Callie Williams stands in a grassy field on a sunny day with a row of trees in the background. She wears a red Ball State Cardinals crop top featuring the Ball State athletic logo, a denim mini skirt, and brown cowboy boots decorated with red, white, and blue ribbons. She holds a red pennant reading “Ball State Cardinals” along the side and featuring a large Charlie Cardinal athletic logo. She has shoulder-length curly brown hair and wears tortoiseshell glasses.Callie Williams is settling into her first semester at Ball State and beginning her journey toward a career teaching. A graduate of Clarksville High School in Clarksville, Indiana, Callie hopes to one day teach English/language arts to high school students.

Callie is the next student featured in a Teachers College series highlighting Ball State recipients of the Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship. The Indiana Commission for Higher Education awards the scholarship to high-achieving students who plan to pursue careers in education. Recipients can receive up to $10,000 each year for four academic years.

Finding Her Voice Through Teaching

Callie first discovered her interest in education during middle school, when she worked as a teacher’s aide. She enjoyed lesson planning, organizing, and taking part in the classroom.

A few years later, an English teacher introduced Callie to poetry during a difficult time in her life. Poetry gave her a way to express emotions and eventually sparked a deeper love of writing.

Callie Williams stands outdoors on brown grass in front of a row of evergreen trees, smiling at the camera with her hands resting on the handlebars of a pale yellow vintage bicycle. A basket filled with white daisies and yellow daffodils is attached to the handlebars, with more of the same flowers decorating a nearby metal garden feature. Williams has shoulder-length curly brown hair and wears a white tiered dress with a pink and magenta floral pattern, flowy sleeves, a twisted fabric detail on the bodice, and a midriff cutout. She also wears a necklace with cursive lettering and is barefoot.That experience helped Callie see how much an English teacher can influence a student’s life.

“Poetry then became my safe place to share my feelings without fully saying them,” Callie said.

Callie now hopes to give future students the same kind of opportunity to discover themselves through language and literature. She wants to teach high school English language arts because she found herself and her own passions during those years.

“I would love to help kids with that same discovery of themself in whatever they choose,” she said.

Building a Future at Ball State

Callie Williams stands in a high school gym holding a large poster featuring a photograph of herself in her cheerleading uniform. Williams has curly brown hair pulled into a ponytail with a large black-and-white bow and is smiling while wearing red lipstick. She wears a black, white, and yellow long-sleeve cheerleading uniform. In the poster photo, she wears the same uniform with her hair down and holds black and gold pom poms in front of a stylized background featuring her school logo. The poster reads “Clarksville,” “Williams,” and “2026.” A stage is visible next to her.Callie chose Ball State because it offers the balance she wanted as she began college. At about three hours from home, Ball State gives her enough distance to build her own experiences while keeping home within reach.

As she begins college, Callie is excited to meet new people, build lasting friendships, and get involved on campus. She hopes to graduate with her teaching degree, gain classroom experience, and eventually return to school for a master’s degree.

She also plans to pursue another passion during college: cheer. Callie hopes to intern with a local cheer coach and eventually combine her love of cheerleading with her career in education.

A Leader On and Off the Mat

Callie brought plenty of leadership experience with her to Ball State. She served as captain of her high school cheer team for two years and as president of French Club. She also participated in Key Club, the spirit squad, and her school’s junior prom committee and served as a senior class officer.

Cheer has played an especially important role in Callie’s life. She sees it as a physical outlet and a way to build relationships while supporting her school community.

Callie Williams poses on the front steps of a large, stately house with tall pillars and an oversized dark wood and glass door. She wears a fitted purple and white prom dress with a swirling pearl and sequin pattern and a side slit. Her hair is styled in an updo with a pearl accent and curled tendrils framing her face. She holds a small bouquet of purple and white flowers and wears a sparkly, strappy high heel visible through the dress slit.

After taking on a leadership role early in her cheer career, Callie discovered that she wanted to become a coach as well as a teacher.

“I pride myself on being extremely involved and love helping out where I can,” she said.

Callie also knows how to balance a busy schedule. During all four years of high school, she worked two jobs while participating in clubs and sports, maintaining a 3.3 GPA, and earning her Indiana College Core certificate through Ivy Tech.

A Scholarship That Opens Doors

 

As a first-generation college student, Callie entered the college process knowing she would have plenty to learn. Figuring out how to pay for college and navigate the process initially felt overwhelming.

Callie Williams and a friend stand in a high school gym holding a large poster covered with photographs. The poster reads “Senior Memories,” with “2026” displayed vertically between the two words. Both women wear black, white, and yellow long-sleeve cheerleading uniforms, with their hair pulled into high ponytails and large black-and-white bows. Callie has shoulder-length curly hair, while her friend has long, straight blond hair. Both are wearing red lipstick. A black stage with its curtain closed is visible behind them.The Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship has helped ease those concerns and given Callie the opportunity to pursue higher education.

“This scholarship means I get to break my family’s chain of not pursuing higher education,” Callie said.

For Callie, the scholarship represents more than financial support. It connects her own college journey to the kind of impact she hopes to make as a teacher.

“This scholarship means I get to help my future students find their passions like my teachers helped me.”

Now, Callie is beginning her Ball State journey with big goals for both her education and her future classroom. She hopes to become an English teacher who helps students find their voices, discover their passions, and see new possibilities for themselves.