The Ball State University community on Saturday celebrated the dedication ceremony for the Jack Beyerl Residence Hall.
Leading remarks at the event were Ball State President Geoffrey S. Mearns; Ro-Anne Royer Engle, Vice President for Student Affairs; Greg Beyerl, son of Jack Beyerl; Richard Harris, Director Emeritus of Disability Services; Jeannine Harrold, Director Emerita of the Career Center; and Don Mikesell, Dean of Students Emeritus.
Located in the north residential neighborhood, Jack Beyerl Residence Hall was established in 2020. Beyerl Hall offers some of the most advanced and unique features of any residence hall on campus including a variety of specialized equipment for its residents such as 3D printers, Glowforges, and VR headsets. It is home to the STEM Living-Learning Community.
The hall is coed and has semi-private bathrooms (a bathroom shared by a small number of students). Furniture within the hall is loftable, allowing students to truly tailor their living space. Students have wired and wireless internet. The building's location provides students close access to North Dining Hall, the Jo Ann Gora Student Recreation and Wellness Center, three other residence halls, and several academic buildings.
About Dr. Merrill C. "Jack" Beyerl
Dr. Jack Beyerl was a pioneer in the field of Student Affairs and dedicated his life to serving Ball State University for 35 years. In 1964, President John R. Emens appointed Dr. Beyerl as Ball State's first Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students, a position he held until his retirement in 1988. He led an unprecedented expansion of residence halls in the 1950s and 1960s. He conceptualized and established a model of comprehensive services for college students with disabilities that propelled Ball State to become a national leader in providing access and opportunity to thousands of students and graduates.
Dr. Beyerl established the accredited Counseling and Psychological Services Center, led the creation of the Student Affairs Administration in High Education master's program, created the Student Health Center, and established a centralized Career Center. The historical importance of Dr. Beyerl's leadership is memorialized in a historical marker located on the lawn of the Administration Building.