Dr. Keith Robinson is an accomplished Ball State graduate who has dedicated his career to informing and inspiring high school students, first as an educator and now as an administrator. 

In his current role, Keith serves as the associate principal of educational services for Evanston Township High School in Evanston, Illinois. He is also a dedicated servant leader. He is the first Black trustee elected in the Village of Skokie. And Keith is also a member of the Ball State University Foundation Board of Directors and our Teachers College Advisory Council. 

In this episode, Keith talks about how the academic struggles he experienced in high school and college fueled his passion to become an engaging educator. Keith also shares how, in addition to his professional career, he’s found a new purpose in his role as a public servant. And he reveals why the chance Ball State took on him as a student is the reason he’s been a loyal advocate in service to his alma mater ever since.  

Jill Lacy is an accomplished, committed graduate of Ball State University. She serves on the Women of Beneficence Leadership Council, and she is a member of the Ball State University Foundation Board. As a student, Jill was active in student government and in her sorority. After graduating, she earned her master's degree in higher education administration, and then she pursued professional opportunities that allowed her to work at several colleges and universities across the country. Today, she serves as the president of The Lacy Foundation. 

In this episode, Jill talks about the objectives of The Lacy Foundation and the challenges and opportunities of working in philanthropy. She also shares her excitement about her son attending Ball State, and how much she appreciated being asked to serve on the committee that developed the latest iteration of our University’s strategic plan. 

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Hugh Jackman is an award-winning actor of television and film. He is also an acclaimed theater performer who won a Tony® Award for his role in The Boy From Oz. Hugh’s most recent Broadway role was in the 2022 revival of The Music Man, which co-starred Ball State instructor and fellow Tony® Award winning actor, Sutton Foster. 

In this episode, Hugh talks about joining Sutton this month on one of her return visits to Ball State—and he shares his own interests in teaching. He also shares some advice he gave our theater students, and he describes the trajectory of his career from the theater stages of Australia to the film sets of Hollywood.    

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Don Mikesell served as Ball State's dean of students from 1985 to 2001. Before he was an administrator at our university, Don was both an undergraduate and graduate student on our campus. 

In this episode, Don reminisces about what Ball State was like when he first enrolled in 1956. From Greek life to helping adopt a more relaxed student dress code (believe it or not, khakis were controversial at the time!), Don was an involved and engaged Cardinal. Don also reflects on the mentors who shaped his professional career—a career defined by his outstanding service to our University.

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Craig Hartman is an accomplished architect and senior consulting design partner at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, one of the world’s largest and most prestigious design firms. Craig attended high school in rural Indiana. But it was the education that he received at Ball State University that opened his eyes to the possibility of making a professional name for himself on a global scale. 

In this episode, Craig talks about experiencing the first years of our University’s College of Architecture and Planning and the role models on our campus who inspired him in his pursuit of his remarkable and fulfilling career. He also shares details about his award-winning professional work, including his designs for the international terminal at San Francisco International Airport and the Cathedral of Christ the Light in Oakland—the first cathedral constructed in the 21st century. 

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Ron Galbraith is a retired CEO and entrepreneur with a distinctive career path—one that began in academia, continued in healthcare, and ended as an entrepreneur. But before he enjoyed career success, Ron was a Ball State student who, on his first day on campus, walked into the wrong science class. 

Ron’s experiences as a first-generation college student in the 1960s shaped his professional aspirations. Guided by faculty mentors who encouraged his love of learning, Ron became a professor at Vanderbilt University. He then pivoted professionally to working for the Nation’s largest healthcare system before founding his own consulting firm. 

In this episode, Ron talks about how he found his calling at Ball State—and why he’s inspired now to reengage with his alma mater. He also discusses his impressions of our campus today, after returning for his first visit to the University in years. 

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Dana Kenworthy has dedicated her professional career to serving the people of Indiana—in particular those who have been victims of abuse and neglect.

Currently, she serves as a judge for the second circuit of the Indiana Court of Appeals, which is the second-highest court in the state. But prior to her appointment to the Court of Appeals, Judge Kenworthy served as deputy prosecutor in Grant County, where she concentrated on cases primarily involving child abuse, sexual assault, and domestic violence. She then served as a trial judge for 12 years—from 2010 to 2022—before her appointment to the Court of Appeals.

Throughout her life, Judge Kenworthy has been guided by the saying “If you see something wrong, fix it.” She’s applied this rule—one championed by her mother, her role model—to affect change on behalf of everyday Hoosiers. In recognition of her public service, pro bono work, and volunteer efforts, she has received the Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence’s Outstanding Prosecutor Award and the Indiana Pro Bono Commission’s Randall T. Shepard Award. 

In this episode, Judge Kenworthy talks about her passion for justice and how our University’s enduring values, embodied by Beneficence, have inspired her throughout her life. 

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Throughout Dr. Jeff Bird’s long and fulfilling career in medicine, he has put his patients—and the people of Muncie—first. 

Dr. Bird grew up in Muncie. After completing his residency at Ball Hospital, he embarked upon a long and fulfilling career in medicine here in his hometown. As the hospital prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary, Dr. Bird reflects on the decades he’s spent—first as a doctor and then as an administrator—working to provide the best healthcare to the people who live and work in East Central Indiana. 

Since 2017, Dr. Bird has served as the president of the East Central Indiana region for IU Health, which includes IU Health Ball Memorial and Blackford Hospitals. Prior to assuming this executive role, Dr. Bird served 14 years as the associate director of the Ball Memorial Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program. Before that, he was the owner of a thriving private practice of family medicine. 

In this episode, Dr. Bird talks about his great passion for medicine and his great love for Muncie. He also shares why he feels compelled to give back to the community that raised him along with his reasons for feeling—in his own words—“bullish” about the future success of the city and the region.

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During Brandon Allmon-Jackson’s major theatrical productions, he is never seen by the audiences. But as a stage manager fulfilling his dream of working on Broadway, he’s the person most responsible for making sure big acts—including The Music Man, Back to the Future, and Sunset Boulevard—go off without a hitch.

In the years since he graduated from Ball State in 2012, Brandon has applied the skills he learned in the classroom, along with his dedication and drive, to stand out in the competitive world of commercial theatre. He’s also dedicated himself to providing more opportunities for artists of color.

In this episode, Brandon talks about how the confidence he built and connections he made at his alma mater helped him advance professionally. In less than 10 years, he’s gone from stage managing regional theater and cruise ship performances to working on the biggest shows on Broadway. 

Brandon also reveals why he’s grateful for his humble Southern upbringing and how, by mentoring the next generation of talent at Ball State, he’s giving back in a way that upholds the promise of Beneficence. 

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Hope Churchill is a senior studying business administration in our Miller College of Business. She’s also our current student representative on the Board of Trustees. In this role, Hope serves as the voice of her peers, advocating for her fellow Ball State students and bringing their perspectives to the board. 

As she prepares to graduate in May, Hope reflects on her Ball State journey and her service to our University. She shares how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced her high school and college experiences—and how more students on campus are stepping up as leaders now that the pandemic has receded. 

When asked what she loves most about Ball State, Hope also shares her appreciation for the University’s distinct culture, which is shaped by the Midwestern hospitality of our faculty, staff, and students and a shared commitment to the Beneficence Pledge. 

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