Thanks to her strategic plan and increasing the university's public visibility, President Jo Ann Gora was recognized as one of Indiana's most influential women by the Indianapolis Business Journal.
Gora said she did not know she was even in the running until she got a letter a couple weeks ago saying she was selected.
"It's a great honor and I'm delighted to be chosen as one of the 19 women who were considered to be the most influential in Indiana," she said.
IBJ Editor Tom Harton said of the 120 nominations submitted by the publication's readers, the 19 who were chosen were done so not only because of their success and what they did, but also because of their influence.
He said the selection members thought of Gora's aggressiveness in implementing and establishing Ball State University programs, increasing the university's visibility throughout the state and nation and having a Ball State Indianapolis Center in the downtown area. Gora was one of two women in education who were chosen, he said.
Harton said Purdue University President France Cordova was the other woman.
"We think that universities are so instrumental in the state's economy that we picked two women who were presidents of big universities," Harton said.
He said the 19 women had a breakfast ceremony Friday where they received crystal awards.
Gora said she had to leave the ceremony early because she had to give a speech to the Indiana Commission for Higher Education about things the university has done and will do.
"That takes precedence over an award ceremony," she said. "I think this recognition brings further attention to the university and will lead to more invitations to speak in Indiana and the country about [the university's] initiatives in immersive learning and wireless technology."
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