Ball State athletic teams compete inDivision I of theNCAA and are known as theBall State Cardinals. The university is a member of theMid-American Conference (MAC), competing at theFootball Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Subdivision. Ball State's volleyball program is a member of theMidwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA).
The location of today's Ball State University had its start in 1899 as aprivate university called theEastern Indiana Normal School. The entire school, including classrooms, a library, and the president's residence were housed in what is today's Frank A. Bracken Administration Building. The one-building school had a peak enrollment of 256 and charged $10 for a year's tuition. It operated until the spring of 1901, when it was closed due to lack of funding. In 1902, the school reopened asPalmer University for the next three years when Francis Palmer, a retired Indiana banker, gave the school $100,000 as anendowment.[citation needed]
Between 1905 and 1907, the school dropped the Palmer name and operated as theIndiana Normal College. It had two divisions, the Normal School for educating teachers and the College of Applied Sciences. The school had an average enrollment of about 200 students. Due to diminishing enrollment and lack of funding, the school closed at the end of the 1906–1907 school year. In 1912, a group of local investors led by Michael Kelly reopened the school as the Indiana Normal Institute. To pay for updated materials and refurbishing the once-abandoned Administration Building, the school operated under a mortgage from the Muncie Trust Company. Although the school had its largest student body with a peak enrollment of 806, officials could not maintain mortgage payments, and the school was forced to close once again in June 1917 when the Muncie Trust Company initiatedforeclosure proceedings.[citation needed]
On July 25, 1917, theBall brothers, local industrialists and founders of theBall Corporation, bought the Indiana Normal Institute from foreclosure. The Ball brothers also foundedBall Memorial Hospital andMinnetrista, and were the benefactors ofKeuka College, founded by their uncle, George Harvey Ball.[8] For $35,100, the Ball brothers bought the Administration Building and surrounding land. In early 1918, during theIndiana General Assembly's short session, state legislators accepted the gift of the school and land by the Ball brothers. The state granted operating control of the Muncie campus and school buildings to the administrators of the Indiana State Normal School inTerre Haute (nowIndiana State University. That same year, theMarion Normal Institute relocated to Muncie, adding its resources to what would officially be named theIndiana State Normal School – Eastern Division. An initial 235 students enrolled in 1918, withWilliam W. Parsons serving as the first president of the university.
The close relationship between the Balls and the school led to an unofficial moniker for the college, with many students, faculty, and local politicians casually referring to the school as "Ball State," a shorthand alternative to its longer, official name. During the 1922 short session of the Indiana legislature, the state renamed the schoolBall Teachers College. This was in recognition of the Ball family's continuing beneficence to the institution. During this act, the state also reorganized its relationship with Terre Haute and established a separate local board of trustees for the Muncie campus. In 1924, Ball Teachers College's trustees hiredBenjamin J. Burris as the successor to PresidentLinnaeus N. Hines. The Ball brothers continued giving to the university and partially funded the construction of the Science Hall (now called Burkhardt Building) in 1924 and an addition to Ball Gymnasium in 1925. By the 1925–1926 school year, Ball State enrollment reached 991 students: 697 women and 294 men. Based on the school's close relationship with the Ball Corporation, a long-running nickname for the school was "Fruit Jar Tech."[9]During the regular legislative session of 1929, the General Assembly nominally separated the Terre Haute and Muncie campuses of the state teachers' college system, but it placed the governing of the Muncie campus under the Board of Trustees of what was now Indiana State Teachers College based in Terre Haute.[10] With this action, the school was renamedBall State Teachers College. The following year, enrollment increased to 1,118, with 747 female and 371 male students.
In 1935, the school added the Fine Arts Building for art, music, and dance instruction. Enrollment that year reached 1,151: 723 women and 428 men. As an expression of the many gifts from the Ball family since 1917, sculptorDaniel Chester French was commissioned by Muncie'schamber of commerce to cast a bronze fountain figure to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Ball brothers' gift to the state. His creation,Beneficence, stands between the Administration Building and Lucina Hall where Talley Avenue ends at University Avenue.
Ball State, like the rest of the nation, was affected by the onset ofWorld War II. There were several dramatic changes on Ball State's campus during World War II. In 1939 Ball State began itsCivilian Pilot Training program which had popular enrollment.[11] This program allowed students and local resident to learn to fly, instructed by the Muncie Aviation Company. By the Fall of 1941 Ball State reached its peak enrollment to this point of 1,588 students.[11] When the United States entered the war, Ball State like many other college campuses, saw a decline in male enrollment. At this time Ball State partnered with theUnited States military and established two training programs on campus, theArmy Specialized Training Program and Navy V-1 Program. Each of these programs encouraged male enrollment in the college that also trained them to go on as pilots in the military service.[12]
Ball State students and staff also contributed to the war effort by supporting the troops abroad. Students and staff led by Sherly DeMotte, a member of the English faculty, wrote dozens of letters to Ball State students and staff serving overseas.[12] By 1943 a dozen students from Ball State had become war casualties. To bring awareness to their service, in 1943 the War Morale Committee dedicated the Roll of Honor; it listed the names of all those who served during the war.
In 1961, Ball State became independent of Indiana State University through the creation of the Ball State College Board of Trustees.[10] The official name of the school was also changed toBall State College. The Indiana General Assembly approved the development of a state-assisted architecture program, establishing theCollege of Architecture and Planning, which opened on March 23, 1965. The Center for Radio and Television (now named theCollege of Communication, Information, and Media) opened the following year, in 1966.
Recognizing the college's expanding academic curriculum and growing enrollment (10,066 students), the General Assembly approved renaming the school toBall State University in 1965. Most of the university's largest residence halls were completed during this period of high growth, including the DeHority Complex (1960), Noyer Complex (1962), Studebaker Complex (1965),LaFollette Complex (1967), and Johnson Complex (1969). Academic and athletic buildings, includingIrving Gymnasium (1962),Emens Auditorium (1964), Cooper Science Complex (1967),Scheumann Stadium (1967), Carmichael Hall (1969), Teachers College Building (1969),Pruis Hall (1972), andBracken Library (1974), also expanded the university's capacity and educational opportunities.
The university experienced another building boom beginning in the 2000s, with the openings of the Art and Journalism Building (2001),Shafer Tower (2001), the Music Instruction Building (2004), the David Letterman Communication and Media Building (2007), Park Hall (2007), Kinghorn Hall (2010), Marilyn K. Glick Center for Glass (2010), and the Student Recreation and Wellness Center (2010).[13]
Under the university's 14th president,Dr. Jo Ann Gora, over $520 million was committed to new construction and renovation projects throughout the Ball State campus.[13] Within the last decade, Ball State University adopted Education Redefined as its motto, focusing on "immersive learning" to engage students across all academic programs in real-world projects. To date, there have been over 1,250 immersive learning projects, impacting residents in all of Indiana's 92 counties under the mentoring of faculty from every academic department.[13]
The university has also adoptedenvironmental sustainability as a primary component of the university's strategic plan and vision.[14] Starting in the mid-2000s, all building additions and renovations are designed to meetLeadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification standards.[15] Ball State announced in 2009 that it would begin construction on the largestgeothermal energy conversion project in U.S. history.[16]
The university wasdefendant in theU.S. Supreme Court caseVance v. Ball State University, which dealt with who can be regarded as a "supervisor" for harassment lawsuits. The case was argued on November 26, 2012. In a 5–4 decision, the court ruled in favor of Ball State.[17]
In 2022, the final projects of the "North Neighborhood" were finished on the northern side of campus, where the LaFollette Complex once stood. The renovated residence halls included Botsford/Swinford (Johnson East) and Schmidt/Wilson (Johnson West). Jack Beyerl Hall, home of the STEM Living-Learning Community, and North West Hall, home of the Education and Design Living-Learning Communities were the two newly built residence halls adjacent to the new North Dining building. During construction, the former LaFollette Complex was demolished to make way for a new green space to be utilized by students and faculty with 10 pillars of Indiana limestone placed in the center in remembrance of the former residence hall.
Ball State's main campus spans 731 acres (296 ha) and includes 109 buildings at 7,203,801 square feet (669,255.0 m2)[18] centered mostly on three main quadrangles. The university also manages just over 400 acres (160 ha) of research property. The main campus is situated about 1 mile (1.6 km) northwest of downtown Muncie.
McKinley Ave. is a two-lane, primary north–south street through the Ball State campus. Streetscape features include landscaped medians, granite curbing, limestone bollards and planters, bus turn-outs, and brick crosswalks.[19] Apedestrian scramble is located at the intersection of Riverside and McKinley avenues.[20]
Old Quad, the university's historicquadrangle, anchors the south end of Ball State's campus. Distinctive features include its mature tree canopy andCollegiate Gothic architecture. It is bounded by McKinley Ave. (east), University Ave. (south),Christy Woods (west), and Riverside Ave. (north). The residentialWestwood Historic District is situated immediately across Riverside Ave. to the north. Old Quad landmarks includeBeneficence and the Fine Arts Building, home to theDavid Owsley Museum of Art. The museum contains some 11,000 works valued at more than $40 million.[21] The Fine Arts Terrace, overlooking the Old Quad, hosts the annual spring commencement ceremonies.[22]
Ball State's central campus area first began to develop in the 1960s. It is generally bounded by New York Ave. (east), Riverside Ave. (south), the Westwood Historic District (west), and Neely Ave./Petty Rd. (north). Distinctive features include its mix of academic buildings, residential and dining halls, and performing arts venues. Notable landmarks includeBracken Library,Emens Auditorium, and theFrog Baby Fountain on University Green. Located in the median of McKinley Ave.,Shafer Tower is a 150-foot-tall (46 m) free-standingbell tower with a 48-bellcarillon.[23]
East Quad, the newest quadrangle, sits east of the Old Quad and south of the central campus. It is bounded by Dicks St. (east), Ashland Ave. (south), McKinley Ave. (west), and Riverside Ave. (north).[24] East Quad is situated immediately north of The Village commercial district.
The North Residential Neighborhood was completed in 2022 and comprises Botsford/Swinford Halls, Jack Beyerl Hall, North Dining Hall, North West Hall, and Schmidt/Wilson Halls.[25][26]
York Prairie Creek, also known as Cardinal Creek, is an intra-campus creek that begins at the pond outside Park Hall, winding northwest and connecting to the Duck Pond before heading west toward theWhite River. The campus includes nearly 8,000 trees of about 625 species.[27]
Ball State provides a free shuttle service each semester. Shuttles buses run on red, orange, green, and blue loops every five to ten minutes.[28] The university also provides a late-night pickup service, Charlie's Charter. Upon request, Charlie's Charter will transport students throughout the campus.[29]
Muncie Indiana Transit System (MITS) also provides local fixed-route bus service free to students. Routes 1, 2, 14, and 16 run through campus.
Most of Ball State University's athletic facilities and intramural fields are located on the northernmost portion of campus near the intersection of McGalliard Rd. and Tillotson Ave. Facilities include First Merchants Ballpark Complex (Ball Diamond and Softball Field), Briner Sports Complex, the Earl Yestingsmeier Golf Practice Facility, the Fisher Football Training Complex, the Scheumann Family Indoor Practice Facility, and the 22,500-seatScheumann Stadium, home toBall State Cardinals football.
The 11,500-seatJohn E. Worthen Arena anchors the central campus athletic facilities. There are also tennis courts on campus.
Ball State University's campus buildings exhibit a blending of architectural styles that generally reflect the time period in which they were designed. With few exceptions, most façades feature variations of red or brown brick andlimestone.[30]
Completed in 1899, theNeoclassical-style Frank A. Bracken Administration Building is the oldest extant building on the campus. It is distinctive for its yellow brick exterior.[31]
Collegiate Gothic-style architecture is reflected in the university's oldest buildings, including Ball Gymnasium (1925),Burris Laboratory School (1929), theFine Arts Building (1936), and Elliott Hall (1937).[31][30] Other examples include Burkhardt Building (1924), North Quad Building (1926), and Lucina Hall (1927). Completed in 1937, theGeorgian Revival-styleBracken House serves as the president's residence. It is located off-campus.
Modernist architecture appeared on campus in the 1950s, embracing simpler, utilitarian designs. Examples include theL. A. Pittenger Student Center (1952) andEmens Auditorium (1964).[30] From the mid-1960s through the 1980s, campus architecture was most influenced byBrutalism, featuring imposing brick walls and narrow windows. Examples of this style include Cooper Science Complex (1967), theTeachers College Building[30] (1968), theArchitecture Building, Pruis Hall (both completed in 1972),Bracken Library[30] (1976),Whitinger Business Building (1979),[32] and Robert Bell Building (1984). The Teachers College Building is the tallest building on campus, at 10 floors and 138 feet (42 m).[33]
Beginning in the 1990s, new construction, building additions, and renovations were built to respect the scale and massing of the university's older Collegiate Gothic-style buildings. While red brick with limestone accents have remained the favored façade materials, large windows have become more commonplace to emphasize natural lighting. Examples include the Alumni Center byPei Cobb Freed & Partners (1997), the Art and Journalism Building (2001), the Music Instruction Building (2004), the David Letterman Communication and Media Building (2007), Park Hall (2007), DeHority Complex (renovated in 2009), Jo Ann Gora Student Recreation and Wellness Center, and Kinghorn Hall (both completed in 2010).[34][35]
Recent buildings (mid-2010s to present) have embraced contemporary architecture featuring open atriums, large windows, and sustainable design elements. Examples include Botsford/Swinford Halls (renovated in 2015), Schmidt/Wilson Halls (renovated in 2017), the Health Professions Building (completed in 2019), Jack Beyerl Hall, North Dining Hall (both completed in 2020), the Foundational Sciences Building, and North West Hall (both completed in 2021).[34][35][36]
Ball State has adoptedenvironmental sustainability as a primary component of the university's strategic plan and vision.[14] Starting in the mid-2000s, all building additions and renovations are designed to meetLeadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification standards. Standards include environmentally-friendly site selection, energy and water efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality, among others.[15] The university diverts 20 percent of its waste from landfills through recycling efforts[37] and also invests inhybrid vehicles, hybrid-electric shuttle buses, and vehicles that useE85.[38]
Since 2007, 13 campus buildings have achieved LEED certification. The Marilyn K. Glick Center for Glass and Teachers College Building is considered LEED certified. The David Letterman Communication and Media Building, Park Hall, DeHority Hall, Kinghorn Hall, and the Jo Ann Gora Student Recreation and Wellness Center have earned LEED Silver certification. Studebaker East Residence Hall, District Energy Station North, Applied Technology Building, Botsford/Swinford Residence Hall, Schmidt/Wilson Residence Hall, and District Energy Station South have earned LEED Gold certification. The university's firstgreen roof was installed on the North District Energy Station in 2011.[39]
Former presidentJo Ann Gora was a founding member of theAmerican College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment, an initiative by several institutions to addressclimate change and reducegreenhouse gas emissions on their campuses.[40] In 2011, theSustainable Endowments Institute gave the university a College Sustainability Report Card grade of "C+."[41]
In 2009, then-presidentJo Ann Gora announced the university's plans for installing the largestgeothermal energy project of its kind in the U.S.[16][42] Ball State committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 80,000 tons annually through the installation of a $65 million geothermal heating and cooling system and closure of all four coal-fired boilers on campus. The geothermal system, completed in 2017, consists of 3,600boreholes and two energy stations on campus. The system consists of two underground loops with more than 5,500,000 feet (1,700,000 m) of pipes to circulate water for heating and cooling throughout campus.[43]
Ball State University manages two satellite facilities in the state of Indiana: CAP: INDY[44] and the Fishers Center for Academic and Economic Innovation.[45]
Since 2001, theEstopinal College of Architecture and Planning has operated a satellite facility inIndianapolis.[46] Known as CAP: INDY, it houses the Center for Civic Design and provides interdisciplinary studio space for graduate students in the college'smaster of architecture and master of urban design programs. In 2019, the center moved to the Elevator Hill section of the city's Holy Cross neighborhood neardowntown Indianapolis. CAP: INDY occupies 17,000 square feet (1,600 m2) of the Glass Building at 25 N. Pine St.[47]
The Fishers Center for Academic and Economic Innovation, located inFishers, Indiana, was established in 2015. The center occupies 3,000 square feet (280 m2) at Launch Fishers, aco-working/business incubator.[48] The site offers academic programs, community engagement, and professional development sessions to students, alumni, and organizations. During the spring semester, entrepreneurship student teams are paired with six Launch Fishers companies to develop growth strategies for each company.[49]
| Race and ethnicity[50] | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 76% | ||
| Black | 10% | ||
| Hispanic | 7% | ||
| Other[a] | 5% | ||
| Asian | 2% | ||
| Foreign national | 1% | ||
| Economic diversity | |||
| Low-income[b] | 39% | ||
| Affluent[c] | 61% | ||
Ball State University enrolls[51] approximately 21,500 students who come from throughout Indiana, the United States, and around the world. Out-of-state students make up about 25 percent of enrollment, and ethnic minorities account for about 23 percent. The university enrolls more than 300 international students.
As of the 2020–2021 school year, Ball State University's student population primarily consisted of Indiana residents (74 percent) with 25 percent being nonresidents. Sixty-five percent of the student body is female. The university admitted 77 percent of applicants in 2019.
In 2024, Ball State accepted 68.9% of undergraduate applicants, with admission standards considered challenging, and with those enrolled having an average 3.52 high schoolGPA. The college does not require submission of standardized test scores but they are considered, Ball State being a test optional school. Those enrolled that submitted test scores had an average 1180SAT score (30% submitting scores) or average 25ACT score (6% submitting scores).[52]
For the 2021–2022 academic year, annual undergraduate tuition is $8,284 for in-state students taking 12 to 18 credits per semester and $25,518 for out-of-state students.[53] Including technology, recreation, Health Center, and room and board fees, annual undergraduate expenses total about $21,086 for in-state students and $38,320 for out-of-state students.[53] For the 2021–2022 academic year, annual graduate tuition is $7,748 for in-state students taking nine credits per semester and $21,222 for out-of-state students. Including other fees, in-state graduate student expenses total $20,560, and $34,024 for out-of-state graduate students.[53]
| College | Founded |
|---|---|
| Teachers College | 1918 |
| College of Sciences and Humanities | 1926 |
| College of Fine Arts | 1935 |
| Estopinal College of Architecture and Planning | 1965 |
| College of Communication, Information, and Media | 1966 |
| Miller College of Business | 1966 |
| College of Health | 2016 |
Ball State University offers fiveassociate degrees, 119bachelor's, 78master's,15doctoral degrees, 60 post-baccalaureate certificates, and three post-masters certificates. In fall 2020, the average campus class size was 21 students, with a student-to-teacher ratio of 16 to 1.[51]
Ball State University has been accredited byThe Higher Learning Commission continuously since 1925.[54]
Bracken Library is the university's main library. Completed in 1975, Bracken houses five floors of classrooms, computer labs, private study suites, and video viewing suites. The library provides access to about 2.3 million books, periodicals, microforms, audiovisual materials, software, government publication maps, musical scores, archival records, and other information sources.[55] Bracken Library hosts the Ball State University Digital Media Repository, an open-access resource containing over 130,000 digital objects in 64 collections, as well as the Center for Middletown Studies. System branches include the Architecture Library and the Science–Health Science Library. Over 1.1 million visits were made throughout the University Libraries system between 2011 and 2012.[56]
| Academic rankings | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Forbes[57] | 487 |
| U.S. News & World Report[58] | 213(tie) |
| Washington Monthly[59] | 133 of 442 |
| WSJ/College Pulse[60] | > 600 |
| Global | |
| U.S. News & World Report[61] | 1484(tie) |
Ball State ranked 191st nationally onU.S. News & World Report's 2021 “Top Performers on Social Mobility” list.[62]College Magazine ranked the university No. 6 in the country for “Top 10 Campuses for Students with Disabilities.”[63]The Princeton Review also classifies Ball State as among its “Best Midwestern” universities and “Green Colleges.”[64] Insight into Diversity has awarded a Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) award every year since 2016.[65]
The entrepreneurial management program ranked among the top 50 in the U.S. in The Princeton Review 2020 rankings.[66]U.S. News & World Report ranked Ball State 36th in 2021 for First-Year Experiences,[67] 46th in the U.S. in audiology programs, 47th in rehabilitation counseling programs, 84th in “Best Education Schools,” 92nd in speech-language pathology programs, 166th in public affairs programs, and 202nd in psychology programs.[68]
In 2024,Washington Monthly ranked Ball State 133rd among 438 national universities in the U.S. based on Ball State's contribution to the public good, as measured by social mobility, research, and promoting public service.[69]
Several programs are nationally ranked in their respective categories inU.S. News & World Report's “Best Online Programs” list: the master's in curriculum and educational technology 4th, master's in nursing education 5th, master's in educational administration and supervision 11th, master of business administration 15th, master's in special education 16th, master's in nursing 17th, and bachelor's programs 29th.[70]
Ball State University operates 14 residence halls[71] for its students, with a 15th expected to open during the 2021–2022 school year.[72] A 16th residence hall, Burkhardt/Jeep Hall in the Wagoner Complex, houses students of the Ball State-operatedIndiana Academy.[73]
Anthony and Scheidler Apartments on campus accommodate upper-level single students, students with families, and university faculty and staff.[74] Prices vary for on-campus living with meal plan access to dining facilities.LaFollette Complex had previously contained about 1,900 students, the highest capacity residence hall complex on campus, but began undergoing demolition in 2017. As of 2020, Brayton/Clevenger residence hall was the only remaining hall in the complex.
The majority of residence halls are home to living-learning communities in which students enrolled in the same majors or similar majors are housed together and participate in special activities.[75]
.jpg)
More than 400 student organizations at Ball State[76] include numerous student government, departmental and professional, special interest, and service groups, all sanctioned by the Office of Student Life in the L. A. Pittenger Student Center.[77] Multicultural organizations include the Asian American Student Association, Black Student Association, National Organization of Minority Architect Students (NOMAS), Latinx Student Union, and Spectrum, forLGBTQ equity.[78] Ball State is often credited as one of the first universities in the nation to begin a Safe Zone training program, which began in 1992, to educate the public and empower LGBTQallies and advocates.[79][80][81]
Ball State University is home to about 30 on-campusGreek letter organizations.[82][83]
Eight student-run media organizations operate as part of Ball State's Unified Media Lab in its College of Communication, Information, and Media.[84] The lab includes theBall State Daily News,Ball Bearings magazine, Byte, Cardinal Metrics, Cardinal WX, Newslink Indiana, Ball State Sports Link, and WCRD radio station.
TheBall State Daily News is astudent newspaper with articles published daily online and a weekly print circulation of 5,000 copies, published every Thursday during the academic year, excluding exams and vacation.[85] Originally founded in 1922 as The Easterner, the newspaper was among the first student publications to be inducted into the Associated Collegiate Press’ Hall of Fame in 1988 and has won numerous national pacemaker awards.[citation needed]
Ball Bearings is an online and print student magazine that focuses on in-depth articles.[86]
Byte is a multimedia student organization that produces news, features, reviews, graphics, podcasts, and videos focusing on entertainment, technology, and culture.[87]
Cardinal Metrics is an analytics agency in which students work with professional clients to provide analysis and consultation services.[88]
Cardinal WX, or "Waking up with Cardinal Weather," is a morning mobile show that provides news, weather, and lifestyle trends.[89]
NewsLink Indiana is a three-times-weekly 30-minute broadcast.[90] The show covers local news, national news, entertainment, weather, and sports. NewsLink has won numerous Lower Great Lakes Regional Emmy Awards.
Ball State Sports Link started in 2009 as one of the university'simmersive learning projects. Students cover athletics, including live remote productions, live-to-tape events, television programs, student-athlete features, Facebook live shows, and social media content. The programs also include a digital radio broadcast, social media management and analytics, and podcasts.[91]
WCRD is anon-commercialradio station operated full-time by Ball State students from studios in the David Letterman Communication and Media Building.[92]
The Department of Journalism supports The McKinley Avenue Agency,[93] a student-run public relations and advertising agency that works with other university offices and community businesses. Services include media sales, creative services, public relations and communications, and events and contests. The organization merged with the former Cardinal Communications, which focused on public relations services.[93]
The university announced in October 2020 the formation of Ball State Public Media, a partnership betweenBall State PBS (formerly WIPB) andIndiana Public Radio (WBST).[94]
| Sport | Conference |
|---|---|
| Basketball | MAC |
| Golf | MAC |
| Swimming | MAC |
| Tennis | MAC |
| Volleyball | MIVA |
| Baseball | MAC |
| Football | MAC |
| Sport | Conference |
|---|---|
| Basketball | MAC |
| Golf | MAC |
| Swimming | MAC |
| Tennis | MAC |
| Volleyball | MAC |
| Softball | MAC |
| Soccer | MAC |
| Field hockey | MAC |
| Gymnastics | MAC |
| IndoorTrack & Field | MAC |
| OutdoorTrack & Field | MAC |
| Cross country | MAC |
Ball State competes in theNCAA Division I (FBS) and is part of theMid-American Conference (MAC) in all sports except for men's volleyball, where it competes in theMidwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA).
In 2018, Beth Goetz was named as the director of athletics, proceeding Mark Sandy. Goetz is Ball State's second female director of athletics in the history of the department.[96]
Ball State Cardinals football was established in the 1924 season and has a 461–434–32 (.515) record as of January 2021.[97] Ball State has won six conference championships in football, most recently in 2020, and has appeared in sevenNCAA Division I postseason bowl games, most recently in2020 defeatingSan Jose State, 34–13, in theOfferpad Arizona Bowl for the Cardinals' first-ever bowl victory.[97] Ball State has a 1–7–1 bowl game record.[98] Ball State annually competes against conference rivalNorthern Illinois, playing for theBronze Stalk Trophy; Ball State holds a 3–10 record in the contest.Mike Neu is the current head coach, a position he has held since 2016.[99]
Ball State Cardinals men's basketball began in 1920.[100] Although there was little success in the program from its start until the 1970s, the next two decades would be the highlight of the program's performance. Ball State became a powerhouse in theMid-American Conference, winning a record seven MAC tournaments and with subsequent appearances in theNCAA Division I men's basketball tournament between 1981 and 2000.[100] The Cardinals' most successful year was 1990 when the team reached theSweet Sixteen but lost to eventual national championUNLV, 69–67. Even though the Cardinals lost the game, BSU player Chandler Thompson recorded what is considered to be one of the most memorable put-back dunks in college basketball history.[101] The team's last NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament appearance was in2000.James Whitford became head coach in 2013.[102]
Ball State formed a short-livedcurling team that competed in the 2006College Curling National Bonspiel in Chicago, Illinois at the Northshore Curling Club. Despite limited practice time prior to the tournament, the Ball State Curlers went 1–2 during pool play, with their sole victory coming in a confident 10–4 match against theBig Ten'sUniversity of Illinois.[1]
Charlie Cardinal is Ball State'smascot, modeled after Indiana's state bird, thenorthern cardinal.[103]
The statueBeneficence (aka "Benny") is a bronze statue dedicated in 1937 on Ball State's quad.[104] The statue was sculpted byDaniel Chester French, creator of the Abraham Lincoln statue in the Lincoln Memorial. Beneficence was selected to recognize the generosity of the five Ball brothers, who founded the university and made many other contributions to Muncie, Indiana. The statue serves as a primary symbol for the university, including being the focus of Ball State's official logo.[105]
TheFrog Baby statue has been the center of legend and tradition since it was presented byFrank Ball in 1937. While initially on display in theDavid Owsley Museum of Art, students began a tradition of rubbing the statue's nose for good luck before taking exams.[106] Over the years, the nose was worn away, and in 1993, the statue was sent overseas for refurbishment. Today,Frog Baby is situated in a fountain on University Green. Since its move and restoration, students have started a new tradition of dressing the statue to reflect weather patterns (scarves and hats in the winter)[107] or current university events (jerseys and helmets for upcoming football games). Despite 24/7 surveillance, the statue has been a repeated target of vandals.[108]
Forest Idyl, more commonly known by students and faculty as "The Naked Lady," is a bronze statue of a partially nude woman mingling with two wild deer. The statue is one of four known original castings by sculpture artistAlbin Polasek.[109]
The statue is located in the lobby ofBracken Library.[109]
Beginning in 1926, Homecoming has brought several traditions. Homecoming Parade was first held in 1939.[110] The parade route begins atMuncie Central High School downtown, travels west down University Avenue through The Village, and ends at McKinley and Neely avenues on campus. The 75th anniversary of the parade in 2012 saw over 100 float entries.[111] Since the inaugural event in 1980, the Homecoming Bed Race has been held the Friday before homecoming.[112] The annual event consists of five-person teams within seven divisions, racing beds down a 100-yard course on Riverside Avenue in zany costumes.[112] Other Homecoming traditions include the Air Jam lip-sync competition[113] and Talent Search scholarship talent show.[114]
Starting in 2004, Ball State students adopted "Chirp! Chirp!" as a school chant to cheer on teams during sporting events. Traditionally, The Chirp chant begins on the opposing team'sthird down duringBall State Cardinals football games. Accompanying the chant, participants usually place theirindex finger andthumb together, extending the other three fingers straight up, and moving their arm in an up-and-down motion.[115]
For at least a decade, it had become a tradition for students and visitors to stick pieces of chewed gum to ahoney locust tree between Emens Parking Garage and Pruis Hall. The trunk of the "Gum Tree," as it had been named, was covered in colorful wads of used gum.[116] The tree was removed in 2017 by the university in preparation for construction of the East Mall.[117]
Ball State University has about 197,000 alumni worldwide.[118] A few of Ball State's most notable graduates include:
40°11′54″N85°24′32″W / 40.1983223°N 85.40894318°W /40.1983223; -85.40894318
Located in:Muncie, Indiana | |||||||
| Academics |
|  | |||||
| Athletics |
| ||||||
| Campus | |||||||
| Student life | |||||||
| People | |||||||
| |||||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Academics | |
| Artists | |
| People | |
| Other | |
