Department of Social Work

Ball State University President Geoff Mearns Shakes hands with Dr. Mary Provence as she accepts her Immersive Learning Award. Mary is holding the award in her right hand. It is clear glass with tiny writing on it, which is not legible in the photo.

President Mearns and Dr. Mary Provence.

Congratulations to Dr. Mary Provence of the Department of Social Work for winning a 2026 Ball State University Immersive Learning Faculty Award! In the Social Work 430 course, students worked with Muncie Public Libraries to design and conduct a needs assessment for patrons and staff. Library patrons often present with pressing psycho-social needs such as housing, food, mental health, and substance abuse concerns. Library staff are typically not fully equipped to handle these non-traditional patron needs. The students made several recommendations, including a suggestion that social work interns be placed at Muncie Public Libraries-and they were!

Social Work students are getting high praise, and completing meaningful work in their practicums.
MSW candidate, Erica Smatlak, has received glowing praises from United Way of Central Indiana.  She is doing her advanced practicum with United Way and spent much of her time at the statehouse when they were in session.  Her supervisor, Sam Snideman sent this note, “I  wanted to share that today Erica testified in a very intimidating Senate Tax & Fiscal Policy committee on a child care tax credit bill. She did a fantastic job. We continue to be thankful for her placement with us.”

You can see the outline of a TV screen, where the video of the Indiana Statehouse Broadcast was being played. The main focus of the image is Sam Snideman on the left sitting at a desk, and beside him is MSW Intern Erica Smatlak. There is a long microphone in front of them, and they appear to be speaking. You can see 3 males and three females sitting behind them in gallery seating. They have varied facial expressions. The words HB 1177 and the date 2/10/2025 appear in the upper corners of the image.

Sam Snideman, and Erica Smatlak at the Indiana Statehouse.

BSW candidates, Abby DeSimone and Evan Hendrickson, spent the semester with the Heart of United Way, and were featured on the Anderson in Focus Podcast discussing the voter guide they made for the United Way. Their supervisor said they are among the best interns that Heart of Indiana United Way has had.

School of Nursing

The Simulation Center was awarded a $1,316 grant from the Sigma Theta Tau ,Beta Rho Chapter to purchase four iPads for use in the Cardiac Escape Room and other needs as they arise.

Dr. Deb Siela has retired from the School of Nursing, after 36 years of service to the university. We wish her well on her future plans.

Congratulations to Dr. Renee Twibell, who was honored for her life’s work in the nursing profession. She is being presented with the American Association of Critical Care Nursing’s Pioneering Spirit Award. Twibell is a Professor Emerita from the School of Nursing, and has transitioned to more research based work, with a position at IU Health, but still keeps close to the School of Nursing, as an adjunct faculty. You can read more about this award on AACN’s Website. 

Congratulations to Dr. Melissa Matthews, recipient of the Excellence in Graduate Recruiting Award from the Graduate School. We are so grateful for the work that Dr. Matthews has contributed since taking the helm as the Graduate Programs Director.

Nursing Student Aleyah, wearing blue scrubs, and standing with her back to a field of green grass, with a fence and trees in the background.School of Nursing student Aleyah Arnett has been nominated by a patient for a DAISY Award® during her clinical rotation. The DAISY Award is a special honor given to extraordinary nurses for the compassionate contributions they make every day, going above and beyond expectations in science and sensitivity, according to the DAISY Awards website. Any licensed, registered nurse, nursing faculty, or nursing student is eligible to be nominated for this honor. The patient who nominated Ms. Arnett noted that Ms. Arnett calmed her, showed kindness, was gentle during the blood draw, and led the patient to and from her chair without a hassle.  Learn more about the DAISY Award and the recipient selection process online.

Nutrition & Health Science

Student Gracee Gibson, at left, with Dr. Becci Brey, at the Disability Awards Ceremony. They are both smiling, and posing for the camera holding the Accessible Teacher Award Plaque. Gracee nominated Dr. Brey for the award. They are both wearing black sweaters, and standing in front of a black velvet curtain background.

Gracee Gibson, with Dr. Becci Brey

The Office of Disability Services at Ball State, gives the Accessible Teacher Award to teachers who have gone above and beyond in making their classes accessible.  We always want to point out that being accessible does not mean being easy.  The faculty members who have won this award are some of Ball State’s best and toughest.  They don’t make their classes easy for students; they make their classes accessible for students. Dr. Becci Brey, from Nutrition and Health Science, is the 2026 award winner. She was nominated by Gracee Gibson. This award has been given out to recognize efforts of exceptional teachers, since 1985

Dr. Bryant Keirns, Assistant Professor of Nutrition & Dietetics, and head of the Nutrition and Cardiometabolic Health/Obesity (NACHO) Lab located within the Healthy Lifestyle Center was awarded an American Heart Association Institutional Enhancement Awards on his third application. These awards are analogous to National Institute of Health’s R15 that focus on undergraduate research training.
Keirns is teaming up with Dr. Bikram Sharma, Associate Professor of Biology for this project, which will allow College of Health majors to work alongside students in biology.  Bryant said, “In our AHA project, we are studying whether gut health influences cardiovascular health in people with obesity, but no other risk factors (also called “metabolically healthy obesity”).” The project will increase knowledge about this understudied group and will be driven by Ball State students. Our students will learn a variety of research skills ranging from ultrasound-based measurements of vascular health to basic cell culture.
The NACHO Lab has always engaged both graduate and undergraduate students in research, from the very start, with his first project delving into the differences in vegan meat burgers, vs beef burgers and impact on nutrition and metabolic factors. This is just one of several promising projects to come from Dr. Keirns and his student researchers.

Department Awards

Outstanding Graduating Senior in Health Science Award
Claire Mills

Outstanding Graduating Senior in Dietetics Award
Alyssa Shoemaker

Outstanding Alumnus Award
Katie Fulk, MA, RDN, LD

Outstanding External Partner Award
Lifestream Services

Student Scholarships

Dr. William Bock Scholarships
Divya Ariyur, Lydia Carpenter, Sara Rezk, Amaya Stoudmire, Zoya Syed

Sherri Hittson Memorial Scholarship
Natalie Field

Charles R. Carroll Health Education Scholarship
Robert Barnhill, Matthew Harmon, Leila Mostafavi, Aspen Savoy, Mattie VanVleet

Elizabeth A. Neilson & George H. Neilson Scholarship
Brooklyn Cline

Judith Roepke Scholarship for Dietetics
Francesca Kowalik, Kaitlyn Mathews, Emily Fuhrman

Chelsea M. Butler Graduate Internship Scholarship
Kyleigh Malcolm

Herb Jones Scholarship
Aubrey Novinger

Warren E. Schaller Scholarship
Dhanya Pathangi

Nutrition & Health Science Scholarship
Magdalena Chmura

Ann B. Westerlund Scholarship
Mya Mezick and Chloe Miller

Jo Carol Chezem Student Professional Development
Alexis Quirk and Jenna Schifferer

Indiana Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics Scholarship  – Veronica Pope

Indiana Society of Radiologic Technologists, Henry Konecny, RT(R) Student Scholarships (3 statewide)
Piper Kinder, 1st Place
Ava Cole and Bre Wallis, 2nd Place

CHES Registration Awards
Aaliyah Al-khuzaie, Anna Fleming, Kathryn Gardner, Kaitlynn McKernan, Claire Mills, Naia Powers, McKenna Spearing,  Hadley Wilson

College of Health

We recognize and thank our faculty, staff, and professional staff for their years of service. A reception was held for the honorees on April 15.

55 YEARS 

Dr. Ron Dolon stands under a red rectangular balloon arch, behind silver baloon letters spelling out BSU. He is holding a red sign that says 55 years, to celebrate his 55 years of service.

Ronald Dolon

  •    Ronald Dolon, Professor, Social Work

30 YEARS

  •    Rebecca Brey, Professor, Nutrition and Health Science
  •    Jeanne McMillan, Associate Clinical Professor, Speech Pathology and Audiology

25 YEARS 

  •    Kiril Minchev, Research Associate, Human Performance Lab

20 YEARS 

  •    Constance McIntosh, Professor, School of Nursing
  •    Shannon Powers, Teaching Professor, School of Kinesiology
  •    Matthew Zeller, Nursing Technical Specialist, School of Nursing
  •    Kendra Zenisek, Senior Lecturer, School of Kinesiology

15 YEARS 

  •    Dorice Hankemeier, Associate Chair, Associate Professor, and Graduate Athletic Training Program Director, School of Kinesiology
  •    Eric Klosterman, Associate Lecturer and Coordinator of Undergraduate Sport Administration Program, School of Kinesiology
  •    Nicole Koontz, Senior Lecturer and Director of the Clinical Exercise Physiology Program and Adult Physical Fitness Program, School of Kinesiology
  •    Gregory Newman, Clinical Lecturer, Speech Pathology and Audiology
  •    Janelle Wendel, Associate Clinical Lecturer, School of Nursing

10 YEARS 

  •    Tya Arthur, Assistant Professor and Public Health Program Director, Nutrition and Health Science
  •    Stephanie Couch, Associate Clinical Lecturer, Speech Pathology and Audiology
  •    Christina Doll, Associate Professor, Nutrition and Health Science
  •    Krista Hayes, Assistant to the Dean and Office Manager, College of Health Dean’s Office
  •    Justin Tobyas, Director of Interprofessional Education and Practice and Assistant Clinical Professor of Athletic Training, College of Health Dean’s Office