Alumni Spotlight: Fiona Schicho

Posted by pgreer

Q: Name, Graduation Year, Majors & Minors

My name is Fiona Schicho, and I graduated in May 2019 with a Bachelor of the Arts in Anthropology. I’m proud to say I graduated summa cum laude with departmental and university honors. I started out at Butler as a dance performance major. After I quit dancing my sophomore year, I absolutely fell in love with Anthropology.

Q: What was your first job out of school? What are you doing now?

Since graduating, I have worked with Indiana Clinical Translational Sciences Institute on community-based health research in the “Worlds Apart” study, conducting focus groups to understand barriers to health, worked as a clinical research recruiter, and served a term as an AmeriCorps VISTA for the IndyEast Promise Zone on the Near Eastside of Indianapolis. In this role, I ran the Quality of Life Survey, organized the affordable housing committee, and performed data analysis and program evaluation. On the side, I have volunteered with hospice and domestic abuse hotlines, trained as a birth doula, and worked as a server and babysitter. I am currently a graduate student at Boston University, earning a Masters in Social Work and a Masters in Public Health. I am concentrating on Macro Social Work and Health Policy and Law, and I intern at Boston Children’s Hospital with the Pediatric Advanced Care Team and the Bereavement Program. I am also the NASW (National Association of Social Workers) MA student ambassador for my school! We are currently advocating for the passage of the SUPER Act- a bill to increase diversity in the field by breaking down barriers to a social work education.

Q: How has your degree prepared you for your job? Is there anything you learned from your classes that you still use in your current profession?

I can’t speak highly enough of the professors in the History, Anthropology, and Classics department! I have always been interested in global health and medical anthropology, so I took many courses with Julie Searcy, an incredible professor who became my thesis advisor and mentor. My thesis experience was incredible – I attended a Congolese Pentecostal Church in Indianapolis, a refugee community, and interviewed the community on their experiences in the U.S. There are so many skills I learned during my time at Butler that I have utilized in these roles, but I would say the most important are the ability to read and synthesize information, ask thoughtful questions, engage in cross-cultural dialogue, and present data in a comprehensive, accessible way. My ultimate career goals involve working in the maternal health field and reproductive justice. I’m interested in researching and advocating for policies that improve maternal health equity and maternal mental health.

Dr. Germano’s FYS: Nature, Place, Story

Posted by pgreer

For the 2023-2024 school year, Dr. Nancy Germano is teaching a first-year seminar (FYS) called “Nature, Place, Story.” Fulfilling the Indianapolis Community Requirement, its goal is to integrate classroom knowledge with active experiences in the Indianapolis community. As a result, this class allows Butler students to build broader connections in the Indianapolis area while advancing their education. For ten weeks of Dr. Germano’s FYS, students stay on campus and go over readings on Monday and visit and engage with the community on Wednesday. Most Wednesday mornings, the class spends their time working with second graders at Indianapolis Public School (IPS) 55. Every week, Butler students partake in different activities that connect the community to nature. One week, they did leaf presses, allowing students to preserve a piece of the outdoors. Besides connecting to nature, the class builds bridges to the historic communities surrounding Butler University.

Two Butler students helping Stepping Stone Academy students decorate cards.

Although the FYS typically spends their Wednesday mornings with IPS 55, they had a change of plans for one of their classes in mid-October due to IPS 55 being on Fall Break. As a result, they had to look elsewhere to connect to the community. They had the extraordinary opportunity to work with students at the Stepping Stone Academy, which is a school for children with autism. Located next to the Old Engine 31 Fire Station, community members have developed the area into a green space for civic engagement rather than have it fall into disrepair. They took a historic building and repurposed it into something new. They maintain numerous gardens, take care of chickens, host events for the Stepping Stone Academy, and will continue to expand their endeavors in the future. 

For the activity at the Old Engine 31 Fire Station, Butler students worked with the Stepping Stone Academy students to upcycle some flowers and seeds and make nature-themed cards to give to family members and friends. Tasked with decorating the outside of envelopes with recycled flowers and markers, students did just that and got creative with the project. After designing the card, students placed seeds inside the envelope to give to family members and friends so they could plant new plants. This project took old flowers and repurposed them so others could enjoy their beauty. Planting the seeds will continue this cycle and allow students to build a stronger connection to nature. Besides interacting with the environment, it allowed the Stepping Stone Academy and Butler students to showcase their amazing art skills. 

Rather than stay inside the classroom all semester, Dr. Germano’s FYS class has the opportunity to explore nature and experience the Indianapolis community to the fullest. Students get to build connections outside Butler’s campus, and it is a rewarding feeling. According to student Vivian Rodkey, “It is a fulfilling experience to engage with the community and learn about Indianapolis’s history in the process as well.” This class shows that planting seeds in the community can grow into something beautiful.