Our office loves to recognize great community partners! Beginning this week, we will be accepting nominations from Ball State faculty and staff for the 2024 Community Partner Award.

The purpose of the award is to recognize an Indiana* business, organization, or agency that has demonstrated excellence in their contributions as a community partner with Ball State University during the Summer 2022, Fall 2022, and/or Spring 2023 terms.

Past recipients have included IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation (2023); 8twelve Coalition (2022); Accutech (2021), and Minnetrista (2020).

Nominees must have partnered with Ball State faculty/staff, and students between the period of May 1, 2022 – May 1, 2023 as part of one of the following community-based learning experiences:

  • Service or immersive learning
  • Community-based research
  • Internship and/or practicum

The award recipient will receive $500 and will be honored publicly at the Immersive Learning Showcase on April 19, 2024.

The nomination form is available here. Nominations may be submitted by Ball State faculty and staff only.

The deadline for submission is December 8, 2023. Questions? Please contact Kelli Huth, Vice President for Community Engagement at kelli.huth@bsu.edu.

*Priority consideration will be given to East Central Indiana counties which include Blackford, Delaware, Fayette, Grant, Henry, Jay, Madison, Randolph, Rush and Wayne.

What you’ll need to know to nominate your outstanding partner (400 word limit/question):

  • Describe the community-based learning experience (as defined in the award purpose statement) that the organization supported during Summer 2022, Fall 2022, and/or Spring 2023
  • In what ways did the organization provide technical, material, or organizational support to enhance student learning
  • In what ways did the organization participate in establishing mutually-beneficial goals for the community-based learning experience?
  • In what ways did the organization serve as co-educators?
  • What was the outcome or product of the community-based learning experience?  Please describe the project deliverables: (e.g., website, report, video, promotional materials, book, educational activity, etc.)
  • What did Ball State students gain from their experiences working with the community organization?
  • What did the community partner gain from working with Ball State faculty, staff, and/or students?
  • Is there anything else you would like to add that would help the selection committee make its decision?