Renew Colleen Steffen's Contract

I owe so much of my college experience to Colleen. She has encouraged and inspired me from the very first day I met her. Because of her I was able to participate in BSU at the Fair and BSU at the Games. These experiences have been integral to my time at Ball State and I would not have had them without Colleen. She has made me a better journalist and has put her heart and soul into our college. It would be a disservice to the university to lose her.

It’s no exaggeration to say I know a number of professionals who credit their careers to Colleen’s coaching. Future students deserve that mentorship.

The decision to not rehire Colleen concerns me deeply as a recent CCIM grad and draws into question the quality of writing instruction left at Ball State and, by extension, the department’s commitment to producing quality, tenacious reporters. She was the best writing instructor the department and college had left and now they've decided to not rehire her. What plan does the department have to improve the quality of instruction in writing? Frankly, writing has always been a major weak spot in the curriculum because of a lack of professors like Colleen. Indiana University outpaces us, in part, because of this. To be clear, our college has plenty of professors who excel in teaching reporting, audio, video, copy editing and other areas, but writing is the key ingredient to excellent journalism. Who is left on staff that knows how write on her level? Colleen continues to contribute to the success of myself, students and alumni. She afforded me countless opportunities and guidance on my writing and career path. She shaped me as a writer in ways few others did, as evidenced by finalist placement in the 2016 Keating Competition and awards in feature writing. She turned a news and data guy into someone who could write award-winning features. The list goes on. Firing Colleen - call it what it is – not only leaves the quality writing instruction in the air, but also draws into question the department's commitment to teaching quality, unrelenting journalism. You can teach all the fancy tech tools you want and continue to focus on your pointless pivot to video, but you’re screwed if you can’t write worth a damn and turn in clean copy. What’s more, the university and department love to dote on journalism immersive learning projects. Who was behind BSU at The Games and BSU at the Fair? Colleen and Ryan. How is the department going to continue to offer students this experience, which has had a massive impact on the careers of Ball State journalism alumni? A few

As the significant other to a vital petitioner and student of Colleen's, I have personally seen the impact that this BSU professor has made on her students. My partner has had her ups and downs and no matter what struggles she had, Colleen always made sure to be a force of encouragement and one whose class was so vital to my partner that she spent extra time and dedication to prepare for it. In other classes where content should have been taught but was not that is key for journalism, such as sourcing and interviewing, my significant other could and can rely on Colleen as both an advisor and friend to teach and excite her. I have seen so many friends and students of hers be encouraged and inspired to make a difference in journalism. As a pre-service teacher I truly feel that teachers and professors who inspire, motivate, and excite their students deserve to be rewarded and should be celebrated at a school who prides itself with producing the most prepared and dedicated teachers and has since its conception.

Colleen Steffen has been a very influential professor and person in my life. There have been many time where I felt my writing was lacking and just wasn’t good enough and she turned me around and gave me a much more positive attitude and outlook on it all. I have become a better writer and have taken on topics I never would have thought possible if it wasn’t for Colleen. She has also helped me gain the self confidence that I was lagging before. I’ve been in many of her classes and she truly cares for her students and encourages us to follow our gut. Not many other professors, really if any, do the same in the journalism department. The department is not being transparent about the issue and it’s quite a disappointment.

Every journalism student going forward should be able to have the opportunity to be taught by Colleen Steffen. She is the best of the best in so many ways.

As a gainfully employed BSU news journalism alum, I am disgusted by the CCIM/Journalism department's decision of non-renewal. To echo a prior comment, there is clearly a transparency issue here that is not being shared with students. During my time in CCIM, I had Colleen Steffen during every semester, including immersive courses At the Indiana Fair (2015) and BSU at the Games 2016. While Colleen is indeed a passionate and wonderful professor, she was the only professor to truly prepare me for the demands of a newsroom. I am employed in my field, in the exact position for which I trained and I share a newsroom with someone else who was instructed by Colleen Steffen. I have my "dream job" because of this professor. If BSU proceeds with their decision of non-renewal, I cannot support the department as an alum, financially or otherwise. I am wholly disappointed.

Colleen has impacted both my college experience and who I am as a person. When I was uncertain of my major my freshman year, I went to her for advice. She helped me realize that I didn’t have to go into hard news and she suggested I try the magazine track. Without her, I’m not certain I would have stayed in the journalism program. She was the professor who got me engaged in student media. I can’t imagine Ball State without Colleen Steffen.

Colleen Steffen makes me excited to go to my 8 a.m. class every Tuesday and Thursday so I can learn how amazing it is to be a journalist. Not many teachers have the ability to walk into a classroom full of tired students and transform them into smiling young adults who are excited about their futures at the end of an hour and fifteen minutes. She is extremely knowledgable about what it's like to work in the field, and gives her students solid, constructive advice about how to improve their writing. She often talks about having 'journalism magic,' or the ability to know what will make a great story. I believe Colleen Steffen has 'teaching magic' as well, or the ability to make her students engaged and excited to see what their future holds. That magic is something I don't think this school should lose.

Colleen Steffen was one of the most influential journalism professors I learned under at Ball State. I think about her advice weekly at my newspaper job (which I wouldn’t have gotten without the letters of recommendation she wrote for me). She’s one of the most approachable teachers in the department and was someone I, and many of my peers, weren’t afraid to go to for anything we needed. I seriously believe future journalism students won’t receive the same quality of education that I did if Colleen is not on staff.

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 is a wonderful professor. She is firm but fair and she cares a lot about what she does. She made my first year at the Journalism department really easy. She was very patient with me when I didn't perform my best and she always brightened up my day on my worst days.

Colleen Steffen is a valuable asset within to Journalism department. She is loved by all her students and she prepares them for their futures in a way no other person possibly could. I have gone out of my way to take classes with Colleen throughout my time as a student here. She is so much more than simply an instructor. The department would suffer a great loss without her.

Colleen is a great educator & a warm spirit, my college experience was made better because of her.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She makes a difference in many students college experience at Ball State.

Colleen is a beautiful soul and an incredible journalist. To not allow such am amazing person to continue to inspire the minds of young writers would be tragedy. Ball State is better for allowing her to share her wisdom and life stories with all of us.

Colleen was my professor for several journalism classes while I attended Ball State and I can easily say she was one of the best professors I have had. The knowledge she taught me is invaluable.

Colleen Steffen is one of the best professors I have ever worked with. If it were not for her encouragement and assistance, then it is doubtful that I would have been able to succeed in the public relations field to the extent that I have. She helped me to grow as a writer, journalist and person and one cannot place a value on that. Additionally, she is quite personable and creates a positive work environment for all. The university will be making a horrible mistake by not renewing her contract.

Horrified to hear of this. Huge mistake on BSU journ’s part.