Meet Carla Ballenger! Carla is a two-time Cardinal graduate. She earned a Bachelor of Science in English Education in 1992 and a Master of Arts in Student Personnel Administration in Higher Education (now Student Affairs and Administration in Higher Education) in 1997. Chirp Chirp, Carla!

What led you to your graduate program at BSU?

I was an English Education major as an undergraduate student at BSU. I worked one summer as an orientation leader and completely fell in love with engaging the prospective college students. I realized that was my jam! After graduation, I taught middle school at Richmond Community Schools for three years, but still felt called to work in higher education. My BSU orientation mentor, Marcia, told me about what was then the Student Personnel Administration in Higher Education master’s, so I applied, received a graduate assistantship in the admissions office, and earned my degree within a year.

I loved the hands-on nature of the degree, and I felt like I received a great experience seeing what student administration offices were like in higher education. I worked for Ball State’s Indiana Academy for three years. I worked at IU-East for 17 years, and for the past year, I’ve worked in IU’s Indiana Office of School Partnerships, helping connect school districts with opportunities at their local campus.

What was your proudest memory as a BSU grad student?

The accomplishment of returning to Ball State and successfully completing the graduate degree after working full-time is my proudest memory. That degree allowed me to change my career path in the direction I wanted it to go.

How have you been able to use your graduate degree from BSU?

Every professional position I’ve received has been based on the degrees I’ve earned at Ball State. I felt well-versed in all things higher ed after finishing my time at BSU. Things just rolled from there. My student affairs background led me to where I am. The breadth of that program gave us so many experiences that gave us a complete picture of what higher education can be.

Specifically, I remember speaking with my advisor at the time and telling them that my experience in education up to that point had only been in a public school setting. I asked if I could have a practicum at Earlham, and they said, ‘Of course.’ I was super appreciative of their understanding of that request, as I gained even more experience in a different educational environment.

What advice or wisdom do you have to share with current BSU grad students?

I think that the efforts and the experience that you get in a graduate program, especially at Ball State, where it was so immersive, means you have to take every opportunity to get involved. Search for your interests and follow what you love. When you find that, it all becomes so much easier. You become a happier person. I’d also say I realized I needed to take a position that was not at the pay level I wanted, but it was a foot in the door to

working at the institution where I wanted to work. Twice in my career, I stepped into a position where I took a pay cut, but it paid off in dividends because I was able to work and grow in the environment I chose for myself.