“It’s all pieces of a puzzle that make up your life as a creative,” says Dr. Cara Chowning as we discuss her approach to teaching and creative arts. Cara is a pianist at heart, beginning her time seated at the ivories at the young age of five. She utilizes her experience at the keys as well as her deep understanding of classical music in order to serve as a vocal coach for students in Ball State’s College of Fine Arts. Dr. Chowning lights up as she expresses her love for digging into the complex musical issues that she works through with her students. It’s why she was drawn to teaching in higher education. As she navigates the nuance of musical pieces with both undergraduate and graduate level students, she works to peel back undergraduate and graduate level students, she works to peel back the layers of any creative stumbling blocks and tackle those challenges with them as they grow in confidence as performers.

Cara continues to connect with students outside of vocal coaching by weaving her passion for wellness into the classroom. This intersection between the two areas allows students to come to coaching sessions with her and have the awareness to communicate what it is they need from their time with her. She notes that allowing students to take ownership over their progress and performance has been rewarding for her. The freedom to work with students in their creative endeavors is only one of the things she enjoys about her position in the College of Fine Arts. “I like so many things about my specific job here,” Chowning says. “I really love the fact that our students here … get a chance to do what they’re interested in doing. I get freshman to doc[toral] students in the opera program. Most of my colleagues around the country can’t say that.” At Ball State, she enjoys the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues across disciplines, as well as being able to continue her own creativity.

For her accomplishments with these kinds of collaborations both in and out of the classroom, Cara has been receiving recognition. Academically, she has developed the Creatively Well course, a one-credit hour class where students can explore the relationship between wellness and creativity. From her perspective, the life of an artist requires a different balance. While those in other disciplines might work traditional business hours and go on with their days, those in a creative discipline are working “day jobs” and then creating or performing in their “off” hours. In her own case, for instance, she’s working with students as an instructor and vocal coach, then working with musical groups like the Indianapolis Opera.

“There’s something uniquely different about being in the arts and putting…your soul on the line,” she says. The impetus to create the course came from encountering increased stress levels of students and hoping to serve them in a different way. “I think most everyone is creative on some level,” she explains when describing the appeal of the course. Creatively Well began as breathwork and bodywork sessions and has evolved into a more comprehensive look at wellness, from body mapping to yoga and how implementing wellness practices can affect wholistic wellbeing, including sleep, stress, anxiety, nutrition and even finances. Her goal is for students to leave her class both feeling cared for and with the tools that allow them to be more proactive than reactive when it comes to their own health and wellbeing.

Outside the classroom, one of Chowning’s passions is her ensemble, Trio Village, which consists of two colleagues performing on the flute and oboe while she performs on piano. As an ensemble, they have a desire to put a spotlight on the works of individuals who haven’t traditionally been featured as composers. In working with these composers, they have had the opportunity to perform pieces inspired by various cultures, genres, and influences. Cara says that she remembers how hard the beginning of a creative career can be, so as a trio, they have a desire to help support other artists in their early to mid-careers. With experience playing the standard repertoire for their instruments, they look forward to helping expand the catalogue of available work and hopefully have their students play those pieces someday. For example, Trio Village had the opportunity this past summer to work with a composer on their first professionally published composition. The composer, Shawn Okpebholo, was able to be in attendance as the trio performed his piece, “The Spiral,” for the first time to a national audience, allowing him to hear his composition come to life. This piece, along with other original works performed by the trio, can be found on their upcoming album, set to release in Spring 2026.

In Fall 2025, Dr. Chowning received the Outstanding Creative Endeavor Award at the University’s Fall Convocation. Being peer-nominated and ultimately awarded means a lot to her. “It’s always nice to hear that—once in a while—your work does have an impact on people, especially students. It’s also great to see it from your peers,” Cara shares with a smile. “To be nominated by my new leadership was really lovely. These people wrote some really nice things.” It’s clear from the respect she expresses for her colleagues that the feeling of appreciation is mutual and that both faculty and students alike are living more “creatively well” after crafting and collaborating with Dr. Cara Chowning. The Office of Research is thrilled to recognize Cara’s scholarly achievements at this year’s BeneFacta.