Get to know our board members! Each month, the Foundation will be featuring three of its esteemed board members for you to get to know a little bit better. Below are some fun facts as well as a peek into what each of these board members do in their professional careers.

Bob Browning (1993-2007) 

Bob served as the Alumni Council representative to the Foundation Board from 1993-2007.  During that time, he relished meeting and working side by side with so many talented and committed board members and their dedication was an inspiration to him. Bob served as the Alumni Council Chair in 1997, received the Benny Award in 1999, and the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2007. Bob retired in 2021 after a long and fruitful career as a CPA including starting his own firm in 1994 and resides in Bargersville. 

Bob’s dream place to live would be in the Rocky Mountains, specifically the Colorado Springs area due to its beautiful views and countless activities. His favorite things to do in his free time are to play golf, pickleball, and most importantly hang out with his six grandchildren who live close by.  

Betsy Ross (2021-Present) 

Betsy’s favorite thing about working with the Foundation is that she gets to see the future of Ball State University. She loves seeing the exciting ideas and plans come to fruition and being part of the team that ensures Ball State will thrive for decades to come. Betsy is a former member of the Alumni Council and received the Benny Award in 1991 and the Distinguished Alumni Award in 1999. 

Betsy currently serves as the President and Founder of Game Day Communications, a sports public relations and events company. Her company is based in Cincinnati with clients all around the world. She is also a freelance sports anchor for WXIX-TV.  Betsy adores living in the Midwest due to all the arts, recreation, sports, and a vibrant culinary scene that just keeps getting better. In her free time, she is a photographer and loves wandering around campus or other local areas to capture their natural beauty. Her favorite place to photograph is on Ball State’s campus.  

Bente Weitekamp (2022-Present) 

Bente enjoys volunteering her time and serving as a member of the Foundation Board.  It gives her a chance to reconnect with Ball State and work in partnership with the university to help realize its strategic goals.  Additionally, she loves the people that she serves with. Currently, Bente is a professional fundraiser serving as Vice President of Development at Community Health Network Foundation in Indianapolis where she has more than 20 years of leading initiatives that bring about positive social change.  

Bente and her husband, Jeff, recently established the Social Justice Immersion Fund to provide financial support for social justice experiential learning opportunities developed and hosted by the division of Student Affairs including trips and service opportunities to advance student exploration of social justice issues. 

If Bente could live anywhere, she would live near one of the mountain ranges preferably in a college town. She likes the energy that college towns have and being able to watch the students be a part of something amazing. Her perfect day would include walking around New York City accompanied by delicious food and attending a Broadway musical. Finally, her favorite dessert is a classic chocolate chip cookie.