Spring 2012 Projects
Spring 2012
CASA
- Volunteer Training and Recruitment Strategies for Court Appointed Special
Advocates
The
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program in Delaware County
needed strategies for increasing their volunteer base. In its second
semester of work for this community partner, a new project team worked
to implement the volunteer recruitment, training and retention ideas put
into motion by the previous Fellows project team. This included the
development of new training materials and a new volunteer support
program. Students organized and implemented a new Non-Advocate
volunteer program as well. They also produced marketing tools to
strengthen the CASA program with a mix of digital technology and event
planning ideas. The team was also responsible for organizing and
facilitating the inaugural fundraising event for the CASA Executive
Committee which was a 5K Run/Walk.
To view a video of this project, click here.
Charter
Schools: Patterns of Innovation – A New Architecture for a New Education
Students
from a variety of disciplines worked with selected charter schools in
Indiana to research best practices and high performance school design.
Their goal was to develop ways to incorporate environmentally
sustainable strategies into planning and design of charter school
buildings. This project consisted of developing solutions for both new
construction and the adaptive reuse of existing buildings. Students
were also involved in traveling to the schools, interviewing charter
school students and faculty, discussing and presenting ideas to school
administration and board members, contributing to school profiles and
examining curriculum, funding, and facility planning.
To view a video of this project, click below.
Banking on
a Better Economy
Part of a Miller College of Business Honors Program marketing
class, this marketing research project team developed an annual survey for
chief executive officers, presidents, and owners of small businesses in
Indiana. Survey response data provided opinions concerning the conditions of
the local, state and national economy and the impact on their operations. Those
results were used to better understand the current state of small business and
their owner’s perceptions of the future.
Students will administer it to small businesses in various industries
throughout Indiana as well as compile and analyze the results to develop a
formal report.
Henry County Heritage Cooperative; Making History and
Culture Significant in our Local Communities
By developing a website and by producing a video
series highlighting historic Henry County, students helped the Henry County
Historical Society in its mission to educate the public and to promote the
Society’s efforts. Student teams also helped raise awareness by promoting and
initiating collaboration with other historical societies and museums in the
county.
Henry County
HomeTown Competitiveness School Survey
For
the past several years, a group of Henry County leaders has
participated in the Hometown Competitiveness Program (HTC) under the
guidance of the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA).
The program is designed to stimulate economic and community betterment.
Now HTC will define the program with the help of new, local
administrators and a Ball State student team. Students learned from a
consultation with emerging media experts on ways to best communicate
with their partners through the research process. The project was
carried out as part of a research methods course.
To view a video of this project, click here.
Kurt
Vonnegut Memorial Library Interpretation and Technology Enhancement
Students
were directly involved in expanding the interactive vision of one of
Indianapolis' newest attractions, the nationally recognized Kurt
Vonnegut Memorial Library. The team designed various dimensional
aspects for the museum that will bring the Hoosier author's work and
life into sharp focus through video, audio and mobile interpretation.
The group was able to contact and interview the author's family and
friends for a personal insight into one of America's most eccentric
icons, which will be used to tell the story of Vonnegut through various
media at the museum.
To view a video of this project, click here.
Sustainability Reporting for Minnetrista
Cultural Center
Students
learned about living and working in a sustainable way while assessing
their own environmental, economic, and social impact on their community
as part of a sustainability report for Muncie's Minnetrista Cultural
Center. Undergraduates and graduates from a variety of majors acquired
experience that puts their work on par with what has become mainstream
reporting among the largest 250 companies in the world.
To view a video of this project, please click below.
Visit Indiana
The
Indiana Office of Tourism Development (IOTD) is continuing to partner
with Ball State University to use high-definition video technology to
highlight Indiana road trip ideas in a creative way. Students are
creating state-of-the-art, relevant content for and drive traffic to
IOTD's consumer website, VisitIndiana.com.
The team will also showcase the partnership through public relations
and social media to further generate awareness of Indiana travel
opportunities. The product will support the state's promotion of "Visit
Indiana Week".
To view a video of this project, please click here.