The Virginia Ball Center for Creative Inquiry will debut two student-produced showcases May 1 and 2 in downtown Muncie.

"Hoosiers Debate Healthcare," a showcase that explores how the challenges facing the nation's health care system are experience in Indiana, will take place at 6:30 p.m. May 1 at the Cornerstone Center for the Arts. Students in the seminar hosted a deliberative assembly where local citizens and professionals discussed the problems related to health care, including proposed solutions to those problems. 

"Hoosier's Debate Healthcare brings awareness of a national problem to a local level," said Laura Donaldson, a student who participated in the seminar. "The project has allowed students to acknowledge a problem within our country and identify solutions with the help of health care experts and Delaware County citizens."

Throughout the semester, the students conducted interviews with medical patients, experts and policy makers to create a documentary. The film and additional research findings will be presented at the showcase. The project was advised by Dan Reagan, associate professor of political science.

"Identity," a separate student production exploring the issues of identity and self in the virtual world and real world, will take place at 7 p.m. May 2 at the Muncie Civic Theatre. The presentation will include a mixed-world play that dramatizes how virtual selves and communities compare with actual selves and communities.

"We want people to realize that the Internet is not a completely good thing, and it's not a completely bad thing," said Travis Schilla, a student who participated in the seminar. "The Internet has opened its door to social networks, such as Facebook, MySpace and Second Life, which can change people's lives."

To accompany the play, the students will present a graphic novel exploring how online selves and their relationships compare with those that exist in real life.

"The play will challenge people's thoughts and perceptions about social networks," Schilla said. "The Internet requires a lot of training and knowledge, but in the end, it may benefit a person's life."

"Identity" was supervised by Melinda Messineo, associate professor of sociology. The showcase is free and open to the public. Please contact the Virginia Ball Center by April 26 at 765-287-0117 or vbc@bsu.edu to RSVP.

By: Jennifer Regnier