COMM is ALL-IN!
Thank you SO Much for considering donating to the Department of Communication Studies! Your generous gift will be used to support students in our classes, as well as those who excel in our nationally ranked speech and debate teams. This year, our staff is ALL-IN! Just look at our hourly challenges! Whether we have to wear a silly outfit to work, get a tattoo, capture a goose to take a selfie with, or complete a Hot One's interview with the hottest of hot sauces, the COMM faculty wants our students, their parents, our beloved alumni, and our dear friends to know that we are enthusiastic about fundraising because COMM is ALL-IN for our students!
We remember Mike Bauer...
As you consider your gift for One Ball State Day this year, please help us honor Mike Bauer's memory by donating to the Michael Bauer Debate Fund (details below)!
Mike Bauer was a cherished member of the Communication Studies Department and a dedicated educator at Ball State University for 34 years. Even though he left us too soon, Mike's passion for debate and his commitment to student success left an enduring legacy within our department and among the thousands of students and alumni whose lives he touched.
Please direct your gift to one or more of the following six funds
The Michael Bauer Debate Fund recognizes Mike Bauer's enduring coaching and program-building legacy. Our goal this year is to raise enough funding to signify Mike's monumental contributions to Ball State's nationally recognized debate program.
Our Debate Enhancement Fund supports our nationally ranked student debaters...who need lots of $$$ to travel to debate tournaments. The more funding we receive, the more students can develop their debate skills by participating in debates near and far.
Our Individual Events Enhancement Fund supports our nationally ranked student speakers...who need lots of $$$ to travel to speech tournaments. The more funding we receive, the more students can develop their public speaking skills by participating in speaking events near and far.
Our General Fund supports the overall Communication Studies Department, specifically focusing on the needs of the undergraduate students and faculty. The general fund supports things such as scholarships for academic merit, involvement, and study abroad. Additionally, the general fund supports initiatives immersive classroom opportunities, such as the Big Talk Showcase, the COMM 210 Showcase of Excellence, our immersive practicum, and our annual Communication Research Conference. Our general fund also supports opportunities that includes bringing speakers to campus, funding alumni networking events, and providing professional development opportunities for our students.
Our First Day Scholars Fund supports graduate students in two important ways. First, it supports travel so that those in our graduate programs can learn from senior academics and present their own scholarly work at regional and national conferences. Second, it supports graduate student scholarships to recruit the best and brightest graduate students and to reward excellence for students currently enrolled in our robust graduate program.
The Peggy Fisher Engaged Student Scholarship recognizes that some of the best learning occurs outside of the classroom. Peggy worked tirelessly during her career to provide dozens of these experiences to students. This scholarship awards funding to students who embody Peggy's devotion to immersive and community-engaged learning.
Trying to decide when to give to the Department of Communication Studies? This handy guide will help you decide!
12 AM – 8 AM: Twenty-five gifts will unlock Dr. Glen Stamp naming his beloved turtles after three randomly selected donors.
8 AM – 12 PM: Fifty gifts will unlock Dr. Beth Messner competing in a Hot Ones spicy standoff with Dr. Scarlett Hester - which rhetoric rockstar will win??
12 PM – 2 PM: Twenty gifts will unlock Dr. Kathy Denker dressing up as her favorite colleague and handing out candy to ALL of her classes.
2 PM – 4 PM: Twenty gifts will unlock Mary Moore taking a selfie with a Ball State goose!
4 PM – 6 PM: Twenty-five gifts will unlock Christine Sprunger wearing a Buc-ee Beaver outfit to work.
6 PM – 7 PM: Twenty gifts will unlock Melanie Turner handing out candy to anyone who comes to her office for a week.
7 PM – 8 PM: Thirty gifts will unlock Kendra Mann getting a tattoo of the most mentioned faculty member’s face. (Mention your favorite faculty member in the “in honor of” memo line)
8 PM – 12 AM: Fifty gifts will unlock the Graduate Students getting pied in the face by their students/fellow GAs.
Not a clock watcher? You can contribute to these special challenges ALL DAY LONG!
Individual Events (Speech) Enhancement Fund
- Twenty alumni donors to the Speech Team (Individual Events Enhancement Fund) throughout the giving day will unlock a $250 match from Dr. Carrie Shue.
- Forty gifts to the Speech Team (Individual Events Enhancement Fund) throughout the giving day will unlock Spencer Coile's performance in a stunning music video.
Michael Bauer Debate Fund
- Twenty-five alumni donor gifts to the Debate Team (Michael Bauer Debate Fund) throughout the day will unlock the debate team debating on a topic area chosen by an alumni donor (randomly selected; please mention your topic of choice in the memo line).
- Twenty alumni donors to the Debate Team (Michael Bauer Debate Fund) throughout the giving day will unlock a $250 match from Dr. Carrie Shue.
- Thirty donations throughout the day to the Debate Team (Michael Bauer Debate Fund) will result in a $1,000 match from Dr. Laura O'Hara.
Grad First Day Scholars Fund
- Forty gifts to the COMM Graduate Program (First Day Scholars Fund) throughout the giving day will result in a $500 match to the First Day Scholars Fund by Dr. Kathy Denker.
- Twenty alumni donors to the COMM Graduate Program (First Day Scholars Fund) throughout the giving day will unlock a $250 match from Dr. Carrie Shue.
Peggy Fisher Engaged Student Scholarship Fund
- Twenty gifts to the Peggy Fisher Engaged Student Scholarship Fund throughout the day will unlock a $500 match from Dr. Laura O’Hara.
