Ball State University celebrated the outstanding contributions of faculty and staff during its annual Fall Opening Convocation on Aug. 21 at Emens Auditorium.
Each year, the University recognizes individuals whose teaching, research, creative work, service, mentorship, leadership, and commitment to students strengthen Ball State and its community. Recipients are selected through detailed review processes involving nominations and supporting materials from students and colleagues.
This year’s Convocation also marked the introduction of the Outstanding Professional Employee Award, expanding the annual recognition to honor a professional employee whose work advances the University’s mission and enduring values through outstanding performance, meaningful collaboration, continued growth, and exceptional impact across campus.
The 2026 award recipients are:
Lawhead Award in General Education: August A. Roberson
August A. Roberson, assistant lecturer of mathematical sciences, received the Lawhead Teaching Award in General Education, which recognizes excellence in teaching and service within the University Core Curriculum.
Through her teaching of MATH 125 and MATH 181 and her work as a course coordinator, Ms. Roberson is estimated to have influenced more than 17,000 students. She has helped standardize instructor resources to provide a more consistent experience across course sections while encouraging colleagues to experiment with new approaches that make foundational mathematics more engaging and effective for students.
Excellence in Teaching Awards: Michelle L. Cline, Kate H. Elliott, and Rodney K. Taylor
The Excellence in Teaching Award, sponsored by the Division of Online and Strategic Learning and the Office of the Provost, recognizes faculty members for dedication, talent, and innovation in the classroom. This year, students nominated 385 faculty members, with seven finalists invited to propose ways to make an existing course more innovative and engaging.
Michelle L. Cline, assistant teaching professor of elementary education, will enhance SCI 397, Teaching Science in Elementary School, by expanding a recently established science festival with mystery festivals that will provide pre-service teachers and K-5 students with additional hands-on science experiences.
Kate H. Elliott, associate lecturer in the School of Journalism and Strategic Communication, will enhance NEWS 233, Specialized Story Forms, by increasing engagement with community partners, incorporating a project-management system, and strengthening students’ understanding and use of accessibility across media formats.
Rodney K. Taylor, assistant professor of English, will incorporate a public-facing digital humanities project into AFAM 100, Introduction to African American Studies. Students will help identify, transcribe, and create metadata for the Hurley Goodall Papers, documenting the life and work of Muncie’s first Black state representative and co-author of The Other Side of Middletown.
Rawlings Award for Distance Education: Lakshika N. Kuruppuarachchi
Lakshika N. Kuruppuarachchi, assistant teaching professor of information systems and operations management, received the Rawlings Outstanding Distance Education Teaching Award.
Since joining Ball State in 2022, Dr. Kuruppuarachchi has taught junior-, senior-, and graduate-level online courses focused on quantitative and analytical methods. Her work emphasizes clear instruction, student engagement, timely feedback, and close guidance on team projects despite the challenges of teaching highly quantitative material in an online environment.
She has also developed industry-engaged capstone experiences designed to provide online students with the same real-world exposure available in on-campus courses. In Spring 2025 alone, she managed multiple online capstone projects, including work involving DHL and additional case-study projects, while also supporting an in-person project with MAGNA.
Outstanding Inclusiveness Leadership Award: Nidia P. Flis
Nidia P. Flis, senior lecturer of Spanish, received the Outstanding Inclusiveness Leadership Award for her sustained efforts to create an environment that respects and values the contributions of all individuals.
For nearly 15 years, Ms. Flis has promoted inclusive excellence within the classroom, across the University, and in the broader community. Her contributions include advising the Spanish Club, advocating for a curriculum that reflects the diversity of Spanish-speaking cultures, advising international students, supporting Ball State’s Fulbright community, and participating in cross-cultural collaborations and study abroad programs.
Outstanding Creative Endeavor Award: Diana Grisanti
Diana Grisanti, assistant professor of playwriting, received the Outstanding Creative Endeavor Award for her contributions to the creative arts.
Ms. Grisanti’s work encompasses teaching, playwriting, dramaturgy, and creative production. Among her projects is Untimely Ripp’d, an immersive, haunted-house-style adaptation of Macbeth created with a writing partner for Kentucky Shakespeare. Audience members were divided into groups, equipped with headsets, and led through different rooms to experience different portions of the story.
Her work ranges from family-friendly musicals to audio plays tackling contemporary social issues, and she has also curated two New Works Festivals at Ball State.
Outstanding Advisor Award: Benjamin A. Strack
Benjamin A. Strack, associate teaching professor of media, received the Outstanding Advisor Award, which recognizes exceptional contributions to students’ experiences beyond the classroom.
Mr. Strack’s mentorship is exemplified by his leadership of Radiance Cinema, which grew from a single course into a comprehensive program combining instruction with extensive hands-on mentorship. He also developed a partnership with the Heartland Film Festival, where students screen films, interact with directors and producers, and gain firsthand exposure to the film industry.
Each spring, Radiance Cinema produces approximately five to eight short films, with Mr. Strack mentoring students throughout filming and post-production.
Outstanding Professional Employee Award: Lindsey M. Speer
Lindsey M. Speer, director of undergraduate admissions, became the first recipient of Ball State’s Outstanding Professional Employee Award.
The new award recognizes a professional employee who advances Ball State’s mission by exemplifying the University’s enduring values through outstanding performance, meaningful collaboration, continued growth, and extraordinary impact across campus.
Ms. Speer was recognized for leadership rooted in care for colleagues and students, a commitment to developing those around her, and collaboration across campus to improve processes and experiences. She also encourages members of her team to turn ideas arising from their day-to-day work into meaningful improvements.
Her dedication to recruiting future Cardinals extends throughout Indiana. Over the course of her career, she has traveled hundreds of miles to visit schools and recruiting events, often personally connecting with prospective students and their families.
Outstanding Faculty Service Award: Laura L. S. O’Hara
Dr. Laura L. S. O’Hara, professor of communication studies, received the Outstanding Faculty Service Award for exceptional professional service to the University, her profession, and the community.
Dr. O’Hara has served as a manuscript reviewer for disciplinary journals and edited books and has contributed to numerous Ball State committees and initiatives, including University Governance, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, Graduate Faculty Council, the PhD Pathways Program, and search committees across the University. She has also contributed extensively to College of Communication, Information, and Media task forces and has held more than 25 different service roles over the years.
Her nominators also emphasized the positive, energetic, and community-minded approach she brings to that work.
Outstanding Teaching Award: David A. Call
Dr. David A. Call, professor of meteorology and geography, received the Outstanding Teaching Award for his excellence, innovation, and leadership as an educator.
Dr. Call regularly teaches eight different courses spanning the 100- through 400-level, but he may be best known for METC 490, an experiential summer “storm chasing” course he has led for roughly two decades. The course allows students to apply forecasting skills and study severe weather in real time while learning how to observe storms safely.
Over the years, those trips have taken students from South Texas to Montana and collectively covered more than 125,000 miles. Dr. Call’s goal is for students to gain enough confidence and expertise during the experience that, by the end of the trip, he becomes “just the driver.”
Outstanding Research Award: Paul A. Venturelli
Dr. Paul A. Venturelli, professor of biology and director of the PhD program in environmental sciences, received the Outstanding Research Award.
Dr. Venturelli’s research combines field experimentation, big-data analytics, citizen science, and advanced modeling to examine how natural and human influences affect aquatic ecosystems and fisheries. His work has applications in conservation, climate change, invasive species, and fisheries economics.
During nine years at Ball State, he has secured more than $1.1 million in external research funding and published more than 40 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. His work has received more than 3,000 citations, and he has delivered more than 70 presentations at regional, national, and international meetings.
He has also mentored nearly 50 Ball State undergraduate researchers, in addition to master’s, doctoral, and postdoctoral scholars who have presented at major conferences, published research, and continued into careers and advanced study in conservation, data science, and environmental management.
Outstanding Junior Faculty Award: Bryant H. Keirns
Dr. Bryant H. Keirns, assistant professor and graduate program director of nutrition and dietetics, received the Outstanding Junior Faculty Award, which recognizes excellence in teaching, scholarly or creative productivity, and service among faculty members in the early years of their academic careers.
Dr. Keirns’ research focuses on understanding the drivers of cardiometabolic diseases and developing targeted approaches to prevent them. Since arriving at Ball State in Fall 2023, he has published 16 peer-reviewed manuscripts and has received external funding as principal investigator from organizations including the American Heart Association and National Mango Board, as well as through the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases center at Indiana University.
He was also recognized for his work as a teacher and mentor and for overseeing Ball State’s Clinical Nutrition suite of laboratories.
Outstanding Faculty Award: Jennifer S. Blackmer
Jennifer S. Blackmer, professor of theatre, received the Outstanding Faculty Award, which recognizes demonstrated excellence across teaching, scholarly or creative productivity, and service.
A previous recipient of Ball State’s Outstanding Teaching Award, Ms. Blackmer has taught a wide range of courses for the Department of Theatre and Dance and the Honors College, from introductory courses to advanced work in theatre history, directing, playwriting, and theatre management.
Her contributions have also extended to the Virginia Ball Center for Creative Inquiry and Ball State’s Immersive Learning program, where she has mentored faculty in developing and leading transdisciplinary courses. Beyond the classroom, Ms. Blackmer is an accomplished professional playwright whose work has been produced at notable theatres throughout the country.
