Ivy Tech Community College Student Spotlight: Sophia Eaton

When she first left high school for higher education, Sophia Eaton was initially hesitant. While most of her peers opted for the more traditional route — campus life, university settings, out-of-state or downstate schools — Eaton chose to stay close to home and explore what Ivy Tech Community College had to offer. Reflecting on that decision now, she’s grateful that she did.

This educational journey ended up being, as she put it, the greatest two years of her young adult life. While traditional universities can offer the perception of more activities or opportunities, Eaton created those same opportunities close to home with the help of her close-knit faculty and program directors.

“I feel like when a lot of people hear the idea of community college, it’s like, ‘Oh, that’s where they’re going.’ It really was the cheapest option for me, and one of the closest options for me. It gave me some of the greatest friends I still have now. I go to school with some of them now at Purdue University Northwest (PNW), and it’s the greatest faculty and support I could have ever asked for,” Eaton said.

Affordability and convenience give community college a significant edge when students are selecting schools. Along with reduced class sizes and more flexible schedules, student-to-faculty ratios are more balanced, allowing educators to offer classes and support in a more intimate setting.

Eaton’s steadfast determination to succeed, her willingness to go above and beyond inside and outside the classroom, and her ability to seize experiential learning opportunities at first chance are now paying off.

Eaton graduated with her associate degree in education this past May from Ivy Tech, completing the two-year program. She’s now working toward her bachelor’s degree at PNW’s campus in Hammond, carrying with her an immense sense of pride and invaluable lessons from Ivy Tech.

Her time at Ivy Tech was overwhelmingly successful. Her hard work was recognized early on by educators and faculty members who valued her work ethic, validated her intelligence, and guided her through the first two years of her degree path.

She credits Crystal Madden, a mentor, educator, and education department chair, as a major influence. Eaton made life-changing connections with faculty members, students, and prospective employers during her time on Ivy Tech’s campus and through her internship experiences. It was Madden and a faculty member, Ahmad Noraldine, who wanted to publicly recognize Eaton for her outstanding work and contribution to the education program.

When she entered the program, Eaton had her heart set on becoming an in-classroom educator, but it was Madden who encouraged her not to limit herself to one path. She was informed that there are more possibilities, and a greater ability to guide future students, outside the classroom. Madden opened Eaton’s mind to administrative roles within the education system and offered perspective on curriculum-focused roles that serve as a major component of any student’s success.

During her time at Ivy Tech, Eaton and Madden worked closely together. Madden offered an invaluable extra-credit opportunity that amounted to real experiential learning. This provided Eaton with real-world classroom experience, a chance to work alongside children in an elementary school, and lasting connections with faculty and school systems in the area.

Together, Madden and Eaton created activity boxes for Lake Hills Elementary School in Michigan City for its Family STEM Night. The two also built a senses table for children to explore including slime for touch, a telephone-like recording device for sound, and other interactive activities for young kids to try.

With a successful experiential learning opportunity early in her educational journey, Eaton’s passion for education has continued to grow.

“It also was a great opportunity to learn how to interact with parents and other students I’d never met before, just by introducing myself and seeing them get excited to do the craft. That gave me a little bit of motivation. It’s great just seeing the happiness it brings kids and learning how to interact with different types of families,” Eaton said.

For a young woman who almost always felt like just another number in the classroom, Eaton is paving the way for a career in education so no student ever feels the way she did. She hopes to be a source of motivation, a cheerleader of encouragement, and an impactful educator, changing the lives of each student she encounters.

“I always thought that this would be my path,” Eaton said. “I knew that with my personality and my passion, I could be the kind of teacher that students look back on fondly.”

A quiet confidence is apparent in how Eaton has impacted her professors and other faculty members at Ivy Tech. She credits a number of teachers from her past who influenced how she walked into this next chapter. She gives a special nod to her first grade teacher, Angela Ray, from Brummitt in Chesterton, along with Rachel Blythe of Chesterton High School.

Eaton says Blythe was one of the first teachers she felt genuinely cared about the students and their contributions to class discussions, along with their lives and futures. That senior year set the tone for her first year of college. While Eaton enrolled at Ivy Tech with some skepticism, her preconceived notions dissolved as she became more ingrained in the campus culture, with her peers, and through the genuine care of the Ivy Tech faculty.

Another administrator Eaton credits for her success at Ivy Tech is Ahmad Noraldine, dean of education.

“He gave me all the support I needed and more,” Eaton said. “Every time I would see him in the hallway, he would make sure that school is going well, that my internship is going well, and even at graduation, he was one of the biggest supporters in my corner.”

Eaton is supported by many, faculty old and new, her peers, and her sister, Natalie, who has been her biggest cheerleader. Natalie has been incredibly motivating, reminding her that setbacks don’t define her and that she can always get back on track. Eaton is just weeks into her fall semester at PNW, with a whole new student body, faculty and people to impress.

For more information on Ivy Tech Community College, you can visit ivytech.edu.