For Evvy Kikkert, theatre has always been about more than performing. It has been a place to discover, create, connect with others, and feel comfortable being herself. Now a sophomore at Ball State, Evvy is combining that passion with her longtime goal of becoming an educator.

A Theatre Education major from Munster, Indiana, Evvy also is pursuing minors in American Sign Language and Studio Art. She was drawn to Ball State because of its strong theatre program and has found that her experience has continued to inspire her both as an artist and as a future educator.

Finding a Home in Theatre

Evvy has wanted to become a teacher for as long as she can remember. She has always found joy in mentorship and considers helping others make discoveries among her greatest accomplishments.

Her experiences at Ball State have reinforced the connection she sees between the arts and education.

“I have always believed that arts are an essential part of a well-rounded education,” Evvy said.

Through her theatre classes, Evvy has developed practical skills while also discovering new ways of thinking about the art form. Watching her classmates create and perform has also shaped the kind of educator she hopes to become.

“Watching my peers of various abilities create has made me determined as an educator to create a space where all students have equitable opportunities,” she said.

Her minors in American Sign Language and Studio Art complement that goal, giving her additional ways to explore communication, creativity, and accessibility in the arts.

Creating a Space for Every Student

Evvy hopes to teach middle school theatre after graduation. For her, that age group holds particular significance.

Middle school can be a pivotal time in an adolescent’s development, and Evvy remembers struggling during those years herself. Theatre provided an environment where she felt comfortable enough to be herself, and that experience helped shape who she is today.

Now, she wants to give future students that same opportunity.

“I want to bring that to the next generation of awkward pre-teens,” Evvy said.

Her vision for theatre education extends beyond teaching students how to perform. She wants to create a classroom where students with different abilities can participate, create, and find a place where they belong.

Learning Through the Prism Project

One of Evvy’s favorite Ball State experiences so far has been serving as a buddy for the University’s Prism Project, a program that brings performing arts experiences to students with various exceptionalities, primarily autism.

During the program, Evvy worked one-on-one with a six-year-old boy with autism. At first, he struggled to participate and frequently wanted to leave the room or sit out of activities. As they built a relationship, Evvy began to see him become more comfortable.

By the time of the final performance, he eagerly took the stage and delivered a line into the microphone.

“Watching that growth in real time was incredibly inspiring,” Evvy said.

The experience gave Evvy a firsthand look at the impact an accessible arts experience can have and strengthened her desire to create inclusive opportunities for students in her future classroom. She plans to participate in the Prism Project again this spring.

Learning From Mentors

Evvy said it is difficult to name just one professor who has influenced her at Ball State because several have changed the way she thinks about the world.

If she had to choose one, however, she points to her directing professor, Jen Blackmer.

“Learning about theatre from her perspective has helped me to grow not only as an artist, but as a person,” Evvy said.

That combination of artistic and personal growth reflects what Evvy values about her Ball State experience. She sees education as more than learning skills or completing assignments. It is also about discovering new perspectives and helping others do the same.

A Scholarship That Supports Her Calling

Receiving the Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship has given Evvy both financial support and an added sense of confidence in the career she has chosen.

“I am deeply honored to have been selected for this scholarship,” she said. “I have known that I wanted to be an educator since I was very young and having this financial support has made me feel even more secure in this choice.”

Evvy also sees the scholarship as part of a larger cycle of educators supporting future generations.

“I have gotten a lot of great opportunities because of good educators, and I feel lucky to get to pay that forward,” she said.

Taking Every Opportunity to Learn

Evvy encourages students considering careers in education to seek out opportunities to work directly with children.

“Work with kids!” she said. “You should take every opportunity you get to work with kids.”

She believes classroom experience provides lessons that students cannot learn from coursework alone. Although working with children can feel intimidating at first, she says the experience helps future educators learn what works and build confidence.

Evvy is putting that advice into practice herself. In addition to the Prism Project, she participates in College Mentors for Kids and volunteers at the Boys and Girls Club in Muncie.

This semester, she also will serve as assistant director for a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Performance Collaborative at Ball State.

Outside of her academic and theatre commitments, Evvy enjoys painting and reading. She also has an unexpected claim to fame: She worked as a scare actor in a haunted house for two years.

For Evvy, the arts have provided opportunities to grow, connect, and discover who she is. Now, she is preparing to help future students experience that same sense of possibility through theatre.

As she continues her journey at Ball State, Evvy is building the skills and perspective she will need to create an accessible, welcoming theatre classroom where every student has the opportunity to participate, create, and find their own place on the stage.