Butler CCOM SPM

Butler CCOM Sports Media (Major)

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.

CCOM Student Post: Paris is great, but you have to get through Indy first

CCOM Student Post: Paris is great, but you have to get through Indy first

With CCOM Dean, Joe Valenzano, enjoying a well-earned European family vacation we are thrilled to have rising senior Sarah Hohman ‘25 contribute the first student guest post to CCOM Pawprints.

Oui oui! The U.S Olympic Swimming Trials are taking place in Indianapolis this week and the city is embracing its hosting duties—complete with a smaller replica of the Eiffel Tower on Georgia Street. Butler students are playing a role as Professor Bob Shultz gathered a group of student volunteers to help the Indiana Sports Corp produce their latest ground-breaking event.

Sarah Hohman ’25 with 2-time Olympic swimmer Kaitlin Sandeno and three of her Olympic medals won during the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece in 2004.

In honor of the Trials in Indianapolis, I was proud to attend the Economic Club of Indiana’s luncheon with a talented panel discussing the impact of swimming on their lives. I even got to hold a gold medal won by Kaitlin Sandeno at the Athens Games! The panelists consisted of medal-winning Olympians Sandeno (2000; 2004), Cullen Jones (2008; 2012), and Brendan Hansen (2004; 2008; 2012). Nic Askew, the Director of Swimming and Diving and Tennis at Howard University, and a recipient in 2023 of the Indiana Sports Corp Pathfinder Award, rounded out the group, with OneAmerica Financial Vice President Karin Sarratt moderating the event.

The topics varied but the panel was centered around what it takes to be a champion and competitor. The main question of the day was, “Are you a champion or a rainmaker?” By definition, a champion is a person who has defeated or surpassed all rivals in a competition. A rainmaker is a person whose influence can initiate progress or ensure success. While the panelists debated which of the two they were, the athletes shared stories of success, but most importantly failure—and overcoming it.

The Economic Club of Indiana’s swimming-focused panel (from left), Karin Sarratt, Brendan Hansen, Kaitlin Sandeno, Nic Askew, and Cullen Jones.

This week, many athletes will be left humbled and defeated. A maximum of 52 swimmers can qualify for the U.S. national team, 26 men and 26 women. More than 1000 swimmers are trying to squeeze into these cherished spots. The opportunity only comes every four years, so I can’t imagine the pressure these athletes feel. It certainly has to be more than my eighth-grade volleyball tryouts. No matter how excited we are for these athletes to get to Paris, they have to get through Indianapolis first.

Jones said something during the panel session that stuck out to me. 

“I think we are in a society where we are afraid to start.” 

Failure is scary, we all know that, but I think never failing is scarier. Learning how to fail is learning to succeed. I relate to this in my journey in sports media and journalism so far. As a woman in sports it can be scary to try something new or be outgoing in a field dominated by men. I just know that never trying at all seems a lot more scary to me. These athletes know the pressure that they are under, but not folding is their biggest accomplishment, even when they may not qualify. It’s important to remember that these athletes are human when they are trying to qualify in Indianapolis this week. When you are watching swimmers compete in Lucas Oil Stadium, don’t just cheer on those in the lead, cheer on those who need the extra boost to finish.

Butler CCOM students while volunteering for Indy Sports Corp during the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Swimming in downtown Indianapolis.

Circling back to the Econ Club luncheon, most of the panel considered themselves rainmakers. At their level of personal success, I think it makes sense that they want to help the entire sport of swimming to progress. I think we should all strive to be rainmakers one day, helping to initiate progress in areas that need improvement. I certainly hope I can someday and maybe even earn my own version of a gold medal.

A special thank you to Butler’s Office of Strategic Engagement (OSE) for providing this opportunity.

‘Dawgs experience BIG EAST in the Big Apple

‘Dawgs experience BIG EAST in the Big Apple

What do a former dairy processing plant, The Drew Barrymore Show, and Butler basketball legend Shelvin Mack have in common? You’re about to find out as it relates to 12 current sports media majors embarking on New York City during our recent spring break trip.

Gary Beaulieu, senior director of Butler’s Career and Professional Success (CaPS) office, joined me in hosting the dozen CCOM students as part of a co-sponsored experiential learning opportunity provided by a partnership between our offices. 

The City that Never Sleeps welcomed us to where the Big East Conference and Butler alumni intersect during the opening days of the men’s basketball tournament. The festivities tipped-off on Wednesday afternoon and served as an invaluable whirlwind of activity and opportunity for our students. 

A pre-game gathering of approximately 75 alumni and friends at Mustang Harry’s, on Manhattan’s West Side, allowed current students to interact with former students, and current professionals, in the Tri-State area. Then it was time to head next door to Madison Square Garden to watch the Bulldogs Big East tournament game. The result on the court wasn’t what we hoped for but it was still a great experience, especially as some of our students had never been in “The World’s Most Famous Arena.” But the most-impactful slam dunks, in my opinion, occurred the next day.

We headed right back to Madison Square Garden on Thursday morning, this time through the employee entrance. Taylor Harmon ’21, who majored in Sports Media and Strategic Communication, greeted us at the door and our next adventure was underway.

Taylor is a tour de force, and made time in her busy schedule to give us a behind-the-scenes look at MSG and its operations. She guided us around the home of the New York Rangers (NHL), New York Knicks (NHL)—and another BIG EAST basketball team I won’t mention here—as well as the hub for nearly every great concert act you can imagine since the mid-to-late 1960s. Everything there—even the garbage cans—had sponsors. And much like the sponsorship team at MSG making the most of every piece of real estate to monetize, Taylor didn’t miss a beat or opportunity to answer questions about her journey and future goals from our focused students before we left “The Garden” for lunch.

Next stop: CBS Broadcast Center, a short Uber ride away. Ryan Briganti ’98, senior vice president of sports sales at Paramount, arranged a tour of their NYC studios, including the stage where “The Drew Barrymore Show” is shot for CBS. Then a bonus VIP tour guide, Drew Kaliski, arrived to lead the next parts of the visit. Drew produces the NFL Sunday pregame show and might just be Bulldog parent in the near future. He noted that the building was once a dairy processing plant, which is amazing given how much technical equipment and space is needed for all of their broadcasts and content production.

Drew spun tales, provided information, and fielded questions from our group of students. We were introduced to Adam Zucker, the host of the NCAA Basketball desk for CBS, who also spent some quality time with us. Adam even remarked that this opportunity was something he didn’t get when he was at Syracuse!  We met the professionals in the “Bullpen” who watched every conference tournament game and helped prepare the hosts for their halftime show. We engaged with the production team in the control room, and even saw Butler basketball legend, Shelvin Mack, prior to his halftime show duties with Adam later that afternoon. Little did we know that we would cram into the studio, being still and silent behind the cameras, to watch the opening segment live as they produced the halftime show. 

The trip would have been great if it ended there, but we still had the Big East Career Networking Event that evening. It was exciting watching our 12 students work the room, talking to representatives of the Big East, MLB, New York Yankees, New York Rangers (repped by Taylor Harmon), Military Bowl and many more sports organizations. They not only learned about career opportunities in the different organizations but also how to make themselves stand out in the applicant pool. This event was open only to students from Big East schools, and was such a great opportunity for our students to learn more about getting into the sports and entertainment industry.

This trip was an opportunity for me to spend significant time with these 12 exceptional CCOM students—and for that I could not be more grateful. I want to call out each of them for being such amazing ambassadors of The Butler Way. 

I’ll start with Emma Martin, a goalkeeper on Butler’s women’s soccer team, whose father traveled to meet her in New York. Ally White and Butler volleyball player Cora Taylor made it a road trip to New York from Indy. It was great to have a pair of Tri-State area locals in Nick Laudano and Michael Terzakis. Ethan Polak and Nina Mazzotti had the opportunity to work the men’s basketball game on Wednesday. And to round it out, I was able to learn more about Owen O’Keefe, Charlie Petrusch, Sam Carus (yes, Sam, I still remember your prediction😊), Tyler Bigford, and Sean Davies in a tremendous off-campus setting. This group made the trip memorable for me and there is no doubt they are destined for great things.

For a couple days Butler CCOM was the common thread between a dairy processing plant, The Drew Barrymore Show, and Shelvin Mack. Experiences like these, even when they happen during a supposed break, are what makes being a Butler Bulldog in CCOM so special, and I look forward to being back in the Big Apple again next year and paving the way for our students to learn from the best and brightest in more major cities in the future!

Thankful As We Move Forward

Thankful As We Move Forward

Descriptions of Thanksgiving can offer many Hallmark-esque ways to define it—too often trite and fleeting. When I say Thanksgiving for me brings grace and gratitude to the forefront, I mean it on a deeply personal level.

Two years ago, my younger brother, Michael, lost his fight with addiction on Thanksgiving eve.  For the rest of my life I will never forget how I spent that holiday. Nor will I forget how from the seeds of grief we can experience and truly treasure the fruits of that grace and gratitude. Through my brother’s struggles and the heartbreaking nature of learning of his passing, my reflections on Thanksgiving help ground me in appreciation for the time we have with each other and the things we can accomplish and experience with the time we are given.

Like favorite plates at the family table during the holidays, here I’m going to share individual items that I’m able to reflect upon and cherish as I give thanks for the love, opportunities, and ever-expanding communities in my life. 

I am grateful to be in Indianapolis with my family.  The first six months of my time at Butler were spent becoming closely acquainted with I-70. I commuted between where my family was still living and the new community I had joined. Spending so much time driving each week, and the warm welcome I’d receive upon returning to Indianapolis, made me deeply appreciate the warm nature of everyone at Butler. It helped make the time when my wonderful family could join me here so much more special and I appreciate the sacrifices they made for me and my new opportunity.

I am grateful to work at a mission-oriented institution that clearly knows who it is and who it wants to be. Making a high-quality education like that which we provide at Butler available to, and accessible for, more people is a mission and a purpose that resonates deep within my core.  Activating and energizing the Butler community behind this mission is critically important—and with Butler’s New Two-Year College, in association with the non-profit Come to Believe, I have seen first hand we put our money and resources where our mission is.

Dr. Mary Gospel (center) is applauded by CCOM Dean Joe Valenzano (left), Provost Brooke Barnett (right), and fans during the first half of the Butler men’s basketball game vs. Southeast Missouri State at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Fri., Nov. 10, 2023. (Photo courtesy of zjbphotography.com)

I am grateful for my colleagues in the College of Communication.  Their patience and grace as we learn about each other and explore ways to elevate the college has helped me feel at home in Fairbanks. Their dedication to our students inspires me every day, just as it inspires those learners. Their willingness to serve their communities as well as participate meaningfully in shared governance motivates me to work hard for them. Most of all, I am thankful to them for their energy and enthusiasm, evidenced in large and small ways everyday. I was humbled to celebrate one of them—the very special Dr. Mary Gospel—recently at midcourt during the first half of a men’s basketball game as our CCOM Faculty All-Star.

I am grateful to be at a place with such amazing students.  From Abby Kom, who recently recorded a TedX presentation while also taking home hardware at every speech and debate competition around, to Kody Leach, whose ability to tackle opponents on the Bulldog football team is only exceeded by his tackling of his coursework in CCOM, to Ethan Polak who conducted a social media takeover during his summer broadcast internship with the Chicago Cubs, to Gabbi Hart who speaks so eloquently from her heart every chance she gets, especially about her desire to be a speech pathologist. That is such a small sample of so many other talented, hardworking individuals. I have no doubt these students will change the world.

I am grateful for working alongside my fellow deans, who have accepted and supported me from the jump. Like all of the senior leaders at Butler, they are a creative, innovative, mission-oriented, student-centered, and faculty-supportive group who all believe in what we do at Butler. Being around individuals like this is not a given. I am thankful for the opportunity to learn and work with them towards our common goals. I am thankful everyday for the fact we do not see ourselves as leading separate silos on campus, but as a team seeking to elevate Butler for all.

Matt Schumaker ‘14 (left), Mark Minner ‘12 (center), and Brendan King ‘17 (right) all visited campus and volunteered their time to discuss with sports media students the intricacies and secrets to their success in sports announcing.

I am grateful for alumni that continue to be invested in our students.  There is Corey McPherrin ‘77 who returns every month to work with students one-on-one. In Sports Media Matt Schumaker ‘14, Mark Minner ‘12, and Brendan King ‘17 have visited campus to run evening broadcasting workshops this fall. Our alumni continue to help the next generation of Bulldogs prepare for their careers with real-world anecdotes and samples from these leaders who are out there already living their dreams. It doesn’t stop there though. Kayla Long ‘19, just last week, saw we were running a canned food drive for the Butler Food Pantry and showed up with grocery bags full of cans to further the effort!  Then there is Steve Key ‘77 who helped bring the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame to Butler this past semester. These committed Butler community members continue to impress me with their engagement and desire to help their fellow Bulldogs.  

Finally, I am grateful for the challenges this year presented to me. Whether personal or professional, it was these challenges that continued to make me into a better version of myself. Things worth doing are often not done easily, and the value in the doing comes not just in the outcome, but through the process. The challenges of this past year are no different, and I am thankful for them and the people that helped me along the way.

As I reflect on Thanksgiving this year, and recall the tragedy of my brother’s passing two years ago, I remind myself that everyday is a gift and another opportunity to do good. The time we have each day is not promised, and as I continue to be thankful for the time I had with my brother, I am grateful for the time I get to do things I enjoy with terrific people whom I care about in the service of a greater good. I suppose the thing I am most thankful for is the time I have each day, and the ability to choose to spend it in pursuit of the good with my fellow Bulldogs.  

I wish all of you a very happy, healthy, and joyful holiday with your loved ones. May you spend this time in ways that make you feel fulfilled and warm.  

Thank you for reading and Happy Thanksgiving, Bulldog Nation!