One of the distinct pleasures of presiding over a university of this size is being able to facilitate the blending of a challenging academic setting with first-rate intercollegiate athletic programs. Succeeding in both arenas is part of how Ball State is redefining education.

Continuing to refine our successful scholar-athlete model has never been more exciting. On the scholar side, our students are receiving an education few people could have imagined 10 or 20 years ago. Our immersive learning experiences are a far cry from traditional classrooms. These courses allow students to drive the learning process and to work with a faculty mentor and community partner to create a product, such as a DVD, a play, or a business plan.

These innovative courses effectively address the so-called brain drain and plug our students into Indiana communities and companies. A $20 million grant from Lilly Endowment allowed us to open four immersive learning institutes with the goal to eventually make these innovative learning experiences available to all of our students.  I'm pleased to report that these projects are already yielding fruit, even though they've been open just a few months.

In the sporting arena, Ball State's student-athletes continue to excel in Division I-A, the highest competitive level in the NCAA. Competing at this elite level allows our students to experience the grand pleasure of giving their all against the nation's top collegiate competitors.  To paraphrase Theodore Roosevelt, the credit belongs to the athletes who are actually in the arena, whose faces are marred by dust and sweat and blood … their place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.

The credit belongs to our football team who played their hearts out and nearly beat the Michigan Wolverines at the "Big House."

The credit belongs to the women's soccer team, who, for the first time in the program's history, claimed the Mid-American Conference regular season championship.

And certainly Tracy Roller and the entire women's basketball team will never be called timid souls. They have won 10 straight games; they have lost only one game in the Mid-American Conference; and they are tied as the 38th best team in the nation.

The credit also goes to a Ball State alumnus who will perform on one of the world's biggest stages in sports—the Super Bowl. Our own Brad Maynard will step onto the field in Miami as the starting punter for the Chicago Bears. And just to tip my hat to the Indianapolis fans in the room, I'm betting that you are hoping the Colts' defense will stop the Bears often so you can see Brad plenty of times during the big game.

That's what makes tonight so special. Our sports traditions are becoming so bountiful, that we are able to pay tribute to the great things going on at Ball State right now as well as honor the accomplished athletes from our past. And in that vein, tonight's inductees represent a proud, diverse sample of the wide spectrum of sports offered at Ball State.

I am truly delighted to be able to tell you that all of our honorees exemplify Ball State's scholar-athlete model of intercollegiate sports. By embracing Ball State's emphasis on the importance of completing degree requirements, tonight's honorees were ready to succeed in life after college or after a professional athletic career. These are true champions, in life and in sport.

• Randy Boarden was a four-year letterman for our men's basketball team from 1975 to 1979, finishing his career as the team's third leading scorer and the second leading rebounder. He is now a major accounts executive for Danka Office Imaging.
• Jen Brown Mascari helped our women's field hockey team win four MAC championships and three berths to the NCAA Tournament, including two Final Eight appearances during the late '90s. She is now the wellness instructor and girls softball coach at Culver Academy in Culver, Indiana.
• Keith McKenzie, who played for the football team from 1991 to 1995, went on to a career in the National Football League. He played for the 1996 World Champion Green Bay Packers and went to the Super Bowl again with the Packers the following year. He is now a real estate investor and land developer in Detroit, Michigan.
• Todd Reimer earned four letters with the men's volleyball team from 1990 to 1995. He helped Ball State make the NCAA Tournament in 1994 and 1995 and earned Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Most-Valuable Player honors his senior year. He is vice president of operations for Reimer Electronics in Hartland, Wisconsin.

I would like to thank groups like the Cardinal Varsity Club who, through their continued support, ensure that Ball State's successful scholar-athlete legacy will continue to reach even higher levels. And thank you to everyone who made this evening possible.

And once again, I would like to congratulate tonight's inductees. Thank you for returning to Ball State and honoring us with your presence.

Please enjoy the rest of the evening.