Topics: College of Communication Information and Media, Emerging Media
May 27, 2010

Members of Ball State~~~s Center for Media Design accept their TechPoint Mira award during the May 15 gala in Indianapolis.
TechPoint has recognized Ball State as one of the state's high-tech success stories once more, honoring the university's Center for Media Design (CMD) with a TechPoint Mira Award for "Educational Contribution to Technology." Ball State received the award at TechPoint's 11th annual Mira Awards gala on May 15.
Dave Ferguson, Ball State's associate vice president for emerging media, said the award from TechPoint offers the university an opportunity to reflect on how far it's come in the rapidly changing landscape of technology and new media.
"We believe the CMD has been a catalyst for change across the entire campus community," he said. "Since the first grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. began in 2000, we have not only reshaped the university technology infrastructure, but fostered hundreds of interdisciplinary faculty and student projects in digital media, while developing areas of excellence such as media research, digital fabrication, virtual worlds and interactive media products."
The CMD is a research and development facility focused on the creation, testing and practical application of digital technologies for business, classroom, home and community. These efforts are accomplished through the Digital Exchange Initiative funded by a $20 million Lilly Endowment Award.
This year's recognition of the CMD is the latest in a succession of honors bestowed on the university by TechPoint. In 2009, President Jo Ann M. Gora received the Trailblazer Award for significant and lasting contributions to technology innovation in Indiana. Wayne Zage, professor of computer science, received TechPoint's "Educational Contribution to Technology" Award in 2008 as did the university's Electronic Field Trips program in 2007.
"Recognition by the TechPoint judges, especially in light of the truly competitive finalists in the category, is a form of validation for the leadership we have always hoped to provide to Ball State and to the state of Indiana," Ferguson said.
Ball State was one of seven finalists in the educational category, competing against Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Indiana University, Ivy Tech Community College, Orbis Education and two programs sponsored by Purdue University.
About TechPoint
TechPoint is the only statewide organization representing Indiana's technology sector. It promotes technology-based enterprise and economic development through lobbying and government advocacy, educational and networking programs, and strategic economic development initiatives. As a part of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership's family of initiatives, TechPoint is a catalyst for growth in Indiana's emerging technology clusters, including advanced manufacturing, logistics, life sciences and information technology. Learn more at www.techpoint.org.