Ball State, Anderson University Partnership Opens Doors for Aspiring Engineers
Lindsey Herrera, ’24, explored robotics in the engineering lab at Anderson University during her time as a Ball State student.
The greatest partnerships aren’t the ones that benefit both sides; they’re the collaborations that benefit everyone. Ball State University’s partnership with Anderson University for a program, through which students can earn a dual degree, meets that benchmark.
Through this joint program, unveiled in Spring 2021, Ball State students study astronomy or physics at Ball State alongside one of Anderson’s ABET-accredited engineering programs housed within Anderson’s College of Business, Engineering, Science, & Technology.
Among the first graduates of this program is Lindsey Herrera, ’24, a hydraulic installation design engineer at Caterpillar, Inc. Ms. Herrera earned a bachelor of arts degree in physics from Ball State and a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from Anderson.
“I appreciate that Ball State partnered with Anderson University to create this program, which allowed me to earn both degrees and pursue my engineering career goals,” Ms. Herrera said. “I chose Ball State because of its strong commitment to student success. This partnership is a great example of that dedication.”
Two degrees, one program
Designed to typically take five years to complete, this dual-degree program allows Ball State students to identify with their home campus in Muncie while reaping the benefits of a high-impact engineering program through Anderson University. Students take classes exclusively at Ball State’s campus during their first two years, then take a combination of courses at Ball State’s and Anderson’s campuses during their final three years in the program. The universities are approximately 20 miles apart.
This program started during Ms. Herrera’s freshman year at Ball State.
“Working toward both degrees simultaneously allowed me to stay at Ball State in the John R. and Aline B. Emens Leadership Scholarship program, which covered my tuition,” Ms. Herrera added. “It also allowed me to graduate from both schools in four years instead of transferring from one school to another and graduating later. Through this dual-degree program, I connected with Fortune 500 companies such as Eaton Corporation and Caterpillar.”
The dual-degree program is designed to be as flexible as possible to prepare students for a broad set of careers, said Dr. John Millis, chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Ball State: “You can figure out what you are passionate about—and what you’re good at—and still graduate on time.”
On Ball State’s side of this partnership, the dual-degree program was rolled out with a soft launch to ensure everything ran smoothly. As of the 2024 Fall semester, the program had five students, with another scheduled to begin the program in the 2025 Spring semester.
“We expect our enrollment numbers to start growing quickly now that we are more actively recruiting for the program,” Dr. Millis said.
“I chose Ball State because of its strong commitment to student success. This partnership is a great example of that dedication.”—Lindsey Herrera, ’24
Hands-on learning, career-advancing opportunities
Along with a robust educational experience that builds the knowledge base needed to excel in this technical field, students in this program can get hands-on learning and career-advancing opportunities while making significant industry connections.
Ms. Herrera can attest to that. During her internship at Eaton Corporation in Lincoln, Ill., she addressed a persistent issue with a household breaker box component that consistently failed, costing the company hundreds of thousands of dollars annually in scrap and rework. By collaborating with design, manufacturing, and quality teams—and bridging communication gaps between them—she developed a cost-effective solution in just two months.
Encouragement from Ball State mentors led her to attend the largest career fair for women in STEM hosted by the Society of Women Engineers. That opportunity landed her the internship with Eaton.
“My mentors at Ball State helped me find ways to fund the conference trip and find the resources I needed to go,” she added. “They also helped me prepare a resume, prepare for job interviews, and work on the communication skills needed to get a job on my desired career path.”
Ms. Herrera’s success exemplifies how this collaboration between Ball State and Anderson can benefit all stakeholders, especially students and the engineering industry.
“My goal was to get a job as an engineer after I graduated college,” said Ms. Herrera, “and I did that through my education and experience in this dual-degree program.”
