Butler’s CCOM Pawprints in Denver

Butler’s CCOM Pawprints in Denver

Denver Dawgs has a nice ring to it—and even more so after the inaugural CCOM Trek was such a positive experience for students, faculty, active alumni, and leaders in the strategic communication and marketing community in the Mile High City.

13 experiential learners representing a variety of CCOM majors earned one-credit towards graduation, but more-importantly soaked in real-world insights heard directly from communication leaders—in their own offices—during this intensive industry immersion that maneuvered from board rooms to sound boards to cutting boards. 

Ramonna Robinson ‘93 is an international leader in public relations and strategic communication, as well as an active civic leader in Denver, who stepped up to make sure Butler students could expand their Trek opportunities to a new city.

Ramonna Robinson ’93 explaining aspects of Red Rocks Amphitheatre to CCOM Dean Joe Valenzano.

She partnered with Professor Bob Schultz, a civic leader for Indy who also champions experiential learning and providing opportunities to our CCOM students studying strategic communication, sports media, music industry studies, journalism, organizational communication & leadership, and creative media and entertainment—and each major had at least one moment in the sun during the journey.    

The pair, over the course of several months, laid out an itinerary that emphasized an intensive industry experience. Here’s a quick rundown of the two action-packed days helmed by Ramonna and Bob (be sure to watch the embedded video above for a deeper-dive into the energy and experience):

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6

City and County of Denver (Wellington E. Webb Municipal Office Building)

Students met and interacted with the Mayor’s Deputy Communications Director, Jose Salas, and the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment Director of Marketing and Communication, Emily Williams.

Ashley Henson ’07 talking to Keira Heinz ’26 at the Dispatch Health main offices.

Dispatch Health

Butler alumna Ashley Henson ’07, VP of communication and marketing for Dispatch Health, provided the students a tour of the facility, answered their questions about her career path, education, and current responsibilities. Additionally, Ashley shared her story about working as interim head of communications for Dow Jones, when Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovitch was held by Russian authorities. Her professionalism and attention to detail prepared her to manage the crisis communication during the initial months of his ordeal.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7

Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater

Brian Kitts, chief marketing and business development officer – Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex-City of Denver, and Josh Lenz, director of marketing at Denver Arts & Venues, regaled us with stories about famous entertainers and what makes the outdoor concert venue so special. We received a full tour of the facility, learned about its unique history, and even got to explore the backstage/underground area. Side note: The walk from the stage to the top of the stairs is brutal, well, maybe more for me than the students!

The “welcome” slide at GFM|CenterTable (left) and Brian Kitts breaking down the map of Red Rocks in the visitor center.

GFM/Center Table

GFM|CenterTable is Ramonna’s downtown Denver strategic communication firm. We entered through an unassuming exterior only to walk into a hip, welcoming, collaborative space. She introduced us to four of her team members: Jeremy Story, Kathleen Deal, John Woods, and Sarah Wool, who tackled everything from creating content to full strategic planning for their clients. One of the most enlightening parts of this visit was learning how they engage with artificial intelligence in their work helping clients build brands and messaging in an optimized process.  

Olive & Finch Collective 

The exterior of the Olive & Finch Union Station location.

Lunch was a meeting too! It included a conversation with Mary Nguyen, the founder and president of Olive & Finch Collective, and Britt Diehl, senior director of external affairs and marketing and communication for Downtown Denver.  Britt talked about the revitalization of the downtown area, while Mary told her amazing story of becoming the first ever female sushi chef in North America while overcoming traditional myths that prevented women from entering into the craft. It was special to hear how they partner to help promote one another and all of downtown Denver.

Humane Colorado 

Statue outside the Humane Colorado facilities and offices.

I’m not sure Blue IV is up for a roommate, but we had the opportunity to “interview” some furry and friendly candidates at Humane Colorado. This enormous operation provided students with a glimpse into the strategic communication work of a non-profit entity driven by mission. Kelly Bell, VP of marketing and communications, and Alyssa Putzer, communications and media relations manager, not only gave a tour of the facility, but also explained what goes into their work in terms of mixing awareness messaging with critical fundraising messaging (and the amazing work and contributions of dedicated volunteers). 

The Pig and The Sprout

The tour culminated at an evening reception with Denver-area Butler alumni at The Pig and The Sprout restaurant. Students had a chance to network with our great Denver Bulldog community.  After an exciting yet exhausting 48 hours—and I was still catching my breath from Red Rocks!—our students embodied “The Butler Way” of determination, kindness, and hard work. 

(From left) Braden Corry ’26 and Riley Kim ’28 at Red Rocks, Ross Hollebon, associate director of marketing for CCOM, and Reese Paradowski ’26 at the City and County of Denver offices, and McKenna Curless ’27 taking a group selfie in the van.

As we head into the Thanksgiving holiday, I would be remiss if I did not express my profound gratitude for Ramonna and all of her friends who made this inaugural Denver Trek a spectacular success. It’s a great reminder of the power of Dawgs helping Dawgs, and how supportive our alumni and their communities are of our current students.  Everyone went the extra mile for sure!

Building the Future of Women in Sports Media at Butler

Building the Future of Women in Sports Media at Butler

B-AWSM executive board. From left to right: Kayla Wright, Reilly Bryon, Julia Veres, Ella McGrath, Kamile Wilson, Gaby Whisler, and April Kirts.

Welcome to a special guest post by Dr. Cynthia Chen, an Assistant Professor of Sports Media in the College of Communication (CCOM) focused on Women in Sports Media .

The efforts explained below are inspired by the national organization of Association for Women in Sports Media (AWSM). This fledgling student group plans to apply for and earn the opportunity to become an official chapter in the future. To prepare for that application, the group is currently registering as a student organization at Butler and developing programming that aligns with AWSM’s mission and values. 

The Origin Story: B-AWSM (Be Awesome)

I started teaching at Butler during the pandemic. As a new professor, I expected challenges but one thing, at times, caught me off guard—I was the only woman in the classroom. The number of women studying sports media, and interested in working in sports, continues to grow at Butler, but it didn’t start that way.

At the time, it made sense, statistically, that sports media would attract more male students but I didn’t fully grasp the gender gap until this experience. Because of social distancing, students signed up for smaller groups and chose specific lecture days for discussion. As a result, I was often the only woman present. And when I wasn’t, there still were only two or three women total.

As I got to know our students better, more women shared their experiences and a common theme emerged: they needed a community.

That’s why we started B-AWSM (Butler’s Association for Women in Sports Media). The club successfully launched this fall, attracting 41 students within just two months, with nine elected to the executive board. The rapid growth proved that the demand was real—female students wanted a space to connect, support one another, and grow together.

The Right Time & The Right Place

From left: Cybill Stillson ’26, Jia Skrudland ’26, Eva Hallman ’26, and Gaby Whisler ’26 during some of their sports internships.

B-AWSM’s launch couldn’t be more perfectly timed. Women’s sports are experiencing unprecedented growth in viewership records, and athletes like Caitlin Clark, of the local Indiana Fever WNBA franchise, are becoming household names. Indianapolis has positioned itself to become the capital of women’s sports, and Butler, with the newly minted Butler Institute for Sports & Entertainment (BISE), sits right in the middle of it all.

Indy’s sports organizations, including the Fever, Indianapolis Colts, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indy Eleven, NCAA, Indiana Pacers, and more, offer incredible opportunities for students ready to gain real-world experience. Some examples of this with current seniors include:

Eva Hallman ’26 is the first woman broadcaster for the Indy Fuel. Cybil Stillson ’26 was one of only four interns selected from approximately 2,500 applicants for Football Operations with the Colts. Jia Skrudland ’26 and Gaby Whisler ’26 secured internships at Big Ten Network and the Chicago Cubs, further exploring different career paths. 

Their advice? “Take advantage of Indianapolis. The opportunities are right here.”

Trailblazing Alumni


From left: Alumni Marisa Guisti ’23 (Account Executive, Ticket Sales; Milwaukee Bucks) and Kelly Hallinan ’21 (Sports Anchor/Reporter, NBC 26 – Green Bay) at work.

Butler graduates are already making their mark in the sports industry — paving the way for future B-AWSM members to follow. Some of these alum include:

  • Sarah Myer ’06, Chief of Staff & Strategy, Indiana Sports Corp
  • Patricia Mays ’93, Instructor, Quinnipiac University; Former Executive Leader at The Hollywood Reporter, ESPN and The Associated Press
  • Olivia Kremer ’19, Associate Director of Event Marketing, Pacers Sports & Entertainment
  • Taylor Harmon ’21, Manager, Madison Square Garden Sports Corp
  • Kelly Hallinan ’21, Sports Reporter, NBC 26
  • Kennedy Broadwell ’21, In-Arena-Host, USTA Midwest
  • Marisa Guisti ’23, Account Executive, Milwaukee Bucks 
  • Grace Worcester ’25, Mascot Social Media Coordinator, Indianapolis Colts

Looking Ahead

As the club grows, plans are underway for expanded programming that will offer social, educational, and professional development opportunities. Currently, we are planning a trip to Atlanta’s thriving sports media hub in the spring of 2026. We also aim to become an official chapter of AWSM, providing additional scholarships, internships, and networking opportunities for students. The goal isn’t just to support individual students—it’s to build a generation of women who are ready to lead and shape the future of the sports and sports media industries. 

To our alumni: YOU are our inspiration, and B-AWSM will always be your home. To current and future students: YOUR community is waiting. B-AWSM is more than a resume line—it’s proof that you don’t have to navigate this path alone.

Fall break? Wasn’t it Just Homecoming?

Fall break? Wasn’t it Just Homecoming?

Somehow, fall break is nearly upon us, meaning the active schedules of Family Weekend and Homecoming are in the not-too-distant review mirror (and I hope you enjoy the embedded recap video done by Butler’s University Marketing Team). Both of these annual events are fun and well-attended every year, but it meant a little more this September with Boldly Butler being unveiled to the entire Butler footprint (pawprint?) of friends, partners, and supporters (more on that below).  

One of the pillars of the new Boldly Butler university strategy is “Building a Dynamic Campus and Community.” The College of Communication (CCOM) is excited to help amplify and extend this goal, but for us, like many of our partners and friends across campus, this is already part of our DNA. 

CCOM faculty, students, staff, and our engaged alumni lead and promote in these areas, and here are just a few recent examples of how:

From left: Alumni Association President and Trustee, Delia Askew-Harris ’99, Dan Cooreman ’76, and President Jim Danko at the 2025 Butler Alumni Awards presentation breakfast.

THE BUTLER ALUMNI AWARDS 

Each fall I look forward to The Butler Alumni Awards, celebrated during Homecoming weekend. The 2025 event once again shone the spotlight on deserving and impactful members of our small but powerful CCOM-munity.

Dan Cooreman ’76 was presented the Butler Medal, the university’s highest honor. He is the current chair of the CCOM Dean’s Advisory Board, a former editor of The New York Times and Atlanta Journal Constitution, and, perhaps most importantly, former Editor-in-Chief of the Butler Collegian. 

Dan’s continued dedication to his alma mater, however, is not what stole the show—it was his acceptance speech. His characteristic humility and charm were ever present, but his purpose-driven inspiration to the leaders of tomorrow stressed the importance of the facts, news, and education today. 

From left: President Jim Danko, Trey Meehan ‘14, and Alumni Association President and Trustee, Delia Askew-Harris ’99 at the 2025 Butler Alumni Awards presentation breakfast.

Trey Meehan ‘14, a graduate of our strategic communication program, received the Joseph Irwin Sweeney Alumni Service Award, which recognizes recent graduates who demonstrate a significant commitment of outstanding service to the university, especially as it pertains to the university’s mission of education and cultural enrichment. 

Since his days as an undergraduate student, Trey is someone whose hand is always up to volunteer, and out to help others. One of his mentors, Dr. Rose Campbell, captured this in her comments on Trey’s video tribute—he is someone who is always there to help, and cares deeply about others. He is a testament to “The Butler Way,” and the community we create on-campus and across the globe. 

BOLDLY BUTLER

As previously mentioned, Homecoming 2025 included the launch of Boldly Butler—the university’s new strategy and comprehensive campaign. Butler leaders and alumni from around the country converged for a day-long event that articulated not just the desire, but the need, to forge a creative and transformational path for Butler in the coming years.

The plan is built upon three pillars: Transformational Learning Experiences; the aforementioned Building a Dynamic Campus and Community; and ensuring a Thriving Butler. Campaigns and strategies for universities are not just some effort to grab attention, but they are opportunities to galvanize energy and support around specific aims that elevate the student and university experience—to learn more about a campaign, listen to my latest podcast with Jonathan Purvis, Butler’s VP for Marketing and Advancement. 

Imagine the possibilities of elevating Butler’s already strong hands-on experiences we provide students, envision a national reputation in health, sports, and student growth, and see the possibility of making these ideas a reality.

In CCOM we have begun our own effort at identifying ways we can take what we do and elevate our story, our students’ stories, and our ability to tell the stories of others through our own strategic plan. The process is a lot of work, but faculty and staff are already well underway, and we will share more on how we will help push the bold future for Butler in our college soon.

AN (SLHS) EARLY WIN

It’s not a coincidence—it’s karma—that as Dan Cooreman was speaking (receiving his alumni award) I received a text from CCOM faculty member, Dr. Jenna Voss, who recently joined our department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences (SLHS) to help build our MA in Deaf Education program. 

The exciting news was that her application for a $1.25 million dollar grant from the Office of Special Education Programs in the Department of Education was approved! I imagine her screams of joy could be heard in Chicago. These funds will help pay for development and then (hopefully) scholarships for students in the program once it makes its way through the curriculum approval process.

This is a huge early win for CCOM within the Boldly Butler framework. We are proud of Dr. Voss, and excited to build this new program to help create deaf educators within Indiana and beyond.

Candid homecoming photo taken by Hannah Sipich ’26.

A PERSONAL STORY OF BUTLER COMMUNITY

I grew up as a devout Philadelphia Phillies baseball fan. Living just outside of New York City, with no cell phones and dial-up internet (insert screech here) only just beginning, this meant I could not find out the score of my team’s games whenever I wanted. I could watch the Yankees or Mets on TV, but not my Phightin’ Phils. With streaming sports games not yet invented, I turned to the radio. On evenings when reception was decent, I listened to Phillies games through a static-filled audio signal. When reception wasn’t good, I relied on waiting every 20 minutes to get a score update on WFAN radio in New York. Little did I know then, this experience would come full-circle at Butler.

During the summer, our esteemed alum Corey McPherrin ‘77, told me about a Butler alum, involved with the St. John’s Red Storm basketball program, who was interested in meeting me. I happily asked him to set it up. 

On the Thursday prior to Homecoming we met. The alum, John Minko, the voice of the St. John’s Red Storm basketball program was the same voice I listened to as a youth to get Phillies score updates on WFAN! 

Adding some additional 6-degrees-of-Kevin Bacon randomness, John shared that he graduated high school with my uncle. We even called my uncle and chatted a bit as I showed John around the amazing facilities in Fairbanks.

It’s funny how small our world is, and the communities each of us are a part of—sometimes without even realizing it.

Rest assured, and you’re all welcome to join in our efforts, that CCOM as a group and as talented individuals with a variety of interests and expertise, will do our part in amplifying Boldly Butler.

CCOM’s Circle City Sports Intersection

CCOM’s Circle City Sports Intersection

Indianapolis is known in some circles as “Sportstown, USA.” Butler and CCOM have taken to the spirit of this nickname and here are just a few recent examples on how they are intertwined.

Welcome to Sports Town! visiting the Indiana Fever in August.

New Student Experience 

For the last several years, during orientation and before classes start for the Fall term, Dr. Lee Farquhar and Prof. Nick White have provided a carefully curated experience for students who want to learn about the rich sports ethos of Indianapolis. Dubbed, “Welcome to Sports Town!” students visit the NCAA offices, LIDS offices, kiss the bricks at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, get VIP tours of Lucas Oil Stadium and Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and more. What a way to start your Butler career!

From left: Kelly Hallinan, Ethan Polak, Lexi Schell, and Grace Harahan.

CCOM and the NFL  

Five students representing every department in CCOM recently worked in or in association with the NFL and its teams (if we missed anyone, PLEASE let us know!):

  • Kelly Hallinan ’21 (Sports Media) covered the Green Bay Packers opening wins over the Detroit Lions in week 1 and the Washington Commanders in week 2 at Lambeau Field for NBC 26 in Green Bay as sports anchor/reporter. 
  • Ethan Polak ’24 (Sports Media; Strategic Communication) worked his first regular season game, vs. the San Francisco 49ers, at Lumen Field as a communications intern with the Seattle Seahawks as part of a full-time internship for the 2025-26 season. 
  • Grace Harahan ’25 (Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences) started her rookie season as 2025 Ben-Gal cheerleader when the Cincinnati Bengals stunned the Jacksonville Jaguars with a game-winning touchdown with only :18 seconds remaining at Paycor Stadium for their home opener on Sunday. 
  • Lexi Schell ‘ 23 (Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences) started her third season as an Indianapolis Colts cheerleader, doing her part to activate the fans in Lucas Oil Stadium during the 33-8 season-opening win over the Miami Dolphins and a walk-off 29-28 win in week 2 versus the Denver Broncos.
  • Michael Terzakis ’24 (Sports Media) is now getting paid to watch NFL games. In his seasonal role with the League Office in New York, Michael is a Game Statistics Support Assistant in Information Technology. He uses the NFL GSIS and NFL Vision software to ensure statistical accuracy per NFL league rules, coordinating with in-stadium crews to deliver reliable data to partners and media.

ESPN+  

Thanks to the new Big East media deal, our Butler Sports Live student crews are able to showcase their talents on ESPN+. Under the tutelage of Prof. Nick White, also GM of BSL, students are scheduled to produce more than a dozen Butler athletics events for the media outlet. These include men’s and women’s soccer and women’s basketball and is a great experience and resume boosting opportunity for these talented Sports Media students.

Indianapolis, Sports, and Entertainment. Another stop on the Welcome to Sports Town! experience.

MS in Sports Management  

This Fall, CCOM launched its latest graduate program, a MS in Sports Management. The program has charged out of the starting gate, with 26 students in the inaugural cohort, and an estimated 40+ students expected to join the program this academic year. It’s a terrific experience  in terms of courses and the opportunities it provides to connect with professionals in the industry from Indy and beyond.

Butler Institute for Sports and Entertainment  

Butler’s latest cross-college enterprise, the Butler Institute for Sports and Entertainment (BISE), launched this summer. It already has provided 20 students the experience working at the LIV Golf tournament in nearby Hamilton County, where more than 60,000 people attended, setting a new attendance record for the league’s U.S. events. Read more about BISE’s impact in this AXIOS article.

More recently, just last week more than 20 current students, faculty, and staff teamed up to volunteer at the first ever TEDSports Indianapolis event. With almost 100 students already indicating interest in working with BISE on future events, this Institute is a model for campus-community connection with local sports teams and entertainment venues, Indiana Sports Corp, Downtown Indy, Inc., Visit Indy, and more. 

From left: Owen Priscott, Linda Rheinstein, TEDSports speaker and Founder & CEO of the Space Games Federation, Kaitlyn Buckley, and Max Haley.

So, what does sports buy Butler and CCOM……the answer is it “BISE” us and our students special opportunities and one-of-a-kind experiences from production of live games to large scale events to the thrill of victory. Go Dawgs!

CCOM Launches the 2025-2026 Academic Year

CCOM Launches the 2025-2026 Academic Year

“This is a new year. A new beginning.  And things will change.” – Taylor Swift

Last year our students served as ambassadors for Taylor Swift’s Era’s Tour stop in Indianapolis, which is why I feel like she and I are now good friends. So much so, her line from above struck a chord as the new academic year began here at Butler. Things will surely change, and many of those changes are exciting! “What are they?,” you might ask—well, let me tell you.

Dean Joe Valenzano addressing the CCOM Class of 2029 on Academic Day.

1,246.  96.  26.  

No, that’s not an IP address. We have 1,246 new Butler first-year students this Fall—the third largest incoming class in school history. Of that group, we welcomed 96 to CCOM, and that number will surely grow over the coming weeks and months as students realize what they are missing out on. On top of that, our inaugural MS in Sports Management cohort consists of a robust 26 students. There is nothing like welcoming new students to campus at the start of the year.

Katie Coby, CCOM’s first professional advisor and student success coordinator.

New Faces in Fairbanks Center  

In addition to the new students, we also welcome some amazing new faculty and staff to CCOM. In the Pulliam School of Journalism and Creative Media we welcome Professor Kiersten Houser and Professor Peter Matsoukas, both of whom will be teaching our budding filmmakers. In the Department of Communication and Leadership, Professor Todd Logan now oversees our undergraduate online degree completer program, known as BSOL (Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership for students who have earned an associate’s degree). Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences welcomes Dr. Jenna Voss who will be building out the MA in Deaf Education program. Finally, the College added a new staff position, a Professional Advisor and Student Success Coordinator, Katie Coby, who will help our first and second year students navigate the start of their college careers.

“Oh, the Places You’ll Go”  

Pardon my channeling the late, great Dr. Theodore Geisel (Dr. Seuss), but we are off to so many places this year. In the fall, our Department of Communication and Leadership students will take part in our first industry immersive trek to Denver. In the spring, we will have similar trips to New York and Chicago. During Spring Break, Professor Bob Schultz (PBS) will run part deux of his Mediterranean Cruise class, and in the summer, Professor Cutler Armstrong will again accompany students on our Butler in LA program. This says nothing about our tremendous study abroad opportunities available in the spring.

Chris Rose, professional broadcaster and content creator, who will serve as the inaugural Sports Media Residency professional within CCOM.

And oh, the people we will see.  

This year CCOM will hold our inaugural Sports Media Residency with sportscaster extraordinaire, Chris Rose. He will spend a few days on campus to guest lecture in classes, hold workshops, and mentor students. This program will benefit numerous students in the College with hands-on professional training from one of the elite industry talents in the game.

The beginning of the year is always filled with hope, excitement and joy—and this year is no different. At this point, I shouldn’t be amazed at how many first-year students immediately sought out faculty and staff to learn how they could get involved right away. With everything we have going on, there is no doubt in my mind they will find a way. In fact, I bet they already have.  

There’s no magic quite like that found at the start of the academic year.

A Masterful Series Finale

A Masterful Series Finale

Roger Sterling, as portrayed by John Slattery in the former TV series Mad Men, was sharp, smooth, and rocked a well manicured head of white hair. By the way, have any of you met Professor Gary Edgerton? 

Sharp. Check. Smooth. Check. The silver mane. Absolutely (I mean, check out the above photo)!

Gary didn’t star in Mad Men, but has played a leading role in CCOM since 2012 AND he has authored two books about the award winning AMC period drama, featuring the one-liner wonders of Don Draper (Jon Hamm) about advertising on Madison Avenue. But that is just skimming the surface as I quickly share some highlights upon his recent understated retirement from Butler and CCOM.


From left: Howard Schrott, Elaine Hall (founder of The Miracle Project that utilizes the arts to work with autistic children and teens), and Gary Edgerton.

He arrived at Butler as Dean in 2012 from Old Dominion University, where he was Eminent Scholar, Professor and Chair of the Department of Communication and Theater Arts. His record of accomplishment at that point was tremendous, and set him up well to help establish the then-newly-formed College of Communication find its footing. He served for five years, not only continuing his scholarly achievements, but also helping to nurture and expand the impact of CCOM. From the behind the scenes work of setting up bylaws, procedures and processes in the college for faculty and students, to securing funding for upgraded student and faculty spaces in the building, Gary set CCOM on the path to distinction. Honestly, you can’t walk around Fairbanks and not see the results of the efforts he put in to set up a brand new college.

Gary Edgerton, a proud Boston Celtics fan since his childhood, with Brad Stevens, a former Bulldogs men’s basketball coach who is currently the general manager of the Celtics.

Following his deanship, Gary returned to the faculty in the Pulliam School of Journalism and Creative Media, teaching the theory and business side of entertainment and creative media. He also remained engaged in the college and university, often serving on committees that helped provide feedback to faculty on their development, and continued his scholarly output.  

Gary’s scholarly contributions are nothing short of epic.  He has written twelve books on shows from The Sopranos to Ken Burns’ America (with two more books in progress), thirty peer-reviewed articles, twenty-six book chapters, thirty online articles, twenty-two encyclopedia entries, and an astounding 100+ book reviews. Being a professor is sometimes referred to as commitment to “the life of the mind,” and in Gary’s case his commitment has expanded our understanding of media, television and culture in numerous ways through his work. Read more about his work and start your very own library today at the Gary Edgerton Amazon author page.

It’s not advertising in the 1960s, but being a prolific researcher and also a dean who established a new college at Butler might also deserve the moniker “Mad Man.” Don Draper on advertising said to “make it simple, but significant.” Gary’s work has been that of a simple teacher, but with significance beyond measure for his students, fellow scholars, and CCOM. We wish him nothing but the best in this next chapter as he retires from Butler, and rides off into the sunset like a character from the shows and movies he has so deeply studied, invested in, and shared about as the leader he is.

Dean Valenzano’s 2025 CCOM Top 10

Dean Valenzano’s 2025 CCOM Top 10

The academic year can be intense for faculty, staff and students, and so it’s reasonable that there is a lot of pent up energy and emotion this time of year.  Honestly, its what makes things like commencement, our annual Senior Dinner, and the start of summer so hopeful. But an event that has become something people look forward to in a way that surpasses even commencement is……my annual CCOM Top Ten List! 

Without further ado, let’s get started on what is a difficult-to-determine tip of the excellence iceberg from this year in CCOM!

#10 – THE FIRST-EVER CCOM CARNIVAL: From the Elixir de Beans to a “Kiss(ing)” Booth, this year’s Day of Giving celebration in Fairbanks had something fun for everyone. It also continued CCOM’s recent record of leading the way in giving totals and giving by faculty and staff among all of Butler’s colleges.

#9 – MORE AND MORE STUDENT AWARDS: Our students continue to bring home the hardware. The Butler Collegian received Division II Newspaper of the Year for the second straight year from the Collegiate Press Association, as well as numerous other awards for stories and photos. Not to be outdone, our Speech and Debate Team also continued to win tournaments and once again placed at least one student at Nationals.

#8 – BLUE ROLL(ING): The student film production team, BlueRoll Media, took the campus by storm this year under the leadership of Dr. Eric Hahn, doing projects for the College of Liberal Arts, Indiana Sports Corps and more!

#7 – JUST TREKKING ALONG: In addition to another year of successful CCOM treks to Chicago and New York this spring, we also sent 17 students to the Music City, Nashville, TN, in the Fall under the watchful eye of Cutler Armstrong. This new trek served students from Strategic Communication and Music Industry Studies, among other majors.

#6 – A SWIFT EXPERIENCE: 70 students helped bring the North American leg of the historic Taylor Swift Eras Tour to a close here in Indianapolis back in November. This pop-up immersive industry experience saw our students helping thousands of visitors experience some Hoosier Hospitality through a class experience led by Professor Bob Schultz, whom the students affectionately call P.B.S. It was also great to see Butler with 70 students against……13 for a much larger institutional neighbor of ours. 😊

#5 – CCOM GOES CRUISIN’ WITH PBS: Professor Bob Schultz was back at it again in the Spring semester with CCOM’s very first Study Abroad Cruise. 23 students accompanied him on an MSC cruise of the Western Mediterranean, with stops in France, Italy, and Tunisia where students not only learned about hospitality in a variety of different settings, but organized tourism itineraries for each port they visited.

#4 – A NEW MASTER’S DEGREE: This Spring we announced the launch of a new graduate program, in collaboration with the Lacy School of Business and the Department of Athletics—an MS in Sports Management. This unique program builds on the strengths of Indianapolis (aka Sports Town, USA) and our faculty.  It also is the first program at Butler where alumni receive a 20% discount on tuition—talk about a commitment to lifelong learning!

Image from MA in Deaf Education page for Fontbonne University.

#3 – MASTER’S DEGREE PART DEUX:  CCOM also received initial approval to build another new Master’s degree, an MA in Deaf Education, modeled after the founding program at Fontbonne University which is closing this summer.  More details are coming on this program as it is built, but it will be a graduate offering in our amazing SLHS Department when all is said and done.  The best part? Fontbonne alumni, the deaf education community, and Butler friends and alumni all contributed to make this happen in just a seven week period.

#2 – FAIRBANK’S FANTASTIC FACULTY:  Recently, I wrote about four faculty who received promotions this year, but that’s just a small sampling of the amazing work our faculty accomplished this academic year.  In fact, to call out individual faculty, or list all the achievements, would not be possible without much more space than we have.  It’s important to note, though, that in addition to their research, teaching, committee work, and curricular innovations, they also are responsible for being dedicated advisors to our roughly 500 students.

Family and friends of Bill Ney joined students, faculty, and staff in April to share stories about Mr. Ney and celebrate this anonymous gift.

#1 – AN HONOR LIKE NO OTHER:  This year saw the largest gift in CCOM’s history, in honor of a faculty member—William “Bill” Ney—who had such a monumental impact on Butler and CCOM as the founder of what is now the Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences Department. This gift will establish the William Ney Endowed Professorship in SLHS, while also creating an endowed scholarship for students in that field. This is also the very first endowed professorship in CCOM’s 15 years at Butler. Bill Ney’s legacy will never be forgotten, and will always be cherished by faculty and students alike.

There is much more we could celebrate, like the 80 for 80 campaign, our redesign of Butler Bound into a Game Show, or student scholarship on display throughout both semesters, which made this list so hard to create. But don’t just take my word for it. Listen to four of our students—including two May graduates—share their thoughts about CCOM and their Bulldog experience (listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify).

It’s yet another year where CCOM has shown why it is the best college of communication around! I am so proud and humbled to be a part of this community and cannot wait to see what 2025-2026 brings—in the meantime, let’s celebrate our seniors on their graduation. It’s well earned.

Ascending CCOM Faculty

Ascending CCOM Faculty

Dr. Abbey Levenshus at the 2025 “Welcome Back” CCOM faculty and staff meeting.

The journey to associate professor and professor for higher education faculty can be an arduous one. In most cases it starts with earning a bachelor’s degree, then a master’s degree, and followed by the demanding commitment to a PhD. Then the national search for an assistant professor position to get a foot in the door and begin life as a tenure-track college or university educator. The work is just beginning—and we appreciate the sacrifice and dedication so many of our colleagues have made to pursue these dreams.

The work brings the satisfaction of contributing to something bigger than oneself, especially when helping guide students to find their passion or light bulb moment(s) as they work to understand who they are and what they want to contribute with their future. 

The future for tenure-track faculty members typically boils down to two potential promotions.  After six years as an assistant professor, if you have met expectations in teaching, scholarly production and service, you apply for promotion to associate professor. This stage also is accompanied by tenure. The remaining promotion typically available is that to professor, or as it is sometimes referred to, “full professor.” There is no timeline for this application, and some people choose not to even apply for it. But when an individual achieves this rank, it is an enormous moment in their career, and this spring, CCOM has four faculty members celebrating promotions.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

Dr. Xiaowen Xu presenting research on campus in 2024.

Dr. Xiaowen Xu of the newly renamed Department of Communication and Leadership was awarded tenure and promotion to Associate Professor, effective with the next academic year.  

An excellent instructor in our Strategic Communication major, Dr. Xu calls her approach to teaching “user-friendly” and thrives on providing students both real world examples and opportunities for hands-on learning. She is also a prolific researcher, winning a Scholarship Star this year for her impactful work in strategic communication.

PROFESSOR (“FULL PROFESSOR”)

Dr. Lee Farquhar watching his students present to FOX Sports University.

Dr. Lee Farquhar, the Director of the Pulliam School of Journalism and Creative Media, and expert in the burgeoning field of esports and digital culture, is a tremendous classroom instructor and mentor for our students. He also has served important roles and initiated several cutting edge efforts in the college, including a current team of faculty working on the impact of AI on teaching.  

Dr. Abbey Levenshus, a one-time chair in Strategic Communication and faculty member who exhibits tremendous care for her students, also earned promotion to professor.  Her work on social media management and risk management communication represent important contributions to where communication is today, and her service includes dedication to managing curriculum issues across the university while chairing the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee.  

Dr. Tonya Bergeson after presenting an SLHS student award at the 2024 Senior Dinner.

Dr. Tonya Bergeson, the current chair of the Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences Department, and Fairbanks Chair, earned promotion to professor. In addition to being known as a phenomenal mentor to students, she also is passionate about research initiatives with her students, including travel to conferences to present their work. Her research focuses on early auditory and linguistic development of infants with and without hearing loss, music perception and production, and audiovisual speech perception and language skills.  

These four faculty members illustrate what is so amazing about our instructors at Butler and in CCOM: they are exemplary teachers, producing high-quality scholarship, while also contributing to the culture of the college and university. 

We are lucky to have them, and cannot wait to see what they do next. Join me in congratulating Dr. Xu, Dr. Farquhar, Dr. Levenshus, and Dr. Bergeson on achieving these career milestones!

The S.S. PBS

The S.S. PBS

Design by “Cruiser” Gwen Hayes ’25

Creativity and nimbleness are hallmarks at Butler and especially within the College of Communication. Utilizing his skills at activating ideas, Professor Bob Schultz, known affectionately as PBS by many of his students, is a leader in many of the recent unique experiential opportunities of note (including NBA All-Star Weekend and Taylor Swift Street Teams with Visit Indy). But Spring Break 2025, and his STR 426 course: Tourism and Hospitality Communication and Cultural Immersion, elevated Bob to “Captain” for 12 days during a Mediterranean Cruise with 23 students.

One of these students was Madison Masek ’25 who will be graduating with a degree in strategic communication in May. Similar to when I’m hosting a tour with perspective students and their parents/guardians, there are times I’m thrilled to let the authenticity of a current student’s voice and experience sweep the audience off their feet—and here I’m doing that with part of Madison’s LinkedIn post about our excursion (please read her entire post too).

“Dress up” night on the cruise for dinner.

“I want to take a moment to reflect on the incredible opportunity I had studying abroad with the Butler University College of Communication!” wrote Madison. “Over ten days, 22 Butler students and I traveled the Mediterranean coasts of Barcelona, Marseille, Genoa, Naples (Pompeii), Palermo, and Tunisia. We explored the tourism and hospitality industries while immersing ourselves in six different cultures.

One of the most eye-opening aspects of the course was analyzing modes of transportation in tourism. From international flights to public transit and a cruise ship, we explored how each method shapes the traveler experience and plays a role in destination marketing. Beyond transportation, we examined tourism industries through the lens of public relations, advertising, destination promotion, sustainability, and consumer relations.”

Class in the streets of Palermo.

There was analyzing and navigating—be it weather, transportation, remembering what floor on the MSC Fantasia cruise ship everyone was meeting on for our evening pre-dinner class discussion, or if WhatsApp or texting was the most efficient way to communicate with the group at any given moment.

The students learned. Bob, his wife Diane, and I learned. All from each other, constantly. The entire group bonded as we overcame obstacles, lifted one another, and port-by-port, celebrated a once in a lifetime journey together. This was something of a going away present for the seniors, while at the same time providing the highest of bars for the first-year students. But it’s safe to say everyone had fun.

Bulldogs at the playground in Barcelona – per my request.

I have the pleasure of working with Butler students in some capacity almost every single day, and consider myself fortunate for that. But this trip was so much more. As an extended family unit over multiple days I saw even more examples of why these young adults are the leaders, dreamers, doers, and critical thinkers of today and the future.

I owe a “thank you” to Captain PBS, CCOM Dean Joe Valenzano, the Study Abroad office at Butler for allowing me to be part of this trip. More importantly, I owe a HUGE debt of gratitude to each of the amazing 23 students who let me be a small part of their experience and who shared their enthusiasm for life, travel, and meaningful friendship.

Ross Hollebon – Marketing & Recruitment Manager, CCOM

Casa Batlló by Gaudi in Barcelona—just because. 😉

Butler Bound(less Opportunity)

Butler Bound(less Opportunity)

Proud parents utilizing a photo booth area in Fairbanks during the Butler Bound open house.

Butler and CCOM just wrapped of another successful Day of Giving—thanks to many of you who are reading this. In Fairbanks Center we made an event within the event as engaged members of our college put in some extra effort, and wonderful creativity, to celebrate our students and inspire a generous mood. I’ll likely touch on the CCOM Carnival at Day of Giving in a coming post, but the future is now for younger students readying for their jump to higher ed.

High school seniors across the country are entering the peak of college decision season—likely somewhere between the most stressful and simultaneously exciting moments in their lives. They’ll work with their parents, guardians, guidance counselors, and others to choose where to spend the next four years immersed in the investment of their future and their evolution as friends, citizens, and leaders. Their burgeoning horizon offers positivity and life lessons during the formative years of college—evolving or learning about the passions and interests that will help define who they are. 

As the room was filling, shortly before the official Butler Bound program kicked-off.

In February the College of Communication hosted nearly 70 high school seniors who have been accepted to Butler University this fall with intent to major in one of our excellent programs. This event, more commonly referred to as “Butler Bound,” provides high school students a chance to learn more about us, meet potential future classmates, and imagine themselves in Midtown Indy as Bulldogs. Our CCOM specific program typically includes an informative session on our majors, internship program, and study abroad opportunities. Authentic stories are shared through a variety of voices as a panel of current students and another with alumni from our majors define how “The Butler Way,” set them up for success, fulfillment, and happiness. These tried and true elements remain terrific, but we are always thinking about how to innovate and improve, so this year we made a few tweaks.

The information sessions and the panels planted their foundational roots in our narrative, but we also wanted to have some fun—it’s in the CCOM DNA. One of our very own interns, junior Blake Richmond ’26, spearheaded a unique twist on the recruitment event by designing an interactive game show to perk everyone up after lunch. Corey McPherrin ‘77, alumnus and former nightly news anchor in Chicago, played the role of host—and boy did he have a good time with that task!

Scenes from the trivia segment (left) and cup stacking challenge (right).

Visiting students were offered the opportunity to opt-in to being a contestant (remember, as noted above, this could already be a stressful time, and we recognize that) that put their names into a random drawing—think The Price is Right, and McPherrin indeed told each of the 10 to “come on down, you’re the next contestant on the inaugural CCOM-petition!”

Both teams were anchored by a faculty captain, Prof. Mary Gospel of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences orProf. Amanda Stevenson-Holmes. Their competitive spirit brought energy and fun as they welcomed their new teammates to the stage.

Segment one was a trivia competition (think Family Feud one-to-one, head-to-head) produced from information they learned throughout the day’s programming. Segment two offered a two-part physical challenge. Team Mary vs. Team Amanda, with five brave prospective students on each side, in the cup-stacking AND the Marshmallow Challenge, simultaneously.  

Team Amanda working feverishly on their Marshmallow Challenge structure.

If you’re not familiar with the Marshmallow Challenge, participants work together in a timed-situation to see who can get one full-sized marshmallow to a higher structural point using only marshmallows and dry spaghetti. Suffice it to say, folks had a lot of fun, numerous laughs, and truly got a feel for what we are about in CCOM and at Butler. It was teamwork, creativity, focus, support from faculty, “infotainment,” and a memorable visit. The best part was this all happened thanks to the ingenuity of one of our own students!

Bringing the day to a close—or at least some parting words before faculty and current students shone during a low-pressure open house in our beloved Fairbanks Center—I shared with the prospective students my thoughts on how to navigate the difficult task of choosing a college. I told them whenever they visit a school they are considering to elevate their future, take 10 minutes at the end of the day, before they leave campus, find a quiet place away from their parents, and briefly shut their eyes. If they can see themselves at that school, thriving, smiling, and enjoying it, then that’s where they should go.

From left: Ross Hollebon, marketing and recruitment manager for CCOM, Blake Richmond ’26, and Corey McPherrin ’77.

On the front of Dugan Hall there is a banner that reads “We are changing what it means to be a university.” In CCOM, we are changing what it means to consider what university you want to attend, too.