April 2026: Shafer Leadership Spotlight, Ball Corp HQ history, Ivy Tech, and more
Grantee Spotlight: Shafer Leadership Academy
Strong leadership shapes everything organizations do. For nearly 20 years, Shafer Leadership Academy has helped individuals across East Central Indiana build the skills to lead, communicate, and navigate change.
With long-standing support from Ball Brothers Foundation, the academy has grown from an early pilot initiative into a thriving organization serving thousands each year across East Central Indiana and beyond. Learn how this work is building a pipeline of leaders.
Grantee Spotlight: Ivy Tech Muncie Keeping Pace with Workforce
Some Ivy Tech Muncie students are entering the workforce with credentials already in hand, even before they graduate high school.
With support from Ball Brothers Foundation, the college is designing programs in real time alongside employers, creating flexible pathways that connect students directly to in-demand careers. That includes everything from healthcare training and stackable credentials to rapid-response offerings shaped by emerging local needs.
Read how this partnership is helping students move from classroom to career more quickly.
Landmarks Through Time: Ball Corp HQ & Ivy Tech Fisher Building
In April 1976, Ball Corporation officially dedicated its new international headquarters at 345 South High Street in downtown Muncie. The four-story building quickly became a defining feature of the city’s skyline—and over the past 50 years, it has reflected Muncie’s ongoing evolution from education to industry to workforce development.
The site’s history as a major community landmark dates back 147 years ago, when Muncie’s first high school was built on the block in 1879. The city outgrew it within a generation. The building was demolished and replaced by a second high school. In the early 1970s, the school relocated to North Walnut Street and Ball Corporation began construction on its new international headquarters which opened in April 1976.
After Ball Corporation relocated in 1998, the building entered a new phase before being donated in 2009 by John W. Fisher and Janice B. Fisher to Ivy Tech Community College. The gift transformed the landmark into a hub for higher education, bringing students, faculty, and programs into the heart of downtown Muncie.
Today, the former corporate headquarters continues its legacy of reinvention—now serving as a place where students train for careers in fields like healthcare, education, and human services, and where the next generation of opportunity in East Central Indiana takes shape.
Field Notes from April
A snapshot of where we’ve been, who we’ve met, and what we’ve been up to this month:
River Stories: BBF's Jenna Wachtmann got a sneak peek at Conner Prairie's new Museum Experience Center–an effort BBF supported with a $30,000 grant. She explored stunning new exhibits that capture the history and impact of the White River.
Reaching New Heights: The foundation recently visited Burris Laboratory School to watch a high-altitude balloon launch in action. NearSpace Education is helping students across Delaware County experiment to the edge of space, work BBF has been excited to support.
Ready to Respond: Donna Munchel joined American Red Cross of Indiana to celebrate the opening of its new Muncie location, expanding space for disaster response, volunteer training, and blood drives. BBF funding has supported local emergency response and Indiana volunteers nationwide.
A Taste of Ivy Tech: BBF president & CEO Jud Fisher joined the fun at Ivy Tech Muncie's annual "Gator Gobble," where culinary students served up bold dishes as part of Ivy Tech Day and a downtown fundraiser connecting students to college and careers.
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