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Ball State University Blog

Ball State Student Artist Turns Alumni Connection Into Paid Mural Commission

Three students stand and smile in front of an indoor mural that displays various large pink and red flowers with greenery

A live painting opportunity at Ball State University led to a paid mural commission for art student Taylor Woodruff—giving her hands-on professional experience and connecting her with two recent alumni in a meaningful way. In late 2025, Ms. Woodruff was selected as one of three student artists to showcase their work through live art experiences […]

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Ball State Sales Team Gains National Experience, Delivers Strong Results in Major Competitions

Ball State University students are gaining hands-on experience and valuable industry connections through a strong year of competition for the Ball State Sales Team. Part of Ball State’s Center for Professional Selling in the Miller College of Business, the Sales Team gives students opportunities to test their skills in national collegiate competitions built around role-play, […]

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Dixie Denton Honored as Ball State’s Nominee for MAC Faculty Award

Dixie Denton, a woman with medium-length black hair smiles and poses while wearing a white and gray plaid jacket and a purple shirt.

Dixie Denton, senior lecturer in the Department of Elementary Education, was chosen as Ball State University’s nominee for the 2026 Mid-American Conference (MAC) Outstanding Faculty Award for Student Success. She is among 13 finalists from institutions across the conference, representing Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, New York, and Massachusetts. The MAC award recognizes faculty who make […]

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From stressed to self-assured—growing beyond pressure

Portrait of Reo Horie, wearing a black t-shirt and gold necklace while smiling and crossing his arms.

As a college student at Ball State, I have faced numerous challenges. Transitioning from high school to college was just one of the big hurdles I, like most students, had to overcome. Going from thinking school was extremely easy to being tested and challenged every week was definitely something I had to adapt to if […]

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From displaced to determined—designing a future in business and beyond

Portrait of Viktoriia Burdiad, wearing glasses, a blue top, and yellow undershirt while smiling at the camera with a hand in her pocket.

I first heard about Ball State University through my host family. I came to the United States as a high school exchange student in 2021, expecting to stay for just one year. That year turned into four and counting because of the ongoing war in Ukraine. After my exchange year, I took a gap year […]

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From uncertain to unstoppable—finding confidence through leadership and research

A young woman with long brown hair wearing a black and red Ball State collared shirt, posing and smiling in front of a white backdrop.

My time at Ball State has exceeded my expectations. I was initially drawn here by the pre-medical program and the Foundational Sciences Building. On my first visit, I fell in love with the campus and knew I wanted to make this my home. I also knew it would come with challenges, because I’d be arriving […]

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From cautious to caring—advancing in compassionate nursing practice

A young man with short blonde hair wearing a blue scrub top and a stethoscope, posing and smiling in front of a white backdrop.

Coming to Ball State has given me opportunities I didn’t even know were possible, and it’s shaped me into the person I am today. As a freshman, I was nervous about adjusting to life on my own. Learning a new campus, a new living situation, new professors, and college-level classes is overwhelming—but at the same […]

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Bells, Trades, and Big Decisions: High School Students Test Their Investing Skills at Ball State

People seated at various tables in a large, well-lit room smile and clap at an event.

Hands-on simulation introduces East Central Indiana students to real-world investing and immersive learning opportunities at Miller College of Business. Almost 70 high school students from across East Central Indiana stepped into the role of investors, responding in real time to the sometimes-chaotic rhythm of the stock market during a recent educational competition held at Ball […]

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Student Artist Brings Ball State Icons to Life in President’s Holiday Card

When Ball State University President Geoffrey S. Mearns invited senior art student Paige Coleman to design his 2025 holiday card, she knew she wanted to honor the University’s history in a way that felt playful and familiar. Her final illustration places two of Ball State’s best-known landmarks—Shafer Bell Tower and the Frog Baby Fountain—inside a […]

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Indiana Academy Students Lead Effort to End Alzheimer’s

(Photos courtesy of Dr. Krista Hook, Assistant Teaching Professor of Physics and Astronomy) Alzheimer’s disease affects more than 6 million Americans, touching families, friends, and communities across the country. Each Fall, the Alzheimer’s Association’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s brings people together to remember, honor, and raise money to support research for a cure. This year, […]

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