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.

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.

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!

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 

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 

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. 

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!