Back in the Groove: Almost two years after the COVID-19 pandemic began, Ball State’s music scene is slowly rebuilding

By Kyle Smedley / March 23, 2022

Guitars strumming. Music blaring. Voices raised. People dancing.  Before March 2020, the music scene on Ball State’s campus was as lively as ever. Then, everything changed. Once the pandemic hit, shows were immediately canceled, and the noise that once filled Ball State’s campus became a nearly silent hum. Now, slowly but surely, the scene is rebuilding, the sound is returning and music is back once again.

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COMMUNITIES

A PAWsitive Impact: Pets throughout the 8twelve Coalition help neighbors connect with one another

By Taylor Smith / March 22, 2022

After getting home one day, Lezlie McCrory was greeted by both a neighborhood cat and a man on the street near her house in Muncie on 9th Street. McCrory told the man the cat had been greeting her for years, not necessarily wanting to be touched or let in the house.

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WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

The Female Finesse: How expressive Muncie businesswomen are empowering the next wave

By Grace Bentkowski / March 17, 2022

The first time Women In Business Unlimited (WIBU) President and Open Door Health Services Director of Community Engagement Dorica Watson attended one of the organization’s luncheons 12 years ago, she was greeted by colorful hair and artificial fish heels. What she learned that day is that anything can mean business.

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Boldness is Louder than Fear: Hip-hop artist writes music to help people overcome fear

By Miguel Naranjo / March 3, 2022

When Rome Herbert was about 8 years old, he frequently attended spoken word performances with his mother in Indianapolis and became inspired by its artistry.

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CAMPUS

Muncie residents and workers share their stories amid Ball State's new gender-affirming clothing resource

By Elissa Maudlin / February 26, 2022

It started with a promo of RuPaul’s Drag Race. In a pink, flowing Roman princess gown draped out from the arms, Roxxxy Andrews fawns herself with a large golden fan in front of four pillars with pegasuses flying around her. Her blonde hair fans out from her golden brown face, and black eyeliner and lashes hide the color of her irises.

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CAMPUS

The 23-year story of Ball State's storm chasing class

By Tori Smith / February 23, 2022

When former Ball State assistant professor of geography and meteorology David Arnold’s home in the San Francisco Bay area got exciting weather, he thought “it was the coolest thing in the world.”

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COMMUNITIES

The Muncie Civic Theatre rehearses its most recent production, "Newsies"

By Joey Sills / February 17, 2022

“Group one — you guys ready? One group at a time. OK, five, six, seven, eight, one, two, three, four.”

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COMMUNITIES

Members of Muncie craft shop Forever Baskets talk about basket weaving and the business

By Elissa Maudlin / February 8, 2022

  It starts with the base, a circular slab of wood surrounded by thinner strands, which travel the perimeter of the slab, around and around. Tall strands the size of popsicle sticks reach toward the sky, away from the circular motion of the other strands, almost making a fence. Where the end of the continuous circle meets the sky-reaching fence, the thinner circular strands begin to weave around the taller strands, enveloping them. This is basket weaving.

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BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Ball State alumnus Braxton Williams shares how he hopes to help others through his book, "The Infinite Horizons"

By Taylor Smith / February 3, 2022

Every afternoon, when the bell rang for lunchtime and his classmates’ stomachs grumbled at the thought of chips in their lunchboxes, Braxton Williams swung his backpack over his shoulder and made his way to reading class.

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BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Muncie Education in Biracial Hair class aims to change the beauty industry

By Elissa Maudlin / February 2, 2022

In a room attached to the kitchen of Erica Robinson Moody’s home sits two salon chairs. A cabinet is filled with different colored hair dyes, an apron hangs on a hook near a large mirror and products stand in single-file lines on the counters.  Her son, Brooklyn Moody, sits in a salon chair where his mom said he often falls asleep, while she takes a comb, twirls it tightly on a small section of his hair and creates a tight, springy curl an inch or two in length. Dozens of these curls lie across his head. Brooklyn’s hairstyle takes 45 minutes to style this way, and the style only stays for about a week —  a reality for biracial hair.

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BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Making a Month: A look at memorable moments in Black history

By Staff Reports / February 1, 2022

Feb. 1 is the beginning of Black History Month — a time to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Black people in America and all over the world. In honor of the beginning of Black History Month, here is a timeline of some of the biggest events in American Black history.

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MUNCIE ORIGINS

Muncie native works to open her bakery, Casey's Cakes

By Sumayyah Muhammad / January 27, 2022

Casey Toomey’s grandma, Carolyn, baked cakes — “beautiful cakes with royal icing flowers” — to celebrate family and friends. She never sold them. It was her gift to those she loved. 

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MUNCIE ORIGINS

The Muncie Map Company aims to instill more pride in the Muncie community and its roots

By Maya Wilkins / January 26, 2022

“Do well by doing good.” Ben Franklin’s historic quote shapes the Muncie Map Company’s mission, seeking projects and jobs that benefit the Muncie community. Andy Shears, owner of the Muncie Map Company, is a Muncie native and a Ball State alumnus, and always wanted to give back to the community after leaving his former career as a professor.

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LISTICLE

Five ways to stimulate your senses to achieve your academic goals this semester

By Staff Reports / January 23, 2022

The new year and a new semester have begun, and many college students are looking for new ways to start it off strong. Some may try out new studying tools they discovered or make changes in their routine. However, for other students, these changes might only stay in place for a couple of weeks before being cast away to the island of forgotten semester goals. If you’re looking for ways to start off your semester strong that you may actually stick with, consider these five tips you may have not considered  — each involving your five senses.

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COMMUNITIES

Volunteer construction projects geared toward women help increase confidence in the Muncie community

By Sophie Nulph / January 20, 2022

Dark blue clouds cover the sun as the October wind picks up the coconut logs outside of 713 E. Willard St. The light sprinkle is a relief to the grime and sweat but can be bad news for the hog’s pen in place of a front yard. 

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

How filling in for shows at Ball State shaped actor and alumnus E.M. Davis' career

By Grace Bentkowski / January 13, 2022

Chicago-based actor E.M. Davis remembers entering their freshman year at Ball State as a “wannabe actor.” Davis wanted to major in acting in college, but they had some discouraging conversations about becoming an actor with previous high school teachers and family members.

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LIFESTYLES

Ball State art professor displays art in exhibition, reflects on career

By Maya Wilkins / January 12, 2022

When Audrey Barcio, Ball State assistant professor of art, was a child, she would watch her grandmother paint and sit by her side, working with her own watercolors, bonding over creating art, growing closer as they painted and discovering new techniques. 

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LIFESTYLES

Five safe ways to celebrate New Year's Eve during the COVID-19 pandemic

By Staff Reports / December 31, 2021

With the holiday season nearing its end, it can be tempting to spend more time with family and friends to ring in the new year. However, with the growing threat of COVID-19 and its variants, large gatherings and parties may not be the best idea, especially for those who are at a higher risk of contracting the virus. Nevertheless, 2021 is ending and 2022 is beginning, which calls for some celebration. Here are five fun and safe ways to celebrate the beginning of a new year during the pandemic.

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LISTICLE

10 Christmas gifts under $20 for last minute shoppers

By Tori Smith / December 10, 2021

Classes and extracurriculars can lead to college students being extremely busy. With students finishing up assignments, cramming for finals, and scraping any extra credit that they can get, December can seem like the busiest month of all. Christmas shopping sneaks up on us before we know it. Here is a last minute Christmas gift guide to direct you through your holiday shopping for all of your loved ones, whether they are into technology, cooking or fashion.

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CAMPUS

Fall 2021 Ball State graduate finds uncommon connection to grandmother

By Maya Wilkins / December 6, 2021

It’s 1957. Poodle skirts are “in,” Elvis Presley songs play all over the radio and drive-in movies are popular destinations for teenagers. Trending news topics include integrating schools in Little Rock, Arkansas, and the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union.