LOS ANGELES, Ca. — A recent Clarion University graduate is reaching for the stars in California after breaking into both modeling and film.

Ellie Heiden, who was born and raised in Girard, Pa., earned her Bachelor of Science degree in liberal studies with a minor in psychology from Clarion University in 2015.

While she was attending Clarion University, she worked at the RRR Roadhouse where she met aspiring photographer Carey Dunham-Miholics who directed her life on a new path. He asked her if she would be interested in doing a photo shoot. After he posted some photographs of Ellie’s first-ever photo shoot online, they caught the eye of a small modeling management company in Pittsburgh. Soon, Ellie was being offered modeling jobs in the Pittsburgh area, then in the Cleveland area, as others in the region took notice of her.

Her break into acting came when she was offered a role in the small independent film “Always a Bridesmaid.”

Following her first role, she discovered a taste for acting. She continued seeking roles and soon accepted the female lead role in an upcoming web series titled “BiPauler,” that follows a young private detective suffering from split personality disorder.

She also continued her modeling work and even utilized her degree for a while working as a supports coordinator at Erie County Case Management, working with elderly individuals with intellectual disabilities.

“I liked the work, but when my modeling began to take off, I had to make a decision. I liked helping people, but I just liked the excitement more. I just kind of wanted to move to the next level.”

“Everything I was doing was fun, and I had gotten offers out there (in Los Angeles), and I wanted to do work on a larger scale. It was a little hard to do that in the Pittsburgh region. I felt like I had a foot in the door, so I wanted to move and see if it could take off.”

“Everything kind of exploded when I got here.”

After doing promotional modeling for Bud Light, she received modeling offers from several clothing companies. Most recently, she signed a contract with Billabong, an internationally-known clothing company, and wrapped up filming for a small role in the movie “Adverse.”

“I’ve always been a kind of shy person, but I was thriving in this. I felt like I finally found my dream job. I wanted to take the opportunity and fly with it. I never thought I’d be doing this, but I got a couple of good opportunities and I decided to take them,” explained Ellie.

Those good opportunities that gave her a start in LA don’t seem to be stopping anytime soon, either.

“I don’t want to say too much, but I did get a couple of offers from a few good clothing lines and swimming lines, but I’m still waiting to see the contracts on those. And, I was just asked to be a host for the “Babes in Toyland” charity for kids in need in October in LA.”

“Babes in Toyland” is a well-known Los Angeles charity drive that benefits The Midnight Mission, a program that has been in existence for over a century to offer paths to self-sufficiency for men, women, and children struggling with homelessness in the Los Angeles area.

Ellie is also looking forward to a role in the movie “Kecksburg,” which is based on the real-life events of December 9, 1965, and one of the most mysterious UFO incidents in American history.

Her plans for the future are to continue in her modeling career while also trying to get more into acting.

“I love how interactive (acting) is. It’s so fun for me. I’m hoping to get into a larger scale for it. I’m just going to auditions and hoping something happens with that.”

Though her path to her current career from her time at Clarion University certainly wasn’t a direct one, stemming from her major, she still credits her time at Clarion for much of her current success.

“Going to Clarion University brought me out of my shell. I come from a town of about 3,000 people. I graduated with around 100 kids. Even though Clarion is small, it was huge to me. It gave me the courage to dabble with new things and step out of my comfort zone.”

Ellie also wants students at Clarion now to know that she found her path by being willing to step up out of her comfort zone and take a chance on something unexpected.

“If there’s an opportunity, just take it, or you’ll regret it because it could turn into something incredible.”