Episode 103_Geoff Mearns

President Geoffrey S. Mearns serves as the 17th president of Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.   This 21,000 student institution competes at the NCAA Division 1 FBS level in the Mid American Conference.   In addition to its' acclaimed programs in the Estopinal College of Architecture & Planning, the College of Communication Information & Media, Honors College, and the Miller College of Business - the Ball State's Teachers' College is a world-renowned leader in teacher education.   After joining the University in May 2017, President Mearns helped to develop a new strategic plan. Destination 2040: Our Flight Path established a long-range vision for the University that sets priorities across five key areas: undergraduate excellence, graduate education and lifetime learning, community engagement and impact, scholarship and societal impact, and inclusiveness and institutional excellence. A refreshed version of the plan, which upholds these five long-term goals, was approved by members of the Board of Trustees in 2025.    During his tenure, President Mearns has pursued initiatives that have sustained and expanded the University’s enrollment, despite the adverse impact of the pandemic, and increased alumni engagement and fundraising. President Mearns has also strengthened the University’s relationship with the community, most notably through its innovative partnership with Muncie Community Schools and its ambitious plan to revitalize The Village through a $200 million mixed use academic village redevelopment.  During his tenure the University continues to invest in core academic, student life, and athletic facilities.   A former elite collegiate distance running athlete and distinguished attorney and federal prosecutor, he previously served as President at Northern Kentucky University and Provost/Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Cleveland State University.  He and his wife Jennifer have five adult children and multiple grandchildren.