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Building Better Health: Developing a Community Gold Standard

Cancer Services of East Central Indiana-Little Red Door needed assistance with multiple initiatives/programs. Some programs focused on promoting healthy living habits and others on developing promotional material for Little Red Door (LRD). Students helped promote and fundraise, researched underserved areas of our community, developed novel educational materials for that population, promoted LRD programs in schools and throughout the community, developed a new agency video and portfolio, developed material for Caring for the Caregiver program, and assisted with the Facing Cancer project. Students also presented their project at the Central States Communication Association Conference in Grand Rapids, MI.

Faculty Mentor:  Peggy Fisher
Department:  Communication Studies
Community Partner:  Little Red Door East Central Indiana
Students: John Anderson Jr, Theresa Barhorst, Lindsey Bryie, Kassie Ehman, Sumer Frain, Jenna McAbee, Chad Ragan, Leslie Thomas, Whitney Morgan

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Summer 2016 Ball State Immersive Learning Projects

Ball State faculty, students, and community partners are working together this summer on a number of immersive learning projects.

Reading Intervention at the Youth Opportunity Center
Working collaboratively with the YOC, Ball State students will spend the summer making a real difference in the lives of young people. They will study psychological, environmental, and cultural factors that contribute to reading difficulties, develop skills in applying proven reading strategies, and ultimately implement a reading intervention program.
Community Partner: Youth Opportunity Center
Faculty Mentors: Janay Sander, Educational Psychology and Ruth Jefferson, Special Education

Virginia B. Ball Center Summer Seminar – Water Quality Indiana
Students from Ball State University, Taylor University and the Indiana Academy will blend science and journalism through testing of local waterways with community partners from the Upper Mississinewa River Watershed Partnership. Students will have the opportunity to conduct interviews with stakeholders, produce defendable scientific results, generate multimedia products, and disseminate information to a public audience of consultants, regulators, and landowners to help create a sustainable future.
Community Partners: Delaware County Soil and Water Conservation District, Randolph County Soil and Water Conservation District, and the Upper Mississinewa River Watershed Partnership
Faculty Mentors: Adam Kuban, Journalism and Lee Florea, Geological Science

Muncie Public Art Master Plan
Students will work with local citizens to generate policies regarding the future of public arts in Muncie. Policies also will be informed by goals and initiatives developed by the Committee for Public Arts of Muncie and the Muncie Arts and Culture Council Board of Directors.
Community Partner: Muncie Arts and Culture Council Committee for Public Art
Faculty Mentor: Lisa Dunaway, Urban Planning

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PUBLIC FORUM: “If ISTEP Is Out, What Should Be Next?” – April 23, 2016

Saturday, April 23
10 – 11:30 a.m.
Cornerstone Center for the Arts Auditorium, Muncie

LWV ISTEP public forum (2)All are welcome to attend this important public forum about the future of testing in our schools. You will have a chance to share your concerns and learn how we can advocate for student learning and actionable feedback for teachers and administrators.

Panelists will include:

  • Senator Tim Lanane
  • Greg Beumer
  • Sue Errington
  • Steven Baule, Superintendent, Muncie Community Schools
  • Alice Johnson, Superintendent, Alexandria Community Schools
  • Sam Snideman, Director of Government Relations, Ball State
  • Gregory Marchant, Professor of Educational Psychology, Ball State

Sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Muncie-Delaware County.

Co-sponsored by the following organizations: American Association of University Women Muncie Branch; Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, Inc.; Cornerstone Center for the Arts; Muncie Black Expo, Inc.; Muncie/Delaware County Chamber of Commerce; Muncie NAACP; Muncie Public Libraries; United Way of Delaware County; and the Whitely Community Council.

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Muncie Announces Exciting Plan For Former Industrial Sites

Artist rendering of Kitselman trailhead and Kitselman Pure Energy Park

Artist rendering of Kitselman trailhead and Kitselman Pure Energy Park

The Kitselman Trailhead and Pure Energy Park is a significant project underway on Muncie’s eastside. The project, officially announced on March 31, 2016, will include the development of a trailhead to connect White River Greenway and Cardinal Greenway and a massive overhaul of the former Indiana Steel and Wire site.

Read more about the project.

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Neighborhood Association Negotiates Compromise On Tillotson Substation

Photo of future power station taken by Mike Rhodes
Future home of substation at Corner of University Ave and Tillotson Ave.
Photo by: Mike Rhodes | Written by Erin Moore—

Indiana Michigan Power and American Electric Power (IMP/AEP) has begun construction on a new substation on Tillotson Avenue between Riverside Avenue and University Avenue. The final design, approved by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, reflects years and hundreds of hours of negotiations between the Kenmore Neighborhood Association and decision makers with the City of Muncie, IMP/AEP, and Ball State.

The neighborhood association extensively researched and proposed options to influence the substation’s placement and footprint. The association advocated for gas insulated switchgear (GIS) technology, an underground retention pond, massive landscaping, and setting the substation back from University Avenue, which were all adopted in the final plan.

“Some of our recommendations were not adopted, like vertically lowering the substation, positioning the station behind McDonalds, or placing the station in buildings architecturally congruent with our neighborhood,” said Paul Spengler, neighborhood association president. “But we faced impossible odds and were able to reach a compromise.”

The station will be housed in two metal clad 25-foot buildings, the tops of which will appear as houses. An oval driveway will be accessible from University. The entire area will be enclosed by a 10 foot wall. Tony Costello, a local architect, has been retained to design the wall and landscaping.

“We fought the good fight and are grateful for the support of so many people, including individuals at Ball State and Mayor Dennis Tyler,” said Spengler. The mayor plans to attend the association’s next meeting to talk more with residents.