Connectivity Via Strategic Communication

January 2025 is almost in the books and the College of Communication has sprinted out of the gates with a new semester of inspiration, education, and growth through classes and experiences for our students. But even before the first faculty member stood in front of a new collection of learners, CCOM was connecting with another important audience of partners.

On the Thursday evening before the first week of Spring ‘24/’25 classes, Prof. Bob Schultz, lecturer within Strategic Communication and CCOM’s internship director, gathered more than a dozen representatives from advertising, public relations, and strategic communication agencies from in and around Indianapolis for an evening of thought leadership and discussion. 

The wine and cheese paired exceptionally well with the overdue networking opportunity for such an impressive and impactful group of creative and strategic minds that help make Indy, and many of its businesses and nonprofits, go. 

Butler students from across campus and CCOM end up with elite experiences, internships, and post-grad jobs at these amazing agencies, but our Department of Strategic Communication (STRAT) and Organizational Communication & Leadership (ORG) students, well, lead the way.

We owe this to our outstanding faculty and a program that not only requires a completed internship of all its students (with many choosing to experience more than one) but prepares them for success in these opportunities.

“We’ve found tremendous quality in the Butler interns and graduates we’ve hired,” said attendee Todd Bolster ‘05, senior vice president of The Basement, a full-service ad agency based near Keystone Crossing. “I appreciate the willingness from Butler faculty and leadership to collaborate. Our relationship over the last decade has allowed both organizations to grow and improve.” 

Butler and CCOM are proud of this because we see ourselves as good partners and collective stewards of the Circle City with all those who live, work, and play within its confines. Our faculty are also committed to maintaining this level of excellence. 

“This is what I’m here for—to get my students ready to meet pros like these,” Senior Lecturer, Rob Norris, said after being part of the event and hearing feedback about our students. “It was gratifying to learn what a good reputation Butler students have now.” 

That’s the thing, CCOM faculty often keep their heads down and do great things and train impressive students, without fully knowing how much professionals in the field value the work they do. Hearing it from the industry professionals was something special—and an invigorating way to start the new year and semester!

True leaders don’t pat themselves on the back, say look what we did, and plant their flag. We ask how it can be better? How can we be better partners? Better stewards? That was what the real conversation focused on. 

Denise Herd, president of Herd Strategies, located in the Old Northside neighborhood, highlighted the need for strengthening and deepening connections between high schools, higher ed, and the strategic communication industry.

“As industry experts, we are responsible for building a generation of communication experts who reflect and understand the diverse audiences our clients serve,” Herd said. “To achieve this, we must pique the curiosity of youth throughout every phase of their education journey. Curiosity will Inspire and fuel a generation of lifelong communicators who reflect the diversity of the worlds they represent.”  

Many universities talk about “lifelong learning,” and as a college dedicated to communication, the idea of “lifelong communicators” really resonates. From the moment we can string a simple sentence together we become the authors and narrators of our lives. 

“We are all storytellers who can complement each other; working hand-in-hand with these executive leaders in the workplace adds remarkable strength to our Butler classes, projects and internships,” Schultz said.

As I left the event I found myself envisioning many different ways we can build upon our strong internship program and educational ties to the Circle City. Imagine a time and place where these competitors come together multiple times a year to exchange thoughts on the industry’s trends and future; where students work hand in hand with industry professionals on practical real world projects.  

Perhaps there is a “progressive agency experience” on the horizon where students get exposed to a host of different houses in the city. And what if—and I am really thinking big here—what if the state’s major institutions come together with Butler and create an impactful nexus for industry and academia in charting a future for students and the industry we are all passionate about? Maybe, just maybe, we create a hub for examining social media, artificial intelligence, and strategic communication that is open to not just students and classrooms, but professionals throughout the city. 

Prof. Amanda Stevenson-Holmes, chair of, and lecturer within, STRAT and ORG—who is also the faculty advisor for five fountains, CCOM’s student-run strategic communication agency—put it brilliantly in her recap of the gathering. 

“Collaborating with PR and advertising professionals is always a rewarding experience for everyone involved—it’s where creativity meets strategy, and every conversation opens the door to new possibilities for growth and visibility.”  

Rewarding is an understatement—it’s where the fuel of the future is found, and CCOM is excited to play an impactful role within it for Indy.