Events Listed As Speakers

The Muncie Excel Center is a high school for adults aged 17 and up. With robust supports including transportation assistance, life coaching, on-site childcare and connections to local college and career opportunities, the Excel Center model aims to partner alongside students to remove whatever barriers have previously prevented them from finishing their high school diploma and open doors to further education and employment.

Students who registered for the 3MT Competition will participate in a preliminary round to determine the top 10 finalists!

Students who registered for the 3MT Competition will participate in a preliminary round to determine the top 10 finalists!

Peter Murk will discuss his life as an aspiring writer, joyful photographer, and a part-time poet.

Ball State University Libraries and the Creative Writing program will host a unique evening of literary performance and innovation featuring Indiana Poet Laureate Curtis L. Crisler. The event, which is free and open to faculty, staff, students, and the local Muncie community, will take place in Bracken Library, Room 104 at 6:30 p.m.The evening will highlight Crisler’s significant contribution to the literary world: the Indiana Chitlin Circuit and the sonastic poetry form- a form of poetry pioneered by Crisler. Joining Crisler for the performance will be distinguished faculty from Ball State’s Creative Writing program.

For decades, placemaking and urban design have explored strategies for creating livable cities, while healthcare systems have sought new ways to better serve the communities they support. Join the Estopinal College of Architecture and Planning for a lecture, The Hospital in the Urban Habitat: Achieving Livable Cities by Leveraging Nontraditional Healthcare Partnerships and Population Health Strategies, presented by Doug King, Advisor to the Healthcare Industry at Douglas King LLC.

An overview of the United Kingdom including England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

The top 10 finalists from the preliminary rounds will present their 3MT live in front of an audience!

Hanson will explore how vote centers can expand voter access and efficiency, touching on the path to approval in Delaware County. Her talk will highlight the League’s ongoing efforts to promote informed citizen participation and increased voter turnout.

Join us for this celebration of Black History Month. This presentation will feature stories about some of the bold and amazing women who made history but were hidden from the history books. The program will include historic photographs, maps, and other resources from local history archives. And there will be plenty of time for audience discussion and recollections!Hosted by the Shaffer Chapel Museum in partnership with Ball State University Libraries, the Delaware County Historical Society, the Muncie Public Library, and Minnetrista Museum and Gardens.

On Sunday, September 15, 1805 Pvt. Joseph Whitehouse made the following journal entry: “it is about 10 miles from the foot of this mountain to the top and the most of the way verry Steep. We marched on top of this mountain until after dark in hopes to find water, but could not find any. So, we camped on the top ridge of the mountain without finding any water, but found plean(ty) of snow which appear to have lain all the year.” On Friday July 25, 2025, Chris climbed the same Wendover Ridge Mountain (7 miles-3,000 ft of elevation gain), as Pvt. Whitehouse and slept at what is now called “Snow Camp” For a period of 10 days this past summer, Chris followed some of the most pristine portions of the Lewis & Clark Trail that exist today. He will share videos, photos and journal entries about his experience of a lifetime.

2-day mini-course, March 5 & 12 | Some inventions come readily to mind—the wheel, the airplane, the telephone. But what about eyeglasses, paper, nails and screws, or even paint? Richard Harris will lead a thought-provoking exploration of a wide range of inventions, including many we often overlook—such as rope, without which worldwide exploration would not have been possible. Audience members are encouraged to bring their own nominations for impactful inventions and ideas.

This program will explore the architecture of Ball State University, spanning from the first structure in the late 19th century to the Alexander M. Bracken Library in the 1970s, and will bring to light the stories of the seldom-known, history-making women who lived, worked, learned, and played within the walls of these iconic buildings as told through original architectural drawings, maps, photographs, and other one-of-a-kind resources of the Ball State University Libraries. Wine and appetizers will be served.

Brad Schum is a graduate of Ball State University’s Miller College of Business, where he earned his degree in Management. Since beginning his career in 2001, Brad has developed a strong track record of helping organizations operate more efficiently, elevate customer service, and enhance internal processes. Brad spent more than 15 years in sales, primarily within the plastic distribution market serving the healthcare industry. In 2018, he transitioned into the construction services sector through the purchase of Coast 2 Coast Chipping. Under his leadership, the company delivered concrete-removal services across 37 states and doubled in size before being acquired by a competitor in late 2024. That same year, Brad and his wife, Cindy, purchased Heartwood Enterprises Inc., which later became a division of A.G. Maas Supply Co., a company they had originally acquired in 2019.Cindy Schum graduated from Ball State University cum laude in 2001 with a degree in Finance. She began her career in commercial banking, where she spent nearly 20 years advising business clients, managing risk, and overseeing multi-million-dollar loan portfolios. Under Cindy’s leadership, A.G. Mass Supply Co. has grown its team fivefold and expanded its capabilities to better serve customers across Indiana and beyond.

The first night of the 2025 In Print Festival of First Books features a literary fair, author reading, and book signing.

The second night of the 2025 In Print Festival of First Books features readings from The Broken Plate and a panel on literary publishing from the visiting writers and Ron Mitchell.

We’ll begin our afternoon on the 3rd floor, discovering fascinating insights into the art of needlepoint. Then, we’ll make our way down to the first floor to savor a delightful afternoon tea in the elegant Ball Family mansion.

Carrie Huffman is a dynamic healthcare leader and Director of Operational Excellence at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital, where she drives strategic initiatives and leads multidisciplinary projects delivering millions in annual savings. With over 15 years of experience spanning nursing, clinical operations, and practice management, Carrie has spearheaded service model transformations, expanded primary care access, and advanced nursing innovation through technology partnerships—including a groundbreaking collaboration with Google.A national speaker and poster presenter, she has presented at HIMSS, AMSN, and AACN, sharing insights on care models, staffing innovation, and performance improvement. Carrie is passionate about patient-centered care, operational excellence, and empowering teams to achieve measurable results. She recently completed her MBA in Healthcare Management to further her impact on healthcare transformation.

Marcus Hall serves as President and Partner at California Closets, a brand within the Threefold Portfolio. Marcus is responsible for operations across Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, and Ohio. With 10+ years at the helm, Marcus leads a cross-functional team dedicated to delivering high-quality custom furniture and storage solutions within these franchise locations. His role focuses on strategic leadership, fostering innovation, and aligning teams to achieve shared goals while positively impacting clients, employees, and communities. California Closets Midwest is one brand within a portfolio of five companies within the Threefold platform. Threefold is a low leverage, permanent equity firm that partners with and grows specialty contracting companies serving the built environment.

Born and raised on the U.S.–Mexico border in Ciudad Juárez, México, Félix Medina earned his B.A. in Hispanic Literature & Linguistics from the Autonomous University of Ciudad Juárez. He moved to Indiana in 2007 and, inspired by his father’s entrepreneurial path, launched his first company—Vedia Global—in 2014. The translation and language-services firm grew quickly, serving major clients such as the Department of Justice, the NBA, the Smithsonian Institute, the City of Indianapolis, the NCAA, and the Indiana State Museum, before being acquired by a larger corporation.After several years in the translation field, Félix transitioned into marketing and media, spending time with Telemundo and later working in the broader Indy marketing ecosystem. But the entrepreneurial call never left. In August 2025, he founded El Capitán Digital Marketing (AKA El Cap DM)—a multicultural boutique strategy agency helping U.S. companies authentically connect with Latino communities through culturally intelligent marketing, community engagement, and real-world bilingual insights.Outside of work, Félix is usually traveling, skiing, drinking great coffee, brainstorming creative ideas with ChatGPT, playing tennis, or listening to Bad Bunny. A true language lover and multicultural explorer, he speaks Spanish, English, and Portuguese, is currently studying Turkish, and has traveled to more than 20 countries—including Iceland, Turkey, Greece, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Cuba, Italy, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, and Spain.

Darius Norwood is an entrepreneur and CEO who stepped into the leadership of a second-generation, family-owned commercial landscaping company serving the Indianapolis area for more than 30 years. Rather than building from a blank slate, Darius has focused on rebuilding, navigating legacy systems, inherited culture, and real-world constraints while modernizing operations and repositioning the business for long-term growth.With experience across corporate environments, real estate, and entrepreneurship, Darius brings a practical, ground-level perspective on business development, decision-making under pressure, and leading through uncertainty. His approach is rooted in faith, accountability, and disciplined execution, with a belief that sustainable businesses are built by honoring people, process, and purpose, not shortcuts.Kirsten Norwood is a second-generation entrepreneur and Executive Chair of a family-owned commercial landscaping company serving the Indianapolis area for more than 30 years. A Ball State University alum, she focuses on company strategy, workforce development, and community impact while navigating the realities of family business ownership. Kirsten is passionate about faith-driven leadership, breaking barriers as a Black woman in entrepreneurship, and helping the next generation build purpose-led careers.