One Ball State Day is becoming a tradition which inspires and unites the University community. During this time of national and world-wide crisis, that has never been truer. The Miller College of Business is incredibly proud of the passion and resilience of our Ball State students. Should you feel compelled to support the next generation of Cardinal alumni, please consider a gift to the Jack Beyerl Student Emergency Aid fund on One Ball State Day. Funds to specifically support Miller students are listed for your consideration as well. From the bottom of our hearts, and on behalf of every student, thank you.
The Entrepreneurship Program at Ball State University is one of the best in the country. Currently ranked 25th by The Princeton Review, we are always looking for ways to give our students the best experience possible. In January 2019, we launched a new fund to offer pre-seed funding opportunities to all students at Ball State University. These grants assist students who are in the early stages of venture creation and enable venture development.
Enrolled Ball State University students are eligible for the grants, a maximum of $2,500 per student, per semester. Pre-seed funding can be used to advance venture development and reach milestones, including, but not limited to, securing intellectual property, prototype development, product validation, or competing in external venture competitions to raise awareness or additional funds for their venture.
Meet Jay Finley, BS '18, a graduate of the Entrepreneurship Program. Jay was determined to prove the need for his venture concept uVoice, a web application that allowed college students to vote on potential acts and purchase presale tickets to their favorite concerts and events. Jay self-funded a proof of concept event where he demonstrated that college students would pre-purchase tickets in an effort to bring their favorite artists to campus. Jay’s event, although eventually revenue positive, cost him more than $1,000 in upfront investments. With the pre-seed fund, Jay could have spent more time producing a high-quality event without the stress of self-funding his endeavor. For a lot of students, this would not be possible without assistance. This fund is your opportunity to make a difference in the lives of students like Jay.
YOUR IMPACT
How can you help contribute to students’ success?
- For $100, a student like Austin Fisher, BS '19, could purchase software and supplies to 3D print his premier product, a solar and kinetic energy self-charging phone case, for his venture, Summa Charging Solutions.
- A $250 donation would cover the cost of registration for one student to attend the Global Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization Conference, where they can apply to compete in a pitch competition amongst some of the most promising student entrepreneurs across the world. Thanks to your donations, Class of 2020 hopeful Rachel Hafley was able to serve on a panel at this conference in 2019.
- A gift of $500 could provide travel funds necessary for students to gain customer validation directly with their target market similar to what Carlas Bogue with Bogue Feed Distribution, Class of 2018, did by traveling to Ocala, Florida, to talk to elite racehorse owners.
- A generous gift of $1,000 would provide a student with the tools to fully legitimize their concept. Funding could include a professional logo, high-quality business cards, a website, the fees associated with creating a prototype, and allow them to secure a provisional patent.
