Archived Projects

Ball Memorial Hospital Employee Well-Being Initiative - FALL 2010

Ball State students and employees of Ball Memorial Hospital developed a company wellness initiative. Jane Ellery, assistant professor and associate director of the Fisher Institute for Wellness and Gerontology, was the faculty mentor.

Blackford County Youth Sport, Health, and Wellness Camp - SUMMER 2010

Students conducted a sport, health, and wellness camp for 3^rd-6^th graders in the Blackford County school system, equipping them with the health and wellness knowledge they need to live a healthier lifestyle. Dr. David Pierce was the faculty mentor. The camp project was expanded to include another event in Portland, Indiana in 2011. 

Students gained hands-on experience developing curriculum and short video clips that will allow high school students the opportunity to gain proper dining etiquette skills. The project was a cooperative effort with Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG), a part of Indiana’s career development efforts assisting youths with barriers to academic and career success. A diverse group of majors such as business, secondary education, journalism, theatre, graphic arts, and hospitality and food management reached out to students by producing innovative lesson plans and working directly with the Ball State Teleplex to develop a series of video vignettes. Marilyn Chalupa, assistant professor of information systems and operations management, led this student team.

The Association of Indiana Convention and Visitors Bureaus partnered with Ball State students to develop themes and scripting for videos featured on the 2011 Indiana 500 Tour website. Students not only gained technical video experience, but also developed planning and client relationship skills. Telecommunications instructor Rodney Smith led the project.

The Indiana Office of Tourism Development (IOTD) and Ball State University used high-definition video technology to highlight Indiana road trip ideas in a creative way. Students produced relevant content for and drive traffic to the IOTD’s consumer website, VisitIndiana.com. The product supported the state’s promotion of “Visit Indiana Week.”  The video scouting and production section of the project was completed during the Fall 2010 semester and will continue. The coursework was supervised by Christopher Flook and Rodney Smith.

JFNew NativeSpec Database Development - FALL 2009

JFNew and the Ball State Emerging Technologies unit developed a searchable database tool to be used for specifying native plant species for ecological restoration projects. The database accepts user inputs regarding site conditions such as soil type, hydrology, solar exposure, and bioregion and then searches a database of several hundred native plant species to provide recommendations for the optimal project specification. Students interacted with restoration ecologists, native landscape designers, botanists, and native plant nursery professionals to define the need and scientific constraints to make this database system an effective tool. The final product is a decision support tool that ensures the success of sustainable landscaping and ecological restoration projects.  The faculty mentors for this project were Martha Hunt and Robert Koester.

Muncie Police: A Crime Analysis - SPRING 2011

An interdisciplinary student team consulted with the Muncie Police Department and Muncie Weed and Seed to conduct a needs-assessment related to the crime analysis unit of the MPD. Students examined data and procedures currently being used to counter specific crime patterns and to document long-term trends in calls for service. They also evaluated personnel issues and compared currently available resources to the needs of the department.  Jerome McKean, associate professor of criminal justice and criminology, was the faculty mentor.

Saint-Gobain Containers Recycling Initiative- SPRING 2010

This student team worked with Saint-Gobain Containers, a leading producer of glass packaging for the food and beverage industry.  Saint-Gobain is committed to using a greater percentage of recycled glass in its packaging.  As part of its efforts, the company wants to focus on appropriate legislation to increase the amount of glass that Hoosiers recycle.  Students with a passion for the environment and public policy teamed with Saint-Gobain to learn about the issues surrounding glass recycling while researching economic and environmental impacts associated with the passage of a bottle bill in other states.  The faculty mentor for this project was John Vann.

SCORE: Counselors to America’s Small Business - SPRING 2011

Students in a start-up crew laid the ground work to develop a local chapter and branch office of the national Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) in Delaware County.  SCORE is a national, nonprofit program that matches local business experts as mentors with start-up and existing small businesses in the community. This team will work closely with the Muncie-Delaware County Chamber of Commerce and the sponsoring SCORE chapter to identify and recruit mentors along with marketing services to the local business community. Contact Peggy Fisher, assistant professor of communication studies.