One Ball State Day 2026 has ended!
One Ball State Day 2026
Cardinal Kitchen
One Ball State Day 2026 has ended!
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Cardinal Kitchen
Who We Are
Created through a Student Government Association (SGA) initiative in the fall of 2014, Cardinal Kitchen is an on-campus food pantry that serves Ball State undergraduate and graduate students. The purpose of Cardinal Kitchen is to ensure that no Ball State University Student needs to worry about going hungry. Providing free food and hygiene items on a “no questions asked” basis, Cardinal Kitchen serves an average of 70 to 100+ students each week.
"Students Helping Students"
Located in the Student Center, Cardinal Kitchen provides student volunteers with the opportunity to support the educational mission of the University and the Division of Student Affairs: to provide distinctive opportunities for student learning; to develop innovative experiential programs that support student academic success, wellness, and personal growth; to foster an inclusive, diverse, safe, and accessible campus community; to cultivate individual, campus, civic, and global responsibility; and ensure opportunities for the development of leadership skills.
In addition to non-perishable food items, Cardinal Kitchen offers items such as toilet paper, menstrual products, soap, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrushes, and toothpaste. Cardinal Kitchen also offers fresh food to our students during each opening, including fruit, vegetables, and loaves of bread. Donations made to the Cardinal Kitchen Fund may be utilized for, but are not limited to, the purchase of food, toiletries, and operational equipment.
Share your Cardinal pride using #OneBallState
Morning Leaderboard
The four departments/units/teams with the most donors by 10 a.m. receives $3,000, $2,000, $1,000, and $500 in challenge funds.
| Rank | Prize | Department/Unit/Team | Donors |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3,000 | Theatre & Dance | 131 |
| 2 | $2,000 | Indiana Academy | 86 |
| 3 | $1,000 | Field Hockey | 70 |
| 4 | $500 | Communication Studies | 56 |
| 5 | Football | 48 | |
| 6 | Student Emergency Aid Fund | 33 | |
| 7 | Soccer | 31 | |
| 8 | Accounting | 27 | |
| 9 | Gymnastics | 24 | |
| 10 | Rinker Center for Global Affairs | 24 | |
| 11 | School of Music | 23 | |
| 12 | Men's Golf | 21 | |
| 13 | Men's Basketball | 21 | |
| 14 | Men's Tennis | 19 | |
| 15 | Men's Volleyball | 17 |
Ended
Non Academic / Non Athletic Leaderboard
The four non academic/non-athletic areas with the biggest percentage of increased gifts from OBSD 2025 will receive $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000 and $500.
| Rank | Prize | Non-Academic / Non-Athletic Area | % +/- | Goal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3,000 | Proud Ball State Parents & Families | +250.00% |
35
goal: 10
|
| 2 | $2,000 | Learning Center | +140.00% |
48
goal: 20
|
| 3 | $1,000 | Undergraduate Research & Creative Project Support | +81.25% |
29
goal: 16
|
| 4 | $500 | Indiana Public Radio | +43.59% |
56
goal: 39
|
| 5 | Ball State University Police Department | +41.90% |
149
goal: 105
|
|
| 6 | Charles W. Brown Planetarium | +34.48% |
39
goal: 29
|
|
| 7 | University Libraries | +20.51% |
47
goal: 39
|
|
| 8 | Student Voluntary Services | +16.67% |
7
goal: 6
|
|
| 9 | Career Center | +12.50% |
9
goal: 8
|
|
| 10 | Women of Beneficence (Discovery) | +11.54% |
29
goal: 26
|
|
| 11 | Disability Services | +11.11% |
30
goal: 27
|
|
| 12 | Student Emergency Aid Fund | +5.26% |
80
goal: 76
|
|
| 13 | Ball State PBS | -2.56% |
38
goal: 39
|
|
| 14 | Alumni Scholarships | -9.38% |
29
goal: 32
|
|
| 15 | Field Station and Environmental Education Center | -10.00% |
9
goal: 10
|
Ended
Who is giving?
Which part of the Ball State family is making the biggest impact on One Ball State Day?
| Rank | Answer | Donors |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alumni | 2,210 |
| 2 | Friend | 911 |
| 3 | Employee | 828 |
| 4 | Parent | 712 |
| 5 | Student | 441 |
| 6 | Young Alumni (2016-2026) | 242 |
| 7 | Indiana Academy Alum | 112 |
| 8 | Emeritus/Retired | 71 |
| 9 | Burris Alum | 15 |
Ended
The First 5 Non Academic Challenge
The first 5 non-academic department/area/program/team to receive a gift will each receive $500 in challenge funds
Completed
Student Donor Challenge
5 randomly selected student donors will receive $250 to designate to the fund of their choice.
Completed
The First Four Challenge
The first student, employee, parent, and alumni donor will each receive $250 given to the fund their gift went to.
Completed
First 5 Academic Departments
The first 5 academic departments to receive a gift will each receive $500 in challenge funds.
Completed
First International Alum Challenge
The first international alum to make a gift from abroad on One Ball State Day will get $500 in challenge funds designated to the fund their gift went to.
Completed
10AM—Noon Leaderboard
The five units/areas/teams that raise the most money from 10 a.m. — Noon each receive $1,000 in challenge funds.
| Rank | Prize | Unit/Area/Department | Raised |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1,000 | Men's Golf | $16,157.00 |
| 2 | $1,000 | Gymnastics | $5,392.34 |
| 3 | $1,000 | Field Hockey | $5,165.00 |
| 4 | $1,000 | Theatre & Dance | $4,556.64 |
| 5 | $1,000 | Indiana Academy | $4,537.08 |
| 6 | Men's Tennis | $3,825.52 | |
| 7 | Women's Volleyball | $3,191.76 | |
| 8 | Communication Studies | $3,185.30 | |
| 9 | Soccer | $3,105.00 | |
| 10 | Football | $2,760.78 | |
| 11 | Accounting | $2,286.04 | |
| 12 | Men's Swimming & Diving | $2,075.26 | |
| 13 | Nutrition & Health Science | $2,045.52 | |
| 14 | Men's Volleyball | $2,041.04 | |
| 15 | Miller College of Business | $1,880.26 |
Ended
Afternoon Leaderboard
The five departments/areas/programs with the most donors between 3-5 p.m. will each receive $1,000 in challenge dollars.
| Rank | Prize | Department | Donors |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1,000 | Theatre & Dance | 59 |
| 2 | $1,000 | Field Hockey | 59 |
| 3 | $1,000 | Indiana Academy | 53 |
| 4 | $1,000 | Communication Studies | 38 |
| 5 | $1,000 | Soccer | 36 |
| 6 | Gymnastics | 26 | |
| 7 | Men's Volleyball | 21 | |
| 8 | Accounting | 17 | |
| 9 | Football | 17 | |
| 10 | Men's Tennis | 16 | |
| 11 | Burris Laboratory School | 16 | |
| 12 | Spectrum | 15 | |
| 13 | Ball State University Police Department | 14 | |
| 14 | Cross Country/Track & Field | 13 | |
| 15 | Men's Golf | 12 |
Ended
Most Donors - Unit Leaderboard
The five departments/areas/programs with the most donors by midnight will each receive $1,000
| Rank | Prize | Department | Donors |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1,000 | Theatre & Dance | 517 |
| 2 | $1,000 | Indiana Academy | 310 |
| 3 | $1,000 | Field Hockey | 232 |
| 4 | $1,000 | Gymnastics | 190 |
| 5 | $1,000 | Communication Studies | 183 |
| 6 | Football | 143 | |
| 7 | Accounting | 130 | |
| 8 | Soccer | 125 | |
| 9 | School of Music | 121 | |
| 10 | Men's Tennis | 108 | |
| 11 | Cross Country/Track & Field | 95 | |
| 12 | Men's Volleyball | 93 | |
| 13 | Burris Laboratory School | 91 | |
| 14 | Men's Golf | 84 | |
| 15 | Department of Media | 78 |
Ended
Non-Academic/Non-Athletic Evening Leaderboard
The five non-academic/non-athletic areas with the most donors from 6-8 p.m. will each receive $1,000.
| Rank | Prize | Department | Donors |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1,000 | Ball State University Police Department | 21 |
| 2 | $1,000 | Registrar | 13 |
| 3 | $1,000 | Mock Trial | 11 |
| 4 | $1,000 | Student Emergency Aid Fund | 10 |
| 5 | $1,000 | Christian Student Foundation | 7 |
| 6 | Ball State Student Media | 6 | |
| 7 | Proud Ball State Parents & Families | 6 | |
| 8 | Women of Beneficence (Discovery) | 5 | |
| 9 | University Libraries | 5 | |
| 10 | Guardian Scholars | 4 | |
| 11 | Cardinal Kitchen | 3 | |
| 12 | Alumni Programs | 3 | |
| 13 | Employee Emergency Fund | 3 | |
| 14 | Housing & Residence Life | 3 | |
| 15 | Rinker Center for Global Affairs | 3 |
Ended
Student Org Afternoon Leaderboard
The four student orgs with the most gifts from Noon-4 p.m. will receive $1,000 each.
| Rank | Prize | Department | Gifts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1,000 | Mock Trial | 26 |
| 2 | $1,000 | Ball State Student Media | 21 |
| 3 | $1,000 | Spectrum | 21 |
| 4 | $1,000 | Christian Student Foundation | 19 |
| 5 | Cardinal Kitchen | 15 | |
| 6 | Student Voluntary Services | 2 | |
| 7 | Black Student Association | 1 | |
| 8 | Dance Marathon | 1 | |
| 9 | Navigators | 1 |
Ended
Ball State Employee Social Media Challenge
Faculty and staff social media challenge! Share a photo of your 'Because of Ball State' postcard to share how Ball State has shaped who you are today—or what you and your area have been able to accomplish because of Ball State. Be sure to stamp your post with #OneBallState and #BecauseOfBallState. Two random participants will get to donate $500 in challenge funds toward their favorite area.
Completed
Social Media Video Share Challenge
Share any of the One Ball State Day videos on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram Stories, or TikTok using #OneBallState for a chance to earn extra challenge dollars. Two participants will get to donate $500 to their favorite area. Tag @BSUFoundation or @BallStateAlumni ❤️
Completed
LinkedIn Challenge
Share a One Ball State Day post on LinkedIn on April 1st for a chance to designate $1,000 to your favorite Ball State area! Use #OneBallState and tag the Ball State Foundation!
Completed
Paint the U.S. Cardinal Red
Paint the U.S. Cardinal Red. Gifts from all 50 states will unlock $5,000 from the Alumni Council to Ball States greatest needs.
Completed
Because of Ball State Video Challenge
Share your “Because of Ball State” video with #OneBallState for a chance to win $1,000 in challenge dollars to support the area of your choice. We’ll select three winners!
Completed
Charlene Alexander Chief Strategy Office Challenge
Dr. Charlene Alexander, Chief Strategy Officer, will give $600 to the Chief Strategy Office Unit that generates $600 in gifts on One Ball State Day.
Completed
Registrar Staff Challenge
April Hay, University Registrar, will match up to $250 of her staff’s donations during OBSD.
Completed
