Ball State unveiled its historical marker in front of a small group of students and faculty Sept. 30. The marker commemorates the university’s centennial, which took place in 2018.
Originally slated to be unveiled in 2020, the marker’s ceremony and installation were pushed back due to COVID-19. Located in front of the Administration Building, the marker recounts a brief history of the university, starting with its inception and following present day.
Ball State President Geoffrey Mearns led the ceremony held in front of the Administration Building. During his speech, he recalled the process of obtaining the marker, which was undertaken by Ron Morris, professor of history, and his 2018-19 classes.
“In 2019, we submitted a request for the marker to the Indiana Historical Bureau,” Mearns said. “And then, like so many other things due to the pandemic, we had to wait a bit before we could make this marker a reality.”
Morris, who attended the unveiling, said the process of submitting historical marker applications to the state was an involved task. Morris said his student worked closely with the Office of the President to come up with a caption for the marker that best encapsulated the university’s history.
“The students had to do the research, and for a marker, you have to have a primary source,” Morris said. “The other thing that was difficult, was this state is very exacting in their requirements, so if they didn't like something, they could, and would, ask for clarification.”
Mearns, accompanied by university Board of Trustees Student Member Amy Wyse, Secretary Mike McDaniel and Chair Renae Conley, together removed the covering to unveil the marker.
Contact Eli Houser with comments at ejhouser@bsu.edu.
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