Though he spoke for half an hour Monday, President Blaine Brownell said goodbye to Ball State in two sentences.
"(My wife) and I will always consider ourselves part of this university and community," Brownell said. "I wish you all peace and justice."
Brownell gave his final speech as the keynote speaker at the 7 a.m. MLK celebration, "Coming Together - Forty Years: A Work in Progress." He described his memories of Alabama during the Civil Rights Movement to an estimated 300 people in the Student Center's Alumni Lounge.
"I'm sure there are 300-plus people here representing every aspect of our community," Tera Crumes, member of the MLK holiday celebration's planning committee, said.
This was the first year Ball State has hosted the community celebration, Crumes said.
"It was a nice beginning for the university and the community," director of multicultural affairs Derick Virgil said. "And it was a fitting end for (Brownell's) time here."
Two years ago, Brownell altered the academic calendar to provide the day off school. Brownell said his speech remained in the context of the MLK holiday.
He had opportunities last semester to express his hopes for Ball State to faculty and students, he said, during fall commencement and faculty appointment in August.
"Now, I've run out of time to talk," Brownell said.
A stream of faculty and staff approached Brownell to shake his hand before entering workshops on local issues, such as Muncie employment and cultural opportunities. Members of the Black Student Association and Multicultural Center helped work and organize the five-hour event, which also kicked off Unity Week.
"I thought his speech was appropriate for the day," BSA member Alicia Williamson said. "Everybody knew about Martin Luther King Jr., but he kind of filled them in on the background."
Looking back on his three-year presidency at BSU, Brownell said he cherished his co-workers the most. One of his goals was to bridge the gap between the campus and Muncie communities, he said.
"All I did was encourage it," Brownell said.
The low point of his term was the fatal shooting of Michael McKinney, he said.
"It was almost like a natural disaster," Brownell said. "I'm not sure how we'll ensure that it'll never happen again."
Brownell's official last day is Jan. 31; however, he expected the moving truck to finish up at his house Monday morning, he said.
"I always felt very comfortable here," Brownell said. "It was a great gift. My wife and I really felt like a part of the community and university."
Brownell will oversee the operations of U21 Pedagogica Limited, an international network of 17 universities in 10 countries. He will ensure the academic quality of programs and protect the academic reputations of the universities involved, he said.
He described it as "his dream job."
"It was like someone had designed it just for me," Brownell said.
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