Profile Kay Bales has served as the top administrator for Ball State's Student Affairs division since July 2005. She was previously the associate vice president for student life.
She began her work for Ball State in 1989 in the Student Activities office (later known as Leadership and Service Programs) and eventually directed that office before accepting her current role in 2000.
During that time, Kay also completed her doctorate in adult and community education. With a cognate in higher education, Kay's dissertation topic was
A Qualitative Study of the Leadership Practices of Eight Women in Student Affairs Administration at Ball State University.
Kay has been an active leader in the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) and has been the chair of several NASPA Region IV-East committees including the Leadership Drive-in conference and the Fraternity and Sorority Network. Most recently, she founded the NASPA IV-East Leadership Network and guided the committee as chair for the first two years. Kay is also a member of the National Clearinghouse for Leadership Programs is a former member, conference office manager, and coordinator for the Association of Fraternity Advisors.
Recognized for her expertise in student leadership development, Kay is the founder of the campuswide Excellence in Leadership Program, which offers continual training and education for student leaders across their four years at the university. This program has been honored by NASPA as well as the W.K. Kellogg Foundation as a premiere and exemplary program.
When able to break away from her busy schedule, Kay and her husband, Doug, love to travel; particularly on cruises through the Caribbean. As a fan of lesser known and travelled islands, she has her own favorite hideaways, but she might share her secrets with a nice student looking for rest and relaxation in the sun and sand.
Vita
Kay Bales