Ball State University

Ball State University
Latin: Benificence
Motto	Education Redefined
Established	1918 (details)
Type	Public coeducational
Endowment	US $134.3 million[1]
President	Jo Ann M. Gora
Provost	Terry S. King
Academic staff	955
Students	21,401
Undergraduates	17,737
Postgraduates	3,664
Location	Muncie, Indiana, U.S.
Campus	Urban:[2] 1,035 acres (419 ha)
Former names	Indiana Normal School - Eastern Division Ball State Teachers College
Colors	Cardinal and White
Sports	19 Division I / IA NCAA
Nickname	Ball State Cardinals
Mascot	Charlie Cardinal
Website	www.bsu.edu

Ball State University is a state-run research university located in Muncie, Indiana. It is also known as Ball State, Ball U, or simply BSU.

Located on the northwest side of the city, Ball State's campus spans more than 1,000 acres (4 km²). The student body consists of more than 20,000 students, of which over 18,000 are undergraduate students and over 1,500 are graduate students.

Originally a normal school, Ball State has grown and expanded over the years. Ball State is classified by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as a Doctoral/Research University (DRU).

History

Ball State University was not the first school to operate at its location. Previous educational institutions operated at the intersection of University and McKinley Avenues before 1918; however, they were neither public nor did they carry the "Ball" name.

The pre-Ball years

The area of Muncie, Indiana that is now known as Ball State University had its start in 1899 as a private school called the Eastern Indiana Normal School to educate teachers. The entire school, including classrooms, library, and the president's residence were housed in what is now known as the Ball State 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 by its president, F.A.Z. Kumler, due to the lack of funding. A year later, in the autumn of 1902, the school reopened as Palmer University for the next three years when Francis Palmer, a retired Indiana banker, gave the school a $100,000 endowment.

Between 1905 and 1907, the school dropped the Palmer name and operated as the Indiana 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 approximately 200 students. Due to a diminishing enrollment and lack of funding, school president Francis Ingler closed Indiana Normal College at the end of the 1906–07 school year.

Between 1907 and 1912 the campus sat vacant. 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 initiated foreclosure proceedings.

Ball Brothers intervene

The Ball Brothers from left to right: George A. Ball, Lucius L. Ball, Frank C. Ball, Edmund B. Ball, and William C. Ball

On July 25, 1917, the Ball Brothers, local industrialists and founders of the Ball Corp., bought the Indiana Normal Institute from foreclosure. For $35,100, the Balls bought the Administration Building and surrounding land bordered by University, McKinley, Riverside, and Tillotson Avenues, except the northwest quadrant which was maintained as a wildlife preserve (Christy Woods).

In early 1918, during the Indiana General Assembly's short session, state legislators accepted the gift of the school and the 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 in Terre Haute. That same year, the Marion Normal Institute relocated to Muncie, adding its resources to what would officially be named the Indiana State Normal School, Eastern Division. Incidentally, the former Marion Normal Institute's campus was purchased in 1919 by what would become Indiana Wesleyan University, currently the largest private university in Indiana.

The close relationship between the Balls and the school led to an unofficial moniker for the college as many students, faculty and local politicians casually referred to the school as "Ball State" as a shorthand alternative to its longer, official name. During the 1922 short session of the Indiana legislature, the state renamed the school as Ball Teachers College. This was in recognition to 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 hired Benjamin J. Burris as the first president of the state-funded college. 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 1925–26 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."^[3]

Ball State Teachers College

Beneficence, Ball State's motto and memorial featured on school insignia

During the regular legislative session of 1929, the Indiana General Assembly formally separated the Terre Haute and Muncie campuses of the state teachers college system, but it placed the governing of the Ball State campus under the Indiana State Teachers College Board of Trustees based in Terre Haute.^[4] With this action, the school was renamed Ball State Teachers College. The following year, enrollment increased to 1,118, with 747 female and 371 male students.

In 1935, the school added the Arts Building for art, music, and dance instruction (now used by the Ball State University Museum of Art and the Geological Science and Social Work departments). Enrollment that year reached 1,151: 723 women and 428 men.

As an expression of the many gifts from the Ball family since 1917, sculptor Daniel Chester French was commissioned by the Muncie chamber of commerce to cast a bronze fountain figure to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Ball brothers' gift to the state. His creation, the statue "Beneficence," still stands today between the Administration Building and Lucina Hall where Talley Avenue ends at University Avenue.

In 1961, Ball State became fully independent of Indiana State University via the creation of the Ball State College Board of Trustees, so that Ball State was no longer governed remotely by the Indiana State College Board of Trustees.^[5] The official name of the school also was changed to Ball State College.

Ball State University

David Letterman Communications and Media Building

In 1965, in recognition of its enrollment growth (10,066 students) and for becoming more than an institution to train only public school teachers, the Indiana General Assembly renamed the school Ball State University.

Ball State has seen a trend of near-constant growth since its creation, and current enrollment is the highest in the school's history. Eight colleges now offer bachelor's degrees in more than 150 subjects, a sharp increase from the five degree programs initially offered by the University. Ball State's academic future is considered by many to be bright as the University continues a course of improving, expanding, and creating programs of study.

Campus life

Ball State's campus life revolves around two main quadrangles. The original historic quadrangle is at the south end of campus near L. A. Pittenger Student Center. The newer quadrangle is located to the north and consists of a variety of modern buildings, including Bracken Library and the cultural venue for recitals, ensembles, and films, Pruis Hall.

Despite the two quadrangles, the most heavily-utilized buildings on campus are situated along McKinley Avenue (which runs north-south) and Riverside Avenue (which runs east-west). The intersection of the two streets is nicknamed the "scramble light" after its pedestrian scramble feature. The pedestrian phase stops all traffic allowing pedestrians to cross in all directions, thus causing everyone to "scramble."

Campus architecture is primarily dominated by the use of brick buildings, with the lone exception of Pruis Hall, which is composed almost entirely of Indiana limestone. No two buildings on the campus have identical facades, which is unusual for a large university. A 2005 survey conducted by Intel Corporation rates Ball State as the number one wireless campus in the nation. Ball State's academic and administrative buildings, residence halls, and green spaces have wireless access fed by 625 Wi-Fi access points.^[6]

At the Spring 2009 Commencement, President Jo Ann M. Gora, alongside Indiana Senator Richard Lugar, announced Ball State's plan for the nation's largest geothermal energy project. Over the next decade, a series of 4,000 boreholes (each 400 feet deep) will be placed at various locations around the campus to allow the campus's 40 buildings to be heated and cooled via the use of heated and cooled waters. The first well field, containing nearly 1800 boreholes, began in July 2009. The first distribution loop is planned to begin the summer of 2010. The project will cost approximately $93 million.^[7] A geothermal heat pump uses the Earth as either a heat source when operating in heating mode, or a heat sink, dissipating heat in cooling mode. At three energy centers on campus, the heat pulled or returned to the ground will be transferred or exchanged with heat pump chillers that will be connected to two district loops that run throughout campus. There is a cold water loop that runs at a constant 42 degrees, and a hot water loop that flows at a constant 170 degrees. After the water circulates to the buildings, heat exchangers or fans will utilize the water to deliver the temperature desired by the occupants.^[8] This geothermal project is estimated to eliminate 80,000 tons of carbon emissions annually, cut energy costs by an estimated $2 million annually, reduce approximately half of the current campus carbon footprint, and eliminate four coal-fired boilers built in the 1950s.

Shafer Tower

Shafer Tower

Despite its 2002 dedication ceremony, Shafer Tower has become an unofficial landmark of Ball State University. It is a free-standing bell tower, or campanile, that is equipped with a carillon. It is located in the median of McKinley Avenue, in the heart of University Green.

A small staircase in the tower leads to a control room of the carillon, which has 48 custom-made bells. From here, a musician can play the instrument on special occasions or for concerts. Normally, on days which classes are held, the bells are programmed by computer to chime automatically every 15 minutes between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Due to a construction defect in the type of mortar used to hold the bricks, about two-thirds of the brick on the tower had to be removed and reinstalled. The tower was, in effect, built twice. The architect of record was Edmund Hafer Associates of Evansville, Indiana.^[9]

Emens Auditorium

A cultural center for the University and the Muncie community, Emens Auditorium hosts many events annually, ranging from music concerts to Broadway musicals to guest lecturers. Built in 1964 with a capacity of 3,575, the auditorium is named for former Ball State President John R. Emens.

Bracken Library

Possibly the top destination for Ball State students is Bracken Library.^[10] This facility has the floor area of nearly seven American football fields and houses five floors of university offices, classrooms, computer labs, private study suites, video viewing suites, and thousands of books, videos, and audio devices available to students. Bracken Library hosts the Ball State University Digital Media Repository, an open access resource containing over 130,000 digital objects in 64 collections. Gatecount entries total more than 4,200 students visiting Bracken Library daily.^[11] Built in 1975, Bracken's most recent remodel finished in 1997.

The Bookmark Cafe, opened in January of 2007, is a popular cafe and lounge area on the first floor.^[12]

L. A. Pittenger Student Center

Completed in 1952, the Student Center houses the University's hotel, meeting rooms, a food court, and various forms of recreation for students, including a bowling alley. It is also home to other services, such as student programming and the University-owned campus barbershop.

In September 2006, the University rejected a proposal to build a new student center. In lieu of a new building, the University approved a remodel and expansion, which was completely recently.^[13]

Ball Honors House

The Edmund F. and Virginia B. Ball Honors House is the new home of Ball State University’s Honor College. The white Colonial-style house, which was originally built in the 1930s, has undergone $1.3 million in renovations. The home is only a short distance from the DeHority Complex, which houses many Honors College students. The home has three classrooms (two of them fully technology-equipped), administrative offices for staff, a full kitchen, and private gathering areas for students. The Honors College was previous located in the basement of Carmichael Hall.^[14]

Student Housing

The University currently operates ten residence complexes that house nearly 7,000 students. Ball State's freshman residence hall program is listed as one of the best in the nation by the "Unofficial, Unbiased Insider's Guide to the Most Interesting Colleges."

By far the largest housing complex is LaFollette Complex, which houses over 1,900 students. This co-ed facility, completed in 1967, has four L-shaped, eight-story units, and a ten story tower in the center that houses mainly non-traditinoal and international students. Johnson Complex, on the north end of campus, is a modern complex consisting of one eight-story building and two four-story buildings. The complex is the only one on campus to feature Z-shaped rooms.

In addition, Ball State has one all-female residence hall that houses approximately 600 students. The Woodworth Complex comprises four halls and also houses sorority suites.^[15] In the fall of 2007, a two-story dining facility and atrium attached to the complex re-opened after two years of renovations.^[16]

Of the current residence halls in operation, only one, Elliott Hall, has been in operation for most of the University's history. Constructed from 1937 to 1939, Elliott was formerly an all-male dormitory and, during World War II, housed cadets and recruits from joint programs operated by the Army and Air Force.

In the fall of 2007, DeHority Hall was closed for extensive renovations.^[17]

University Residence Halls

Park Hall, Opened Fall 2007

• DeHority Complex (Honors Halls)
• Elliott Hall
• Johnson Complex
  • Johnson A (Botsford and Swinford Halls)
  • Johnson B (Schmidt and Wilson Halls)
• LaFollette Complex
• Kinghorn Hall
• Noyer Complex
• Park Hall
• Studebaker Complex
  • Studebaker West
  • Studebaker East
• Woodworth Complex
• Wagoner Complex (Houses Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities Students)

In addition to the residence halls, two apartment complexes operated by the University provide affordable homes for single students and students with families. Apartments are available in one- and two-bedroom styles, and townhouses are available in two- and three-bedroom styles. The apartments are located close to campus, shopping, restaurants, entertainment, and schools.

Three of Ball State's taller residence halls – Lafollette, Johnson, and Studebaker East – have unusual elevator systems because the halls were previously co-ed. As such, their elevators serve only two floors: the first floor lobby and the sixth floor lobby, which duplicates the first floor almost exactly. This served to separate the male and female portions of the dormitory, as the stairs pass through lobby doors.

Greek life

History

Fraternities and sororities have been active on the Ball State campus since 1919, but this date was chosen due to an inaccuracy in records. It could be said that Greek-letter organizations at Ball State date back to 1905 with the founding of Indiana Normal School and College of Applied Science, Ball State's predecessor. Historical records are not specific regarding the number of Greek-letter organizations founded during this time. However, records show that, in 1907 the president, Francis M. Ingler decreed all fraternities to be disbanded. This was decided after a cow was discovered roaming through the Phi Sigma Theta fraternity house. Indiana Normal School and College of Applied Science also closed in 1907.

The Eastern Branch of the Indiana State Normal School, which later became Ball State University, opened in 1918. The Girls Club started within a year of the school's founding. This followed in the tradition of the organization at Indiana State Normal School in Terre Haute. All girls were eligible to become club members. Local sororities started in sections of the club beginning with Alpha sorority in 1920, which later became Alpha Chi Omega. With the inaccuracy of records before the Girls club's founding, Ball State University celebrates 1919 as the founding year for the Greek community at Ball State.

The Navajo social club, the first men's organization at Ball State, also was founded in 1920. The club later became Lambda Chi Alpha. Ball State did not have a large collection of national organizations until the mid-1950s, as many local organizations began affiliating with national fraternities and sororities.^[18]

Chapters

Ball State is home to 27 Greek organizations on campus, including 15 fraternities and 12 sororities. Around eight percent of all undergraduates are members of the Greek community, with over 1,200 students maintaining membership in a Greek organization.

Fraternities

Member fraternities of National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC)

Member fraternities of Interfraternity Council (IFC)

Sororities

Member sororities of Panhellenic Council (PHC)

Member sororities of National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC)

Professional Fraternities

University Village

The commercial district immediately adjacent to campus, known as University Village, plays an integral part of campus life for students who live on- and off-campus. Known informally as "The Village," the district is home to a set of shops and restaurants located immediately east of the southern part of campus. Although most of the buildings have been rebuilt over the years, The Village has existed in its present location since the early 1920s. Current businesses include Be Here Now, Village Green Records, MT Cup, White Rabbit, Art Mart, Locker Room, Wizard's Keep, Scotty's Brewhouse, and 420 Underground. Dining options include Subway, Pita Pit, Jimmy John's Gourmet Subs, Greek's Pizzeria, The Chug, and Dill Street Bar & Grill. During the heated 2008 Presidential primary season, President Barack Obama opened a campaign office in the heart of University Village.

Most evenings, Mark Carter, more commonly known as "the hot dog man," sells his "nearly world famous" hot dogs to patrons of the numerous bars in the village area adjacent to the BSU campus. Carter was named number fifty-one on Sports Illustrated's "The 100 Things You Gotta Do Before You Graduate" list, published in 2003.^[19] Humorously enough, Carter's first name is erroneously listed as James in the accompanying article. For a time, Carter operated a storefront location on Martin Street in The Village but returned to his original method of selling from a cart at the intersection of Dill Street and University Avenue several years ago. Carter's most popular item is the chili cheese dog, although he also offers bratwurst, Italian, and polish sausages.

Other campus features

The Cow Path, a north-south pedestrian pathway, extends along part of the western border of the campus from the Johnson residence halls to Riverside Avenue, passing to the west of the McKinley Avenue buildings. At one time, it also linked the intersection of Neely and McKinley Avenues, cutting a trail across a grassy field on which the Bell Building now stands.

The newest academic building on campus is the David Letterman Communication and Media Building, named for Ball State's arguably most famous alumnus. It was dedicated during a ceremony on September 7, 2007, with Letterman as the guest of honor.^[20]

The tallest structure on campus is Shafer Tower. The tallest habitable building is Teachers College, which, at 138 feet (42 m), is also the tallest building in Muncie.

Two streets located in close proximity to campus, named Ball and Dicks, have their street signs stolen at least once each academic year. Just off campus, the High Street sign often is missing as well.

Satellite Campuses

Emphasizing immersive learning experiences, Ball State operates a satellite campus in Indianapolis and Muncie, as well as a number of specialized centers abroad. The Rinker Center for International Programs is responsible for maintaining these satellite campuses.

Australia Center

Second only to the London Center in popularity, one of the most popular study abroad programs is the Australia Center. Students are housed in youth camp facilities in the coastal city of Lennox, Head, Australia. Day trips to rainforests and marine reserves allow learning experiences outside the classroom, and students are also free to travel the continent on weekends and during breaks.

Costa Rica Center

In partnership with the Monteverde Rainforest Institute, the Costa Rica Center offers students a chance to combine academics with Central American customs, traditions, and values while serving the surrounding communities. Trips to the Center are offered as semester-long or 6-week terms. The former offers Spanish language classes, anthropology, history, sociology, and environmental studies, whereas the later provides credit for anthropology or in other participating departments.

Indianapolis Center

The Indianapoils Center is high-tech, interactive education, research, information, and outreach center located in downtown Indianapolis at 50 South Meridian Street.

London Centre

The oldest Ball State's international program (established in 1972), the London Center hosts 25-35 full-time students, living in the heart of London and studying under British and American professors. Residency and course loads are pre-arranged through the University and the City of Westminster College staff to provide an enjoyable, informative, and accredited catalog from which students may choose. In addition to academic and residency provisions, enrollment in the London Center includes admission to 8-10 major theatre productions and guided tours of London. Weekly day trips also are arranged to English cities and locales at the discresion of the Director appointed each semester. Destinations include Liverpool, Brighton & Hove, Canterbury Cathedral, and Stonehenge.

Prague Center

The Ball State University Prague Center is located in Prague, the breathtaking capital of the Czech Republic. The region has overcome communism and blossomed into a high-tech business gateway to Central Europe, as well as a capital of higher education, where students will be sent biannually as part of the Ball State’s newest study abroad program. Miller College of Business, along with the Rinker Center for International Programs, will host the Prague Center. The inaugural session at the Prague Center will run during the 2010 fall semester and will include weekly cultural excursions. Directed by a Miller College of Business faculty member, the center will offer classes in business as well as electives that meet Ball State’s core curriculum. These courses will be taught by Ball State faculty and local experts. Long weekends allow students the time to travel to other European countries such as Germany, Poland, Austria, and Switzerland.

Worcester Center

Created in partnership with the University of Worcester, the Worcester Center offers students an opportunity to experience the best of British life and culture while earning academic credit in liberal arts subjects. Just a few miles away from Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s birthplace, as well as a number of bustling cities such as Birmingham, there is no shortage of activities near Worcester.

Academics

Strengths

Administration Building

Though previously a bastion in the field of teaching, the university has been recognized in many fields, including Architecture, Telecommunications & Journalism, Business, and Nursing. The following are highlights:

• The University's entrepreneurship program has been ranked in the top five among such undergraduate programs for the last three consecutive years, according to U.S. News & World Report magazine.
• According to the 2006 edition of the same magazine, Ball State has one of the best undergraduate business programs in the nation.
• In 2004, "This Business of Broadcasting" recognized Ball State for having one of the nation's top broadcasting programs.
• The 2005 edition of Almanac of Architecture and Design named Ball State one of the top ten colleges in landscape architecture.
• Ball State is the administrator to Burris Laboratory School. The school, which opened in 1929, is one of few schools in the nation to be created and maintained by a university for the purpose of giving teachers hands-on experience in the classroom.
• The University is also the administrator of the Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities. The Academy is one of the oldest schools for gifted & talented high school juniors and seniors in the nation and provides University faculty an additional resource in research and hands-on experience.
• In 2006, Planetizen.com ranked Ball State's Urban Planning & Development program the seventeenth best in the country. It also ranked in the following areas: #7 in historic preservation, #7 in land-use planning, #6 in technology, #5 in zoning administration, and third best program in the Midwest.
• In 2004, Ball State's master's program in Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education (SAAHE) ranked 14th among 186 programs in a national study presented to the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA).

Colleges and Schools

North Quadrangle

Ball State University is academically organized into seven degree-granting colleges:

• College of Applied Sciences and Technology
  • containing the School of Physical Education, Sport, and Exercise Science
  • containing the Departments of: Family and Consumer Sciences • Industry and Technology • Military Science • Nursing • Wellness and Gerontology
• College of Architecture and Planning, offering the only public-university accredited degrees in architecture, and urban planning within Indiana
  • containing the Departments of: Architecture • Landscape Architecture • Urban Planning
• Miller College of Business
  • containing the Departments of: Accounting • Economics • Finance and Insurance • Information Systems and Operations Management • Marketing and Management
• College of Communication, Information, and Media
  • containing the Departments of: Communication Studies • Journalism • Telecommunications, and the Center for Information and Communication Sciences
• College of Fine Arts
  • containing the School of Music
  • containing the Departments of: Art • Theatre and Dance
  • containing the Ball State University Museum of Art
• College of Sciences and Humanities
  • containing the Departments of: Anthropology • Biology • Chemistry • Computer Science • Criminal Justice and Criminology • English • Geography • Geological Sciences • History • Mathematical Sciences • Modern Languages and Classics • Natural Resources and Environmental Management • Philosophy and Religious Studies • Physics and Astronomy • Physiology and Health Science • Political Science • Psychological Science • Social Work • Sociology • Speech Pathology and Audiology
• Teachers College
  • containing the Departments of: Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services • Educational Leadership • Educational Psychology • Educational Studies • Elementary Education • Special Education

Ball State University also has two non-degree-granting colleges:

• Honors College for the coordination of more rigorous classes for high-ability students
• University College for the coordination of advising and other services

Accreditation

Ball State University has been accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools continuously since 1925.^[21]

Athletics

Ball State competes in the NCAA Division I / IA and is part of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) in all sports except for men's volleyball, where it competes in the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA).

Ball State athletics also has Cheerleading, a non-NCAA sport.

Charlie Cardinal is Ball State's anthropomorphized cardinal mascot. He is sometimes called simply "Charlie."

The Code Red Dance team performs at many BSU sporting events.

The University's two main sporting facilities are Scheumann Stadium and John E. Worthen Arena. Ball Gymnasium and Irving Gymnasium are sporting complexes open to Ball State students. Irving is currently closed under re-construction in order to expand the facilities. Lewellen Pool is the campus aquatic center.

Notable alumni

Many Ball State graduates have gained regional, national and international attention, including U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs and former United States Ambassador to Lebanon, Jeffrey D. Feltman. Ball State graduates have particularly left their mark in the fields of American professional sports and popular entertainment. Perhaps the most recognizable alumnus of Ball State is American television host, David Letterman, of Late Show with David Letterman on CBS. He is joined by fellow television performers, Joyce DeWitt, who played Janet Wood in the 1970s sitcom Three's Company, and Anthony Montgomery, who played Travis Mayweather on Star Trek: Enterprise on UPN. Andy Devine, character actor and comic cowboy side kick Oct 7 1905 - Feb 18 1977 played football at the university. South Korean comedic actress Kim Suna (김선아) attended for several years before leaving Ball State for school in Japan.

Many alumni from the Miller College of Business have gone on to successful business careers like Kent C. Nelson, Retired President and CEO, United Parcel Service and John Schnatter, Founder and Chairman of Papa John's Pizza restaurants.

In the field of comics, artist Jim Davis, the cartoonist creator of Garfield also is a graduate of Ball State. Sam Smith, a retired sportswriter for the Chicago Tribune, is a graduate of Ball State.

Actor Doug Jones, was the school mascot, Charlie Cardinal, during his time at BSU and has since featured in more than 25 films (including Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Hellboy, Pan's Labyrinth, Men in Black II, and Batman Returns), television series, and commercials (most notably the McDonald's "Mac Tonight" campaign) and music videos. Additionally, Jones acted in "My Name is Jerry", a movie produced by Ball State's Institute for Digital Education and Entertainment.

Sportswriter Jason Whitlock currently writes for The Kansas City Star and Fox Sports with previous stints at ESPN and AOL Sports and Mike Lopresti is a national sportswriter for the Gannett News Service. Brian Collins, now a report for KXXV in Waco Texas, is best known for the viral video showing him fumbling through a Ball State sportscast. Also, Notable ESPN Producer Matt Houston hails from Ball State University. Radio sportscaster Mark Champion is a Muncie native and graduate of Ball State. He is currently the voice of the Detroit Pistons as well as the narrator of the famous I'm going to Disney World! Super Bowl commercials.

Reality television star Dawn Swain, the Medical Expert from the G4 program Human Wrecking Balls is a graduate from Ball State University. She majored in nursing and still practices in an Intensive Care Unit in Los Angeles, CA when not participating on the program.

Several professional athletes participated in Ball State sports before turning pro. They include NFL players such as Reggie Hodges, a punter drafted in 2005 by the St. Louis Rams; Blaine Bishop, formerly of the Tennessee Titans; Brad Maynard, a punter with the Chicago Bears; Bernie Parmalee, formerly of the Miami Dolphins and current tight ends coach at the University of Notre Dame;, Dante Ridgeway, a wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints, and Ed Konopasek, formerly of the Green Bay Packers. NBA stars Theron Smith of the Charlotte Bobcats and Bonzi Wells of the New Orleans Hornets competed on the NCAA level at Ball State as did Major League Baseball players, including Larry Bigbie of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Bryan Bullington, pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, and Thomas Howard ("Tank"), formerly of the San Diego Padres, Cincinnati Reds, and several other major league teams. Nate Davis, a former standout quarterback on the Ball State football team, was drafted in 2009 by the San Francisco 49ers.

Points of interest

• Beneficence
• Scheumann Stadium
• John E. Worthen Arena
• Shafer Tower
• Frog Baby Fountain
• LaFollette Complex
• Christy Woods
• Wheeler Orchid Collection and Species Bank

In popular culture

PBS visited Ball State University in 2006 to interview students for a documentary entitled Generation Next. A webcam kiosk asked students for their opinions on topics ranging from the Iraq War to religion.^[23] The documentary aired in January 2007.

In 2006, the CBS reality show Armed & Famous was filmed in Muncie and featured shots of the Ball State campus and students in the series. Erik Estrada, La Toya Jackson, Jack Osbourne, Trish Stratus, and Wee Man were all featured in the series that put the city of Muncie on a national stage. The series began airing in January 2007 but was canceled shortly afterward.

The short-lived CW Network television series "Online Nation" featured viral sketch comedy clips created by the Ball State student comedy organization Something Else.^[24]

Following the opening of the David Letterman Communication and Media Building, Letterman appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show where he gave Ball State and University President Jo Ann Gora high praise. ^[25]

Richard Dreyfuss' character in the feature film Close Encounters of the Third Kind can be seen wearing a famous "Ball U" t-shirt. Many of the events in the movie were "supposed" to take place around the Delaware County Area (Ball State).

Ball State has been referenced several times in the television series, The Simpsons. Fictional characters Superintendent Chalmers as well as Snake (who played Lacrosse) are supposed to have attended Ball State. In another episode, the gym teacher claims that Ball State conducted valid studies of throwing dodgeballs at the students faces in order to better teach.

The comic book Knights of the Dinner Table is set in Muncie, and many characters are either Ball State students or former students.

Gallery

Looking north on McKinley Avenue, including Shafer Tower	Looking south on McKinley Avenue. Teachers College at right	Ball Gymnasium	Fine Arts Building
Bracken Library	Shafer Tower and campus	Architecture Building

See also

• History of Ball State University
• List of colleges and universities in Indiana
• List of Ball State University alumni
• List of Ball State University Presidents

Notes

References

• Ball, Edmund F., From fruit jars to satellites: The story of Ball Brothers Company, Incorporated, Newcomen Society, 1960
• Ball State University, The Elisabeth Ball Collection of paintings, drawings, and watercolors: Ball State University Art Gallery, January 15-February 26, 1984, Indiana University Press, 1984, ISBN 0-915511-00-2
• Birmingham, Frederic A., Ball Corporation, the first century, Curtis Publishing, 1980, ISBN 0-89387-039-0
• Bullock, Kurt E., Ball State University: A sense of place, Ball State University Alumni Association, 1993, ISBN 0-937994-25-1
• Edmonds, Anthony O., & Geelhoed, E. Bruce, Ball State University: An Interpretive History, Indiana University Press, 2001, ISBN 0-253-34017-9
• Hoover, Dwight W., Middletown revisited, Ball State University Press, 1990, ISBN 0-937994-18-9

External links

• Official website
• Official Athletics website
• Ball State Daily News
• Ball Bearings Online

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