Rory Sullivan is a sophomore music education major from South Bend, IN.

“I’ve studied piano for 11 years and flute for 9 years. When I was in elementary school, I’d play on my grandma’s piano, making mini compositions and playing from a “Disney’s Classics” book after school. My main inspiration was my grandma, she was my best friend. She was also a music educator, so she always listened to me play and sometimes sang along too. Right before she passed, she said that the one thing she wanted me to have was her piano, the same one that she and my grandpa played, and I’ve played on that piano ever since.

“I chose Ball State becauseI knew it was a phenomenal school for aspiring music educators.Through the faculty, the ensembles, the students, and the classes, Ball State provides a welcoming, demanding, and inclusive program for its students. Everyone I’ve met in the music school feels like family, and I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.One of my fondest memories here so far was the SOM Showcase my freshman year. I performed with the Pride of Mid-America Marching Band, and when I heard all the ensembles performing, I knew I had made the right choice for college! I was so proud of my colleagues, and it made me so happy to be surrounded by hundreds of people who love music just as much as I do.”