Community Engagement

Ball State University has a longstanding record of dedicating faculty, student, and financial resources to improve quality of life in communities across the state of Indiana.

Our efforts were officially recognized in 2015 with the elective Community Engagement Classification from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

As an anchor institution in our region and state, Ball State University is committed to establishing and nurturing collaboration between faculty, students, and community partners to address society’s most pressing needs.

When successful, these partnerships result in benefits for all parties – valuable learning experiences, meaningful research, and solutions born out of creativity and nurtured risk, the hallmarks of entrepreneurial learning.

Our division includes the following units:

Local/Regional Engagement
	Office of Community Engagement. As Ball State’s front door for community partnerships, OCE connects the university with challenges and priorities beyond campus with an emphasis on Muncie, Delaware County, and East Central Indiana.
	Building Better Neighborhoods Initiative. Funded by the Ball Brothers Foundation, this partnership between Ball State and the Muncie Action Plan coordinates expertise and resources to support local neighborhood development.
	Northeast Indiana Health Education Center. This regional center promotes access to high quality, culturally competent health care through academic-community partnerships.
	E.B. and Bertha C. Ball Center. Housed in a historic Ball home, this center provides a variety of non-credit cultural and educational programs and opportunities for the East Central Indiana region.
	East Central Indiana Small Business Development Corporation. The ISBDC in East Central Indiana offers entrepreneurs expert guidance and a comprehensive network of resources for little to no cost.

Statewide Engagement
	Government Relations. The Government Relations team represents the priorities of Ball State’s students, faculty, staff, and alumni to state-elected officials.
	Indiana Communities Institute. The Indiana Communities Institute addresses the modern challenges of economic development through community-based strategies for sustainable growth.
	Indianapolis Center and Fishers Center. The Indianapolis Center, located in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, and the Fishers Center, located in suburban Fishers, host formal credit courses and a variety of social, business and educational programs.