Leaps of faith often start with small, shaky steps; moments where courage outweighs certainty. For Hannah Mullen, those steps led her to Ball State University, a place where creativity met conviction and where each challenge became an opportunity to trust herself, her talents, and her faith.

From accidentally becoming a social media influencer to serving as the digital marketing producer for Fox59, Hannah’s path has been shaped by bold choices rooted in belief.

Personal Leaps

Hannah’s online presence began unexpectedly when she posted TikToks with her show choir friends and went viral at the end of high school. What started as a playful moment became a creative outlet, a digital diary where she shared humor, nostalgia, and honest reflections during the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Her authenticity resonated. By 2020, more than 15,000 people followed her journey, finding comfort and connection in her openness. That same transparency carried her through difficult seasons, including multiple hip surgeries, an ankle procedure, and a POTS diagnosis. When she shared her recovery online, a community of people with similar experiences rallied around her.

At Ball State, Hannah continued to grow both spiritually and emotionally. Initially reserved, she pushed herself to get involved by attending campus fairs, meeting new people, and joining faith-based organizations like Navigators and Delight Ministries.

“I found myself even more when I joined Delight,” she said. “Having strong women around me showed me the importance of sisterhood and encouragement.”

When negativity online challenged her confidence, Hannah chose to rebrand her accounts while at Ball State, building her platforms again from the ground up. Her interest in design and storytelling deepened through graphic design and marketing courses, which taught her to approach every project with intention.

“Ball State gave me the basic principles of what makes this career path work,” Hannah said. “Every assignment pushed me to think about audience and purpose.”

Today, Hannah manages a personal brand followed by more than 52,000 people on Instagram and 146,000 on TikTok.

“It was never about making money,” she said. “I just loved that people enjoyed my videos.”

Professional Leaps

Ball State’s emphasis on real-world experience opened new doors. After boldly reaching out to the Indy Now team at Fox59, Hannah secured an internship that ultimately led to a full-time role.

As a Lifestyle Show Intern for Indy Now, she primarily handled graphic design, but after the team noticed her interest in social media, they handed her a phone and encouraged her to run with it. Impressed by her initiative and creativity, Fox59 created a new digital marketing position and encouraged her to apply.

Accepting the role was another leap of faith. 

“They told me, ‘You’ll be the youngest in the building, and no one will buy into your job,’” she said. Even so, she embraced the challenge of bridging traditional and digital media.

“I’m glad I took the leap,” she added. “Even with the negativity, knowing I inspire younger people to follow their passions makes it all worth it.”

Throughout it all, Hannah found a sense of belonging at Ball State that grounded her in faith and encouraged her as she developed her career. Her favorite verse, Philippians 4:6–7, guided her through moments of uncertainty and change.

Each leap, from her first viral post to the Fox59 newsroom, was strengthened by the foundation she built at Ball State. The university gave her not only the skills to succeed but also the courage to believe in her story and share it with the world.