Parents of incoming freshmen will have the chance to get more of a taste of Muncie than just Ball State when they attend orientation with their student.
"We take BSU freshmen parents through downtown and expose them to businesses and eateries, and give them a feeling of what is in the community," Cheryl Crowder, event director for the Muncie Downtown Development Partnership, said.
Downtown and Ball State have teamed up over the past seven years to bring about 1,200 to 1,500 parents each year to the downtown area. On the second day of orientation, parents have the option to take the tour.
The MITS works in cooperation with the university and volunteers to pick up the parents from campus to take them downtown.
As parents and students are separated during this time, parents encounter a new type of family.
"The best part about downtown is it's like family," Bob Hartley, owner of Artist Within, said. "It's important for business owners to work together."
For businesses and the community, it's vital to expose parents to the downtown area, Crowder said.
"A lot of people come in and see all the chain restaurants but we want them to know there are options in the community," Crowder said. "If you're looking for something a little outside the box there's Vera Mae's fine dining, [the] best bars are downtown and [there's] exceptional shopping."
Local businesses play a large role in the tours. Genny Gordy of Gordy Fine Art and Framing has been participating in assisting parents on the tour since day one.
"We try to be quite welcoming and warm and friendly," she said.
The business owners enjoy participating each year in the tour for several reasons.
"I like promoting downtown any chance I get, meeting the parents and trying to show off downtown," Hartley said. "There is more to Muncie than McGalliard."
The business owners themselves also serve as tour guides for parents.
"It's more personal talking to someone that feels excited about downtown and really has a passion for it," Hartley said. "We show them that the business owners are passionate about revival and make parents feel comfortable that they are leaving their kids in our hands so to speak."
Crowder said she hopes parents feel at ease after seeing Muncie's downtown.
"We hope that parents walk away with a sense of security for their students and it gives them peace of mind," she said. "We hope they share their experience with their students too as orientation time is so busy we don't get the opportunity to reach students."
By catching these parents at the start of their child's college career, it increases the chance of them coming to Muncie over the next few years and hopefully back to the downtown area as well.
In the end, downtown business owners and Ball State want to show there is more to Muncie than campus and to help parents with the transition of having a student at college.
"Really what we hope is if we can help in any way of settling their hearts that their kid is in a nice place with nice people," Gordy said.
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