Experiential Learning – CCOM Dean's Pawprints

Butler’s CCOM Pawprints in Denver

November 24, 2025 butlerccom

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.

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

*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

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

November 13, 2025 butlerccom

*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.

CCOM Launches the 2025-2026 Academic Year

September 8, 2025 butlerccom

“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.

Dean Valenzano’s 2025 CCOM Top 10

May 14, 2025 butlerccom

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.

The S.S. PBS

April 5, 2025 butlerccom

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. 😉

Connectivity Via Strategic Communication

January 26, 2025 butlerccom

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.

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Thankful For Experiential Learning Opportunities

November 27, 2024 butlerccom

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.

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