Ball State will use a recent $1.6 million gift to improve undergraduate scholarships, graduate school programs, academic programs and faculty development.
The $1.6 million combines donations from members of the university's Board of Trustees, the University Foundation Board and the Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment, Inc.
Don Park, vice president for university advancement, said Lilly challenged members of the boards last year to raise money through the Initiative to Strengthen Board Commitment.
The program, which ran from March 1 to Dec. 31, 2002, was developed in hopes of encouraging public and private university and college board members in Indiana to contribute to university academics, Park said.
In return, Lilly vowed to match any contributions made by university board members within the given time, Park said.
Monetary gifts from board members totaled $820,486, according to a press release.
After Lilly matched those contributions, the money given to the university totaled more than $1.6 million.
"That represents a remarkable commitment to improving Ball State's academic programs, especially when you consider the size and makeup of the university's board of trustees," Park said.
According to Lilly's program, the money donated must be used to benefit academics, Park said.
Part of the money, the release said, will fuel the growing graduate programs in music, science, education, family and consumer sciences, architecture, criminal justice and geography.
The university hopes to attract more graduate students to these programs by expanding graduate assistantships, Park said.
The money will also improve undergraduate scholarships and financial aid, Park said. Although the exact amount of grants for student aid is not yet known, Park said that they will be awarded based on need and merit.
The final portion of the $1.6 million, Park said, will be pooled with money raised in a second program sponsored by Lilly, the Special Initiative to Strengthen Philanthropy for Indiana Higher Education Institutions.
This second initiative began in June 2002 and is seeking support from alumni, parents, students, faculty and staff.
The Lilly Endowment will match gifts up to $3.5 million to the university through Dec. 31, Park said.
Gifts may not be used for athletics, and no single gift can exceed $200,000. Also, $3 million must come from alumni, $250,000 from parents and students and $250,000 from faculty and staff.
The combined funds will then be used to provide more student scholarships, help revamp the core curriculum and improve academic programs and faculty development, Park said.
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