August 2026: The Beginnings of Ball State, Flooding Response, Q&A with MuncieArts, & Jud Fisher on Healthcare Pipeline
A Purchase That Changed Muncie
In 1917, a struggling college in Muncie sat on the auction block, its future uncertain. Worried an out-of-town buyer might snap it up, several Ball brothers anonymously placed a bid—and won.
Among them was Frank Ball, who had bigger plans than just saving the campus: he wanted to make it the best school in Indiana.
The Ball family donated the campus and buildings to the State of Indiana just months after the purchase. The gift became the Eastern Division of the Indiana State Normal School, opening in 1918 to train teachers for classrooms across Indiana. In 1929, the school was renamed Ball State Teachers College.
In the century since, Ball Brothers Foundation's support for Ball State has taken many forms: residence halls in the foundation's earliest years, Emens Auditorium in the 1960s, the historic L.L. Ball home turned public television studio where Bob Ross once filmed The Joy of Painting, and gifts of artwork for the David Owsley Museum of Art.
More recently, BBF has backed the university's Flight Path Fund and the new Performing Arts Center in the Village. What began with the Ball brothers’ decision to save a struggling college has grown into a century of support.
Pictured at top is the Administration Building in 1899 and Ball State University campus today. Pictured in the middle is Elliott Hall in 1938 and Ball Gymnasium. Special thanks to Ball State University Archives and Special Collections for the historic images.
Grantee Spotlight: Q&A with MuncieArts
What makes people choose to visit a city, start a business there, or put down roots for good?
According to Muncie Arts and Culture Council (MuncieArts) Executive Director Tania Said, the answer often comes down to a feeling. It's the energy, character, and sense of belonging that a community's arts and culture create.
MuncieArts works to champion public art and build a thriving community of artists across Muncie and Delaware County. In our latest Grantee Spotlight, Said sits down to discuss the organization's evolving vision, including the popular Box!Box! traffic control box program along State Road 32.
Historic Flooding Support Update
This month’s unprecedented rainfall and flooding in Muncie and across East Central Indiana served as a powerful reminder of nature’s force and the enduring generosity within our communities.
BBF’s Health & Public Safety grantmaking has long bolstered efforts to enhance our community’s emergency response capabilities, including water rescue training for local first responders. In response to this month’s flooding, we have also provided additional support to several local organizations engaged in immediate relief and recovery efforts.
We’re grateful to our friends in Delaware County government, Delaware County Emergency Management Agency, the City of Muncie, the Muncie Sanitary District, and countless first responders, nonprofit organizations, and individual volunteers who stepped up in a time of great need.
How ECI Is Solving the Healthcare Talent Shortage
At Muncie Central High School, health science has ranked the #1 career interest among students for several years running.
In a new op-ed, BBF President & CEO Jud Fisher breaks down how local healthcare and education institutions have built a healthcare talent corridor that's leading students from their first career exploration day all the way through medical school and into their first job.
Thank You for Your Feedback
We're grateful to everyone who took our recent communications survey. Here's what we learned from your input:
Keep sharing stories of progress happening in Muncie and Delaware County.
Continue grantee spotlights, including highlighting local challenges grantees are addressing.
Monthly newsletters are the preference for staying connected.
Show more of how the foundation responds to urgent or emerging community needs.
Build awareness of efforts to grow our region's healthcare workforce (Optimus Primary) and to strengthen local cybersecurity training/crime prevention (Project Sybertooth).
Summer Happenings
This month brought both community celebrations and a historic flood. It reminded us of the strength that shows up when neighbors need each other most. Here's a look at what kept us busy and connected in August:
On the Air: BBF's Jud Fisher shared updates on WMUN about a new canoe launch on Memorial Drive and more.
Out and About: Trips to Rensselaer and a recent technology conference gave our team new ideas and new peer connections.
Fellows in the Field: BBF hosted the Foellinger Foundation team from Fort Wayne for the annual Fellows Field Trip with 2026 Fellows Jena Ashby and Ken Hudson. It was a special treat to welcome them to Muncie this year.
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