Lillyana Ray smiles in front of the Beneficence statue on Ball State’s campus, making the Chirp! Chirp! hand gesture. She wears a Ball State Cardinals shirt and white shorts and holds an iced coffee cup. A leafy tree is visible in the background on the sunny day.Lillyana Ray has grown up around special education. With her mom working as a special education teacher, Lillyana has spent much of her life helping in classrooms and seeing the difference educators can make. Now, she is beginning her own journey toward becoming a teacher at Ball State.

A graduate of Daleville Jr./Sr. High School in Daleville, Indiana, Lillyana is pursuing a degree in Special Education/Deaf Education. She chose Ball State because of its program and the welcoming experience she had during campus visits.

Lillyana 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.

Seven people pose in a row at a wedding, with their arms around one another. Lillyana Ray stands on the far left in a pale blue dress. The bride wears a white wedding dress, while the others wear shades of blue. A large blue-and-white floral decoration hangs behind the group in front of a wooden door.A Childhood Around Special Education

Lillyana has wanted to become a teacher for as long as she can remember. Growing up with a special education teacher for a mom gave her an early look at what the profession could mean.

“I’ve grown up helping in a classroom my whole life,” Lillyana said.

Those experiences helped Lillyana develop an interest in special education and shaped the kind of educator she hopes to become.

When she began looking at colleges, Ball State stood out as the right fit. It offered the degree she wanted close to home, but the welcoming atmosphere she experienced during campus tours also made an impression.

“Whenever I went on tours I instantly felt welcomed and cared for,” she said.

Helping Students Find Their Place

Lillyana Ray smiles at the camera while standing behind Ball State’s Love Birds sculpture, with her and her tan-and-white dog framed within the metal heart. She wears a white sundress. Two bright red cardinal figures sit atop the heart, with the Ball State campus visible in the sunny background.Lillyana hopes to work with elementary students in special education, with a particular interest in working with deaf and hard-of-hearing students.

She wants to support children during the elementary years, which she sees as an important foundation for their future. Her goal is to help students who may struggle feel included and able to participate alongside their peers.

“I want to help the kids who struggle not be left out and be just like their peers,” Lillyana said.

Her goal extends beyond academics. Lillyana wants to become the best future teacher she can be through the experiences she gains in college, while making a positive impact on the children she encounters along the way.

Ready for a New Chapter

Now several weeks into her first semester at Ball State, Lillyana is getting to know the campus and meeting other students who are pursuing careers in education.

She is also embracing the opportunity to discover who she is beyond high school and make the most of her college experience.

Lillyana arrived on campus with a strong record of involvement from Daleville Jr./Sr. High School. She played volleyball, participated in concert band, served as secretary for both National Honor Society and her school’s Band Leadership Team, and was involved in Student Council, Athletic Council, and her church youth group.

She also gained valuable experience through cadet teaching in her elementary school’s resource room, giving her an opportunity to work directly with students before beginning her college education.

Lillyana Ray jumps to serve a volleyball during a high school game, her right arm extended as the black-and-white ball hovers above her. She wears a black and gold uniform, white kneepads, and white sneakers. Coaches and teammates watch from the bench, with spectators in the bleachers and game officials or announcers at a nearby table.

A Scholarship That Eases the Financial Burden

Receiving the Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship will allow Lillyana to focus more fully on her education without the same concern about paying for college.

“With this scholarship I don’t have to worry about cost, so I get to focus on my studies the whole time,” she said.

That financial support gives Lillyana the opportunity to concentrate on building the knowledge and skills she will need as a future special education and deaf education teacher.

Life Beyond the Classroom

Lillyana enjoys spending time with her family and friends and taking her dog, Eliza, on walks. She also likes playing with her kitten, Peggy, taking photos of the people in her life, creating arts and crafts, playing her clarinet, attending church, and working.

And she has one especially fun connection outside Indiana: Lillyana has a foreign exchange sister from Spain named Clara.

As she begins her Ball State journey, Lillyana is bringing with her a lifelong connection to special education and a clear goal for her future. She hopes to use her college experiences to become an educator who helps every student feel included, supported, and ready to learn.