Ball State University

Template:Infobox American Universities Ball State University is a state-run university in Muncie, Indiana. Ball State University has excellent programs in architecture, teaching, anthropology, and communications. Famous alumni include David Letterman, Joyce DeWitt, Garfield creator Jim Davis and the founder of Papa John's, John Schnatter. It also serves as the administrator and campus for the Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities, a selective residential program for high school juniors and seniors.

Campus

Campus Facts (As of 2003):

Area: 1,035 acres (4 km²)
Buildings: 67

Organization

Colleges and departments

College of Applied Sciences and Technology
- Department of Family and Consumer Sciences
- Fisher Institute for Wellness and Gerontology
- Department of Industry and Technology
- Department of Military Science
- School of Nursing
- School of Physical education

Muncie from the west. The university is the stretch of buildings in the lower left quadrant.

College of Architecture and Planning
- Department of Architecture
- Department of Landscape architecture
- Department of Urban planning
Miller College of Business
- Department of Accounting
- Bureau of Business Research
- Center for Economic Education
- Department of Economics
- Department of Finance and Insurance
- Department of Information Systems and Operations Management
- Department of Marketing and Management
- Midwest Entrepreneurial Education Center
College of Communication, Information, and Media
- Department of Communication Studies
- Center for Information and Communication Sciences
  - Applied Research Institute
  - Institute for Wireless Innovation
  - Human Factors Institute
  - Internetworking Academy
  - Software Testing Institute
- Department of Journalism
- Center for Media Design
- Department of Telecommunications
College of Fine Arts
- Department of Art
- School of Music
- Department of Theatre and Dance
- Museum of Art
College of Science and Humanities
- Department of Anthropology
- Department of Biology
- Department of Chemistry
- Department of Computer Science
- Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology
- Department of English
- Department of Geography
- Department of Geology
- Department of History
- Department of Mathematical Sciences
- Department of Modern Languages and Classics
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management
- Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies
- Department of Physics and Astronomy
- Department of Physiology and Health Sciences
- Department of Political Science
- Department of Psychological Science
- Department of Social work
- Department of Sociology
- Department of Speech pathology and Audiology
Teachers College
- Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services
- Department of Educational Studies
- Department of Elementary Education
- Department of Educational Leadership
- Department of Educational Psychology
- Department of Special education

Students

Undergraduate baccalaureate degrees: Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.), Bachelor of General Studies (B.G.S.), Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (B.L.A.), Bachelor of Music (B.M.), Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.), Bachelor of Urban Planning and Development (B.U.P.D.)
- Undergraduate Enrollment: 18,000 (selective, capped)
- Undergraduate male-female ratio: 35-65
Graduate degrees: Master of Arts (M.A.), Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.), Master of Science (M.S.), Master of Arts in Education (M.A.E.), Master of Music (M.M.), Master of Architecture II, Master of Urban and Regional Planning (M.U.R.P.), Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.)

Sports, clubs, and traditions

Athletics

Ball State competes in the NCAA Division IA and is part of the Mid-American Conference. Official School sports are as follows:

Men's
- Baseball
- Football
- Basketball
- Golf
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Volleyball

Women's
- Field hockey
- Gymnastics
- Basketball
- Golf
- Softball
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Track & Field
- Cross country
- Volleyball
- Cheerleading

Mascot

Charlie Cardinal is Ball State's anthromorphized cardinal mascot. He is sometimes referred to on campus as simply "Charlie."

History

The campus was founded as a private school in 1899, but was bought by industrial family, the Ball Brothers and donated to the state of Indiana in 1918 to serve as a public school of higher education.

Previous campus names

Muncie Normal School (1899)
Indiana State Normal School, Eastern Division (1918)
Ball State Teachers College (1927)
Ball State University (1965)

Notable Ball State alumni

Jim Davis, cartoonist of Garfield
Joyce DeWitt, actress in Three's Company
Jeffrey D. Feltman, U.S. ambassador to Lebanon
Doug Jones, actor, Hellboy, Pan's Labyrinth, Hocus Pocus
David Letterman, host of The Late Show with David Letterman; his American Foundation for Courtesy and Grooming has been a repeated contributor to the university
Anthony Montgomery, actor in Star Trek: Enterprise
John Schnatter, founder of Papa John's Pizza restaurants
Theron Smith, NBA basketball player, Charlotte Bobcats
Bonzi Wells, NBA basketball player, Sacramento Kings
Cynda Williams, actress in Mo' Better Blues
Glenn Birkemeier, writer and humorist who has appeared in McSweeney's and elsewhere.

Noted Ball State faculty

Mir Masoom Ali, statistics
David L. Arnold, geography
Ramon Avila, marketing
Mohammad Behforuz, chemistry
Phil Bremen, Telecommunications instructor (former reporter for NBC News)
Stephen Bell, Telecommunications professor (former host of Good Morning America)
Dick Bellaver, information and communication sciences (formerly with AT&T Bell Labs)
Sheldon Braaten, teaching: special education
Anthony Costello, architecture
Wes Janz, architecture
Claude D. Oliver, Jr., religious studies
Tracy Cross, gifted studies
Curtis Gary Dean, actuarial science
Raymond Dean, neuropsychology
Frank Felsenstein, humanities
David Haber, wellness and gerontology
Ruth Howes, physics and astronomy
Charles V. Jones, Office of Teaching & Learning Advancement
Sherry Kloss, fine arts
Robert Palmer, music
Glenda Riley, history
Gary Santoni, economics
Gene Stamm, physical education
Rayford L. Steele, information and communication sciences
Barry Umansky, Telecommunications professor
C. Warren Vander Hill, environmental studies
Robert Yadon, information and communication sciences (formerly with the National Association of Broadcasters)
Judy Yordan, performance studies
Terry Zivney, finance

Attractions

Wheeler Orchid Collection and Species Bank

External links and references

v t e Mid-American Conference
Full members	Akron Zips Ball State Cardinals Bowling Green Falcons Buffalo Bulls Central Michigan Chippewas Eastern Michigan Eagles Kent State Golden Flashes Miami RedHawks Northern Illinois Huskies Ohio Bobcats Toledo Rockets Western Michigan Broncos
Future members	UMass Minutemen and Minutewomen (joining in 2025)
Field hockey affiliates	Appalachian State Mountaineers Bellarmine Knights James Madison Dukes Longwood Lancers
Women's lacrosse affiliates	Detroit Mercy Titans Robert Morris Colonials Youngstown State Penguins
Women's rowing affiliates (from 2025–26)	Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens High Point Panthers Temple Owls
Men's tennis affiliate	UIC Flames
Wrestling affiliates	Bloomsburg Huskies Clarion Golden Eagles Cleveland State Vikings Edinboro Fighting Scots George Mason Patriots Lock Haven Bald Eagles Rider Broncs SIU Edwardsville Cougars
Seasons	1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25
Championships	Conference champions