Don’t miss the newest episode of Ball State’s monthly podcast Our Call to Beneficence, hosted by President Geoffrey S. Mearns. This episode—available now—features Dr. Jo Ann M. Gora, who served as Ball State University’s president from 2004-14. Our Call to Beneficence showcases President Mearns’ conversations with graduates and friends of Ball State who embody the spirit of Beneficence through their professional success and personal service.
During her tenure, Dr. Gora championed immersive learning, created a new brand—“Education Redefined”—for the institution, and successfully engaged with some of our most prominent graduates, including David Letterman.
In this episode of Our Call to Beneficence, Dr. Gora shares what it was like to grow up in the 1960s, what drew her to academia, and why she wanted to become president of Ball State. She also speaks candidly about the research she conducted before interviewing for the job, including crashing a Ball State alumni event with her husband, Roy.
Also in this episode, Dr. Gora also looks back on some defining moments of her presidency, and she reveals the innovative Commencement speaker whose message to Ball State graduates made a lasting impression on her.
All Our Call To Beneficence episodes are available online, and on multiple platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. Subscriptions and reviews are also encouraged to help grow the audience for this podcast.