Murphy found her passion for education through her own struggles as a student. She opened up about her struggles with undiagnosed attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and how those experiences shaped her outlook on education.

"I couldn't find the words to describe how difficult it was for me to focus and do my work on time and how drained and disappointed in myself I was," said Murphy. "This shaped me into the kind of teacher I plan to be. I want to help students learn, not judge them based off of their grades."

Despite having a difficult relationship with education prior to her ADHD diagnosis, Murphy has been able to connect her passion for disability awareness and understanding with her studies. Her passion stems from her younger brother, who is autistic and has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS).

She describes seeing his experiences have made her passionate about the conversations surrounding and treatment of people with disabilities, especially in the realm of education. She has explored these passions in her courses, and has even elected to take classes on disability studies to expand her knowledge.

In addition to finding ways to connect her passions with her profession, Murphy has been able to find connection with other education majors. She discussed the ways that the field fosters connection through a constant and mutual drive for improvement.

"It creates close bonds between other education majors, especially those in the same concentration," she said, "We can all learn from each other while building our own personal teaching styles because there is no one 'right way' to teach."

She has also been able to take part in Ball State's immersive learning program, which, in partnership with Muncie Community Schools, gives Ball State students the opportunity to take classes in local middle schools. The program offers students the chance to be immersed in a middle school classroom environment and observe classes as they are taught.

"It's something I love being a part of and is going to leave me more equipped and prepared to teach." Said Murphy.

As she continues on her own educational path, Murphy improves and sharpens her skills as she prepares to shape the minds of the future.

At Cardinal Media, we believe everyone at Ball State has a story worth telling. Cardinal Spotlight is our way of getting to know students beyond the surface - what they're up to, what matters to them, and what makes them who they are. Ordinary college life is more interesting than it gets credit for, and we want to hear about it.

Ball State could not secure the season sweep as the Bobcats took a dominant 69-57 win.

The Cardinals got out to an early 13-9 lead with 8:45 left in the first half, but they ended the first half with only 15 points. Ohio was able to claim the momentum under eight minutes to go in the first half, going on a 23-2 run.

"I thought our effort was good in the first half. Just couldn't make a shot, and then, like I said, when you put that much pressure on the defensive end of the court because you can't score, then you start nitpicking, micromanaging mistakes," Head Coach Michael Lewis said.

The last six minutes of the first half was the biggest momentum killer for the Cardinals, as they only scored one basket during that time. The Cardinals ended the night shooting around 40 percent from the field and 27 percent from beyond the arc, an improvement to how they were shooting in the first half.

"When you shoot 26% in the first half, you're going to struggle. We put ourselves behind. Dug ourselves a pretty big hole. I thought the second half we were much more aggressive offensively, like, even in the first half, we drove and they played volleyball with one of our shots early, and it spooked us, and we didn't go in there. Like we weren't aggressive," Lewis said.

As the Cardinals struggled with shooting, they showed bright spots on the defensive side of the ball as they slowed down an Ohio team who averages 77.6 points per game.

"These guys average what… I think they average 80 something a game, and to hold them to 69 [points], held them to 42% shooting, you know, that's, that's pretty good for us, like, it's not good for [the outcome], but it's good for us from a defensive standpoint," Lewis said.

After eclipsing 1,000 career points last game against Kent State, senior guard Devon Barnes was the Cardinals leading scorer against the Bobcats. Barnes recorded 17 points while shooting 63% from the field.

"He got himself going a little bit, made some shots there in the second half. I think our guard play can continue to improve from a vision standpoint, and seeing the play and making the right read. I feel like we're missing a lot of things in the middle of the court," Lewis said. "...I thought he did a lot of good things. I think scoring 1,000 points in a career, that's something that will be celebrated, I'm sure the next time we're in Worthen. It's something he should be proud of, you know, and I think he's gotten better throughout the year. Obviously, he did some good things for us tonight."

Ball State now has a quick turnaround before they come back to Muncie and host the second ranked team in the Mid-American Conference (MAC), the Akron Zips.

"[We'll] get back at 1:32 in the morning, and then we're gonna move our practice to the late afternoon, evening. We're not gonna do much, probably [watch] some film, some walk through, some shooting, obviously, and then get some rest," Lewis said. "...We're gonna have a heavy prep day on [Thursday], but you're not gonna be able to do a lot physically. We're not gonna be able to do a lot on Thursday from a physical standpoint. So heavy mental day, and then you got a chance to put the uniform on again on Friday night and play one of the better teams."

With any questions contact Rylan Crum @rylan.crum@bsu.edu or on X @RylanCrum

The debate began with both tickets and their candidates introducing themselves to the audience to help attendees get an idea of who they are and what they are wanting to accomplish in their campaign.

The Representation, Innovation, Support and Engagement (RISE) ticket, has candidates Quinn Davis, a third-year supply chain management and marketing dual-major, is running for president, and running for vice president, is senator Addy Morey, a second-year criminology major,

The other ticket is WORK, which focuses on advocacy, student well-being, academic support, transparency and sustainability. Current Chief of Staff, Caleb Trinoskey, is a second-year mathematical economics and applied mathematics dual-major and is the presidential candidate. The candidate for vice president is senator Finley Gay, a second-year legal studies major.

The first question the audience asked the candidates was, "What is your plan of action to materialize solutions for problems that the students are rightfully and overwhelmingly upset about, like (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) ICE, Michael Connor, Brian Gallagher and protesting rights?"

The WORK campaign answered first by saying that the SGA has been afraid to engage on these issues due to them being polarizing and misinterpreted as political.

"These [issues] are pretty explicitly non-political, and if they are, then literally everything that is morally good can be misinterpreted as political. So the answer is just like knowing that we can do these things and act on them, not only as an executive branch, but working through things like public comments." Trinoskey said.

Gay added to Trinoskey's answer saying that they are going to translate this through their advocacy portion of the WORK campaigns platform point.

"A lot of that is going to just be showing students that in addition to listening, we are actually going to support you and tell you guys that we're on your side in many of these topics, through senate orders and senate referendums to make sure students know they're not alone against what can seem like an all powerful administration that might not listen to everything they have to say." Gay said.

Morey from the RISE campaign said this had been a topic of discussion in previous debates and that she wanted to highlight the importance of transparency, not just through SGA, but Ball State as a whole.

"I think it's really important to specify what our jurisdiction and role [are] as president and vice president. There are things that we can do, and there are things that we cannot do. What we cannot do is force things to happen just because we're students. All we can do is go through the senate, put through legislation and different types of things like that, as well as voicing the concerns through public forums and everything like that," Morey said.

Davis added on to Morey's answer saying that they want to work on transparency with student protest as well.

"We want to work with the Office of Student Life contact conduct to get those discrepancies worked out. There are a lot of people that have voiced concerns about how the [university's] freedom of expression [statement] and other policies and documents are broad and there are contradictions in them. People don't really know where the line is or where they might get in trouble until something actually happens," Davis said.

The next question was one that was sent in through instagram that asked, "What are some things that you will implement when it comes to student safety on campus, especially for students walking on campus at night through The Village and Riverside?"

Davis from the RISE campaign answered saying that what they are wanting to do is advocate for safety programs to make incoming and current students feel safe when traveling across campus.

"The reality of it isn't always so pretty, especially at night when you are walking. A lot of people do like to go to the village at night and being able to implement certain presentations toward the Weeks of Welcome for new students, will help them get acclimated to this atmosphere and know what you need to do to prepare for situations where there might be someone who looks dangerous on campus." Davis said.

Morey added that while they will try their best to advocate for better lighting, there are spots that the university cannot build upon due to ownership of properties.

"We will advocate through facilities and a different means of advocating for the student voice through upper administration." Morey said.

Trinoskey called the RISE campaign's answer "a bit hypocritical."

Trinoskey had also brought up a question that was in the Vice President Debate was if there was enough funding for the lights in the SGA budget.

RELATED: Vice president candidates hold debate to discuss platform points

"SGA was allocated $113,000 this year. We have currently committed like $50,000, I think that's a failure on the part of SGA, to be entirely honest," Trinoskey said.

Morey rebuttaled, saying that she has no problem spending money that the SGA is given towards safety programs for the student body.

"I am the chair of the safety committee on campus, and I'm actively working towards legislation to improve the blue light system, which is something that is very valuable and holds a safe place for a lot of students here on campus. Yes, we would like to add lighting, and we will make sure that we, of course, advocate for that." Morey said.

An audience member then asked both tickets, "What key aspects and differences between your different platforms would you say are the most important in order for people to get an idea of what they should go for?"

The WORK campaign starts off with Gay saying that they disagree with RISE, saying that Greek Life is an underrepresented minority compared to others on campus.

"There was a statistic brought up in the VP debate, that Greek life is 10 percent of campus, and that's a small minority. In my opinion, one block being 10 percent of campus, that's a lot of people, and I find it hard to deem that underrepresented. When they have SGA reps, when they have their own internal system that they deal with, I don't see those as roadblocks. I see those as internal efficiency that they can deal with throughout their own organizations." Gay said.

Trinoskey added that many on-campus organizations, such as the Young Democratic Socialist (YDSA), do not understand how the structure of the SGA works and believe that they are doing nothing.

"When they simply cannot understand how these structures work and at what point they fail, they assume that SGA is doing nothing," he said.

Davis responded, saying that over the last debates a narrative has been spun onto Greek Life based off of only a few incidents.

"It was one platform point that was based on members of the Greek Life community telling us that they felt underrepresented…and I think one of the big differences between our platforms is we do truly try to hit every group of the student body and every concern that they have brought to us," Davis said.

Morey added to Davis' response saying that they are willing to work for every single minority at Ball State.

"We want to make sure that [minorities are] recognized too, because they also matter, just like Greek Life…Every single person here deserves a voice. We're willing and we want to voice that opinion." Morey said.

Voting for the tickets begins at 8 a.m. Feb. 16 and ends Feb.17. Students can check their email to vote.

Contact Landon Jones via email landon.jones2@bsu.edu

Tonight: This evening, temperatures will be rather mild with a low of 51 degrees. The conditions will remain cloudy throughout the night with some possible showers lingering in the later hours. Winds coming from the south-southwest at 15 mph with winds gusting up to 30 mph. Enjoy this mild evening before we start to see those below freezing temperatures roll back into our region.

Tomorrow: Showers will continue through the early morning hours tomorrow but end up clearing out by the afternoon. Temperatures will be reaching up to 67 degrees which would set us at the record high that was set back in 2017. Conditions will clear up leaving us with some sunshine by midday. Winds gusting up to 35 mph.

Seven-Day Forecast: Those mild temperatures wont be sticking around for long. Thursday we have a chance of thunderstorms in the evening leaving us with cooler temperatures for the next coming days. Highs being in the 60s and lows in the 30s throughout the week. Conditions remaining mostly cloudy with some pops of sunshine Friday and Saturday. Possible snow flurries this Sunday as temperatures dip down below freezing.

- Assistant Chief weather Forecaster Elizabeth Myers

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X @NLIWeather for breaking weather updates.

NewsLink Indiana is a proud Ambassador for the NOAA Weather-Ready Nation program.

For more information about the Weather-Ready Nation program please click HERE

The store was originally located in The Village on Ball State University's campus but made the decision to move to the White River Plaza about 13 years ago after the store saw an increase in inventory as well as needing a larger building to host events for gamers in the community.

One of their most popular events that they hold are their "booster pack" nights where Magic the Gathering players select random "booster packs" and assemble their very own card deck to go against other players.

The random card packs ensure that no matter how much experience you have in the game it allows new players to fairly compete with older players since everyone is playing with a deck of characters that they are not familiar with.

The owner of the store, David Barnette, has owned the store for the past 20 years and has even been participating in table top games since he was in high school. Being involved in table top games for over 30 years has provided a sense of community for Barnette.

"The beauty of a game store is it's not like a Walmart or a corporation store where people go in, shop, buy their things and leave," said Barnette. "It's more of a community, you know, we see a lot of the same people everyday, we know their names, they know mine so you really develop a friendship over the years."

For more information you can go to the Wizards Keep Facebook page @wizardskeep

Contact Wyatt Maher with comments at wyatt.maher@bsu.edu.

But the transfer portal effect is still evident within the Mid-American Conference (MAC). Ball State Athletics announced Feb. 4 that a total of 34 new Cardinals have enrolled for classes this semester, with 25 of those players coming from the transfer portal.

Head Coach Mike Uremovich said the "vast majority" of the transfers were guys that he or his staff already had a relationship with. The head coach said it is important to build relationships within recruiting, because previously recruited players can always come back in the transfer portal.

"There's very few guys on here that we didn't know anything about before they went in the portal," Uremovich said.

One of the transfers that came in is Tyler Mizzell. The redshirt junior quarterback played for Wake Forest his freshman year, and then played his sophomore season in the division two level at Concord University.

While Mizzell was in the transfer portal after his freshman year at Wake Forest, he said he built a relationship with Uremovich and Quarterbacks Coach Craig Harmon before deciding on Concord.

Mizzell said that college football today is very "transactional," and building relationships can be difficult with that.

"It's everything," Mizzell said about the relationships he has built with the coaching staff. "That is why Ball State was attractive, because I felt like I had a relationship with the coaching staff."

Despite a portion of the Cardinals' roster coming from the transfer portal, the team also brought back a slew of returners. Uremovich said the players returning to the program were some of their "best recruiters."

"It shows that the guys are buying into what we're doing, and [that] they're happy here," Uremovich said. "They like the direction we're going when they're actively recruiting their former teammates."

According to an article posted by the NCAA Jan. 17, there are over 10,500 college football players that enter the transfer portal across division one, two and three. That gives Uremovich and his staff a lot of athletes to look for when trying to fill over 100 roster spots.

But the head coach knows what to look for in the players he wants to suit up for Ball State.

"What we really like is guys that have played and produced at the college level," Uremovich said.

The transfer portal is very different than it was last year for Uremovich and his staff. When Ball State brought in Uremovich Dec. 4 of 2024 to be the team's new head coach, he had limited time to try and fill a roster before the transfer portal closed.

But this season, with an established staff, it is different.

In December of last season, Uremovich said he and his staff took some time to go through the depth chart and looked to see what positions they would need to address in the portal.

"I feel way better going into it this year knowing what we needed and what we have," Uremovich said.

A big change for the Cardinals in the offseason was the quarterback position. Senior Kiael Kelly graduated and declared for the NFL Draft, sophomore Aiden Leffler left the program via the transfer portal and junior Walter Taylor III transferred to Vanderbilt.

But the team brought in three new quarterbacks to fill those shoes, headlined by Mizzell, redshirt junior Keldric Luster and incoming freshman Mason Atkins.

Mizzell threw for 2,889 yards and 26 touchdowns last season at Concord, while Luster played limited snaps at Texas Southern University in his sophomore campaign.

Atkins played his high school career at West Aurora High School in Illinois, and the freshman gunslinger ended his career at the program with 4,467 passing yards and 62 touchdowns, both being program records.

But while the Cardinals have brought in three new quarterbacks to the program, Uremovich is excited for the quarterback competition everyday leading up to the new season.

The head coach said it will be a challenge to figure out who will be QB1 and QB2 on the depth chart, because only one quarterback is out on the field at once.

"Quarterback reps are extremely valuable because there's a finite number of them," Uremovich said.

Both Mizzell and Luster said they are going to control what they can control entering the quarterback competition, but the two both find value in becoming a close quarterback group, even off the field.

Luster said at the end of the day, while the quarterback room is competing, they are also helping each other out.

"As long as we can come out here and compete and leave here and still hang out with each other and still build that relationship and make it stronger, that's what makes it great in the quarterback room," Luster said.

The new group for Ball State is now in Muncie as an entire team, and they are starting their offseason workouts as a full group.

Cole Earlewhine has been at Ball State all four years of his collegiate career. The redshirt junior defensive back is looking forward to the new energy and competition that this new crop of Cardinals brings.

"When [you're] building a program, you want new competition, you want new people, new faces to bring the best out of you," Earlewhine said. "If you bring a new guy in that's elite, you got to be elite if you want to play."

The Cardinals completely revamped their defensive line in the offseason, as the team came out of the portal with seven new defensive linemen or edge rushers. But Defensive Lines Coach Adam Siwicki is confident in the team's returners and expects the new group of guys to share those same characteristics.

"I know the type of people that we have in the room, which I'm excited to coach those guys each and every day," Siwicki said.

While there are a lot of new faces in the defensive line unit, Siwicki has seen players step up as leaders so far, even through just a handful of offseason workouts.

"It's starting to emerge, especially the returners, you see some guys that are becoming more vocal and becoming more confident," Siwicki said.

Year-to-year, there is a competition at every position on the team. Uremovich said that no spot is guaranteed for a returning player, and everyone on the team's new roster will have to earn their starting roles as the team shifts to spring and summer practices.

"All across the roster right, there's competition for every spot on our freaking team right now, which fires me up," Uremovich said. "When you have people competing to play, everybody gets better."

But even with 34 new players on the roster, the team is starting to find a common goal. Mizzell, Luster and Earlewhine said the team is spending quality time with each other outside of football, and it is only growing the team closer.

Luster said the team goal of winning starts in the locker room. When he first arrived on campus a few weeks ago, the whole team was not on campus yet, as some players were still in the transfer portal deciding on their next school.

But with the whole team on campus, the energy has shifted.

"You felt the energy around here, in the future we're going to have something, we got guys, we got pieces," Luster said.

Earlewhine said there were a lot of "unknowns" within the program a few weeks ago, with the entire team not being in Muncie yet. But now the team is getting to work, and the new group of Cardinals are gearing up for the 2026-27 season.

"Now that it's here, this is us, we're the Ball State Cardinals for 2026," Earlewhine said. "There's no more waiting, it's arrived and you can just really pour into those people and get to know them and build from the ground up."

The team's Spring Showcase will be announced soon by Ball State Athletics, and that will be the next time fans can see the new Ball State football team in action.

Contact Kyle Stout with questions via email at kyle.stout@bsu.edu or on X @kylestoutdailyn.

"We started them about 10 years ago over a summer when we had some availability and there was a pastor here that was wanting to make some connections with people who lived nearby," Neil Kring, an Avondale community member and volunteer, said. "And we pulled a grill into the front yard and started cooking hamburgers and hotdogs and chicken and whatever and people just started coming and we started getting to know people who lived in 3-4 block radius."

At first, the goal of the gathering was to provide community members with food and to meet new people. After talking with community members and meeting with each other, the community realized that this could be bigger than just one meal.

"We have really tried over the years to listen to people to see what are the things that they feel like they need. So, what are the things that people are feeling as needs, is there something that we can offer to the people and make it available if they want that, " Kring said.

Case workers, local nurses and even other non profits have pitched in to offer services during the Thursday night dinners. Community members are able to get free produce, hygiene products and other resources on top of a warm meal. Community members can also volunteer to be involved in the dinners.

"We have such fun. It's like family here, you know but we have a lot of fun. And that's what makes it really nice." community member and volunteer, Jeff Watters said.

Around warm food, members share laughs and various stories. Some of these members have been coming for a long time. One member mentioned how she had a baby not that long ago, causing a flash of excitement in members and volunteers alike.

"All I can think about is that it's just love, you know. Because we all love each other. It's incredible, it really is. It moves me every time I come here," Watters said.

Thursday night dinners are held at Avondale Methodist United Church from 4:30 p.m. - 6 p.m. every week, with options for to-go boxes.

Contact Abby Urban with comments at abigail.urban@bsu.edu.

Struble has been playing guitar his whole life and started his musical career as a DJ in college. Struble was a finance major and wanted to dabble in making his own business. He ended up working full time on Sight and Sound his senior year of college, and has been improving it ever since.

The workers of Sight and Sound work with all customers closely to help them find the right musical equipment for their needs and help them set up their concerts.

"They get support back from us, especially with our concert production. We will do some big upgrades for the local staff and try to give them bigger shows, better shows than they paid for. Support the local concerts and things like that," Struble said.

Sight and Sound offers unique opportunities for local artists to perform.

"We just had a couple ladies that are doing a song writer series of concerts. So we're sponsoring it and we gave a gift card to every performer who's going to perform for the entire year," Struble said.

Sight and Sound workers have become experts at helping customers with their musical needs. They answer phone calls, work with people in stores and offer lessons.

"They can help you with anything you need, they're very very informative, they're not scared to tell you how to do something. They will answer any question you have about anything without making you feel stupid. They want you to better yourself and have fun while you're doing it," Chris Faucett, Stage Hand, said.

Sight and Sound is passionate about finding customers the right equipment, so that the artist can focus on their music.

"It's fun finding someone that piece of equipment that fills the piece of the puzzle that they're passionate about," Jacob Struble, Manager and Vice-President, said.

Having a member of the Sight and Sounds team helps customers navigate the store and many options they offer, helps employees and customers to connect, and makes the customers' musical experiences less stressful.

"When people come in and have an expert help them find the right gear, the right instrument, record device.When they have to worry less about the equipment and it working correctly, they can focus more on the music and the lyrics and what it means to them. They don't have to worry if this is the right microphone, they just sing into the microphone," Jacob said.

Sight and Sound has a plethora of musical experience from lighting, production and playing music themselves. They find it important to share their love and knowledge of music to local artists.

"If you haven't played guitar before, whether you're gonna be a rockstar or a weekend warrior. It's a great life passion to have. Guitar is a wonderful thing to play. You can play it by yourself around the campfire, you don't need a band or anything. Give it a shot. We offer anybody a free lesson, no obligation. Come in, check it out and play one of our guitars. Come in and see what music is all about," Struble said.

Sight and Sound shares their passion for music through more than just selling guitars, they are along for the whole process of becoming a musician.

Contact Stella Davis with comments at estella.davis@bsu.edu.

Tonight: Temperatures will remain mild tonight with the low being 40 degrees. Cloud cover will begin to move in throughout the evening with conditions tonight being cloudy. Winds will also be a factor this evening with breezes up to 15 mph.

Tomorrow: Conditions will remain cloudy throughout the day continuing from the night before. However, temperatures will remain mild with temperatures being 41 degrees as you start your commute. The temperatures will increase up to 57 degrees for the high tomorrow.

Seven-Day Forecast: On Wednesday, temperatures are expected to reach the high-60s with a high of 67 that day. However, the first chances of rain and breezy conditions will also be a factor on Wednesday so take the temperatures with a grain of salt. Thursday there is a 40 percent chance of thunderstorms in the morning. Temperatures will stay warm on Thursday with a high of 64 degrees. It will start to cool off Friday and into the weekend with temperatures dropping to the low-50s or below. Rain chances return on Sunday with a 20 percent chance of precipitation and temperatures returning to the mid-30s. As next work week begins, temperatures will hover around the freezing point with Monday's high expected to be 32 degrees.

- Weather Forecaster Evan Reed

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X @NLIWeather for breaking weather updates.

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Leo Caldwell's views and statements do not reflect the university in this story.

Correction: Daisy Dale did not file the resolution referenced in this article. That was done by Muncie City councilperson Nora Powell (D-District 2). However, Dale proposed the idea and drafted it beforehand.

Correction: Although formed in 2023, Muncie Queer Alliance was not classified as a nonprofit in 2023; Brett Ellison waspreviously identified as a member of Muncie Queer Alliance. Ellison is from Muncie Outreach.

Daisy Dale, board member of Muncie Queer Alliance and editor for TheMuncie Post-Democrat, is not "shocked" by the recent legislation made towards transgender individuals in the state of Indiana.

Muncie Queer Alliance was originally established as a local nonprofit in late 2024 that "handles issues for Muncie's local queer community," Dale said. The organization has held various activities such as cookouts and film watch-parties for queer individuals to "have spaces too," she said.

Dale explained that she has had to pay "very close attention" to each legislative session regarding any restrictions to the LGBTQ+ community, since coming out as a transgender woman in 2023.

Dale has had a hand in advocating for trans rights in the past. She proposed the idea for Resolution 14-24 Oct. 21, 2024, and it was filed by Muncie City councilperson Nora Powell (D-District 2), for the common council of the City of Muncie to recognize November as transgender awareness month. The resolution was passed with six yaes and three nays, according to Muncie's government website.

"[Indiana lawmakers] do not want to see us in public life. They want to contribute to the erasure of trans people," she said.

SB 182 was recently approved by Republican Indiana senators Jan. 27, according to a Jan. 28 article from Indiana Capital Chronicle (ICC), which is a bill aimed at prohibiting transgender students at public K-12 schools and state universities from using bathrooms that match their gender identity.

Sen. Liz Brown (R-District 15), an author of the bill, said that women will continue to have their "private spaces," along with saying that this bill is not "singling anyone out," according to ICC.

"You can continue to identify any which way you want," Brown said in a quote provided to the ICC. "But if you're born male, you're going to use the male bathroom. Pretty simple."

The bill has been endorsed by the Senate in a 37-8 party-line vote and has been sent to the House for consideration, according to ICC. After the bill is sent to the House, it will have its first reading, followed by committee action. After two more readings, the bill will land on the governor's desk to either be passed or vetoed, according to ICC.

As the bill waits in the House, many individuals are concerned about the possibility of the bill being turned into a reality.

Executive director of Muncie OUTreach, Brett Ellison, explained that this bill makes it unsafe for many members of the queer community in Muncie. In terms of an organization, Muncie OUTreach is a local youth group in the state of Indiana that focuses on, similarly to Muncie Queer Alliance, creating a safe space for LGBTQ + youth, according to its website.

Ellison said from an organizational standpoint that Muncie OUTreach understands that SB 182 is a divisive bill, while also saying personally that the bathroom portion of the bill is "very damaging and demeaning" to Muncie OUTreach's members.

"We're trying to regress back into the 1950s," he said.

Ball State University assistant lecturer of media design, Leo Caldwell, is an educator who is transgender and wondered if the SB 182 would pass, saying that 90 percent of anti-LGBTQ legislation does not.

According to the Human Rights Campaign, 91 percent of anti-LGBTQ bills introduced in the United States fail to pass as of 2024 in the federal and state levels.

Indiana has attempted to add restrictions on transgender individuals in the state before and have succeeded. House Bill 1041 was signed into law April 16, 2025, which would prohibit a "male, based on the student's biological sex at birth in accordance with the student's genetics and reproductive biology, from participating on an athletic team or sport designated as being female," according to the Indiana Attorney General website.

Caldwell explained that he was "very uncomfortable" with the idea of sharing a bathroom with women students and that he has never went to the women's restroom.

"I found out what they did with it, and realized I would have to go to the women's restroom. I was like 'What?'" he said.

Beyond the possibility of having to use the women's restroom on campus, Caldwell said that the gender inclusive bathrooms are "scattered" across the university, meaning it would take him extra time to try and find a bathroom.

Caldwell said that students not being able to use the bathroom that they identify with will negatively impact all students, regardless of whether they are transgender.

He said that having students and faculty assigned to the bathroom with the gender they were born with will not allow him to create safe places for those students.

"You're creating a space that isn't safe, because now I'm in the restroom with folks I'm normally not in the restroom with, and that's really weird and disturbing," Caldwell said.

Ball State University Communications and Digital Strategy associate vice president, Greg Fallon, said the university does not comment on pending legislation in a Feb. 5 email.

Dale said that SB 182 is setting a "dangerous precedent" for trans people, citing the example of individuals being sent to either a male or female prison that does not match the gender they identify with.

Caldwell hopes that students and faculty will be able to use the bathroom they prefer without any issues, asking the question, "Who is going to be standing at the bathroom to enforce it?"

Ellison said he and the rest of the team at Muncie OUTreach continue to keep an eye on the youth members of the organization, as the status of the bill is still pending.

"...Reinforcing the fact that they do matter and they are important," he said.

He said that this bill will have an economic aspect as well. Ellison said that having these laws geared towards transgender individuals, it will "drive them out of the state," which will take away from general sales of companies, he said.

This will also make it difficult for allies to remain here, Ellison said, and there will be a level of concern from an investment standpoint, on top of concern from community members.

"We, as human beings and as individuals, do not deserve to be treated the way that people are treating the [trans] community," he said.

Dale recommends that citizens of Indiana call their representatives if they wish to voice their concerns regarding the bill. She said she thinks Muncie will not always be a place for people to "stay away from" but a place that will "grow."

"I think a lot of people in the queer community will tell you the same thing," she said.

This story will be updated with more information regarding the outcome of SB 182.

Contact Linnea Sundquist via email at linnea.sundquist@bsu.edu.

Greg Fallon, chief digital marketing and communications officer for the university, confirmed via email Feb. 16 there is no threat to campus. He said UPD responded within two minutes to reports of a single gunshot fired Feb. 15, just after 11 p.m. at Studebaker West Hall. Fallon said campus housing officials determined the gunshot was self-inflicted.

According to the weapons policy at Ball State, "individuals are prohibited from possessing or carrying weapons of any kind while on university property or at university activities, regardless of whether they are licensed to carry the weapon or not."

Contact the Daily News via email at editor@bsudailynews.com.

Walk a Mile in my Shoes

Every day hurting neighbors take to the street, some searching for food, warm clothing, or safe shelter; others simply seeking an escape. Brave the cold and join the community as they walk from the Muncie Fieldhouse to the Muncie Mission to build empathy and raise money for those who need it!

• Price: Free registration, fundraising encouraged
• Location: Start at Muncie Fieldhouse
• Date and Time: Sunday, February 21, doors open at 8 a.m., opening ceremony at 9:00 a.m.

Ball State University Men's Basketball v. Akron - Black Out

Cheer on the Cardinals as they face off against Akron! Show up in your best black gear to black out the stadium for this exciting game!

• Price: Free for students
• Location: Worthen Arena
• Date and Time: Monday, February 20, at 6:30 p.m.

Spring Cardinal Job Fair

The Spring Cardinal Job Fair is one of the largest career events of the semester, welcoming 100+ employers and 700+ students. Faculty are encouraged to attend to support students and connect with employers. No student registration is required. Bring your resumes and be ready to network!

• Price: Free
• Location: Worthen Arena
• Date and Time: Wednesday, February 18 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Comedy Night at RoHo's

Bring your friends and laugh the night away at RoHo's Comedy Night! Listen to sets by Jeff Crone, Wesley Boggs, Jimmy Shaw, and Bob East!

• Price: Free Entry
• Location: RoHo's Martini Bar
• Date and Time: Thursday, February 19, from 8:00 p.m. to 10 p.m.

During pre-season, Head Coach Helen Peña was more than ready to see her squad out in action on the diamond, and now she has through the team's first eight games.

"My initial reaction to seeing this team on the field is the energy that they bring, and their drive to get things right," Peña said. "They've shown a competitive spirit that I'm looking forward to growing and cultivating. These last two weekends have also shown that we're capable and very talented, so right now the focus is to bring a level of consistency to our game."

After heading down to Florida on Feb. 6 for the Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) Kickoff Classic, the Cardinals stayed down south as they competed in the 901 Classic hosted by Memphis this past weekend.

Ball State came back to Muncie after a 2-1 record on the weekend, defeating Southern Indiana (9-5) and Memphis (6-2), and being defeated by Kansas City (1-4). The Cardinals were also scheduled to take on Evansville, but that matchup was canceled due to weather.

Weather and delays were a constant factor in Memphis this weekend as the Cardinals had one game canceled due to weather, and two games delayed, but Coach Peña said she did not have to do much to keep the team focused during their wait.

"This team enjoys being around each other and they're a fun group to begin with. The delays just affected the overall schedule of the tournament which made the turnaround difficult. But in the moment, my team was having fun and staying loose while the games before us finished," Peña said.

As the turnaround was difficult during the delays, the delays did not stop the team in any way, especially in their second game of the weekend against Memphis.

Ball State was trailing 1-0 until two outs to go in the top of seventh and last scheduled inning, before senior outfielder Ashlee Lovett scored the game tying run to send the game into extra innings.

The following inning the Cardinals exploded and scored five runs, in which Memphis could not respond, and Ball State pulled off the comeback victory.

"The takeaway of seeing their fight in that game [against Memphis] was a big indicator that conditions don't have to be perfect for us to find ways to win. As long as we stay competitive and commit fully into our systems and processes, we'll give ourselves the opportunity to win and be successful. That's all you can ask for," Peña said.

The Cardinals now look forward to Feb. 27 when they will head to Kentucky to compete in the Hilltopper Spring Fling hosted by Western Kentucky.

Peña said recovery will be the Cardinals' number one priority entering this next week of practice. The head coach said it will allow the team to refocus on building and getting better before their next set of games.

"This week our sole focus will be on us, and how we can be better in certain areas while building on the many great things they did [this weekend]," Peña said. "Next week we will prepare for our approaches to the teams we will be facing. But at the end of the day, it's always us vs us. I'm excited to get to work this week with my team."

Contact Rylan Crum with any questions @rylan.crum@bsu.edu or on X @RylanCrum

Mary Ippel, 76, began volunteering at Muncie Mission around 17 years ago. Upon her arrival, she immediately made her mark with her compassionate personality.

Leigh Edwards, Muncie Mission's Vice President of Community Engagement, said Ippel is a popular figure at the Mission.

"She's like everybody's favorite grandma, I'd say," Edwards said.

Ippel agrees that her motherly love is shown through her activity in the Mission's Liberty Street Program.

"They could be my child, that just made bad decisions, so I always come in and think, you could be my kid, so I'm gonna act like your mother," Ippel said.

Edwards explained that Ippel's positive energy and consistency in giving back to the community influence the other workers.

"It's pretty hard to be discouraged when you're around Mary because she has risen above so many challenges," Edwards said.

Mary has run into many challenges throughout her life. After being diagnosed with severe pancreatitis, Ippel was on the verge of death.

"They told my husband there was nothing they could do after a few days, and he should call the family," Ippel said.

Prayers flooded in from the family and community for Mary. Soon after that, a miracle happened.

"The surgeon came in and said to my husband, 'There is one more thing we can do to try to save her life,'" Ippel said.

Ippel was met with yet another barrier, threatening her health even more.

"They had to put me on a lot of medicine that took the blood away from my fingers and my legs," Ippel said.

That resulted in the amputation of both her legs and several fingers. Ippel was unaware of her life-threatening experience. For two months, Ippel was unresponsive and had no idea her limbs would be amputated.

Ippel's recovery took a year, and she was preparing to return to the Walk-A-Mile fundraiser. The community could not wait to welcome her back.

"The kids in our youth group at church said we really want to have a team for Mary, they said 'we're gonna wear tutu's and we're gonna call ourselves Mary's Merry Marchers," Ippel said.

Mary's Merry Marchers is still active today, bringing in numbers for fundraising.

"She has been an active and avid fundraiser for us and has raised probably well over 100,000 dollars," Edwards said.

For Ippel, giving back to her community benefits her regardless of how much help she provides.

"I'm the one who walks away with a blessing from being here," Ippel said.

As far as Walk A Mile, Ippel and her marchers will be in attendance. Compared to the first walk after surgery, much progress has been made.

"I was the very last person to finish, but I'm not the last person anymore," Ippel said.

Ippel is accepting new members, and for any inquiries, reach out to Mary Ippel on Facebook.

The Walk-A-Mile fundraiser will take place on Saturday, Feb. 21, with doors opening at 8 a.m.

Contact Kahmara Munn with comments at kahmara.munn@bsu.edu.

"I was extremely nervous," Trujillo said. "My music is a personal part of me, so it's weird to let that part of me out and let people hear that."

Trujillo, a first-year biology life science teaching major from Valparaiso, Indiana, did not take a traditional path to Ball State. After high school, he moved to Chicago and attended Columbia College Chicago, where he studied music and spent two years focusing on piano and jazz performance.

His relationship with songwriting became more serious during his time in Chicago, when he began moving beyond piano performance and into composition.

In early 2023, he wrote "Clocking Out," the first song he would release publicly. Though his first show at Columbia drew only a handful of listeners, Trujillo said he would "play for that crowd of three people, over and over again."

But his plans changed abruptly when his stepfather - who helped fund his education - died.

"With that, I wasn't able to afford going to Colombia, because it's crazy expensive," he said.

After stepping away from school and taking time to regroup, Trujillo eventually found his way to Ball State's campus in 2025, drawn by the opportunity to study his other passion: science.

Music, however, remained central to his identity.

In December 2025, his persistence in pursuing his musical passion culminated in the release of "Night Dancer," a five-track EP under the project name Noiroon. Blending indie pop and jazz influences shaped by his musical training, Trujillo said a lot of the themes presented in the EP are drawn directly from his own life.

"If I don't have music, I don't have anything," he said. "Everything I crafted, I wrote, recorded … I don't think I'd be anywhere without music."

The EP's title comes from its title track, which Trujillo described as a metaphor for a man with two lovers: one he loves and one who is a mistress.

"He's yearning for the night dancer. It's almost a metaphor for my actual life. A lot of my songs have metaphors to my personal life, whether they're obvious or not, but it's kind of … a metaphor of yearning for wanting something more, or going down the traditional path, rather than the path that would give me the most satisfaction," he said.

Verse two of the song, he said, symbolizes his regret for not pursuing that satisfaction.

Though many of the tracks carry emotional weight, Trujillo said they do not fully reflect his day-to-day personality.

"I really am a happy guy, I promise," he said.

Trujillo described his identity as split between two versions of himself: the focused science student and the expressive performer.

"My artist side is energetic, happy, … passion-driven. And my academic side is … tedious lab work, kind of [a] studious sort of thing," he said.

While he spends his days doing lab work and attending classes, he said performing allows him to fully step into his extroverted personality.

"The performance [version of] me is where I can really shine," he said. "I'm a big, big extrovert. I love talking to people. I love playing for people, and I love to see how people feel and react to my music."

When he performs, he said he feeds off the crowd's energy and allows himself to be "a little more loose" and expressive than he might be in a classroom setting.

The "Night Dancer" EP officially came together with help from fellow second-year Ball State student Anthony "Tony" Orta, a psychology major with a jazz minor, who played bass during the release show and assisted in the studio. Orta said the project pushed him creatively, especially as he transitioned from upright bass to electric.

"It was a really cool growing moment to figure out … my sound on the electric, and to be able to [be] there to support the great music that Noiroon was able to create."

Orta said Trujillo's piano playing was one of the first things that stood out to him as a collaborator.

"He had a very unique playing style with piano," Orta said. "When he asked me if I wanted to play this gig in Chicago, I was like, 'That sounds like a really cool opportunity.'"

Most rehearsals took place on Monday evenings, often the only time the group's schedules aligned. Between Orta's 19.5 credit hours, his responsibilities as a resident assistant on campus and Trujillo's academic workload, time was limited.

"Sometimes we were able to play for three hours. Sometimes it was like an hour and a half," Orta said, emphasizing how they would typically practice until someone kicked them out.

Before meeting, Trujillo would send chord sheets and recordings for them to study. Much of the preparation involved learning songs by ear, then experimenting with them in campus spaces.

"A lot of it was trying things over and over again," he said. "[Gino] would tell [me] what sound he was aiming for and where we had room to express ourselves."

Much of the EP's rehearsal, recording and mixing took place across Ball State's campus, from practice rooms in the Hargreaves Music Building to studios in Sursa Hall. Trujillo said navigating access to those spaces was not always easy, especially since they are not music majors. Still, the resources were instrumental in bringing the project to life.

"Utilizing those parts of campus really brought this entire show together," he said. "[Every time] we would go in there, people were so helpful."

Trujillo said seeing photos of Sursa Hall's recording studio before transferring to Ball State helped reassure him that he could continue making music at Ball State.

"It's a really, really nice studio," he said. "We're talking like thousands of dollars worth of equipment in that studio."

About 90 percent of the EP's vocals were recorded in Sursa, along with several instrumental tracks, including keyboard parts. Rehearsals for live performances took place in practice rooms inside the Hargreaves Music Building.

When Trujillo and Orta entered those spaces, they never had key cards to access the studios. However, teachers and faculty there would let them in, knowing that they weren't doing anything wrong.

"When we went in there, nobody would … ask questions. I mean, … we were doing what we were supposed to be doing. We looked like regular music students. And again … that's a message I wish I could send [to] Ball State," he said. "... I wish [Ball State could] make it accessible for … anybody [who] has passions in music … we shouldn't let things be behind a paywall."

The band's lineup during rehearsals typically included Trujillo, Orta and drummer TJ Poole, a Muncie-area musician whom Orta met during jam sessions at Midnight Cafe in the village before the business closed.

For the Chicago performance, the group was also joined by Miguel Chavez, a guitarist from the Chicago area who learned several of the songs by ear in a single rehearsal before the show.

However, the Chicago performance came together during one of the most stressful times of the semester: finals week. Orta had a music theory exam the same day they were scheduled to leave for the show.

While Orta finished his exam, Trujillo rushed to prepare merchandise for the show.

"Gino was running around trying to make different t-shirts for the gig that we pressed," Orta said, explaining that they had planned to print 10 shirts but pressed only six.

After packing up their equipment, the group drove to Chicago.

"It was so surreal being actually there and being in a band, in the sense of, 'This isn't for a school thing. This is a personal thing,'" he said.

When the band finally took the stage in Chicago, Trujillo remembers his nerves quickly gave way to relief. Audience members approached him after the set, praised him and bought merchandise.

"I had a ton of people come up to me telling me, 'Wow, your set was f***ing fantastic. Genuinely, your songs are really good. I love the ways you guys crafted them.'"

The night also marked a milestone for Orta, who is 20, as being paid to perform at a Chicago bar venue felt "really cool."

"Was it much? No, but I think the first experience was amazing," Orta said.

One of the most memorable moments of the night for him came during "Night Dancer" itself. The ending section, which he said is more interpretive, felt especially alive during the set.

"It felt more like a conversation," Orta said. "There's suspense, there's build, but there's calm too. You don't always know where it's going."

After the show, the celebration was short-lived. Trujillo had a 7:30 a.m. exam the next morning back in Muncie.

The band left Chicago around midnight, but a snowstorm hit on the drive home. Orta took over driving for the final stretch while Trujillo attempted to sleep and study in the passenger seat.

They arrived back in Muncie around 5:10 a.m.

"To preface, I was 10 minutes late [to my final exam]," Trujillo said.

For Trujillo, the audience's response at the show affirmed the risks he took in sharing his work publicly. As he continues balancing his science major with his creative pursuits, he said music will always remain at the core of his life.

"Music will always be my biggest thing," he said.

Trujillo said he hopes listeners can experience the EP as something they can return to during everyday moments, whether walking to class, driving home from work or relaxing after a long day.

"I hope they can get a sense of enjoyment," he said. "I want them to just be able to be like, 'Yeah, that sounds like a good thing to listen to right now.'"

Beyond indie pop and jazz, Trujillo draws inspiration from yacht rock artists like Steely Dan and Toto, Japanese city pop musicians such as Miki Matsubara and Spanish rock bands he heard growing up. As a first-generation college student whose father is from Mexico, he said that cultural influences naturally make their way into his music.

For example, in his single, "Tuned In," he included a dramatic Spanish-language monologue inspired by telenovelas.

"It's just me talking there the entire time," he said. "I really wanted to convey, like, you're walking in and your parents are watching some dramatic show."

Orta said his own musical influences also shape the EP's sound. Alongside jazz training, he draws inspiration from artists like Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye, whose bass lines he studies closely.

"Even when they're simplistic, they're fundamental," he said. "Learning those lines really helped me explore the neck of my instrument."

Looking ahead, Trujillo confirmed another EP is already in the works, along with a new single set to be released in April on all streaming services.

"The biggest thing I say is just to 'just do it,'" he said, offering advice to other Ball State students balancing music with academics. "You can make a lot of excuses … but if you really want something to happen, you've got to put yourself first and be responsible."

As the weather warms, he plans to host a small promotional event near the Scramble Light on campus, where they hope to give away merchandise to students who stream the EP, another effort to bring his music directly to the Ball State community that helped shape it.

For those interested in listening to Noiroon's EP, the songs from "Night Dancer" can be streamed on any music service.

Contact Meghan Braddy via email at meghan.braddy@bsu.edu.

Ball State's Valentine's Day ended in heartbreak after a nail biting 75-68 loss.

"It was there, and we were just unable to make a play. You feel awful for them, because you know the work they put in," Head Coach Michael Lewis said.

This loss puts the Cardinals at a two-game losing streak after their loss to Buffalo Feb. 11.

RELATED: 'Disappointed' - Ball State Men's Basketball falls to Buffalo at home

As they are now in the back half of their season, Lewis said the Cardinals have learned a lot, and they now only have a few more games to show off their improvements - but importantly - win.

"We're just trying to win, just put our best foot forward and be together and try to come out with wins. Hopefully whatever happens in the end will decide itself," redshirt sophomore guard Davion Hill said.

Hill was one of the key contributors for Ball State tonight, despite some struggles down the home stretch. He finished with a team-high 17 points, along with an impressive 90% from the free throw-line.

Not only was Hill the highest scorer for the Cardinals, but one of the few bright spots, along with Devon Barnes' first-half performance.

Barnes recorded 12 points and four rebounds in the first half in only 12 minutes; in those 12 minutes, he also eclipsed the 1,000 point mark for his collegiate career. It looked to be a big night for him, but when the second half rolled around, his gametime minutes were more than scarce.

After a double-digit first-half performance, Barnes only saw six minutes in the second half, which led to only six points.

Lewis did not mention anything about why Barnes did not play more minutes in the second half but he still had strong thoughts about how the team ended the game.

"We gambled on a pass from 94 feet from the basket, you can't do that. Like, it has to be a 100% play," Lewis said. " It's the basketball gods. They're real, and they punish bad players."

The toughest thing Lewis said Ball State had to deal with, though, was playing from behind for about 39 of the 40 total minutes, as they were only tied once in the first three minutes and never led.

The gut wrenching feeling Lewis said he has for these players isn't just because of the loss, but the great effort the team had today. Especially right out of the second half, as it seems the Cardinals got a complete energy and intensity boost.

"I just really feel for the guys, they played tough, and I thought they competed really hard," Lewis said.

Ball State now only has six remaining games in the regular season, with this matchup being the last weekend game in Muncie for the year. Out of the 6 remaining games, three of them will be played at Worthen arena with the first one being Akron on Feb. 20.

As the Cardinals look to next week, they only have a few days until they travel to Athens, Ohio, and take on the Ohio Bobcats on Feb. 17.

Contact Rylan Crum with any questions @rylan.crum@bsu.edu or on X @RylanCrum