Communications Center

Unity Week 2026 Schedule of Events

Monday, January 19:

• MLK Breakfast: 9:00-11:00 a.m. at Cardinal Halls
  • The annual MLK Celebration hosted by the Muncie Community and Ball State University to commemorate the life and contributions of Martin Luther King, Jr.
• SVS MLK Day of Service: 8:30 a.m. at the Office of Student Life
  • SVS has partnered with Second Harvest Food Bank to offer a service opportunity for their annual MLK Day of Service! Please meet at the Office of Student Life (SC 133) in the Student Center by 8:30 AM on Monday, January 19th, to join us. Transportation provided by SVS. Second Harvest will host 50 students at their facilities to participate in the packaging of produce and non-perishable food items in addition to other on-site tasks and workshops. SVS will provide bus transportation to and from the facility starting at the Student Center.

Tuesday, January 20:

• Cuts and Conversations: 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. at the Multicultural Center Multipurpose Room
  • The Multicultural Center is partnering with ClipDart to provide free haircuts and styling. The mission of ClipDart is to improve mental wellness through culturally competent haircare with a vision of creating a world free of hair inequity.
• Spring Activity Fair 2026: 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. at Student Center Cardinal Hall and Ballroom (Hosted by Office of Student Life)
  • This smaller-scale activity fair provides students, particularly new and transfer students, with the opportunity to meet their peers and learn about ways to get involved on campus.
• Slay Your Semester: 4:00-6:00 p.m. at the Multicultural Center Conference Room (Hosted by Student Success)
  • Coaches will be present to assist students in inputting all of their assignments into one calendar/app. We will have planners from our office, if students want handwritten ones, but we can also suggest apps or e-calendars to use. This is an overwhelming task to do on their own, but we know that students who do this are much more organized and successful overall.
• SIS Fashion Show: 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Student Center room 301
  • Success in Sisterhood will be hosting a Fashion Show on Tuesday, January 20th. This interactive event will celebrate creativity, culture, and self-expression through multiple fashion categories, including Culture, Professional, Shoe, Y2K, and Streetwear. Student participants will showcase their looks while the audience engages through live Instagram voting. In collaboration with various student organizations, the event aims to foster community, highlight diverse styles, and create a fun, inclusive space for students to connect and celebrate fashion.
• MLK Speaker - Steven Williams III: 7:00 p.m. at Pruis Hall
  • The speaker this year is Steven Williams III. Steven is a published children’s book author, community builder, and advocate for education and economic opportunity. His career spans government service with the City of Chicago and the U.S. House of Representatives to his current role at Microsoft, where he drives executive strategy for the Microsoft’s Office Product Group: the team behind Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. Guided by a deep sense of purpose, Steven’s work centers on expanding access, elevating communities, and creating pathways for those historically overlooked. His life reflects a simple belief: transformation is possible when discipline, service, and resilience meet action. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Ball State University and dual master’s degrees in Education Policy and an MBA from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. A proud Chicago native, he now resides in Dallas, TX, where he continues to build, serve, and inspire.

Wednesday, January 21:

• Resilient, Not Invincible: Sharing Stories of Stress and Support: 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 pm at the Atrium (Hosted by Cardinal Central)
  • Sharing Stories of Stress and Support Cardinal Central invites first-generation students to write a letter to their first-year selves with tips for being successful as a college student. Join us in the Atrium for a moment of reflection, supplies provided. Cardinal Central will also provide resources and materials from campus offices with helpful information for first-generation college students.
• Disability History Jeopardy: 2:00-3:00 p.m. at Student Center Forum Room (Hosted by Disability Services)
  • Hosted by Disability services, this game show inspired event will facilitate student learning on disability history.
• Grow Your Goals: 4:00-6:00 p.m. at Multicultural Center Multipurpose Room (Hosted by Student Success)
  • While students are painting their pots and planting their small plants, coaches will talk about goal setting and how to monitor progress. As students accomplish their goals over the semester, they can watch their plants grow as well. We will provide materials for this event.
• Spectrum Queer Open Mic: 7:00 p.m. at Pruis Hall
  • Spectrum presents a free open mic night. Stories will address humorous, challenging, heartbreaking, and real experiences people face.

Thursday, January 22:

• Clifton Strengths Workshop: 1:00-2:30 p.m. at the Student Center room 310 (Hosted by Office of Student Life)
  • Join the Office of Student Life to explore your Clifton Strengths. What do you do well? How can you leverage your strengths to improve your leadership style? And how can you utilize your innate talents within your student organization?
• Visualize Your Success: 4:00-6:00 p.m. at the Multicultural Center Conference Room (Hosted by Student Success)
  • While students are making vision boards, coaches will talk about dreaming big and helping students bring their vision to life. We will provide materials for this event.
• Asian Student Union Sushi Night: 5:00 p.m. at the Multicultural Center Multipurpose Room
  • Sushi – Japan’s National Dish. In Japanese culture, influenced by Buddhism, the fish represents freedom of will, fearlessness, and happiness. As we move into Unity Week, we hope to empower Cardinals in seeking out their happiness and enduring their authentic selves. Come join the Asian Student Union for our Sushi Night to eat and learn about Asian cultures.

Friday, January 23:

• Community Panel: 5:00 p.m. at Multicultural Center Multipurpose Room
  • This session will feature a panel discussion with leaders from a range of Muncie-based community organizations. Panelists will share stories of partnership, outline meaningful opportunities for involvement, and highlight best practices for community collaboration. A moderated Q&A will follow the panel. After the session, students will be asked to reflect on the opportunities they have in their new home and how they can contribute to the greater community. By the end of this program, students will gain a better understanding of the Muncie community and what it offers.
• Reel Stories screening of "We Strangers": 8:00 p.m. at TC 120
  • We Strangers (2024) follows Ray, a working-class cleaner who gains unexpected power while navigating wealthy white households, exposing the invisible labor and social codes that govern race and class in America. Blending dark humor with social commentary, the film invites viewers to question who is seen, who is heard, and how power quietly operates in everyday spaces. 1 hr 27 min. Chips and popcorn will be provided, and facilitated discussion will follow the screening.
• Friday Night Filmworks: 7:00 p.m. at Pruis Hall (Hosted by Office of Student Life)
  • Kick back, relax, and enjoy a movie night with your fellow Cardinals! Friday Night Film Works brings the big screen to campus every week with new releases and fan favorites — all for free.

Saturday, January 24:

• Latinx Student Union Latinxpalooza: 6:00 p.m. at Pruis Hall
  • Latinxpalooza is a long-standing and annual non-competitive talent showcase hosted by the Latinx Student Union. Come for the variety of talents – dancing, singing, and more. Stay for the cultural and community appreciation!

Sunday, January 25:

• Black Student Association Unity Pageant: 7:00 p.m. at Pruis Hall
  • The Black Student Association’s 57th Unity Pageant will be on January 25th at Pruis Hall. The Unity Pageant is Ball State BSA’s premiere co-ed pageant. This pageant gives students the chance to show their knowledge and talents for the chance to win one of many scholarships. Unity Pageant began in 1969 originally being hosted as Miss Black Ball State. Throughout the years there have been many changes to the pageant, making it what it is today. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and the show will start at 7:00 p.m. We hope to see you there!

Our opportunities are open to any currently enrolled Ball State University student without regard to race, religion, color, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, disability, genetic information, ethnicity, national origin or ancestry, age, protected veteran status, or other legally protected category.