Bill Jenkins is the Chair of Ball State University’s Department of Theatre and Dance where he serves as an Associate Professor of Musical Theatre, Directing, and Acting. Since arriving at Ball State, he has directed The Laramie Project (which was selected as the national alternate for the KC/ACTF Competition), A Flea in Her Ear, A Little Night Music, The Philadelphia Story, Cabaret, Thoroughly Modern Millie and Orpheus in the Underworld. Mr. Jenkins also annually directs Ball State's "New York Showcase" with NY Casting Director Stephanie Klapper. 

Professor Jenkins is an active professional director whose experiences includes extensive work in Chicago with the Noble Fool Theatre (Ruthless, Musical of Musicals: The Musical, and Roasting Chestnuts), Famous Door Theatre Company (The Living, which won the Joseph Jefferson Award for Production), and work with the musical theatre group Cabarrah including the 2006 Sondheim Celebration at Millenium Park, Illinois Shakespeare Festival (Knight of the Burning Pestle and Fifteen-Minute Hamlet, among others), the Clarence Brown Theatre (VIOLET), Summer Studio Theatre Company at the Krannert Center (Last of the Red Hot Lovers, Educating Rita, Born Yesterday, This Property is Condemned, and An Unsatisfactory Supper), Nebraska Repertory Theatre (Measure for Measure), and Ball State's professional summer company Shakespeare Under the Stars (Taming of the Shrew and Romeo and Juliet). In addition to his directorial credits, Professor Jenkins serves as the President of the Mid-America Theatre Conference (MATC) and is active as an evaluator for the acting auditions through the University/Resident Theatre Auditions (U/RTA) in Chicago.

Prior to his arrival at Ball State, Bill served as the Head of Directing at the University of North Dakota. While at UND, his production of How I Learned to Drive was the first ever production from that institution selected for performance at the Regional KC/ACTF Competition. He received his MFA in directing from Illinois State University, and also holds a Masters and Bachelors degree from Ball State University in speech communications and acting. His greatest role is that of husband to his beautiful wife, Sarah and father to his beloved golden retriever, Daisy.