From Homecoming events to the launch of projects, October has been a busy month. And, as it comes to a close, we want to highlight some of the accomplishments of our faculty, staff, students, and alumni.

The hard work of CCIM community members never ceases to impress, and we are so fortunate to be able to celebrate what we have accomplished and the many exciting things in store for November.

Alumni Involvement

  • The Taste of CICS, which is a formal social mixer event, was held on September 23rd at Horizon Convention Center in Muncie. This event included CICS Alumni and former Directors Dr. Ray Steele and Dr. Dennis Trinkle. This was the first opportunity for the current cohort of MICS students to interact with alumni and industry professionals in a formal setting. 
  • The Annual Golf Outing was held at The Players Club Golf Course in Yorktown, Indiana. An alumnus or a member of the CICS team was partnered with a group of students, many of whom were golfing for the first time. This business-style golf outing exposed students to the rules of golf in a scramble style event. They also had the opportunity to learn proper golf course etiquette and how to use these events to network with professionals.

Student Achievements

  • Ashley Donnelly, a media studies student, recently presented her research in safe spaces and media presentation in her paper, “Idealizing of Safe Spaces for Spaces for Queer Adolescents and Young Adults on TV,” at the Midwest Regional Popular Culture Association in Chicago, IL. 
  • The McKinley Avenue Agency won multiple awards at the 51st annual College Media Business & Advertising Managers (CMBAM) on October 14, 2023. CMBAM is a national nonprofit membership organization which supports sales, marketing, design and management students. 
    • Executive Director of Creative Services, Katie Harp’s design took home Best Digital Display Ad. Harp designed a digital advertisement for Greeks Pizzeria which ran on BallStateDaily.com. 
    • The McKinley Avenue Agency won first for Best Sales Proposal, with a proposal made by May graduate Karissa Wiegand for StayingIN. StayingIN is a campaign in partnership with the Office of Governmental Relations & Industry Engagement at Ball State University.  
    • Multiple students placed first for Best Seasonal Sales Promotion through their efforts to earn clients for the Ball State Daily Housing Fair. The agency also received an honorable mention in the same category.  
    • The McKinley Avenue Agency also placed in the following categories: 
      • Second Place, Best Guerrilla Marketing Strategy; Jacksen Cole and Connor Davis 
      • Third Place, Best Coupon Book; McKinley Avenue Creative Services Team 
      • Third Place, Best Video Underwriting Ad; Matthew Borders and Colton Hendrix 
      • Third Place, Best Staff Recruitment Strategy; Laura Hall 
      • Honorable Mention, Best Print Ad Campaign; McKinley Avenue Creative Services Team 
      • Honorable Mention, Best Back-to-School/Orientation Guide; Katie Harp, Richard Kann and Karissa Wiegand 
Photo of a group of McKinley Avenue Agency students.

Faculty and Staff News and Accomplishments

  • Dr. Scarlett Hester and Dr. Kathy Denker, professors in the Department of Communication Studies, published a co-authored book chapter titled, “Beyond Burnout: Gaming, Glowing, and Building Feminist Mentor Community” in the book Feminist Mentoring in Academia. https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781666917062/Feminist-Mentoring-in-Academia  
  • Dr. Phil Hoffman received the Silver Circle award from NATAS (National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences) recognizing individuals who have made significant contributions to television for twenty-five years or more.  
  • Center for Information and Communication Sciences professor Dr. Chris Davison published a paper as part of the NSF-Funded CareDEX team in the Issues in Information Journal (October 2023). The paper included three CICS graduate students and his collaborators from the University of California. This quantitative paper was the result of a SAGAT methodology exercise conducted by the researchers at a Senior Living Facility in Anaheim California. The article can be found here.
    • Dr. Davison is also involved with The Ethical, Multi-Model Moral Agent (EMMA) project is an AI testbed project that investigates Fairness and Explainability in AI. The project is led by Davison and funded by the Templeton World Charity foundation. The goal of the project is to create a socio-technical decision-making system within HVAC environment preferences and analyze the efficacy of interventions provided by AI. More information on the project can be found here.
  • CICS faculty Drs. Faisal Kalota and David Hua presented the paper “Generative AI: Applications & Implications” at the ACTE State Conference in Indianapolis Sept. 22. 
  • CICS faculty Dr. Edward Lazaros received a grant from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education as Principal Investigator for his proposal entitled “Professional Development for Career and Technical Teachers with Workplace Specialist I Certification” in the amount of $165,000. Because of Lazaros’ hard work, participation is up significantly from a year ago. 

CCIM Unit News

  • Assistant Dean of Media and General Manager of Ball State PBS & IPR Dr. Phil Hoffman and Director of CICS Dr. John B. Nicholas were invited guests for the closing panel discussion titled “Cybersecurity for Broadcast Stations Panel” at the Midwest Broadcast & Multimedia Technology Conference 2023 in Columbus, Ohio, on Sept. 28. The topics discussed were: Cybersecurity basics, cybersecurity best practices, the human element, and the changing landscape of broadcast media. The video of that panel discussion can be found here.
  • Ball State Public Media had a successful Happy Little Fest 2023 on Oct. 1 after winning the “Special Events” award for Happy Little Fest 2022 from NETA (National Educational Television Association).  
  • Ball State Public Media had a successful Behind-the Scenes Mid-Level Giving event for IPR on Sept. 25. 

Upcoming Events

  • Ball State Public Media will begin a new program called “Pop of Culture” coming later this fall on Ball State PBS’s app, online, and over the air. “Pop of Culture” is a modern, fun take on art and artists in East Central Indiana, introducing you to the people and creators who are making fabulous art happen right here in our backyard. 
  • November 1: CICS Open House 3 – 4:00 p.m. on the second floor of the Ball Communications Building 
  • November 9: The CCIM Alumni Experience at WTHR-TV will take place from 4-7 p.m. and include studio tours and discussion about current CCIM and University initiatives. There will be appetizers, drinks, and pictures behind the WTHR news desk! Come hear about award-winning work from current students and outstanding Ball State graduates working in WTHR and all other business areas!  
  • November 9: World Usability Day Fishers, Indiana. The User Experience Professionals Association (UXPA) supports people who research, design, and evaluate the user experience of products and services. The CICS will be represented at this event with students, staff and faculty. 
  • November 10: ICS Career Exploration Day. Another event in the Social Learning and Professional Development program series. This day provides an insider’s look into the paths available for CICS students to pursue as they grow and discover how life will look after graduation. During the panels, students will hear from each panelist about their career journey and will have time to ask questions. There will also be several opportunities to connect with alumni during breaks, lunch, and the breakout sessions. 
  • November 16: CCIM Outreach will host their annual CCIM+ Internship and Career Fair from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Students of all majors are invited to attend this networking event to engage with potential employers, socialize with fellow students, have their resumes critiqued, and enjoy some free food and coffee. 
  • Ball State Public Media will present All Out For Christmas! An IPR Radio Drama on Thursday, December 14, 2023, at 8:00pm. 

What to Watch