News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact information:

Feb. 3, 2015 Ashley Nylen
Cell: (219) 7770594
Email: annylen@bsu.edu

Mearns named 17th president of Ball State University

MUNCIE, Ind. – Ball State University’s Board of Trustees selected Geoffrey Mearns the

institution’s 17th president on Jan. 24.

"Geoff Mearns is exactly the leader Ball State needs to move us boldly into the next 100

years," said Board Chair Rick Hall. "His prior experience and knowledge of higher education will

enable him to partner with our faculty, staff, and administration to provide Ball State students

with a life-changing education."

Mearns comes from a background of leadership after spending nearly five years as the

president of Northern Kentucky University. During his tenure at Northern Kentucky, he led

developmental efforts to create a five-year strategic plan and welcomed the university’s most

academically prepared and diverse classes in the institution’s history. Mearns earned his

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undergraduate degree from Yale in English, and a law degree from the University of Virginia.

“There’s a proud history of excellence here,” Mearns said. “For nearly 100 years, Ball

State, through its students and alumni, its faculty, staff and leadership, its donors and friends, has

provided continued evidence of the great works that come when a community stays committed to

cutting-edge, principled evolutions, across the campus and throughout our greater global

neighborhood. It’s long been true that Ball State students become proud, loyal alumni who are

leaders in their fields and pillars of their communities. It’s a privilege and an honor to have the

opportunity to partner with everyone here to find and foster additional ways to grow this world-

class university.”

Mearns will begin his tenure at Ball State in August. He is replacing Ball State’s

previous president, Paul Ferguson, who resigned last January. Terry King, Ball State’s interim

president will finish this academic year. Mearns added that one of his first tasks will be to meet

with deans and faculty members, students and staff, and to branch out to the greater Ball State

community to connect with alumni, donors.

Ball State University does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex,

sexual orientation, including transgender status and gender expression, national origin, citizenship

status, age, disability, genetic information or veteran’s status in employment, education, and all

other programs and activities. Ball State practices equal opportunity in education and

employment and is strongly and actively committed to diversity within its community.

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