Ball State University
EN-3: Student Life

Air and Waste Management Association: The Ball State Air and Waste Management Association seeks to promote sustainability on campus and improve the community through immersive learning projects dealing with air quality.
American Fisheries Society: This is a student subunit of the American Fisheries Society. Our purpose is to foster beneficial interactions between fisheries professionals, faculty members, and students. Throughout the year there will be various talks given by professionals in regards to current research and conservation efforts taking place in the field of fisheries. AFS also does various community service projects to help benefit local aquatic ecosystems!
Geological Society: Ball State's Geological Society concentrates on topics regarding the world on which we live and other planetary bodies.
GROW: The Campus Garden: On a small empty lot behind the Student Center, we at GROW provide dirt. In this dirt, we plant vegetables and herbs for everyone's use, cultivate a relaxing and social space, and encourage community-led events and creative projects.
Natural Resources Club:This club is focused on providing students with educational, vocational, and recreational access to information about our natural resources. Events include volunteering, partnering with other clubs, hiking, and camping.
Partnership for Student Sustainable Advancement: The Partnership for Student Sustainable Advancement (PSSA) is a student-run sustainability group dedicated to cutting Ball State's carbon footprint by reducing on-campus energy use.
Emerging Green Builders: Emerging Green Builders (Affectionately known as EGB) is the official Ball State student chapter of the USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council). Our chapter promotes green design principles throughout the College of Architecture and Planning, Ball State University, Muncie community, and the state of Indiana.

The student farm is a six acre field dedicated to high tunnel and outdoor bed production of over 179 varieties of produce (we do not qualify for organic labeling because it takes three years to work towards the label, but we do grow everything under organic standards in the hopes to one day obtain the label). That produce is grown and sold by students directly to consumers. Some years instead of selling directly to consumers we will grow starter plants and sell them through the on-campus plant sale which is orchestrated through the Rinard Orchid Greenhouse. We also work with 48 acres of tillable land on the property that is rented to a local farmer for soybean and corn production. During the off-season we grow cover crops to provide local farmers information on soil conservation. These activities, alongside various agriculturally inclined courses, allow students the opportunities to learn about the local food movement, sustainability initiatives, community gardening, conventional and sustainable farming, and how to make a difference.

Allègre students of the Hospitality and Food Management Program (Department of Management) serve meals to the public each Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for dinner in the Allègre Restaurant. Seating for dinner is from 5:30 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.

Allègre is a student ran restaurant that provides students with a unique experience of managing a restaurant. Each meal is a different theme which the students create.

Indiana Outdoors: “Indiana Outdoors” is a half-hour public television nature show that highlights Indiana natural resources, historic sites, and recreational opportunities around the state through stories shot independently by students. http://cms.bsu.edu/academics/collegesanddepartments/telecommunications/activities-opportunities/studentorganizations

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The Ball State University Bracken Environmental Fund has been used to sponsor three major lectures for students, faculty, administrators, staff, and surrounding residents of the Muncie Community. They have included Thomas Friedman, J. Carl Ganter, Paul Hawken, Robert Kennedy Jr., Gus Speth, Sylvia Earle and Alexandra Cousteau. In 2018, Jeff Corwin served as a lecturer and focused on awareness and education, Jeff drew on his world travels to enlighten with insights on the current state of environmental conservation efforts, emphasizing that the key to our own survival is the survival of the world’s creatures and ecosystems.

1. Outdoor Pursuits
The Outdoor Pursuits Program includes a climbing wall, outdoor equipment rental and retail center, classroom, as well as trips programs and outdoor skills clinics and workshops, and an outdoor resource center.
Outdoor Pursuits Rental Center
Going outside and having fun sometimes requires a lot of expensive, specialized gear. Through the BSU Outdoor Rental Center BSU students have access to the equipment required for outings like backpacking, camping, canoeing, biking, and fly fishing.

2. Indiana Outdoors is a weekly half-hour program featuring Indiana’s natural resources and recreational opportunities. Ball State students, faculty and staff produce the magazine-style show with help from Indiana Department of Natural Resources and WIPB, Ball State’s public television station.
Focusing on historic sites, state parks and natural history of Indiana, “Indiana Outdoors” takes viewers to locations from Lake Michigan to the Ohio River and all points in between.

3. The university has received 61 regional Emmy nominations and won 18 since 2000, contributing to Ball State being named Indiana's Broadcasting School of the Year for three consecutive years.

"The documentary is a strong example of how Ball State has become a national model for immersive education in news, film and entertainment,". "Our projects are student-centered and allow undergraduates and graduates to work side-by-side with some of the best professionals in the field."

As an out-growth of this effort, Alexander Mejia, an Indianapolis resident who graduated in the spring, and Tony Prizevoits, a junior, received their nomination for a flood awareness video produced for the Red Cross. The project was submitted by their independent firm, TAV Productions.

Indiana Outdoors and Connections Live, a televised magazine show, was nominated in the 'professional category' for magazine programs. NewsWatch, the university's student-run nightly news television program was nominated in the 'student program' category.

Outdoor pursuits also offers a bike shop for students to fix personal bikes and a bike mechanic to make minor repars and adjustments to student's bikes.

The wilderness/outdoor program follows Leave No Trace Principles.

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Immersive learning brings together interdisciplinary, student-driven teams guided by faculty mentors to create high-impact learning experiences. Through immersive learning, students earn credit for working collaboratively with businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies to address community challenges.

Immersive Learning Project: Digging in to Muncie’s Local Food System
Immersive Learning Project: Eco REHAB Design Project
Immersive Learning Project: Habitat for Humanity
Immersive Learning Project: LEED Lab
Immersive Learning Project: Maring-Hunt Community Garden Market Pavilion and Outdoor Kitchen
Immersive Learning Project: Measurement and Reporting for Sustainability