By: Ball State Marketing & Communications—
Muncie, IN – Ball State University’s Office of Orientation is celebrating a decade-long partnership with Muncie Downtown Development Partnership (DWNTWN), Muncie Indiana Transit System (MITS), and the Muncie Visitors Bureau in welcome incoming students and their families to the community.
During 18 orientation sessions each summer, students and family members are greeted by the Muncie Visitors Bureau during their initial visit to campus. The Visitors Bureau provides a Muncie Visitors Guide to each family, along with discounts and prizes. For the past few years, one lucky family from each session has won an overnight stay at a Muncie hotel.
DWNTWN offers free tours of downtown Muncie to family members, led by community volunteers. Tour participants are transported for free via MITS bus from Ball State’s campus to Muncie Civic Theatre to participate in an hour long stroll through the vibrant downtown area.
Since 2009, 180 individualized tours for about 10,000 family members have been led by about 150 volunteers. The organizations also communicate with families throughout the academic year about Muncie events and invite them to come back and visit.
“We are grateful for the top-quality services and accommodations consistently provided by DWNTWN, MITS, and the Muncie Visitors Bureau,” said Lindsey Speer, director of Undergraduate Admissions and Orientation at Ball State. “This partnership has become a staple of our orientation program, and we could not as effectively welcome new Ball State students and families to Muncie without their generous help and support.”
About Ball State
Founded in 1918 and located in Muncie, Ball State is one of Indiana’s premier universities and an economic driver for the state. Ball State’s nearly 22,000 students come from all over Indiana, the nation, and the world, and its 780-acre campus is large enough to accommodate premier facilities and 19 NCAA Division I sports but small enough to ensure the friendliness, personal attention, and access that are the hallmarks of the University.
