We celebrated a historic moment at Indiana's Statehouse Tuesday, March 29, when Dr. Jo Ann M. Gora was officially installed as Ball State's president. Forgoing a formal ceremony for her inauguration, the president, instead, formally met 25 student-scholars who will be freshmen next fall at the university.

The students are all Inauguration Scholarship recipients and, in addition to their introduction to the president and Governor Mitch Daniels, they also met loyal alumni and friends of Ball State who contributed to making their scholarships reality.

The generosity of our benefactors continues to demonstrates the power of philanthropy on our campus. Through a major commitment of contributions, significant progress has been made on our stadium campaign project and this initiative has great momentum. Since last October 30, when we publicly launched the Drive to Distinction Campaign under John Fisher's extraordinary leadership, we have achieved more than two-thirds of our goal. Current gifts total $8.7 million.

Our work is not finished, but we are optimistic that, with the help of alumni and friends, our $12-million goal will be met ahead of schedule. The funding will allow us to transform our stadium into a modern complex that will be situated as a gateway to campus and will allow Ball State to keep its competitive edge in athletics.

I would like to express my appreciation for the hours of effort being invested by our volunteers on this project. The progress made thus far, in large measure, can be directly attributed to our volunteer effort.

We cannot have success stories like the inauguration scholars and stadium campaign without the continued support of those who believe in the value of education, in particular, Ball State University. Our alumni are vital to our growth. I invite and encourage you to join in the excitement of the Ball State experience and invest in your Alma Mater.

The best part about contributing to Ball State, perhaps, is that you may choose where to direct your gift. If there is a scholarship fund, a particular program, or a college area you wish to support, you may do so with confidence that your gift will contribute toward advancing the university.

Whether it is in the area of academics or athletics, or to enhance our experiences in the arts, the Ball State message is clear: we are committed to attracting the best students and preparing them for futures that will speak to the university's reputation for excellence.

Together, we can be proud of the achievements of the past, excited about the performance of today's Ball State, and look forward to the accomplishments and successes of the future.

Charles R. "Chip" Jaggers, MA72EdD85
Interim Executive Director
University Development