Student Life Counselors

Jordyn is excited to return for her third year at the Indiana Academy, serving as the Student Life Team Leader on Second Floor (the best floor). Originally from Mishawaka, IN, Jordyn first joined the Academy community as a student in 2018. She later earned her degree in Elementary Education from Purdue University, where she conducted research in behavioral interventions and mathematics education.

During her time on staff, Jordyn has helped plan Prom and served as a club sponsor (Bring Change 2 Mind, Black Student Union, Reader’s Club, Roblox Club, etc.)—experiences that deepened her commitment to student life and leadership development. In her free time, she enjoys kayaking, working on puzzles, reading, playing Mario Kart, and rewatching Gilmore Girls during the colder months. Having once walked the halls as a student herself, Jordyn is especially passionate about giving back to the Academy community and is eager to continue supporting students as they grow, learn, and lead.

Dakota is ecstatic to be starting his third year at the Academy. 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, South Korea, and Canada. He’s traveled all over the United States for varying media jobs, but settled into education about six years ago at Purdue Polytechnic North in Indianapolis. His passion for helping adolescents achieve their scholarly goals led him back to school here at Ball State and with us here at the Academy.

Dakota’s hobbies revolve around his passions for travel and media. He oftentimes travels far into National Parks to photograph landscapes, wildlife, and the night sky. In between travels he likes staying at home with his dog, cat, and two guinea pigs. 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!

Kenzie is excited to join the Indiana Academy community for the 2026–2027 school year. A proud ATLien, Kenzie brings a rich and varied background to his role. He earned his Bachelor’s in History and Criminology, followed by a Master’s in History. His professional journey began in emergency management with the government before he discovered his true calling in education. For the past seven years, Kenzie has been a teacher—four of those years were spent overseas as a Peace Corps Volunteer, most recently in Mongolia until February 2026. This experience deepened his appreciation for cultural exchange and the transformative power of learning, ultimately leading him to the Academy.

Kenzie is a man of many passions. On any given day, you might find him on the mats—he holds a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. When he’s not active, he loves making music on his (admittedly over-the-top) keyboard and spending quiet hours painting. Kenzie is looking forward to bringing his global perspective, diverse skill set, and genuine enthusiasm to the students and staff, and he can’t wait to make this a memorable year at the Academy.

Mark is excited to be joining the Indiana Academy for his first year as an SLC. He was born and raised in Mission Hills, California. Mark completed his undergraduate education in 2021 at UC Berkeley with a major in Applied Mathematics. While there, he also took courses to learn computer science, math education, data science, and Magic: The Gathering.

After graduating, he moved to Indiana where he worked across several different roles. Mark taught Algebra 2 and Pre-Calculus at an Indianapolis high school, tutored students in math, SAT, and ACT prep, and worked in software development for several years. Alongside being a new SLC, Mark will be pursuing his Master’s in Computer Science at Ball State.

In his free time, Mark enjoys playing board games, watching movies and TV, and is an avid chess player. He is excited to meet new students and learn about their passions and interests. Mark also encourages anyone interested in learning or playing chess to visit his office in 472A.

Dawsony is excited to be back here for her second year at the Indiana Academy. Dawsony was born and raised in Southfield, Michigan. She attended Central Michigan University for her bachelors and is currently pursuing her master’s here at Ball State. During her time at Central Michigan University, she worked as a Residence Life staff member for four years, serving as the Desk Manager for three of those. She enjoys being a leader and being able to influence and assist students within and outside of her living community. This led to her developing a newfound passion for leadership and community development. Dawsony also enjoys a wide variety of different activities, such as going to the gym, playing/watching sports, reading, practicing self-care, and hanging out with family and friends. She really enjoys bonding with her little brother over sports, and going to the movies. Dawsony loves stepping out of her comfort zone and not being afraid of being the first to volunteer to try something new. She is very fired up for the upcoming year.

Victoria is delighted to be starting her third year at the Indiana Academy. Born and raised in England, she also lived in Brazil for a few years before settling in Indiana. After graduating from the Academy in 2014, Victoria went on to earn her degree in English from Arizona State University. She is currently working on her master’s degrees in data science and computer science.

In her free time, Victoria enjoys traveling and exploring new cities, countries, and continents. As an avid Formula 1 fan, she finds herself traveling the globe to attend races, but she also enjoys crafting, reading, and is currently training to hike the country of Lichtenstein. Victoria is excited to be working with the Peer Assistants on Prom for the third year and is looking forward to seeing this year’s students grow and excel throughout the school year.

Jenna graduated from Ball State University with a dual bachelor’s degree in psychology and applied Behavior Analysis. Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, Jenna is now starting her second year pursuing her master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling and Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Ball State.

Jenna is excited to be starting her second year on the residence life team and looks forward to creating a supportive and welcoming environment for all students. In her free time, she enjoys reading, spending time outdoors, watching movies, and being with friends. Jenna is excited to be part of the Indiana Academy and is grateful for the opportunity to help students grow both academically and personally.

Alicia graduated from Miami University in Ohio with a major in Education Studies. She was raised in her hometown of Harrison, OH all the way until she attended Miami University. During her third year at Miami, Alicia earned the opportunity to study abroad in London for a semester. This further enhanced her love for British culture and gave her a new perspective on life.

She is excited to continue being a part of the residence life team, filled with individuals who share her passion for supporting students on their path to receiving a higher education. Alicia’s free-time usually consists of reading, shopping and playing video games like her favorite, Fortnite. She is an avid thrifter and vinyl collector, with a deep passion for music and animation. Alicia is thrilled to be a part of the Indiana Academy and is most grateful to be able to aid and serve the incredible students of the academy.

Michelle was born and raised in Chicago, IL. She attended South Suburban College and received her Associates of Liberal Arts Degree in 2015. She then moved on to Governors State University for one semester majoring in Speech Language Pathology. Michelle’s drive to switch gears and pursue American Sign Language stemmed from an older cousin in the family who is profoundly Deaf. In wanting to give communication access to her Hearing family, Michelle completed one year in MacMurray College’s ASL program and then transferred to Columbia College Chicago and completed her remaining 3 years in their ASL program. While attending Columbia, Michelle had the incredible opportunity of studying at Gallaudet University in Washington D.C., the world’s only college for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students. She became immersed in Deaf culture and the Deaf community to become an advocate and ally for her cousin. Michelle graduated from Columbia College Chicago in 2021 with her Bachelor’s degree in American Sign Language-English Interpretation. Michelle worked as an ASL interpreter for a little under 2 years, interpreting for Deaf junior high and high school students. At the same time, Michelle decided to return to Governors State University to pursue her Master’s degree in Communication, Media and Performance and graduated in May 2025.

While studying for her MA degree, Michelle was heavily involved on campus, holding positions such as President of Black Student Union for 2 years, Vice President of Music Company, a member of Student Activities Council, among many others. Michelle brings her expertise in leadership, programming, working in and around college campuses/communities, and with a variety of diverse student populations. Michelle has lived on 3 different college campuses, so she understands the joys and challenges of being away from home and living cohesively with others. Michelle is excited to serve as an example to this group of students while she assists them in personal growth, life skills, and mentorship.

Vincent is beginning his sixth 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 (class of 2008), Vincent has experience as both a student and an SLC. As an SLC, Vincent has sponsored clubs including the Latin American Student Union, the Cozy Gaming Club, Smash Club, and Japan Club, in addition to other smaller student-led clubs. Vincent has also acted as the International/Non-Residential Student Activities SLC and as PA Advisor, and looks to continue as PA Advisor this school 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. 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 Super Smash Bros., 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.

Emma grew up in Pendleton, Indiana before earning a B.S. in public relations from Ball State in 2019. She dabbled professionally in copywriting and brand strategy before joining the Academy in October 2024. Her best advice to incoming Academites is: “Read the handbook.”

Jackson is eager to start his second year at the Indiana Academy! Born and raised in southern Indiana, Jackson attended Pike Central before graduating from the Indiana Academy in 2021. In 2025, Jackson graduated from Ball State with Honors and a bachelor’s degree in English (Creative Writing) and Philosophy. In August of this year, Jackson will begin work on achieving his master’s degree in Rhetoric and Composition.

While at Ball State, Jackson worked as a Resident Assistant for 3 years. This job allowed him to work with new and current students navigating the exciting and stressful realities of college. Watching the residents become more comfortable, confident, and independent strengthened Jackson’s passion for helping and teaching students, leading him back to the Academy where he is excited to help foster and lead a new community of Academites.

Jackson engages in many activities: he likes going out, talking, and laughing with his family and friends; he is an avid reader of classical literary fiction, philosophy, and fantasy; a film fanatic; a music lover, and enjoys playing cards, boardgames, and video games. One day, Jackson hopes to live and study in Europe for a short time before moving back and pursuing his dream career of writing novels.

Jackson looks forward to having another great year at the Indiana Academy!