Student Life Counselors

Taylor is returning for her 6th year as part of the Indiana Academy staff. She is an IASMH alumnus who has earned a B.S. in Biology from Northern Kentucky University and an M.A. in Educational Psychology with a certificate in Gifted and Talented Education from Ball State. During her education, she worked as a laboratory assistant in a plant genetics lab and spent time as a sustainability intern focusing on the preservation and maintenance of old growth forests and the removal of invasive species. Taylor also studied chemistry abroad in London, England. Taylor spent two years as a Student Life Counselor before becoming a Student Life Team Leader. She has sponsored many clubs and student unions including Spectrum, Asian Student Union, Latinx Student Union, Improv Club, BETA Club and Environmental Conservation Club, and looks forward to continuing to partner with students in their extracurricular activities. She will resume her work on various committees including Academic Integrity Board and Student Services, and she is looking forward to continuing to work with IASMH’s excellent staff and faculty to grow our school and pursue new initiatives.

Taylor has several non-academic interests, such as kayaking, soccer, baseball, ultimate frisbee, science fiction, dungeons and dragons, and musical theater. She especially loves dogs, plants, and all things Elder Scrolls.

Dakota is ecstatic to be starting at the Academy this year. He graduated from Ball State in 2016 with a degree in Telecommunications. His passion for travel has taken him all over the world, from a semester abroad in Japan to media work in Italy, Germany, and Canada. He’s traveled all over the United States for varying media jobs, but settled into education in the last year and a half at Purdue Polytechnic North in Indianapolis. His passion for helping adolescents achieve their scholarly goals lead him back to school here at Ball State and with us here at the Academy.

Dakota’s hobbies often revolve around his passions for travel and media. He often times travels far into National Parks to photograph landscapes, wildlife, and the night sky. In between travels his seven animals keep him very busy. He has two dogs, two cats, and three guinea pigs all named Bean. He is excited to be assisting the students as the new Student Life Team Leader and is looking forward to the amazing year ahead of us!

Rachel is excited for her sixth year at the Academy as an SLC. Born and raised in Bloomington, Indiana, she migrated to Muncie and the surrounding area in 2014 to get a BA in Psychology from Taylor University followed by her MA in social psychology with a specialization in neuropsychology. This school year, she is beginning work on her second master’s degree – this time in counseling psychology – through the low residency program at the Seattle School for Psychology and Theology. She enjoys a wide variety of hobbies and activities including running, playing Zelda on her Switch, reading and listening to audiobooks, indoor gardening, DIY projects, and singing (both in and out of the shower). Rachel has three nephews and a niece, all of whom she is absolutely obsessed with. She also has a cat named Sprout that lives with her here in Wagoner (@sprootyandfruity on the gram). Words are important to her and she’s always keeping an eye out for her next favorite quote or poem. She is always up for spontaneous dance parties, deep conversation, and time spent getting to know the students of the Academy. Follow her on Instagram @slc_rachel.

Maclaine is thrilled to be returning to the Indiana Academy as a third floor student life counselor. Maclaine was born and raised in West Lafayette, IN. During her junior year of high school, Maclaine was a Rotary International Youth Exchange student to Thailand (D.6560-D.3340). Maclaine graduated with her Associates degree from Cottey College in Nevada, MO in May 2016, and graduated with her Bachelor’s degree from Ball State University in Muncie, IN in December 2019. After graduating Maclaine taught 11th grade English at Blackford High School from 2019-2022.

In her free time Maclaine loves to travel and spend as much time as possible in the water. She is an avid scuba diver, obtaining her dive certification at age 13. Maclaine comes from a long line of scuba divers, her grandpa, grandma, aunt, uncle, cousin, dad, mom, and three brothers all enjoy the opportunity to be underwater together. When on the surface Maclaine enjoys reading an eclectic array of novels and knitting/crocheting. Maclaine looks forward to supporting students on their journey at the Indiana Academy.

Tori is ecstatic to begin her second year as a Student Life Counselor. She was born and raised in Lafayette, Indiana as the middle of three girls. Tori graduated from Ball State University in 2021 with a B.A. in Communication with a focus of Interpersonal Communication. While at Ball State, Tori served for a year and a half as the Director of Leadership on the executive board of Ball State’s Residence Hall Association (RHA) and as a member of Ball State’s National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH).

Tori spends her free time playing video games, embroidering, and playing board games with her friends (she can get very competitive!) She also enjoys traveling and spending time with family. Tori is looking forward to helping build the Indiana Academy community and watching the students flourish.

Conner Richmond is a 2nd year Student Life Counselor. Conner is a graduate of Purdue University with a B.A. in Political Science. He is also an alum from the Indiana Academy, class of 2017. He spends his free time reading books, watching/making videos, playing video games, studying political thought/communication, listening to podcasts, and watching films. Conner is a fan of the Indianapolis Colts and Purdue Boilermaker basketball. He loves to play all sports and games (board or otherwise).

Conner has experience working with students, engineers, scientists, mathematicians, as well as people from every state and all over the globe. He is constantly looking for diverse perspectives and interesting ways to look at the world. He enjoys listening to students talk about whatever they find fascinating. He is looking forward to meeting all the new students and seeing the returners once again!

Vincent is beginning his third school year at the Academy as a Student Life Counselor on the fourth floor. Vincent was born in Chicago and raised in Fort Wayne, IN. As a graduate of the Academy from its class of 2008, Vincent has had experience being here both as a student and as an SLC. In his brief time here as an SLC, Vincent has sponsored clubs including the Latinx Student Union, the Video Game Club, and Japan Club, in addition to other smaller student-led clubs, and he looks forward to additionally sponsoring a Mafia Club this year for those students who enjoy that iconic party game. Vincent has also acted as the International/NECP SLC and as a PA Advisor since being hired, and he looks to continue his work as PA Advisor through this year.

Vincent attended Purdue University Fort Wayne, earning BS and MS degrees in mathematics. During his time there as a graduate student, Vincent briefly taught algebra first as a graduate teaching assistant, and eventually as an adjunct faculty member later on. As a former math teacher, and as someone who has received much formal education in math, Vincent hopes to be available to help Academy students with any math-related woes as circumstances allow.

Vincent’s hobbies include playing Smash Ultimate, rhythm games, and role-playing video games, making origami, tinkering with small electronics and retro games, and watching anime. Vincent is grateful to the Academy and its students for making his experience as an SLC worthwhile, and he hopes to work productively toward assisting as many Academites as he can as they strive for continued personal and academic success this year.

Archer is excited to begin his second full year at the Indiana Academy after coming in part-way through last year. He grew up in Ukraine and Mozambique but moved to Indiana for high school and college, where he graduated with a double major in English and Writing. As an Indiana Academy alum, he knows first-hand both the struggles and the joys of being a student, and the vital emotional growth he experienced during that time led him back as an SLC to help others have the best experience they can.

Archer’s favorite activities fall into one of two categories. First, he enjoys competitive tests of knowledge, like Chess, Starcraft 2, Hnefatafl, and League of Legends. Second, he’s an amateur artist and enjoys almost anything creative, from digital art and sketching to playing the guitar to writing poetry. Although he hasn’t traveled much since his family left Mozambique in 2010, Archer dreams of one day working in a position that involves international travel and interacting with diverse cultures. Archer is looking forward to working alongside the students as a first floor SLC.