As part of the Department of Educational Leadership’s Leadership in Action series, they highlight students who display leadership at Ball State. For this feature, they sat down with Macie Morehouse to explore her path through student leadership and experiences on Ball State’s campus.

Student Background

Macie shared that she is a senior at Ball State majoring in Life Science Education, with the goal of becoming a high school biology teacher.

During her time at Ball State, Macie has been deeply involved in Ball State Dance Marathon, previously serving as Director of Marathon Relations and Vice President of Membership Development. She currently serves as President of Ball State University Dance Marathon.

In addition to her work with Dance Marathon, Macie is also a member of Rhythms Dance Troupe.

Leadership Roles and Experiences

Macie’s leadership journey has been shaped largely through her involvement in Ball State Dance Marathon and Rhythms Dance Troupe. As President of Ball State Dance Marathon, she helps guide an organization dedicated to supporting the children and families of Riley Hospital for Children.

She described the organization’s mission, explaining:

“Our mission is that we create a year-round fundraising and awareness effort to support the children and families of Riley Hospital for Children by working to unify the Ball State University student body.”

When asked about her responsibilities as president, Macie explained that her role centers on connection and support:

“My entire job is kind of being the liaison between the students in our organization to the faculty and staff that we work with, the community partners that we work with, and then doing everything that I can to serve everyone else and the organization.”

Leadership Philosophy

When asked how she defines her leadership philosophy, Macie emphasized the importance of serving others and leading by example. She describes her approach as servant leadership.

“We’re all working to serve others. So I’m here to help serve them. I’m here to help support and guide and lead in any way that I can.”

Leading by example is also central to her philosophy.

“Leading by example is definitely something that I strive towards.”

Macie also prioritizes the well-being of the students she leads, encouraging them to put themselves first. She often reminds members of her organization:

“You are a person first, a student second, and involved in student organizations third. So you cannot be doing what I need you to do in Dance Marathon if you are not succeeding as a student, and you cannot be succeeding as a student if you are not taking care of yourself as a person. So, if you are overwhelmed, at capacity and struggling as a person, that is your main priority; you take care of you.”

Impact on Campus Culture

Macie believes student leadership plays a powerful role in shaping campus culture. She explained that her involvement has opened doors to opportunities she might not otherwise have experienced.

“They are incredible opportunities that I personally wouldn’t be able to have if it weren’t for the way that our university cares and fosters for student leadership.”

She also emphasized how peer influence helps spread engagement across campus.

“Students feed off of other students. Students are comfortable around their peers. They are going to follow their peers, and I think that that is such an incredible way that we are able to share and spread things, through student leaders passing it on to other students.”

Advice for Students Wanting to Get Involved

Macie’s advice for students considering leadership opportunities is simple but powerful:

“If you want it, go for it.”

She encourages students not to be discouraged by uncertainty or the possibility of not being selected for a role.

“If you want something, go for it. If you want to be involved, try it. If you want to take a step at leadership, try it, go for it. The worst that happens is either maybe you don’t get selected for a position, but you still got valuable experience in the application or the interview process.”