Congressman Messer recognizes Ball State for international student population growth

Unified Student Media

Congressmen Luke Messer along with University President Jo Ann Gora discusses the Indiana Leadership Academy at a press conference Friday morning in Ball State’s virtual studio. The studio was chosen as the location because it is one of the facilities that the academy will utilize to provide a hands-on experience to their education. DN PHOTO COREY OHLENKAMP
Congressmen Luke Messer along with University President Jo Ann Gora discusses the Indiana Leadership Academy at a press conference Friday morning in Ball State’s virtual studio. The studio was chosen as the location because it is one of the facilities that the academy will utilize to provide a hands-on experience to their education. DN PHOTO COREY OHLENKAMP

Ball State’s international student population growth was recognized with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Export Achievement Certificate Friday morning at a press conference.

Congressman Luke Messer and international trade specialist Leslie Britton presented University President Jo Ann Gora and Ball State with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Export Achievement Certificate for opening new foreign markets.

Gora said she anticipates there will be more than 900 international students in attendance this year, tripling the international population over the past decade.

Gora said Ball State’s growth in international students might have been recognized by the U.S. Department of Commerce because it is “unusual.”

“We don’t have an engineering program so it’s harder for a university like Ball State to grow its international enrollment,” Gora said. “So frequently what international students are looking for are those highly technical fields, like engineering, which we don’t offer.”

Gora said this award better reflects campus than recent events with former Student Government Association president Malachi Randolph, who formally resigned Thursday after receiving criticism for racially derogatory tweets.

“That was a moment in one student’s life and I don’t want this to be blown out of proportion,” she said. “Malachi made some poor choices and he has paid the price for that. I don’t think that his tweets represent the culture of the campus.”

Messer and Gora also announced the creation of a Congressional Leadership Academy for high school juniors to start this spring. Two students from each school in the 19 congressional districts will be selected, for a total of around 130 students.

Messer said he was inspired to create the academy by a similar experience at a leadership conference he was given as a student.

"My goal was to create an academy that gave the young people in this district the same kind of opportunity,” Messer said. “Ball state was the next inspiration. The goal was not only to make a huge difference for young people, but to also highlight remarkable assets at Ball State and give those students exposure to the magic that makes Ball State all it is.”

The leadership academy will focus on giving students access to business professionals to offer students a better understanding of business, technology and commerce. High school students will have the opportunity to use some of Ball State’s hands-on facilities like the Ball Communications virtual studio and the micro-imaging laboratory.

It will start in April with a full day event where students will interact with CEOs and professionals through a panel discussion.

Gora said this partnership shows Ball State’s commitment to producing leadership for Indiana and the world.

“We at Ball State are committed to producing next gen of leaders for state of Indiana and innovative and creative ways to do so make me proud to be this university’s president,” she said. “It will demonstrate the importance of higher education in solving our most difficult problems by using combined expertise of private, public and non-profit sectors.”

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