The Dean J. B. Black Fund
On this 100th anniversary of Ball State University, we propose to honor Dean Emeritus J. B. Black in grateful recognition of his many accomplishments and lasting impact by establishing the J. B. Black Fund. Dean Black served as Dean of the College of Business from 1973-84 and made many contributions to the college and programs, but the most important is his contribution to student success.
We will honor and continue that legacy by working to improve financial literacy amongst students and the community by creating the Financial Literacy Lecture Series and Research Workshop. The Lecture Series will invite high visibility/impact speakers to campus throughout the year to reinforce the importance of financial literacy to students. The Research Workshops will bring high-quality researchers and practitioners to the institution, and provide an opportunity for our faculty to interact with other high-quality researchers and practitioners, to disseminate information about contemporary issues in the field, and to encourage further investigation of contemporary issues.
The J. B. Black Fund will provide financial support for students seeking professional credentials to leverage their academic experience and enhance their career prospects. Coursework offered by the department currently enables students to prepare for the CTP, CFP, CFA (level 1), CIC, CRM, and CPCU designations. The fund would provide resources to create and offer comprehensive review programs which will be offered in the summer (or online) and will be designed to help students and alumni make substantial progress towards preparing for these designations. In addition, the J. B. Black fund would offer scholarships to qualified students to defray the costs associated with testing fees for these designations
The Dean J. B. Black Fund will strengthen our student-centered focus, leverage university resources, improve the external visibility and prestige of the Miller College of Business and Ball State University, employment opportunities for our students, and career prospects for our alumni.
