On September 21, BSU President Geoffrey S. Mearns led a ceremony to dedicate the Ball State Peace Plaza. September 21 also was the International Day of Peace. Ball State administrators, faculty, staff, and students, residents of East Central Indiana, and the Mayor of Muncie and other elected officials attended the event. Dr. Lawrence Gerstein (Director, BSU Center for Peace and Conflict Studies; CPSY Professor), Dr. Sharon Bowman (CPSY Chairperson), and DeFord Cope (Graduate Assistant, Peace Center; CPSY Graduate Student) participated as did Dr. Charlene Alexander (BSU Chief Strategic Officer; Former CPSY Professor).

Individuals affiliated with the BSU Center for Peace and Conflict Studies, including Professor Gerstein initiated the creation of the Plaza and have led the effort to construct this space. The Plaza is located to the west of the Whitinger Business Building near University Green. Ball State is one of only a few institutions of higher education in the United States to feature a Peace Plaza.

The purpose of the Plaza is to promote a message of peace and inclusive excellence and to serve as a memorial to all who have fallen victim to violence worldwide, including Ball State faculty, staff, and students who died in the performance of duty in the U.S. military, law enforcement, fire departments, and health care institutions. Recognizing that violent conflict occurs at all levels of society and globally, the Peace Plaza is a place to remember, reflect, and work toward a more peaceful society and world. Members of the campus and Muncie community are permitted to host peace and social justice events at the Plaza.

The design of the Plaza allows for additional peace poles to be constructed in the future that will represent all seven continents and be symbolic of people from all around the globe. Limestone and granite from Indiana were used to construct the first pole which symbolizes the state of Indiana and Hoosiers. The seven continent poles will be constructed of metal and will feature stylized olive branches that symbolize a connection to nature and invoke the importance of “extending olive branches” as a tool to advance peaceful efforts. To learn more about the Plaza, including how you can financially support this project, please email peacecenter@bsu.edu.