BallStateDailyNews.com
VOL. 105 ISSUE: 02
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EDITORIAL BOARD
Meghan Braddy, Editor-in-chief
Andrew Berger, Digital Managing Editor
Shelby Anderson, News Editor
Linnea Sundquist, Associate News Editor
Kyle Stout, Sports Editor
Trinity Rea, Associate Sports Editor
Katherine Hill, Lifestyles Editor
Jayden Vaughn, Associate Opinion Editor
Charlotte Jons Associate Opinion Editor
Isabella Kemper, Multimedia
Editor
Jeffrey Dreyer, Associate Multimedia Editor
Jessica Bergfors, Visual Editor
Brenden Rowan, Social Media
Editor
Channing Matha, Copy Editor
Corey Ohlenkamp, Adviser
CORRECTION
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COVER CREDITS:
BRENDEN ROWAN, DN PHOTO ILLUSTRATION
ISABELLA KEMPER, DN BALL STATE ATHLETICS, DN PHOTO PROVIDED
In the Aug. 14 issue of The Ball State Daily News, By Hand in Fork is incorrectly mentioned as residing on Tillitson Avenue on pg. 10. By Hand and Fork is located on Wheeling Avenue. To submit a correction, email editor@bsudailynews.com.
4-DAY WEATHER FORECAST
Trump tells Putin, Zelenskyy, to be flexible
Aug. 19: Trump encouraged Putin and Zelenskyy to be “flexible” as the United States tries to end the war, according to Bloomberg News (TNS). “I hope President Putin is going to be good, and if he’s not, it’s going to be a rough situation,” Trump said Aug. 19 in an interview on Fox News. “I hope that Zelenskyy, President Zelenskyy, will do what he has to do. He has to show some flexibility also.” Trump said. The comment made by Trump came as the U.S. president pushes to bring Russia’s war against Ukraine, now in its fourth year, to an end. On Aug. 17, Trump spoke to Putin to try to encourage him to make a “bilateral summit” with Zelenskyy.
Hurricane Erin to bring dangerous conditions
Aug. 19: Hurricane Erin will bring life-threatening currents to parts of the U.S. East Coast this week, according to Tribune News Service (TNS). Forecasters are becoming concerned about two other systems that have a chance of forming in Erin’s wake, one specifically coming from the Atlantic off the coast of Africa. According to reporting from TNS, Erin has been assigned as a Category 2 hurricane traveling north-northwest at 10 miles per hour and is 655 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.
Athletics announces clear bag policy
Aug. 14: Ball State Athletics has initiated a new “clear bag” policy at its ticketed athletic events, including baseball and softball games, starting with the 2025-26 academic year, according to a press release. The release reads, “The new policy was put in place to enhance existing security and public safety measures at Scheumann Stadium, Worthen Arena, Shebek Stadium and the Ball State Softball Stadium. Now a standard at many college and most pro sports facilities, the policy is designed to regulate the size and types of bags that may be carried into the venue for all events.” Clear bags branded with the school logo will be available for purchase at the campus book store.
WILL MCLELLAND/, TNS
NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER, TNS
ZACH CARTER, DN
Read more, pay less
The Textbook Affordability at Ball State (TABS) program encourages low-cost textbooks for all students across campus.
“Education should be affordable and accessible to everyone,” said Natalie Witters, Ball State’s campaign manager for the marketing division of online and strategic learning.
Over the past couple of years, Ball State University has made an effort to ensure students have low-cost course materials for their courses by starting a textbook affordability program.
What Is TABS?
Starting in 2023, the Textbook Affordability at Ball State (TABS) program is an “important effort to reduce costs and remove barriers for student access to course learning materials,” Dr. Linh Littleford, Ball State’s associate provost for faculty affairs and professional development, said via email.
After stepping into her role, Littleford was “eager to continue to this important initiative.” She continues to explain that joining TABS aligned “perfectly” with her commitment to making sure students have access to learning materials and that other faculty have “opportunities for all students to thrive.”
[TABS program] is just to make it easier on everyone, especially the students.”
-
NATALIE
WITTERS,
Ball State’s campaign manager for the marketing division of online and strategic learning.
“It’s a natural extension of my belief that removing barriers to education helps both students and educators thrive,” Littleford said.
TABS is a joint effort between the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at Ball State, along with the Office of the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, University Libraries and the Division of Online and Strategic Learning. Littleford explained that TABS was created to make “education more affordable,” as well as to “lower barriers” in regards to students accessing course materials.
According to Ball State’s website, TABS provides “benefits to students and faculty and is consistent with Ball State’s commitment to inclusive excellence in the following ways:”
- Make education more accessible, equitable, and sustainable
- Ensure students have the resources they need by the first-day
- Improve student engagement because they have what they need on Day one
- Enhance student and faculty experiences and
- Increase satisfaction and well-being for students in their educational journeys.
How TABS Works
While students are registering for their classes, faculty members will tag their courses as either Textbook Affordability at Ball State-Low Cost (TABL) or Textbook Affordability at Ball StateOpenly Licensed Course Materials (TABO).
Littleford said these courses with these attributions have been designated as affordable or open access. Professors will pick affordable options for students under the TABS program that pertain to their curriculum.
See TABS, 04
President Mearns announced that our refreshed Strategic Plan website is now live. The 2025–2030 plan builds on the strong foundation of Destination 2040: Our Flight Path, extending our long-term goals through the end of the decade.
Annual Women’s Equality Day Honors Local Trailblazers
On Aug. 26, at 5 p.m., the Coalition of Women’s Organizations is set to host the 33rd annual Women’s Equality Day Celebration at the Muncie City Hall auditorium. The event will pay tribute to Vivian V. Conley, a Muncie civil rights activist, who founded the Non-Traditional Student Association and helped over 150 students pursue higher education.
Gov. Braun taps
first
state school safety director
Gov. Mike Braun on Tuesday announced Julie Q. Smith will serve as the first Director of the Office of School Safety. Smith recently retired from the Columbus Police Department as a sergeant and previously oversaw the city’s School Resource Officer Division. She is a former school resource officer for Bartholomew County Schools.
Textbooks sit on shelves as students buy or rent them for the semester Aug. 18 at the Ball State Bookstore. The Textbook Affordability at Ball State program is a joint effort between the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at Ball State. ISABELLA KEMPER, DN
Linnea Sundquist Associate News Editor
Education should be affordable and accessible to everyone.”
- NATALIE
WITTERS,
Ball State’s campaign manager for the marketing division of online and strategic learning
TABS
Continued from Page 3
If students are to enroll in courses with either TABL or TABO, they should pay $40 or less for course materials.
TABL refers to the cost of instructional materials that are $40 or less, where students might need access to the internet to see other course materials. TABO also has a cost of instructional materials that are $40 or less.
Littleford said learning, teaching and research materials reside in the public domain or under copyright released under an open license permitting no-cost access, reuse, repurpose, adaptation and redistribution by others.
Benefits of TABS
According to a Sept. 19 study published by Cengage Group, which posted the findings of the top five barriers to post-secondary education, found that 49 percent of participants say the cost of living or cost of tuition and course materials are the biggest barriers to education. Littleford said that since the TABS program has been implemented at Ball State, TABS has had a “positive impact” on students. “Surveys of students enrolled in TABS in fall 2024 and spring 2025 showed that course material costs’ positive impact on students’ enrollment and engagement is increasing,” Littleford said.
Ball State student and music media production major, Julin Kiruy, explained how having affordable course materials has made acquiring his textbooks “a lot easier.” Kiruy said that Ball State’s textbook affordability programs “takes the pressure off” for students buying new textbooks.
“I feel like for a student who’s trying to save money, it helps out a lot,” Kiruy said.
Along with the benefits of student engagement, Mary Moore, senior lecturer in communication studies at Ball State, explains how this program can impact students in different ways. Moore said that students can “see themselves” in some of the materials included in the TABS program.
“If I was using TED Talks as part of my curriculum in my advanced public speaking classes, I can choose speakers that look like them,” Moore said.
She continues to explain that picking materials that might “reflect” more students could be more beneficial than choosing material that features the “same voices being privileged.”
“I also think psychologically, it helps students feel prepared when they have materials for day one. They tend to do better when they feel that they belong,” Moore said.
Difference Between TABS and Ball State First Day Program
Along with the TABS program, starting this fall, Ball State is presenting a new textbook affordability plan for students called Ball State First Day. The First Day program is a textbook affordability program that is applied to all courses registered by students per semester.
Textbooks and other educational resources will be billed to students e-bills. Professors will select the required course materials and students will be billed $22.75 per credit hour.
Students will receive an email about the First Day program and pick if they want to pick up or have their course materials delivered to them. Materials can be picked up at Ball State’s bookstore.
The First Day program includes all required textbooks, eTextbooks, lab manuals, e-books and online learning tools, according to Ball State’s website. Items that are not included are any course materials that cannot be returned such as lab goggles, dissection kits, molecular model kits and nursing kits.
Students are allowed to opt-out of the program if they wish, and can do so each semester. Students opt-out by going to the deadline listed on the “Course Materials” page in that students courses in Canvas. If students have any more questions regarding the First Day program, students can visit Ball State’s First Day website.
Dr. Littleford explained that both programs are similar and have similar goals. She said that the major focus with TABS is that it is “facultydriven” rather than the First Day program. TABS emphasizes affordability per course, while the First Day program emphasizes affordability across all courses.
What Do Staff Members Want Students To Get Out of This Program?
“The end goal is to really help students,” Witter said.
Witter explained how she wants students to be able to have “affordable and easy access” to open educational resources for students, so they can be prepared and pass their classes.
Witter said, “[TABS program] is just to make it easier on everyone, especially the students.”
Contact Linnea Sundquist via email at Linnea. Sundquist@bsu.edu
KNOW THE DIFFERENCE KNOW THE DIFFERENCE
TABS FIRST DAY
• Students sign up for TABS as they register for classes
• Students pay for $40 or less for course materials
• Faculty driven program
• Students are automatically accepted into the program
• Students textbooks and other course materials will be billed to their e-bill per credit hour they use that material for.
• Students can opt-out of the program if they choose to
Is Ball State football going bowling?
Basketball
Is Ball State football going bowling?
The Daily News’ football beat reporters predict the 2025 football season.
Ball State men’s baskeball schedule released
Ball State’s non-conference slate has been released, featuring many notable teams. Ball State will host Louisiana on Nov. 3, kicking off the Mid-American Conference (MAC)Sun Belt challenge. The Cardinals’ big test in their non-conference lineup will be when they travel to Madison to take on the Wisconsin Badgers.
Swim
and Dive
Swim and Dive earn 19 awards in Missouri Valley Conference
Ball State men’s swim and dive team has been recognized with 19 honors for the team’s 2024-2025 season, according to a press release. Two members of the team won an award for maintaining a 3.8 GPA, seven members won an award for maintaining a 3.5 GPA, and all 19 members won an award for maintaining a 3.2 GPA. All awards were presented by the MissouriValley Conference.
Esports
Esports tournament announcement
Ball State University Athletics announced its first-ever e-sports EA College Football 26 tournament. Athletic Director Jeff Mitchell said in a press release that he wanted to bring the community together, with students, alumni, and faculty having the opportunity to face off in the virtual Scheumann Stadium. The tournament will kick off on Aug. 29, and winners will be announced Oct. 4.
Senior wide receiver Qian Magwood runs the ball during practice Aug. 19 at Scheumann Stadium. Cardinals’ leading receiver in 2023, Magwood is the program’s only remaining holdover from Ball State’s 2020 MAC Champions. ANDREW BERGER, DN
Junior quarterback Aidan Leffler throws a ball in the air during practice Aug. 19 at Scheumann Stadium. ANDREW BERGER, DN
Senior quarterback Kiael Kelly throws a pass during practice Aug. 19 at Scheumann Stadium. ANDREW BERGER, DN
Q A WITH COACH U
Mike Uremovich enters year one as the Cardinals leader.
Elijah Poe Reporter
Ball State football has been training for weeks in preparation for the 2025 season. But their conditioning, recruiting, practicing, and more date back to spring.
The 2025 season for Ball State will be led by the Cardinals’ new head coach, Mike Uremovich. Ball State will be Uremovich’s first time leading a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) squad on the gridiron.
The head coach comes to Muncie from Butler, where he led the Bulldogs to three seasons with a winning percentage over .500.
Before the season kicks off against Purdue, hear what Uremovich had to say about his move to Muncie, the 2025 squad, what it takes to build a program and more.
Q: What made you fall in love with the game of football?
Uremovich: “I have loved football for as long as I can remember. I played first through eighth grade, and then I also played in high school. I just love the game, and I was fortunate enough to have some really good coaches along the way who made me want to get into coaching and help kids.”
Uremovich: “Our guys are fortunate to have good support from our students and the alumni, and it is, first of all, a way for them to give back and say thank you for the support. But secondly, our guys, when we do community service, they get more out of it sometimes than the people we are helping. They get to go see the results of them going into the community and helping someone out, whether it is with Muncie Mission or Habitat for Humanity. They always learn more than they put into it.”
Q: What are some of your main focuses in rebuilding the football program at Ball State?
Uremovich: “We are still learning how to practice right. We are still learning our standard in our drills. We are still learning what is expected of players in the program. It is an ongoing process, and I do not care if I have been here 10 years; we want to get better every single week. We should be playing our best football in week 12 of the season. We want to get better every single day.”
goal, which you can’t take for granted these days. It’s not like you got 85 guys coming back anymore. It’s kind of a new football team every season. The guys that have been here have embraced the new guys, and the new guys that came in the spring have jumped right in and gotten in line with the stuff that we tried to establish in the spring. So that’s been fun to watch.”
Q: You’ve had high remarks about your coaches alongside you in camp. How have those coaches aided in bringing together the 2025 team?
Uremovich: “For our coaches, we try to get them around our players as much as we can, away from the field. They’re having them over to their house or taking them out for dinner. The coaches have played a part in that, but really, it’s up to the players. They’re together when they’re in the building and together in the apartments. They are also in the locker room together when we’re meeting. So, it takes everybody in a program to build that trust and those relationships with all 105 players and all the coaches. It’s something that you’ve got to work on every day. I mean, you can’t just say, ‘We got there.’ You should always be getting closer and closer as teammates and as coaches.”
Q: What has it been like for you to mentor and aid student athletes in a period of time where they are entering adulthood?
Uremovich: “I love winning, and I really love competing on the football field, but I really love graduation day. Or even when I get a call from a guy that says, ‘Hey coach, I am getting married,’ or ‘I am having my first child.’ Those relationships are lifelong, and it is fun to win, but those relationships do not end just because a kid is done playing for us. It is so great to hear from players.”
Q: What has it been like adjusting to the Muncie community?
Uremovich: “It has been great. I’ve had opportunities to get out in the community a lot up until training camp, [since] they keep us pretty locked down during training camp. But this summer, I’ve been able to get out with my wife and family and get around Muncie and meet a lot of the alumni and community members. They’ve been great, and I know they’re as excited as we are.”
Q: Why is it so important to you that you and the football team are being active in that Muncie community you just described?
We should be playing our best football in week 12 of the season. We want to get better every single day,”
- MIKE UREMOVICH, Ball State football head coach
Q: Training camp has wrapped up. That being said, what have you liked about the Cardinals after the three weeks of practice?
Uremovich: “Two things, I really think they’ve competed hard. I think that they’ve tried to do what we’ve asked them to do every single day. I [also] like the way that they came together as a team. It’s kind of challenging in college football right now, because we had all the transfers come in at midyear, then we had 18 new guys come in in May. They’ve really meshed together as a team, as a group, and are trying to work toward a common
Q: Winning is always the goal, but what are some other goals you have for this season?
Uremovich: “It is really just getting better every day. Football is unique in that it’s really 12 onegame seasons. I don’t look at big picture stuff, sure, at the end of the year, we’ll look back and say, ‘Hey, this is what we did well, this is what we did poorly, this is where we got to improve and this is what we have to address in recruiting.’ But when you get to the season, it’s really everything you have for that week, and then you see how you play, then it’s everything you have for the next week, because every game is different. Every team runs a different offense, defense, and special teams and we will have to deal with injuries. We’ll have to deal with that adversity.”
Q: What should fans expect to see out of the Ball State football team in 2025?
Uremovich: “You are going to see a tough, disciplined team that just loves to play football. Our guys are going to show up and continue to be disciplined, tough and physical. They are also going to play for each other, and I know fans will like watching them play.”
Contact Elijah Poe via email at elijah.poe@bsu. edu or on X @ElijahPoe4.
With a new coaching staff, the Ball State football team may be hard to predict.
Kyle Stout, Elijah Poe Sports Editor, Reporter
Ball State football will have a new look in 2025 with new head coach Mike Uremovich leading the Cardinals.
In 2024, Ball State fired former head coach Mike Neu, finishing the season 3-9 and going 2-6 in the Mid-American Conference (MAC). Neu was 40-63 at Ball State overall, and won the MAC in 2020. The 2020 Cardinals capped off the season by winning the Arizona Bowl.
The Cardinals enter 2025 with many new faces on the roster, as well as an almost entirely new coaching staff leading the way.
Here are beat reporters Elijah Poe’s and Kyle Stout’s predictions for the 2025 Ball State football season.
Elijah Poe –
The Cardinals missed out on going to a bowl game last season with a 3-9 record, but I believe Ball State could be close to making a bowl game with my prediction that the Cardinals will go 5-7 in 2025.
Starting at week one at Purdue University, the Cardinals will face their first Power 4 in-state opponent since playing Indiana University (IU) in 2019. Although I think Purdue will win this game, I do think these in-state games often result in closer outcomes than people expect.
Ball State kept it close with that IU team in 2019, and in 2018, the Cardinals lost to ranked Notre Dame University by only eight points.
Week two in Auburn will be one of the toughest tests the Cardinals face all year. The Tigers are a heavy-hitting Southeastern Conference (SEC) squad. Although Auburn enters the 2025 season unranked, that SEC talent will be a challenge for Ball State in just their second game under a whole new staff.
In weeks three and four, Ball State will face New Hampshire and UConn. Ball State should have the edge in talent for both of these games, and being at home for New Hampshire will be big for the Cardinals.
The MAC is looking strong this season, with Toledo, Miami and Ohio all being ranked in the top three in the preseason rankings. Ball State is slated to play four of the top five squads in the rankings, with Northern Illinois University (NIU) also being on the schedule this season.
Although I think Ohio and Western Michigan will be losses for Ball State, the Cardinals can turn it around when they host Akron and then travel to NIU for the final iteration of the Battle for the Bronze Stalk. The Cardinals will also host Kent State after going to DeKalb, which should be a great chance for Ball State to pick up a win before a gauntlet of a finishing stretch.
The Cardinals will host Eastern Michigan before heading to Toledo and Miami to close out the
2025 season. Ball State will have a good chance to win that game against Eastern Michigan, but in a competitive MAC, every game will be a toss-up.
Ball State honestly got a tough draw in having to travel to Toledo and Miami to close the season, as both are predicted to be the MAC’s best in 2025. Although I do think both games could be close, I believe those two programs are in a better spot as of 2025. Regardless, it will be interesting to see where Ball State, the Rockets and RedHawks are in the final weeks of the season.
Although I have the Cardinals missing out on a bowl game, any one of those MAC contests could go any way, meaning any outcome is possible. It truly is the most chaotic conference, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Regardless of the record at the end of the season, Uremovich and the Cardinals will have a completely new and refreshing style of play for Ball State in 2025.
Kyle Stout –
Ball State had a rough go-around in last year’s 2024 football campaign, but a coaching change has brought new life to the Cardinals. Many players have said the energy within the locker room has shifted with Uremovich leading Ball State. Despite a 3-9 finish last season, I think the new faces around the program will spark this Cardinals team to improve to 5-7.
In week one, Ball State will travel to West Lafayette to take on the Purdue Boilermakers. Despite Purdue being an away BIG Ten conference opponent, I would put the Boilermakers on upset watch. Purdue went 1-11 last season, and much like Ball State, the Boilermakers welcomed in a new head coach. I think Purdue will come away with a win in this game, but I expect Ball State to make it a close contest.
Week two will be a much more daunting week for the Cardinals, as they travel down South to take on a historic SEC school in the Auburn Tigers. This game will show Ball State many things about them, but I expect them to lose big to the Tigers.
I believe that weeks three and four will be big bounce-back weeks for Ball State, starting with them hosting New Hampshire at Scheumann Stadium in week three. I believe that this game against a smaller FCS school will give the Cardinals plenty of confidence with a big win at home, before going on the road to play UConn. I believe that Ball State has a more complete roster than UConn this season, as well as it will be a homecoming game for senior linebacker Alfred Chea, who transferred to Ball State from the Huskies.
If the Cardinals can get back-to-back wins to get back to .500, then their week six matchup against the Ohio Bobcats, the Cardinals’ first MAC opponent, will be one to watch. Although I think it will be a very competitive game, I think that Ohio’s experience and talent will be too much for the Cardinals to handle.
The biggest upset for Ball State this season will come against a Western Michigan team on the road. I think that Ball State’s early-season road experience will do wonders for them in this game, going on the road to Kalamazoo.
In the following week, I think Ball State will take care of an Akron team at home, which is expected to finish near the bottom of the MAC. After that, I think Ball State will drop one on the road at Northern Illinois University to make their record 4-4 on the season.
Ball State will host both Kent State and Eastern Michigan in the later weeks of the season, and this is where Ball State has a golden opportunity to be bowl eligible for the first time since 2020. Kent State is expected to finish last in the conference, so Ball State will get by fairly easily. Then, they play Eastern Michigan, which is close to them in talent, but I think will have the overall edge against the Cardinals.
That would put the Cardinals at .500 with two games to go on the season, but they have a tricky end to the year. They finish on the road, against two teams who are both predicted to be contenders to win the conference in Toledo and Miami (OH). I think Ball State will lose both of these games and finish the year at 5-7.
Many of these games will be toss-ups, and I can see this season going a variety of ways for Ball State. Regardless, if the Cardinals can go 5-7, that is a huge win for head coach Mike Uremovich and his staff.
Contact Elijah Poe and Kyle stout via email at elijah.poe@bsu.edu and kyle.stout@bsu.edu Or on X @ElijahPoe4 and @kylestoutdailyn.
Ball State football offensive line coach Alex Barr coaches during practice Aug. 19 at Scheumann Stadium. Alex Barr joined the Ball State coaching staff in December of 2024, following head coach Mike Uremovich from Butler. ANDREW BERGER, DN
Junior quarterback Aidan Leffler prepares to throw a pass during practice Aug. 19 at Scheumann Stadium. Leffler played in two games as a reserve quarterback in the 2024 season. ANDREW BERGER, DN
email tsprogram@bsu.edu.
Chelsea Murdock, a third-year student studying secondary English education at Ball State, waves to a crowd of people May 25 at the Indy 500. Murdock was crowned Festival Queen Scholar seven years after her older sister, Natalie, which made the Murdock sisters the only set of sisters thus far to have both been crowned, Chelsea said. LINDSAY LABAS, PHOTO PROVIDED
Katherine Hill
Lifestyles Editor
Chelsea Murdock has always had a passion for helping others. In kindergarten, she was the kid who would tie everyone’s shoes, open milk cartons and voluntarily read stories to the class, often telling her teacher, “Step to the side; I got it,” she said.
As she grew older, Murdock’s passion fused with a love of community, landing her at Ball State University as a third-year secondary English education student among the close-knit Muncie community.
My parents always encouraged [my siblings and I] to do everything we could to help our communities and to be engaged, because there are a lot of transitions in life, and being connected can often make those big transitions seem a lot smaller,” she said, adding, “[Community]’s rooted in who we are as Cardinals with our Beneficence Pledge.”
Through her engagement at Ball State, Murdock has curated a colorful resumé. Her titles include: student government association (SGA) student body president, Black student association risk and management chair and various academic accolades at the top of her class.
Her latest resumé addition came just this past
summer when she earned the title of Indy 500’s 2025 Festival Queen Scholar, a title bestowed on one young woman annually.
The recipient is chosen based on a multitude of qualities, including overall demonstration of commitment to service, communication, leadership, scholarship and professionalism— key attributes of the Indy 500 Festival Princess Program, Lindsay Labas, Indy 500’s vice president of marketing and communications, said via email.
The application process is “pretty rigorous,” Murdock recalled. Each year, 33 college-aged women are selected as 500 Festival Princesses and serve as ambassadors of the 500 Festival, their hometowns and their colleges/universities. The 33 young women, each with a cumulative GPA of 3.7, represent 17 Indiana colleges and universities and 20 cities and towns across the state, Labas said.
From those 33 princesses, one is crowned Queen Scholar. “...The selection process is both inspiring and rewarding…We look for driven leaders and passionate individuals who want to serve their communities and make an impact. Every year, I’m blown away by these princesses and what they bring to not only the program but across Indiana,” Laura Bliss, vice president of operations for The Indy 500 Festival, said via email.
This year, four of the princesses were from Ball State, including Zoe Brock, a third-year advertising
student and Miss Wayne County in 2022, a pageant where she was first encouraged to apply for The 500 Festival Princess Program.
“I grew up watching IndyCar with great family friends of mine where the Indianapolis 500 was one of the best days of the year for us; to have this opportunity to represent the greatest spectacle in racing was something I wanted to achieve so badly not only for myself, but for the people who fueled my love for IndyCar racing,” Brock said via email.
I have always seen a bright light within Chelsea… She exemplifies the program, and I am so endlessly proud of her.”
- Shaina Miller, A 2024 500 Festival Princess and fourth-year political science Ball State student
Murdock’s SGA vice president and fourthyear political science major, Shaina Miller, was also a princess in 2024. Murdock said her close friendship with Miller played an influential role in
her decision to apply for The 500 Festival Princess Program — but to Miller — Chelsea was fit for the program since the moment they met.
“I have always seen a bright light within Chelsea… She was my biggest cheerleader in applying for the 2024 princess program, and as I became acquainted with what it truly meant to be a princess, I knew she had to apply. She exemplifies the program, and I am so endlessly proud of her,” Miller said via email.
Murdock said having those familiar Muncierooted connections within the program—while also establishing new ones across the state—fostered a cohort of sisterhood that will last a lifetime.
“The other 32 young women in this program are some of the smartest, kindest, most genuine people I have ever met in my entire life and [are] lifelong friends who I’m so lucky to know. The princess program is a really great intubation space…So, I consider myself incredibly blessed and lucky,” she said.
The pageant is even a family affair. Seven years ago, Murdock’s older sister, Natalie, participated in The 500 Festival Princess Program. Watching her sister come home in a tiara “was the first time I ever saw a real-life princess, in person, who looked like me,” Chelsea said.
Chelsea Murdock, a third-year student studying secondary English education at Ball State, poses with Indianapolis’ signature interactive sign upon being crowned Queen Scholar May 25 at the 2025 Indy 500. The honor is bestowed to one college-aged woman annually. LINDSAY LABAS, PHOTO PROVIDED
The then-12-year-old, a “moody preteen” disinterested in nearly everything, remembers suddenly being entranced by the “confidence and knowingness of self” that the program fostered in her sister and sought to learn more about it for herself, as Natalie went on to become the third black woman ever to be named Queen Scholar in 2018, Chelsea said.
This year, Chelsea was the fifth Black woman to earn the title, making the Murdock sisters the only set of sisters thus far to have both been crowned, Chelsea said.
Although she said she “didn’t include Natalie” in any of her applications or questionnaire answers to allow Chelsea to have her own “authentic, unique experience” in the program, the memory of feeling represented through her sister as a young Black woman royal is at the heart of the work she has done in the community through the program’s outreach opportunities.
“The outreach opportunities,” Chelsea said, “are like a bit of a preview to what the next generation is going to look like as they’re still up and coming.” While visiting different classrooms and talking
with students across the state, awe-struck children were amazed when she and her fellow princesses stepped into their classroom, seemingly straight out of a fairytale. Chelsea remembers students exclaiming, “Oh my gosh, you’re a princess! You’re a princess! Look at your tiara!”
“Yes,” she would tell them, “but I am not a princess because I’m wearing a tiara. I’m a princess because I am kind. I’m a princess because I listen [and] because I care about other people.”
Chelsea worked to empower students to see “royalty is not in what we wear, but in who we are,” the core message she solidified while in the princess program.
While the varying responsibilities between royalty and arithmetic may be overwhelming to some — for Chelsea, it’s all about time management.
“Every year, my family has a word of the year, and our word this year was ‘margin,’ because as cool as it is to be able to do everything and be involved, there’s also so many times where you need to have dedicated rest,” she said.
Such “dedicated rest” includes frequent time spent in the 7 Brew Coffee parking lot with friends, sipping away the stressors of school.
The other 32 young women in this program are some of the smartest, kindest, most genuine people I have ever met in my entire life and [are] lifelong friends who I’m so lucky to know.”
- Chelsea Murdock, 2025 500 Festival Queen Scholar and third-year Ball State student
While Chelsea admitted she is “by no means perfect,” as she is prone to typical college student procrastination, she refuses to let her youthful age limit her ability to do good — and she encourages her peers to think similarly.
“I am huge on acknowledging the privilege I have in my day-to-day life in so many ways and understanding that even as a college student [who] do[es]n’t have all the money in the world… Philanthropy is not just a monetary thing…There are still so many ways we can give back to our community with our time and talent,” she said.
Contact Katherine Hill via email at katherine. hill@bsu.edu.
Chelsea Murdock, a third-year student studying secondary English education at Ball State, kisses the “Yard of Bricks” May 25 at the Indy 500 racetrack. Murdock was the Indy 500’s fifth-ever Black woman to receive the title of Festival Queen Scholar. LINDSAY LABAS, PHOTO PROVIDED
Chelsea Murdock, a third-year student studying secondary English education at Ball State, clutches her father while reacting to the news that she’s been named Festival Queen of the 2025 Indy 500 in May. Murdock credited her parents for her devotion to serve her community. LINDSAY LABAS, PHOTO PROVIDED
Chelsea Murdock, a third-year student studying secondary English education at Ball State, reacts to the news she’s been chosen as the 2025 Festival Queen of the Indy 500 May 25. She said the experience was, “A dream come true.” LINDSAY LABAS, PHOTO PROVIDED
Chelsea Murdock, a third-year student studying secondary English education at Ball State, waves to a crowd from the Indy 500 racetrack upon receiving the title of 2025 Festival Queen Scholar in May. LINDSAY LABAS, PHOTO PROVIDED
JESSICA BERGFORS, DN ILLUSTRATION
Liberty Rister is a third year advertising major and writes “Life in The Nest” for the Daily News. Her views do not necessarily reflect those of the newspaper.
Joining the Panhellenic community at Ball State University has to be one of the best decisions I’ve made in college, and maybe even in life. I didn’t start college thinking I’d ever join a sorority.
When I arrived at Ball State in fall 2023, I was just looking for ways to get involved. I went to the activity fair with zero expectations, casually collecting flyers, scanning sign-up sheets and smiling awkwardly at tables. Nothing really clicked until I passed by the Panhellenic booths.
I couldn’t tell you what changed at that moment, but I remember walking away with a spark of excitement. The conversations felt genuine. Welcoming. Like I had just stumbled onto something special.
Before recruitment even began, I got my first real taste of what Greek life could be. The pre-recruitment events were an absolute blast. From painting tote bags and making nametags to movie nights and meeting our recruitment counselors, everything was designed to make you feel at home.
I still carry that tote bag — even though the paint is still a little messy — but it is perfectly me.
important at the same time.
Even as a nervous freshman, I felt like I belonged. I made a friend who was also going through the process before recruitment, and debriefing each day with her quickly became my favorite ritual.
Still, I hesitated. I was scared. I felt like I had missed out on so much in high school because of COVID. I was scrambling to say yes to everything, to fill my time, my resume and my identity. But the more I joined, the more I realized I wasn’t really connecting with anyone. It felt like I was still on the outside looking in.
That all changed the moment I stepped into recruitment. From the first round, it was clear this wasn’t just about clubs or social events; it was about community, mentorship and growth. I met women who were accomplished, inspiring and grounded. I walked out of each conversation with new role models. And for the first time, I felt like I wasn’t just listing involvements, but that I was building something meaningful.
However, it’s not all fun chants and matching T-shirts. It’s hard. It’s emotional. It’s worth it.
Each day, you rank your preferences, and the chapters do the same. It’s a mutual selection process, and while that’s fair, it can also be heartbreaking. Sometimes you don’t get invited back to the chapters you felt most at home in. Sometimes it rains, your shoes hurt, or your voice gives out halfway through your third conversation.
into a mold; it’s about finding a chapter that celebrates who you already are. I want to emphasize how important it is to stay true to yourself in the recruitment process. The Panhellenic community wants to get to know you, not the you that you think you need to be to fit in.
According to the North American Interfraternity Conference, sorority members have a 93 percent second-year retention rate compared with 82 percent for non-members. Sorority women often report gains in science, writing, and thinking skills. Not only that, but they are known to have better emotional support, increased college engagement, higher service participation and more relationships with professors and mentors.
In an article published by The Hechinger Report, Jill Barshay found that sorority members tend to be more active in extracurricular activities, which not only broadens experiences but also builds skills like leadership, time management and teamwork.
That engagement doesn’t end after graduation. Alumni networks open doors for jobs, mentorship and friendships. More than half of fraternity and sorority alumni had a job immediately after or within two months of graduation, compared with just 36 percent of unaffiliated graduates, according to Barshay.
NIAC also found that fraternity and sorority members across the country often meet or exceed campus GPA averages and are more likely to graduate on time than their non-affiliated peers.
Of course, it is not just about the resume. It’s about the group chat that never stops buzzing. It’s about crying from laughter at sisterhood events. It’s about someone saving you a seat in the dining hall and never walking alone to class. Some of my closest friendships have been made not only within my sorority but across the Panhellenic community.
Whether we’re cheering each other on at Greek Week or showing up for each other’s philanthropy events, there’s a bond that connects us all. The PHA community encapsulates the most beautiful parts of each and every member, what they bring to the table, and so much more.
I’ve been on every side of recruitment — being recruited, recruiting others, and mentoring new members --- and I can say with complete confidence that if you’re even a little curious, you should go for it.
Formal recruitment is coming up fast, and it’s your chance to explore what Greek life at Ball State can offer you.
I remember walking around the “Meet the Greeks” event and almost being too scared to approach any tables. The next week, I was sweating through my shirt in the summer heat while “Legally Blonde” played on an inflatable screen, wondering how something could feel so relaxed and so
But I promise you will find your place. For me, recruitment was a crash course in confidence and self-discovery. My goal was to be myself, meet as many people as I could and survive the week without collapsing into my dorm bed from exhaustion. Somehow, I succeeded in all three.
I never thought that I was the type of girl to join a sorority. But there is no sorority “type.” Panhellenic life is full of future doctors, teachers, engineers, journalists and CEOs. It’s not about fitting
I’ve seen that come true in my own life. Through my chapter, I’ve taken on leadership positions that gave me hands-on experience in event planning, budgeting, public speaking and conflict resolution. These aren’t just soft skills — they’re real-life skills. I use them in internships, job interviews and everyday life.
Academics matter here; there is a minimum GPA requirement to remain in good standing with chapters and PHA. We prioritize academic excellence in every member, encouraging study hours in individual chapters and regularly rewarding members with “Scholar of the Week” based on chapter nominations.
I will never forget running home to my chapter for the first time and feeling, in my gut, that I was home. I saw a sign with my name on it, a familiar face from recruitment smiling at me, and took off in a sprint that definitely made me regret wearing jeans that day. They barely knew me, and yet I felt welcomed all the same.
Show up. Trust the process, you might
I felt unbelievably happy, and it hasn’t stopped since. It’s not something I can fully put into words; it’s something you have to feel for yourself. So sign up. Show up. Trust the process, you might just find your home, too.
Contact Liberty Rister via email at liberty.rister@bsu.edu
Contact Liberty Rister via email at
Columnist, “Life in The Nest”
Liberty Rister
51 majors cut, merged and suspended at Ball State
Shelby Anderson, Linnea Sundquist News Editor, Associate News Edtior
51 majors at Ball State University have been either cut, merged or suspended because of the new state budget legislation that Indiana Gov. Mike Braun signed for low-enrollment majors to be removed or merged.
What the Legislation Means
The change was part of Indiana’s biennial budget bill, added at the end of the legislative session without public debate or testimony, according to a July 9 Daily News article. The Daily News reported Gov. Mike Braun “defended the changes as necessary to ensure degrees offered in Indiana lead to real job opportunities in growing industries.”
According to the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (CHE), “404 degree programs across six institutions have so far been affected. Of
those, 74 were eliminated; 101 were suspended; and 229 were merged or consolidated.”
A June 30 press release from CHE explained that they prepared for this by providing each institution with “a preliminary analysis of under-threshold degree programs.”
At Ball State, affected programs include a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) in Educational Studies, a Master of Arts (M.A.) in History, and an M.A. in Political Science, among others.
Reactions at Ball State
One of the department chairs affected, Sean Lovelace, Chair of the Department of English, said that while he doesn’t agree that enrollment numbers in those programs should have been the way to decide this, he understands why this happened.
Lovelace explained how colleges and academic departments are evaluated for various reasons, and as a result, new programs are created and others are suspended. He said that while a Ph.D. in English
was suspended, the Department of English added a Dual Credit Credential and a new master’s program in Linguistics and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).
In Lovelace’s opinion, Higher Education is the best way for students to better themselves in many ways, and teachers are there to make sure that the opportunity is realized.
“From the department level to the president’s office, and all in between, Ball State invests a plethora of resources in recruiting and retaining students. The whole point of Higher Education is to benefit the student,” he said.
Impact on Faculty and Students
When these majors were adjusted, the staffing wasn’t hugely affected.
Greg Fallon, associate vice president for university communications and digital strategy, said via email, “I can tell you the recent program changes resulted in no employment status changes for any Ball State employee.”
The professors who previously taught classes within those majors are now teaching in the same fields. However, Lovelace did acknowledge that some professors left the university as a result of the legislation.
“I will say we’ve had a few faculty voluntarily leave recently, and they cite this state law and several others as the reason they left. They all relocated to other states,” he said.
Lovelace confirmed that no undergraduate English majors have been affected, and the department is going to continue strengthening existing programs. He reminds students that Higher Education is always changing, and for the
Department of English specifically, he said “trust starts at interaction.”
Moving Forward
Officials at the CHE see the review process as a positive step. In a July 25 Indiana Capital Chronicle (ICC) article, Commissioner Chris Lowery described it as an “excellent complement” to students, saying it’s the “first step” to helping make their degree decisions easier.
Gov. Mike Braun said in a July 9 ICC article, “This will help students make more informed decisions about the degree they want to pursue and ensure there is a direct connection between the skills students are gaining through higher education and the skills they need most.”
Still, Lovelace encouraged students to use their voices in response to the legislation.
“You are adults; you have a voice and a vote. If you are displeased with [the] acts of a state legislature that affect[s] your university, you should express that voice and that vote,” he said.
Whatever happens in the future, Lovelace said the Department of English exists for one reason: to benefit the student.
Lovelace wants to remind students who may be concerned about the changes to remember the dayto-day college experience, what Ball State has to offer in and out of the classroom, and also that the college experience is students’ best way to change for the better.
Contact Shelby Anderson via email sanderson9@ bsu.edu. Contact Linnea Sundquist via email at linnea.sunquist@bsu.edu
Crossword and Sudoku
24 __ division
Pirouetting, say
Tabby 63 List of top-scoring players, and what the start of 17-, 23-, 39-, or 51-Across could be called?
Feasted on
Achieve fame
Arancini ingredient
Organized workflow
__ upon a time
Gumbo thickener
Against
Doesn’t disturb
Archipelago unit
Stylistic faux pas that puts an editor between a rock and a black sheep?
Take potshots (at)
word in a Doris
Rashida’s “Parks and Recreation” role
Fix, as a fight
Atlantic, for one
Soldier trained in first aid
“I teach geometry, so I know all the __”: math professor’s quip 10 Observe 11 “Starman” singer David
Unaccompanied 13 Core belief
Lang. of Rome 22 Run an email scam
Molecule makeup 26 Pass over
27 Zoom devices, familiarly 28 Related (to)
29 Ankle-length skirt
33 Hollywood ending?
34 Confident stride
36 “Bridgerton” title
37 Cleveland’s lake
38 Baking amts.
40 Apple tablets 41 Singer Diamond
42 Heritage celebrated in May, for short
47 Great suffering
49 Hoity-toity type
50 Send to voicemail, perhaps
51 Colorful parrot
52 Deliver a speech
53Chambermusic configuration
54 Bike parts
55 “You’ve never __ so good”
59 Follow covertly
60 Marine apex predator
61 Idyllic place
63 __ Vegas Aces
64 Night before
65 “Shiny Happy People” band
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