Candy Dodd

I started at Ball State University 30 years ago as a secretary in the president's office, and all the opportunities that brought me to where I am came to me - I never sought them. I believe it's because of my work ethic and the skill sets I was learning. I transitioned to the development office, working with major gift officers on event planning for major gift-giving societies, then worked with our VP on special projects and traveled with our football team for 3 years, organizing events for major donors. We would take Board of Trustees members, administrators, and major donors on football trips, and while the team practiced, I would organize visits to restaurants and presidential museums. I worked on two major campaigns for the university, then moved to government relations and community engagement, working on state contracts in communities. I ran a statewide high school pitch competition for 3 years - it's like a Shark Tank for high school students with 9 regional competitions and 1 state final. We completed the first one in five months through a state contract with the governor's office. Now, as Associate Director for External Programming at the Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute, I provide resources and tools for people to make change in the K-12 space, with students, educators, and community female professionals. I run Chic Innovate, a year-long program for 8 to 10 female professionals focused on self-discovery, self-awareness, and helping them emerge as leaders and find their voice in the workplace. In their second year, they mentor a Ball State student. I also work with Generation Innovation (GENI), a student leadership program that culminates in a week-long trip to Orlando for a Disney learning experience. At a local elementary school serving the poorest and most at-risk youth in our city, I run Read, Roar, and Soar, a literacy rewards program for 20 students in grades 3 through 5 who aren't reading at third grade level, and Extreme Builders, where 20 fourth and fifth graders come to our space on Mondays and Wednesdays for workshops on collaboration, problem solving, innovation, and creativity, culminating in a Lion's Den pitch competition. My goal is to give them skills to see a way out of generational poverty. I work with anyone I have the opportunity to invest in - the YMCA workforce development teams, Teamworks for at-risk teens - pouring into people to empower them to be change makers.