Colleen taught a few of my first-ever journalism classes, and I can confidently say her and her red pan are a large reason I am where I am today. Losing this beloved and formative mentor is a huge blow for all CCIM students - past, present and future.

Colleen Steffen has never taught any of my classes, but every time I see her on campus or in the community, she greets me like we're old friends. The department, college and university need more educators like her. Current and future students deserve an education from someone like Colleen.

Colleen Steffen was the highlight of my undergraduate career, and inspired me to continue my education to the graduate level. She is a tough teacher who doesn't let her students slack off, but she is gentle and caring and will do anything for a student in need. if Ball State Journalism were to lose her, it would be the biggest loss the department has faced.

Colleen helped me so much throughout my first two years of college. From being there to help with any problem to becoming an advisor and helping a dear friend and I start an on campus club, she is always willing to go the extra mile for her students. She does not deserve this.

Colleen is not only an incredible instructor, but she is overall a wonderful person. Though I only had one class with Colleen, I spent 3 weeks with her in 2016 for the Rio Olympics. She is intelligent, encouraging, loves her students and is passionate about journalism. It'd be a true shame to lose such an impactful instructor.

I've taken an average of 20 credit hours each semester, so as a senior, I can definitively said I've had most of the journalism professors in class. Colleen by far is the best journalism professor I've had both in terms of educational content and student relations. She deserves to stay part of the Ball State University Journalism staff.

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