MUNCIE, Ind. — On Sept. 26, the Edmund F. and Virginia B. Ball Honors House held its ribbon-cutting ceremony at 1707 W. Riverside Ave. at 4 p.m. The event marked the near completion of the renovations to the historic building.
While the home holds classes for honors students, it also offers various academic services such as the Virginia B. Ball Center for Creative Inquiry, as well as the Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships. The renovation aims to expand the outreach of the Ball State community.
“I think honors is kind of at the nexus of interdisciplinary work,” Dean of the Honors College, Jim Buss, said. “It’s bringing colleges and faculty and students together from all across campus to engage in that kind of interdisciplinary cross-disciplinary conversations.”
With the expansion, the Honors College added 1,750 square feet of educational space as well as a renovated 840 square feet. The upgrades include a modernized classroom, three faculty offices, a collaboration area for students, and a redesigned outdoor area featuring a labyrinth and garden.
These enhancements were made possible due to over thirty donors who recognized the need for space as the Honors College continues to grow. In the Fall of 2025, the Honors College welcomed over 600 students, now surpassing 1,600 active students, the highest in the college’s history.
“It was just really heartwarming to see everyone come together, and I think what it did for the members of the community was to be able to see how large this community is,” Buss said.
The future of the Honors College embraces students everywhere to come together for memories that will last a lifetime. The spaces provided will embark students to love the people and services of Ball State.
Ball State University President Geoffrey Mearns spoke at the event.
“So I hope in the years to come many existing students and future students will take advantage of the wonderful educational experience that will take place in this fabulous facility,” Mearns said.
Contact Payton Mucker with comments at payton.mucker@bsu.edu.
