March 2022 News
Academy Alum Receives Goldwater Scholarship
Friday, March 25, 2022
Isabelle Behrman (IASHM 2020), a Ball State junior and Honors College student, has received a Goldwater Scholarship. The Goldwater is the nation’s most important scholarship for undergraduates who intend to pursue careers in STEM research.
Isabelle has majors in chemistry (with the American Chemical Society concentration) and Spanish. After earning a Ph.D. in molecular engineering or material science and engineering, she plans to launch a research career aimed at creating environmentally friendly and biodegradable materials. In particular, she hopes to work on development of new packaging materials to address problems of plastic creation and waste.
At Ball State, Isabelle has been working in the lab of Dr. Robert Sammelson since the end of her freshman year, helping conduct research on a newly developed acid. She is also a member of the Women’s Tennis Team and serves as a Supplemental Instructor in organic chemistry. As a graduate of the Indiana Academy, Isabelle will be completing her undergraduate degree in only three years.
Isabelle is the thirteenth Ball State student to receive the Goldwater Scholarship, along with nine others who have received honorable mention. Many of these alumni have gone on to win other prestigious scholarships and established impressive careers in STEM research. Congratulations, Isabelle!
Dr. Phillip Lobo Publishes Research Paper
Wednesday, March 16, 2022
Dr. Phillip Lobo, Instructor of English at the Indiana Academy, published an article online for the journal Russian Literature, titled “Between Homo & Ludens: The Dichotomy of Subjectivity in The Snail on the Slope.” The paper demonstrates “the way literature and games have both been called upon to address the problem and possibility of agency for the subjects they create” by examining the Strugatsky brothers’ novel The Snail on the Slope in the context of late-1960s Soviet society.
You can read Dr. Lobo’s paper here for free until May 5.
Academy Envirothon Team Headed to State
Wednesday, March 16, 2022
The Indiana Academy Envirothon team won the East Central Regional competition held Tuesday, March 15 at Hayes Arboretum in Richmond, and will advance to the State competition on April 27 at Connor Prairie. Ms. Megan Wright accompanied the team, which consists of Bryson Bennett, Isabella Crespo, Julie Pichonnat, Mia Vega-Isaac, Olivia Walker, and Kylie Williford.
Envirothon is a competition designed to promote environmental education. Teams compete by answering questions and studying resource problems in five environmental topics, as well as making an oral presentation at the Regional level. The top team in the State competition will represent Indiana at the National Envirothon.
Congratulations to our Envirothon team!
Academy Seniors Named Whitinger Scholars
Friday, February 18, 2022
Academy seniors Sai Hamm and Mia Vega-Isaac were named Ball State University Whitinger Scholars for the 2022-2023 academic year.
The Whitinger Scholarship is the signature scholarship of the Honors College and the most prestigious scholarship awarded by Ball State. It supplements Ball State’s Presidential Scholarship to provide full tuition and required fees plus on-campus room and board. Eight new Honors College students are selected to receive the award each year based on their academic ability, character, creativity, and potential for leadership.
Congratulations to Sai and Mia!
2022 National Merit Finalists
Monday, February 14, 2022
Three Indiana Academy seniors have been named Finalists in the 2022 National Merit Scholarship competition.
Congratulations to Sophia Lotzow, Paul Ulrich, and Justin Xia!
Four Academy Alums Among Ball State’s “Top 100” Students
Monday, February 14, 2022
Beginning this year, the Ball State University Foundation recognizes 100 outstanding junior and senior undergraduates at Ball State University who “represent Beneficence both in and out of the classroom.” Applicants are scored by a group of BSU alumni around the country. Among the 100 students chosen as the inaugural recipients of this honor are four Indiana Academy alumni, all currently seniors at BSU.
They are Isabelle Behrman ’21 (Muncie), Trinity Croy ’18 (Marion), Hannah Flanagan ’19 (Elwood), and Barbara Willey ’17 (Muncie). All of the Top 100 recipients will be recognized at a reception during One Ball State Day on April 5, 2022. Additionally, as “Top 25” students, Isabelle and Hannah will be invited to attend an awards ceremony on April 2, where the Top 10 and Top Two students will be named. Congratulations!
Dr. Bridget Lester Named Most Influential Educator by Alumni Scholarship Recipient
Thursday, February 3, 2022
Dr. Bridget Lester will receive a $1,000 professional development grant from Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) as a part of the “Realizing the Dream” scholarship program. The $3,000 scholarship recognizes first-generation Indiana college students from ICI’s 29 private, non-profit colleges and universities and is made possible by a grant from the Lilly Endowment.
Scholarship recipient Jenna Littlejohn, currently a sophomore at the University of Evansville, chose to thank Dr. Lester for her positive influence in a video released by ICI.
Dr. Lester says of Ms. Littlejohn, “I am just so happy to have gotten the opportunity to know Jenna. She will continue to have such a bright future ahead. Having the opportunity to watch our students succeed is one of the best things about being a teacher.”
Congratulations to both!
Burris Swim Team Wins Conference Championship
Monday, January 10, 2022
The Burris swim team successfully defended their title at the Pioneer Academic Athletic Conference (PAAC) Swimming and Diving Championship on Saturday, January 8 at Ball State University’s Lewellen Aquatic Center.
Click here to see a gallery of photos from the competition, courtesy of the Indy Star.
Dr. Jo Tuite Published in Journal for the Education of the Gifted
Wednesday, December 8, 2021
An exploratory study by Dr. Jo Tuite, Dr. Lisa DaVia Rubenstein, and Dr. Serena J. Salloum has been published in the December issue of the Journal for the Education of the Gifted.
The Coming Out Experiences of Gifted, LGBTQ Students: When, to Whom, and Why Not? examines the coming out experiences of over 100 LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning or queer) alumni of a residential gifted/talented high school, including when they identified their own sexual orientation and/or gender identity, when they came out to their friends and family, and how comfortable they were coming out at the G/T school versus their home schools. The purpose of the study is to provide guidance to school personnel for developing effective support systems for their students.
Dr. Tuite is the Associate Director / Head of Admissions at the Academy. Dr. Rubenstein is an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at Ball State University, and Dr. Salloum is an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership at Ball State. The study may be found in the Journal for the Education of the Gifted, volume 44, issue 4, pages 366-397.
Quiz Bowl Team Qualifies for Nationals
Monday, November 22, 2021
The Indiana Academy Beta Club Quiz Bowl team qualified for the state finals and traveled to Evansville on Friday, November 19 to compete against the other top eight teams. After three head-to-head competitions the team emerged victorious! As a result, they have qualified for the nationals in Nashville, Tennessee in July.
Congratulations to the Beta Club!