Sustainable Food Production: Integrating Collaboration within the Community

This project’s goal was to promote collaboration with local organizations, including Ball State University and the local community. To achieve this, the students created an ongoing directory of contact information to bring all organizations and participating individuals together. Making information clear and accessible will help foster more effective communication. Moving forward the goal is to facilitate the integration of food resources for the local community for many years to come.


Faculty Mentor: Gerald Waite
Department: Center for Peace and Conflict Studies
Community Partner: Muncie Food Hub
Students: Tony Brandon, Liz Digennaro, Jessi Lynn, Megan Stenftenagel, Amy Whitehead

Story Maps from and for “South-of-the-River” Neighborhoods in Muncie

This project aimed to engage students from different disciplines in a community mapping initiative in two neighborhoods in the Southside of Muncie (Forest Park and Thomas Park). Students learned about critical and creative approaches to cartography and strategies for participatory mapping, with an emphasis on data collection, production of maps, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Story maps and a preliminary cultural neighborhood atlas were the two principal deliverables of this project.

Project Maps:
Old and New Funcies of the South Side of Muncie | The Best of Forest & Thomas Park/Avondale | Reminiscing Labor Life on the Muncie Southside


Faculty Mentor: Jörn Seemann
Department: Geography
Community Partner: Forest Park Neighborhood Association, Thomas Park/Avondale Neighborhood Association
Students: Kyle Amonette, Austin Berry, Elizabeth Carpenter, Alex Darland, Mitch Grime, Kyle Kedra, James Longwith, Kyle Marsh, Tim Martin, Tyler O’Riley, Justin Parsons, Caitlin Stankovich, Rebecca Stroud

Rehabilitating Houses

Students looking at a home to be rehabilitated

Spring 2019: In this immersive learning course, an interdisciplinary team of students worked on rehabilitating existing houses for local nonprofit organizations. The class involved the design and pre-construction phases. Each project started with creating measured existing drawings, determining the scope of work needed, making recommendations for revisions, and then creating plans for the remodeling of the houses. They worked with representatives from the non-profit organizations throughout the process, to ensure the designs meet the needs of the clients. This project began in Fall of 2012, and over the course of eleven semesters, has produced plans for the renovation (or new construction) of 30 houses. Additionally, this semester, the students completed three sets of plans for rehabilitating houses in the 8Twelve area.

Fall 2018: In this immersive learning course, the interdisciplinary team of students (construction management, architecture and interior design) worked on rehabilitating two existing houses for a local non-profit, Urban Light CDC. The class involved the design and preconstruction phases, before construction began. Each project started with creating measured existing drawings, and then determined the scope of work needed, made recommendations for revisions and created plans for the remodeling of the houses. They worked with representatives from Urban Light throughout the process to ensure their designs meet the needs of their clients.

Fall 2017 and Spring 2018: In this immersive learning course, the interdisciplinary team of students worked on rehabilitating existing houses for Habitat for Humanity. The class involved the design and preconstruction phases before construction began. Each project started with creating measured existing drawings, determining the scope of work needed, making recommendations for revisions, and then creating plans for the remodeling of the houses. They worked with representatives from Habitat throughout the process to ensure their designs meet the needs of their clients.

Spring 2017: An interdisciplinary team of students (construction management and architecture) engaged in redesigning structures for Greater Muncie Habitat for Humanity to prepare the structures for restoration and renovation. The main tangible outcome was the final documents (construction drawings, scope of work, list of materials and budget) which will then be used by Greater Muncie Habitat for Humanity to rehabilitate each house. This semester the documents for two houses will be completed and these houses will then be remodeled in 2017. Students completing this experience received relevant professional experience, as rehabilitating existing structures is a major part of their future professions. The targeted majors, construction management and architecture, will work together throughout their careers, frequently for the same companies. The interdisciplinary student teams in this class were invaluable in providing the students the opportunity to understand the contributions of, and their relationship to, the other professions.


Spring 2019

Faculty Mentor: Janet Fick
Department: Construction Management and Interior Design
Community Partners: Greater Muncie Habitat for Humanity, Muncie Mission, Urban Light LLC
Students: Nicholas Beamish, Joshua Brann, Jenna Effinger, Matthew Johnston, Leonard Kline, Spencer McKenney, Jon Miller, Nicholas Murphy, Adycin Rager, Paynter Rhed, Emily Schripsema, John Spencer, Aaron Strayer


Fall 2018

Faculty Mentor: Janet Fick
Department: Construction Management and Interior Design
Community Partner: Urban Light CDC
Students:Joey Bastian, Madison Castleman, Megan Draper, Taylor Hindman, Natalie Hopf, Jordan Jones, Drew Keil, Susan Lamermayer, Katie McCauley, Stephen Rosiek, Kayli Sommers, Austin White


Spring 2018

Faculty Mentor: Janet Fick
Department: Construction Management and Interior Design
Community Partner: Greater Muncie Habitat for Humanity
Students: Justin Baker, Schyler Cerqueira, William Hack, Meaghan Heinrich, Kelsie Kittredge, Logan Melton, Erin Powichroski, Colten Showalter, Joseph St. Clair, Vanessa Wigent


Fall 2017

Faculty Mentor: Janet Fick
Department: Construction Management and Interior Design
Community Partner: Greater Muncie Habitat for Humanity
Students: Dennis Basham, Noah Donica, Drew Fairchild, Michael Fleck, Jessica Franke, Stephanie Kailey, Scott Manners, Jacob Mattingly, Collin Mercer, Katie Mercer, Kristine Punzalan, Zachary Rooker, Grant Small


Spring 2017

Faculty Mentors: Janet Fick
Departments: Technology
Community Partner: Greater Muncie Habitat for Humanity
Students: Courtney Castleman, Emily Epple, Kaylee Jacoob, Ryan Johnston, Toby McClintic, Collin Mercer, Katie Mercer, Haylee Moscato, Brayton Underhill, Tyler Woolen, Chase Woosley

Engaging the Next Generation of Leaders: Character and Leadership Devlopment at the Boys and Girls Club of Muncie

At the Boys & Girls Club of Muncie, leadership and character development are paramount. This immersive learning project put this important program in to action through developing a leadership curriculum for the club teens. This program is comprised of five session including self-awareness, teamwork, conflict management, social media presence, and goals and values. Through interactive learning experiences, the content is tied in to leadership development as it relates to the club members. The teens will also complete pre and post-tests to determine effectiveness of the program. The ultimate goal is to have this content become part of the Boys & Girls Club of America development data base.


Faculty Mentor: Peggy Fisher
Department: Communication Studies
Community Partner: Boys & Girls Club of Muncie
Students: Jasmine Cash, Margaret Ernst, Jacob Griffin, Allison Grime, Meranda Herbert-Reich, Robert Higgins, Oana Nae, Lea Newman, Siduri Purnell, Samantha Starcher

Assessing Heat Leaks in the 8twelve Target District

Getting heat leaks information of a building is critical in revitalizing the 8twelve target area in Muncie. Traditionally this information is obtained inside the building by a trained thermographer using thermal cameras, which is time consuming and costly. In this project, students from Ball State University obtained thermal infrared (TIR) images from outside without disturbing homeowners during the winter season by using FLIR ONE units attached to students’ own smart phones. These TIR images were integrated with existing online GIS maps to provide both homeowners and the public the heat leaks information of buildings in the target neighborhood of 8twelve coalition.


Faculty Mentor: Jason Yang
Department: Geography
Community Partner: Muncie 8twelve Coalition, ecoREHAB of Muncie, Inc.
Students: Austin Berry, Cody Blevins, Elizabeth Carpenter, Alex Darland, Drew Duncan, James Foster, Garrett Fuelling, Mitchell Grime, Olivia Jesse, Kyle Kedra, James Longwith, Kyle Marsh, Tim Martin, Clara Neurauter, Caitlin Stankovich

Advancing ecoREHAB Through Story and Strategy

Having emerged from a 2009 immersive studio within Ball State’s architecture program, ecoREHAB has long supported real-world learning for students through projects to transform abandoned properties into inviting, affordable homes. As the Muncie nonprofit seeks to expand its reach and reputation, students within Ball State’s College of Communications, Information, and Media developed an integrated, measurable marketing and communications strategy; gathered and shared compelling stories about the organization’s impact through various approaches and platforms; developed a logo and marketing pieces; and enhanced the organization’s web and social media presence and visual identity.


Faculty Mentors: Kate Elliott, Paul Gestwicki
Departments: Journalism, Computer Science
Community Partner: ecoREHAB of Muncie, Inc.
Students: Claire Bauserman, Liz DiGennaro, Sarah Foster, Casey Fox, Shannon Greeley, Taylor Groce, Keenan Hutchinson, Lily Jablonski, Grace Koppenhofer, Sydnee Kuebler, Rachel Marquell, Tyler Moore, Kelly Nash, Cameron Nichols, Abby Quigley, Erika Raine, Mackenzie Schroeder, Kaitlyn Sumner, Leslie Thomas