Crowning Achievement
Saturday, June 29, will be a day that Ball State University graduate Kalyn Melham, ’23 MS ’24, remembers for the rest of her life.
After a week of arduous competition in the 83rd annual Miss Indiana pageant, Ms. Melham stood on stage, waiting for her moment.
With the anticipation rising and the building completely quiet, the judges declared their decision: “The new Miss Indiana is… Kalyn Melham!”
“It was a wonderful feeling,” Ms. Melham later recalled.
A Muncie native, Ms. Melham earned the right to compete after capturing Miss Southern Heartland honors. By winning the state pageant, she earned $11,000 in scholarships and the opportunity to compete for the title of Miss America in January.
No stranger to the bright lights, Ms. Melham performed “They Just Keep Moving the Line” from the musical SMASH, something she had done before to help secure the Miss Ball State crown in 2023.
But equally, if not more, impressive than her talents on the Miss Indiana stage was her commitment to service.
During the week, Ms. Melham discussed her service initiative, Advocating for Change through Theater (ACT).
ACT was founded in 2019 when Ms. Melham was in a play at the Muncie Civic Theater. She invited audience members to bring a can of food to each performance. After 13 plays, she helped accumulate more than 200 pounds of food for Blood ‘n’ Fire Ministries, a door-to-door ministry that provides weekly outreach and serves meals to those in need.
“It made me realize that we can use theater as a tool not just to have fun but also to serve charities in need across the entire world,” Ms. Melham said.
With a bachelor’s degree in English and professional writing and a master’s degree in information and communication sciences, Ms. Melham is well-prepared to excel as she pursues her postgraduate life.
And she’ll do so with fond memories of her time as a Cardinal.
“I stepped onto this stage with all the tools I’ve gotten from Ball State and the wonderful mentors that have helped me here through the Digital Corps, the English department, and the Center for Information and Communication Sciences program,” she said. “All the guidance I’ve received has shaped me into the woman I think the new age of pageantry is looking for. I appreciate that wholeheartedly.”
