Originally from Overland Park, Kansas, soprano Ashley Ruckman recently earned a Master of Music at the Jacobs School of Music under the instruction of Carol Vaness, and is the proud recipient of the 2024-25 Georgina Joshi Graduate Fellowship. Her notable roles with Indiana University Opera Theater include the title role in Suor Angelica and Tatiana in Eugene Onegin. Her professional credits include the roles of Musetta in La bohème and Berta in Il barbiere di Siviglia, both at Wichita Grand Opera. This past year, Ashley was the Soprano Soloist in Dallas Opera’s Hart Institute for Women Conductors Showcase, and sang the role of Karolina in Martin Hennessy’s Swimming in the Dark at The Studios of Key West. She earned a Bachelor of Music from Wichita State University where she performed roles including Hester in Lori Laitman’s The Scarlet Letter, Arminda in La finta giardiniera, Esther in The Path to Heaven, and Despina in Così fan tutte. Her 2025 awards include winner of the St. Louis District Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, and 1st place in the Indiana Chapter of the National Society of Arts and Letters Competition. She won 2nd place in the 2023 Naftzger Young Artist Competition, 1st place and selected soloist for the 2023 Wichita State Concerto-Aria Concert, and 1st place of the 2022 Rondelli Vocal Competition soprano division.