The history of Ball State
Ball State’s tradition of innovation and entrepreneurship is rooted in the late 19th century, when Muncie business leaders envisioned a local college to help boost the city’s development. Among the visionaries were Frank C. Ball and his brothers, young New York industrialists who moved to Muncie looking to expand their glass container business. A small, private teacher training school opened in 1899.
After the community’s efforts to sustain the college failed, the Ball brothers bought the land and buildings of the defunct institution and donated them to the state of Indiana. This gift became the Indiana State Normal School Eastern Division, which opened in 1918 to meet Indiana’s need for more and better teachers.
Almost 40 years later, Ball State Teachers College had grown, and faculty and staff from outside of the Midwest were attracted to the school. Students sought majors in areas such as business, architecture and other emerging disciplines. After great increases in enrollment and funding, the Indiana General Assembly decided in 1965 to change the name of the college to Ball State University. The change in the name acknowledged the school’s growth in enrollment and facilities, the variety and quality of its educational programs and services and the anticipation of the broader role it would play in the state’s future.
Today, Ball State is known for extensive degree offerings, technological resources, immersive learning opportunities, community outreach projects and state-of-the-art facilities.
Source: www.bsu.edu/about/historyandmission