Butler CCOM Dean

Post by Dean Valenzano

Happy Holidays (You’re Never “Home Alone” in CCOM)!

Happy Holidays (You’re Never “Home Alone” in CCOM)!

The email showed up in my inbox in mid-November, innocuously beginning with, “We have an idea for a Christmas season video…..” 

The quick follow-up in early December included a unique request: “If you have a black sock hat and an overcoat of sorts to bring on Friday that would be great. Let me know if you don’t have either of those and we will track them down for you to wear.” 

Little did I know how creative the CCOM content interns Ross Hollebon brought together are or how on the nose they would be with the role in which they cast me. 

Nevertheless, always eager for a fun student-led project—especially focused on the holidays—I did as instructed and showed up with a long black coat, scarf, and black hat. As it happens, David Simon ‘25, Blake Richmond ‘26, and Kyira Duchemin ‘25 took their cue from an idea that had been percolating in Ross’ twisted mind since his initial interview with me almost two years ago. They accepted the assignment and sketched out an adaptation of a character from Home Alone, played by Joe Pesci, appearing during a student dream sequence in the middle of a final exam. My part in the project took approximately twenty minutes to film, and the end product was so worth it!

It was so much fun to get to work with these three creative students not just on this project, but for the whole semester.  Each of them brought energy, inventiveness, and a true desire to amplify both Butler and CCOM, and they learned a lot from their mentor, Ross, too. 

I first got to meet David Simon ‘25, a senior Creative Media and Entertainment major in CCOM, during Prof. Cutler Armstrong’s inaugural Butler in LA program in May. We talked about the interns Ross would be hiring, while I also learned about his personal passion project on social media involving Rubik’s Cubes. David’s penchant for creative videos was on display during Homecoming in October when we produced a Bulldog Head logo out of 400 Rubik’s Cubes activation at our CCOM tent. Alumni, current students, and kids of all ages engaged with the fun that is part of our DNA.

Fun content is better when it has a business purpose and not only entertains current Bulldogs and alumni but introduces Butler and CCOM to a wider national audience. This CCOM video has earned 7.2k views on YouTube and an astounding 136k views on Instagram! On Instagram it has also garnered 5.5k “Likes,” has reached 110,517 unique accounts and total view time is 28 days, 18 hours, 32 minutes, and 18 seconds as of the morning of Dec. 21, 2024. Much of that had to do with David’s status as an international influencer with his account Captain Cuber (follow him!).

Kyira Duchemin ‘25, a senior double majoring in Music Industry Studies and Creative Media and Entertainment, has been a member of the Dean’s Student Advisory Board in CCOM since my arrival. In his/their role this fall I got to know him better. Kyira was always around, taking pictures of student and faculty events, storyboarding cool ideas, and learning from Ross and others—while also teaching Blake the technical side of camera equipment. Perhaps the coolest thing he helped with was covering our first Intensive Industry Experience trip to Nashville with 16 other students, again led by Prof. Armstrong. Kyira’s presence and keen eye for photos and stories helped us capture how great that trip truly was!

Kyira and CCOM Dean Joe Valenzano at a “Dogs With the Dean” event in September 2024.

Then there is Blake Richmond, a Marketing major with a Strategic Communication minor, who will be back with us in the Spring after Fall was jam packed with impact. Blake’s first class of his college career was an 8 a.m. Promotional Writing I course, taught by Ross in 2022, and he stood out immediately. Then Blake impressed me with his very first CCOM project, a competitive analysis of colleges of communication at several other universities that helped us identify some areas of distinctiveness and opportunity for CCOM. Always thriving to learn and add to his skillset, Blake has become a go-to-producer for our recent Pawcast episodes, shadowing Ross and even producing his first solo Pawcast in November. 


From left: Pawcast guest Grant Leiendecker ‘11, Vice President/Director of Butler Athletics, host CCOM Dean Joe Valenzano, Blake Richmond ’26, and guests, Dr. Bryan Foltice, associate professor of finance, and Randy Brown, a career mentor with LSB, after recording their episodes in Fairbanks Studio 50.

This holiday season, as we prepare for some rest and valuable time with those we love and cherish, I would be remiss if I didn’t say how grateful and glad I am for the time I got to spend with these three interns. Every day they remind me of why we are fortunate to do what we do, and how special Butler students are. I just need to read their request emails more carefully moving forward. 😊 

As I close out 2024, I’d like to share two more things. The first is our heartfelt wish for a happy holiday season and healthy and prosperous new year to our CCOM and Butler friends, family, and community across the globe. The second, and this is to David, Kyira and Blake, the casting of me as Harry Lyme is spot on because……Pesci was my high school nickname (he says as his gold tooth glistens 😊).

Happy Holidays!

Thankful For Experiential Learning Opportunities

Thankful For Experiential Learning Opportunities

The holiday season, complete with some of our favorite foods and most cherished people, is upon us. It is a time of year when we not only create special memories with loved ones and friends, but many of us also provide to others. Whether that is volunteering at a food kitchen, donating warm clothes, or pledging money to a worthy cause, it makes memory-making possible. We are fortunate that many of you do the same to support The Butler Way and our various avenues of reinforcing a valuable education steeped in experiential learning.

All of CCOM, but especially our engaged faculty, are thankful for the generous support of our alumni, friends, and community because you have helped make so much more possible for the student experience with your generosity to a number of activities and funds.

The Dean’s Priority Needs Fund—used to support initiatives for our students and faculty—is one of the most important avenues of impact. Support to this fund has enabled us to accelerate experiential learning for our students and make opportunities available that otherwise would not be possible. In the last two years, 224 unique donors have contributed nearly $80,000 to this fund. These gifts have been put to meaningful use in preparing our students for their future careers and further distinguishing CCOM as an exceptional choice for aspiring communication and media professionals—and, maybe most importantly—critical thinkers. 

Here are examples of how these funds were used:

Butler In LA: It helped pay for professionals and equipment to support our two-week “Butler in LA” program in May, where students produced a nearly 7-minute short film titled “Cycle.”

Atlanta Braves at Cincinnati Reds: 10 Butler Sports Live (BSL) students were hosted by Braves TV play-by-play announcer Brandon Gaudin ’06 in September. The intensive experience included time on the field during batting practice, a walk-thru of the production trucks, and a behind-the-scenes tour of the announcing booth setup on the press level.

Butler in Nashville: CCOM students traveled to Nashville for an exciting career trek in early November. Visits included Sterling Sound, and their fully immersive Dolby Atmos experience within the studio, and Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) where professionals explained what they do for streaming services and artists alike. Watch a behind-the-scenes look at all of the adventures with the Instagram story done for Butler University by student attendees Isabella Ernsberger, Katerina Anderson, and Logan Goettemoeller. 

Donors have also supported other efforts in the college, including:

  1. The Valentine Family Fund: Supports students in Creative Media and Entertainment, especially as it relates to film production. 
  2. The Roger and Bonnie Lindberg Fund: Supported Eva Hallman ‘26 attending the National Broadcasting Association Conference in Las Vegas—where she was also able to shadow professional TV and radio broadcasters for the Minnesota Wild professional hockey team.
  3. The Susan Ebbinghaus Warsaw and Harris Warsaw BELL Program Support Fund: Assists in underwriting the annual costs associated with the Butler Early Language and Literacy clinical program within Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences. 
  4. The Collegian Support Fund and the five fountains Fund: provide fuel for some of our top student-run organizations. 

This wide array of experiences and resources within the college are made possible because of our generous donors. We appreciate every single dollar that allows us to make the student experience even more special at Butler, within CCOM, and for each specific major. So this Thanksgiving, as I sit around the table and wonder why we only make pumpkin pie once a year, I remain enormously thankful for the support of the Butler community and family that helps set our initiatives apart from other institutions.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

Butler Sports Live – Beyond the Final Whistle

Butler Sports Live – Beyond the Final Whistle

Fall is the best season, with the colorful array of leaves on the trees, or crunching underfoot during a cool walk across campus. There is energy and excitement and a little urgency due to mid-term exams and knowing it kicks off the final stretch of the semester. And, of course, Halloween, with the creative outlets of costumes, pumpkin carving, and seeing decorated houses. And then there is sports.

For sports fans, there is the return of three major things:  The Fall Classic (World Series, for the non-baseball initiated), the National Football League, and the Saturday favorite, college football. Chances are, you have taken these in once or twice, or been around someone who watches one or all of these sports with a cult-like passion. Most people don’t get to see every game in person, and instead watch them with friends around the television, with nary a notice as to the complexities that go into pulling off a seamless viewing experience.  

Homecoming weekend, I spent some time with a very special group of Bulldogs who know firsthand how much goes into delivering the sports content we love to watch: Butler Sports Live. Constituted of students from CCOM’s most populous major, Sports Media, Butler Sports Live produces between 60-80 Butler Bulldog sporting events every year, including Football, Men’s and Women’s Soccer, Volleyball, Women’s Basketball, Baseball, Softball and Lacrosse.  Butler Sports Live, or as it is commonly called BSL, has around fifty students who work with CCOM faculty member Nick White and engineer David “Dutch” Duchnowski to stream all of this content to families, friends and viewing audiences around the country.

What does a day look like for this crew? On the day I stopped by, the Bulldogs were set to play a 1pm Women’s Soccer match, but call-time for the BSL crew was 10am—even before the athletes reported! They arrive early to ensure all the cameras are set up and working properly, running lines around the field, and testing communication among a number of other tasks. 

Live production is rewarding but it is not for the faint of heart. Even if a viewer doesn’t realize it, the process is not always smooth, but then again, experiencing how to handle these challenges is part of the learning laboratory that is BSL. Like any production, something invariably needs to be fixed, and tensions can even get a bit testy at times because a game’s start time is a fierce master. In reality, the crew has two hours to get things working because they start broadcasting pregame content an hour before the game action begins. There is always something going on in the CCOM Live Truck that serves as the base of operations for the broadcast, and our students are in the thick of it, learning from Nick and Dutch almost every single game.

The students run each broadcast, setting up graphics, calling camera angles, cutting fast-turnaround replays to “air” so those watching have a great experience. When the game is over the crew is not done. They finish postgame programming and then pack up the gear—a process that is not easy, nor short. Finally, about an hour after the game, the BSL crew are some of the last to leave, battle-tested, but proud of another broadcast.

Homecoming weekend is busy for many of us. For BSL it meant four broadcasts in three days. But even on consecutive days they do it with joy and enthusiasm. Students know how prepared they will be to get an internship or a job after graduation thanks to the opportunity they are afforded by BSL through the strong partnership CCOM has with the Butler Department of Athletics. That partnership grows stronger by the day—The Butler Way of working together shows the unique and awesome potential of our academic-athletic partnership.  

And no matter what season we’re in, make time to watch a BSL broadcast—and I hope you can appreciate what Nick, Dutch, and the team of BSL students in our experiential learning landscape are accomplishing with each event.

Addition By Subtraction: A Tale of Surgery & Support

Addition By Subtraction: A Tale of Surgery & Support

Mark Twain as an example of—sans pipe—what CCOM Dean Joe Valenzano should have been doing at home after his surgery. (Photo: UniversalImagesGroup/Getty Images)

Mark Twain said, “Tell me about a person’s family, friends, and community, and I will tell you what his opinions are.” In the coming words, I’m sharing a personal story of the last few months that will shed light on my opinions—at least, according to Twain.  

In late May, during a routine scan, doctors found a lump the size of a lemon in my neck. Weeks later, after a follow-up scan, they determined the lump was on my thyroid.  A few more weeks and a biopsy later, they thankfully determined it was likely benign. Whew! Except, did I mention it was big? My doctor said these things typically get larger and that it needed to go. After avoiding any surgeries my entire life the procedure was scheduled—“yay!” for new experiences! 😉

As the Fall semester got rolling I let the college community know that I would be out of commission for 1-2 weeks in late September to have the uninvited guest removed. That’s where my family, friends, and community showed their true colors.

First, my wife, Lauren, could not have been more supportive through the entire process and surgery. She insisted I rest—even when email tempted me and my inability to sit still beat in my head and body like the haunting aspects of Edgar Allan Poe’s “A Tell-Tale Heart.” I won the lottery when I met her, that’s for certain. 

My mother-in-law, a retired pharmacist, helped me understand the surgery and the medications that might be necessary.  She’s one of the smartest people I know, and I am so lucky to have her in my life—especially when she makes a play-dough model of the surgery I was about to undergo! She and my father-in-law have huge hearts, and spent the week of my surgery with us to help make sure the load was manageable. Even my son made sure I did not talk so I could heal faster.

My friends were just as amazing. The sheer number of texts and emails checking in and wishing me well was a meaningful reminder of the amazing nature of the people I’m fortunate to have in my life.  

Then there’s the Butler community, especially CCOM. 

Mere moments after I shared the news with CCOM faculty and staff, the support poured in. Dr. Eileen Taylor pulled me in her office and shared that I was on her prayer list. Another faculty member shared their history with thyroid surgery that helped give me a clear understanding of what I was being thrust into. Dr. Margaretha Geertsema-Sligh checked in frequently. 

Knowing the dry humor but absolute passion of our Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences (SLHS) faculty, I didn’t know what was going to happen when Dr. Mary Gospel urged me into her office. There was no practical joke (this time) but she used a visual aid from her teaching tools to show me what was going to happen during and after the procedure. One of our newest faculty in SLHS, Dr. Rachel Arkenberg, a national expert on swallowing, took time to educate me on the issues with swallowing that can accompany the surgery and the importance of preventing infection—she even provided me with some specialized lozenges for a dry mouth.  

From left: SLHS faculty Dr. Tonya Bergeson, Dr. Rachel Arkenberg, Dr. Mary Gospel, and a CCOM student having fun at a “Dogs With the Dean” event in September 2024.

My Dean’s Office team also stepped up—ensuring students, faculty, and staff were still fully supported in my absence. Additionally, they also made a pact to just ignore most of my impatient efforts to get into the mix—forcing me to rest when I was supposed to. There were other folks and other moments, but this showed me what true community is about, and how blessed I am to be surrounded by such caring people, including experts in the field from which I needed information.

I’d be remiss if I did not also mention the offers of support from terrific folks outside of CCOM as well. From Jill McKinney, Craig Caldwell, Stephanie Hinshaw and others offering to drop off food, to the indomitable Lisa Brooks who lent an ear and checked in on me repeatedly, I could not be part of a better team of people. This is what makes the Butler community so special.

So, Mr. Twain, these are my family, friends and community.  My opinions? They are amazing, caring, thoughtful, supportive, and smart. I am so deeply grateful and fortunate that these are the people that help shape who I am—and who help shape our students and CCOM DNA every single day.

Thanks for reading and, for those who can make it, see you at Homecoming!

Welcome, Butler CCOM Class of 2028

Welcome, Butler CCOM Class of 2028

The CCOM Class of 2028 on Academic Day (Monday, Aug. 26, 2024).

New York City in the summer would get HOT. My father said his favorite way to cool down was running through open fire hydrants. The start of a new academic year always reminds me of this as the university welcomes new students to Bulldog Nation. I mean, they are drinking from the proverbial fire hydrant or hose.  

“New-ness” is everywhere in this next stage of their adventures. There are so many opportunities to pursue, and endless choices about joining this activity or that club. But orientation and “Welcome Week” are honestly a joyful time of the academic year for returning students and faculty alike, and especially for the incoming Class of 2028.

Here’s a look at the past couple weeks from our side of things:

CCOM Leadership Retreat

Dr. Tonya Bergeson shares research information with fellow CCOM faculty and staff at the first College Meeting of the school year.

Fall 2024 festivities began for CCOM last week when we welcomed back the faculty from their well-deserved summers away from campus. CCOM Leadership started it off with a retreat where we discussed our priorities for the coming year. A few days later we hosted a full College faculty meeting filled with smiles, stories, and introductions of our new faculty members. It always warms my heart to see everyone after taking a break from the typical grind. 

Student Move-In Day and Convocation

Sydney Haworth (left), SGA President, with Olivia Coy, SGA Chief of Staff, addressing CCOM students during Academic Day. Haworth also presented at Convocation over the weekend.

Students moved into their residences during the last full weekend in August —likely after stopping at Target, IKEA, or Kroger to stock up on necessities and decorate their campus homes. That Sunday we celebrated the time-honored academic ceremony of Convocation, where our new students officially became Bulldogs and launched their journey towards graduation. Lori Greene, vice president of enrollment management, shared the characteristics of our 1,048 new first-year students, including the popular and unique pet names they brought with them. Sydney Haworth, president of the Student Government Association and a speech, language, and hearing sciences (SLHS) major, welcomed her new peers and shared advice for the new students. The event finale was President Danko sharing perspective on what his job entails, and movingly sharing with students how much we care about each and every one of them.

Academic Day  

Joe Valenzano, Dean of the College of Communication, welcomes students during Academic Day.

The Monday before the term started CCOM faculty and staff are provided the opportunity to welcome our new students—seemingly right as they reach peak new info overload. 😊 This is where their great CCOM stories begin. As I told them, four years from now they all will be very different. They will grow based on the choices they make now that they have the freedom a college experience provides. They are now their own authors. Faculty, staff, and other mentors and resources across campus serve as editors, guiding them to the best versions of themselves, but the stories are each student’s to write. 

The new students might be exhausted at this moment—potentially overwhelmed as they persevere through a combination of heat, activity, and a firehose of information they have tried to absorb gracefully. But this challenge empowers them and nurtures their evolution to adulthood. I still maintain that the start of an academic year is, to date, the most exciting adventure in a student’s life. I can’t wait to see what paths they choose to follow and excel in.

To the Class of 2028, and the start of yet another fun-filled, amazing year in CCOM and at Butler!  

  

Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences: SLHS Summer Spotlight

Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences: SLHS Summer Spotlight

May represents graduation and the celebration of hard work by students and faculty within the world of higher education. May goes even further for our stellar Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences (SLHS) majors, and annually carries special messages and recognition into June.

Every year the American Speech–Language–Hearing Association (ASHA) celebrates their important work with National Speech Language Hearing Month in May, and continues the focus with Aphasia Awareness Month in June. This is a great opportunity to highlight the important contributions our SLHS students and faculty make to the Butler CCOM culture. What they accomplish also hits close to home for me.

Dr. Mary Gospel receiving the CCOM Faculty All-Star Award from Provost Brooke Barnett and CCOM Dean Joe Valenzano during halftime of men’s basketball game on Nov. 10, 2023.

When I was growing up, my father published a magazine for children with special needs and the people who care for them. This allowed me to attend the Special Olympics and learn about various challenges people can face, including developmental delays that impact a child’s ability to speak. I also learned about the impact traumatic brain injuries can have on speech during my time helping out at his company. It’s one of the many reasons I am so humbled by, and proud of, the SLHS faculty and students in CCOM at Butler.

SLHS isn’t just a major—It is a heartfelt culture that expertly walks the line between developing professionals and making a tangible impact on the community, while also embracing fun and joy in their work. It’s easy to point to the fact they beat the national acceptance rate for their students into graduate programs by an astounding 50%, but how they do it is even more impressive. Their engagement goes beyond the classroom and our impactful clinics that allow undergraduate students valuable and rare hands-on opportunities. 

Members of the ASL Club during their 14th Annual Hands on Fire event on April 9, 2024 in the Reilly Room on the campus of Butler University.

The SLHS program boasts not one or two, but FIVE different hands-on clinical experiences for our students—something no school I know of in the country does. These include multiple cutting-edge research opportunities with faculty and unmatched undergraduate clinical practicum experiential learning opportunities with our on-campus speech-language clinic, community preschool speech-language hearing screening events, the Butler Early Learning and Literacy (BELL) preschool program, and our Butler Aphasia Community. Visiting these experiences is powerful, as you witness the life-altering work our students do under the guidance of faculty mentors like Dr. Mary Gospel, Prof. Ann Bilodeau, and Dr. Suzanne Reading.

SLHS is also integrated into student groups on campus, providing leadership opportunities and exposure. There is Butler’s National Student Speech-Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) chapter that provides a variety of social, academic, and professional support, as well as the American Sign-Language (ASL) Club. The ASL Club annually signs the National Anthem at a Butler men’s home basketball game and hosts the “Hands On Fire” signing event on campus, providing more community and experiential opportunities within this important course of study.

SLHS and Butler CCOM were well represented by students and Prof. Ann Bilodeau at ISHA Legislative Day 2024 and even spent time with Indiana Senator Greg Taylor (left image).

It’s not just about the great clinical and co-curricular experiences in SLHS either. In February, students provided free speech, language, and hearing screenings at the International School of Indiana. During this year’s kickoff event, our SLHS majors provided services to 55 students. Prof. Bilodeau, who was appointed by former Gov. Mike Pence and has served 12 years on the Indiana Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Board, brought 30 Butler SLHS students to the Indiana Statehouse in February to participate in training on how bills are created and to discuss issues relevant to the profession, such as pending literacy bills at the state level.  In fact, they also met Indiana Senator Greg Taylor who referred to Butler and our SLHS program as a crown jewel in his district. Not too shabby!

Recently graduated seniors, (left to right) Mackenzie Beal, Sarah Mahnesmith, and Emily Bowyer at ISHA Legislative Day at the Indiana Statehouse on Feb. 12, 2024.

The culture in SLHS is also remarkably inviting. This year they hosted two external speakers.  Dean’s Advisory Board Member Amy McConkey Robbins talked with students about supporting language development and listening through music, and Dr. Irina Castellanos discussed cochlear implants and spoken language skills. In addition to intellectual engagement, SLHS knows how to have fun too. Whether it’s their ice cream social at the start of the year, their senior breakfast at the end of the year, their pumpkin decoration tradition at Halloween, or the fact one of their faculty taught a class in a dinosaur costume after a Day of Giving Challenge was met, SLHS brings joy with them wherever they go. I’ve also been the subject of a patient prank by Dr. Gospel. Shortly after I arrived at Butler, she snuck into my office and slipped a Justin Bieber book in with the rest of my small library—and it took me two months and a hint or two to actually find it! It didn’t take me long to realize that these are my people.

SLHS students decorate pumpkins to look like their professors each Halloween.

Although this time of year provides an intentional spotlight on the work of speech, language, and hearing sciences professionals, our CCOM SLHS faculty deliver their work with heart and joy day in and day out. They embody the connection between Butler and our community, and exemplify the sense of fun and heart that fills the halls of Fairbanks Center. Everyday they remind me of my father, his company, and the chance I had early in life to learn about the diversity of human experience and how special people give of themselves to help those who need it.

Dean Valenzano’s 2024 CCOM Top 10

Dean Valenzano’s 2024 CCOM Top 10

From popular music to the top sports plays of any given day or season, Top 10 lists are synonymous with excellence. I witnessed accolades worthy of applause during my first full school year at Butler University as Dean of the College of Communication. There was a whirlwind of excitement, accomplishment, partnership, growing pains, and most importantly learning experiences and enhanced relationships for students, faculty, alumni, staff, and the entire Butler community.

These 10 highlights from the 2023-2024 school year are not in any order of significance but are impactful in my eyes. I’d love to hear about your favorite memories and experiences that didn’t make my list (I know there will be some that I curse myself about not including) but here we go. So imagine your favorite voice actor, as you see the transition frame with a huge one and zero on it. I’ve got the voice of Amy Dichter ‘98 in my head starting us off with an energetic and powerful, “NUMBER 10!” vocalization.

#10 – COMMENCEMENT CELEBRATION WEEKEND

Graduation is the most significant moment of any college student’s career. On Saturday, May 11, 2024, we celebrated 138 CCOM graduates from our undergraduate programs. They were accompanied by another dozen or so students from our Strategic Communication graduate program. In CCOM we like to have fun so we expanded a memorable event into a full Commencement Celebration Weekend. Thursday night kicked-off with the inaugural CCOM Senior Dinner, where about 80% of our seniors, approximately 60 parents, 25 faculty and staff, and six alumni from our Dean’s Advisory Board came to celebrate this year’s graduating class.  Experiencing families getting to meet the faculty who shepherded their loved ones to the precipice of graduation was special for everyone and a reminder of why we work so hard for student success! On Friday, our very own Scott Bridge gave a moving and inspirational speech as this year’s University Commencement Faculty Speaker. Finally, on Saturday, students received their well-earned diplomas in Clowes Hall after hearing reflections and advice from senior Micah Horne ‘24, and Professor Amanda Stevenson-Holmes. This was a graduation weekend I will never forget!

#9 – AWARD WINNING STUDENT GROUPS

The Intercollegiate Speech and Debate Team earned 153 different awards throughout the ‘23-’24 season. These awards include a first place overall debate ranking at State, senior Abby Kom’s All-American award, and our overall 8th ranking in the nation in combined speech and debate at Pi Kappa Delta. The Collegian student-run newspaper brought home 32 awards from the Indiana Collegiate Journalism Association, while also taking home more hardware in the form of Mark of Excellence awards from the Society of Professional Journalism. 

#8 – RESEARCH, SCHOLARSHIP, AND A TED TALK

The trophies and medals do not even begin to capture all the cool things our students accomplished this past year.  Six students (Eva Hallman, Arie Lihktman, Lauren Browning, Sarah Mahnesmith, Elaine Stribley & Abigail Dame) attended four different major academic conferences this year to both learn about and deliver research. Abby Kom, previously mentioned and now on her way to the graduate program at the University of Tennessee, also delivered a TED Talk entitled “So You’ve Been Called Aggressive.” These students continue to amaze me with their drive to make meaningful contributions to a wide array of fields.

#7 – ELITE ALUMNI

Our current students are not alone in the recognition department.  This past Homecoming we celebrated two CCOM alumni who have made significant contributions to their professions, our communities, and Butler. Jacqueline Eckhardt ‘13 was presented the Joseph Irwin Sweeney Alumni Service Award, while John Doyle ‘74 exhibited grace and humility in accepting the Butler Medal, the university’s highest honor. I can’t wait to see this year’s graduates take home these awards in the future.

#6 – THE FAIRWAYS AT FAIRBANKS

It was a moment of pride and joy when CCOM again led the academic pack on the Day of Giving this past February. We didn’t just receive the most gifts among the colleges, nor simply raise the most money among that group. As we strive to do, we led the way in fun too. We turned our classroom building into a miniature golf course with eight unique putt-putt holes created by faculty and student organizations within the college. The bar has been raised for next year.

#5 – BELL RINGS TRUE

The Butler Early Language Literacy program (BELL), spearheaded by Associate Dean Dr. Suzanne Reading and the faculty and students of the Speech Language and Hearing Sciences department received a huge boost this year. Their program received a major leading gift to establish an endowment, ensuring this vitally important, community-facing, clinical opportunity for our students will be a part of CCOM and Butler forever. Additionally, the SLHS students continued their trend of attaining 50-60% more graduate placements for seniors than the national average.  

#4 – FAIRBANKS “FOMO”

Fairbanks Center, the home of CCOM, proved that even though we are on the edge of campus, we are a huge part of its heartbeat. From our first “Dogs with the Dean” event to the aforementioned Fairways at Fairbanks, we produced successful events all year. We’ll only grow from this year’s inaugural Chili Cook-Off (who puts peanut butter in Chili, anyway?!), a March Madness viewing party, and even an appearance by the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Dean himself during our Halloween office decorating party. The word is out, and people have a fear of missing out on the fun that is Fairbanks. 

#3 – WAJC RADIO REUNION

WAJC Radio was THE experiential learning lab for students in communication for a long time at Butler. The university sold the station in 1993 and unfortunately the station and the students who staffed it seemed to float away like lost radio waves. This year, however, we invited these trailblazers of experiential learning back for a very special reunion in April. I like to think it proved their legacy is a critical piece of CCOM and that the spirit of WAJC lives on today in the DNA of the college. Sharing time with these alumni, from seven different decades, who returned to campus from as far away as California, Texas, and Minnesota to celebrate and reminisce was special. We’ll work on more ways to keep the band back together.

#2 – DOWNTOWN BIKE TOUR (AKA: GOLF CART OFF-ROADING)

No year is complete without something that makes you laugh every time you think about it.  For me, it was in Professor Bob Schultz’s Fall Hospitality and Tourism Promotion class. He regularly hosts a bike tour of downtown Indy but had two students who could not bike due to injury. So I stepped up to drive them around the route on a golf cart. What could go wrong? Well, near Centennial Park there were metal pylons that the bikes could get through, but the golf cart? Not so much. It got stuck, and everyone had to push the golf cart back out—a memory that will always make me smile.

#1 – BUTLER ALL STARS WITH THE NBA

CCOM is nimble and hungry to provide unique opportunities for our students. This was epitomized by the same Bob Schultz who got me stuck in the golf cart. 😉  Bob spearheaded an effort to offer 100 students a one-credit experience where they served as hospitality ambassadors for the city of Indianapolis while hosting the 2024 NBA All-Star Game. The weekend was frigid, but these students gave a warm embrace to visitors and finished with stories that will last them a lifetime. This is just the tip of the iceberg for what is possible for students in CCOM going forward.

As I reflect on the year and these wonderful accomplishments, I am so humbled by the hard work, dedication, and care our students, faculty and staff bring every day. CCOM continues to build momentum, and I am eager to see where things go next academic year.  But for now, we all can take a short breather. Have a great summer! 😊

CCOM Faculty Achievement

CCOM Faculty Achievement

Prof. Rob Norris (left) and Dr. Eileen Taylor (right) shortly after learning they had both been promoted to the role of senior lecturer within the College of Communication at Butler University.

I had the pleasure last week of delivering welcome news to a pair of amazing faculty. Dr. Eileen Taylor and Mr. Rob Norris, respectively, were promoted to senior lecturer within CCOM. They both came to Butler after concluding long and successful careers outside of academia and help to bring the experiential element into our classrooms as part of their second careers. Their success is their own, but I still share in their joy at this well-earned achievement.  

Eileen had a tremendous career in government, before returning to school to get her doctorate, and then joining CCOM as a faculty member in Organizational Communication and Leadership.  Her passion for teaching students leadership is only matched by her desire to prepare students for the demands and challenges of the coming changes to the workforce. She is a dedicated teacher, supportive mentor, and engaged member of the CCOM and Butler community.  It was a joy to walk into her office, share this news, and experience her process the moment from being speechless to overjoyed.

CCOM Dean Joe Valenzano delivering a letter of promotion to Dr. Eileen Taylor in Fairbanks Center.

Rob arrived at CCOM after a career in corporate communication, culminating with a leadership position at Cummins. He is a mainstay in Fairbanks Center, always in his office or engaging with students in the hallway outside his office. He rarely misses a college event, and always has a smile on his face—happy to go the extra mile to attract new students and help elevate current ones. Rob was at his desk when I delivered his letter, and, in typical Rob Norris fashion, he stood up, graciously invited me in, and then told me I made his day after he read the letter. 

Achievements need to be celebrated, and I was honored to be the bearer of glad tidings for both Rob and Eileen, two amazing CCOM faculty dedicated to our students’ success. They represent the best of Butler, and it is a gift for each of us to get to work with them. I am also excited to see them rewarded for their hard work and compassion for our students, alumni, and their CCOM colleagues. 

Please join me in congratulating Rob and Eileen, the newest senior lecturers in the College of Communication at Butler University!

Spring Break ’24 and More!

Spring Break ’24 and More!

Spring Break is a cherished time in the academic calendar. It represents an opportunity to step back, recharge, rest, and even have fun away from campus before the final sprint to the end of another successful academic year.

Whether traveling, visiting family, or catching up on final projects or grading (and/or sleep), it’s a well-earned moment for the CCOM community at Butler. It’s also another opportunity to reflect on what we’ve accomplished so far in 2024.

Fairbanks has been buzzing all semester, before this quiet week of respite. So, I’m taking this time to provide a recap of some of the highlights. Away we go!

The inaugural CCOM Chili Cook-Off:  As a chili fan I am a firm believer that there is no one right way to make it. This theory was put to the test with the faculty and students, as eight different chilis were entered by faculty, and then judged by students, staff, and faculty in a blind taste competition.  The winner for best overall chili and hottest chili was Prof. Bob Schultz, who made a flavorful turkey tortilla chili. The most unique prize went to Ross Hollebon for something I had never tasted before—Peanut butter chili. It was surprisingly tasty too! Finally, Prof. Carly Middleton received the most votes for the best name category for her “Girl Dinner” entry. The best part was seeing our CCOM community come together for the new event.

Cory Stark ‘08 and Larry Potash class visits: Cory Stark ’08 and Larry Potash, parent of a current Bulldog, both have illustrious careers as broadcast TV anchors and hosts in St. Louis and Chicago, respectively.  They led a discussion with students stressing the importance of reading, writing, developing a character in new stories, and exhibiting hard work and creativity.  It was an engaging conversation, and Cory even left our students with a great set of slides, entitled “The Art of the Interview.”  Click to listen to the CCOM Pawcast episode with Cory and Larry.

Stephen Bulpett class visits: Stephen Bulpett is an old friend of mine. He visited Indianapolis to cover aspects of the NBA All-Star game and shared his time to speak to a pair of classes, telling tales from his more than 35 years as a journalist. Stephen has primarily covered the Boston Celtics, and the NBA at large, as a veteran reporter for the Boston Herald and Heavy.com. He engaged with our Media Ethics class and shared, among other things, the importance of telling the truth and maintaining professionalism when working with professional athletes. He also made time to talk with first-year journalism and sports media majors.  As a proud alum of the University of Dayton, he also could not hold back from trying to push for the Big East to invite his alma mater into the fold—and I can’t say I disagree! Click to listen to the CCOM Pawcast episode with Stephen.

Indy NBA All-Star Weekend: While conversations and classroom visits with Stark, Potash, and Bulpett were occurring, 100 Butler students were working as ambassadors for Indianapolis and the NBA All-Star Weekend. Led by the indefatigable Prof. Schultz, these students traded shifts downtown during a snowstorm Friday evening and then braved frigid temperatures Saturday and Sunday to shine warmth and smiles on visitors and fans during this once-in-a-lifetime experience.  As “Street Team” ambassadors they handed out sunglasses, maps, and good ol’ Hoosier Hospitality to the 150,000 guests in town for this major sporting celebration.  One student, Katelyn Skinner, created a short video about this opportunity.  Another student, Kristin Anderson, was on her shift and saw something suspicious that she called in, and it turned out she stopped scammers from taking advantage of Indy’s guests.  A third student helped a person find their way around downtown when they looked a little lost.  That person was perennial NBA All-Star Steph Curry, of the Golden State Warriors.  I don’t think she will ever forget that moment!

My trip to New Jersey: More recently, I traveled to New Jersey to watch our men’s basketball team take on Seton Hall. It was special to attend the game with several alumni from that area. Our own Dean’s Advisory Board Chair, Dan Cooreman ‘76, and his partner joined, as did current Butler parents Dana and Jenna McClintock.  Dana, as it turns out, worked alongside an alum who was with us, Ryan Briganti ‘98, years ago at CBS. Ryan was fresh off selling advertisements for the Super Bowl—during the Super Bowl!

Day of Giving 2024: I immediately switched gears for the 2024 Day of Giving upon returning to Indianapolis. Students and faculty concentrated on redecorating many of the main hallways (and the offices of five fountains and The Collegian) to produce our very own 9-hole miniature golf course. We staged a massive upset in terms of the number of gifts in 2023, more than any other group on campus, and aimed to defend our title. Unfortunately, Athletics managed to top us this year—and I now owe our new Athletic Director a round of golf—but we still set college records for most gifts received (365), and most support received for our students (a whopping $71,411). It was great seeing all the creative putt-putt holes our faculty and students crafted to help create the Fairways at Fairbanks, as well as all the smiles and cheer we had in the building.

CCOM Butler Bound 2024: Finally, on March 1st we welcomed roughly 40 prospective students to campus for the CCOM Butler Bound experience.  This fantastic all-day event helped students who are thinking about being a Bulldog (what’s there really to think about, I say) understand more about The Butler Way and how it can impact their immediate future and career and life goals. They heard from a terrific panel of current students and a panel of alumni. They met numerous members of the CCOM faculty, toured our phenomenal facilities, and learned more about internship and study abroad opportunities. In what was a humbling moment, one student and their parents came up after the event and asked where they could go to make a deposit right there and then!

I know this has been a long read (and an even longer post to write), but it goes to show you why, as we enjoy Spring Break, it’s understandable that people are eager to relax for a moment. On the other side of this lull, we still have so many fun activities, events, and achievements to pack into the final weeks, but a deep breath now goes a long way.  So, what will yours truly be doing? I’ll be accompanying a dozen of our students to the Big East Tournament for an alumni event, a networking opportunity in the sports and media industry, and a tour of Madison Square Garden. There is no rest for the weary here—and I wouldn’t have it any other way!