Jason Callahan
Indiana Department of Education
Indianapolis, IN USA
"Happiness is the pursuit of doing something important even when it’s difficult."
Career Roadmap
Jason's work combines: Education, Government, and Accomplishing Goals
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
Define your purpose by figuring out what your passion and values are. Then define your goals and understand the process. Be willing to learn and ask questions. Surround yourself with people who have been successful, especially in the field you're interested in, and that you can learn from.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
English Education
Ball State University
Graduate Degree
Educational Leadership and Administration
Ball State University
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
I knew that getting an education was important but I was hesitant to incur debt when I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do.
2.
I found that joining the military could lead to getting my education paid for, so I decided to enlist in the Air Force.
3.
After four years in the Air Force, I pursued my education—I started at a community college in Washington and then transferred to Ball State University, where I got my degree in English Education.
4.
After graduating, I became an English teacher at Daleville Junior-Senior High School.
5.
A mentor encouraged me to go to graduate school, so I went back to Ball State University and earned my master’s degree in educational leadership.
6.
When my wife and I started our family, I wanted a better work-life balance, so I left the classroom and took a job in administration as an assistant principal.
7.
Quickly thereafter, I moved up to principal and then superintendent, which I did for about 10 years.
8.
When Dr. Katie Jenner became Indiana Secretary of Education, she tapped me to serve as the assistant secretary, where I’m currently working to improve the education system in Indiana.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Myself:
I don't know what I'm doing. I can't do this.
How I responded:
It's natural to experience self-doubt on your journey. For example, when I joined the Air Force, I thought I knew what I was doing but I found myself 2,000 miles from home and felt out of my league. What really helped was finding mentors who can help support and guide me. Find people that you can look up to for that support. It's also important to remember that failure happens but you'll learn from it and be even stronger the next day.