Ball State University offers a variety of programs and experiences to continue your education after tossing your graduation cap. Ranked among the top universities in the nation, Ball State prides itself on offering lifetime learning opportunities for professional advancement and personal enrichment. See below for the ways to continue your learning with Ball State.


Executive Education

Executive Education is an outreach of the resources and expertise of the Miller College of Business, designed to upskill your people and energize your organization. Executive Education creates programs that address real-world needs and challenges to enable meaningful, measurable improvements in business performance.

The Executive Education workshops and training programs pull from each discipline within the Miller College of Business and feature content areas like innovation, team building, management, entrepreneurship, accounting, marketing, and more to meet the specific needs you face.

In a recent example, Greg Zirkle, Director of Executive Programs, worked with Bill Matthias and Kim McCahill at Knauf Insulation North America to engage in professional development and management training in the company’s finance department. Together, they executed the “Leveled Up” training program for over a dozen supervisors in late November 2021.

“‘Leveled Up’ is aligned with a common need of business leaders, which is how to prepare first-time supervisors for their new role,” said Greg. “When a person is a top performer, and then they are given management duties, they discover they’re entirely different skillsets! Our training sets up the individual and the organization for a much better transition, quicker learning curve, and more effective management habits right from the start.”

The team is excited about this productive new partnership and building a more robust leadership culture within Knauf Insulation North America.

To get started on your company’s own Executive Education journey, visit the website to explore the popular programs or contact the team to discuss a customized approach that suits you.


CHIRP Webinar Series

The CHIRP Webinar series elevates alumni voices through ongoing virtual learning experiences. CHIRP stands for Cardinals Helping Invest in Resources Professionally, and each episode of the series features topics relevant for beginning, mid, or end of career professionals as they continue to growth in their field. Various partners from the University share their institutional knowledge and research to synthesize the real-world relevance of the topic. Each webinar is from 12 –1 p.m. Eastern time. Each panel is moderated by Adam Drummond, Alumni Council member and chair of the Board Education Committee.

The CHIRP series serves as another way the Ball State University Alumni Association is dedicated to reaching alumni internationally. Be sure to connect with other alumni through our Cardinals Connect Platform. Access previous CHIRP webinars at the Foundation YouTube channel.

Upcoming CHIRP Webinars:

  • May 12—”Tips for Finding Work-Life Balance”
  • September 8—”Maximizing Digital Tools and Attaining Digital Fluency”
  • November 10—”Marketing Yourself and Building Your Personal Brand”

Alumni Career and Professional Development

Wherever you’re at in your professional journey, Ball State remains committed to helping you achieve a fulfilling career and a meaningful life. Whether you’re looking to get involved in student-facing programs, need assistance searching for or changing jobs, or you’re interested in becoming a mentor for students, Ball State is here to help.

  • Ball State Career Center
    All alumni are encouraged to take advantage of the resources of the Ball State Career Center, such as career coaching, resume assistance, and workshops. Check out their website for a full list of services and contact information.
  • Ball State Career Network
    In this LinkedIn networking group, the Ball State University Career Center Staff offers professional career information and guidance to all enrolled students, alumni, faculty, staff, and administrators. Employers who work with the Career Center can also join the network, connecting experts in the field to new graduates, and up-and-coming young professionals.
  • Practice Interview Program
    This nationwide group assists college students with practice interviews. Students meet their interviewer during a 30–minute session that ends with feedback. Practice interviews will be held on campus from March 21–April 7.
  • Recruit Ball State Students
    Ball State works closely with employers to fulfill their staffing needs through Cardinal Job Fairs and in-person interviews with students. Employers may also schedule interviews at other times during the academic year. More information can be found here.
  • Career Workshops
    The Career Center offers professional development workshops for students each semester. Alumni partners may join our Career Coaches in teaching topics such as workplace problem-solving, networking, and professionalism in the workplace. Students have the chance to ask questions of our volunteer alumni about the transition to the workplace.
  • Candid Career Videos
    The Career Center collects alumni video interviews through a program called Candid Career. This platform enables current students to gather information about industries they are interested in by watching interviews of Ball State alumni in those fields. The interviews cover topics such as the subject’s personal story, current job roles and duties, challenges of the job search, preparing for employment, and resume/interview tips. All Ball State alumni are invited to participate in an interview.
  • Cardinals Connect
    Cardinals Connect is an online platform exclusive to the Ball State community, offering our 200k+ alumni worldwide a space to connect and our students a safe virtual space to reach out for guidance and professional direction.
  • Skills Infusion
    The Skills Infusion program empowers faculty to see connections between the content taught in their classroom with the skills required for success post-graduation. This is accomplished through a paid training course where faculty review course syllabi, map course outcomes to the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ (NACE) workplace competencies and reflect with input from the Career Center and Indiana employer/alumni partners.