One Ball State Day returns in 2021 with a new twist

<p><strong>Jacob Musselman, DN Files</strong></p>

Jacob Musselman, DN Files

One Ball State Day 2021 activities

For “I Spy Charlie” clues and other One Ball State Day content, follow the Ball State University Foundation on Instagram @bsufoundation.




There are 99 challenges planned for One Ball State Day. Some last for the entire day while others are based on hours during the day. The challenges combined account for more than $175,000 offered in matching funds.

Here are a few examples of challenges:

1. The three academic departments with the most gifts by the end of April 6 receive $8,000, $4,000 and $2,000 in challenge funds, respectively. ($14,000)

2. The three ambassadors whose links generate the most support for students will each get to designate $1,000 to the department of their choice. ($3,000) Students can sign up to be an ambassador at oneballstate.bsu.edu. 

4. The four student organizations with the most gifts from 1-4 p.m. will receive $500 each. ($2,000)

5. The first five academic areas to receive a gift during One Ball State Day will each receive $500 in challenge funds for the benefit of students' greatest needs.

6. Snap a selfie with the life-size cutouts of President Mearns and the deans. Share to social media using #OneBallState and tagging @bsufoundation for a chance to win prizes. Several individuals will get to designate $500 in challenge funds to the University area of their choice. Winners of this challenge will be chosen at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.

7. The crowdfunding campaign with the most donors will receive $5,000 in challenge funds.

Sources: Lola Mauer, associate vice president of strategy and One Ball State Day 2021 website


Editor’s Note: One Ball State Day is a university-wide fundraising event, and The Ball State Daily News will be participating.

Plush cardinals will be scattered around campus, cardboard cutouts of deans will stand in their colleges and organization members will strategize what times to ask people to donate to their crowdfunding projects. This is what One Ball State Day will look like April 6.

“I Spy Charlie” is a campus-wide treasure hunt and a new One Ball State Day event. Brittney Grim, advisor of the Philanthropy Education Council and director of Student and Young Alumni Philanthropy, said clues will be posted to the Ball State Foundation’s Instagram account 10 minutes before each treasure hunt round.

Students who find plush cardinals can bring them to the David Letterman Communication and Media Building lobby to claim prize packs or designate money to a participating crowdfunding project, whichever the scroll attached to the plush says.

“I Spy Charlie” is a new One Ball State Day event introduced this year. Grim said three rounds will occur the day of the event at 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and students can only win one round each.

The campus-wide “I Spy Charlie” treasure hunt is one of many activities promoting engagement with One Ball State Day 2021, said Lola Mauer, associate vice president of strategy.

Mauer said one idea Grim proposed for One Ball State Day 2021 was the dean cutout challenge. Life-size cardboard cutouts of each college’s dean will be located around campus April 6, and a cutout of President Geoffrey Mearns will be in the Letterman lobby. Students and staff can take a selfie with their dean’s cutout and post to social media with the hashtag #OneBallState for a chance to win a prize pack or designate additional dollars to a fund project of their choice.

The few other in-person events will include socially distanced tabling by the Philanthropy Education Council in the Letterman lobby. There will also be a photo booth and space to write thank-you cards to donors.

In 2020, Ball State organizations raised $470,970 through donations on its website during One Ball State Day, breaking the fundraising record in its second year. Mauer said the main goal for One Ball State Day 2021 is to outraise last year’s record to financially help more students.

To meet this goal, Mauer said the foundation is sponsoring many social media challenges and posting promotional videos throughout One Ball State Day. Mearns will also host three virtual events with guests, including faculty members and former Ball State President Jo Ann Gora.

The events will welcome One Ball State Day ambassadors, deans, student leaders and alumni. Participants in the events will have a chance of winning money to designate to participating funds of their choice.

In a March 25, 2021, press release, Mearns said he appreciated community support shown during One Ball State Day in previous years.

“Last year’s One Ball State Day demonstrated how Cardinals help Cardinals, especially during challenging times,” Mearns said “I am grateful to everyone who participated last year and those who will help this April 6. The generosity of our supporters helps us achieve our mission of preparing our students to have fulfilling careers and to lead meaningful lives.”

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