By: Ball State Marketing & Communications—
Muncie, IN—Dr. Stephen Ferris will join the Ball State University leadership team as the next dean of the Miller College of Business, Susana Rivera-Mills, provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs, announced today.
His appointment starts July 1, 2019.
“Stephen brings extensive administrative experience and an entrepreneurial spirit that places students at the center of his vision for the college,” she said. “I am confident that Stephen will successfully engage faculty, alumni, and other community stakeholders to move the Miller College forward and advance our University’s mission and strategic plan, Destination 2040: Our Flight Path.”
A Navy veteran and current dean at the College of Business at the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs, Dr. Ferris started his academic career in 1983 teaching finance at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg. From 1993 to 2018, he fulfilled academic and administrative roles at the University of Missouri in Columbia.
In addition, he is a scholar. His research interests include capital markets, specifically the regulation of capital markets, corporate governance, bankruptcy, and legal analysis of corporate activity. His articles have been published in numerous academic journals, including The Financial Review, which he served as editor from 1997 to 2003.
Dr. Ferris said President Geoffrey S. Mearns’ vision drew him to Ball State.
“The new strategic plan is very forward looking. It’s where the academy and business education are going,” he said. “Two elements that spoke to me are the plan’s emphasis on innovation and community engagement.
“Innovation is key to education, scholarship, and discovery, especially with how we use technology and online platforms. Like President Mearns, I believe community engagement is an integral part of the University and of business education, both in economic development and student success.
“Miller College has a number of strengths in its research centers, robust faculty, and programs that engage with the community. I would like for Miller College to leverage those strengths, collaborate with other colleges on campus, and better serve the Muncie region and the state. In broad terms, my vision for the college is for us to build on our momentum in preparing our students for success in a global, diverse, innovative, and technologically-oriented economy.”
Provost Rivera-Mills said she is grateful to Dr. Mark Myring for serving as interim dean of Miller College and appreciates the campus community’s participation in the search.
About Ball State
Founded in 1918 and located in Muncie, Ball State is one of Indiana’s signature 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.
