Freshman music education major Mallory Cooper is from Westfield, IN. 

“I have enjoyed music and singing since I was a very young child. My mother is a singer herself, and my father is a guitarist, so I have always been surrounded by music and encouraged to participate in music-making. I began studying voice when I was seven years old. At that time, I began singing in my church’s children’s choir, and my mother gave me lessons at home. I continued to sing in choir all throughout high school and studied with my mom. Taking lessons from your own parent can be tense and challenging, but I learned so much from her and I’m very thankful that I had such easy access to training. 

“My favorite memory at Ball State so far was singing at the ACDA conference in Chicago with Vox Anima. The Harris Theatre was a wonderful space to sing in, and we received a standing ovation after our performance. We had worked so hard for the conference and to see all the hours of dedication come to fruition was such a rewarding and beautiful moment. 

“Ever since I realized I wanted to become a music teacher I was very interested in attending Ball State. Both my middle and high school choir directors are Ball State graduates, and they were both wonderful teachers and influences for me. They both recommended Ball State and spoke highly of the music education program. I also took a field trip during my freshman year of high school to sing with the women’s choir, which was a super fun experience for me. After touring and meeting with some of the School of Music faculty and staff last year, I knew Ball State was the right place for me, and I couldn’t be happier with my decision!”