39 minute read
News
By Marc Ransford, ’83 MA ’07
At Homecoming 2019, ground was broken for Ball State’s new Multicultural Center, east of Bracken Library.
The $4 million, approximately 10,500-square-foot facility will open in 2020. It will contain open collaboration space for student organizations and peer advocate leaders; a multipurpose room for meetings and presentations; administrative offices; exhibition space for cultural artwork that represent the values of inclusive excellence; and a small café.
The center will be adjacent to the new East Mall, which will make the campus friendlier to pedestrians and cyclists and connect them to the north end of campus and The Village. As President Geoffrey S. Mearns explained, the location was deliberately selected to be “in the center of our campus. That is the message we want to send — that diversity and inclusion must always be at the center of all that we do.”
For the fourth consecutive year, the University received a Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity, the oldest and largest diversity magazine and website in higher education.
About 20 percent of Ball State students are from underrepresented populations. The University continues to make enrollment of underrepresented students a priority and last year announced a new test-optional undergraduate admissions policy. This artist’s rendering shows what the new Multicultural Center will look like when completed in 2020. University leaders break ground on the center, to be built at the center of campus.
The policy took effect for the freshman class that started classes in Fall 2019. It is based on research that shows high school grade point averages are the strongest predictor for student success. The policy enables Ball State to provide an exceptional educational experience accessible to more first-generation and minority students. Results can be seen with this year’s freshman class being the most diverse in Ball State’s history. Students at West View Elementary play under a parachute during the last day of the school year in 2018. With the partnership, the district has stabilized enrollment and expanded high-quality preschools.
Photo by Don Rogers Photo by Bobby Ellis
Partnership Takes Flight
The dream to transform Muncie Community Schools moves forward.
By Kate H. Elliott
David and Christina (Saylor) Smith, MA ’00, could have left. They could have taken their boys out of Muncie Community Schools (MCS) when the “distressed” district closed their neighborhood elementary school. But they didn’t, and they won’t.
“This is where we live, and we’re going to give it everything we’ve got,” said David, MA ’08. “Our boys have great schools and opportunities. My hope is that our city will embrace what we have and fight together for what we can be.”
Chuck Reynolds, associate superintendent of MCS, could have stayed in his job as an administrator for a nearby district. Instead, he came back to MCS, where he attended as a boy and where his two sons have been enrolled since kindergarten. Reynolds taught or served as a principal for the district for 14 years, and also led the “Spirit of South” Marching Band & Guard to statewide acclaim.
“I grew up in a single-parent, blended family home, struggling to scrape by even with government assistance. But, thanks to caring MCS teachers, I knew I didn’t have to let my circumstances define my future,” said Reynolds, ’98, who later earned three post-graduate education degrees from Ball State.
“Because I grew up here, I know of the district’s unparalleled academic, cocurricular, and extracurricular opportunities. I will, and we must, invest in MCS students and families to realize the full potential of tomorrow.”
That grit and determination has taken hold as Ball State and MCS embarked this Fall on Year Two of the nation’s first public school district–public university partnership, one that is striving to transform the district into a national model for innovative education.
Shared purpose The financially struggling district had been under state supervision for a year when the Indiana Legislature approved the partnership in May 2018. In the Summer of that year, University trustees approved a seven-member school board that Ball State appointed, and within days the board began collaborating with MCS administrators to re-imagine education for the district’s nearly 5,000 pre-K-12 students.
So far, the partnership has yielded enrollment stability, millions in philanthropic investments, and the first pay raise for teachers in eight years. Other accomplishments in its first academic year included a budget surplus, about $9 million in improvements to MCS buildings, and expansion of high-quality preschools across the district.
Support from the University started at the top, with President Geoffrey S. Mearns endowing a scholarship for MCS graduates who would become first-generation students at Ball State. He and other administrators have rolled up their sleeves alongside more than 500 Ball State employees who have volunteered nearly 2,200 hours to support MCS.
The district began its second year this past Summer with new leadership: In July, Lee Ann Kwiatkowski became the district’s first director of public education and CEO. The former senior education advisor to Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb is recognized for her collaborative leadership style and urban districts’ expertise.
“This is the most exciting job in the state of Indiana, if not the nation,” said Dr. Kwiatkowski, whose 35-plus years in public education began as a teacher. “The entire city is coming together to build a strong, sustainable foundation that will guide us to continue to evolve, collaborate, and adapt to meet the needs of our students and MCS families.
“Our plan is not about easy answers and quick fixes,” she added. “It’ll be a document that aligns Muncie’s hopes with effective practices and research, while creating space for continuous improvement in the years ahead.”
Inspired to innovate At a two-day Academic Innovation Summit this Fall, about 500 teachers, administrators, community leaders, and campus partners heard from national experts and each other about effective practices. They shared experiences and filled white boards with ideas for the future of Muncie schools. According to Associate Superintendent Reynolds, educators who attended the summit felt heard, celebrated, and inspired.
Afterward, a joint MCS-Ball State Academic Innovation Council of nearly 30 educational and community leaders gathered outcomes from the summit to identify themes. They aligned those outcomes with research and effective practices proposed by a national panel of experts. Council members also reviewed feedback from listening sessions with hundreds of MCS parents and students, residents, and teachers. They pored over data from an analysis of strengths, opportunities, and threats, plus a comprehensive, external audit of instruction and curriculum.
Susana Rivera-Mills, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at Ball State, guides the innovation council. A first-generation college student, Dr. Rivera-Mills said she is driven to support a culturally responsive system that nurtures all students’ potential, regardless of background or circumstance.
“It will take all of us to create a learning environment where our children can excel academically and in all aspects of their physical and emotional well-being,” said the former professor of linguistics, whose scholarship focuses on meaningful civic-university alliances. “There is much work to be done, but the level of engagement I have witnessed so far gives me the confidence that MCS is ready to be a model of excellence locally, regionally, and nationally.”
MCS Board of Trustees President Jim Williams is among a team of innovation council members charged with reflecting feedback, needs, and effective practices into an Academic Innovation and Financial Viability Plan. MCS and Ball State will present the plan by the end of June, as specified by the Indiana State Legislature.
“This is an unprecedented opportunity, and our entire city has come together to envision how to provide MCS students and families with the academic and social support they need to thrive,” said Williams. “Without question, we have created opportunities for anyone who wants to add their voice to the plan.”
A citywide approach Until late Spring 2020, educators, parents, students, national experts, and district leaders will continue to perfect the plan. Emerging themes include a renewed focus on literacy and critical thinking skills at the K-3 level, ongoing and focused professional development for teachers and principals, and significant investment in career and technical education.
After the June presentation to the state legislature, MCS and Ball State will share the plan and a timeline for multistaged implementation with families, residents, and community partners.
As longtime advocates for community improvement, Muncie’s nonprofits and businesses have strongly backed the partnership, with nearly $4 million in support.
Jud Fisher, president and COO of Ball Brothers Foundation, was among dozens of community leaders at the Fall summit.
“We have an all-hands-on-deck mentality here in Muncie right now,” said Fisher, whose foundation has long supported Muncie schools, including a $1 million grant to assist Ball State’s efforts to transform MCS. “Educational attainment is the most important aspect of leading a fulfilling and productive life, and having engaged and enlightened citizens. We need a strong and continuous effort to give students, teachers, and administrators a chance to flourish.”
Among the thousands making that effort is Katie Washburn, whose two children attend West View Elementary in Muncie. Busy working at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital as a clinical pharmacist, she wasn’t able to attend September’s Innovation Summit — but she did gather hundreds of pieces of candy and note cards from students and parents that thanked teachers for their love and guidance. Volunteers scattered the candies and cards throughout the summit’s breakout rooms at Muncie’s Horizon Convention Center.
“Sometimes it’s the little things, and it didn’t take much to ask parents to ‘treat’ their teachers to professional development, candy, and kind words. Every day, I see teachers go above and beyond — caring for students like they are their own, standing out in the rain or snow to help kids out of cars, buying coats for them, staying late to help with homework, and more,” said Washburn, a Muncie native.
“Muncie is amazing, and we will show the nation what we can do.”
Ball State President Geoffrey S. Mearns and Muncie Community Schools CEO Lee Ann Kwiatkowski greet students at North View Elementary on the first day of classes. (Clockwise from top) Teacher Sean White of Southview Elementary, Principal Chris Walker of Muncie Central High School, and teacher Erica Collins of Northside Middle School interact with students. They were among about 500 teachers, administrators, community leaders, and campus partners who brainstormed about the future of the school district at an Academic Innovation Summit this Fall.
Read the latest about the MCS–Ball State partnership at bsu.edu/muncie-community-schools. To read more about Muncie Central’s Chris Walker, ’03, visit magazine.bsu.edu.
Center for Civic Design Reaches Indy Neighborhoods and Beyond
Ball State University’s new Center for Civic Design (CCD) helps Indianapolis neighborhoods and other communities envision possibilities. The center opened this Fall in Ball State’s new CAP: INDY location on the former Angie’s List campus along the Washington Street corridor.
An outreach and engagement arm of the R. Wayne Estopinal College of Architecture and Planning (CAP), the CCD provides design, planning, and visioning support to neighborhoods, community organizations, and civic leaders in the Indianapolis area, communities throughout the state, and occasionally overseas. Many projects involve collaboration among CAP students, faculty, and local communities.
Ball State President Geoffrey S. Mearns said the CCD reflects the University’s commitment to serving its neighbors, near and far.
“Ball State’s Center for Civic Design mutually benefits our University and our neighbors, including the city of Indianapolis,” he said.
“Our students receive an excellent education and serve their neighbors in an urban environment,” Mearns noted. “Our partners have access to the expertise and resources of one of the largest and most comprehensive environmental design colleges in the country.”
The CCD is now collaborating with several Indianapolis neighborhood groups, including work with the Community Alliance of the Far Eastside to develop formal designs and produce 3D renderings and animations that envision a large community space at 38th Street and Post Road. Neighborhood leaders plan to use the area for social gatherings, skills building, and outreach.
Other projects underway include: • Partnering with Steadfast Indiana to provide homes for veterans in need by redeveloping an abandoned mobile home park in Indianapolis into an attractive, affordable community. • Teaching civic design to city leaders across the state through the Indiana Communities Institute’s Community
Development course. • Working with the Indiana Communities Institute to host and provide civic design expertise on new Main Street programs underway in communities throughout the state.
In the program, CAP students work with communities to help them envision what their “Main Street” should be. • Partnering with Schmidt Associates and the Purdue
University College of Engineering on a master plan for the two-acre site of the Tumaini Innovation Center in Eldoret,
Kenya, which teaches vocational skills to youth living on the streets of Kenya.
CAP Dean Dave Ferguson noted the college has provided expertise of faculty and students to Indiana communities since its founding in 1965.
“CAP has a rich history of community-based outreach activities,” he said. “Ball State’s Center for Civic Design is an expansion of CAP’s existing community engagement with the city of Indianapolis, its neighborhoods, and beyond. This innovative center fosters collaboration among academics, professional practitioners, municipal leaders, and communities.”
In the future, CAP, in partnership with other Ball State colleges, may provide additional academic opportunities for students. Ball State CAP: INDY also hosts meetings and events for professional partners.
Ball State CAP: INDY is the only Indianapolis-based higher education initiative focused on the comprehensive planning, design, and building of cities, towns, neighborhoods, and places, Ferguson said. “No other organization is doing this kind of work in the state’s capital.”
With 5,000 square feet, the new location offers the space, technology, and configuration CAP: INDY needs for students in the master of architecture and master of urban design programs.
The R. Wayne Estopinal College of Architecture and Planning supports a full range of disciplines, such as interior design, landscape architecture, historic preservation, urban design, architecture, and construction management.
Photos by Don Rogers
The Center for Civic Design held an open house this Fall, inviting campus and community leaders to discuss future plans with CAP faculty and students.
Students LEED With Firstin-Midwest Achievement
This Fall, students in the R. Wayne Estopinal College of Architecture and Planning became the first collegiate team in the Midwest— and the fifth university team worldwide — to certify that an existing building meets the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
The David Letterman Communication and Media Building is now certified LEED for Building Operations and Maintenance (LEED O+M).
Ball State students in LEED Lab, a USGBC initiative to engage college students, examined the Letterman Building’s performance in the years since its 2007 construction, when it was certified as LEED Silver based on projections of energy efficiency, water use, and other factors. Janet Fick, associate lecturer of construction management, and James Jones, chair of the Department of Construction Management and Interior Design, mentored the team with assistance from other campus leaders.
The achievement builds on a long track record of sustainability at Ball State, including installation of the largest ground source geothermal system in the country. In the future, student teams will audit other buildings on campus and verify that they meet LEED standards. The team will next seek second LEED certifications for the Jo Ann Gora Student Recreation and Wellness Center and the Marilyn K. Glick Center for Glass.
WOMAN OF INFLUENCE
Susana Rivera-Mills, the University’s provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, has been named a 2019 Woman of Influence by the Indianapolis Business Journal. Each year, IBJ recognizes a select group of women who have demonstrated professional excellence and leadership in their careers and community service.
Since her arrival at Ball State in July 2018, Dr. Rivera-Mills has been instrumental in the development of the University’s strategic plan and new budget model. In addition, she and Interim Vice President for Student Affairs Ro-Anne Royer Engle are leading efforts to improve the University’s retention rates, and she leads the Ball State and Muncie Community Schools Joint Academic Innovation Council, part of a communitywide effort to transform the local school district into a national model.
BRAIN POWER Ball State has joined a statewide initiative to bring collegeeducated professionals back to Indiana. Brain Gain is a collaboration of Indiana universities, civic organizations, and businesses working with the Indianapolis company TMap, which uses technology and consumer marketing to recruit professionals back to Indiana. Ball State and other universities are asking alumni who now live out of state to return home.
“Indiana is a great place for people to have fulfilling careers and to lead meaningful lives,” said Ball State President Geoffrey S. Mearns. “Indiana has a lot to offer talented professionals. With a strong economy, many opportunities, and Hoosier values, our state is thriving.”
Of about 40 occupations that are most in demand, the vast majority require at least a bachelor’s degree, according to data from IndianaCareerReady.com. NEW LEADER Alan Finn is Ball State’s new vice president for business affairs and treasurer. Previously, he was vice president for business and finance and treasurer at Lewis & Clark College and has worked with state and incentive-based budget models and with legislators and board members.
He said Ball State is among those higher education institutions whose strong sense of identity, priorities, and new strategic plan position it well for the future. “I am thrilled to join its leadership team.”
Building on the successful WE FLY marketing campaign launched two years ago, a crew filmed on-campus footage during some beautiful autumn days for a new TV commercial, billboards, and other marketing. Showcasing the iconic aspects of the Ball State experience, the new visuals will debut in January 2020.
WE FLY ATHLETICS
Net Gain
Senior Matt Szews, a 2019 All-Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association first team member, will help lead the team after a 15-15 season. Highly rated recruit (true freshman) Bryce Behrendt, Wisconsin’s reigning top boys player, joins the team, which opens at home Jan. 10 against Belmont Abbey of North Carolina. Coach Joel Walton, ’88, nine wins from 400 for his career, is proud that his team led all male athletic teams with the highest GPA average last year.
Major Achievement
By Dan Forst, ’85
Ball State baseball has a long and proud history of sending players to the major leagues. Zach Plesac, ’17, is the latest and has shown the potential to be one of the greatest.
Selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 12th round of the 2016 MLB draft, Plesac spent two years in the minor leagues before bursting onto the scene in a big way with the parent club this past season.
The 6-foot-3-inch, 220-pound, right-handed pitcher made his MLB debut May 29 at Fenway Park against the Boston you actually get there and have some success, the overall experience is just hard to grasp. Sometimes I still have to pinch myself to understand it’s real.”
The native of Crown Point, Indiana, enjoyed a standout high school career before accepting a scholarship to play at Ball State University.
“I knew Ball State had just built a really nice stadium and had a great baseball tradition,” he said. “And it was close to home and seemed like a great fit for my college career.”
It didn’t take him long to make an impact in Muncie. In his freshman year of 2014, Plesac posted a 12-2 record, a 2.11 ERA, and was named the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Freshman of the Year.
In 2015, Plesac recorded a 5-5 record with a 3.27 ERA in 16 starts and was off to a 3-2 start in 2016 before undergoing Tommy John surgery in the same year he would ultimately be drafted by the Indians. The surgery repairs a torn ligament on the inside of an elbow.
Ball State head baseball coach Rich Maloney believes the best is yet to come for Plesac.
“I’m not at all surprised at his success,” said Maloney. “He’s a freakish athlete and would excel at just about anything he chose to do. I think he’ll have a long, very solid career in the major leagues. It’s in his genes.”
Genes indeed! Plesac’s uncle, Joe Plesac, was a pitcher drafted by the San Diego Padres in the second round of the 1982 MLB draft but spent his six-year professional career in the minor leagues. But another uncle who was also a pitcher, Dan Plesac, enjoyed an 18-year major league career that included stints with the Blue Jays, Brewers, Cubs, Diamondbacks, Phillies, and Pirates, earning three All-Star appearances in the process.
“To say I have a lot of family support is probably an understatement,” Plesac said. “And my time at Ball State, especially the support and counsel of Coach Maloney, was fantastic.”
He was drafted before he was to graduate, so Plesac finished his degree in communication studies by taking online courses and earned his degree in 2017.
“Regardless of where my baseball career takes me, it was always very important for me and my family that I finish my Ball State degree,” he said. “And I’m happy I did.”
Plesac’s career next takes him to the Indians’ spring training complex in Goodyear, Arizona, when pitchers and catchers report in mid-February.
“I can’t wait to get to Arizona” he said. “I can’t wait to get back on the diamond again.”
Red Sox and worked 5 1/3 innings, allowing one run and four hits. From there, Plesac went on to establish himself as a regular in the Indians’ starting pitching rotation by posting an 8-6 record with a 3.81 earned run average (ERA), 88 strikeouts, and 40 walks. A highlight of his season came September 10 when he threw a sparkling four-hit, complete game shutout in Los Angeles against the Angels.
“It’s been like a dream for me,” said Plesac. “I always believed I had the potential to make the big leagues, but until
Photo provided by Ball State Athletics
Championship seasons are within grasp of 2020 baseball and softball teams
While every varsity athletic team has high hopes for a stellar season, a preview of Ball State’s 2020 baseball and softball seasons shows very real promise.
After finishing with a 38-19 overall record in 2019, good for second place in the MAC regular season standings and the conference tournament, head baseball coach Rich Maloney (above right) is optimistic about his 2020 team.
“We absolutely believe we’ll be putting a very strong team on the field.”
Seniors John Baker and Chase Stebby combine to form one of the more experienced and effective pitcher-catcher batteries in the Midwest. Stebby was named 2019 MAC Defensive Player of the Year as well as second-team All-MAC. Baker was a first-team All-MAC selection last year after going 7-2 in league play with an outstanding 2.13 ERA. He enters his final collegiate season needing 88 strikeouts to break Ball State’s career strikeout record.
Ball State last made the NCAA Tournament in 2006, and Maloney is hoping for a return trip. “There’s no guarantees, but we’ve certainly got the horsepower to get it done.”
Now starting her fifth season as head softball coach, Megan Ciolli Bartlett (right) says she has a group of very hungry players. “We’re going to be fun to watch.”
The team finished 34-20 last year, with a 9-8 MAC record. Six starters return from that team, including its leading hitter, junior third baseman Stacy Payton, a 2019 First Team All-MAC selection.
“We are planning to move Stacy to catcher this year because she’s such a versatile athlete and has such an amazing arm,” Bartlett said.
The coach is also enthused about this year’s recruiting class, which includes Wisconsin native Haley Wynn, the likely replacement for Payton at third base.
“I envision all of our true freshmen seeing playing time this season, and Haley has already shown us she’s ready to step in,” Bartlett said.
Ball State softball last made the NCAA Tournament in 2015. A return trip is always on the minds of Bartlett and her players. “Our goals are to win the MAC and get into the tournament,” Bartlett said. “And there’s not a player or coach on this team that doesn’t believe we’re going to do just that.”
An Uncommon Bond
Drew and Marie Plitt have helped each other grow at Ball State, just like in their childhood.
By Gabrielle Glass, ’19
Bonded by sports at a young age, Drew and Marie Plitt found their way to Ball State and continue to thrive as athletes and siblings.
Marie Plitt is in her first year as a middle blocker for Ball State women’s volleyball, while redshirt junior Drew Plitt is in the middle of his third playing season with Ball State football as a quarterback.
Their sibling relationship has been everything but a rivalry. Their parents, Julie and Steve Plitt, remember Drew and older brother Bryce in constant friendly competition while Marie strived to become like the two of them.
The Plitts’ love and dedication to sports didn’t start with Drew and Marie. Their parents are alumni from Xavier University’s volleyball and baseball programs, respectively, and they continue their dedication by coaching those sports at the varsity level at Ohio’s Loveland High School.
“Sports are just what we’re good at,” Julie said. “We loved the way it bonded us as a family. Of course, there are other things we love to do together, but going and attending sporting events together, playing sports together — it’s always been our thing.”
Whether it was in the backyard, on the court, or wherever they could manage to find a ball, the Plitt siblings were there, working to get better and bonding as brothers and sister.
A three-year letter winner and 2013 state champion for Loveland High, Drew joined the Cardinals in 2016. After redshirting his freshman year, he continued to move up the depth chart and took control of the starting quarterback position.
Earning the Ray Louthen Award in 2018 for the most improved player, Drew has proven himself worthy on this Cardinal roster. At the victorious 2019 season finale against Miami, Plitt threw for 317 yards and three touchdowns and is now ranked seventh on Ball State’s single-season passing chart.
“Our parents were our primary coaches growing up,” Drew said. “They would take us to the gym or the field and work with us on whatever we needed. It was something we did together pretty often as a family.”
But even while Drew was in Muncie and Marie was still in high school at Loveland, their bond remained strong.
“Drew made it a point to drive back home to as many of her games as he could while she was still in high school,” Julie said. “They enjoy each other’s successes, and when there are setbacks, they pick each other up.”
As for Marie, competition was her first love. Whether it was learning from her older brothers or competing on the court, she has always loved the way sports challenged her. When the opportunity arose for her to play volleyball and join her brother at Ball State, it couldn’t have been a more perfect fit.
“Drew being here was a big part of what piqued my interest in Ball State,” Marie said. “Then the volleyball program was interested in me. I checked out the campus, and I absolutely loved the program.”
Marie committed to Ball State her junior year at Loveland, where her mom coached her. She was named team MVP her sophomore, junior and senior seasons and led the Tigers to a 22-2 record in her final year.
While there was friendly competition in the household growing up, Marie said Drew played a big role in helping her grow as an athlete.
“He and our older brother, Bryce, really pushed me when I was a kid,” Marie said. “We’d always play games together, and the competition was fun. Sports always helped us relate to each other.”
With both football and volleyball in full swing, fall is a hectic time for Marie and Drew. Even amid their chaotic athletic schedules, the two manage to get together frequently to catch up.
“We try to meet up at least once or twice a week,” Drew said. “A lot of times, we’ll get coffee to see how things are going, see how volleyball is going and all that.”
The support system between the siblings is unmatched, attending as many of each other’s games as they can and making sure they are exchanging encouraging words. Because they go to the same school, it makes in-person sibling bonding time easier — and it gives their parents peace of mind knowing the two are not alone.
“It eases my mind knowing that Marie has Drew there with her,” Julie said. “And of course, it’s cool when they both have Saturday games, and we’re able to watch him in the afternoon and her in the evening. It’s a lot of fun.”
Editor’s Note: As we went to press, Marie Plitt and her teammates learned they’d won a berth in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
This story was adapted from the Oct. 3, 2019, edition of the Ball State Daily News. To read the original story in its entirety go to tinyurl.com/y394enxw.
Photos by Don Rogers
EMPOWERED
Quad Angles
Senior Donnie Dulaney (left) and juniors Richard Bowman and Tony Kahl use an automatic level for a topographic survey of the Quad. Such surveys are required for architects to design a site. The construction management majors practiced working with the level and as a team, which are both common in building. Academic requirements — including calculus, law, physics, and stats — are a lot, but students get jobs before graduation and start at an average of $58,000.
When It’s Hard to Swallow By Kim Rendfeld
With kitchen utensils and sophisticated technology, Ball State students are filling a crucial need for people learning or relearning how to swallow, and they’re making discoveries in an area with scant research.
In an immersive learning experience, students mix a variety of food and beverages with thickeners in precise formulas that help dysphagia patients get nourishment down the right pipe.
“These students are at the forefront of making a difference,” said Mary (Circle) Ewing, ’99 MA ’01, a clinical lecturer of speech pathology and audiology in Ball State’s College of Health. Ewing, founder of the immersive course, mentors the students with Ranjith Wijesinghe, professor of physics and astronomy in the College of Sciences and Humanities.
About 590 million people live with dysphagia, according to the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI). This condition affects premature newborns, patients recovering from strokes, and people with traumatic brain injuries, among others.
Having food and beverages with the optimal viscosity, or thickness, is crucial. If the liquid is too thin, patients risk choking and having infections from drawing fluid into the lungs.
“I was very surprised to learn that this problem had not been thoroughly investigated before,” said Wijesinghe. “As far as I know, not many researchers are working on this problem.”
For nine semesters, Ball State students, most of them studying speech language pathology, have mixed liquids with starch- and gum-based thickeners, aiming for the consistency of barium swallowed during evaluations of the digestive system — about the thickness of a milkshake. Students have experimented with supplemental nutritional drinks, beef and vegetable broth, juices, applesauce, infant formula, and more. Their 643 tests (including liquids without thickener) have filled nine large binders.
Ewing, who was a hospital speech language pathologist specializing in dysphagia for about 14 years before coming to Ball State, was surprised at how much mixtures could vary. Tomato juice and sports drinks, for example, are vastly different. Other factors affect viscosity as well, including how the ingredients are mixed, whether the mixture is heated, and how long it sits.
Getting formulas right for babies is an even greater challenge.
“Many previously used thickeners are now deemed unsafe for infants,” said Maggie Henning, ’19, a speech language pathology student who worked on the study before earning
1
her bachelor’s in December. “And the safe thickeners, like rice cereal and oatmeal, are very inconsistent in their thicknesses.”
In their busy Cooper Science Complex lab, students collaborate to solve these problems and many others. Working in teams to mix their formulas, they use a viscometer to precisely measure the thickness of their creations. Then, the students use a syringe to see where the recipe fits on a 0–7 scale that IDDSI developed. The goal: create mixtures that meet IDDSI standards and that clinicians can easily replicate.
Aspiring speech language pathologists usually learn about treating dysphagia in graduate school, Ewing said. Ball State’s students, most of them undergraduates, have shared their findings with community partners. In the Fall 2019 semester, they partnered with Indianapolis-based St. Vincent Health and Meridian Pediatric Rehab in Muncie. Molly Jones, ’10 MA ’12, a pediatric speech language pathologist with St. Vincent Fishers Pediatric Rehabilitation, said she was impressed with the students’ work ethic and passion.
“It is very important to know the far-reaching impact of the research being done by these students,” Jones said. “The field of speech language pathology is in desperate need of research studying thickened liquids, and our patients and families deserve to have therapists that provide them with well-informed, evidence-based care approaches.”
As a therapist to many children with feeding difficulties, Jones uses knowledge gained from the students’ research to make more informed clinical decisions and to educate families about the best products and methods for thickening liquids — empowering them to make the best decisions for their children.
Speech language pathology student and senior Olivia Budzinski predicts she’ll be better at her future job because of
— Mary Ewing, clinical lecturer in the College of Health and immersive learning mentor
the immersive learning experience. “This project,” said Olivia, “will help me decide whether or not to put a dysphagia patient on a thickened liquids diet, what thickener to use and how best to mix with liquids, which liquids are better to use than others, how to test thickened liquids, and struggles these patients go through as their diet changes.”
Beyond increasing their ability to help dysphagia patients, students are learning how to work as a team to solve complex and potentially life-threatening problems.
Maggie, who plans to attend graduate school, said the immersive learning experience will help her in her career as a speech language pathologist.
“Ball State has empowered me to think outside of the box,” Maggie said. “I have now been exposed to both the clinical side of speech language pathology and the research side. It has been so rewarding to be on a campus that makes it possible to be exposed to so many opportunities.” Gabrielle Glass, ’19, contributed to this article.
2 3
Photos by Samantha Strahan
1) Faculty mentor Ranjith Wijesinghe looks on as students Maggie Henning (left) and Patricia Esarey draw from their mixture to measure its viscosity.
2) Tabitha Jaggers and a classmate measure viscosity by timing a recipe’s rate of flow from a syringe.
3) Students use a viscometer to measure the thickness of their recipe and record how it changes after about 20 minutes.
Student-Founded Nonprofit Lifts Families Out of Poverty
By Lydia Kotowski, ’20
Photos provided by Beneficence Family Scholars
Editor’s Note: This story’s writer — Ball State senior Lydia Kotowski of Floyds Knobs, Indiana — is an Honors College student majoring in political science and health policy. Last Spring she was named a finalist for the Harry S. Truman Scholarship, the nation’s premier graduate fellowship for students pursuing careers as public service leaders. Lydia is president and founder of Beneficence Family Scholars — a new nonprofit organization in Muncie
A team of immersive learning student scholars helped set the mission and goals of Beneficence Family Scholars in Spring 2019.
My passion for combining family and education to eradicate poverty became clear at Ball State.
I was lucky enough to grow up in a stable, loving, and supportive family that never had to choose between paying bills or buying books, putting food on the table or helping with a science project. It wasn’t until I got to college that I truly understood not everyone has that same privilege. Through volunteer and engagement activities in the community, and lessons learned through the humanities sequence in the Honors College during my first two years in Muncie, I saw the educational and economic challenges the community faces: the divide between campus and the city, the lack of locals in college classrooms, the significant poverty rates, and the large number of households, experiencing food insecurity. However, I also experienced Muncie’s many beautiful features: the earnestness of its people, the desire to be better, the budding small-business scene, and a genuine love for the community. These experiences prompted me to feel the need to do something more.
My chance to do more came in March 2018 when I received a text from my mom. It read, “You MUST check this out.” She included a link to the website for a nonprofit in Louisville, Kentucky, called Family Scholar House (FSH). As I read about FSH’s mission to end the cycle of poverty, empower parents and their children to succeed in education, and achieve lifelong self-sufficiency, I felt inspired to dig deeper.
I asked to meet Cathe Dykstra, President and Chief Possibility Officer of FSH, and through that contact obtained a summer internship there. The interactions I had with Family Scholar House families showed me that the FSH model needed to be brought to Muncie.
At the conclusion of my internship, I contacted Jason Powell, an associate professor of Honors Humanities whose research includes generational poverty and social justice. Over the course a one-hour meeting, I pitched him the idea of starting a nonprofit similar to FSH here in Muncie. His immediate response: “I’m in.” A few days later, we had a formal proposal, budget, and timeline. After getting an enthusiastic green light from John Emert, dean of the Honors College, we began the unglamorous toil of crafting the countless legal documents needed to become incorporated as an Indiana nonprofit.
We also decided on a name: Beneficence Family Scholars (BFS).
The following spring, The Virginia B. Ball Center for Creative Inquiry supported an immersive learning course, co-led by Jason and me, dedicated to starting BFS. The Spring 2019 class enrolled 15 students who devoted the entire semester to laying a strong foundation for BFS. As Jason and I led the course, we were inspired each day by our students’ commitment. We came up with our mission and vision statements, set strategic goals, and formed a board of directors.
Officially launched in April 2019, BFS is now thriving. We now have two families in our program, supported by a ninemember board of directors and a full-time executive director. At the core of BFS is an unwavering belief that, with education and encouragement, families can overcome generational poverty. We help parents pursue postsecondary education and encourage them to instill a love of learning in their kids.
In a process similar to FSH’s, of which we are an affiliate, we first find prospective families, invite them to attend an orientation, and provide them access to academic advisers, family advocates, financial literacy aids, and more in the preresidential stage. Once a family qualifies, they then move into the residential stage, which has the added features of housing and childcare. While we have not launched this stage yet, we are working towards opening our own housing facility in Muncie by 2023.
As a parent nears graduation, the family enters the postresidential stage. Here, the parent gets help preparing for a career and is encouraged to take the next steps out of poverty.
Through the work I’ve done at Beneficence Family Scholars, I found my voice and learned how to use that voice to help others. My goal is for every person to have the encouragement to find and pursue their dreams.
It’s no coincidence that “Beneficence” is part of our organization’s name. In accordance with the values of Beneficence, education inspires us to overcome obstacles and serve others. In a community committed to making changes for the better, all of us become empowered.
By Tim Obermiller
With a message that many different kinds of people can succeed in science, Taylorann Smith, ’18, fulfills her dream to do research on the high seas.
Photos provided by Taylorann Smith
It’s a little after midnight aboard the exploration vessel Nautilus as Taylorann Smith, ’18, posts on social media: “This for sure makes the Top 10 Coolest Things I’ve seen in my lifetime.”
What Smith is seeing, via a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) named Hercules, is a variety of scavenging creatures banqueting on the corpse of a baleen whale — including boneeating Zombie worms that cover the carcass in feathery scarlet plumes.
“When a whale dies, its body can fall to the ocean floor, serving as a huge food source for a variety of marine animals,” Smith explained.
A few days earlier, Smith witnessed a shrimp and newborn octopus in claw-to-arm combat at 10,500 feet (spoiler alert: the baby escapes).
These are moments Smith dreamed of while studying biology at Ball State and couldn’t even imagine as a little girl. Growing up in Chicago’s south suburbs with her single mom and older sister, she recalls a loving home but also struggles that led to periods of poverty and homelessness.
Those experiences “made me a stronger person,” she said. “It amazed me how my mother was able to raise two girls on her own working minimum wage jobs and even help send us through college and on to get master’s degrees.”
She remembers her first glimpse of the ocean as a child, watching a National Geographic special on TV. It stuck with her, and she began to wonder about a career in science. But when she decided to attend Ball State on recommendation of a friend’s parent and a campus visit, she couldn’t decide if she was really cut out to realize her dream.
“I was afraid that I wasn’t ‘smart’ enough to pursue a career in science, and that I should pursue my creative interests instead. I learned that science was my passion, even if I wasn’t a ‘genius,’ and that I could combine my creative interests with science.”
Key to that realization was Gary Dodson, now professor emeritus of biology, and his wife, Jill. “They were there for me every step of the way. They encouraged me to continue with science and to keep pushing myself even when I didn’t believe in myself.”
Learning how to do research in a sophomore environmental microbiology lab was pivotal. So was being a teaching assistant for an entry-level biology course, where she encouraged students to use their creativity to think about science.
She also explored her creative side through lasting friendships made during her freshman year. Cast in one of those friend’s short film, Smith ended up winning Best Actress at the annual student Frog Baby Film Festival. She also wrote an award-winning essay her freshman year on the topic of biracial identity.
“Being biracial and queer,” Smith said, “only makes my work that much more impactful.” By her words and actions, she hopes to be an example for others who may not know that many different kinds of people can succeed in science.
After college, she won a full scholarship to spend a semester at Duke University’s Marine Lab, where she conducted independent research on the effect of ocean acidification on ecological systems along the North Atlantic coast. She gave two presentations and wrote a paper on the topic.
This Fall, she began graduate studies at California State University, Northridge, known for its stellar marine biology program.
She took a sabbatical from her studies in October after being selected for a coveted internship aboard the Nautilus. The 64-meter (211-foot) research vessel is documenting and surveying unexplored regions of the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
Among the ship’s tools are two ROVs, underwater robots that probe to 4,000 meters beneath the ocean’s surface to collect and record data. All dives are livestreamed on nautiluslive.org and saved on YouTube.
Her sister and mom pose with Smith at Ball State Commencement. “Any strong, influential women had the power to inspire me,” said Smith. “But my mother and older sister had the biggest influence on me.”
Her duties included recording scientific observations, documenting sample collections, and taking screen captures of significant sightings. “I also was responsible for processing the physical samples in the lab and summarizing the dives into reports for other scientists.
“This internship has been the best experience. I’ve met so many incredible and diverse scientists and have seen parts of the ocean very few have seen!”
This Fall, Smith was featured in National Geographic’s special “Women of Impact” issue that included her role model, Sylvia Earle. Smith met Earle when the renowned oceanographer visited Ball State in Spring 2018.
Looking back at her recent accomplishments, Smith feels blessed by an amazing network of love and support.
“I was born a dreamer, and throughout my life I’ve learned to understand just how brave dreamers are. Don’t silence your heart due to fear. Let it shout.”
