New scholarship initiative at Ball State

MUNCIE, Ind. (Inside INdiana Business) — Ball State University and the George and Frances Ball Foundation have teamed up to create an endowed scholarship to help undergraduate students from Indiana with financial aid. The George and Frances Ball Scholars Program also offers incentives for new donors by matching each dollar raised by the university up to $5 million. It will be the largest single investment in student scholarships in the school’s history. 

“The George and Frances Ball Scholars Program will double the impact of any gifts we make to new and existing scholarships on behalf of our undergraduate students from Indiana,” said Ball State president Geoffrey S. Mearns. “This extraordinary gift will have a pronounced impact on our University’s ability to recruit and retain the best and brightest students from Indiana.”

The criteria for matching scholarship gifts or pledges are:

• 1 for 1 match for gifts or pledges of $25K-$250K to establish new, unrestricted Legacy Endowed Scholarships. The George and Frances Ball Foundation will also provide matching dollars for new money going to current endowments that fit the criteria.
• 1 for 1 match for new gifts of $1,000 or more not earmarked for a new or existing scholarship. These gifts and their matches will be placed in the George and Frances Ball Scholars Fund.

“These gifts will honor our founders’ courage and their commitment to our University,” said Thomas Kinghorn, Ball Foundation chief executive and president. “And they will help us fulfill our mission to prepare our students to have fulfilling careers and to lead meaningful lives.”