2003 Hall of Fame

Edwin Dale Shipley - Few people who have chosen a career in alumni and development at a university can surpass the success or record Ed Shipley has established in his twenty-seven years at Ball State University. Having proven himself as an outstanding teacher, basketball coach, counselor and athletic director in Indiana high schools for nine years following his graduation from Ball State in 1968, he left that success to return to his alma mater in 1977.

Ed started at Ball State as Associate Director of Alumni and Development Programs. In 1980 he was appointed Director of Alumni and Development Programs. His responsibilities also included serving as executive director of the Cardinal Varsity Club Program from 1972 until 1988. In 1988, Shipley was named Executive Director of Alumni Programs and the Ball State University Alumni Association. Under his leadership and vision, the BSU Alumni Association has achieved the distinction of being among the top 100 university and college alumni associations in the country. The 133,000 member organization has developed several programs under his direction that are national models for other institutions. He is active in many professional organizations including the Council of Alumni Association Executives, Council for Advancement and Support of Education, National Basketball Coaches Association and National Association of Fund Raising Executives. During his years with alumni programs, he has supported Indiana Gamma. He has encouraged chapter members to become involved in campus activities, and encouraged Sig Ep alumni to become active in alumni association activities.

Following graduation from Lawrence Central High School in Indianapolis in 1964, he pledged Sigma Phi Epsilon his freshman year. During his undergraduate years he served Indiana Gamma as chaplain and vice president. He was also active in numerous campus activities and gained his initial experience with alumni work when he chaired the Campus Homecoming Committee for two consecutive years.

Ed and Vicki (Galbreth), his wife, met at Ball State. They have two daughters–Sharla and Staci–a son Scott–and four grandchildren. Vicki teaches in the College of Business at Ball State and she and Ed are considered among the universities most loyal and dedicated alumni.

Joseph James “Skip” McCarthy - Skip McCarthy ventured out into the mid-west in 1963 to join four of his high school classmates at Ball State University. Following his graduation from Levittown (NY) Division Avenue High School in 1962, he worked a year before entering the university, where he joined his high school friends by pledging Sigma Phi Epsilon. Initiation into Indiana Gamma was the start of a relationship with the chapter that has scanned four decades. Following an active undergraduate experience that involved participation in numerous chapter activities and the Inter-fraternity Council, Skip graduated in 1967 and continued his loyalty and commitment to the chapter for the next thirty-seven years. Included among his fraternity alumni activities are ten years as a member of the Alumni Housing Corporation from 1972 to 1982 and a charter member of the Martin Riverside Society Board of Directors from 1994 to the present. He was presented an outstanding alumnus award in 1980.

Following graduation from Ball State in 1967, McCarthy joined State Farm Insurance Company to begin a career that lasted for thirty-six years until his retirement in 2002. During his outstanding career he was a consistent member of State Farm’s “Big 10 Agency Manager Group” and from 1992 through 1995 was the #1 Agency Manager in Indiana. In 1993 the Greensburg, Indiana agency, which he managed, ranked 4th out of 1000 agencies in the country. Prior to his retirement, Skip was an Agency Field Executive for State Farm in East Central Indiana for eight years. While officially in retirement he still operates a State Farm Agency in Adams County, IN.

Skip has been active and served in significant leadership roles in numerous community activities. He is a past president of the Decatur County United Way Board of Directors, past president of Rotary, and served as a member of the Board of Directors of the East Central Association of Life Underwriters. Skip is also active with the Marion Civic Theatre as an actor and member of the Board of Directors. Skip and Linda, his wife of thirty-seven years reside in Marion, Indiana. They have two children–Sean, BSU Sig Ep class of 1991, and a daughter, Kerry (Purdue University). They are the proud grandparents of five grandchildren.

Thomas L. Neat - Tom Neat has been involved for more than 41 years in the field of education as a teacher, community school director, school superintendent and college professor. The past seventeen years he has served as school superintendent in Anderson, Indiana and assistant superintendent of instruction in Elkhart, Indiana. Between those two positions, Tom served as a Clinical Professor of Educational Leadership at Ball State and executive secretary of the East-Central Indiana School Study Council.

Neat grew up in Speedway, Indiana and graduated from Speedway High School. He entered Ball State University in 1958 and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education/Industrial Arts in 1962. He continued his education and completed a Master of Arts degree and Specialist in education degree at Eastern Michigan in 1965 and 1968 respectively. Work was completed on his Ph.D. at the University of Michigan in 1978 in the area of educational administration.

At Ball State he participated in football and joined Indiana Gamma. He became an annual participant and organizational leader of the Sig Ep bike team that dominated the early 1960's in the annual spring Bike-A-Thon. Following graduation Tom has maintained a relationship with the university and fraternity. He has served as president of BSU’s Teachers College Alumni Board and as a member of the BSU Alumni Council. Tom is also a founding member of the Martin Riverside Society Board of Directors.

His community involvement has included Rotary, where he has served as president; board of directors of the community symphony orchestra; and board of directors of Chamber of Commerce.

Dr. Neat’s experiences in international studies have led to educational study-home visits and trips to England, France, Costa Rica, Japan, China, Thailand, Egypt and Tunisia. Among his most recent international activities is participation in “Ambassadors for Children” in Havana, Cuba.

Tom and his wife, Sue (Forrest), also a Ball State graduate, have two children, Dennis and Linda. Both attended Ball State. Dennis is also an alumnus of Indiana Gamma. The Neats have two grandchildren.