One Ball State Day 2026

The School of Earth, Atmosphere, and Sustainability (SEAS) provides students with the skills and experiences necessary to live meaningful and purposeful lives. Our learner-centered faculty guide students to reach their greatest potential, whether their interests lie in delivering timely weather forecasts, monitoring and sustaining the natural environment, understanding the geologic foundations of earth, engaging in recreational and tourism pursuits, or mastering the geospatial technologies that allow us to measure and examine the world. Sail the SEAS with us! Here are details about how your donations would be used: 

Geography & Meteorology General Fund- This, among other activities, includes support for the honor society Gamma Theta Upsilon. This enables student members to travel to academic conferences so that they may professionally network, attend presentations and workshops, and learn about and engage with emerging research within geography. These funds have supported previous trips to national conferences of the American Association of Geographers in Washington D.C. (2010 and 2019), New York City (2012), Tampa (2014), Chicago (2015), Boston (2017), Denver (2023), and Detroit (2025). Additional trips supported by your donations include Mounds State Park (2007), Mammoth Cave (2008) and Virginia Beach (2022). 

The Food Hub and Student Farm- Drs. Haeft and Gruver lead efforts to teach students about sustainable agriculture and sustainable food systems. Our students have been integral to developing the Student Farm, which is just five minutes from campus. There, students plan, plant, maintain, and harvest a huge variety of produce, which is donated and sold to community members living in low food access areas of our community. The Food Hub's Mobile Farmers Market, also co-developed and operated by our students, moves food from the farm to food desert areas in our community. Both of these efforts are incredibly rewarding for our students and helpful to our community. Your donations help with things like purchasing equipment to make these operations more successful. 

Explore Geology Travel Fund-  Our program in Environmental Geoscience prepares students to apply natural sciences to the real world and equips them for a variety of career opportunities, which include environmental consulting at state government agencies, such as IDNR or USGS.   

In order for our students to get the best training and the best field experiences possible, we need help reducing student costs for geology field trips in other parts of the country. Getting a diversified background in geosciences is essential for learning new skills and job placement.

Floyd Hurlbut and Jim Leak Scholarship- Jim Leak began this fund made in memory of the late Dr. Hurlbut who established the Muncie Travel Service in 1952. Dr. Hurlbut was also a Professor of Geography at Ball State for many years. This award is given to Geography majors. 

Dr. & Mrs. Thomas P. Grimes Meteorology and Climatology Fund- Provides funds for Meteorology and Climatology programs and scholarships. 

Clyde W. Hibbs Memorial Scholarship- Provides scholarships to students majoring in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management.

Natural Resources General Fund- Provides funds for the welfare, administration, and advancement of the programs for Natural Resource students. 

Natural Resources & Environmental Management Scholarship- Provides funding for the scholarships awarded to students in the Natural Resources Department.

Soil and Water Conservation Fund- Supports activities that expand the understanding of soil and water conservation. Activities include, but are not limited to, faculty and student development, scholarship, conference travel, and research.  The primary goal of the fund is to advance academic engagement in soil and water conservation research and is not limited to one specific department or area of study.