{"id":2861,"date":"2026-05-13T17:43:24","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T21:43:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bsu.edu\/teachers-college\/?p=2861"},"modified":"2026-05-13T18:32:37","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T22:32:37","slug":"teaching-language-and-connection-meet-top-100-student-sydney-schmitt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bsu.edu\/teachers-college\/2026\/05\/13\/teaching-language-and-connection-meet-top-100-student-sydney-schmitt\/","title":{"rendered":"Teaching, Language, and Connection: Meet Top 100 Student Sydney Schmitt"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Each year, the Ball State University Foundation recognizes exceptional students through the Top 100 Student Awards, honoring undergraduates who embody Beneficence in their academic work, leadership, and service at Ball State University.<\/p>\n<p>In this series, we\u2019re highlighting Teachers College and secondary education students selected for this recognition, future educators who are already making an impact in classrooms, on campus, and in their communities.<\/p>\n<p>Next in the series is Sydney Schmitt, a junior pursuing a dual major in Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Special Education, with a minor in American Sign Language. Sydney\u2019s passion for teaching is deeply rooted in family influence, connection, and a commitment to supporting diverse learners.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ba0c2f\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-2870 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173627\/Snapchat-405520577-179x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"179\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173627\/Snapchat-405520577-179x300.jpg 179w, https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173627\/Snapchat-405520577-612x1024.jpg 612w, https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173627\/Snapchat-405520577-768x1286.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173627\/Snapchat-405520577-918x1536.jpg 918w, https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173627\/Snapchat-405520577.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 179px) 100vw, 179px\" \/>Inspired by Family and Connection<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>For Sydney, education is a family legacy, and a personal calling.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cWhat most inspired me to pursue a degree in education was that my mother and grandmother were both special educators growing up.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>That foundation, paired with her own experiences growing up with seven younger brothers, helped shape her desire to teach and support children as they grow.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cBeing able to help see them grow through the years has been a huge motivator.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ba0c2f\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-2866\" src=\"https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173611\/20230816_153946_Resized_20230816_113343-300x194.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"194\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173611\/20230816_153946_Resized_20230816_113343-300x194.jpg 300w, https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173611\/20230816_153946_Resized_20230816_113343-1024x661.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173611\/20230816_153946_Resized_20230816_113343-768x496.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173611\/20230816_153946_Resized_20230816_113343.jpg 1324w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>Why Ball State? A Tradition of Excellence<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Sydney chose Ball State because of its strong reputation in teacher preparation, and because it holds personal meaning.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cI chose Ball State because of its renowned education program and because this is where my mother went to get her masters degree.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>That connection to family and tradition has made her experience even more meaningful.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ba0c2f\">Learning Through Hands-On Experience<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-2871 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173630\/Snapchat-1717374047-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173630\/Snapchat-1717374047-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173630\/Snapchat-1717374047-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173630\/Snapchat-1717374047-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173630\/Snapchat-1717374047-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173630\/Snapchat-1717374047.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>One of Sydney\u2019s most memorable experiences at Ball State came during her first practicum placement in a fifth-grade reading classroom.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cMy favorite experience has been when I had my first practicum.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>In that experience, she created a creative, student-centered lesson using a wordless picture book, allowing students to become authors themselves.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cI found a book that did not have any words, only pictures\u2026 and informed them we would be making the words for this book.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Students collaborated to write their own version of the story before reading it together as a class, an experience that showcased Sydney\u2019s creativity and instructional approach.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ba0c2f\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-2868\" src=\"https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173621\/IMG_6323-copy-300x217.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"217\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173621\/IMG_6323-copy-300x217.jpg 300w, https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173621\/IMG_6323-copy-1024x740.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173621\/IMG_6323-copy-768x555.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173621\/IMG_6323-copy-1536x1110.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173621\/IMG_6323-copy-2048x1480.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>Leadership Across Campus<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Sydney has been highly involved in leadership and service throughout her time at Ball State.<\/p>\n<p>Her roles have included:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Vice President and later President\/Co-President of Education in Action<\/li>\n<li>Collegiate Senator in the Student Government Association<\/li>\n<li>Member of the Teachers College Dean&#8217;s Student Advisory Council<\/li>\n<li>Member of the National Society of Leadership and Success<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Through these experiences, she has helped advocate for students, strengthen community, and support future educators.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-2864 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173550\/26_MC-81279_6466-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173550\/26_MC-81279_6466-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173550\/26_MC-81279_6466-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173550\/26_MC-81279_6466-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173550\/26_MC-81279_6466-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173550\/26_MC-81279_6466-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ba0c2f\">Looking Ahead: Expanding Impact<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>After graduation, Sydney plans to continue her education in graduate school, pursuing degrees in Social Work and American Sign Language interpreting.<\/p>\n<p>She also plans to complete a licensure addition in Intense Intervention through Ball State, further expanding her ability to serve diverse learners.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cI am most looking forward to working with my Intense Intervention addition and hope to work within a care facility.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ba0c2f\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-2867\" src=\"https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173614\/20231028_202405_IMG_4501-254x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"254\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173614\/20231028_202405_IMG_4501-254x300.jpg 254w, https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173614\/20231028_202405_IMG_4501-867x1024.jpg 867w, https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173614\/20231028_202405_IMG_4501-768x907.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173614\/20231028_202405_IMG_4501.jpg 1284w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 254px) 100vw, 254px\" \/>Advice for Future Educators<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Sydney encourages incoming Teachers College students to take advantage of early opportunities to build community.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cBecome acquainted with as many of your professors as you can and also be as involved as you can for at least your first semester. This way, you will be able to create a larger community and support system within your college.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>She emphasizes that these connections can provide both academic and personal support throughout college.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ba0c2f\">Finding Balance and Joy<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Outside of her academic and leadership roles, Sydney enjoys simple routines that bring her peace.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cI have three hobbies: reading, crocheting, and hanging out with my cat.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>While coursework has kept her busy, she still finds daily joy in time with her cat.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ba0c2f\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-2872 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173632\/Snapchat-1825247204-210x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"210\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173632\/Snapchat-1825247204-210x300.jpg 210w, https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173632\/Snapchat-1825247204-718x1024.jpg 718w, https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173632\/Snapchat-1825247204-768x1095.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173632\/Snapchat-1825247204-1077x1536.jpg 1077w, https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173632\/Snapchat-1825247204.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 210px) 100vw, 210px\" \/>A Passion for Language and Learning<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Sydney\u2019s love for communication extends into her coursework and future goals, especially in American Sign Language. She also credits faculty support as a meaningful part of her experience.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy favorite classes are my sign language classes, and my favorite professor is Dr. Melinda Kennedy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ba0c2f\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-2865\" src=\"https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173608\/26_MC-81279_6567-300x196.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"196\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173608\/26_MC-81279_6567-300x196.jpg 300w, https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173608\/26_MC-81279_6567-1024x670.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173608\/26_MC-81279_6567-768x503.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173608\/26_MC-81279_6567-1536x1005.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/bsu-wpe-blogs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/32\/2026\/05\/13173608\/26_MC-81279_6567-2048x1341.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>A Future Focused on Access and Advocacy<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>With a strong foundation in education, leadership, and communication, Sydney is preparing for a career centered on inclusion, advocacy, and meaningful connection across diverse learning environments.<\/p>\n<p>Stay tuned as we continue highlighting more inspiring future educators in our Top 100 Student Spotlight series.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Each year, the Ball State University Foundation recognizes exceptional students through the Top 100 Student Awards, honoring undergraduates who embody Beneficence in their academic work, leadership, and service at Ball State University. In this series, we\u2019re highlighting Teachers College and secondary education students selected for this recognition, future educators who are already making an impact [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":305,"featured_media":2862,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2861","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-student-stories"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Teaching, Language, and Connection: Meet Top 100 Student Sydney Schmitt - Teachers College<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bsu.edu\/teachers-college\/2026\/05\/13\/teaching-language-and-connection-meet-top-100-student-sydney-schmitt\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Teaching, Language, and Connection: Meet Top 100 Student Sydney Schmitt - Teachers College\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Each year, the Ball State University Foundation recognizes exceptional students through the Top 100 Student Awards, honoring undergraduates who embody Beneficence in their academic work, leadership, and service at Ball State University. 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