By Ball State Marketing & Communications—
MUNCIE, Indiana – Seven faculty members at Ball State University have been selected as honorees for this year’s Liberal Education and America’s Promise (LEAP) Indiana Faculty Awards.
Dr. Adam Kuban, professor of Journalism, was selected as this year’s LEAP Indiana Paragon Award recipient, while six Ball State faculty members were recognized as part of the LEAP Indiana COVID Character Honors program.
“We are extremely proud of our faculty members whose work and dedication as educators is being recognized by LEAP Indiana,” said Dr. Susana Rivera-Mills, Ball State’s provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs. “At Ball State, our engaged faculty and staff are dedicated to our students’ success from day one. I am grateful to work with talented educators who promote a vibrant culture of wellbeing that helps our campus community lead engaged and meaningful lives.”
LEAP Indiana Paragon Award
Dr. Adam Kuban, professor of Journalism
The LEAP Indiana Paragon Award honors the sustained professional achievement of an individual who exemplifies LEAP Indiana’s mission and vision as a teacher or teaching and learning advocate.
LEAP Indiana aims to establish and foster connections among diverse faculty, from all Indiana colleges and universities, who are passionate about teaching and the exploration of innovative pedagogies aligned with AAC&U’s LEAP States Initiative.
Dr. Kuban has taught for more than 17 years as instructor of record for a wide array of media-oriented courses at Iowa State University, the University of Utah, and Ball State, where he has earned numerous awards and accolades for his contributions to the scholarship of engagement.
Since 2014, Dr. Kuban has worked with more than 40 students and several community partners to prepare and deliver accepted presentations at 20 academic conferences and juried film festivals, leading to prestigious recognition for the University and its College of Communication, Information, and Media.
“I’m extremely honored, of course, to have won the 2022 LEAP Indiana Paragon Award—but also humbled by it,” Dr. Kuban said. “I learned that I was selected among instructors from institutions across the state for this honor, and having been at Ball State for 12 years, I’m very aware that we have incredibly talented educators at my University but also throughout the Hoosier State.
“I’m grateful for my colleagues at Ball State as well as those with whom I’ve collaborated for inter-institutional projects and partnerships. Their ideas and their support keep me driven and motivated,” Dr. Kuban continued. “Also, I want to thank LEAP Indiana and, by extension, the American Association of Colleges & Universities, for recognizing us educators for the copious time and effort that we invest in our students.”
LEAP Indiana COVID Character Honors
LEAP Indiana this year also recognized several faculty members across the state for its COVID Character Honors program. Nominees were selected by LEAP chapter members, who submitted stories about colleagues who assisted one or more students during the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ball State faculty members selected to receive this honor were:
- Christopher Baas, professor of Landscape Architecture; R. Wayne Estopinal College of Architecture and Planning
- Dr. Cesar Cruz, assistant professor of Architecture; R. Wayne Estopinal College of Architecture and Planning
- J.P. Hall, assistant professor of Historic Preservation; R. Wayne Estopinal College of Architecture and Planning
- Dr. Jeremy Merrill, assistant professor of Landscape Architecture; R. Wayne Estopinal College of Architecture and Planning
- Benjamin Strack, assistant teaching professor of Media; College of Communication, Information, and Media
- Susan Tomizawa, associate teaching professor of Landscape Architecture; R. Wayne Estopinal College of Architecture and Planning
About Ball State
Founded in 1918 and located in Muncie, Ball State University is one of Indiana’s premier universities and an economic driver for the state. Ball State’s 21,600 students come from all over Indiana, the nation, and the world. The 790-acre campus is large enough to accommodate first-rate facilities and 19 NCAA Division I sports, but our welcoming and inclusive campus is small enough to ensure the friendliness, personal attention, and access that are the hallmarks of the University. Destination 2040: Our Flight Path establishes Ball State’s ambitious goals for our second century. We Fly!
