Our Call to Beneficence
Our Call to Beneficence is a podcast hosted by Geoffrey S. Mearns, the president of Ball State University. The podcast features conversations with Ball State graduates and friends who embody the spirit of Beneficence through their professional success and their personal service.
Episodes
38 episodes
S4E4: A Ball State Student Brings Her Perspective to the Board of Trustees (Hope Churchill, Student Representative, Ball State Board of Trustees)
Hope Churchill is a senior studying business administration in our Miller College of Business. She’s also our current student representative on the Board of Trustees. In this role, Hope serves as the voice of her peers, advocating for her fello...
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Season 4
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Episode 4
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34:30
S4E3: A Ball State Graduate Reflects On His Global Impact as a U.S. Diplomat (Jeff Feltman, Retired U.S. Ambassador and UN Undersecretary General for Political Affairs)
Jeff Feltman is a distinguished Ball State graduate who has had an impressive career in foreign affairs and international diplomacy. Currently, Jeff is the John C. Whitehead Visiting Fellow in international diplomacy in the Foreign Policy Progr...
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Season 4
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Episode 3
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41:28
S4E2: A Ball State Basketball Player Reflects Back on His Sweet 16 Experience (Paris McCurdy, BSU Director of Community Diversity Initiatives)
Paris McCurdy is a graduate who played a pivotal role in Ball State's own March Madness Cinderella Story. Paris was a senior for the Cardinals when he and his teammates won the MAC Championship and went on to compete in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA...
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Season 4
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Episode 2
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45:13
S4E1: An Academic Leader Tackles the Biography of a BSU and NFL Football Star (Roy Weaver, Author and Teachers College Dean Emeritus)
Roy Weaver spent nearly 30 years serving Ball State University—first as a faculty member and then as an administrator. He was the associate dean of our Teachers College for 10 years, before serving another 16 years as dean. In addition ...
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Season 4
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Episode 1
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42:39
S3E10: ‘I’m Proud of What We’re Doing Here’ (Mike McDaniel, Ball State Graduate, Trustee, and Government Affairs Expert)
Since 2016, Mike McDaniel has been a dedicated member of the Ball State Board of Trustees. He is also a proud two-time graduate of our University, where he met the professor who became the mentor who shaped his future career in state politics.&...
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Season 3
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Episode 10
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1:03:36
S3E9: ‘If You’re Looking For Success, You’re in the Right Place’ (Brady Sallee, Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Ball State)
Brady Sallee became the head women’s basketball coach at Ball State University in 2012. Since then, he has established a culture of excellence for the Cardinals, a culture that is rooted in fundamentals and teamwork. For years now, Brady has b...
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Season 3
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Episode 9
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46:18
S3E8: ‘Doing Good Is What We’re Here For’ (Hollis Hughes, Ball State Graduate and Trustee Emeritus)
Hollis Hughes is very well known by many members of the Ball State University community. As a two-time graduate, Hollis had the distinction of serving on the University’s Board of Trustees for more than two decades. Previously, he served as a b...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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50:28
S3E7: ‘No Day’s The Same” (Anand Marri, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, Ball State University)
Anand Marri serves as Ball State’s Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, a position for which he is responsible for the University’s academic mission, including supporting leadership for all academic units. Whe...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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31:08
S3E6: ‘I Know What Was, And I Know What Can Be” (Jim Lowe, Associate Vice President of Facilities Planning and Management, Ball State University)
Over the past three decades of his career at Ball State, Jim Lowe has dedicated himself to ensuring the functionality, comfort, safety, and sustainability of every building that makes up the University’s campus. As the associate vi...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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33:05
S3E5: President Mearns Answers His Kids’ Questions
Over the past three seasons, President Geoffrey S. Mearns has been the one asking his guests questions on “Our Call to Beneficence.” For this episode of the podcast, his two youngest children, his twins Geoffrey Jr. and Molly, turn the tables b...
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38:01
S3E4: ‘Pay It Forward And Pass It On” (Betsy Ross, Author, Entrepreneur, Emmy-Winning Sports Reporter, and Former ESPN Anchor)
Betsy Ross is a Ball State graduate who became one of the first women to break into national sports news. Today, she is the president of Game Day Communications, a sports and entertainment communications firm based in Cincinnati. B...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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45:29
S3E3: ‘Education is the Great Elevator for Everybody” (Jim Champy, Best-Selling Author, Philanthropist, Business Consultant)
Jim Champy is a leading expert on management issues involving business engineering, a topic for which he wrote a New York Times best-selling book that has sold more than two million copies. In addition to being the co-author of Reen...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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38:54
S3E2: ‘I See Great Progress’ | (Lee Ann Kwiatkowski, CEO for Muncie Community Schools)
Dr. Lee Ann Kwiatkowski—or Dr. K as she is affectionately known in the community—serves as the director of public education and CEO for Muncie Community Schools (MCS).When she accepted the role in July 2019, Dr. K assumed leadership of ...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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29:12
S3E1: | Protecting the Rights of the Disabled (Greg Fehribach, Attorney, Advocate and Ball State Graduate)
Greg Fehribach is an attorney and the founder of The Fehribach Group, a consulting firm specializing in accessibility, universal design, and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. He is also a proud two-time graduate of Ball State...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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30:53
S2E11: 'The Realities of a Career in Entertainment' | (Dwight Smith, Veteran Television Producer and Ball State Graduate)
Dwight Smith is an innovative producer of reality television shows in Hollywood. He’s also a proud graduate who, in his own words, grew up as a “Ball State baby.” In this episode, Dwight talks about how our University fostered his ...
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Season 2
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Episode 11
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30:45
S2E10: ‘It Was a Ride of a Lifetime’ | (Randy Pond, Corporate Executive and Ball State Graduate)
Randy Pond is an accomplished Ball State graduate who presently serves as the chair of our University’s comprehensive fundraising campaign.As our May Commencement speaker, Randy inspired our graduates with his story about being a first-...
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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34:40
S2E9: ‘Give of Yourself to Others … In Kindness” (Sutton Foster, Tony-Award Winning Actress, Singer, Ball State Instructor)
Sutton Foster is a two-time Tony Award winning actor, singer and dancer. She is also an instructor at Ball State University.Fresh off her starring role alongside Hugh Jackman in the revival of The Music Man, Sutton returned to ...
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52:46
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S2E8: ‘I’m Your Guy’ — Ball State AD Jeff Mitchell on Being Passionately Prepared for A Career in College Athletics
Earlier this month, Jeff Mitchell began his tenure as Ball State’s new director of athletics. Already he has identified his vision for the next era of Ball State Athletics—a vision inspired by his previous experience leading athletics departmen...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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37:33
S2E7: Creating a New Model for Equity in the Arts (Mali Jeffers)
Mali Jeffers graduated from Ball State University in 2004. Since then, she has combined her passion for art and design with her skills in advertising and marketing to serve as co-founder of GANGGANG, a cultural developmental firm. Toget...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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35:58
S2E6: Carving a Path from the Basketball Court to the C-Suite (Kate Doerksen)
Kate Doerksen is a 2005 graduate of Ball State who, as a Cardinal, excelled on the court and in the classroom. As a star on our women’s basketball team, Kate earned several MAC Honors, as well as a spot in our Athletics Hall of Fame. <...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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34:02
S2E5: ‘My Partner in Life and in Work’ — A Candid Conversation Between Jennifer Mearns and President Geoffrey S. Mearns
For more than 30 years, Jennifer Mearns has been the life partner of Geoffrey S. Mearns, President of Ball State University. She is also a mother, a grandmother, and an accomplished professional, having worked in sports marketing before becomin...
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39:55
S2E4: Culture, Values, and Career Success — (Angela Ahrendts)
Angela Ahrendts is an accomplished Ball State graduate who, over the course of her career in business, has provided visionary leadership at the helm of companies including Burberry, the luxury fashion house, and the tech giant Apple.In ...
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36:36
S2E3: ‘It’s Not How the World Defines You, It’s How You Define Yourself’ — Stedman Graham on Self-Leadership and Finding Your Identity
Stedman Graham is an author, an educator, and an entrepreneur. After earning his undergraduate degree from Hardin-Simmons University in Texas, Stedman served in the Army, mostly overseas, where he also played in the European professional basket...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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35:17
S2E2: ‘This Is Home’ — Michael Lewis on Becoming Head Coach of BSU Men’s Basketball Team
Michael Lewis was hired as Ball State’s new men’s basketball coach in March. Coach Lewis’ arrival ushers in a new chapter of leadership for Ball State Athletics. It’s also an exciting new chapter for Michael, who has returned to his home state ...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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34:25
S2E1: Building Opportunities through Business and Sports (Dan Towriss)
Dan Towriss graduated from Ball State in 1994 with a degree in actuarial science. Over the course of his career, he’s led a number of successful insurance company acquisitions and earned a reputation for growth and a return on investment. Today...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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34:30
