Hello everyone and welcome to the November edition of our monthly Good News outlet. This month sure has flown by!

Alumni

  • Rebecca Slezak ’21 recently started as the staff photojournalist for The Dallas Morning News.
  • Bernie Kohn graduated from the School of Journalism and Strategic Communication, formally Department of Journalism in 1982. He is currently News Director at Bloomberg Industry Group.
  • Betsy Mills graduated from the Department of Communication Studies in 2008, and in 2010 earned her master’s degree. She is currently an assistant teaching professor of Communications Arts and Sciences at Penn State.

Students

 

CCIM Units

  • Ball Bearings Magazine hosted a launch party where writers, photographers, and subjects talked with students.
  • CCIM hosted Preview Day with Ball State Admissions. We shared our values and goals with incoming Cardinals and their families.
  • CCIM hosted the CCIM Student Leadership Summit.
  • CCIM joined the Multicultural Center to celebrate First-Generation Students.
  • CICS hosted over a dozen alumni in 4-panel discussions around the intersection of tech, business, communication, and leadership. Students were able to hear from alumni with a variety of organizations ranging from local non-profits, start-ups and global conglomerates.

Faculty and Staff

  • Dr. Gabriel Tait is looking for students for Engaging the Community with Photography.
    • In this project, students will work with residents in the Thomas Park/Avondale Neighborhood to teach photography basics and instruct on how to use the camera to document their lives. Stories will be told and students will have the opportunity to become connected to the neighborhood. This will be a NEWS 397 course. For more information, contact Dr. Gabriel Tait, School of Journalism and Strategic Communications.
  • Journalism Professor, Adam Kuban, challenged his students to find sustainability efforts in the Muncie area with a new immersive learning project. Several stories were featured in The Star Press this month already.

Volunteer

  • Contact Kate Elliott for more details about volunteering with Muncie Community Schools or the 8Twelve Coalition.
  • Currently, West View Elementary is looking for student, faculty, and staff volunteers to help in various ways:
    • 90-minute reading blocks
    • Monitor lunch room (10:40am-1pm)
    • Substitute teachers (paid)
    • Donating books
      • Monday, Dec. 13th (30min time slots) between 10:10am-2:05pm to get kids’ book orders during indoor recess
        • Arrive at the West View front office and check in with your driver’s license.
        • Gather books (front office), and take them to three classrooms during indoor recess.
        • Show students each book, and prompt them to list their top three choices on a provided order form.
        • Collect the order forms and return them to the front office as you leave.
        • Feel great about being a BOOK ELF!!!
      • Need 6 volunteers from 8:30-9:30am on Wednesday, Dec 15 to distribute books to classes
  • If you are interested in volunteering with Muncie Community Schools, you must be vaccinated, masked, and approved by Safe Hiring Solutions.

 

Upcoming Events

  • Sign up for the noon Critical Thinking Workshop on December 1st, 2021 through Cardinal Career Link.
    • Critical thinking is ranked as one of the top skills employers look for in interns and new hires. In this highly interactive session, you will develop and utilize critical thinking strategies to solve a problem.
  • The Fall 2021 Virtual Immersive Learning Showcase will go live on December 6th, 2021. This is an opportunity to view virtual displays from fall 2021 immersive learning projects through an online exhibit platform.  The virtual showcase will run from December 6th – December 17th.
  • Do you have an idea for an immersive learning course but are not sure about your next step?  Do you have questions about funding opportunities available for immersive courses?  Join Stacey Alexander, Immersive Learning Project Manager for CCIM, via Zoom on December 7 from 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM, to answer these questions and any others that you may have about immersive learning.
  • Join Chicago area alumni on December 13th, 2021 for some holiday cheer and networking at the Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery, 6:00-8:00 p.m. CT. Register today! 
  • Ball State’s renowned journalism conference is growing! CCIM’s JDay+ will feature all the things you’ve grown to love about this one-day, in-person workshop, but will now include even more hands-on, engaging sessions taught in collaboration with Ball State’s Emerging Media Design and Development, eSports, the Department of Media, Communication Studies and the Center for Information and Communication Sciences! More info is coming soon, but until then, save the date for April 29th, 2022.

What to Watch

 

Did you know?

  • Faculty who lead our immersive learning experiences work with diverse teams of hard-working students to address the needs and challenges faced by a community partner, typically a small business or nonprofit organization. To learn more about the current projects, faculty resources, and how Immersive Learning at Ball State can help you achieve a mutually beneficial community project, visit their webpage.
    • Building Better Neighborhood Grant, Deadline:  December 10th The Building Better Neighborhoods (BBN) initiative connects Ball State’s resources with neighborhood development efforts across Muncie and Delaware County and is a collaboration between the Office of Immersive Learning, the Office of Community Engagement, the Muncie Action Plan and other local agencies working to improve our community’s neighborhoods. The Office of Immersive Learning is pleased to offer funding for faculty and undergraduate students wishing to collaborate with local organizations focused on neighborhood projects. Funded immersive learning projects pull together undergraduate student teams guided by faculty mentors to create unique, high-impact learning experiences that result in real-world solutions to Muncie’s challenges. This funding can cover supplies, minor equipment, printing, surveys, neighborhood planning sessions, and other project-related expenses. Ball State faculty who have an idea for a BBN immersive learning project are encouraged to apply. This round of funding will support projects taking place during the spring 2022 semester. Completed proposals are due on or before 5 p.m., Friday, December 10, 2021.  Visit the BBN landing page to see guidelines, review project examples, and access the online application.
    • Provost Immersive Learning Grants Deadline – January 31st Ball State University’s Office of the Provost and the Office of Immersive Learning are pleased to offer the Provost Immersive Learning Grant Program featuring two grant options: one for Pilot/ One Time Projects and the other for Sustained Course proposals. The Pilot/One Time Project Grant provides financial support for one-time immersive learning projects or projects that have never been funded before. Pilot Project/One-Time Grants may also be utilized to support projects embedded in regularly offered immersive learning classes where the project outcomes, partners, and/or mentors regularly change over given semesters. The Sustained Course Grant program is intended to support academic departments in setting up a process for ongoing Immersive Learning experiences for students.  After completing a pilot project, academic colleges and departments may apply for up to three years of support from the Provost’s Office to fully integrate the immersive class or course section into the sponsoring department or college’s curriculum and budget. Ball State faculty who have an idea for an immersive learning project are encouraged to apply. Funding can cover travel expenses, materials, and other costs associated with your project. This funding cycle will support projects expected to begin in fall 2022 or spring 2023. Completed proposals are due on or before 5 p.m., Monday, January 31, 2022. Visit the Pilot/One Time Grant and the Sustained Course Grant landing pages for additional information about these funding opportunities.

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