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Jason Callahan Highlight
Jason Callahan
Assistant Secretary of Student Pathways and Opportunities,
Indiana Department of Education
Happiness is the pursuit of doing something important even when it’s difficult.
About Jason
- 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.
- I found that joining the military could lead to getting my education paid for, so I decided to enlist in the Air Force.
- 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.
- After graduating, I became an English teacher at Daleville Junior-Senior High School.
- 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.
- 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.
- Quickly thereafter, I moved up to principal and then superintendent, which I did for about 10 years.
- 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.
