Amber Pietz, DN Illustration
LIFESTYLES

From majoring in math to working on Broadway, Ball State University theatre professor Michael Rafter shares his journey

Five children in a high stakes battle. Who can play piano the best and win the cookie? When Michael Rafter is your brother, there is no chance.  The Emmy-award winning conductor and professor at Ball State University discovered his musical talent through an at-home piano playing competition. Rafter’s older sister would babysit and teach her five other siblings something on the piano, and whoever could play it best would win a sweet prize.  “I always won the cookie,” he said, “but my brothers beat me up and ate the cookie.” Though the rest of his brothers were athletic and could pick up a football and throw a “perfect spiral,” the keyboard is what made sense to Rafter.  He won the cookie for a reason. Today, Rafter is the musical director for the Broadway revival of “Funny Girl” starring Lea Michelle. 


Professor John Anderson writes on the board in his Introduction to African-American Studies class Feb. 14. The African-American studies minor was reintroduced in 2017. Jacy Bradley, DN
BLACK HISTORY MONTH

A walkout from 55 years ago started the implementation for African-American studies at Ball State

There was political unrest and several things needed to be addressed on Ball State’s campus. Fifty Black students were up for the test. Sparked by the racial complications and the conditions of the 1960s, college campuses across the United States were in an uproar. African Americans were fueled with determination to change academic bureaucratic policies. During the 1967-68 academic year, Ball State’s African American population faced two main concerns: the university’s lack of social activities for Black students and the need for representation of Black minorities in the curriculum and faculty. However, the demand for their issues were not met until a walkout was correctly timed.


Former Ball State bus driver Brian Kemp poses for a portrait on his last day Feb. 8 by the Student Center. Kemp will work as a truck driver after 5 years at Ball State. Jacy Bradley, DN
LIFESTYLES

Ball State bus driver says goodbye to students and faculty after five years

He greeted every single person who stepped foot on the bus with a smile. He knew multiple students by name. He knew their major, their schedule and where they were headed. He knew their plan for the day, and what they were doing that evening. He knew when they were graduating, how their extracurriculars were and what they planned to do after school.  He took care and pride in keeping students safe, especially at night.  Ball State University bus driver Brian Kemp has driven campus shuttles for five years. For him, the best part about this job is the students. 



Amy Shears, owner of Amy's Pet Spa, gives a husky, Kane, a bath at her business Jan. 27. Shears offers grooming services to dogs, cats, birds and other small animals. Jacy Bradley, DN
LIFESTYLES

Amy’s Pet Spa opens in Muncie to pamper your pet

On the corner of South Cherry and West Adams, husky howls and barking can be heard in the air, though usually only for a few minutes. On that corner in downtown Muncie, sits Amy’s Pet Spa.  Owner Amy Shears has been busy since she opened in November 2022, and her business is only growing. Kelley Stewart, Shears’ neighbor and owner of Sit-Stay-Play Pet Grooming Kelley Stewart, recently broke her wrist, leaving Shears to help Stewart’s clients in the midst of a pet grooming shortage. 


Third-year architecture major Brooke Fuller poses in the Sigma Chi fraternity house Jan. 24. Fuller is the fraternity's sweetheart. Jacy Bradley, DN
LIFESTYLES

Ball State fraternity sweethearts discuss their roles

Sigma Chi fraternity brothers stand in the formal room, waiting for a special girl to arrive. A white rose, the fraternity’s flower, is handed to her as the brothers serenade her with their sweetheart song and welcome her into the fraternity. She is now their sweetheart.



Meghan Holt, DN Illustration
LIFESTYLES

Five gym etiquette rules to follow when working out

With 52 percent of Americans’ New Year’s resolutions being to exercise more, according to Statistica, and 12 percent of new gym members starting in January, according to RunRepeat, gyms have been filling up. This means new people to fitness centers, some who don’t know the “unwritten rules” of the gym. Here are five rules of gym etiquette for all those visiting the gym.


Amber Pietz, DN Illustration
STUDY ABROAD:

The top 10 study abroad locations offered by Ball State

For the last couple years, COVID-19 has been an excuse for dismissing travel plans due to borders being closed and high chances of getting sick. Though COVID-19 is still a problem all over the world, life is beginning to return to normal, and with that, more study abroad opportunities are opening.


Design
LIFESTYLES

Need a little help keeping your New Year’s resolutions? Consider making it a habit with these five tips.

 New Year’s resolutions are supposed to correlate with the renewal of the year and its seasonal cycle; new beginnings are the cue for a person to grow and change. However, despite people’s best intentions, a study performed by the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that about two-thirds of people in the U.K. and Australia gave up on their New Year’s resolutions within the first month of 2021.








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