MUNCIE, Ind. - Students carrying get-well wishes to late night host David Letterman from the Ball State University community have been invited to CBS television studios in New York City.

The seven students will be featured guests on "The Early Show" with Bryant Gumbel on Monday morning. The show runs from 7 to 9 a.m. (EDITOR'S NOTE OF 2/15/00: The students actually appeared on the show Tuesday, as their Monday appearance was postponed.)

The group is carting a get-well card made of nearly 350 44"x22" panels to New York. The group hopes to deliver the card personally to the 1970 Ball State graduate.

The card gives Letterman the top 10 reasons why the Ball State community is "glad he didn’t die," including the number one reason--he hasn’t divulged where to pick up the old couch he’s promised the students for their new student center.

The card bears approximately 10,000 signatures and pleasantries. Student leaders collected signatures from Ball State students, faculty and staff and others, including employees of the radio station and pizza restaurant where Letterman worked.

The students traveling to New York are Jamey Davidson, a senior from Kokomo; Nick Utley, a junior from Haubstadt; Corey Calvin, a junior from Montpelier, Ohio; Kelly Huber, a senior from Brownsburg; Megan Sullivan, a senior from Indianapolis; Nikki Sparks, a junior from Greenfield; and Jeremiah Johnson, a senior from Peru, in disguise as university mascot Charlie Cardinal.

The students are campus leaders who have campaigned to create and send the card.

Along with the card, the group will present two banners used to attract would-be signers and a student-produced video tour of the campus that ends with a get-well message from President John E. Worthen.

(NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information about this story contact Lori Rader at 765-285-1560 or lrader@bsu.edu.)