Ball State University will continue the improvement of its football stadium and address the needs of the geography department thanks to an estate gift from a former professor.

A $332,773 gift from George Franklin Beatty, who died Dec. 3, 2003, will assist in the expansion of Ball State's football stadium, provide for equipment upgrades and fund other programs in the Department of Geography.

"It is a generous gift from Dr. Beatty, which shows his love and affection for the field of geography as well as for Ball State sports," said Gopalan Venugopal, geography department chair.

Beatty, who was born in Cowan in 1918, received his bachelor's degree from Ball State Teachers College in 1949. He received his master's degree and doctorate from the University of Illinois.

He taught at Ball State from 1958 until retiring in 1983, serving as chairman of the Department of Geography and Geology from 1958 until 1973. While at Ball State, Beatty regularly attended various athletic events.

His memberships included the Theta Chi fraternity, Ball State Alumni Association, Cardinal Varsity Club, Association of American Geographers, Geographical Society of India, Blue Key National Honorary Fraternity and Sigma Zeta Honorary Science Society.

(Note to Editors: For more information, contact DeAnna L. May, associate vice president for communications for the Ball State University Foundation , at dlmay@bsu.edu or (765) 285-7066.)