Cardinal Pride Alumni News (Fall 2024)
Betsy Ross, ’72 poses for a photo at the unveiling of the Betsy M. Ross Sports Link Studio on June 13.
Ms. Ross has worked as a copy editor, Emmy award-winning broadcast reporter, ESPN anchor, and professor before founding Game Day Communications, a sports and entertainment firm based in Cincinnati in 2002. The studio named in her honor will continue to enable students enrolled in the nationally renowned Ball State Sports Link program to engage in innovative, collaborative, and professional productions.
1950s
Charles ‘Chuck’ R. Johnson, ’55, and his wife, Nancy E. (Prough) Johnson, ’56, Anderson, Ind., are active and enthusiastic Ball State University fans. The couple, now in their 90s, have the same vigor and passion for Ball State that they’ve always had. They’re often seen cheering on the Cardinals at basketball, football, and volleyball games, showcasing their enduring spirit and love for their alma mater. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are also still active in their fraternity/sorority groups—he is a member of Theta Chi, and she is a member of Alpha Chi Omega. Mr. Johnson majored in mathematics and physics and was a football letterman. Mrs. Johnson graduated from the Family and Consumer Science program and worked for The Ball State Daily News.
1960s
Ira ‘Tedd’ Woodard, Jr., ’66, Henderson, Nev., and Homer Jackson, Jr., ’67 MAE ’73 EDD ’82, Davie, Fla., were recently reunited in Henderson after 58 years. Both men were active in Kappa Alpha Psi as Ball State students. Mr. Woodard would hold several municipal and federal positions, including the IRS, U.S. Treasury, and the Volunteer Henderson Police Department. Dr. Jackson was a three-year baseball letterman from 1964-66 and a two-time most valuable player for the Cardinals who received both All-Indiana Collegiate Conference and All-NCAA District Four recognition. He is a retired school principal.
Susan K. Danner, ’69 ’82 MS ’84, was featured in The Ball State Daily News for her pie business out of her home. She is known in the Muncie area as “The Pie Lady.” Ms. Danner was an instructor at Ball State, a financial analyst, and then the YWCA Central Indiana executive director. She was also the owner of Danner’s Books for many years before its closure in 2004.
1970s
Judith Reed, Terri Stauffer, Katherine Shine, Sherry Benoit, Deborah Geye, Karen Garloch, and Nancy Darr
William “Bill” L. Hammerle, ’70, Tustin, Calif., was presented with the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation “Semper Fideles” award for his long commitment to providing critical support to the dependents of Marines and Navy Corpsmen. Previous awardees of the “Semper Fideles” include U.S. presidents Gerald Ford and George W. Bush, as well as John Glenn, George Steinbrenner, and actor/director Clint Eastwood.
Judith K. Reed, ’73, Indianapolis, Terri J. Stauffer, ’71, Indianapolis, Katherine G. Shine, ’73, Carmel, Ind., Sherry S. Benoit, ’73, Winston Salem, N.C., Deborah J. Geyer, ’72 MA ’74, Orlando, Fla., Nancy E. Darr, ’73, Mishawaka, Ind., and Karen Garloch, ’73, Charlotte, N.C., recently made the trek back to Ball State’s campus. Initially meeting in Lucina Hall during their first year at the University in the late 1960s, the group reconnected via Facebook in the 2000s. They’ve met every couple of years to rekindle their friendship and reminisce about their time at Ball State. It wasn’t until this past year that the group decided to make plans to return to where it all started. For several of them, it’s their first trip back to campus in nearly 50 years.
Betsy Ross, ’72, poses for a photo at the unveiling of the Betsy M. Ross Sports Link Studio on June 13. Ms. Ross has worked as a copy editor, Emmy award-winning broadcast reporter, ESPN anchor, and professor before founding Game Day Communications, a sports and entertainment firm based in Cincinnati in 2002. The studio named in her honor will continue to enable students enrolled in the nationally renowned Ball State Sports Link program to engage in innovative, collaborative, and professional productions.
Linda D. (Kunkel) Stephens, ’73 MS ’91, Dublin, Ohio, is a retired teacher. Since 2016, she has worked with the Lost Boys of Sudan in South Sudan through the Project S.U.C.C.E.S.S. initiative. Project S.U.C.C.E.S.S. stands for Support Unifying Community Commitment to Educate South Sudan. Massive floods in 2020 caused thousands in Sudan to flee their homes to higher ground, but they lost everything, including their schools. In 2022, Ms. Stephens and her husband built a school in a large displacement camp in Mangalla. She has also written literacy lessons and provides training for teachers via Zoom.
John M. Dierdorf, ’74, Fishers, Ind., was featured in downtown Noblesville in the First Friday Artist Showcase for his work, “My Floral Studies.” More than 20 paintings will be on display and available for purchase through September 2024.
Eric P. Shaffer, ’78, Kailua, O‘ahu, Hawaii, celebrated the recent publication of Green Leaves: Selected & New Poems, his eighth book of poetry, by Coyote Arts Press, an Albuquerque-based publisher. Free Speech, a book of two poem sequences, will be published in 2025. After 40 years of teaching, Mr. Shaffer retired from Honolulu Community College in July.
1980s
Thomas L. Schuman, ’84, Maricopa, Ariz., has authored My Wide World of Sports: Travel Along on a Lifetime Journey of Bats, Balls, and a Whole Lot More. Mr. Schuman had a 37-year career in newspapers and magazines before his retirement. Sports have been the centerpiece of his professional career—and personal life—beginning in college with his work for The Ball State Daily News and coverage of the men’s volleyball program. His book features many years of Ball State fandom, primarily of the basketball (including the magical Sweet 16 season) and football programs.
Marianne Holdzkom, ’88, Acworth, Ga., is an associate professor of history at Kennesaw State University. She published Remembering John Adams: The Second President in History, Memory and Popular Culture in 2023.
1990s
Christina A. (Peek) Robinson, ’90, Greens Fork, Ind., was recognized with the Award of Honor at the 101st Farmers’ Achievement Awards Reception and 4-H Ceremony. Ms. Robinson has taught at Randolph Southern Elementary for over 30 years. She helped establish the Farm to Fork program to educate fifth graders at Randolph Southern about various aspects of agriculture and 4-H.
Gayle E. Hartleroad, ’95 MA ’97, Noblesville, Ind., retired as director emerita of student services, Miller College of Business at Ball State in March 2023. She co-founded the national award-winning Miller Business Honors Program and Miller Scholarship. In May 2023, she joined the Butler University College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences as assistant dean for student affairs.
Dana (Knight) Benbow, ’97, Indianapolis, is a sportswriter for The Indianapolis Star. She worked with the legendary pool player Jeanette Lee, known as The Black Widow, for the book Jeanette Lee: A Memoir. It was released in August, with a foreword by Billie Jean King.
Leslie D. Mugg, ’97, Berkey, Ohio, was inducted into the Swanton High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Ms. Mugg earned a degree in sports administration while competing on the Ball State women’s basketball team.
David A. Northern, Sr., ’97, Houston, Texas, is currently the CEO of the Houston Housing Authority, one of the nation’s largest housing authorities. He has worked in public housing for nearly 30 years. He is the founder and CEO of D. A. Northern & Associates. In 2016, Mr. Northern spoke at the White House about the proposed HUD smoke-free rule in public housing.
2000s
J.R. Jamison, ’01 MA ’03, Muncie, is a local author and co-founder of The Facing Project. His memoir, Hillbilly Queer, was selected as one of 20 books (out of more than 100,000 titles) by Library Journal to receive the distinction as a “Best Audiobook of 2023,” alongside actor Steve Martin and journalist Jonathan Eig. Mr. Jamison is the audiobook’s narrator and the only author/narrator from Indiana to make the list.
Robertha ‘Nikki’ Thompson Frazier, MS ’02, Lansing, Mich., carved out her path in the culinary world with the establishment of Sweet Encounter Bakery—the first Black woman-owned bakery in Downtown Lansing. She has gained a viral following after earning endorsements from Oscar-nominated actress Danielle Brooks and vegan food influencer and actress Tabitha Brown.
Jon L. Daly, ‘05, West Babylon, N.Y., won a 2024 Writers Guild Award in the “Quiz and Audience Participation” category. Mr. Daly was a writer for The Chase, a game show on ABC that was chosen over fellow nominees Jeopardy!, Weakest Link, and Baking It. He currently works as Quiz Editor for Encyclopedia Britannica and co-hosts two podcasts with comedian and fellow alumni Kevin McCaffrey, ’04, Astoria, N.Y., “Sex and the Cidiots” and “The Bridgerton Bros.”
Jill N. Blocker, ’09, Zurich, Switzerland, released her debut novel, What Was Beautiful and Good. The historical fiction tells the story of Emily Hemmings, a young singer whose life is disrupted by the outbreak of the first World War. She returned to Indiana in July to speak about her book at the E.B. and Bertha Ball Center.
2010s
Derrick W. Stalbaum, ’11, Medaryville, Ind., is the recipient of the 2024 Farm Credit Mid-America’s Forward Thinker Award. This award is given to a beginning farmer who demonstrates exceptional leadership skills, active participation in the community, and innovative farming practices that contribute to developing their farming operation and the industry.
Kaitlin Vaughn, ’11, Myrtle Beach, S.C., is the branding and design manager at ESP Associates, Inc. Recently, she was married at the Cope Environment Center in Centerville, Ind.—Indiana’s first certified Living Building. Every detail, from the décor to the locally sourced catering, echoed the couple’s respect for the environment. She credits Ball State with instilling these values of sustainability.
Samantha Craig Stevens, ’12, Indianapolis, of Craig, Kelley & Faultless, was named a 2024 Rising Star honoree. Those named to the Rising Star honoree list are 40 or younger or have been in practice for ten years or less. Only 2.5 percent of the lawyers in Indiana are named Rising Stars honorees.
Malachi H. Henry, ’18 MA ’20, Bloomington, Ind., was awarded the James E. West Graduate Fellowship by the Acoustical Society of America, a member of the American Institute of Physics. This award is offered to a single student every two years and comes with a $30,000 stipend and $1,000 in travel funds for up to two years.
Robyn Spoon, MS ’18, Columbus, Ind., CEO of Elevate Childhood Cancer, has been honored with the Indiana Cancer Consortium (ICC) Outstanding Contributions in Cancer Individual Award. Ms. Spoon has dedicated her efforts to incorporating children into the Indiana Cancer Plan and advocating for enhanced treatments and increased funding for vital childhood cancer research.
Payton L. Domschke, ’19, Conshohocken, Penn., who earned a degree in meteorology and climatology, was hired by 6abc in Philadelphia as a new on-air meteorologist.
Faye Steele, ’19, Valley Stream, N.Y., is a program assistant for the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council. She is also a prospective board member for the Global Respectful Disruption Initiative, a program that promotes social justice, unity, and positive change through global education and activism. Ms. Steele is an alternate and two-time semi-finalist for the U.S. Fulbright Scholarship. She was recently selected for a Princeton in Asia (PiA) fellowship in Mongolia. According to the PiA executive director, she is the first Ball State graduate to receive this fellowship in PiA’s 126-year history. Ms. Steele began her year-long immersive work fellowship with the Mongolian Sustainable Finance Association in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, in Summer 2024.
