Activities and Opportunities

Immersive learning has been an important part of Media's academic culture since before the term was coined. Immersive experiences can be found in required Media courses, department electives, and as part of study abroad and study away opportunities. Below are just a few recent examples.

Media students, led by Professor Chris Flook, collaborated with alumnus David Letterman during the 2021-22 school year to produce a 25-minute documentary sharing the story of Mr. Letterman’s interest in Ball State’s Glass Art program and his request for a commissioned sculpture created by students at the Marilyn K. Glick Center for Glass. Senior Ameliah Kolp served as the writer/director for the project with senior Faith Denig as producer. Clear Reception screened at Emens Auditorium in May 2023, at Indy Shorts in July 2023, and broadcast on Ball State PBS later that fall. After the Emens screening, Kolp and Denig were interviewed by Mr. Letterman on stage along with documentary filmmaker Morgan Neville (Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain, 20 Feet from Stardom, Won’t You Be My Neighbor). Clear Reception was produced in collaboration with the Center for Emerging Media Design and Development, and the Schools of Art and Music. Watch the documentary.

Radiance Cinema is a year-long program where students shoot short films in partnership with the Department of Theatre and Dance and Heartland Film. Ball State students pitch their film ideas at Radiance Cinema’s Pitch Fest each spring and Radiance students choose which films they want to produce. From preproduction through post, Media students take on key roles in camera work, producing, sound, and editing—using professional tools and workflows similar to those in the industry. Professor Ben Strack from Media and Professor Mark Cabus from Theatre and Dance mentor students throughout the process. The program gives students practical experience on set, builds their portfolios, and ends with a screening at Heartland Film’s Indy Shorts International Film Festival, giving the students’ work real exposure beyond campus audiences. Radiance Cinema is an elective course offered in a large directed elective choice block for production students. Learn more.

Professor Kelly Siler’s Media Promotion and Management (MPM) students planned a car show for Walls Furniture that benefitted the Erskine Green Training Institute (EGTI). Founded by The Arc of Indiana, EGTI is the nation's first postsecondary vocational training program designed for individuals whose academic, social, communication, and adaptive skills are affected due to a disability. MDIA 344 Media Promotions students met with Walls Furniture’s leadership to learn more about the goals for the event. Students then divided into small teams to tackle each area of planning and execution: content creation/promo needs, vendors and entertainment, awards and distribution, set-up/tear down, and communications during event. Like many of our immersive learning opportunities, this project was built into a regular course required for MPM students and offered as an elective for production students and MPM minors. Learn more.

The Media Promotion and Management concentration offered an immersive learning class titled "Audience and Consumer Analytics: Consulting for Local Media Outlets." The class project, funded by a National Association of Television Program Executives Summer Faculty Development Grant, asked the student team to research and evaluate the digital audiences of WTHR, the Indianapolis NBC affiliate. Students evaluated the performance of WTHR’s digital audiences, identified potential threats, assessed growth, and provided metric-driven insights. At the end of the project, WTHR's digital content director distributed the class report to all relevant directors and the general manager.

Radiance Cinema is more than a class—it's a year-long filmmaking experience. This immersive program brings together Media students and acting majors from the Department of Theatre and Dance to produce original short films.

Ball State students pitch their film ideas at Radiance Cinema’s Pitch Fest each spring. From there, Radiance Cinema students choose which films they want to produce. From preproduction through post, Media students take on key roles in camera work, producing, sound, and editing—using professional tools and workflows similar to those in the industry.

Radiance Cinema offers hands-on, real-world experience that sharpens skills, builds standout portfolios, and culminates in a major achievement: a screening at Heartland Film’s Indy Shorts International Film Festival, giving students a chance to showcase their work on a professional stage beyond campus.

Keep up with Radiance Cinema on Instagram at @RadianceCinemaBSU.

Current Students

• October: Applications open for all Media majors to get involved with the Big Shorts produced in the Spring semester.
• March: Juniors and Seniors can apply for the learning intensive Fall production class. 
• April: All students can pitch story ideas at Pitch-Fest for the chance to have their script become one of the next year's Big Shorts films.

Study Away in Los Angeles

The Ball State Media LA trip is a biannual Spring Break study away program in Los Angeles where Media majors network with alumni and professionals, visit famous Los Angeles locations, observe productions, and explore studios and other industry spaces. While the itinerary changes from year to year, the goal is always the same—for students to explore career paths, build connections, and gain hands-on experience in a city many dream of working in.

Study Away in Seoul, South Korea

During Summer 2025, Media’s Dr. Michael Lee led the study abroad trip K-Culture and Storytelling in Seoul + Japan. Students took one Media course while exploring Seoul and working with South Korean college students. This trip included a 5-day excursion to Tokoyo, Japan to examine the people and culture there.