"The composting operation was initially started in 1991 to reduce the volume of waste being transferred to landfills. Since then, the operation has become a source of soil amendments for campus landscape projects," said Brandon Workman, a supervisor for landscape services.

Ball State composts a variety of different materials, such as leaves, brush, coffee grounds, wood waste and grass clippings. All of this material gets gathered up and taken to Heath Farm, where it will sit and turn into compost over a period of several months to a couple of years.

The wood waste mentioned in that list includes items such as old pallets from buildings such as dining halls and athletic venues, wooden furniture from apartments and dorms.

When it comes to the trees the university cuts down, Workman said that they try to plant a new tree for every tree they have to cut down. He also stated that they have planted over 8,500 trees on campus with 625 different species.

Back to the compost, once it's been finished, it will be used in the lawns, flowerbeds, and other landscaping projects around campus. Workman said that somewhere around 9,000 cubic yards of material gets composted each year. Which ultimately ends up being roughly 3,000 cubic yards of usable compost.

Contact Dylan Chesnut with comments at dylan.chesnut@bsu.edu

Ball State University's annual One Ball State Day is a university-wide fundraiser that encourages the public to give back to programs that matter.

If you've read stories or watched videos from Cardinal Media or any of our student media outlets , including NewsLink Indiana, The Ball State Daily News, Byte, Ball Bearings Magazine, or worked with The Agency, you've seen the impact of student media firsthand.

The fundraiser is a chance for you to help provide journalism experiences that many students need to be ready for the career. It is also a way for you to help us keep providing community news.

Why it matters for student media

Student media at Ball State operates as real-world training ground for students.We offer the public a free information source about Ball State and the surrounding community. We have never had a paywall, we never will.

But creating the news isn't free and we need your support.

Funding raised today directly helps student media travel to where the news is, and offset other production costs that aren't always covered by other means.

When Ball State women's basketball earned a No. 12 seed in the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament in Waco, Texas, it was student journalists that told the story as it unfolded. Students from the Daily News and NewsLink provide that same level of on-the-ground coverage year after year.

They didn't watch history happen on TV.

They documented it live, for all of us to see the action first-hand.

Year after year, donations have helped student journalists pursue bigger, more impactful stories.

Even small gifts can make a difference. The minimum donation for One Ball State Day is $5. So, if you've ever consumed our content or interacted with our students please consider donating.

One Ball State Day also includes challenges and matching opportunities, meaning donations can go even further. Some competitions today reward the groups with the most donors, not just the most money, which makes even small donations especially important. A $5 donation from a you can carry just as much weight as a larger gift when it comes to unlocking additional funding.

Three funds supporting student opportunity and how to donate

This year, donors can contribute directly to student media and The Agency through three different funds.

To donate to the two student media funds, start by visiting the Ball State Student Media giving page. From there, you'll see both the Student Media and the Daily News Travel Fund listed as options when you click the "give now" button. Select the fund you'd like to support or split your gift between both. It's an easy checkout system from there.

To donate to the Student Agency Fund for One Ball State Day, visit the giving page for the School of Journalism and Strategic Communication. From there, choose the Student Agency Fund from the list of available options. Enter your donation amount and follow the prompts to complete your payment.

Donors can also choose to share their gift on social media or make it in honor of someone.

Thank you for your support.

After the first semester, Snider assigned students to research local issues and then develop a proposal to present at a council meeting. Snider's students decided to create a proposal on pedestrian safety, specifically on the intersection of Myrtle Avenue and Walnut Street.

"A couple of students in the class brought up the idea because we've had students hurt out there, and ever since the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) came in, I don't think they've realized how congested the area has become," Snider said.

The students worked together throughout the semester to find statistics that show the community's concern for pedestrian safety.

"They created a poll to send out to people, including teachers, students and members of the community, to see if they were open to having a scramble light there at the intersection, and there was very strong approval for it," Snider said.

According to the students' survey, 90% of the community felt unsafe crossing that specific intersection. Then, the students addressed the council with their findings which many community members agreed with.

"After we finished proposing our resolution, a couple of members of the community stood up and actively supported this with no hesitation," student Clayton Dick said.

For Dick, this project means more than just a regular class assignment.

"They believe it as I do. Children's safety should be valued as one of the most important things in our community." Dick said.

The support doesn't stop at the meeting. Councilwoman Sarah Gullion supported the proposal and invited the class to meet with her in April to learn how ordinances are created.

While this proposal is still a resolution, students say that it's a step towards safer streets and making their voices heard.

Contact Amelia Winter with comments at amelia.winter@bsu.edu.

Bright, vibrant decorations cover the ceilings and walls, beads hang from people's necks and the smell of food lingers in the air as lines of students fill the dining halls every day, bringing life to traditional spaces and bonding students with something everyone needs: food.

Ball State University Dining Services provides students, faculty and staff with accessible and diverse food options that are inclusive of all students, regardless of whether they live on or off campus.

From North Dining to the Tally Food Court, and from the Atrium to Studebaker West Micro Café, Ball State students and staff have a variety of locations to eat and maintain nutritional wellness, with 12 options on campus.

However, Ball State Dining Services not only provides food options for students, faculty and staff, but also celebrates cultures through a variety of events held throughout the year that reflect cultural traditions and connect students to their heritage.

For example, in the first few months of 2026, dining services hosted events for students, faculty, and staff to go out and connect with others, order themed meals and celebrate the culture and traditions of several holidays, such as serving Cajun food for Mardi Gras and Irish food for St. Patrick's Day.

"I love seeing the students excited, seeing the staff excited, and having fun interactions and making it something more for everybody. Seeing everybody come together, connect, have fun and show off our creativity is so special. It really is, and I love all of that," University Dining Food Services Supervisor Katelyn Howard said.

The Mardi Gras Meal, an all-day event on Feb. 17 in the Atrium, featured dishes and food items not traditionally available, catering to the typical Mardi Gras fare. Students were able to find information online on the Ball State Dining Instagram about the featured foods, as well as on and around campus.

"Whether you're craving jambalaya, a fried shrimp po boy, or vegan red beans and rice, we've got your Fat Tuesday lunch and dinner covered. Don't forget to grab a slice of king cake for dessert," according to a Feb. 10 Ball State Dining Instagram post.

Ball State first-year Moss Saavedra said the St. Patrick's Day meal reminded them of events that their high school would do. They said the foods featured at Ball State for the holiday were "legit and pretty cool," such as tater tot Irish nachos.

Howard said events like the St. Patrick's Day Meal have been fun to experience from the faculty side because she feels like it "bridge[s] a gap" between students and faculty.

"[The events have] definitely given students something to look forward to, and something for our employees to look forward to," Howard said.

For Ball State exchange student Charlotte Hiebler, dining services also helps aid with college homesickness, especially when it comes to the cultural differences between the United States and France, her country of origin.

According to a study by World Metrics, college students experience homesickness from a variety of causes, such as distance from family, new locations and cultural changes.

"61% of college students experience homesickness symptoms during their first semester, 51% of students who move from a rural area to an urban college report homesickness due to cultural adjustment and 38% of first-year college students report moving more than 100 miles from home," according to the study.

Hiebler came to Ball State University to improve her preparation for her English studies. Despite the cultural differences, the dining options helped her feel comfortable during her transition, thousands of miles from home.

"Since I'm not used to living on campus [because] in France no one lives on campus, the fact that everything is in the same location, the buildings in which I have classes, the different dining halls helped me get more comfortable in my everyday life and also in my studies in English," Hiebler said.

Hiebler discussed how it is really easy for her to understand how the meal plans work and to keep track of how many she has left for the week.

"We don't have meal plans in France, so it was a totally new experience, but I love how easy it is," Hiebler said.

For Hiebler, the student-staff relationship also helps.

"I feel like people in the dining halls are all really welcoming, they often ask, 'How are you?' or 'How was your day?' which is really nice," Hiebler said.

For students, faculty, and staff with dietary restrictions, the Top-9 Allergen-Free area offers accessible meal customization to suit students and their dietary needs, from pizza to stir-fry to sandwiches.

"I'm someone who needs to have a routine, to know what is planned each hour of the day, otherwise I can easily get overwhelmed; and the dining halls are the one place I know I need to get to every day, obviously to eat, so I am comfortable going there and eating there," Hiebler said.

According to the Ball State Dining Services website, under "Menus, Nutrition and Dietary Assistance," it prides itself on the work done to provide for Ball State students on campus.

"Ball State's chefs are the heart of our student-focused menus. From colorful fresh fruit and veggie bars to house-smoked meats to sustainable seafood, you're never more than a few steps away from incredible variety at Ball State," according to its website.

Students may not be able to find a real leprechaun on campus, but they are given opportunities to celebrate various students' culture at Ball State. Still, they build lasting connections with students, faculty and staff who promote inclusion, discovery and accessibility for all.

Contact Kadin Bright via email at kadin.bright@bsu.edu.

Ball State University's campus is full of over achieving students, working hard to reach their aspirations. Catch a glimpse into the world of one such student with the next Cardinal Spotlight!

Our newest Cardinal to shine in the spotlight is third-year, Gem Sambugaro, from Riverside, Illinois! She is a pre-veterinary biology major, with a concentration in zoology, with a minor in Spanish.

Sambugaro credits her choice of career to a natural aptitude for and interest in animals and the support of her parents, especially her mother. She expressed her deep gratitude for her mother, who had faced external pressure in selecting her career.

"She never got to find something she was really passionate about," Sambugaro said. "I feel lucky that she broke the cycle and allowed me to choose."

Her passion, combined with the support from her parents, led her to Ball State, where her interest has only grown, reinforced by the opportunities she has had to advance her education, both inside and outside the classroom.

In the classroom, her favorite aspect of her education is working with animals and learning from industry professionals firsthand.

"I've loved going on the wildlife field trips and catching frogs and setting mammal traps, or going in to shadow at the vet office," Sambugaro said. "I've had the privilege of meeting really amazing people who do incredible work."

Her favorite opportunity outside her lectures and labs, was her participation in Ball State's first study abroad trip to Mexico, through the BSU-In Program. While in Mexico, Sambugaro was able to immerse herself into the culture while she practiced speaking Spanish.

During her time abroad, she discovered she has a passion for philosophy and learning about new languages and cultures, something that she says surprises people because of her background in STEM.

Her many passions and vast aspirations keep Sambugaro busy and focused, but she is also dedicated to practicing self-love. She credits her self-care practice to her cat, who she describes as a mirror of herself.

"Self-love is something I've struggled with for a while, but I've started to understand that I can only take care of the people I love and give my all to projects when I put myself first," Sambugaro said. "And so, I think that allowing myself to love and cherish her [cat], I've been able to appreciate parts of myself that I may have overlooked before."

While Sambugaro works to finish her pre-veterinary degree, she is sure to continue to sharpen her passions as she strives to achieve her many aspirations.

At Cardinal Media, we believe everyone at Ball State has a story worth telling. Cardinal Spotlight is our way of getting to know students beyond the surface - what they're up to, what matters to them, and what makes them who they are. Ordinary college life is more interesting than it gets credit for, and we want to hear about it.

Ball State kept their momentum from their final game as Toledo, as they beat the Jaguars 13-4 to rack up their second win in a row.

Ball State Head Coach Helen Peña credits the team's efficiency at the plate as one of the key reasons they came home with the win.

"[The] offense was very productive today at the plate and on the bases. They were disciplined with what they wanted to do, and I'm proud how confident we looked in the box. The dugout is always a fun place as our team rallies around each other every inning, and in that third inning there was a lot to celebrate about," Peña said.

The third inning was the key to the Cardinals victory today, as the team scored five total runs and five hits to extend their lead to 9-3.

The energy the team displayed is exactly what Peña wanted to see after they found momentum in the back half of their series against Toledo.

"Before the game, I made it a point to all be on the same page about how we viewed this game. This game wasn't just a road non-conference midweek game. It was an opportunity for us to compete in our processes and compete versus the game. I wanted us to realize how this game could serve us not just today but going forward. We weren't going into this wanting to start slow," Peña said.

This two game win streak could be the start of a winning streak for Ball State, as they head back home to host Ohio in a weekend series starting on April 3, and Peña has the right message for her squad.

"The message is how can we make the most of these two practice days and continue to level up our standard and improve our consistency within our systems and approaches. It's important to physically execute but the larger component is the mental piece and keeping things really simple: to remain steady and present-minded focused, to be confident in our ability to compete and win with our process, and play one pitch at a time," Peña said.

Contact Rylan Crum with any questions at rylan.crum@bsu.edu or on X @RylanCrum

Tonight: We will see a low of 50 degrees tonight along with a line of thunderstorms brought on by a cold front. No severe risk for the thunderstorms but gusty winds can be expected.

Tomorrow: Temperatures are going to stay around the low-to-mid 50s with widespread rainfall around the area. Showers should be lasting through most of the day ending during the evening hours the the cold front makes its way south. Variable winds can still be expected at 10 to 15 mph.

Seven-Day Forecast: Starting Wednesday we will see a quick cool down with temperatures as a cold front makes its way through the area. Thursday will warm back to the high-70s but gusty winds will be blowing around the area. The warm temperatures will continue to linger around the area during the weekend with partly cloudy conditions. We will take another dip in temperature to 50 degrees on Sunday, but then slowly warm back up going to the next week.

-Weather Forecaster Jonas Hinderer

NewsLink Indiana is a proud Ambassador for the NOAA Weather-Ready Nation program.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X @NLIWeather for breaking weather updates.

For more information about the Weather-Ready Nation program please click HERE

Today: More than a breezy day here in Muncie with sustained winds at 20 mph and gusts up to 30 mph. Our high temperature is 77 degrees, but these warm spring temperatures will not stick around for long, especially with so much precipitation in the near future.

Tonight: Expect rain starting this evening with spotty thunderstorms close to midnight. Precipitation totals are expected to be between half and three quarters of an inch. Tonight's temperature is going to drop to 55 degrees for our low tonight and winds will sit just below 20 mph.

Tomorrow: It is going to be a rainy spring day tomorrow with a 90% chance of rain for the day. Temperatures are going to drop throughout the day from 56 degrees at 8 AM down to 51 degrees at 5 PM. We may get a slight break from the rain later into tomorrow, but it should be persistent through most of the day.

Seven-Day Forecast: The next four day are going to feature quite a storm that will start-off bring us cold temperatures and possible thunderstorms, but on days two and three, we will get some warmer temperatures. Into the weekend the rain will slow down and temperatures are going to sit in the 70s until Sunday when we see a drop once again. Early next week will be clear and mild compared to the turbulent conditions that will show themselves for the next few days.

-Weather Forecaster Daphne Gibaud

NewsLink Indiana is a proud Ambassador for the NOAA Weather-Ready Nation program.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X @NLIWeather for breaking weather updates.

For more information about the Weather-Ready Nation program please clickHERE

While Palmer Phillips and Camden Debyle don't play on the field, their impact is everywhere. These managers are essential to everyone in this dugout they found more than just a job.

It's a workload fans rarely see but the players feel it everyday Ball State Baseball's Head Coach Rich Maloney, says that the behind the scenes effort is what truly dines their identity on the field.

"They're a big part of the team and they do all the little things that really help the team that nobody sees. Well, some of the players see it but I mean, you know behind the scenes stuff," Head Coach Rich Maloney said.

Student manager, Camden Debyle, is the anchor in the shadows of the behind-the-scenes hustle. While the scoreboard records the runs, Debyle records the data and heavy lifting of supporting this team.

"Fans wouldn't realize I'm responsible for just like the behind the scenes stuff like tracking the pitches is my main job during the games. Also just like picking up during practice like helping out with BP when I need to, feeding machines during bunts, just a lot of practice work that fans obviously don't realize" Debyle said.

While they might not get cheers on the field, they're the glue that holds the team together and here, they're surrounded by players and coaches that appreciate their work in a dugout that feels just like home. For more information visit Ball State Baseball's website.

Contact Emma Bergman with comments at emma.bergman@bsu.edu.

Viveka asks Ball State students the Byte-ing Question, "which fictional location would you visit"?

Anchor: Viveka Fox
Video Editing: Ian Fraser
Camera-Person: Ian Fraser
Director: Ian Fraser
Thumbnail: Ian Fraser
Intro Graphics: Ryan Minter & Ian Fraser
Graphics: Taylor Sheridan, Evan Fischer
Music: Jack McGinnis

To navigate her recovery, Lester now uses resources through Little Red Door Cancer Agency, a nonprofit organization that supports cancer patients and survivors during all stages of treatment and remission.

Upon her initial diagnosis, Lester's doctors informed her of a large tumor they discovered in her brain, as well as numerous cancer cells spread throughout her body in the form of lymphoma, which Mayo Clinic defines as a cancer that affects the lymphatic system of the body.

After months of medication to prevent further seizures, Lester underwent an operation to remove the tumor from her brain. However, her doctor informed her that the surgery came with a sacrifice: she had to choose between keeping her hearing or her speech.

Her doctors said the operation would remove a significant portion of the tumor, and as a result, certain neural abilities could be affected.

To continue her work as a health advocate for Community Hospital, Lester chose to keep her hearing.

"I said I'd rather be able to hear because I can help people. I can hear their story, and I can help them," Lester said.

When her family visited her in the hospital after the surgery, her daughters surrounded her for comfort, as the surgery was completed without the loss of Lester's hearing or voice.

At that moment, Lester recalled how she raised a hand and said, "Thank you, Lord. I can hear. I can speak."

Since her surgery, Lester has been on radiation and chemotherapy for a year for the remaining Lymphoma in her body, but during the process, she sustained hair loss.

Before her treatments, Lester said she had never worn a wig before, but she was allowed to receive one from Michelle's Boutique, completely free of charge.

Michelle's Boutique is one of the many services provided by the Little Red Door Cancer Agency, where every client is granted one free wig upon a cancer diagnosis.

At its Indianapolis office, Lester said the boutique resembles any other hairdresser's space. It is fitted with rows of wigs that are available to clients of Little Red Door. Clients with lymphedema are also provided with a comfortable garment used to compress tissue swollen from the cancer.

According to Mayo Clinic, patients with lymphedema will have swelling in areas of the body that are often drained by lymph nodes. These nodes can be damaged or removed during cancer treatments.

Clients can also try on as many wigs as they would like, and the agency does not require appointments in order to do so. The clients' photographs are also taken and displayed on the boutique's wall to commemorate the step in their survivorship journey.

"[Wearing a wig] gave me some confidence," Lester said. "If you have a cap on, you can see [people] know something's going on with you. I don't want to be treated differently."

Little Red Door has offices in Muncie and Indianapolis. At both locations, clients have access to Michelle's Boutique, as well as free nutrition-boosting drinks, paid ride services to doctor's appointments, exercise programs and trained oncology massage therapists.

Angie Simon, a massage therapist working at the agency's Muncie branch since 2024, said massage therapy is a popular service at Little Red Door.

Simon herself is a cancer survivor and was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. With more than 20 years of experience as a massage therapist, she was inspired to seek certification for oncological massage therapy after going into remission.

She said oncological massage therapy, in particular, is a form of pain relief requiring extra training to perform. Simon explained how caution and knowledge of the body's process of circulating substances used for chemotherapy are needed for it to be successful.

Any improper massage movements to the body can also move these substances unnecessarily fast and cause discomfort for the client, she said, which can intimidate some massage therapists from learning.

Still, providing services to those who are in the same or similar circumstances as her means "everything" to Simon.

She said she finds satisfaction in her work from the effect it has on her clients, as she believes it gives them "a moment of peace" on days filled with anxious feelings.

Simon said she also sees the restorative nature of her work, since it replaces the common discomforting feelings associated with touch in the medical process.

"With massage, it kind of gives back the positive to touch so it's not always a negative touch experience," she said.

One of her clients, Earlie Dewayne Davis, has been receiving massage therapy for more than two months. Davis was diagnosed with throat cancer seven years ago after doctors discovered cancer forming on the lining of the organs, known as a carcinoma, in the back of his throat.

After treatment, Davis's cancer went into remission five years ago. As a survivor, he still has access to all the services Little Red Door offers.

"I'm learning that this service is very valuable to the community, and it offers a lot of programs I think the community is not aware of," Davis said.

According to the organization's website, Little Red Door offers programs for patients at every stage of their diagnosis and remission.

Its "Door to Wellness" initiative includes massage therapy as well as restorative yoga, sound baths and its "Strength After Breast Cancer" program, where survivors learn exercise techniques to reduce the "onset or worsening of breast cancer-related lymphedema."

However, the extent of cancer's effect is not limited to adults. According to the American Childhood Cancer Organization, approximately one in 285 children in the U.S. under the age of 20 will be diagnosed with cancer.

Bearing the reality of the disease in mind, the agency also hosts a summer camp for children diagnosed with cancer, no matter the stage in their journey.

According to the agency's website, Camp Little Red Door is a five-day experience in which children can bring a sibling or friend and meet other children facing similar circumstances. Activities such as zip-lining, archery and boating are offered to participants as well as nurses and medical staff.

"We try to make [patients'] journeys easier as much as we can," Rebecca Owen, a client navigator working for Little Red Door, said.

In her position, Owen helps direct clients to the organization's services. She also provides referrals to other services that Little Red Door does not offer itself, such as services that offer assistance to clients struggling to pay their bills.

To Owen, survivorship is not a term designated only for clients who have entered the remission stage of their cancer. She said survivorship status should also be provided to clients at any point in their journey.

For clients who have been in remission for years, Owen said she believes that many of them still have "scanxiety" of their cancer returning, creating uneasy feelings about doctor checkups.

However, as someone in the process of survivorship, Simon said she believes Little Red Door takes charge in providing a service often overlooked by some service providers.

"I think there was a big step there that was missing where they didn't take care of [patients] after the cancer, which I think [Little] Red Door steps up and does," Simon said.

Contact Ryan Fleek via email at ryan.fleek@bsu.edu.

I was the kid on the playground that got pushed by his aide in his wheelchair, would talk to friends and see my siblings soar across the playground, being brave enough to be part of four square or being pushed on the swings from time to time.

I did not know it then, but I was being held back by a sense of not knowing my limitations. I was in a wheelchair and did not understand that I did not really fit in on a typical playground setting in elementary school.

I was a manager for my sibling's soccer team, sitting on the sidelines, cheering them on. I eventually went into adapted sports, like Miracle League baseball and TOPSoccer, but I did not really find a community of people who looked like me.

My younger self did not think that anybody I would meet would be able to get along with me because of the ignorance barriers a five-year-old mind might have in trying to depict a suitable playmate.

Traditionally, they do not come with images and depictions of what someone with a disability looks like compared to what your family looks. So, even facing that challenge as a child was not easy, and understanding the concept of a community was hard in the landscape of a kid's mind.

So, when I was not attached to my siblings at the hip and causing a bunch of ruckus, I found my anchor in community, shows, cartoons, sports and later, crime dramas.

I do not often see protagonists or athletes and heroes that look like me. As a person with a disability, I tend to take that as a challenge to prove people wrong.

I think instead of getting closer to some of my disabled peers when I was younger, outside of the barrier of intellectual differences, that I was trying to prove to myself, and others, that a disabled person could fit that mold.

It was not always easy to keep up the pace in my manual wheelchair, even though my younger self adored my glow-in-the-dark wheelchair and my other wheelchair that had hot rod frames on them, courtesy of my Uncle Lee. It was not until middle school that I got my electric wheelchair, which was a mind-boggling perspective change for a middle schooler to go wherever he wanted, without having to worry about someone else pushing him around.

It was not really until COVID where, for the first time in my life, people were socially isolated and could finally understand how I felt throughout middle school and high school. But after the pandemic, I was taken out of the special education rooms and put into resource rooms.

For the first time in my educational career, I did not have an aide by my side all day. I did not have an adult looking over my shoulder and I could finally get into some high school shenanigans with my peers. I got my chance to hold my own in high school without the weight of always trying to be the perfect kid in the eyes of my aides.

I would not say I peaked in high school, but it was very beneficial for me to be integrated socially in a "typical" environment with my peers.

In my community, there will always be somebody that does not think they are going to be able to fit in. And to that person, I want you to know that you will find your people.

Last summer I was fortunate enough to meet a group of people that changed my perspective on what "community" means. Maybe your community will not look like this, and that is okay. Everyone has the wonderful opportunity, being their own person, to live their own life.

The community that I found myself in a couple hours away from home last summer, would have thrown my younger self through a few loops. The Fehribach community, donned by the interns that came before me, started as a pilot program here at Ball State University.

The program was started to try and combat the low number of college-aged individuals with disabilities that could not find internships that aligned with disabled students' aspirations after graduation.

A couple years after that pilot program, with help of Eskenazi Health, it turned into a full-on partnership and the Gregory S. Fehribach Center was born. Fast forward to last summer, the program had around 50 internships on Eskenazi campus, and divided them with local partnerships and remote opportunities such as Eli Lilly and State Farm, alongside BraunAbility.

Having these community partners take part in the initiative to close the gap of college-educated graduates with disabilities who need a bench to plateau their career offers, and it expanded across state lines to work with other universities, not just Ball State.

Learning about the program, I was regaled with stories about interns bonding and becoming a community, no matter where they came from, what school they went to or their disability. Nothing was going to stop them from being part of a bunch of disabled people chasing their dreams and wanting to be part of something bigger than themselves.

What was shocking to me was that I had never seen pictures or videos of disabled people collaborating and going through life together on this level while growing up. I was exposed to it a little bit during my first couple years of college, but nothing on this scale.

I was a little apprehensive because, of course, when it was my turn to be part of this community, our country's stance on the value of being different dramatically shifted. I was placed in Eskenazi's public relations department, and I did not know the first thing about public relations at the time.

All of the interns were housed at Indianapolis University, located directly across from the hospital, to create a sense of camaraderie and community within the interns. It took us a little while to mesh, but once we did, we were off to the races.

I met Mo Martrell, a student athlete who played wheelchair basketball. During my time there, Martrell was competing overseas with the U.S. in a tournament. I met Ian from Mizzou who was working in the pharmacy, Chris from Purdue and Maggie, who lived right across the road from where I grew up in Ohio, from Wright State University. I met Elora from Michigan who was attending Grand Rapids Community College, as well as interns like Anna, who was right here from Ball State and John, who graduated and was going to get a job in the Eskenazi compliance department and many others who participated in the summer program.

They all had their disability piece that fit into the greater community, but they helped make my time there special, and we wrote our names into the Fairbach program together in hopes to not only build a bond for ourselves, but future participants.

The center would not only have weekly educational sessions with partners and community leaders to help us build on resources that could help us in our future career endeavors, but we also had community engagements. Once, we even went to an Indianapolis Indians game, and those community engagements turned into fun, impromptu nights out on the town.

I have never been good at goodbyes. Even as a storyteller, I have never liked getting to the end of a TV show or book. So, it was hard to say goodbye to those moments and people that made my summer one where I did not feel like I had to put on a mask to fit in.

It turns out that I was a perfect fit for the public relations department, after all. I got to see a team unite together to tell impactful stories, not just to make the hospital look good, but to make a positive impact on people's lives every day.

One moment that stood out to me was with my coworker, Katie. At the Black Expo in Indianapolis, the biggest event that Eskenazi Health does, Katie offered to show me around. But at every booth we visited, I sensed an all too familiar tension - people talking to me in a baby voice.

On the way back, I told Katie that people seemed to think that she was either my caregiver or my parent, and she was surprised and claimed that she had no idea. It really showed me the genuine connections between departments and interns, extending beyond just the work in the office.

I want to say thank you to Todd, Julianne, Leah, Allison and other members of the team for letting me intrude on your office for three months, letting me get to know all of you and getting to make an impact together. Along the way, I hope I had an impact on the team, because you guys certainly had a positive impact on me and added to this center's rich history.

People will say the interns are inspirational. Still, it is a team effort, and the public relations department stood by me and told other intern stories. We even got to make a little movie showcasing the wonderful individuals who, no matter their ability, made the hospital the best it could be while we were there. In contrast, Eskenazi stood by the program at a time when standing behind differences was not always acceptable and sometimes even frowned upon.

This story is not only to show that people should not have to feel like they are outcasts, have to put on a mask to fit in or that they have to move a certain way to keep up. The Fehribach Center is an example that once we put our heads together, people with disabilities and those without can not only work together, but thrive together to improve our society together.

The center works with people who have varying levels of disability progression and who paved the way for me, and all the other interns this past summer, to thrive. Some of those people are no longer with us, and their lives serve as a beacon of what is possible for us, and future generations to come, that the Fehribach community can be more than just the exception in Indianapolis, but can become the rule for so many across the country.

Contact Dillon Rosenlieb via email at dillon.rosenlieb@bsu.edu.

Tonight: Strong winds blowing from the South Southwest help ensure temperatures tonight stay warm and consistent. To add to this, moisture will also help support these temperatures as it'll start to feel a little more humid. Surface winds assisted with strong wind gusts will blow you away tonight as these gusts only continue to strengthen into tomorrow - gusts as high as 40 mph. With all these warmer elements moving in, along with cooler upper levels from the past couple of days, cloud formation is more favorable. 

Tomorrow: Temperatures on Tuesday are really going to make some big leaps throughout the day as ridging remains stable. The main concern for midday tomorrow would have to be the wind gusts. Surface winds assisted with improved gusting shows a trend of increasing wind speeds throughout the afternoon into early evening hours, especially as a developing low-pressure system advances closer to our area. For our later hours, a temperature uprise assisted with increased moisture levels, all combined with a plowing cold front creates instability for our area. As of right now, Muncie is just barely out of a Level 2 (Marginal Risk) for severe weather. The further Northeast the low-pressure system moves, the higher chances that more severe storms will follow, giving high confidence that the Muncie area will not receive any severe weather. Note on General thunderstorms: All thunderstorms can produce deadly lightning, gusty winds and even small hail. Always stay weather aware.  

Seven-Day Forecast: From Tuesday, conditions throughout this week look to be very wet and humid. As we take a glance at Wednesday, isolated rain showers will continue in from Tuesday evening. Wednesday's system looks a bit messier than Tuesday. Any energy supporting storm production has lowered, whereas the likelihood of more downpouring has increased. Winds continuing to blow from the Southwest continue to support warm air keeping temperatures & moisture levels pretty high. Flooding could possibly be an issue though, but with probability of isolated showers or continuous rainfall, is still being monitored. For Thursday, another low-pressure system moving from the Southwest will make its way towards our area supporting a more rainy environment throughout afternoon into early evening. With this, confidence is more high of precipitation occurring. Moving into Friday humid air continues to remain in the area, but with a lack of ridging or frontal assistance, there aren't enough elements to support storm development. Isolated rain showers are the likely trend for Friday. Saturday night looks to be the grand finale of everything as a cold front pushes through. With continuous humidity and warming winds throughout midday, the evening cold front will create more widespread rainfall than some of the previous days creating cooler temperatures. On Sunday everything will calm down, bringing our environment back into a high-pressured state. Skies will hopefully be clearing out making way for a sunny Easter.  

- Weather Forecaster Rachel Fulton

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X @NLIWeather for breaking weather updates.

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Ball State made history last season. The Cardinals won the Mid-American Conference (MAC) for the first time since 2009, and only the second time in program history. But the departures of some of the players from that team left big shoes to fill.

Head coach Brady Sallee only brought back four players from the previous season, and a lot of people thought it would be a rebuilding season in Muncie. But Sallee said he "wasn't going to hear it," and that he knew the talent he had on the roster.

Despite a number of new faces on the roster, Ball State ended the season with a 26-7 record, and tied Miami (OH) for first place in the MAC with a record of 16-2.

Sallee said that when he steps back and thinks about what the team was able to accomplish, it is "mind-numbing."

"In a very short amount of time, they became one of the best teams we've had come through here," Sallee said.

The head coach said there are certain character traits that he and his staff look for when recruiting new players to bring into the program. Sallee said that in recruiting, he and his staff do not always "bat a thousand," but he said they did this season.

"You get a group of kids that want what comes with wearing this jersey, and they buy in so quickly to what comes with wearing this jersey," Sallee said. "It just kind of took off from there."

Senior forward Bree Salenbien decided to use her last year of college eligibility at Ball State, as the forward decided to come back from a year of injury for one more season. Salenbien said she is in "awe" of what the team was able to accomplish this season.

Even with so many new players, the Cardinals soared to a 26-win season.

"We really took that time to bond, and I think that's a really important part of basketball and team chemistry, especially when you haven't played with everyone," Salenbien said.

Norman came from Butler after entering the transfer portal, and she said she was looking for a place to win and a place to play for something bigger than herself.

"I definitely think I found that here," Norman said. "We might not have won the tournament, but we did win a lot of games, and we were super successful, and I think there's a lot more to come of that too."

Despite all the success the team had, the season did not end how anyone expected it to. The Cardinals fell to a Toledo team they had beaten twice in the regular season, 69-65, in the MAC semifinals, which ended their season.

After the game, Sallee, Salenbien and Norman said they were preparing to play more basketball, with them expecting an invitation to the Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT).

But the team did not receive an invitation.

The game against Toledo effectively ended Salenbien's basketball career, and the forward said it was hard to swallow that the team was left out of the tournament.

"We do still not understand why we didn't get picked, and I think it'll forever go down as that," Salenbien said. "It was just sucky for it to end like that."

Although Sallee and his team did not agree with the NCAA's decision to keep the Cardinals out of the WBIT, the head coach said the team still had to look in the mirror and not become a victim.

"We talked about owning our part in it," Sallee said. "We didn't play well in that semifinal game and we certainly were in control of continuing our season."

The part Norman said was hard was that the team did not have closure on how the season ended. Although the decision was one that shocked the team, Norman said she has already talked to coaches and the rest of the team about how they can use it as motivation next season.

"They're trying to get answers, but sometimes there's just not an answer," Norman said. "Just using that motivation going forward next year."

The Cardinals have a lot to be excited about moving forward, as multiple key pieces are slated to return to the team. Salenbien is done due to graduating, and a few players have decided to enter the transfer portal, but for the most part, the team's key pieces from this season will be back.

Norman said it is a huge blessing that the team connected quickly this season, and the guard is excited for year two with the team, with the ability to only build on this year's success.

"We already have the foundation and all we have to do is build on it and keep getting better every day together," Norman said.

Although Salenbien cannot be part of the team next season, she said she is excited to see what the returning Cardinals can do next season.

"I think this year was such a good foundation for them to really bring them into the system, bring them into what coach Brady [Sallee] wants," Salenbien said. "I think they have a lot of big things ahead of them."

The closeness of the team is something that was evident in the way they played. Fans could see the fun the team was having on social media, whether it was in press conferences or videos from the locker room after games.

Sallee said throughout his career, he has coached some special groups, and he has seen almost year after year how close knit his teams can be. But the head coach said that this season, it was "transcending" to see how close the team was from the oldest players on the team to the youngest.

Most of the team this season was entering their first season in Muncie, and the primary returners, sophomore guard Grace Kingery and senior center Tessa Towers, were in new starting roles. Sallee said the commonality of the team made them bond together.

"I think that made it a little bit easier to connect and to be empathetic and sympathetic at times and understand what everybody was going through because we were all going through it together for the first time," Sallee said.

Salenbien will leave big shoes to fill for next season's team. All season, Sallee talked about how Salenbien was always a calming voice for the team during games, and how he saw her step in as a leader of the team from day one.

The forward led the team in scoring all year with 15.8 points per game. For a team that played through Salenbien so much, her absence next season will be evident.

"On top of having a great year and scoring a bunch of points, I think her legacy will be as much about her ability to lead 12 other brand new players and lead them to where she did," Sallee said.

Although it will be tough to lose an impactful player like Salenbien, Sallee is confident in his team's ability to keep winning. The head coach referenced when the program's all time leading scorer, Nathalie Fontaine, graduated in 2016, which left a hole on the team.

The Cardinals kept winning after that season, and Sallee has that same expectation even after Salenbien's departure.

"It doesn't mean the job's not big, it just means we know what to do and how to do it," Sallee said.

Sallee said that if he went out and tried to get a carbon copy of Salenbien, he would set himself up for failure. The head coach said players like that are special for a reason, because it is next to impossible to find a player like them.

He said the thing it comes down to is how the system is.

"I think the key is, can you have a system that you fill up with talent and then you figure out a way to use that talent," Sallee said.

Salenbien said that Ball State's system was a huge part in her finding her role on the team. The forward's game grew significantly in her year at Ball State after a handful of injury riddled seasons at Gonzaga.

"The system here has something to do with it as well," Salenbien said. "You're not trying to fit players into a system here, you're really fitting the system to the players you have."

There is a lot to be excited about for what is brewing in Muncie. If the Cardinals won 26 games with a nearly brand new squad, it seems the sky is the limit next season for Sallee and company.

Contact Kyle Stout with questions via email at kyle.stout@bsu.edu or on X @kylestoutdailyn.

Senior Maria Nevins, the general manager of WCRD radio at Ball State University, oversees all the work done in each of the studio's departments and runs meetings for new and upcoming members. Senior Zack Vance, the assistant manager, helps disperse new members into different departments and assists with technical issues in the studio.

The non-profit student-run organization hosts various shows during the week that cater to a variety of audiences.

WCRD has two studios, Studio A for live broadcasts and shows, and Studio B for podcast or student project recordings. Both studios provide flexibility for students in creating content, and they are able to join the club as a means to use the space.

The antenna they use to deliver radio frequencies (RF) is atop the Teacher's College, and it reaches audiences like students, faculty and community members within a 30-minute radius.

Unlike typical radio stations, WCRD doesn't have a set type of standards for how they run or what shows they play.

"I just love the freedom of being able to come and you can have any show you want, any type of music you want," Zack said.

Music played over the station has a wide diversity with tracks dating back to the 50's, the same decade when the studio first originated.

Originally owned by students of the Muncie Community School District, the station was known as WWHI until it was bought by Ball State in 2004 for a single dollar that is proudly framed in the office today. In 2022, Ball State bought the license to officially call it WCRD.

The call sign for WCRD stands for "Cardinal Radio Dave," attributing the credit to David Letterman, who helped fund the AM carrier current in the 1980s until it became FM, as it is today.

Before AM broadcasting existed for WCRD, cables were set up in each dorm building and the radios were mounted inside the walls. This provided easy access to students who wanted to turn the radio up or change the station.

WCRD first started out with only four student members after being officially named in 2022, but when they decided they needed to focus on documentation and consistency like their predecessors, the small number grew to 81 in three years.

Zack has been with the station for four years, and Maria for three years, and both students are set to graduate in May of this year. Their positions will be taken by undergraduates at the end of the spring semester.

Student life balanced with work life can sometimes be complicated, but it does come with its benefits. Both Maria and Zack still love what they do and receive course credit for their work.

They both hope to see WCRD grow in numbers, as well as the industry itself.

"That's what I'm going to school for. I want to work in the radio industry, so I'm just hoping to see it grow," Maria said.

Students hoping to follow the path of professionals in the radio industry not only need to know the structure of radio stations, but also the science behind the equipment as well.

According to ScienceInsights, "Radio frequencies are invisible waves of energy belonging to the electromagnetic spectrum that travel through the air at the speed of light." These waves power every wireless device or system, like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, television and radio.

Stan Sollars, host of Indiana Public Radio's (IPR) morning show, plays a part in the newscasting and weather reports of IPR. As a second job, he is a senior lecturer in the Department of Media at Ball State University and teaches students about vocal performance and sound design.

Stan said in the IPR station, the staff converts spoken words into electrical signals through microphones and into analog receivers. Then, a signal known as the studio-to-transmitter link is sent between transmitters across an area to receive sound as it is produced.

In this case, IPR covers areas from the southwest side of Fort Wayne to the northeast side of Indianapolis, including Delaware County.

The RF they use is turned up high, so no other radio can tune in unless a radio engineer has a special device.

Then, the high-frequency currents are received from the IPR station at the Muncie antennas and transmitters, and finally amplified into a voice. It is essentially a ping-pong game between antennas and transmitters with the sound waves.

Most frequencies have to be modulated for proper travel, and then demodulated for the voice to be understood. According to the American Electronics Association (AEANET), "The demodulation process reverses the modulation, converting the varying amplitude, frequency, or phase back into the audio or data signal."

Despite the audio being recorded with older technology at IPR, there is a unique way to preserve and transfer recordings to digital.

Stan has a collection of digital cassette tapes from a former show on the NPR network called Rock and Roll America. He was able to transfer the audio in a digital audio tape machine, and after the magnetic tape was spliced as needed, it was transferred to the computer and saved on the new tapes.

"I've got magnetic tape in there that I've transferred over to digital. And so we've got to keep moving our work forward in formats that will survive," Stan said.

As the digital age continuously develops, it's important for radio stations to understand current audiences.

In local radio, it is important to promote what interests the public, as well as respect their time and the energy that they have in listening to a certain radio program.

"I hope that those of us in mass media, including podcasts, will remember to respect the audience. Know that the audience is busy and that the audience is worthy of our best work," Stan said.

As hope sparks within FM radio, the retail demand for radio has seen growth in recent years.

Mark Osborne, owner of RadioShack/Osborne Electronics in Rushville, Indiana, began working for an official RadioShack store in 1979, eventually establishing a franchise store a decade later.

He sells various consumer electronics, including radios, batteries, cables and portable devices.

Radio as a hobby is a topic Mark frequently discusses with his clients, and there is currently a trend to collect radios or older technology.

"The memory of radio has kind of drifted through to the newer generation, and they're interested in it. There [are] a lot of kids today that like to pick up Goodwill finds and turn them into working devices," Mark said.

All devices are connected to radio waves, but there is a span of difference between each device in terms of their frequency levels.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) website includes information on how people can look up what radio frequency their devices are on, which can inspire and inform hobbyists going into radio collecting.

Shortwave radio, radios that are only 3 to 30 mHz and used portably, is a fading medium that used to be more music-centered. The current demand for talk radio and the weaker range of shortwave radio cause the loss of their spark for radio users.

Despite this, Mark is adamant that radio will not become a medium that comes to pass.

One of the newest recurring trends in radio is the General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS), a two-way short to mid-range communication system that allows families or friends to talk when phone service isn't available, such as in emergencies. Citizens Band Radio (CB) is also popular, but doesn't require a license like GMRS.

Radio is an educational hobby; it holds value in the real world because a young radio hobbyist can someday become a radio engineer or a radio host. Radio as a medium of entertainment and practicality is a long way from becoming obsolete.

"I don't think it's going to become obsolete or [stop]. It will continue to go on the level it's at, or maybe slightly higher," Mark said.

Radio is a vital field in today's society. Though it is commonly thought to be overshadowed by modern technology trends, how radio affects people's careers and livelihoods is not something to be ignored. Radio is far from dying; it is simply riding the waves of life as it disperses.

This article is a part of Ball Bearings Spring 2026 magazine: Waves. Read more stories online at ballbearingsmag.com and pick up the print edition of the magazine across Ball State's campus April 16.

Spring Festival

Join the Residence Hall Association for good vibes, great food, and fun with friends! The first 150 attendees get a FREE food item from any vendor! Don't miss out on music, food trucks, and a perfect spring evening.

• Price: Free
• Location: North Neighborhood Firepit
• Date and Time: Monday, March 30, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Bob Dylan: Rough and Rowdy Ways

Come see Bob Dylan's Rough and Rowdy Ways tour! Bob Dylan is one of the greatest songwriters of all time. As a musician, he has shaped popular music in innumerable ways - from inspiring the Beatles and bringing folk-rock into the mainstream to proving that electric guitars could be as revolutionary as acoustic ones. Bob Dylan's career has lasted the better part of sixty years now! This show will be a phone-free experience. All phones will be secured in Yondr pouches at the beginning of the event.

• Price: Adult: $149.50, $134.50, $89.50, $59.50
• Location: Emens Auditorium
• Date and Time: Tuesday, March 31, at 8:00 p.m.

Facing Recovery Listening Circle

Members of the Recovery Café in Muncie will share their stories of recovery from challenges such as substance use disorder, homelessness, domestic violence, disability, and grief. Attendees will receive a free copy of the book, Facing Recovery (volume 2), a Facing Project co-authored by students in Dr. Kathryn Ludwig's immersive first-year writing course, "Writing for Change." The evening offers an opportunity to learn about recovery and reflect on the healing power of storytelling.

• Price: Free
• Location: Minnetrista Museum and Gardens, Indiana Room
• Date and Time: Monday, March 30, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Anti-Procrastination Night

Get a head start on the end-of-semester crunch! Join Bracken for focused productivity sessions, and get help with research, writing projects, presentations or public speaking, and math assignments. This event will help you tackle final projects and papers - and leave with your work well on its way to done. There will also be free food and prizes!

• Price: Free
• Location: Bracken Library
• Date and Time: Monday, March 30, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Ball State went 1-2 on the weekend, dropping the first pair of games before a dominant 6-2 win the cap off the weekend.

Although the weekend did not go as planned for the Cardinals, Head Coach Helen Peña still has immense faith in this squad as they get into the thick of conference play.

"I want the team to keep fighting, keep showing up and responding the way they have been. The goal is to uphold our standards on and off the field and continue to stay process-oriented in these moments. If we can stay true to who we are, stay committed to our values and systems, we'll start to build momentum," Peña said.

As the weekend series did not go entirely in the Cardinals favor, one of the bright spots was senior infielder and pitcher Ella Whitney, one of the team's key leaders this season.

Whitney currently has a 5-3 record on the mound this season, with her last outing being game one against Toledo where she let up eight hits, the same amount the Rockets gave up. On the offensive side, Whitney recorded three hits and two runs scored on the weekend.

"Ella is a true team player, and that's exactly what you want to see in a senior leader," Peña said. "She enjoys her teammates' success as much as her own, and her heart and selflessness are what also make her a great asset and teammate."

The biggest thing to get out of this series for Peña was momentum. Even though Ball State dropped the first two games, they came out and dominated in the third, setting up a whole lot of momentum for the team heading into next week's slate of games.

"That's exactly what we want right now is momentum, and to build and learn from our tough moments so that we can be better because of them. If we can keep it simple, compete pitch to pitch, and trust our body of work, then we'll get there," Peña said.

Looking ahead, Ball State will travel to Indianapolis on March 31 to take on in-state school IU Indianapolis.

Contact Rylan Crum with questions @rylan.crum@bsu.edu or on X at RylanCrum.

"I am really excited about that as a coach, you can't really teach that, to want them to want to play baseball, they just want to. That's such a cool thing for me. I think we got a lot of guys that want to get really good at the game and that on its own just really excites me," Van Pelt said.

The upperclassmen on this roster know what it takes to win big, but Senior shortstop Everett Linn still believes in prioritizing the small details.

"I'm focusing on the little stuff. Picking balls, playing clean, barrelling baseballs, the simple stuff that translates to the game and wins championships", Linn said.

The Eagles are in for a potential sectional three-peat this season. Even with the thought of winning three in a row, Van Pelt recognizes how important it is to focus on the now.

"Yes, that's in the thought process because you want to be champs, but I think if you're solely focused on the future and not what's right here in front of you, that could cause some problems too," Van Pelt said.

Delta will travel to Guerin Catholic for their season opener on Monday, as they start their quest for more hardware.

Contact Aidan McNally with questions or comments at aidan.mcnally@bsu.edu

The program partnered with local Muncie business "Made in Muncie", which is a pottery studio and art gallery that allows artists to make their own art.

ADA vice president Alyssa Tedeschi says events like this one are opportunities to teach students about accessibility and how it can be used in any circumstance.

"We organize these events for students all across campus to come together and show how accessibility can be shown everywhere," Tedeschi said.

This stress on accessibility is one such challenge students and other people with disabilities face. Services like ramps and elevators that they use could be blocked off or out of use, which could be a challenge.

"Not a lot of people think about the students that need those opportunities to get places," Tedeschi said. "Some students don't feel like they're hurt as much."

Yet, she believes these events can help change how students see and think about disability and awareness. It can be done not just in transportation and getting around, but also in the way we speak.

"Just be aware of how you say things, how you talk, especially outside of events like this," Tedeschi said. "There are lots of things you could say that could be taken the wrong way."

So, whether painting a pottery turtle or sharing the elevator, we can all do our part to make everyone feel included in everything we do. One action at a time.

Contact Evan Shotts with comments at evan.shotts@bsu.edu.