The results come after months of political threats, and an estimated $9 million in spending to back primary challengers against the incumbents. The incumbents' losses show Trump's continued strength in the state.

In a statement, U.S. Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind) said the wins should send a message.

"Everyone in Indiana politics should have learned an important lesson today: President Trump is the single most popular Republican among Hoosier voters," Banks said in a statement. "Indiana is a conservative state, and we deserve conservatives in our State Senate who have a pulse on Republican voters."

Trump's push to redistrict was part of a nationwide effort to win more seats in Congress by redrawing state maps across the country, part of an effort to keep Republican control of the U.S. House. In Indiana, Republicans currently hold seven of the nine U.S. House seats. The proposed redistricted map targeted the two remaining Democratic strongholds to be more favorable to the GOP.

In November, Trump vowed that any Republican who voted against redrawing the state's congressional boundaries, "potentially having an impact on America itself, should be PRIMARIED."

In spite of Trump's threats, Indiana Senate Republicansrebuffed him, siding with Senate Democrats to kill the redistricting bill 31-19.

The reverberation of that Indiana vote was felt for months and played out on primary election day in Indiana.

It kicked off a flurry of campaign donations, national endorsements, and door-knocking led by various political groups aligned with the President - attracting national attention and boosting money spent on Indiana races.

Trump posted his supporton social mediafor primary candidates opposing incumbent Republicans on Election Day, saying "There are eight Great Patriots running against long seated RINOS - Let's see how those RINOS do tonight!"

As results came in Tuesday night, it became clear that Trump's push was largely successful.

Ball State is home to the nation's largest ground-source, closed-loop district geothermal energy system, according to its website. With construction beginning in May 2009, the process took nearly six years to complete, with the final stage being wrapped up in 2015. However, by March 2014, there was sufficient geothermal capacity to stop burning coal on campus. Ball State was burning nearly 10,000 tons of coal a year, using almost 40 year old equipment. Former Ball State University President, Jo Ann Gora, watched as the machinery continued to age and environmental regulations tightened. Jo Ann said she knew something had to change.

The "easiest path" would have been natural gas, the most common heating and cooling system practice in the country, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Residential Energy Consumption Survey; however Jo Ann had already signed the Talloires Declaration. The declaration is "the first official statement made by university presidents, chancellors, and rectors of a commitment to environmental sustainability in higher education." Its 10 point action plan aims to incorporate sustainability and environmental literacy, and has been signed by over 500 university leaders in over 50 countries.

"If the closed-loop geothermal system worked, it would be a milestone in reducing our carbon footprint and HVAC costs, long term," Jo Ann said. The decision did not just have environmental benefits, something Jo Ann said was also on her mind when approaching the project. Given the fact that the system is one-of-a-kind, visitors were coming from both in and outside of the country to get a better understanding of the system and the construction process.

The project also functioned as an immersive learning experience for students on campus. Professor of Geological Sciences Klaus Neumann said a few of the boreholes, a hole dug deep into the ground that works within the geothermal system, were drilled specifically for the department. This allowed students to observe, monitor and graph different data points. Jo Ann said that in her 10 years as university president, the geothermal project was one of many ways she tried to set Ball State apart from other universities.

"Just as introducing immersive learning as the hallmark of our undergraduate education had put us on the map in Indiana and in the country, I knew installing the geothermal system could do the same thing for us," Jo Ann said.

The benefits of implementing the geothermal system were also financial. Klaus, who monitored groundwater near the bore fields during construction, noted that natural gas prices were climbing in the early 2000s when the decision to switch to geothermal was being made. He implied that because Ball State had not known that an increase in national drilling for fracking would soon be made, and completely flip the price of natural gas, the geothermal system was the university's best option.

Jim Lowe, who served as Ball State's associate vice president for facilities planning and management, oversaw every phase of construction on the project. He described the system as "a big bank account" for heat, one that sits at a steady 55 degrees year-round. Jim said that the geothermal system functions by taking advantage of storing thermal energy. In the summer, excess heat pulled from campus buildings gets deposited into the ground through the geothermal systems' network of pipes. In the winter, that stored energy is withdrawn and used to warm those same buildings.

Jim said it is the same principle as the refrigerator in your house, moving heat from one place to another, rather than creating cold from scratch, which is why the back of your refrigerator is warm. Ball State's geothermal equipment works as a vertical closed-loop system that uses fresh water. 3,600 boreholes make up the system, each 6 inches in diameter and ranging between 400 to 500 feet deep, almost five times the height of the university's Teachers College.

Klaus, who monitored groundwater near the bore fields during construction, explained that the ground beneath the university is made up of three distinct layers, each with their own degree of difficulty to move water through. At the top sits glacial drift, a mix of sand, gravel and boulders from retreating glaciers during the last Ice Age, spanning anywhere from 5 to 50 feet deep. The next layer below is dense shale, tightly packed and somewhat impermeable, meaning water cannot pass through it at all. Deeper than that, hundreds of feet down, are beds of limestone, fractured and riddled with cracks and small caves, allowing groundwater to flow freely.

Water conducts heat more efficiently than dry rock, making the limestone layer an ideal medium for the closed-loop pipes. "Groundwater moves through cracks and crevices down here, and it pretty much freely flows through here, because there's sand in here," Klaus said. "If you want to transfer heat, you love to have water, because within water, you move heat much faster."

Additionally, each borehole contains piping that combines for a total of 5,280,000 feet, laid traveling down each borehole and back up. These boreholes connect to one another and two on-campus energy stations. Presently, the soccer field on the north end of campus looks like any other, but during the system's construction, Klaus described it as looking like a "moon landscape." Trucks moved across torn-up parts of the earth, while around ten drilling rigs ran simultaneously, each individual borehole taking days to complete.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to install a system that large, that big. It was a very daunting, exciting, strategic endeavor," Jim said. "I knew at the end, Ball State would have a system they could be proud of for decades to come."

While geothermal benefits Ball State's campus, it does not come without complications. The system was designed to function within a climate that has changed since construction began. Warmer winters mean less heat needs to be pulled from the ground and hotter summers push more heat in. This means the university has to supplement the system with gas-driven equipment to help manage the difference.

The pipes beneath campus have a long life expectancy and equipment inside the plants can be replaced and upgraded. Jim pointed to the original coal boilers, installed in 1941 and used for nearly six decades, as a reference point to how long things can last when they are cared for. The system, he said, will run until someone comes up with something better.

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

RELATED:Delaware County 2026 Primary Election: Winners, losers and key races

Candidates, volunteers and other community members sat in the room, mingling as numbers trickled in through the evening. The mood was positive from the start, a reflection of what Delaware County Republican Party Chair Tim Overton called a successful primary season.

"It's been friendly competition," Overton said. "It's been a unifying primary."

Overton, who described helping his party refocus after he took over the job, said he expects even stronger voter turnout heading into the general election in November.

That theme, voter turnout, ran through nearly every conversation in the room. County Council District 4 winner Jim Mochal put it plainly.

"The biggest thing is people need to get out and vote. Everybody's vote counts," he said. "... People say their vote won't count. Well, did you vote? No? Then I don't want to hear your complaint."

While not Delaware, nearby Randolph and Grant Counties saw single-digit margins in some of those local races.

In State House District 34, Richard Ivy edged out Randall McCallister 53.2% to 46.8% to claim the Republican nomination for a seat being vacated by retiring Rep. Sue Arrington.

Ivy said the win opens a door for the district.

"Now we [have] got a chance to take that seat back and add value to Muncie," he said, pointing to economic development along the I-69 corridor and job growth as his priorities.

Ivy also noted that sharing part of his district with State Senator Scott Alexander, who secured a 72% victory over challenger Katherine Nunley-Kritsch in District 26, could strengthen both of their positions.

"I believe that makes us even stronger because of [the] relationship we've built over the last several years," Ivy said.

Alexander echoed this, saying that his last four years of work at the State House are more than enough of a resume to showcase what the future holds for the county.

"We'll get out there and work harder than the other guys and end up with the victory in November," Alexander said.

Overton closed the night with an eye toward November, framing the contested primaries not as division but as a sign of a party with depth.

"We want to move Delaware County forward," he said. "We think we have candidates with a good platform. They're talented and qualified for the job, and we think Delaware County is headed to good places."

RELATED:County Democrats emphasize teamwork, engagement ahead of November

RELATED:Delaware County 2026 Primary Election: Winners, losers and key races

Amanda Dunnuck, the Democratic judge candidate for 46th Circuit Court 5, said she did not win alone. Dunnuck, the current Muncie City Court Judge, beat out Maricel Driscoll for the nomination.

"We work as a team," she said. "The weaker ones get joined by the stronger ones, and the stronger ones work to bring everybody together."

Others at the watch party focused on maintaining engagement beyond Tuesday night. Cameron Grubbs, Democratic candidate for Clerk of the Circuit Court, emphasized teamwork heading into the general election.

"We'll do this together," he said. "We are going to win, and they are going to be shocked at how bad they're going to lose."

Cody York, the Democratic candidate who ran unopposed for county council in District One, pointed to frustration among voters as a driving factor.

"I hope that our party is going to destroy in November," York said. "We're going to do that because people are angry."

York pointed out that voters are not seeing what they want to see and that it needs to be done.

"People are angry that they're not seeing the changes they want to see in Indianapolis, here in Muncie, in D.C., so we need to keep up that momentum that we're seeing. Get it out there, talk to people," York said. "Make those changes; they need to be changed."

Candidates discussed plans to prepare for the general election in November. For some, that means getting ready to knock on more doors.

"[I am] making sure that I'm meeting with people one on one and in groups and just spending the time getting to know them and putting across the things that I believe are important to people," Andrew Dale, chairperson for the Delaware County Democratic Party and Democratic candidate for state senator, said. "There's nothing more effective and more meaningful than actually knocking on doors and meeting people."

He added that his approach to office would extend beyond just his party affiliation.

"I represent Democrats, but ultimately I'm going to represent all the people," Dale said.

RELATED:Delaware County Republican Party optimistic following primary

Contact Ball State Daily News Editor-in-Chief, Cameron Noe, at editor@bsudailynews.com.

Voting locations closed without incident at 6 p.m., ending a day in which residents were able to cast ballots at any polling site rather than being assigned to a single precinct.

Throughout the day, volunteers and community members worked to support voters and monitor the process despite frequent rain showers.

Monique Vargas, board president of the nonpartisan organization Count US IN, said earlier that her goal was to ensure voters felt supported and encouraged to participate.

"Voting is important. It's one of the main civic duties that we can do and one of the easiest ways to make your voice heard," Vargas said.

RELATED:Primary election brings major change: voters no longer tied to one polling location

For the first time in a countywide primary, voters are no longer assigned to a single precinct. Now, Delaware County is using a vote center system, which allows residents to cast their ballot at any polling location.

Polls opened at 6 a.m. and will close at 6 p.m. Under the vote center model, voters can choose a location that is most convenient for them, whether that's near work, school or home.

Monique Vargas was one of the community members volunteering at the polls Tuesday morning. Vargas serves as the board president of Count US IN, a non-partisan non-profit organization whose mission is to "foster more inclusive and equitable political participation by encouraging a larger, more diverse voter turnout," according to its website.

Vargas was out at the polls to support voters and ensure they had a positive experience.
"Voting is important. It's one of the main civic duties that we can do and one of the easiest ways to make your voice heard," Vargas said.

She added that she wanted voters to feel like they matter.

"I just want to make sure people are supported at the polls and they feel like they have a memorable experience," she said.

Count US IN also operates an election hotline to track voter issues and report problems to the elections board.

Jake Dunnuck, a Muncie resident who has volunteered at the polls for years, said his involvement in local politics stems from his upbringing. His father, an attorney who served on the election board, instilled in him the belief that civic participation isn't optional.

"I think you've got to be a part of it," Dunnuck said.

He described the current political moment as a period of national transition, one he finds both significant and unsettling, particularly as a parent.

"My kids are smart, they're hardworking," he said, adding that he keeps showing up to the polls to set an example for them. "... I want them to vote. They have to have a voice."

The Ball State Daily News will have live election coverage on our website throughout the day, including results, which will start to be released after polls close at 6 p.m.

A full list of the Muncie vote centers:

Albany Fire Department

214 E State St, Albany, IN 47320

Avondale United Methodist Church

1314 W 10th St, Muncie, IN 47302

Boys & Girls Clubs of Muncie

1710 S Madison St, Muncie, IN 47302

Daleville Fire Department

14010 W Daleville Rd, Daleville, IN 47334

Delaware County Fairgrounds

1210 Wheeling Ave, Muncie, IN 47303

Delaware County Highway Garage

7700 E Jackson St, Muncie, IN 47302

Eaton Community Center

600 E Harris St, Eaton, IN 47338

First Brethren Church

101 S Morrison Rd, Muncie, IN 47304

First Presbyterian Church

1400 W Riverside Ave, Muncie, IN 47303

Friends Memorial Church

418 W Adams St, Muncie, IN 47305

Gaston Main Street Church

105 Main St, Gaston, IN 47342

Glad Tidings Church

3001 S Burlington Dr, Muncie, IN 47302

Hamilton Township Fire Station

8021 N State Road 3, Muncie, IN 47303

Harris Chapel Church

10450 S Co Rd 544 E, Selma, IN 47383

Liberty Baptist Church

9601 S Cowan Rd, Muncie, IN 47302

Lutheran Church of the Cross

4401 N Wheeling Ave, Muncie, IN 47304

New Life Presbyterian Church

8000 W River Rd, Yorktown, IN 47396

Northside Church of God

1505 N Tillotson Ave, Muncie, IN 47304

Roy C. Buley Center

1111 N Penn St, Muncie, IN 47303

Southside Middle School

1601 E 26th St, Muncie, IN 47302

St. Andrew Presbyterian Church

2700 W Moore Rd, Muncie, IN 47304

TRC Head Start

3900 E Wysor St, Muncie, IN 47303

Union Chapel Ministries

4622 N Broadway Ave, Muncie, IN 47303

University Christian Church

2400 N Nebo Rd, Muncie, IN 47304

Westminster Village

5801 W Bethel Ave, Muncie, IN 47304

Yorktown YMCA

200 S Co Rd 600 W, Yorktown, IN 47396

Voters must bring a valid ID, such as a driver's license or passport. Student IDs will not be accepted for this year's primary election. On the ballot, voters will decide party nominees for several local and state races, including U.S. Representative, State Senator, State Representative, etc. The winners will advance to the general election in November.

This story will be updated with more information as it becomes available. Summer Editor-in-Chief Cameron Noe and reporter TrinityRea contributed to this story.

Contact the BallState Daily News with comments ateditor@bsudailynews.com.

We have all seen "Jurassic Park." Scientists bring back dinosaurs, and everything falls apart from there. Anyone who has seen those movies can recognize the subtextual warning against playing God and bringing back animals once extinct.

Colossal Laboratories & Biosciences is not trying to bring back dinosaurs, but it is working to "de-extinct" a variety of animals and "jumpstart nature's ancestral heartbeat," according to their website.

Dire wolves, a prehistoric wolf that was larger and had stronger bites than the gray wolf, went extinct around 10,000 years ago, according to the National Park Service. This is likely due to the wolves not being able to adapt quickly enough to the end of the ice age.

In October 2024, the company had their first success by "bringing back" the dire wolves. Three puppies, two boys and one girl, were born by the names of Remus, Romulus and Khaleesi.

Before the scientists at Colossal began trying to "de-extinct" the dire wolves, they needed to recover the wolves' genome, or the whole sequence of DNA in an individual.

A group of scientists previously attempted to do the same, but they were only able to recover 0.1 percent of the dire wolf genome. According to Colossal, their team collected over 500 times more dire wolf DNA.

This is still only 50% of dire wolf DNA that has been uncovered, and even then, we cannot be sure what all of these genes do. Colossal had to use gray wolf DNA in order to "bring back" the dire wolves due to the lack of genetic material they had.

Using a gene-editing tool called spell out the acronym for idiots like me (CRISPR), the team edited only 14 genes in a gray wolf cell in order to create the dire wolf embryos. This means no actual dire wolf DNA was put into these gray wolves.

While dire wolves and gray wolves do share a lot of similar DNA, changing a few genes in gray wolves and calling it a dire wolf would be comparable to changing a few genes in a chimpanzee and calling it human.

This, is clearly a genetically modified gray wolf - not a dire wolf. Gray wolves have around 19,000 individual genes, and modifying 14 of them and claiming it is an entirely different species is laughable.

Dire wolves have not been brought back to life, and while some of the work Colossal has done is remarkable, all they did was genetically modify a gray wolf.

But this is not where they are stopping. Colossal has stated on its website that it has plans to bring back other extinct animals, such as the woolly mammoth.

The woolly mammoth went extinct around 4,000 years ago due to the climate naturally changing and over-hunting, but Colossal has already begun studies into why woolly mammoth genes cause certain phenotypes, or physical characteristics, starting with their hair.

According to an October 2025 article by BioRxIV, scientists have been able to alter seven different genes in mice in order to study these genes. This has created a new genetically modified mouse breed called woolly mice.

Colossal plans to genetically modify Asian elephants to "de-extinct" the woolly mammoth. They also have hopes to release these "woolly mammoths" into the Siberian tundra to preserve it amidst rising temperatures.

This is silly and unrealistic, given that - at least initially - the decline of the tundra came from rising temperatures at the end of the ice age. Now, rising temperatures are only getting more devastating due to human intervention. Putting a long-extinct animal into an environment that is no longer suited for them is beyond preposterous.

I do not believe that the efforts to bring back long-extinct animals are in the name of conservation. Instead, I think it is being done for the "wow" factor and for the money that could come along with it.

If conservation were the true goal of this company, as it claims, it would focus on bringing back insects that have gone extinct or are at risk of extinction.

Currently, according to an April 2019 article published on Science Direct, about 40 percent of insect species are being threatened with extinction. This is due to habitat loss, climate change, pollutants and more.

Insects are not only vital pollinators, but also a vital food source to other animals, including, but not limited to, birds and frogs. We are actively losing our bugs, but instead of focusing on what we are currently losing, companies like Colossal are focused on the animals we lost hundreds, if not thousands, of years ago.

Why is time and money being spent to map out the genome of a long extinct woolly mammoth when we could be mapping out the genome of vital insects we might one day lose?

If we are going to clone and edit living things, which I am wildly against, why not do it for the bugs?

We need to have the same energy for insects as we do for the "cool" looking, bigger animals that we are attempting to bring back now. Not only that, but if Colossal were truly concerned about the environment and conservation, it would not be promoting the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) on its website.

Our planet is struggling, and I am scared for what the future holds. I want to take part in conserving what we can, but this is not the way to do it.

"Bringing back" already extinct animals is not going to change anything. Putting genetically modified animals into environments that are no longer suited for the modifications they were given, in hopes that they will bring back the old climate, is irresponsible.

I believe Colossal has made efforts in conservation, but its main ideology is flawed. The company's conservation efforts are focused on only the "cool" animals rather than helping the little guy.

As a genetics major, I find it immoral and irresponsible to be playing God in this manner. It will only open the door to reckless gene editing in the future, and there are more important things for us to focus on.

Mapping a genome or studying genes to attempt to discover what they do is one thing, but using these findings to edit an organism's genome is another.

These animals should be left to rest, and instead, we should focus this time and money into preserving what we still have.

Contact Elisabeth Pointer via email at elisabeth.pointer@bsu.edu.

In September, officials decided to proceed with a vote center system. This allows residents to cast their ballot at any polling location in the county rather than being restricted to a single precinct. Officials say the system is designed to increase accessibility and reduce confusion for voters.

Delaware County Clerk, Rick Spangler, said on May 4 that he has full confidence in the rollout of the new polling locations and does not anticipate any issues.

"We're using our best sites for these 26 sites. We're making these changes to emphasize the importance of voting," Spangler said in a prior interview in September.

As Election Day approaches, officials are encouraging residents to make a plan to vote and ensure they have the necessary identification and information before heading to the polls.

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and voters must bring a valid photo ID, a driver's license or a passport, for example, to cast a ballot.

Student IDs will not be accepted after U.S. District Court Judge Richard Young's injunction against a law banning them was overturned on April 20.

In Indiana, all voters had to register 30 days before the election.

RELATED: What to know about Senate Bill 10 ahead of Indiana's May 5 primary

A full list of the Muncie vote centers:

Albany Fire Department

214 E State St, Albany, IN 47320

Avondale United Methodist Church

1314 W 10th St, Muncie, IN 47302

Boys & Girls Clubs of Muncie

1710 S Madison St, Muncie, IN 47302

Daleville Fire Department

14010 W Daleville Rd, Daleville, IN 47334

Delaware County Fairgrounds

1210 Wheeling Ave, Muncie, IN 47303

Delaware County Highway Garage

7700 E Jackson St, Muncie, IN 47302

Eaton Community Center

600 E Harris St, Eaton, IN 47338

First Brethren Church

101 S Morrison Rd, Muncie, IN 47304

First Presbyterian Church

1400 W Riverside Ave, Muncie, IN 47303

Friends Memorial Church

418 W Adams St, Muncie, IN 47305

Gaston Main Street Church

105 Main St, Gaston, IN 47342

Glad Tidings Church

3001 S Burlington Dr, Muncie, IN 47302

Hamilton Township Fire Station

8021 N State Road 3, Muncie, IN 47303

Harris Chapel Church

10450 S Co Rd 544 E, Selma, IN 47383

Liberty Baptist Church

9601 S Cowan Rd, Muncie, IN 47302

Lutheran Church of the Cross

4401 N Wheeling Ave, Muncie, IN 47304

New Life Presbyterian Church

8000 W River Rd, Yorktown, IN 47396

Northside Church of God

1505 N Tillotson Ave, Muncie, IN 47304

Roy C. Buley Center

1111 N Penn St, Muncie, IN 47303

Southside Middle School

1601 E 26th St, Muncie, IN 47302

St. Andrew Presbyterian Church

2700 W Moore Rd, Muncie, IN 47304

TRC Head Start

3900 E Wysor St, Muncie, IN 47303

Union Chapel Ministries

4622 N Broadway Ave, Muncie, IN 47303

University Christian Church

2400 N Nebo Rd, Muncie, IN 47304

Westminster Village

5801 W Bethel Ave, Muncie, IN 47304

Yorktown YMCA

200 S Co Rd 600 W, Yorktown, IN 47396

This year's primary will determine the party nominees for a range of offices. While primary elections typically see lower turnout than general elections, local officials say the outcomes still play a critical role in shaping leadership at the city and county level.

If you plan to use public transportation to get to voting centers, you can find more information on MITS' website, which hosts a vote center route list.

Early voting was available in the days leading up to the election, though final turnout will not be known until polls close Tuesday evening. As of May 4, about 2,400 voters had cast walk-in ballots in Muncie, according to Spangler. That total does not include mail-in ballots. While the number is low compared to Delaware County's roughly 48,000 registered voters in 2023, it exceeds early voting totals from 2022.

Primary election results will be released after 6 p.m. once polls close, with updates expected throughout the evening as ballots are counted. The Ball State Daily News will have live election coverage on our website throughout the day, including results.

The winners of Tuesday's primary will advance to the general election in November, where they will run against opposing party candidates or, in some cases, unopposed.

Contact Ball State Daily News Editor-in-Chief, Cameron Noe, at editor@bsudailynews.com

Agnew said the comeback of the swim program was not a solo endeavor. Former Athletic Director, Beth Goetz, and current Athletic Director, Jeff Mitchell, assisted him in nursing the program. Additionally, former coach Bob Thomas helped keep the team afloat by assisting with the financial problems that the program was suffering from.

"It's truly a team effort, including our student athletes, coaching and support staff, and administrators, that has revived our men's program," Agnew said.

Agnew was a student at Ball State himself. He swam in high school but found that he could not keep up with the sport in college. However, he did not want to abandon swimming. It was clear to him that he had to find a new way to get involved.

"I started volunteer coaching at the high school and club, and I noticed that I couldn't wait to go coach," Agnew said. "As I was going through the semester, I realized, 'You know what? I'm more of a people person.' I wanted to go into teaching. I wanted to go into coaching."

After this realization, Agnew found a new joy in just that: coaching the swim and dive team. His passion was further amplified by his students' drive. His athletes also value the connection they gained through swimming. For example, second-year student athlete AJ Friend began swimming after his mother, a swim coach, introduced him to the sport. He has been swimming for just about as long as he can remember and estimated that he began at about 4 years old. Apart from his familial bond with his mother, AJ also met close friends through swimming.

"Swimming has provided me not only lifelong friends but also people I can call family," AJ said. "It has also taught me many lessons growing up and allowed me to become the best version of myself."

AJ's swim family has influenced some of his life choices as well. When he broke his collarbone in 2021, he found himself missing swimming the most because of how close he was with his team. After that injury, he decided to focus his energy on the sport. Later, AJ chose to attend Ball State because he enjoyed the swim culture he experienced while visiting campus.

"My teammates are constantly pushing me to be my best in and out of the pool. My lane mates constantly push me, and so do my roommates," AJ said. "They always help me get through the toughest of practices, and seeing them get better makes me want to get better too."

Fifth-year diver Grace Walker also finds her teammates to be an important part of her experience with the sport.

"Diving was so much of my life, the people around me turned into my friends and family," Grace said. "There are great communities in it, and if you surround yourself with those people and if you see the sport through, you'll end up with a huge family."

Due to an upcoming surgery, the 2025-26 season was Grace's last year participating in diving altogether. That being said, her athletic career has been deeply integrated into her life. Grace began diving in 6th grade after 10 years of gymnastics wore her body down. The decision to take up diving changed the course of Grace's life. After two seasons of diving, Grace attended a dive camp called Ripfest, an Indiana-based diving program. In 8th grade, Grace quit attending school to train full-time. She graduated from high school early and attended the University of Arkansas before transferring to Ball State in 2023.

"I got to do all of these cool things, and it's because I kept showing up to practice," Grace said. "It doesn't matter what you do with your sport, it's about how it makes you feel. I have been diving for so long because I love flipping and moving my body."

Grace's love for her sport is evident in her achievements as well, as she earned the Mid-American Conference (MAC) "Diver of the Week" in November 2025 and then won that same conference she earned her title for. The conference was just one of three event wins for her this season. She also holds two positions in Ball State's top 10 record charts: number 4 on a 1 meter board and number 9 on a 3 meter board.

AJ is a record holder as well, holding program records for both the 400 freestyle relay and the 200 butterfly. Pleased by the team's success, Agnew said that he has not yet finished counting all the records the team has set this year. He also stated that this year was a unique year, as the conference championships were on the exact same weekend. Agnew spent two and a half days with the men's team and two and a half days with the women's team during the conference. He found that both teams' mindsets were very similar.

"What I was so proud of was the energy on the deck that they had for each other," Agnew said. "They were all in, and they were fearless. They were excited to compete as a team."

The conference championship ended with the men's team taking fifth place. The women's team placed third, which tied the highest finish in the history of the swim program. As the season came to a close, Grace found that the best part of her career was the people she met along the way.

"I'm really proud of the community I have," Grace said. "I'm just proud that I have gotten to be a part of the team and finish off my career this year."

AJ intends to continue swimming and later pursue a career within the sport or as a coach, should the opportunity present itself. The idea of feeling joy for your sport is something that Agnew values, as he finds that "elite" athletes tend to have passion, energy and enthusiasm for what they do. While winning and succeeding are important aspects of any sport, Agnew said that the most important part is enjoying the journey and appreciating the small steps along the way.

"It's such a special window that they get... If you can just appreciate that, chase your goal, be proud to compete, and be proud to execute to the best of your ability, then that relieves a lot of the tension," Agnew said. "... Sometimes we're so results-oriented that we kind of miss the joy of the moments.

District 26 contains Delaware and Randolph Counties. The state Senate candidates for this district are Sen. Scott Alexander, business owner Katherine Nunley-Kritsch and Delaware County Democrats chairman Andrew Dale.

District 25 includes Madison and Hamilton Counties, and its candidates include Sen. Mike Gaskill and Indiana University-Indianapolis professor Todd Shelton.

District 26

Scott Alexander (R)

Scott Alexander is one of two Republican candidates applying for the State Senate in District 26. He is currently the State Senator for District 26 and has been in office since 2022, according to Indiana Senate Republicans.

Alexander is the owner and operator of Alexander & Company Real Estate Appraisers, which he started in 1985.

According to his website, Alexander attended college at Vincennes University as well as at Ball State University.

Alexander is a majority member of the Agriculture, Judiciary, Local Government, and Natural Resources standing committees of the Indiana General Assembly.

According to his website, the policies that Alexander places the most emphasis on are supporting small businesses, investing in infrastructure and improving education.

Alexander says that it is important to ensure that there are more local jobs available and that small businesses should be prioritized over larger companies. Alexander's website also said that the government should be responsive and should be accountable in order to protect taxpayers.

A press release by Samantha Deese, Alexander's press secretary for the Indiana Senate Republicans, states that District 26 received $3.7 million in road-funding grants in 2025. This coincides with Alexander's initiative to ensure safe roads and infrastructure throughout District 26.

Alexander's website says that he has also funded the Delaware Regional Mental Health Center and that he has secured grants for housing in the area. The construction of the Mental Health began in August 2024, and, at the time of this article, has not yet been completed.

Alexander also believes that local schools should be fully funded, with his website saying that teachers should be paid well and that parents should stay in control of the education that their children receive.

This is Senator Alexander's second time running for office, as his campaign in 2022 was the first time he had run.

Andrew Dale (D)

Dale is the only Democratic candidate running for the state Senate in District 26 this year. Dale is the chairperson of the Delaware County Democrats and has lived in Delaware County his entire life. He is also the great-grandson of the former mayor of Muncie, George R. Dale.

Dale currently works as an executive coach in the Muncie Area, where he works with mayors, police and fire chiefs, non-profit executives, and any other people in leadership roles in the community, and said this profession has helped him understand people's needs and what is important to them.

According to his website, Dale is co-founder of the Shafer Leadership Academy, a non-profit that provides leadership training to members of the Muncie Community. He also serves as president of the Muncie Fire Merit Commission.

Dale credited his involvement in the community as one of the biggest reasons why he decided to run for state Senate.

"I've always been pretty involved in my community both civically and through the governance of Muncie and Delaware County," he said.

The three policies and issues that are Dale's biggest platform points during his campaign are affordability, education and the future of Delaware County and Indiana as a whole.

Dale's stance on affordability is that the cost of living is too high for many residents in Indiana. He said that poverty is a major issue that needs to be addressed, and stressed the importance of having access to sufficient care for those groups of people.

"The idea of child care needs to be reinforced and made better, but also, how we support senior care is important," he said.

Dale also highlighted the importance of a streamlined system for school reporting requirements, claiming that the current requirements are "absolutely onerous on school boards and superintendents."

Dale has never held office, but this is his second time running politically, as he ran for the mayor of Muncie in 2019.

Katherine Nunley-Kritsch (R)

Nunley-Kritsch is one of two Republican candidates running for the Indiana State Senate, along with Alexander. Kritsch is the owner of Beautiful Disaster, a full-service salon in Winchester, Indiana.

In addition to being a business owner, Nunley-Kritsch is a Court-Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), assigned by the court to care for and speak up for children in abuse and neglect cases.

Nunley-Kritsch has also been involved in Community Pathways, a local organization that provides meals and hygiene products to people in need.

She sees her involvement in these programs as a major reason she is running for state Senate, saying she has witnessed many people in those situations being mistreated or not adequately cared for by the state.

"How much do we really help these children?" she said. "We don't prepare them for life when they're 18. We just kick them off the system."

Another key motivator for Nunley-Kritsch's campaign is the loss of her son to drug overdose eight years ago. She was not happy with how she saw drug issues being handled in Delaware County and the surrounding area, and said she realized something had to change with the implementation of better drug prevention.

"We need more police money to be able to do things with drugs, to bust them and keep them off the streets," she said. "The addict needs to be looked at, too. If we can't offer help [to] them, they just go through life and pull society down."

Along with her stance on drugs and police enforcement, the policies that Nunley-Kritsch focuses on most are personal freedom and government transparency.

Nunley-Kritsch is an advocate for "My Body, My Choice." She said she believes that there should be no mandates on vaccines and that abortion should be up to personal choice.

She also believes that there needs to be more government transparency and more open communication between government officials and citizens.

This is Nunley-Kritsch's second time running for office, after she ran for state Senate in 2022 and lost in the Primary Election.

District 25

Mike Gaskill (R)

Mike Gaskill is one of two Republican candidates running for State Senate in District 25. Gaskill is the current state Senator in District 25. He has served in the Senate since 2018 and is running for reelection for a third term.

Gaskill is a State Farm Insurance agent, a position he has held since 1993. His office is in Anderson, Indiana.

Gaskill is from Pendleton, Indiana, and went to Anderson University.

Prior to his election into the Senate, Gaskill served on the South Madison Community School Board and on Madison County Council, according to his website.

The Indiana Senate Republicans website said that Gaskill is the chair of the Elections committee within the State Senate, and is also a member of the Family and Children Services, Insurance and Financial Institutionsand Tax and Fiscal Policy standing committees.

Gaskill has authored several bills during his time in the Senate, with many of them focusing on voting and election-related topics. He has also sponsored numerous bills regarding election matters, according to the Indiana General Assembly.

Gaskill's political views and beliefs are considered very conservative in nature. His website states, "he was named Indiana's most conservative legislator of all 150 members of the Indiana General Assembly by the American Conservative Union."

Gaskill's campaign centers around protecting the unborn, protecting the right to bear arms and "giving Hoosier parents a greater voice when it comes to their children's education."

Along with his stances on issues such as abortion and the Second Amendment, Gaskill is a strong proponent of tax cuts.

"Mike has never voted for a tax increase," his website said. "He will continue to fight to make sure Hoosiers get to keep more of their hard-earned income."

Gaskill supported a law in 2023 that lowers the income tax rate every year until 2027. In an article on the Indiana Senate Republicans' website, Gaskill said that the income tax rate would be lowered to 2.9% by 2027.

According to the same article, Gaskill also supported a law that focused literary education on phonics, which was paired with a grant of 170 million dollars that was funded by the General Assembly and the Lilly Endowment, to improve the instruction of reading in schools.

According to Ballotpedia, this is Gaskill's third time running for office, after having run for State Senate in 2018 and again in 2022, getting elected both times.

Todd Shelton (D)

Shelton is from Alexandria, Indiana, and is one of two Democratic candidates running for the Indiana State Senate in District 25.

Currently a computer science professor at Indiana University Indianapolis, he previously held a series of industrial-related jobs, including one at General Motors (GM). Following his time at GM, Shelton joined the military and served for two years. He eventually got hurt and was medically discharged.

"One thing the military has taught me is the leadership skills that I have to lead different parties [and] different committees into the directions that I believe we need to go," Shelton said.

He also attributed his interest in both joining the military and running for the state Senate to a desire to help people and make a positive impact on the community.

According to Shelton's campaign website, he has been involved in volunteer groups and has offered free community tech workshops for years.

"I'm running because I believe we need a big change in the state [with] the way things are going," he said.

The primary issues that Shelton said he hopes to tackle if elected are similar to those that Dale hopes to tackle. Shelton's three biggest points of emphasis are education, access to health care and the cost of living.

As a result of working in education as a professor, Shelton's focus is on improving schools in Indiana and on approaching education as a whole throughout the state.

"I see our public schools going down around the state," Shelton said. "They need better funding. There should be fully funded schools in these districts."

Shelton's view on the need for accessible health care is also influenced by his personal experience. He said in his experience as a disabled veteran, he has witnessed many flaws within the current system, with one example being that he previously had to wait several months to get an appointment with his primary care physician.

Additionally, Shelton said he believes the cost of living is currently too high, and action needs to be taken to address it.

"We need to make sure that everyone can have a good life in the state of Indiana," Shelton said. "We can do things that look like cutting the sales tax on utilities."

According to Ballotpedia, Shelton previously ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2026 but withdrew. This is his first time running for office in the Senate.

Contact Will Baker via email at will.baker@bsu.edu.

I was the kid on the back of the bus. Some would call it the short bus, and others would call it a bus with a lift. But I saw it as my only way to get to and from school. The only problem is the other kids who rode the bus sat in the front with their peers, while I stared out the window, dreaming of a route to the front of the bus with my friends.

I was so determined to escape the back of the bus that I convinced the bus aid to let me sit in a seat and take me out of my wheelchair one day. I had the best time of my life until the higher-ups found out, and I was once again sent to the back of the bus.

I was crushed. I cried and begged for her to let me sit in the front again, but it was a safety concern. But what about the concerns of a kid just trying to fit in when his imagination can only go so far in the back of the bus, with only a lift and a window to keep him company?

Car rides were always a comfort for me, watching the world pass me by. I found a sense of tranquility on my way to countless doctor's appointments and therapy sessions. Even when I was on the bus, feeling isolated, house after house, tree after tree and car after car, I found peace looking out at the world, knowing nothing was looking back at me in my little corner of the world.

My world got a little bigger when my parents told me that we were going to get a van that was made for someone like me. Before that, my parents had to transfer me, pick me up and physically put me in the seat and buckle me in. They would take my wheelchair apart, put it in the truck and do it in reverse when we got there for every appointment and family outing.

One weekend, my family took a trip to a dealership specializing in cars that were made for someone who moved like me.

I was like a kid in a candy shop when me and my family went into the dealership. My eyes got wide in amazement staring at all of these cars that I could go in without a physical barrier. And after a test drive, where my father had a little too much fun playing with the new,fancy car and making us kids in the back giggle, I knew it was the greatest ride I had experienced up to that point.

After the test drive, we settled on getting a 2015 Honda Odyssey adapted van.

Unbeknownst to me at the time, the first of many times waiting for something that would change my whole worldview, hinged on the slow wheels of state waiver bureaucracy money. After a few delays, I finally got my vessel to branch out into the new world in the odyssey of my independence.

As time passed by, through the window of my odyssey, firsts after firsts were accomplished and adventures from Ohio, to the Outer Banks, to the coast of Myrtle Beach were traveled. But time has a way of confronting you with questions: will I be able to take the wheel and cast my own journeys under my own power?

These questions all came to a head that summer. At a bonfire at our grandpa's house, my family decided it was time for my siblings and I to get some practice in the old-fashioned way - in the backyard. As test cars, my grandpa offered up our grandma's old Plymouth Breeze Burgundy, and our aunt offered up her infamous gray PT Cruiser, which was known to cruise around with antlers and a red nose around the holidays.

Our Daytona, a tree, in the yard. The goal was to take laps around a tree in our yard without causing significant damage to our extended family, grandpa's property or the cars. When it was my time to embark around the tree, I was put behind the wheel of the Breeze, with my dad riding shotgun, and completed my voyage.

Little did I know that it was not the inaugural ride I thought it was, and it was not significant proof that would earn me a spot on the road one day.

My first stop was the DMV, where I failed my permit test. It was not a good omen to get before I even got a chance to get behind the car. During the pandemic, I got evaluated to drive, and without a second look or even a chance, I was told I would never be able to drive. I handled it pretty well, because how can you crush a kid's dream when being driven around his whole life is all he knows?

And so, my life moved on. My siblings got their licenses, and they would take me out whenever they could, but playing chauffeur is not conducive to a high schooler's schedule. So, in March of my second year of high school, I talked my mom into getting a second opinion after I figured out that the landscape of Uber, Lyft and public transportation was not really my scene, especially because the ride-share apps are not really accessible for those in power wheelchairs.

My second chance laid in the hands of Mercy West Hospital in Cincinnati. But getting turned away from one of the nation's leaders in driving rehabilitation, the deck was stacked against me to ever get a shot behind the wheel.

The day before my appointment, I got entranced in the possibilities, dreaming of the independence I have always longed for and sharing it with the people I care about. Going to the store, going out to dinner, going on road trips - the possibilities consumed me.

Sitting across the table with my mom, the evaluator and occupational therapist, who thought it was peculiar that I was told I would never drive without actually being allowed to get behind the wheel. So, he gave me the chance, and that started my three and a half year journey to get my license.

I think that three and a half years of contemplating how I was going to drive could have been avoided considering my twin brother has cerebral palsy too, and he drives a car. He is not as involved, and he does not have a wheelchair, but we are twins in more ways than one.

And at my last stop on my road trip to drive, I was asked a question that changed the trajectory of my life and left me with a real chance: "Have you ever tried to drive with your feet?"

But my journey was far from over. After securing a spot behind the wheel, I picked a 2023 Traverse as the car I wanted, because it was either that or a van, and I did not feel comfortable with the size of a larger vehicle.. Once the bids were in to begin modifications on the car, which kept getting pushed back until April of last year, I learned that Moretta Mobility took a chance to make my dream a reality.

I went up there last June to do a fitting after they were done doing the bulk of the work, and it was a wonderful experience. A month later, my dad and I took a trip to bring Rex, my car, home for good.

I could not drive it right away. I needed to get used to how everything felt, and all the modifications put in were a little different than the training setup I had. But the drive back was the most gratifying experience I have ever had.. Almost four years of family sacrifices, just so I have the privilege and knowledge to drive wherever and whenever I want.

We picked up my car in late July. And for the first time in my life, I was not looking out a window. I was seeing the world through my windshield and the rearview mirror, a view I would not change for the world.

Driving has changed my life.I have been able to experience so many adventures, all of which have been blips on a map that has expanded my view of the world.

Every time I pass a bus, I think there is a chance that I will see a kid in the back, just like me, who does not want to be there, watching the world passing by. If so, I hope they see the possibilities right in front of them. I do not know what future journeys look like for me behind the wheel, but I know whatever journey lies ahead will be one of my own fruition.

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

Students had been allowed to use their identification cards from public educational institutions in the past due to the Indiana voter ID law, which requires proper identification to include the voter's name, photo and an expiration date, according to the Indiana Capitol Chronicle (ICC).

The passage of SB 10 resulted in the filing of a lawsuit by Indiana University student Josh Montagne, Count US IN and Women4Change Indiana that challenged Indiana state senators' assertion that college-issued IDs "weren't subject to the same "rigor" as driver's licenses," as stated by ICC.

April 14, 2026, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Young approved the preliminary injunction that was sought by those who filed the case against the legislation, effectively blocking the law's ban on using college-issued IDs at the polls.

Shortly after, on April 20, Young's injunction was stayed, resulting in the reappearance of the ban on student IDs at the polls, according to ICC.

Linda Hanson, President and Spokesperson for Delaware County's chapter of League of Women Voters (LWV), expressed concern over the confusion and uncertainty that this legislation and litigation may cause for student voters.

"The uncertainty and in some cases the lack of other ID will mean, at a busy time of the semester, they [students] will have to plan for other forms of ID if they have registered here (or at a campus address)," Hanson said over an email interview.

Hanson also mentioned that the LWV is working to keep young voters, including students, aware of their voting rights and to release information on where students can obtain alternative IDs before the May primaries.

According to ICC, "the judge and plaintiffs estimated between 40,000 and 90,000 students in Indiana could be affected" by the return of the ban.

Will Turner, a Ball State University fourth-year student majoring in history, provided a statement regarding SB 10 and the provisions and restrictions contained.

"I personally use my driver's license to vote," he said, "but if one doesn't possess that, it would become increasingly harder to vote. In general, I know rates of owning a driver's license are lower in urban areas as well as just generally [with] lower income people, so it can be seen as a form of voter suppression to not allow student IDs."

In addition to the confusion some of these young voters may face as a result of the reversed injunction, there are additional barriers that students may face before arriving at the polls.

According to the 2025 Indiana Civic Health Index (INCHI), "Indiana student and young-adult feedback indicates confusion about where to register, ID and address rules after moves or name changes, absentee timing, and limited on-campus touch points appear repeatedly in qualitative responses-exactly the pain points that registration modernization and campus-based services are designed to relieve."

Young voters also routinely have lower registration and voter turnout rates than older generations, with "only 46.4% of Hoosier youth aged 18-29 vot[ing], while 64.0% of adults over the age of 30 voted" in 2024, according to the INCHI.

David Roof, Director of the Center for Economic and Civic Learning at Ball State, said the percentage is even lower for individuals ages 18-24.

Part of this difference, according to Roof, is some confusion with the registration process.

In Indiana, all voters must be registered 30 days before the election, a fact many students and even parents are unaware of.

Roof also runs the Cardinals Vote! program at Ball State and said that he's "even had parents call [him] confused about what their child needs to do to vote."

With limited information being provided to students and already low registration and voting rates, Roof's concern is that there may be another dip in young voter turnout come the primary as a result of the confusion and uncertainty caused by SB 10.

"I think we're likely to see another major dip during the midterms, and I think my fear would be that added confusion or uncertainty," he said. "[We'd] have to go back up another hill for the general election."

On the other hand, according to Hanson, "the recent case has highlighted efforts to constrict voter access in Indiana and perhaps helped us get information out."

The LWV, alongside Cardinals Vote!, has been working to implement ways to reach students and further educate them about their voting rights and the voting process.

"My vision for it is for it to be really student-driven," Roof said. "I think people your age would want to hear from another student, and I think just other than that, [we're] just trying to get the word out. We did have a program during the last general election where faculty could request a democracy fellow to bring information about voting to their class, and then another student would show up for five minutes."

Roof said the initiative has given out t-shirts to encourage students to vote and has also conducted events at the Scramble Light on Ball State's campus.

"I think people sharing information with each other and encouraging each other is one of the best things," he said, referencing the impact that another student or parent could have on a young person's choice to vote.

Hanson said students can also help with election services by handing out voting information and other materials.

The 2026 primary will be held May 5, and information on voting can be found on the Voter Portal at the Indiana government website.

Contact Kyler Effner via email at kyler.effner@bsu.edu.

Heskett started doing fused glass art as a teenager. Over the past few years, she has turned her art into a business. She created Made by Madelyn, where she makes fused glass artwork and greeting cards.

Ornaments, decorations and customized awards are just some of the things she creates. While running her own business, which launched in 2021, she works another job. Madelyn serves as the assistant director of post-award, compliance, and operations for Ball State's Sponsored Projects Administration.

"I work all the time," she said. "I have my artistic business, my partner and I own a renovation company, so we do home renovations and business. In the summertime, my family has a concession and catering business, so I work festivals and farmers markets."

For her business, the winter holidays are the busiest. Along with online orders, she sets up as a vendor at the Enchanted Luminaria Walk at Minnetrista and looks for other art shows to sign up for if she can.

RELATED: Minnetrista Museums and Gardens hosts annual Enchanted Luminaria Walk

"That's really fun, because then I actually get to interact with the customers and see what other artists are doing," she said.

Heskett said she makes about 70 percent of her annual sales during Christmas time. Not only does she make ornaments and decor of her own designs, but she also takes special requests from customers who want to give unique gifts.

The process of creating these special pieces of art is specific to fused glass.

It starts with cutting or grinding the glass sheets and layering them. From there, the piece is fired in a kiln. Depending on the temperature, the firing time, and the number of firings the piece can take many different shapes and textures.

In Heskett's home, a bedroom with glass chimes hanging on the outside of the door is where she creates all of her work. The two desks facing the window include her glasswork equipment. Across the room, a smaller desk sits with organized markers on top, where she creates her greeting cards. In between the two are shelves packed with glass and more supplies, all organized into specific spots.

The chimes on the door were created by her "Gram," Adonna Tyra, who introduced her to fused glass while Heskett visited Tyra in Tucson, Arizona, as a teen. She would learn from her Gram how to work with glass. Tyra recalled Heskett being a fast learner and very willing to pick up the craft.

"She's so motivated," Tyra said. "Once she gets set on something, she's gone with it, and that's what she did."

Tyra has worked with fused glass for over 20 years. She said she learned the craft mostly on her own because it "wasn't something that was common." From her experience, Tyra said she understands the demands of working with glass, emphasizing that it requires hard work and talent.

"It's an art form, and you can make it serious, [or] you can make it whimsical. You can do a lot of things to it," she said. "But it's not just a craft."

Through the years, Heskett has grown in her glass-crafting abilities. Despite being her original teacher, Tyra admitted she is now learning new and different things from her granddaughter.

"Sometimes we FaceTime, and she shows me what she did. If I don't understand [how], then she talks me through it a little bit," Tyra said. "Imagine that, the student teaching the teacher."

Heskett has not only been able to teach her Gram what she knows but also members of the Muncie community. She taught a workshop on making fused-glass Christmas ornaments at The Culinary Cottage.

The venue's host, Christiana Mann, also serves as an assistant lecturer in hospitality innovation and leadership in applied business studies at Ball State. Starting in 2023, she used her hospitality experience to open The Culinary Cottage. Along with the gatherings and private events she hosts, she said she wanted to include more opportunities to connect with the community.

"I wanted to offer workshops that were unique to the community, and pair those with foods," Mann said. "[It's] just a place where it's quiet and you can get away from the office."

Together, Heskett and Mann were able to host a special event where community members could learn skills distinct from other art forms. The workshop was a success for both of them, with participants wanting to do more.

"The fused glass [artform] is wildly popular, and I have calls and emails all the time asking me when we're going to do another one," Mann said.

Muncie community members were not the only ones who enjoyed the event. Mann and Heskett appreciated the experience of working together and providing the community with a memorable night.

"It's a fun partnership. I lead the classes, and then she provides the snacks and drinks and stuff," Heskett said. "It's a whole experience for people to come and hang out with us for the evening."

Heskett said she believes that teaching classes has been the biggest evolution of her business. From seeing what other people do in classes, she can push herself to think outside the box when she works.

She said she pulls inspiration and design ideas from the reason she is making the piece or who it is for. She recalled making a piece for someone at the Minnetrista and being inspired by their logo.

"The person I was creating it for was leaving their archives department, and she loved the letters from the Ball Family. I fused a letter from Lucious Ball to his wife into that glass as the background, and it turned out really neat," Heskett said.

She also draws innovation from other glass artists in the state. Heskett said it is a less common type of work in this area of the country, which makes it nice to meet and learn from people close by when she can.

"We try to get together once or twice a year just near Indianapolis, and have lunch and talk about things," she said. "That's nice to have that kind of community, even if it's not local to Muncie."

Between classes, commissions and holiday work, Heskett continues to evolve in her craft. Currently, some of her pieces are in The Orchard Shop at Minnetrista, Hoosier Made and Haul'n Oats coffee shop. Even with all the other work she does, she remains focused and ready to continue with Made by Madelyn.

Contact Sidney Miller via email at sidney.miller@bsu.edu.

But that lead evaporated quickly.

The Waves stormed back to take a 14-12 lead and looked to score one more point to give Ball State an abrupt end to their season. Despite the odds stacked against the Cardinals, a service error by Pepperdine gave them life.

The score was 14-13, and Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) player of the year Patrick Rogers walked to the endline to serve. The senior outside hitter sent one over the net, which led to a Ball State block to tie the game at 14.

Rogers then sent two aces over the net to send Ball State to their first final four since 2022, and complete a 3-2 (25-23, 23-25, 25-22, 19-25, 16-14) win.

"I was just kind of telling myself to rip it," Rogers said.

Head Coach Mike Iandolo said that late in the fifth set, he knew that a point scored by Pepperdine would end the Cardinals' storybook season. But the head coach was confident in his star player.

"I wouldn't have anybody else but Pat on the line in that moment," Iandolo said.

The Cardinals enjoyed success in their final four games of the season, as they came into the game with four consecutive sweeps. The matchup with the Waves was the opposite of comfort for the Cardinals, as neither team truly pulled away.

Sophomore opposite Ryan Louis said in a back-and-forth match with high stakes, the team went back to their "basics."

"Even when we were down, we settled down, stuck to our basics, played our standard [and] came back and won," Louis said.

Junior setter Lucas Machado, who recorded 52 assists in the match, said the team never gave up on any of the plays, and always kept the mentality of winning the next point.

"We always believed in ourselves and we just proved to everyone that we can beat anyone in the country," Machado said.

The number four-seeded Cardinals found out April 27 that they would host the regional matchup, one that would send the winner to the Final Four in Los Angeles, California.

Ball State's commencement happened to fall on the weekend of the game, so the Cardinals had to shift to The Arena at Innovation Mile in Noblesville, Indiana to host the regional matchup. The team was not able to play in Worthen Arena, a place where they have played their best volleyball all season, only losing once in Muncie.

Despite the Cardinals playing on a different home court than usual, the Ball State faithful showed out, with over a thousand fans packing the Noblesville Arena to support the team's run to glory.

"We've had great fan support all year," Iandolo said. "I love that they traveled down here, [and] I just love that that many fans showed out for men's volleyball here in Indiana."

Louis said that the team plays for the fans as much as they play for themselves. He said the team has fed off the fans' support all season, and it showed in Noblesville.

"The energy we get from the crowd is what helps us play," Louis said.

The 2025 Cardinals fell in the quarterfinals of the MIVA tournament. One year later, Ball State is heading to Los Angeles to play in the final four. Machado was a part of last year's squad, and he said the team talked to each other in the offseason and learned from last season's woes.

Rogers said there were even a couple points this season where the team could have spiraled like they did last season, but he said the group always stayed "together."

"It doesn't happen this year without last year," Rogers said.

Depth has been key for the Cardinals all season, and it especially showed in the win over Pepperdine. Five Cardinals' players recorded five kills or more, with three players in double digits.

"We don't have the success we do without the depth that we have in the competition," Iandolo said. "I know I can rely on [them] in big moments."

The win over Pepperdine gave Ball State its first non-consolation NCAA tournament match win since 1973. Louis described the win as a "core memory" for him and the Cardinals.

"A day like today, I'm never gonna forget about that," Louis said.

Machado said he and the team are still trying to "process" what happened after winning the match and advancing to the Final Four. The setter said he "does not even remember" how the game ended, he just knows the Cardinals came out on top.

Iandolo and the Cardinals' players have talked all season about their three goals: winning the regular season MIVA title, winning the MIVA tournament and winning the national championship.

The Cardinals have completed two of their goals and are now one step closer to fulfilling all three.

"If we play our standard, and [play] the level that we're able to play, I don't think there's a team that could beat us in the country," Rogers said."

The Cardinals will take on the University of California Irvine May 9 in Los Angeles.

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

At the stroke of 10 a.m., the ceremony began with Ball State Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Anand Marri with words of welcome, followed by the Posting of the Colors and signing of The National Anthem.

University President Geoffrey Mearns then took to the podium to bestow two honors. Mearns honored Ball State 1989 alumnus and current board of trustee member Rick Hall with "our university's highest honor, The President's Medal of distinction.

During his time at Ball State, Hall graduated Summa Cum Laude and "was an outstanding student, and he was an outstanding student athlete" while playing basketball for the Cardinals, Mearns said.

After recognizing Hall, Mearns then invited actor Hugh Jackman to the podium to receive an honorary doctoratal arts degree.

"Mr. Jackman, in honoring you today, our university recognizes your lifetime accomplishments as an artist and as a philanthropist. With this degree, we recognize our shared belief as individuals and as an institution, that communities are strengthened by the arts and the stories we experience, the stories that unite us, and if we let them, those stories can change our lives," Mearns said.

Upon receiving the doctoral honor, Jackman kicked off his commencement address to the graduating class of Spring 2026.

"G'day, Ball State," Jackman began in a thick, tongue-in-cheek Australian accent.

"I've been asked countless of times to give a speech like this over the years, and I have always said 'no,' because the money just was never really good enough," Jackman joked.

"No, but I never felt ready. 'Give me a few more years,' I would think to myself [because] you only really get one shot in, roughly, 10 minutes - although, let's be honest - anybody who knows me knows this is probably going longer than 10 minutes, right, Dr. [Sutton] Foster?

"You get this short window to summarize the meaning of life, how to live it to its fullest - and then that lives online forever. It's a lot of pressure, and I don't know you guys."

As cheers and laughter came from the audience periodically as Jackman gave anecdotes from his early career, a recurring theme emerged as he reminded the graduating class of the importance of taking chances, emphasizing the unpredictability of life.

"What brings you pleasure? What is going to fuel you when you have to work unbelievably hard - which you will - you're welcome parents. [What is going to fuel you] when you have to face fear and doubt and loneliness and failure - which you will? What lights you up? What is burning inside of you?" Jackman asked.

He added, "The great Joseph Campbell said, 'There is, perhaps, nothing worse than reaching the top of the ladder and discovering you're on the wrong wall. " Your heart [and] a little voice inside will tell you what the right wall is, what the right ladder is for you. I wish every single one of you a life of adventure, surprise, delight and bold, glorious failures and successes, [along with] great friendships and love. Above all, [I wish you] the deep satisfaction that you are living your own life - yours - because no one can take that away from you."

As Jackman's speech concluded, Robin Phelps-Ward, the associate dean of Ball State's Graduate School, took to the stage to honor students graduating with their respective doctoral degrees.

The ceremony concluded with closing remarks from Mearns. "I hope that Ball State will be in your heart, that Benny will be your guide, and I hope that you will share my passion and pride in this exceptional university. On behalf of the entire university community, I wish all of our graduates good luck and Godspeed," Mearns said as he prompted the graduates to flip their tassels.

Respective ceremonies for individual colleges will begin as early as 12:30 p.m. May 2. Detailed times and locations for those ceremonies can be found online.

RELATED: Ball State University spring 2026 commencement details

Contact Katherine Hill via email at katherine.hill@bsu.edu.

Ball State is home to the nation's largest ground-source, closed-loop district geothermal energy system, according to its website. With construction beginning in May 2009, the process took nearly six years to complete, with the final stage being wrapped up in 2015. However, by March 2014, there was sufficient geothermal capacity to stop burning coal on campus.

Ball State was burning nearly 10,000 tons of coal a year, using almost 40-year-old equipment. Former Ball State University President, Jo Ann Gora, watched as the machinery continued to age and environmental regulations tightened. Jo Ann said she knew something had to change.

The "easiest path" would have been natural gas, the most common heating and cooling system practice in the country, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Residential Energy Consumption Survey; however Jo Ann had already signed the Talloires Declaration.

The declaration is "the first official statement made by university presidents, chancellors, and rectors of a commitment to environmental sustainability in higher education." Its 10-point action plan aims to incorporate sustainability and environmental literacy, and has been signed by over 500 university leaders in over 50 countries.

"If the closed-loop geothermal system worked, it would be a milestone in reducing our carbon footprint and HVAC costs, long term," Jo Ann said.

The decision did not just have environmental benefits, something Jo Ann said was also on her mind when approaching the project.

Given the fact that the system is one-of-one, visitors were coming from both in and outside of the country to get a better understanding of the system and the construction process. The project also functioned as an immersive learning experience for students on campus.

Professor of Geological Sciences Klaus Neumann said a few of the boreholes, a hole dug deep into the ground that works within the geothermal system, were drilled specifically for the department. This allowed students to observe, monitor and graph different data points.

Jo Ann said that in her 10 years as university president, the geothermal project was one of many ways she tried to set Ball State apart from other universities.

"Just [as] introducing immersive learning as the hallmark of our undergraduate education had put us on the map in Indiana and in the country, I knew installing the geothermal system could do the same thing for us," Jo Ann said.

The benefits of implementing the geothermal system were also financial.

Klaus, who monitored groundwater near the bore fields during construction, noted that natural gas prices were climbing in the early 2000s when the decision to switch to geothermal was being made.

He implied that because Ball State had not known that an increase in national drilling for fracking would soon be made, and completely flip the price of natural gas, the geothermal system was the university's best option.

Jim Lowe, who served as Ball State's associate vice president for facilities planning and management, oversaw every phase of construction on the project. He described the system as "a big bank account" for heat, one that sits at a steady 55 degrees year-round.

Jim said that the geothermal system functions by taking advantage of storing thermal energy.

In the summer, excess heat pulled from campus buildings gets deposited into the ground through the geothermal systems' network of pipes. In the winter, that stored energy is withdrawn and used to warm those same buildings.

Jim said it is the same principle as the refrigerator in your house, moving heat from one place to another, rather than creating cold from scratch, which is why the back of your refrigerator is warm.

Ball State's geothermal equipment works as a vertical closed-loop system that uses fresh water. 3,600 boreholes make up the system, each 6 inches in diameter and ranging between just 4-500 feet deep, almost five times the height of the university's Teachers College.

Klaus, who monitored groundwater near the bore fields during construction, explained that the ground beneath the university is made up of three distinct layers, each with their own degree of difficulty to move water through.

At the top sits glacial drift, a mix of sand, gravel and boulders from retreating glaciers during the last Ice Age, spanning anywhere from just 5 to 50 feet deep. The next layer below is dense shale, tightly packed and somewhat impermeable, meaning water cannot pass through it at all.

Deeper than that, hundreds of feet down, are beds of limestone, fractured and riddled with cracks and small caves, allowing groundwater to flow freely. Water conducts heat more efficiently than dry rock, making the limestone layer an ideal medium for the closed-loop pipes.

"Groundwater moves through cracks and crevices down here, and it pretty much freely flows through here, because there's sand in here," Klaus said. "... If you want to transfer heat, you love to have water, because within water, you move heat much faster."

Additionally, each borehole contains piping that combines for a total of 5,280,000 feet, laid traveling down each borehole and back up. These boreholes connect to one another and two on-campus energy stations.

Presently, the soccer field on the north end of campus looks like any other, but during the system's construction, Klaus described it as looking like a "moon landscape."

Trucks moved across torn-up parts of the earth, while around ten drilling rigs ran simultaneously, each individual borehole taking days to complete.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to install a system that large, that big…It was a very daunting, exciting, strategic endeavor," Jim said. "...I knew at the end, Ball State would have a system they could be proud of for decades to come."

While geothermal benefits Ball State's campus, it does not come without complications.

The system was designed to function within a climate that has changed since construction began. Warmer winters mean less heat needs to be pulled from the ground and hotter summers push more heat in. This means the university has to supplement the system with gas-driven equipment to help manage the difference.

The pipes beneath campus have a long life expectancy and equipment inside the plants can be replaced and upgraded. Jim pointed to the original coal boilers, installed in 1941 and used for nearly six decades, as a reference point to how long things can last when they are cared for.

The system, he said, will run until someone comes up with something better.

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