Ball State Opens Academic Center

Rendering of Weidner Center courtesy of Ball State University.

Ball State University has unveiled its Weidner Center for Residential Property Management. The university says a $1 million gift from Weidner Apartment Homes Owner Dean Weidner will help elevate the school’s residential property management program to national status.

Ball State says the donation will help expand the RPM program and establish the center. Weidner Center is located on the first floor of the Applied Technology Building. It features interview rooms, a resource desk and a lobby with video monitors for marketing the program.

“It’s in a high-visibility area of the building, which will allow us to showcase what we do with current students as well as campus visitors. It’s exciting to receive this level of financial backing as a show of support,” Program Director Erin Donovan said.

Donovan hopes to increase the number of undergraduate students in the program from 50 to 100 within five years.  She says students take courses in property management, senior housing, government-assisted housing, marketing, leasing and apartment financial management.

Ball State’s residential property management program started in 1999. The university says plans are underway to offer an introduction to commercial real estate management course in spring 2016.