The Benny Award is our top award for service to Ball State University or the Ball State University Alumni Association. The award gets its name from the statue of Beneficence, the last commissioned piece of sculpture by Daniel Chester French, and the university’s long-standing symbol of unselfish contribution of one’s talents, energy, and time. The sculpture was dedicated September 26, 1937, as a symbol of the Ball family’s generosity to Ball State and the community. It is known by thousands of alumni, students, and visitors to campus.
Eligible candidates are Ball State alumni, university employees, community individuals, corporations, or businesses that contribute outstanding service. Recipients are selected and recommended by a committee of the Alumni Council on behalf of the Alumni Association. All awards are merit-based and no individual, corporation, organization, or business may receive the award more than once.
Benny Award plaques feature a stone shaped as the state of Indiana, taken from the original limestone facing of Beneficence when some of the stone work was replaced in 1972.
Nominate someone for a Benny Award by filling out our online nomination form or download a form to print and mail to us.
Applications are accepted throughout the year and will remain in consideration for three years. To be considered for the current year, applications should be received by June 1.
Award Winners
2009
Stephen S. Bell, LLD08 Professor of Telecommunications Emeritus and Endowed Chair Emeritus
Kathy I. Hutson, '80MA82AS92
Sarah A. Maisto, '96
David E. McIntosh, Jr., MA87EdS88PhD90
The Bowling Center (Stan A. Kunkel, '78)
2008
Brenda S. Cox, ’84
David E. Land, ’69MA74EdS82
Mark Popovich, ’63MA68
2007
Kevin J. Ervin, ’82
Joe Hernandez, ’84MA91
Steph M. Meyers, ’91MA92
Richard L. Moake, ’72
2006
Jacqueline L. Brown, '74MA77
Stephanie S. Markley, '90
William L. Richards, Ball State University Men's Tennis Coach
2005
Cathey A. Boggs, ’71
Craig L. Dunn, ’75
James E. Grim Jr., ’80
Benjamin Robinson, ’70
Roy A. Weaver, ’68MAE71
2004
John R. Hall, ’72
Beverley “Bev” Pitts, MA71EdD81
Mark C. Smith, MBA92
John C. Waite, ’87
Lori K. Wean, ’85
Ball State Federal Credit Union
2003
Amy Ahlersmeyer ’80
Emily M. Kress ’69MAE72
Joy A. Robbins ’69MA72
Sport Graphics, Inc. (Frank Hancock ’70)
Craig W. Stephens ’86
Marilyn A. Weaver ’65MA70EdS81
Robert C. Woods ’65EdD90
2002
Bill Lynch
Paul W. Parkison ’58MA61
Donald E. Rush ’59MA64
Debra L. Schmucker ’87BLA87
Anthony L. Schneider ’80
Sally J. Tinkel ’64
2001
Patricia R. Brown ’63MA70
Richard. DeCraene ’64
Ann Heintzelman ’83MA88
Mary Link MA69EdD76
Joan McKee ’55
Bruce Skiles ’81
Timothy Underhill ’84
2000
Frank Bracken
Dill Street Bar and Grill
Dawn Kavanaugh Krabbe ’89
Matt Momper ’83
Ric Reese ’78MPA94
Allen Williams ’73
Arno Wittig
1999
Susan Akers ‘90MA99
Bob Browning ‘76
Sam Clemmons ‘79
Jeff Hall
Kermit Hayes ‘53MA57
John Worthen
1998
Frederick E. Cox, Jr. BS'74
Patricia A. Jacoby BS'81
Gilbert L. McKean BS'56
Patti L. Quiring BS'75
Thomas E. Spangler BS'66
Stoops Automotive Group, Inc. (Jeffrey E. Stoops BS'69 - President)
Stoops Automotive Group, Inc. (Randy Stoops - Vice President)
Pennie M. Thomas MA'61
1997
Richard A. Isenhour '75MA'82
Michael L. Johnston '77MA'81
Paul H. Linder '68MAE'71, EdS'82
Alice B. Prettyman MA'82
1996
Jan P. Abbs '76
Earl L. Conn MA'57
Thomas L. Neat '62
Edwin D. Shipley '68MA'71
1995
Ned S. Emshwiller '67
Julia K. Ingels '73MA'76 EdS'83
Patricia J. McCallister '54, BS'79, MA'81
Donald W. Mikesell '60MA'63
Joseph T. Naumcheff '51MA'59
Neil Palomba
Sheryl A. Swingley '74MA'82
Indiana Energy, Inc.
1994
Eleanor J. (Jo) Brown '56
Thomas L. Farris '67
Jack R. Foss MA'67
Paul H. Schudel
Tony's Lockeroom (Tony '58MA'63 & Ann Catanzarite MA'63)
1993
Bruce D. Allman '69
David W. Amick '78
Lucy H. Atkinson '78
Charles Bowman '59MA'63
Don D. Dumoulin '82
J. Paul Georgi '49
Richard C. McKee '53
Joyce A. Meyer '81
1992
Keith L. Bennett '57
Amy Reece Connelly '85MA'86
Gary P. Fileccia '72
Richard W. Harris MA'70
1991
Joe L. Alford
Paul E. Crousore '67MAE'71
Betsy M. Ross '72
James C. Stout '60
Dennis B. Swackhamer '68MA'70
C. Warren Vander Hill
1990
Jama E. Cashdollar '71
Mark A. Ervin '81MA'85
James Marine
William D. Marohn '58
Thomas A. Meilstrup '65
1989
Hollis E. Hughes, Jr. '65MA'73
Doris E. Miller '45MA'50
1988
Marie Fraser '45
Thomas Kinghorn '65MA'67
Sally Mauck '57MA'67
1987
Robert P. Bell '40
John Brunso '56MA'61
Gordon Cox
Shirley Foster '58MA'79
Dennis Kramer '65MA'69
1986
Stefan Anderson
Mary Cusic '74
Tom DeWeese '68MBA'69
Larry Dorton '60
Robert (Mick) Manor '63
Gordon Paquin '62MA'69
James E. Reed '73
John Reed '52 EdD'71
Phil Schermerhorn '74
Terry Walker '68
1985
Oliver Bumb
Indiana National Bank
Jim Jackson '72MA'74 EdS'82
Ed Lewis '59
Steve Rathka '64
Earl Yestingsmeier '55MA'58
1984
Alexis Olson-Brandt '75
Jack L. Demaree
Jim Davis '67
Carolyn Davis '69
Garfield
Jim Garretson '64MA'69
Ray Ferguson '70
Dick Poppa '74
Bill Reynolds '35
Valley American Bank
1983
Foster "Sparky" Adams '56
H. Gordon Miller '59
Kathy McClanahan '74
James W. Parks '51MA'56
Marilyn Skinner '58MA'61
1982
Aline Emens MA'65
Tom Epply '61
First National Bank of Elkhart
Jim Hiatt '70
Fred Powell '53
John Walker '32MA'36
Brian Williams '81
1981
Ben Delk
Ronald Herzig '66MA'66
Highland Community Schools (Merlin Clinkenbeard '50)
Crystal Mahoney '53
Morry Mannies '60MA'64
Donald L. Mays '62MA'65 EdD'69
Robert McFadden '52
Lee Pursley '48MA'62
Nancy Renner '48
Greg Schenkel '70
Phyllis Shafer '47
Sue Taylor '71
Ralph Whitinger '29
1980
Anne Courtney '75
James Hatcher '65MA'66
Henry County Savings & Loan (Ralph Kerwin MA'70)
Jack Peckinpaugh '50
Richard Reedy '64
Vern Schmaltz '70
W.J. Wagoner AB'42
1979
Richard Brainerd '50
Michael Cox '70
Delco Electronics, Kokomo (Sherry Strahla Horner '77)
Donald Marsh
Will Parker
1978
Ray Ashley '41MA'52
Charles Hefley '56MA'59
Dan Howe '65
Don Lemish '65MA'68
Muncie Power Prod., Inc. (Hamer & Phyllis '47 Shafer)
1977 Clifford Childress '36
Lisbeth Cochran Cupp '74
General Telephone, Ft. Wayne (Terry Parker '67)
Richard W. Hutson '60MA'62
Don L. Park '61MA'63
1976 Paula Carter '64MA'69, EdD'75
Judy Griffith '64
Robert Linson '47MA'48
Sharon Pierce '70MA'72
Julie P. Mendenhall Simmons '64
J.C. Wagner
James Yunker '69MA'72
1975 Mary Lou Conrad AB'57
Clell Douglass
John R. Emens
William Givens
Edward Langas '47
William McCarthy '67
Jack Stanton '61