Spring 2018 Ball State Immersive Learning Projects

Ball State faculty, students, and community partners worked together this spring on a number of immersive learning projects in and around Muncie.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Delaware County
Community Partner:  Big Brothers Big Sisters of Delaware County
Faculty Mentor:  Suzanne Plesha, Office of Immersive Learning; Tim Pollard, Department of Telecommunications

Creating Community Through Drama: Outreach at Muncie Civic Theatre (ongoing)
Community Partner: Muncie Civic Theatre
Faculty Mentor: Peggy Fisher, Department of Communication Studies

Dance! Muncie After School
Community Partner: Muncie Community Schools
Faculty Mentor: Melanie Swihart, Department of Theatre and Dance

Digging in to Muncie’s Local Food System (ongoing)
Community Partner:  Farmished, Second Harvest East Central Indiana
Faculty Mentor:  Kate Elliott, Department of Journalism

Fundraising for Non-profit Organizations (ongoing)
Community Partners:  Adventist Frontier Mission, Aria’s Army, Audubon Society, Cradle of Love, GR3 International, Delaware County Futbol Club, National Association of Mental Illness, Operation Blackout
Faculty Mentor:  René Church, School of Art

Maring-Hunt Community Garden Market Pavilion and Outdoor Kitchen (ongoing)
Community Partners: Maring-Hunt Public Library, Thomas Park/Avondale Neighborhood Association
Faculty Mentor: Pam Harwood, Department of Architecture

Mathematics in Cultural Contexts 2018: Emergent Professionals Today and Responsible Educators Tomorrow
Community Partner: East Washington Acadmey
Faculty Mentor: Sheron Fraser-Burgess, Department of Educational Studies; Sheryl Stump, Department of Mathematical Sciences; Lynette Varner, Department of Elementary Education

Muncie Action Plan 3
Community Partner: Muncie Action Plan
Faculty Mentor: Lisa Dunaway, Department of Urban Planning

Nutrition Grows on You! A nutrition Demonstration Project for 4th Grade Students in Muncie Public Schools
Community Partner: Muncie Community Schools
Faculty Mentor: Carol Friesen, Department of Nutrition and Health Science

Philosophy for High School Students
Community Partner: Muncie Central High School
Faculty Mentor: Sarah Vitale, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies

Professional Practice for the Visual Artist
Community Partner: Muncie Arts and Culture Council
Faculty Mentor: Brent Cole & Maura Jasper, School of Art

Purple Cow: Moving from Ordinary to Extraordinary Care for Children (ongoing)
Community Partner: Kidz Korner Child Care Center
Faculty Mentor: Stacey Allred, Department of Elementary Education

Reber Woods
Community Partner: Red Tail Land Conservancy
Faculty Mentor: Kevin Kenyon, Sustainability Minor Program

Rehabilitating Houses (ongoing)
Community Partner: Greater Muncie Habitat for Humanity
Faculty Mentor: Janet Fick, Department of Construction Management and Interior Design

Reimagining Muncie’s Foodshed
Community Partners: Muncie Food Hub Partnership, Edible Muncie, Urban Garden Coalition, Ball State Student Farm
Faculty Mentor: Josh Gruver, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management

Second Harvest Survey 2018
Community Partner: Second Harvest Food Bank
Faculty Mentor: Melinda Messineo, Department of Sociology

Solar Start Project
Community Partner: Islamic Center of Muncie
Faculty Mentor: Sherif Attallah, Department of Construction Management and Interior Design

Team 2 – Reading Intervention at the Youth Opportunity Center (ongoing)
Community Partner: Youth Opportunity Center
Faculty Mentors: Ruth Jefferson & Maria Sciuchetti, Department of Special Education; Janay Sander, Department of Educational Psychology

Professional Practice for the Visual Artist

This immersive learning project covered professional practices for the visual artist from administration through creative production and final presentation involving 3 components: arts management, production and exhibition, and a professional toolkit. An interdisciplinary group of students worked with the Muncie Arts and Culture Council (MACC) to develop 3 projects: PlySpace Artist Residency, a new NEA funded artist in residence program; That One Film Festival, a 2-day event featuring experimental film from around the world, and the production of a a community engaged public artwork.


Faculty Mentors: Brent Cole, Maura Jasper
Department: School of Art
Community Partner: Muncie Arts and Culture Council
Students: Alexis Brooks, Danielle Campbell, Mallory Creekmur, Veronica DeBone, Mike Dorsey, Mikey Higgins, Megan Lange, James Lupkin, Rowan Mayo, Summer Moore, Megan Sutton

Dance! Muncie After School

Students worked together to conduct research and develop dance curriculum for grades K-5, implement curriculum in Muncie Community Schools, and disseminate findings through presentations and a curriculum handbook. Upon completion of this class, the students gained a greater understanding and appreciation of the importance and power of dance in young lives, became well-versed in effective teaching methods, and developed strong collaborative skills.


Spring 2019

Faculty Mentor: Melanie Swihart
Department: Theatre and Dance
Community Partner: Muncie Community Schools
Students: Hannah Bertrand, Natalie Bollinger, Victoria Bullick, Katrina Conte, Lily Deeg, Carmen Gorsuch, Eugenia Jones, Kailyn Kelley, Darcy Kummerow, Greta Linder, Drew Mack, Kali Marquart, Annika Pairitz, Eddie Ramos, Samantha Shoufler, Caroline Tribl, Jillian Wilschke, Keely Wissel


Spring 2018

Faculty Mentor: Melanie Swihart
Department: Theatre and Dance
Community Partner: Muncie Community Schools
Students: Adrian Alora, Jordyn Bush, Kelsey Davis, Ella Donovan, Audrey Fosson, Alexandria Koontz, Breinne Mudrack, Erin Simons, Jillian Wilschke

Fundraising for Non-profit Organizations

Most non-profit organizations have a wonderful mission but find it a huge challenge to support those missions. Working as a collaborative team, students partnered with local non-profit organizations to identify their financial needs and to come up with different ways of supporting the organizations. The team developed promotional items ranging from brochures and pamphlets to a book of art created by street children in the Philippines as well as promotional t-shirts and stickers. In addition to providing financial support, these products will promote awareness for these organizations. By using local sustainable resources, the organizations can continue to produce these promotional items while supporting the local economy.


Spring 2018

Faculty Mentor: René Church
Department: School of Art
Community Partners: Adventist Frontier Mission, Aria’s Army, Audubon Society, Cradle of Love, Delaware County Futbol, GR3, National Association of Mental Illness, Operation Blackout
Students: Kara Barstead, Jared Brinkworth, Elizabeth Burris, Sophie Gordon, Daniel Hudson, Jordan Jimenez, Kami Kleefish, Lindsey Overstreet, Billy Rollings, Amy Tuttle, Tazia Williams


Fall 2017

Faculty Mentor: René Church
Department: School of Art
Community Partners: GR3 International, Berrien Cancer Services, Cor Fortium, Fanconi Anemia, Delaware County Futbol Club, Child Study Center, Your Story Hour
Students: JR Pegg, Leah Gabbard, Jessica Matthews, Duy Tran, Taylor Barrett, Ramsey Stevens, Bethany Gordon, Kaylie McKee, Trenton Shroeder

Creating Community Through Drama: Outreach at Muncie Civic Theatre

Muncie Civic Theatre is one of oldest civic theatres in the state and is located in one of the oldest buildings in the county. The mission of the Muncie Civic Theatre is to “enrich our whole community through theatre performance, education, and outreach.” (www.munciecivic.org) They do this on a very small budget, and an even smaller staff. The goal of this year-long immersive learning project is to help this Muncie jewel improve its outreach efforts, diversity, connection to Ball State University, volunteer program, and overall impact in the community.


Spring 2018

Faculty Mentor: Peggy Fisher
Department: Communications Studies
Community Partner: Muncie Civic Theatre
Students: Elizabeth Arnold, Cameron Cole, Hannah Cordes, Candice Gill, Brooke Gronning, Hannah Janowicz, F. Thomas Mian, Gina Strati, Devin Summan, Courtland Wood


Fall 2017

Faculty Mentor: Peggy Fisher
Department: Communication Studies
Community Partners: Muncie Civic Theatre
Students: Elizabeth Arnold, Cameron Cole, Hannah Cordes, Candice Gill, Brooke Gronning, Hannah Janowicz, F. Thomas Mian,
Gina Strati, Courtland Wood

Book Arts Collaborative

Book Arts Collaborative is a community letterpress and book bindery located in the Madjax Building in downtown Muncie. We preserve and teach apprentice-taught skills and run a small business. We teach analog design skills, business skills, and professionalization of all majors.


Faculty Mentors: Rai Peterson, Colleen Steffen, Amy Trendler
Departments: English, Journalism, University Libraries
Community Partners: Tribune Showprint Posters, Inc.
Students: Lauren Hansen, Marisa Sloan, Holly Westerfield, Kaytlyn Bell, Natalie Rokosz, Tier Marrow, Hannah Bihn, Sophie Gordon