Ball State University Honors 1,200 Graduates at Summer Commencement Ceremony

Topics: Alumni, Board of Trustees, Commencement, Faculty, Muncie, President, Students

July 20, 2024

Ball State University honored nearly 1,200 graduates on Saturday at its Summer Commencement ceremony for the Class of 2024.

The program was held at Worthen Arena on Ball State's beautiful campus.

As part of a time-honored tradition, Ball State invited the most recent recipient of the University's Outstanding Faculty Award to address its Summer graduates. On Saturday, Dr. Jerrell Cassady, professor of educational psychology, delivered his address, "There You Are! Finding Your Way and Yourself."

Dr. Cassady, who has been at Ball State since 1999, is an internationally recognized scholar in psychology for his instrumental work on academic anxieties-which began more than 30 years ago with the creation of his widely used Cognitive Test Anxiety Scale. Additionally, Dr. Cassady has a long history of exploring the efficacy of educational intervention programs designed to support optimized learning for students in various settings.

During his address, Dr. Cassady empowered the graduates to embrace their potential to become influential and transformative individuals in any path they choose.

"Don't strive to be anyone but yourself-the real you," Dr. Cassady said. "Achieve great things. Do good work. But above all, see within yourself who you are and live out that best representation of you. Identify and grow that core 'you' throughout all phases of your life and embrace the totality of who you are."

Dr. Cassady is the founder and director of the Research Design Studio, which supports Ball State faculty and students and serves as a professional research and evaluation resource for community partners. He has supported Indiana learners as an instrumental partner in many school improvement projects with Muncie Community Schools and in the ongoing five-year investigation of a county-wide implementation of early literacy programming in Hancock County, conducted in partnership with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.

Ball State President Geoffrey S. Mearns commended Dr. Cassady for making a difference on many levels.

"From his leadership in the classroom to his excellence in research, Dr. Cassady has had an enduring impact on our students, on his colleagues, and on his academic discipline," President Mearns said.

President Mearns then delivered his advice to the Summer graduates, encouraging them to pursue fulfillment over success, and a life of meaning.

"Life is a gift. Life is a precious gift. And to lead a meaningful life, you should share that gift with other people who need you," he said.