As a new freshman class gets settled in to their current Ball State home, some are already making their mark with intriguing personalities and lifestyles. From driving hearses to earning championship titles to frequent flyer miles, these are just a few freshmen that happen to standout from their peers.
Tyler Goodwin
The freshman biology major came to Ball State seeking a better educational experience than he had at Ivy Tech. With him he brought Lucy, his 1990 Cadillac Brougham Hearse.
"She's kind of my buddy," he said. "I have been to car shows with her and the Riley Day's Festival parade."
During a Craigslist search for a station wagon a year ago, Goodwin came across his beloved Lucy and decided she was too unique for him to pass up.
"Old wagons cost tons to buy restored or repair as a project car," he said. "So a hearse was next best, and it's more unique than an old wagon. It's also a good conversation piece."
In addition to driving a hearse, Goodwin also works at a haunted house called Black Moon Manor in Greenfield, Ind. He said it's one of the most active haunted attractions in Indiana.
"The house was used as a smallpox quarantine in the 1800s. Some 250+ people died there and were buried in the backyard," Goodwin said.
Goodwin's job is to scare visitors, some of which he has scared so badly, they wet themselves.
"A friend of mine told me about the place, so I checked it out and found out about its history and such," he said. "It looked fun, so I joined. I like haunted history, hearing stories and history that started or inspired them."
Working in such a haunted environment has left Goodwin with many surreal stories of his own.
"An unexplained memory [I have] is the couple times I've seen Rachel [Eastes], the most famous ghost at the Manor," he said. "She died somewhere on or near the property in 1842 at the age of five years.
"She is seen all over the property, inside the manor and out. One time, I had a customer come up to me after closing and say, ‘You guys have the best staff member ever. She's this little girl that just walks out of the dark of the woods.' And all I said is, ‘We don't have any little girls on staff.'"
Goodwin said he doesn't drive the hearse and work at the haunted house for the attention. The two simply contribute to his persona and are part of who he is.
"Who I am is any action, item or person in my life," he said. "I do things on my own accord for my own enjoyment. Attention isn't anything I care about."
Carrie Wilson
When Carrie Wilson, freshman psychology major, came to college, she missed her dogs more than her parents. To Wilson, her dogs are her babies and since they are unable to call and text, her mom gives her daily updates on them.
Nine years ago, Wilson began competing as a handler in dog shows all across the nation, furthering her love for dogs.
"I have always grown up around dogs. Dog shows are an outlet for me to do something with them," she said. "I have the natural ability to be good at it. There's more to them than just training the dog. Doing the shows has given me a lot of skills and has been very beneficial for me. I have a strong passion for it."
Wilson said she was inspired to be a handler after watching a dog show with her mom. After watching the show and looking at vendors, she decided she really wanted to do it.
"My mom got in contact with some people and found a class for me to go to. It was taught by professional handlers," she said. "Kids, however, weren't allowed. They agreed to let me come to one class, and I brought my farm dog with me. They were impressed by me and asked me to come back."
Wilson said her first dog for the show was Gypsi, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi. She immediately bonded with the dog and after showing Gypsi for two years, Wilson finally got her first champion dog.
"Gypsi taught me a lot," Wilson said. "She knew how to show already when I got her, and she taught me a few things along the way."
Currently, Wilson is showing her favorite breed, Dalmatians, in various shows across the state. She now owns five of them: Krypto, Bri and their three pups, which are only one years old.
Wilson's short-term goal is to begin showing black standard poodles, whose intelligence and flashy personalities appeal most to her. While working to reach that goal, Wilson is still learning about technique and equipment, which will benefit her and her dogs.
In the meantime, the dog shows serve as a way for Wilson and her mom to spend time together. Their mutual love for dogs is one reason Wilson and her mom have such a close bond.
Sofia Garces
For freshman architecture major Sofia Garces, visiting her best friends means traveling over 2,000 miles. Garces has lived in Indiana for the past three years, but is originally from Cali, Colombia.
"My dad wanted to move out of Colombia. He actually wanted to go to Canada," Garces said. "We had family in Fishers, and it wasn't as expensive to live there."
Garces has noticed many differences between Colombian and American cultures.
"The people there are much more friendly and outgoing than in America," she said. "Everyone's mainly Hispanic, and Catholicism is the biggest religion."
In addition to the year-round warm weather, Garces also remembers the difference in the legal drinking age. She said in Colombia, the drinking age is 18, and she said alcohol rules are not as strongly enforced.
Garces visits her friends and family in Colombia as often as possible. When she goes back, it's like she never left at all.
"I have friends from all over. All of my best friends, however, are still in Colombia," she said. "I also have a lot of family there and all over the United States."
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