Friday, Sept. 26, 2008; 6:30 p.m.
Alumni Center, Assembly Hall
It's my pleasure to welcome you to our annual Alumni Association awards dinner. This is one of my favorite events of Homecoming Week because it provides such a rich mixture of attendees--alumni, students, faculty and staff, and many other friends of the university. It's great to see all of you here!
I offer my congratulations to the members of the homecoming court and to all of our alumni award winners tonight, especially the three recipients of the Distinguished Alumni Award--Myra Borshoff Cook, class of '69; Aaron B. Floyd, class of '60; and Michael D. McDaniel, class of '73. I know that you will reflect on the wonderful memories you will have of this homecoming for years to come.
I also want to thank two groups who have put so much time and effort into Homecoming 2008: Ed Shipley and all the members of his alumni staff, and Alexandra Garritano and all the students on the Homecoming Steering Committee. We all appreciate the long hours you've spent over the past several months to make Homecoming special for all of us. Thank you for all you've done!
Homecoming is an exciting, enthusiastic time for our alumni. This is a weekend for reconnecting with classmates, faculty, and friends. But over the past two years or so, I've noticed another level to that enthusiasm and excitement--one that is based on their alma mater itself. Over and over again, alumni tell me how proud they are of what Ball State has become--a university that has challenged itself to reach the next level of excellence and is following a bold, new vision to do just that.
When I spoke to this group last year, we had begun implementing our Education Redefined strategic plan and had attracted national coverage of David Letterman's return to campus for the dedication of the building that bears his name. I was asked more than once during that Homecoming weekend what Ball State would do for an encore this fall.
Suffice it to say that we have exceeded the level of excitement and visibility of a year ago, because as we implement our strategic plan, the bold, new vision of Ball State University is coming to life, as I outlined in an e-mail to all alumni earlier this week. Of the more than 100 outcome measurements in that plan, we are ahead of schedule or already have achieved full implementation in more than 70 of them.
I also mentioned to this group last year that we were well under way in the planning of our next capital campaign. Here, too, your enthusiastic support as alumni for Ball State's bold vision was crucial. You recognized that the strategic plan put students first and built on the university's traditional strengths. Alumni leaders told us that they endorsed the campaign as the mechanism to enable the plan's full implementation and that they wanted its theme to reflect their pride in and excitement about Ball State's new direction. In fact, those leaders insisted that the campaign's theme look to the university's future, rather than wax nostalgically about its past.
And so, just three weeks ago, I was proud to participate in the public announcement of Ball State Bold: Investing in the Future, which will raise $200 million for the university by 2011. This is the largest capital campaign goal in Ball State's history and is, in fact, more than the totals of our last two campaigns combined. I saw some of you that day, but I know many of you were unable to attend. So I'd like you to join me in watching a video about Ball State Bold. It brings to life the many accomplishments we have achieved together up to now and our bold vision for what comes next.
We gathered for our September 5th announcement with excitement and enthusiasm--in part because of your excitement and enthusiasm. Three weeks ago, I was pleased to announce that we already had raised $122,825,281 for Ball State Bold. Our campaign has attracted 22 gifts of $1 million or more, but its success ultimately depends on the support of each of you. Ball State has more than 146,000 living alumni. That's a big number, and sometimes people can lose sight of the importance of an individual graduate of this university. But we know that it is the impact of each committed individual that makes the crucial difference here.
That commitment and enthusiasm led the National Campaign Committee to embrace the bold vision of increasing our alumni giving by 25 percent in the next three years, giving Ball State 21,000 alumni donors by 2011. I am happy to announce that an anonymous alumnus has stepped forward with a $1 million challenge gift if we reach or exceed the 21,000 alumni donor mark. We know that we can count on your support and your help in spreading the word to fellow alumni about how crucial this initiative is to the campaign's ultimate success.
And tonight it's my honor to make a special announcement that will both add to the total we have raised for Ball State Bold and illustrate my point about how committed individuals make the crucial difference at this university. In a few moments, we will honor A.B. Floyd with a Distinguished Alumni Award. You can read about his long and broad history of service and support of Ball State in your program.
The latest addition to that list is the Floyd Leadership Scholars Program, which will provide scholarship funds for minority students who possess leadership potential and high academic abilities, especially those who have participated in the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Big Brothers-Big Sisters, or the Center for Leadership Development in Indianapolis. Colonel Floyd is not only a retired military officer and business entrepreneur, but he also is a model of character, leadership and integrity. A lead gift of $100,000 by A.B. and Lavon, his wife of 50 years and a woman of grace, has established this program.
During the course of the Ball State Bold campaign, A.B. will cochair a committee to raise funds for the Floyd Leadership Scholars Program, along with Blaine Bishop, class of '93, a four-time Pro Bowl selection with the Houston Oilers and Tennessee Titans. Blaine received the Graduate of the Last Decade Award at this event in 1999 and was named to the Ball State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2004. Blaine's support of the Floyd Leadership Scholars program is in part because he is on the board of directors of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee and graduated from Dennis Bland's Center for Leadership Development program, which Ball State is proud to partner with in providing scholarships.
A.B, Lavon, and Blaine are all here with us this evening, and I would like to ask them to stand so we can express our appreciation for their enthusiasm for and commitment to Ball State University.
We have much to celebrate this Homecoming. Ball State University is in a historic time of transformation, one that is propelling us to new levels of excellence and prominence. We are boldly building on our tremendous momentum, and I am sure it will continue.
I know that you will enjoy your time on campus this weekend, but don't let it end there. Share what you've experienced here long after Homecoming is over. Wear your Ball State Bold lapel pin or hat or shirt not just this month or this fall, but throughout the duration of the campaign. Talk about this weekend's special moments with other alumni. Tell them about the new buildings and programs. Tell those you know--your coworkers, civic and business leaders, legislators, high school students who are considering where to apply for college--about Ball State's increasing immersive learning projects and scholarship opportunities. Brag a little about our football team's success. In short, be a Ball State ambassador in your community and spread the great news about this university with a bold vision for a future of greatness.
It's wonderful to be with you this evening. Enjoy the many Homecoming festivities, and thank you for the all the things you do for Ball State.