(Featured photo above: Last day of Camp Adventure, June 2022. Photo credit: Robbie Mehling, Office of Immersive Learning.)

The Ball State University Foundation Top 100 Student Awards recognizes 100 outstanding junior and senior undergraduates at Ball State University who represent Beneficence both in and out of the classroom. We are thrilled to highlight the winners from Teachers College. Next up is Kendra Loos.

Major/Minor:

Major: Elementary education, and Spanish with a concentration in language, linguistics, and cultural studies. Minor: English as a new language.

Projected Graduation Date:

May 2023

Hometown:

Noblesville, IN

What made you choose Ball State?

I chose Ball State because of its well-known teacher preparation program. I knew I wanted to be a teacher, so I knew that Ball State was one of the best options. I love the size of Ball State: it’s big enough to have a significant number of majors and student organizations, yet I can comfortably walk from one end of campus to the other.

Are you involved with any campus organizations?

• The Revolution church: member and worship leader
• Alpha Mu Gamma: treasurer and language club liaison
• Cardinal Teacher Corps: member
• Teachers College Peer Mentoring: mentor

What made you want to become an educator/teacher?

I wanted to become a teacher because I watched what my elementary school teachers did. I didn’t have an “ah-ha” moment that made me want to be a teacher, it was a growing desire as I witnessed my teachers teach, inspire, and help those around me.

Do you have any plans for what you would like to do after you graduate?

After I graduate, I will be attending graduate school online to obtain my Masters of Bilingual Education. After finishing grad school in May 2024, I hope to get a job in a dual language program in an elementary school in Indiana.

Do you have any hobbies? If so, what?

I really like to cook, bake, and experiment with new recipes.

Fun fact about yourself:

My favorite food is potatoes because they are so versatile.

Is there anything else you would like to add? Any fun projects you are working on? Favorite class/professor? Etc.

• I am a part of the Global Gateway for Teachers program through IU. My second student teaching placement, starting in mid-March, is in Costa Rica! I am very excited for a combined teaching and Spanish immersion experience.
• 

  Teaching about hibernation while student teaching in dual language kindergarten at West View Elementary School in Muncie.

  I credit Camp Adventure, run by Mrs. Stacey Allred, with my success in student teaching thus far. Her immersive learning project is an incredible community outreach program but also is pivotal in the teaching skills for the pre-service teachers.

• “Querer es Poder” is a magazine produced by the SP 305 immersive learning course, run by Dr. Chin-Sook Pak. She is an incredible diversity advocate for the Latinx community. The students in SP 305, myself included, wrote articles for a magazine that will be published soon. We received the final proofs last week and it has been a very exciting process! The magazine showcases beautiful stories of heartache and belonging. Please visit this website (that I helped write) for information about the immersive course and everything we accomplished.
• I would like to thank all of my professors in the Teachers College and the College of Science and Humanities for their dedication to their craft and to their students. I will be an effective dual language teacher because of all of them. I wouldn’t be able to pick a favorite professor if I tried and that speaks to the quality of professors at Ball State.

Congratulations Kendra!

---

Congratulations to all of the Teachers College Top 100 Students:

*Abbey Armstrong

Isabella Barounes

*Kathryn Burbrink

Jada Cooper

Nicole Diaz-Castillo

*Madison Groves

Stacia Hazlett

Mikayla Kirkling

*Lauren Langness

*Alexa Leisure

Kendra Loos

*Leah Meersman

Cole Miller

Sarah Owens

Erin Rossiter

*Isabella Watts

*Aubrey Wilson

*=Top 50