Community Advancement
While Ball State University students earn academic credit for collaborating with community partners to tackle local challenges, the true value of high-impact learning experiences extends far beyond grades.
These projects exemplify the powerful synergy between academics, community engagement, and service. According to the Office of Immersive Learning, the 2023-24 academic year saw 143 different Immersive Learning courses taught in 32 departments across the University.
Through these initiatives, Ball State students are making a significant impact on the Muncie community by addressing environmental issues, promoting social justice initiatives, revitalizing local parks, and much more.
A Warmer Welcome
The iMade program collaborated with Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour and local businesses, including Midwest Metals, which donated materials and engineering expertise to assist students.
The iMade program, directed by Kevin Klinger, associate professor of architecture, operates out of MadJax in downtown Muncie and involves students in hands-on projects with local manufacturers and materials. A notable example is their collaboration on the Hoyt Park project, where architecture and landscape architecture students partnered with the City of Muncie to enhance the park, creating an inviting gateway to Muncie from the south side.
The students worked closely with Mayor Dan Ridenour and engaged in the “1,000 Trees” program, planting 40 locust trees in the park. The Hoyt Park project turned a previously vacant, unsightly lot into an attractive green space, with landscape architecture students playing a crucial role in selecting and sourcing the trees.
Students also worked with EcoVantage out of St. Joe, Ind., using locally sourced, thermally modified wood to build a durable deck at the park. The wood, treated to last without significant maintenance, highlights the project’s sustainable and local focus. Midwest Metals, a fourth-generation Muncie-based industrial company, also contributed by assigning its engineers to assist with design feedback and fabrication, providing a unique learning opportunity for students and a new challenge for the engineers.
Collaborating with Cornerstone Center for the Arts in Muncie, students also helped local artists Chaney Youngblood and Leon Crosby create a space to display their murals for the park. The murals beautify the space and offer a public platform for other artists to showcase their work, fostering community pride and encouraging youth to engage in the arts.
iMade’s partnerships with EcoVantage, an Indiana sustainable wood products company; the Indiana Department of Natural Resources; and the Indiana Hardwood Lumber Association were an important component of the Hoyt Avenue Immersive Learning project—keeping materials local and promoting sustainability. Photo by Robbie Mehling, ’11 MA ’14
“Institutional partners like MadJax and Cornerstone are helping build connections with makers and artists in town,” Mr. Klinger said. “We have civic engagement and industrial and organizational partners all represented in this project, which is a really important civic engagement learning experience.”
As these initiatives continue, Ball State students are set to make an even greater impact on the city’s development and cultural vibrancy with projects yet to come.
“While working on the Hoyt project with Professor Klinger, I was able to meet many wonderful people in the community,” said senior architecture major Zach Shomber. “I learned how important it is to be involved in our community and how to take my passion for design to help others. The Hoyt Park undertaking has opened a path for me to continue these kinds of projects and hopefully create many more wonderful memories for families.”
A Cleaner Future for Muncie
Microplastics are plastic pieces measuring less than five millimeters across—about the size of a pea—from various sources. They may result from the fragmentation of larger plastics over time or be deliberately manufactured small,
like cosmetic microbeads used in toothpaste, detergents, and facial scrubs.
(Left to right) Ball State junior Avery Abbitt, senior Kadijah Blevins, and Nicholas Bradley, ’24, presented their findings on microplastics discovered in Delaware County water at the Immersive Learning Showcase. Also part of the group was Ryan Carsey, ’24; seniors Caitlyn Newmark and Lauren Linzmeier; and Ethan Wallen, ’24. Photo courtesy of Dr. Bangshuai Han
Intentionally added microplastics are widespread in consumer and commercial products, including cosmetics, medicines, diapers, and more. Pollution caused by microplastics is a pervasive issue within marine and freshwater environments and has recently emerged globally as a contaminant of concern.
Led by Dr. Bangshuai Han, a group of seven students set out to tackle this problem by partnering with the Muncie Sanitary District (MSD), which operates the Muncie Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) to address the critical need to understand the existence and removal of microplastics from Muncie wastewater.
Dr. Han, associate professor of water resources, environment, geology, and natural resources, and his students collected water samples from several points within the treatment plant and took them back to the labs at Ball State. They then evaluated the concentration of microplastics and the removal rate in the Muncie WWTP.
“Students were trained on collection, treatment, and analysis of the samples and gained essential technical skills in water quality management,” Dr. Han said. “They were able to quantify the amount of microplastics in each main stage of the wastewater treatment process.”
Jason Ingram, superintendent of the water pollution control facility, and Drew Holloway, ’10, a fisheries biologist with the MSD, worked with Dr. Han’s students in the field.
“Currently, the contamination of microplastics isn’t something we’re required to test for, so it was really interesting for us to find out those levels to see if that is something we need to address,” Mr. Ingram said.
The data revealed minimal levels of microplastics—much smaller than those found in larger cities in Indiana. However, the levels of microplastics decreased significantly in the water leaving the plant, indicating that the plant’s normal processes effectively remove much of it before the water enters the White River. These findings benefit the MSD, its Bureau of Water Quality, and the WWTP by providing detailed data on this contaminant and helping provide data support for future plant upgrades.
“This Immersive Learning project is a great example of how Ball State is trying to provide its students with mentoring and hands-on experience while navigating future career options,” Mr. Holloway said.
Helping the Unhoused
Ball State students in Dr. Darolyn “Lyn” Jones’ ENG 103/104 courses collaborated with the Muncie Mission and participated in the 20th annual Walk a Mile in My Shoes fundraiser, emphasizing a hands-on approach to social justice through their coursework in rhetoric, writing, and research.
Sophomore Trevor Tompkins, an architecture and planning major, shows his support for the annual Walk a Mile in My Shoes event in February. Photo by Robbie Mehling, ’11 MA ’14
The initiative began with students learning about rhetoric and the homeless population. They conducted a rhetorical analysis of Muncie Mission’s documents, identifying the audience, role, and purpose. This foundational work prepared them to create and deliver fundraising pitches for the Walk-a-Mile event on shuttle buses, dining halls, fraternities, and student organizations.
Their efforts culminated in the largest participation of Ball State students in Walk-a-Mile history.
“This year, we had a total of 1,700 walkers—the most ever,” said Leigh Edwards, vice president of community engagement with the Muncie Mission. “The Writing for Change class has truly been a game-changer for us, with the students using their sphere of influence to raise awareness. Our partnership with Ball State is one of my very favorite parts of my job.”
Students also documented their experiences with Walk-a-Mile, creating a documentary with a “student on the street” vibe.
The semester concluded with students conducting research on areas of need they identified during their time with the Mission. They wrote recommendations and presented them to staff on making the Mission more welcoming, combating “hostile architecture,” making ethical considerations for social media, and addressing the needs of women and LGBTQ+ individuals.
And the experience has been transformative.
“Working with the Muncie Mission has changed my life,” said first-year business analytics major Kai Jackson. “It opened my eyes to a completely different scene and changed my view on homelessness.”
Ball State students gather before February’s Walk a Mile in My Shoes event, an annual fundraising walk organized by Muncie Mission to raise awareness and support for the homeless community in Muncie. Photo by Robbie Mehling, ’11 MA ’14
The project fostered partnerships that led to increased volunteerism and support from fraternities, student-athletes, and others. The collaboration has benefited the Mission, which in April won Ball State’s Outstanding Community Partner of the Year award. It also served the broader Muncie community by raising awareness and funds to support various social services.
“The students who take this class are interested in social justice,” said Dr. Jones, EDD ’11. “It’s been so rewarding to watch them grow as writers and humans and see their confidence and leadership soar.”
