One Ball State Day 2026 has ended!
One Ball State Day 2026
Admissions
One Ball State Day 2026 has ended!
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Admissions
Admissions is more than a campus tour—it’s the beginning of everything!
Supporting Admissions and Orientation means changing lives before students even step foot on campus. For many students, their first conversation with our team is the moment they realize college is possible, and that they truly belong. At Ball State University, Admissions is more than applications and campus tours; it is the first act of guidance and belief in a student’s potential. It is where access begins and where our institutional priorities—academic excellence, student success, and an inclusive community—first take shape.
A gift to Admissions and Orientation is an investment in every student who will one day call Ball State home. Your generosity allows us to expand high-impact recruitment efforts, strengthen personalized outreach, and remove the barriers that prevent talented students from seeing Ball State as a possibility. By investing in Admissions and Orientation, you aren't just supporting a single program; you are shaping the future of the University by influencing who walks through its doors. Long after a tour ends or an application is submitted, the ripple effect of your gift will be seen in classrooms, careers, and communities for generations to come.
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
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
Dash & Splash Leaderboard
Dash & Splash participant who has the most gifts between 12–1 p.m. will win $1,000 for the fund they’re racing for.
| Rank | Prize | Fund | Gifts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1,000 | Registrar General | 44 |
| 2 | Online Student Support Fund | 21 | |
| 3 | Indiana Academy General Fund | 11 | |
| 4 | Elementary Education General | 9 | |
| 5 | Learning Center Fund | 9 | |
| 6 | Burris General Fund | 8 | |
| 7 | Department of Early Childhood, Youth, and Family Studies | 6 | |
| 8 | Speech Pathology and Audiology | 4 | |
| 9 | Dr. Paul W. Parkison Fund for Accounting Excellence | 3 | |
| 10 | Michael Bauer Debate Fund | 3 | |
| 11 | Psychological Science General | 3 | |
| 12 | CCIM Dean's Fund | 3 | |
| 13 | Graduate Student Research Support Fund | 2 | |
| 14 | University College General | 2 | |
| 15 | Aquatics Program Development Fund | 2 |
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
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
