September 2024: Noah Berryman, a recent BSU graduate and member of the men’s swimming and diving team and a 2024 recipient of an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, has also been awarded the Bob James Memorial Award. Like the NCAA award, the Mid-American Conference’s Bob James Memorial Award recognizes excellence in academics, athletics, extracurricular activities, and community service. Only one male and one female MAC athlete are selected each year.
In May 2023, Noah graduated cum laude from Ball State, with a bachelor’s degree in political science and economics and a minor in psychology.
Then, in May 2024, he completed a
graduate certificate in business administration. This fall, he entered a master’s degree in sport management at Southern Methodist University, with the goal of becoming a collegiate athletics director.
Noah, who is from Pittsboro, Ind., served for four years on Ball State’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), two of those years as President, during which he reestablished the “Chirpies” awards program for BSU athletes. Off-campus, he has been actively involved with the Indiana Swimming Inc. Board of Directors for seven years, serving as an Athlete Representative and, most recently, an intern. During his sophomore year of college, Noah also became actively involved with USA Swimming and is currently serving a two-year term as a member of the Athletes Executive Committee, for which he helps plan and implement programs and events.
As a swimmer, Noah specialized in the breaststroke, serving as a mainstay in both individual and medley events for five years and earning wide recognition for his leadership, character, and mental attitude. University-wide, he was named to the Top 25 Student list, for his “academic excellence, campus leadership, and community impact.” Even more impressive, at the conference level, Noah was selected for the MAC’s highest honor, the Medal of Excellence, in recognition of his outstanding accomplishments in academics, athletics, leadership, and service. At the national level, he was recently awarded an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, which aptly acknowledged Noah’s exceptional strengths in academics, leadership, character, and athletics, as well as his promise to accomplish great things in the future.
Regarding his future career, Noah commented, “As an athletic director, I will ensure an emphasis on student success in academics and leadership as well as athletics. In my experiences as a student-athlete myself, I have learned that college athletics is about more than just winning; it’s also about developing the next generation of leaders.”
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August 2024: Makenna Poindexter, a May 2024
graduate of Ball State University and the Honors College, has received a Phi Kappa
Phi Fellowship! Nationwide, 62 fellowships were awarded by
Phi Kappa Phi (PKP)—the nation’s oldest and most selective multidisciplinary
collegiate honor society—to members who are entering their first year of
graduate or professional study. Each PKP chapter may select one candidate to
compete for the national awards. Makenna specifically received the Marcus L.
Urann Fellowship.
Makenna
completed a major in history and minors in women’s & gender studies,
literature, and African American studies, graduating summa cum laude
with a 4.00 GPA. This fall, she will enter the dual J.D./Master of Library and
Information Science program at Indiana University’s McKinney School of Law. Her career goal is to become an academic law
librarian, “to play a vital role in bridging the gap between universities and
prisons, as the librarians are often the ones who oversee book-to-prisoner
projects.” The Muncie native added, “I envision leveraging sources, advocacy,
and community engagement to foster positive social change.”
As a Ball
State student, Makenna was an accomplished researcher on a diverse range of historical,
cultural, and literary topics, some of them carried out under the auspices of
three different Honors Undergraduate Fellowships and the Teacher-Scholar
program. She was the founder and president of two campus organizations—Cardinal
Prison Initiative and Cardinal Classics—and held leadership roles in several
other organizations, including the Digital Literature Review. She also served
as an Undergraduate Teaching Fellow in the History Department.
"Receiving this fellowship is a tremendous honor that will ease the financial stress of law school, letting me focus on my studies and get involved in activities that really matter to me," said Makenna. "With this support, I can focus on becoming a more passionate advocate and making a real difference in my new academic community."
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July 2024: Five BSU undergraduates—Caroline Erny, Carly Lehman, Dylan Mann, Dani Sipp, and Annet Victorio—were awarded Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarships earlier this summer to support their international studies!
The federally
funded scholarship supports undergraduates who study abroad. Upon their return
to the U.S., all Gilman Scholarship recipients are required to carry out a
follow-on service project that helps promote international education and
understanding.
Caroline
Erny, a junior with a major in psychology and minors in neuroscience
and foundations of management, spent two weeks in Japan this
summer. There she studied the
Western and Eastern sociocultural and psychological influences that affect
Japan’s culture, in both Tokyo and Kyoto.
With the goal of becoming a
psychology professor, the Anderson, Ind., resident said, “I’m excited to widen
my cultural scope and understand psychology in a deeper and more universal way.
I’m going into this study abroad experience with an emphasis on learning from
other cultures and becoming more culturally sensitive.”
For her follow-on service project, Caroline
will give a presentation about her cross-cultural experiences to Ball State’s
chapter of Active Minds, a national mental health awareness
organization.
Carly Lehman, a senior biology major from Alexandria, Ind., studied
ecology and conservation biology in Namibia for three weeks in May.
“I was able to interact with several
communities with different languages and cultures, as well as see wildlife that
one may only ever get to see in a zoo. I got to see giraffes, hippos,
elephants, crocodiles, and several other incredible animals, all in their true
habitat!” said Carly. “This experience allowed me to strengthen my skills as an
aspiring biologist, but also allowed me to expand my world view and grow as a
person.”
For her
service project, Carly will give presentations about her experience in Namibia
to STEM classrooms on Ivy Tech’s Muncie campus, with the goal of
inspiring them to study abroad.
Dylan Mann, of southern Indiana, also
studied ecology and conservation biology in Namibia this summer. A
senior biology major with a wildlife biology and conservation concentration,
Dylan commented, prior to departing for Namibia, “My program in Namibia will
introduce new ecosystems, organisms, and ideas to consider when conducting
research throughout my career.”
“Sharing a mutual respect for wildlife with local
Namibians will allow me to develop new perspectives on how we are bonded to our
natural world,” he added.
Dylan’s follow-on project will be an interactive presentation to
Ball State’s student chapter of The Wildlife Society, with other chapter
members who also studied abroad this summer. His presentation will include
preparing and sharing foods that he learned about in Namibia.
Dani Sipp, a junior with a major in urban
planning and development, spent nearly three weeks in South Korea this summer,
analyzing traditional markets alongside Kyung Hee University students and
studying sustainability initiatives in Seoul.
“As an aspiring urban planner, I knew that this opportunity would
give me a better understanding of modern urban planning practices, problems,
and solutions,” said the Gary, Ind., resident. She also learned about cultural
identities and traditions of South Korean university students.
For her service project, this fall Dani will give presentations to
two organizations at Ball State—the Student Planning Association, the campus
chapter of NOMAS (the National Organization of Minority Architecture
Students)—and a third presentation to students at the City Life Center in Gary.
Annet Victorio, a junior elementary education
major from Noblesville, Ind., participated in a five-week summer program in the
United Kingdom. There she gained hands-on experience learning about
primary schools in London, to understand how the British educational system compares to
that of the United States.
These
experiences, along with explorations of culture in both London and Edinburgh, “helped
me gain new experiences and knowledge essential for being a teacher,” said
Annet. “I was excited to experience the personalities of the individual
children in the classroom where I was placed as well as the culture of London
through interactions with the children and teachers.”
Annet
will present her experiences to Cardinal Teacher Corps, a group of student
ambassadors for Ball State’s Teachers College.
The federally-funded Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship
Program provides up to
$5,000* to U.S. undergraduate students pursuing academic studies abroad, in
order to better prepare them to assume significant roles in an increasingly
global economy and interdependent world.
(*Additional support is available to selected students who will study
Critical Need Languages or conduct STEM research while abroad.)
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June 2024: In a record-setting year, six recent BSU graduates—Julia Canty, Jayana Fennell, Cady Garcia, Denver Hammons, Katelyn Redman, and Haley Stevens—have been selected for Fulbright U.S. Student Awards, which will allow them to spend the coming academic year abroad! As Fulbright English Teaching Assistants (ETAs), each of them will help students in their host countries develop English language skills and will serve as cultural ambassadors between nations. Another recent graduate, Makayla Schuelke, is currently an alternate for an ETA position. Until this year, no more than four Ball State students and alumni had ever been selected for the Fulbright U.S. Student Award program in a single year.
Julia Canty, an Honors College student who graduated in May with a major in economics and minors in Chinese and international studies, will be an ETA in Taiwan for 11 months. There, in addition to helping children or adolescents develop their skills in English, she’s eager to support young women in her host community through tutoring, club activities, and other forms of mentorship.
Julia’s many leadership activities at Ball State included her presidency of Alpha Omicron Pi sorority and vice presidency of the Chinese Club. In the community, she has been a regular English teaching volunteer for Afghan refugee children, and last summer she was a research intern for the US-Taiwan Business Council in Washington, DC.
“The Fulbright Award will act as a catalyst for the achievement of my long-term goals,” said Julia, who is from West Bloomfield, Mich. “I am passionate about using my position as a young American to share my culture and, more importantly, to learn from others across the world. With this experience, I hope to pursue a career in global economic policy development, with a focus on U.S. and Indo-Pacific relations.”
Jayana Fennell, a May 2023 graduate with a major in telecommunications (digital production video concentration) and minors in French and American Sign Language, will be an ETA in France , where she’ll help teach English to high school students and also help advise French students on studying in the U.S., through EducationUSA, a State Department initiative. In her spare time, she wants to volunteer her videography and photography skills with a nonprofit organization in France, as she has done with her communities in the U.S..
Jayana’s long-term career goal is to become video production teacher, at either the high school or college level, sharing her cross-cultural knowledge and experience with her future students.
“As an African American woman and as someone who has been exposed to a broad range of cultural backgrounds in the U.S., I believe I can provide a distinct perspective on American culture while in France,” said the Bloomington, Ill., native. “I want to fully understand French culture while teaching young minds about the United States, drawing upon the perspectives that I have developed over the years” and “helping students achieve their personal, educational, and professional goals.”
Cady Garcia completed a bachelor’s degree in 2022, with a major in history and minor in psychology of human development, followed by a master’s degree in secondary education in December 2023. She has been awarded a Fulbright ETA position in Poland, where she will help teach English at the university level. Building upon her love of U.S. history and experience teaching in Indiana schools, she also plans to create a "History through the Decades'' club that will allow her students to explore current events, pop culture, sports, and cuisine in the U.S. and Poland.
“Fulbright in Poland is going to be an amazing experience because I will have the opportunity to work with highly respected educators, while immersing myself in their beautiful country and culture,” said Cady. “I will also get the chance to connect with my family heritage. Fulbright is opening doors that will challenge me and help me thrive as an educator, scholar, and person. I couldn’t be more thankful.”
After returning to the U.S., Cady, who is from Versailles, Ind., plans to teach social studies or history in a middle or high school.
Denver Hammons, who graduated in May with majors in English education and theatre education and minors in English as a new language and entrepreneurship & innovation, will be an ETA in Malta. There he will help teach English and American studies to high school and university students, including refugees. Outside the classroom, the Beech Grove, Ind., resident wants to create an after-school theatre program and help tutor students who desire extra practice in English.
An avid participant in jump rope events and competitions for more than a decade, Denver served as president of Ball State’s Jump Rope Sport Club and as camp director and tournament director for jump rope programs, among many contributions to the sport and other campus and community service activities. In 2019 he earned first place in a World Jump Rope Grand Championship event.
Drawn to Fulbright’s “emphasis on openness, cultural exchange, and intellectual freedom,” Denver said that by participating in the ETA program in Malta, “I will gain experience teaching in a non-traditional setting, which will allow me to expand my worldview, therefore bettering the education of my future students in the United States.”
Katelyn Redman, who graduated in May with a major in German education and minors in history and linguistic & global communication, has been awarded an ETA position in Germany, where she expects to work with high school students. In her spare time she wants to take German language courses at a local university and also become involved with (or create) a small coffee hour group through the Germany’s “Kaffeekultur.”
The Avon, Ind., resident studied in Germany for five months last year and looks forward to expanding her knowledge of language learning pedagogy in Germany even further. “After my Fulbright experience, I intend to bring ideas back to the U.S. for the future of secondary education generally and for improvement in foreign language education that will better reflect and prepare students for our globalized world,” she said.
After completing her year with Fulbright, Katelyn wants to enter a master’s degree program in Germany, then teach in either the U.S. or Germany. Through both the Fulbright ETA program and in her career, she said, “I look forward to supporting students and sharing my love of language.”
Haley Stevens, who just completed an M.A. in English, with a creative writing concentration, will be an English Teaching Assistant at a university in Romania. Outside of the classroom, she plans to pursue independent creative writing and research on Jewish history, myth, and folklore. She also wants to develop a creative writing program in English for Romanian writers interested in writing in or translating their work into English.
Haley, who was born in Green Bay and raised in Milwaukee, Wisc., completed a bachelor’s degree in English and theatre arts at Lawrence University. In Ball State’s English Department, she has taught English 103 (Rhetoric and Writing) and served as Assistant Director of the Creative Writing Program.
“I was drawn to Romania because of its rich cultural history and its pursuits in reclaiming Jewish history and stories. I know I can flourish there,” said Haley. “Fulbright will allow me the inspiration to continue my own intellectual pursuits while developing my professional skills. It will help me grow not only as a person, but also as a writer.” After her year with Fulbright, Haley plans to pursue an M.F.A. or Ph.D. in creative writing.
Makayla Schuelke—a May 2023 graduate with a major in theatre and minors in classical culture and creative writing—is an alternate for the ETA program in North Macedonia.
Two other BSU semi-finalists in this year’s Fulbright competition were graduating seniors Betsy Lynn (who had a major in speech language pathology and minors in Spanish and American Sign Language) and Molly Page (who had a major in landscape architecture and minor in construction management).
The Fulbright U.S. Student program is sponsored by the U.S. State Department and is aimed at increasing mutual understanding between the people of the U.S. and those of nearly 140 countries. This year, approximately 2,100 applicants nationwide are being selected, based on the quality and feasibility of their proposals, their academic and professional qualifications, and their potential to serve as effective cultural ambassadors.
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June 2024: Marketing major Isaac Rogers has been awarded a Phi Kappa Phi Study Abroad Grant to support a semester of study in Rome during fall semester! Isaac, who will graduate in May 2025, also has minors in digital marketing strategy & analytics and Six Sigma.
He will be studying marketing at John Cabot University, where he wants to develop a broad range of knowledge and skill sets for his career in business. “By actively engaging with the people, social norms, and traditions found in Italian society, I aim to achieve a broader perspective that goes beyond a traditional classroom,” said the Shipshewana, Ind., native. “Because immersion in a foreign culture fosters empathy, communication, and a global mindset, it pairs with my commitment to the welfare of others.”
Isaac is one of 125 undergraduates nationwide selected for the grant, based on academic achievement, campus and community service, and relevance of applicants’ travel plans to their academic and career goals. At Ball State, Isaac's many activities include his service as Marketing Coordinator for the Miller Leadership Academy (in the Miller College of Business), Marketing Director for the Dean’s Study Advisory Council, and Media Director for Ball State Cardinal Chaos (to promote BSU athletics).
The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi (PKP) is the nation’s oldest and most selective multidisciplinary collegiate honor society. Ball State established a PKP chapter in 2003.
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June 2024: Noah Berryman, a recent BSU graduate and member of the men’s swimming and diving team, has received an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship! He was one of only 21 male spring sport athletes nationwide to receive the $10,000 scholarship, recognizing his accomplishments in academics, athletics, extracurricular activities, and community service.
In May 2023, Noah graduated cum laude from Ball State, with a bachelor’s degree in political science and economics and a minor in psychology. Then, in May 2024 he completed a graduate certificate in business administration. This fall he will enter a master’s degree in sport management at Southern Methodist University, with the goal of becoming a collegiate athletic director.
Noah, who is from Pittsboro, Ind., served for four years on Ball State’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), two of those years as President. Off-campus, he has been actively involved with the Indiana Swimming Inc. Board of Directors for seven years, serving as an Athlete Representative and, most recently, an intern. During his sophomore year of college, Noah also became actively involved with USA Swimming and is currently serving a two-year term on the Athletes Executive Committee.
As a swimmer, Noah specialized in the breaststroke, serving as a mainstay in both individual and medley events and earning recognition for his leadership, character, and mental attitude. University-wide, he was named to the Top 25 Student list. At the athletic conference level, he received the MAC’s highest honor, the Medal of Excellence, in recognition of his outstanding accomplishments in academics, athletics, leadership, and service.
Regarding his future career, Noah commented, “As an athletic director, I will ensure an emphasis on student success in academics and leadership as well as athletics. In my experiences as a student-athlete myself, I have learned that college athletics is about more than just winning; it’s also about developing the next generation of leaders.”
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May 2024: Chelsea Murdock has been selected for the Fulbright University of Bristol Summer Institute on Arts, Activism, and Social Justice! In mid-June she’ll depart for Bristol, where she’ll spend three weeks exploring the local culture and investigating the ways in which literature, storytelling, music, visual arts, dance, philosophy, and critical social theories have shaped movements for social justice across the globe.
Chelsea, an Honors College student from Fishers, Ind., is completing her freshman year with a major in English education and a minors in African American studies and multicultural education. On campus, her many activities include the Student Government Association and Black Student Association.
“I am so excited about this opportunity, as it will allow me to immerse myself in a global culture that has such a rich history in the realms of Black culture and the humanities,” said Chelsea. “I will be able to use this experience as an eye-opening chance to diversify my understanding of the world around me and gain better cultural competencies to use in my classroom one day."
Two other Honors College students are currently alternates for the Summer Institute at Aberystwyth University (Wales): Lily Haley, a freshman with a major in chemistry and minors in biology and American Sign Language, and Miguel Ortega, a sophomore with a major in psychology and minors in sociology and communication. A fourth Honors College student, Destiny Wells—a sophomore with a major in English (creative writing) and a minor in computer science—was named a finalist to the Bristol Institute.
The Bristol University Institute is part of the Fulbright U.K. Summer Institute Program, which offers freshmen and sophomores from U.S. colleges and universities fully-funded opportunities to explore the culture, heritage, and history of the United Kingdom while experiencing higher education at a U.K. university. This year, the U.S.-U.K. Fulbright Commission was expected to select nearly 40 students nationwide for seven different institutes.
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April 2024: A significant BSU milestone was reached this month when three Ball State undergraduates—Kyle Carnes, Simon Webster, and Madison Willingham—were selected for Boren Scholarships!
Federally-funded Boren Scholarships support undergraduate study in regions considered critical to U.S. interests—including Africa, Asia, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East—in order to help students acquire the language and cultural competence needed to communicate effectively across borders, understand other perspectives, and analyze increasingly fluid economic and political realities. Recipients must commit to working for the federal government for at least one year.
Kyle Carnes, a junior with a major in microbiology, will be studying at Lodz University of Technology in Lodz, Poland, for five months, beginning in January 2025. With special interest in environmental remediation, Kyle plans to take coursework, including Polish language courses, that will help him understand relevant issues in the country.
“Studying and conducting research in Poland with the guidance of technology experts and professionals, collaborating with international colleagues, and developing my language repertoire with the Polish language will allow me to build significant and meaningful opportunities for my career and create assurance that what I’m doing may make a difference to my nation,” said Kyle, who is from Noblesville, Ind.
Simon Webster, an Honors College junior with majors in math and mathematical economics, will study Turkish for eight weeks this summer in Baku, Azerbaijan. By living with a Turkish-speaking family and using soccer as a means for meeting local residents, Simon hopes his immersion in the language and culture will help prepare him for a career supporting the United States’ foreign policy in Europe and Eurasia.
“The Boren Scholarship will allow me to build the language skills that I will need in my professional career in government,” said Simon, a Fishers, Ind., resident. “I will experience a different culture and improve my cross-cultural understanding, learning things abroad that could be useful in the future.”
Madison Willingham is an Honors College sophomore with a major in international business and minor in
Chinese. She will be studying at National Taiwan Normal University, in Taipei, Taiwan, from January to June 2025. With the goal of working for the U.S. State Department, Madison aims “to facilitate communication and understanding between American and Chinese entities, helping them navigate the complexities of intercultural exchange and strengthening partnerships.”
The Elkin, N.C., native adds, “I am really passionate about fostering empathy among those with differing world views, and I believe in the power of open communication for national security. My time abroad will deepen my understanding of diplomatic challenges and prepare me to be a greater asset to the federal government.”
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April 2024: Jillian Cieslik, a current senior, and two recent graduates—Isabelle Behrman and Kelsey Woodruff—have been selected for the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP)! Two other recent graduates also were selected for Honorable Mention.
The NSF GRFP recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited U.S. institutions.
Senior and Honors College student Jillian Cieslik, who has a major in biology (genetics) and minor in piano, has worked an undergraduate research assistant in an aquatic microbe ecology lab. Her many extracurricular activities included serving as both vice president and president of the Natural Resources and Environmental Management Club.
Off-campus, Jillian completed a Field Museum Women in Science Internship in Chicago, and last summer she interned in the botany department of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, through an NSF-funded REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates).
This fall Jillian will begin a Ph.D. program in ecology and evolutionary biology at Washington University (St. Louis). “I’m excited to have the opportunity to work with plants to uncover their evolutionary history and the selective pressures on the development of key traits,” said Jillian, who is from Lake in the Hills, Ill. Her career goal is to become a research botanist at a natural history museum or botanical garden.
Fellowships were also awarded to two recent graduates:
Isabelle Behrman (2023 graduate) had majors in chemistry and Spanish at Ball State, and for more than three years she helped conduct chemistry research on a newly developed acid. In 2022 she received a Goldwater Scholarship, which recognizes outstanding understands in STEM fields. She is completing the first year of a Ph.D. program in materials science and engineering at Northwestern University, as a member of the Sustainable Polymer Innovation Lab. In her career, Isabelle—a Muncie native—plans to teach at the university lab and lead a lab focused on sustainable polymers.
Kelsey Woodruff (2022 graduate) completed majors in chemistry (biochemistry) and pre-medical preparation at Ball State, along with minors in French and biology and the Honors College curriculum. She conducted research in a cell biology lab at Ball State for three years and also participated in an REU program at the University of Michigan. Kelsey is now a second-year Ph.D. student in molecular and cell biology at the University of Washington, where she studies the role of sugars on the cell’s surface in regulating signaling necessary for cancer cell growth and chemotherapy resistance. The Richmond, Ind., native is preparing for a career as a researcher and science writer and communicator.
Honorable Mention was awarded to two other recent graduates:
Lauren Andrews (2022 graduate) completed a major in chemistry, a minor in biology, and the Honors College curriculum at Ball State. She is now a second-year Ph.D. student in chemistry at the University of Virginia, where she is making compounds that have the potential to become a treatment option for patients with glioblastoma. After completing her degree, Lauren—an Ada, Mich., native—wants to work in the field of pharmaceutical research and development.
Kayle Bender (2022 graduate) had majors in biology and chemistry at Ball State. She is now a second-year Ph.D. student in chemistry at University of California, Davis, where she is studying changes in the biomolecules of the central nervous system during development (birth to adulthood) in mice, with a focus on specific carcinoma tumors. After graduate school, Kayle—who is from Fishers, Ind.—wants to work in the biotech industry.
Approximately 2,000 NSF Graduate Research Fellowships were awarded nationwide this year to graduating seniors and to first- and second-year graduate students, with the aim of helping “ensure the quality, vitality, and diversity of the scientific and engineering workforce of the United States.” Selected fellows receive a generous living stipend for three years, and their graduate institutions also receive a tuition and fees allowance for three years. For more information, visit www.nsfgrfp.org.
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April 2024: Junior Taylor Bias has been awarded a Goldwater Scholarship, the nation’s most prestigious scholarship for undergraduates planning to pursue research-focused careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) fields.
Taylor, an Honors College student from Elkhart, Ind., has a major in biochemistry and minors in biology and studio art. After completing a Ph.D. in biochemistry, she plans to launch a career conducting research in protein-ligand interactive molecular chemistry and teaching at the university level.
“I want to advance knowledge of protein-ligand interactions to help address health concerns, such as immune responses to infection and disease—and I want to do so as a faculty member engaged in both teaching and research,” said Taylor. “My goal is to work in a team of students and scientists contributing to scientific understanding. In doing so, I want to mentor students in deciding what they want from their own research journeys and give these students the same support that I am currently receiving.”
Taylor has been a research assistant in the lab of Dr. Mary Konkle (Associate Professor of Chemistry) since January 2022, initially through Ball State’s Teacher-Scholar program. She also spent a summer conducting research at Roche Diagnostics in Indianapolis. Her many other pursuits include active participation in Indiana LSAMP (Louis Stakes Alliances for Minority Participation, an NSF-funded program) and Ball State’s Student Affiliates of the American Chemistry Society. She is also a teaching assistant for organic chemistry.
Taylor has given several presentations about her research at the national, state, and campus levels, and she was fifth author for a 2022 article that appeared in ACS Chemical Biology. That same year, she was awarded a national ACS (American Chemical Society) Scholarship, and at the 2023 National Organization of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers' conference, she won first place for a poster presentation.
Taylor is the fifteenth Ball State student to receive the Goldwater Scholarship, along with nine others who have received honorable mention. She was one of 438 sophomores and juniors selected this year, from a pool of 1,353 students nominated by colleges and universities nationwide.
The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation was established by Congress in 1986 to serve as a living memorial to honor the lifetime work of Senator Barry Goldwater. By providing scholarships to college sophomores and juniors who intend to pursue research careers in STEM fields, the Goldwater Foundation is helping ensure that the U.S. is producing the number of highly-qualified professionals the nation needs in these critical fields. For more information, visit goldwaterscholarship.gov.
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March 2024: Emma Hilton, a senior and member of Ball State’s field hockey team, has been awarded an NCAA Ethnic Minority and Women’s Enhancement Graduate Scholarship! She is one of 26 student-athletes selected nationwide for the scholarship, which recognizes “outstanding citizens and excellent role models” in extracurricular activities and academics. Applicants must also demonstrate promise for success in an intercollegiate athletics career.
Emma, who is poised to graduate summa cum laude this May, has a major in exercise science and minor in coaching. She will then enter Ball State’s M.A. program in athletic coaching education, with a concentration in sport performance. She plans to pursue a career in college athletics, specifically in strength and conditioning.
“My determination to succeed, willingness to work hard, and love of encouraging and mentoring others through athletics will enable me to work my way up from an assistant strength and conditioning coach to the director of strength and conditioning at a university, ultimately helping to provide opportunities to students from all backgrounds, including those who have persevered in sports despite challenges,” said the Clark, New Jersey, native.
During her undergraduate career at Ball State, Emma has been a volunteer fitness instructor for the Erskine Green Learning Institute—which offers hospitality and food service training and employment to adults with disabilities—and has been active at two different YMCAs, in both her hometown and in Muncie.
Each year, the NCAA awards $10,000 to 13 ethnic minorities and 13 female college graduates who will be entering their initial year of graduate studies. Learn more at the NCAA website.
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March 2024: Four Ball State undergraduates—all students in the Honors College—have been selected as finalists for
Fulbright U.K. Summer Institutes! The program offers freshmen and sophomores from U.S. colleges and universities fully-funded opportunities to explore the culture, heritage, and history of the United Kingdom while experiencing higher education at a U.K. university.
Lily Haley, a freshman with a major in chemistry and minors in biology and American Sign Language, is currently an alternate for the three-week Aberystwyth University Institute, in Wales.
Miguel Ortega, a sophomore with a major in psychology and minors in sociology and communication, is also an alternate for the three-week Aberystwyth University Institute, in Wales.
Chelsea Murdock, a freshman with a major in English education and minors in multicultural education and African American studies, hopes to spend three weeks in the Black Humanities Institute at the University of Bristol, in England.
Destiny Wells, a sophomore with a major in English (creative writing) and a minor in computer science, hopes to participate in the three-week Arts, Activism, and Social Justice Institute at the University of Bristol, in England.
Lily and Miguel were recently interviewed by representatives of the US-UK Fulbright Commission, and Chelsea and Destiny will be interviewed in mid-April, then learn soon after if they’ve been selected. This year, a total of 38 U.S. students to participate in the seven institutes being offered.
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March 2024: Mona Hamad, a graduate student in Ball State’s Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) program, was selected as the 2024 Charles Fountain Scholars Graduate Award winner!
The scholarship recognizes “Black, Indigenous, and persons (students) of color in landscape architecture with exceptional leadership and design skills, and who use their skills and ideas to influence, communicate, lead, and advance design solutions for contemporary issues.” Each year, CELA (the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture) selects one graduate and one undergraduate student in landscape architecture for the scholarship.
Mona, who will complete her MLA program in May, practiced architecture and landscape architecture in Khartoum, Sudan, for five years before coming to the U.S. At Ball State she has focused much of her research and design work on a public square in Khartoum that served as the site of a massive sit-in protest in 2019. In her career, she wants to practice landscape architecture “in a manner that adapts to constantly occurring societal changes based on current issues and struggles of the community to help support social equality and raise awareness.”
In being named this year’s graduate Fountain Scholar, Mona commented, “it is an honor to follow into the footsteps of Dr. Fountain’s legacy in serving as an advocate towards fulfilling a diverse professional practice in Sudan in the field of landscape architecture.”
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March 2024: Lindsey Hayse, a junior with a major in English education and minors in both English as a new language and Spanish, has been awarded a Critical Language Scholarship (CLS)! The scholarship will provide her with two months of intensive language study of intermediate Chinese (Mandarin) in Taiwan this summer.
Lindsey’s time abroad will capitalize upon her virtual study of the language and culture last summer, when she was awarded the CLS Spark for beginning Mandarin. Throughout the current academic year, too, she has participated in the CLS Spark Academic Program. In Taiwan, she will develop language and cultural knowledge to support her career plans to become an English teacher in Taiwan and later an ESL teacher in the U.S.
“Learning my future students’ home language through the CLS program will allow me to both better connect to their frustrations in learning a new language, as well as ensure that I will be able to explain concepts in Mandarin when needed,” said the New Salisbury, Ind., native. “Knowing Mandarin will also allow me to integrate into my future community and break bread with those who live there.”
At Ball State, the Honors College student is an officer in College Mentors for Kids and Alpha Mu Gamma, a foreign language honors organization.
The Critical Language Scholarship is a State Department program that facilitates two months of intensive summer language study in 13 languages considered essential to the United States’ engagement with the world. Approximately 500 undergraduate and graduate students nationwide are selected each year.
Lindsey’s award is the latest of 11 Critical Language Scholarships received by Ball State students over the past 16 years.
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March 2024: Two fall athletes—Maria Broering and Marie Plitt—have received NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships, which recognize their excellence in academics, athletics, extracurricular activities, and community service. A total of 126 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships are awarded each year, with 21 female and 21 male athletes selected for each sports season. The $10,000 scholarship must be used to support postgraduate studies.
Maria Broering, a member of the soccer team, has a major in biochemistry and a minor in biology and is poised to graduate in May with a 4.00 GPA. This fall the Southgate, Kentucky, native will enter a PhD program in biochemistry, with the goal of becoming a biomedical researcher.
Maria has gained extensive research experience in Ball State’s Chemistry Department, through CRISP (Chemistry Research Immersion Summer Program) and as a research assistant in the lab of Dr. Mary Konkle, Associate Professor of Chemistry, where she studies a protein implicated in diseases like diabetes, Parkinson’s, and cancer. “I aspire to become a principal investigator in academia and conduct research that will advance scientific understanding of the biochemical underpinnings of human health,” she said.
Maria has served as the soccer team representative and secretary for the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee at Ball State, and she is also a member of the MAC Council of Student Athletes and the MAC Transformative Leadership Program. In Muncie, she Initiated a STEM youth outreach program at the Ross Community Center.
Marie Plitt, a member of the women’s volleyball team, graduated cum laude in May 2023 with a major in psychology and minors in human development and family engagement. She is now in the first year of Ball State’s three-year Master of Social Work (MSW) program, with plans to become a mental health counselor to student-athletes.
In her professional career, said the Loveland, Ohio, native, “I will be giving back to the community that has meant so much to me throughout my college career. I hope to help student-athletes to thrive mentally and emotionally.” In both high school and college, Marie has been active in organizations that help fellow athletes find mental health resources, including BSU’s Chirp for Change.
Marie helped lead the women’s volleyball team to the 2019 and 2020 MAC championships. By the end of her collegiate volleyball career, she was 6th in BSU’s team history and 26th nationwide for kills. She also set Ball State records as #1 in hitting percentage, number of matches played, and number of sets played.
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February 2024: Seattle Greenwell—an Honors College student with majors in public relations and advocacy and minors in theatre and women’s & gender studies— has been named a
finalist for the
Truman Scholarship! One of the nation’s most prestigious scholarships, the Truman is awarded to juniors who will be the nation’s future change-makers. Deeply committed to preventing intimate partner violence, Seattle has regularly volunteered at A Better Way, a domestic violence shelter in Muncie, throughout her college career. As Vice President of Finance for Alpha Chi Omega, a women’s fraternity at Ball State, Seattle has also led fundraising efforts to support the work of A Better Way over the past two years, among other leadership and service roles on campus.
After completing her bachelor’s degree, Seattle will enroll in a dual Master of Public Affairs/Master of International Affairs program, with a focus on nonprofit management and international development. With plans for building complementary skills in communication and policy-making, Seattle is determined to play a role in creating a safer world for women, especially in developing nations.
The Truman Scholarship is awarded to juniors who intend to pursue careers in public service and who want to create systemic change. They must possess extensive records of leadership and demonstrated commitment to public service. Seattle and other finalists for the Chicago region will be interviewed on March 22. Approximately 60 recipients will be announced in mid-April, at www.truman.gov.
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February 2024: Congratulations to the following ten BSU students and alumni (pictured below), who’ve made it to the semi-finalist round for the U.S. Student Fulbright program! Final decisions about recipients will be made by host country committees and announced later this semester.
All are semi-finalists for the English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) program, for which they would help teach English to students in their host country and also carry out self-designed cultural immersion activities.
- Julia Canty – senior with a major in economics (political economy concentration) and minors in Chinese and international studies – ETA in Taiwan
- Jayana Fennell – May 2023 graduate with a major in telecommunications (digital production video concentration) and minors in French and American Sign Language – ETA in France
- Cady Garcia – May 2022 graduate with a major in history and minor in psychology of human development; December 2023 graduate with M.A. in secondary education – ETA in Poland
- Denver Hammons – senior with majors in English education and theatre education and minors in English as a new language and entrepreneurship & innovation – ETA in Malta
- Bella Hughes – senior with a major in English and minor in creative writing – ETA in Greece
- Betsy Lynn – senior with a major in speech language pathology and minors in Spanish and American Sign Language – ETA in Spain
- Molly Page – senior with a major in landscape architecture and minor in construction management – ETA in Spain
- Katelyn Redman – senior with a major in German education and minors in history and linguistic & global communication – ETA in Germany
- Makayla Schuelke – May 2023 graduate with a major in theatre and minors in classical culture and creative writing – ETA in North Macedonia
- Haley Stevens – M.A. student in English (creative writing concentration) – ETA in Romania
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December 2023: Six BSU undergraduates—Bryn Edwards, Trey Mathews, Darcy Niewiadomski, Leah Sodo, Mia Thompson, and Tierra Williams—have been awarded Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships for study abroad in the coming months!
The Gilman Scholarship supports undergraduates who are studying abroad. Upon their return to the U.S., recipients are required to carry out a follow-on service project that helps promote international education and understanding.
Bryn Edwards, a junior Honors College student, will study at Johannes Gutenberg University in Germany from April to July 2024. With majors in German and psychology and a minor in counseling, the Carmel, Ind., resident intends to pursue a career as a therapist. “Through studying abroad there are opportunities to learn about other cultures, which is very important in counseling, as every individual is different and has different experiences,” said Bryn.
For her follow-on service project, she intends to give presentations about her study abroad experiences to other foreign language students and Honors College students.
Trey Mathews, of Muncie, will spend 20 weeks studying at Adolfo Ibáñez University in Chile during the latter half of 2024. A sophomore in the Honors College, Trey has a major in Spanish education and wants to offer “a less common international perspective” to his future students. “Bringing that extra layer of knowledge of different dialects will bring my students closer to the language’s full range as a result,” he added.
For his service project, Trey will create a video animation about his experiences in Chile, using a fox character of his own design, then share the video with student groups at Ball State and on YouTube.
Crown Point, Ind., resident Darcy Niewiadomski will be an exchange student at Nagoya University of Foreign Studies in Japan during spring semester 2024. For their follow-on project, Darcy—a junior with majors in Japanese and English—will write and share poetry about their experiences in Japan, then give in-person presentations to second- and third- year BSU Japanese classes upon their return.
“I’ve always wanted to go to Japan, ever since I was a 5-year-old kid bonding over watching Inuyasha with my dad,” said Darcy. “Thanks to the Gilman Scholarship, I’ll be able to fulfill my childhood dream and work toward my professional goal of working as a Japanese translator.”
Junior Leah Sodo—an Honors College student with a biology major (with concentrations in wildlife biology & conservation and field botany) and a minor in neuroscience—will spend nearly three weeks in Namibia this May. The BSU faculty-led trip will allow Leah to explore wildlife and ecosystem management strategies, animal behavior research, and Namibian culture. Her follow-on project will be aimed at members of The Wildlife Society at Ball State, to encourage them to pursue environmental conservation projects abroad.
“In my professional career I will most likely be managing some sort of relationship between people and our beautiful world,” said the Muncie resident, “and in Namibia I will learn how they manage living alongside beasts of the woodland savannas.”
Mia Thompson will spend spring semester studying at Tokyo Gakugei University in Japan. With a major in Japanese education and minors in history and literature, Mia, a sophomore from Avon, Ind.,
intends to become a language teacher. For her follow-on project, Mia will visit several secondary-level Japanese classrooms, to share her experiences abroad and ways that students can use Japanese language skills in their careers.
“I was fortunate to attend high schools that had wonderful foreign language programs, but I know this is not the reality for every school,” said Mia. “It’s my lifelong goal to become a Japanese language teacher and give more students the opportunity to fall in love with language learning, just as I did.”
Tierra Williams, a sophomore Honors College students from Fishers, Ind., is participating in a winter break trip to Greece. Tierra has a major in computer science, with concentrations in data analytics & machine learning and cybersecurity & secure software design. Her minor in studio art will provide the foundation for her follow-on project, as she plans to show children at Muncie’s Motivate Our Minds how to make tiny Greek-style pots.
Having studied Greek culture in many history courses, Tierra said, “I want to try authentic Greek foods, shop at popular markets, and see how life in Greece is different from life in America and from my preconceptions of how life in Greece should be.”
The federally-funded Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program provides up to $5,000* to U.S. undergraduate students pursuing academic studies abroad, in order to better prepare them to assume significant roles in an increasingly global economy and interdependent world. (*Additional support is available to selected students who will study Critical Need Languages or conduct STEM research while abroad.)
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November 2023: Anaya Marshall, a fourth-year landscape architecture student, has been selected for the LAF (Landscape Architecture Foundation) Ignite program! She is one of only five students nationwide—and one of only two undergraduates—to be selected for the program, which supports BIPOC students in the profession.
Anaya will receive an annual $10,000 scholarship until completing her landscape architecture education, an annual paid summer internship, and various forms of mentorship. Selection criteria include design aptitude and commitment to landscape architecture and creation of a healthier, more equitable, and sustainable world. Ignite, now in its second year, represents a focused effort by LAF “to make the discipline of landscape architecture as diverse as the communities in which landscape architects work.”
Anaya, who is from Bolingbrook, Ill., also has a sustainability minor and intends to pursue a career focused on creation of environmentally sustainable landscapes, including “green” cemeteries. She also is committed to advancing the place of people of color in landscape architecture. “I’m especially passionate about representing African Americans within the profession. As it is a small community, our voices need to be heard and taken seriously,” Anaya commented. “Tributes to people, places, and events can be evoked through a landscape with the right components and can support and encourage our communities for the better.”
Anaya has already gained geographically diverse professional experience through landscape architecture internships in Indiana, Illinois, and Virginia. On campus, she currently serves as secretary of the Student Chapter of American Society of Landscape Architecture, vice president of academics of National Pan-Hellenic Council of Ball State University, and vice president of Tau Nu Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority.
After completing her bachelor’s degree in 2025, Anaya plans to go on to a Master of Landscape Architecture program.
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August 2023: Grace Carman, an Honors College senior with majors in public relations and advertising and a minor in theatre, is one of 50 students nationwide to receive a Phi Kappa Phi Pioneer Award! The scholarship, open to Phi Kappa Phi members, recognizes undergraduates who are “developing the research, engagement, and leadership skills necessary to become a successful scholar.” Phi Kappa Phi is the nation’s oldest and most selective multidisciplinary collegiate honor society.
Grace, a resident of Versailles, Ohio, is vice president of both BSU’s chapter Public Relations Student Society of America and the Honors Association for Community Engagement. She is also a long-standing leader of Kappa Delta Sorority and the Panhellenic Executive Board at Ball State, among a wide array of other campus and community organizations and activities. Earlier this year she was named a Top 10 Ball State University Student.
Grace is especially passionate about addressing accessibility issues and diversity, equity, and inclusion practices on campus and in her profession. “Each day I put my experience to use in building environments in my extracurriculars, personal life, and professional life that promote understanding, acceptance, and belonging for others,” she said.
After completing her bachelor's degree, Grace plans to become a public relations professional in the realm of creative communications.
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August 2023: Karisa Candreva, a May 2023 graduate of Ball State University and the Honors College, has received a Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship! Nationwide, 62 fellowships were awarded by Phi Kappa Phi (PKP)—the nation’s oldest and most selective multidisciplinary collegiate honor society—to members who are entering their first year of graduate or professional study. Each PKP chapter may select one candidate to compete for the national awards.
Karisa graduated summa cum laude from Ball State, completing a major in natural resources & environmental management, along with minors in sustainability, international resource management, and peace studies & conflict management.
This fall she will enter the JD program in Environmental and Natural Resources Law at Indiana University’s McKinney School of Law. “I am passionate about helping individuals who experience environmental injustices,” said Karisa, “to protect the Earth’s precious resources, such as soil and water, and to challenge environmentally destructive policies through my legal education and work.”
Karisa’s many activities at Ball State included serving as president of the Natural Resources Club and editor-in-chief of News & Notes (the Honors College newsmagazine). She served on the research team that created BSU’s 2019 Sustainability Report, gave a conference presentation on students’ perceptions of their abilities to offset carbon emissions, and developed an Honors thesis that orients students and stakeholders of the university, Muncie, and Delaware County on a range of sustainability issues and opportunities in the area.
In spring 2023, Karisa (a native of Crown Point, Ind.) was recognized as a Top 25 Ball State University Student.