CCOM Pawcast
The CCOM Pawcast is a podcast hosted by Dean of the College of Communication (CCOM), Joe Valenzano. It was created to provide an additional touchpoint to CCOM and the success of individuals in our expansive community. We’re excited to celebrate experiences and authentic stories with current and prospective students, their parents, our faculty and staff, the engaged CCOM alumni network throughout the country, and the Butler University at large.
A special thank you to Amy Dichter ’98 for her collaboration and contribution of a professional intro and close to our episodes. Visit amydichter.com to learn more about Amy’s voiceover career—just another example of our amazing alumni. We would also like to thank Mark Harris ’06 and students from the Music Industry Studies major for their role in audio engineering. #GoDawgs
All CCOM Pawcast Episodes
Season 2: Ep. 10 – Behind the Lens with Photographer Lesle Lane ’91
Lesle Lane ’91 graduated from Butler University with a degree in Liberal Arts and has earned a successful career in photography, now owning and running Studio 13. She has been awarded national recognition for her images and helped Studio 13 come to serve global manufacturers, distributors, and bio-tech organizations.
In this episode of the CCOM Pawcast she joins Joe Valenzano, Dean of the College of Communication, to discuss her background, the role of AI in photography, her Butler memories and excitement about the future of the university, and being better at accounting than math.
This episode was produced by Butler students: Chris Palmer ’25, Blake Richmond ’26, and Toni Jazvic ’28.
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Season 2: Ep. 9 – Founder’s Celebration Special with Ovid Butler’s Great (4X) Granddaughter, Anna Demia Colosi
Anna Demia Colosi, great (4X) granddaughter of Ovid Butler, joins CCOM Dean Joe Valenzano as part of this year’s Founder’s Celebration Week.
Anna talks about the important legacy of Ovid and the immense pride her family shares in seeing all that Butler University continues to be.
To learn more about this year’s Founder’s Celebration, please visit the Founder’s Celebration Landing page by clicking here.
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Season 2: Ep. 8 – Bill Neher ’66 on Debate, Communication Ethics, and the “80 For 80” Campaign
This conversation builds on the wonderful discussions with Gregory Mark ’79, and Deeny and David Waite, their love of debate & speech, and CCOM’s “80 for 80” campaign celebrating the 80th years of Bill and David.
Bill shares his thoughts on numerous Butler topics and why he supports the Digital Communication, Ethics and Democracy Gift Fund, and his excitement of his granddaughter being a first-year student in the Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences program.
Click to give: “80 For 80” Campaign Giving Page
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Season 2: Ep. 7 – Melissa Beckwith ’00, Chief Strategy Officer and EVP, discusses where “Butler is going and how we’re getting there” including the Butler Gateway Project
Melissa Beckwith, Class of 2000, is the Chief Strategy Officer and Executive Vice President of Butler University.
The marketing major is leading the Butler Gateway Project, a “shared vision to shape a university and campus that enhances lives and strengthens our community in dynamic new ways” and sheds more light on the growth of the University and of Midtown Indianapolis.
Click the link to Learn more about the Butler Gateway Project
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Season 2: Ep. 6 – Dr. David and Deeny Waite and Dr. Gregory Mark ’79 talk Debate & Speech, fond Butler memories, and react to a special CCOM announcement
Dr. David H. Waite, his wife Deeny, and Dr. Gregory Mark ’79 poured their heart and soul into Debate & Speech and what today is the College of Communication (CCOM). As close friends to this day, they also remain actively connected to the college and university.
Listen to some of their fond memories of Butler before CCOM was an actual college and learn more about the 80 for 80 campaign, celebrating David and Dr. Bill Neher.
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LISTEN TO THE 80 FOR 80 ANNOUNCEMENT (EPISODE CLIP) ON APPLE PODCASTS
Season 2: Ep. 5 – Grant Leiendecker ‘11, Vice President/Director of Butler Athletics, talks The Butler Way, the impact of NIL on college athletics, and more.
Leiendecker reflects on his experiences as a student at Butler, the special feeling that historic Hinkle Fieldhouse provides, his relationship with Barry Collier, what the future holds for Bulldog athletics, and how proud he is of every student-athlete at Butler, in all 20 NCAA sports. Learn more about all Butler Athletics and read more about Leiendecker in his official Butler bio.
A special shout out to Blake Richmond ’26, a marketing major in the Lacy School of Business, who co-produced this episode as a CCOM content marketing intern. Great job, Blake!
LISTEN TO GRANT AND JOE ON APPLE PODCASTS – CLICK HERE
Season 2: Ep. 4 – Dr. Bryan Foltice and Randy Brown, of Butler LSB, talk their “Money Strong” program for students.
Topics include student loans, budgeting, and personal finance, especially while transitioning from being an undergraduate student to a working professional and/or graduate student.
Foltice and Brown provide financial support and planning, targeted for Butler students and their future financial confidence and success, through the lens of Behavior Finance.
Check out the Bryan Foltice Behavioral Finance Podcast as CCOM continues to support all of our friends and partners in Butler’s Lacy School of Business.
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Season 2: Ep. 3 – Stephanie Hinshaw and Shaun Owens discuss the background of Butler’s online BSOL degree completion program.
Celebrate the initial cohort of students who began their journey this semester, building on previous coursework but working hard to earn a Butler degree. Click to learn more about the Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership (BSOL).
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Season 2: Ep. 2 – Aaron Hurt, VP of Arts, Events, and Enterprise Management, talks his family history and putting Butler on the entertainment venue map.
Hurt started at Butler in 2013 as an operations manager for the Schrott Center for the Arts, and has made a massive impact on delivering world-class acts and entertainment to the amazing facilities on campus.
Check out the latest acts scheduled for the Butler Arts & Events Center by clicking here.
Season 2: Ep. 1 – President James Danko joins the Pawcast during Butler’s 2024 Welcome Week to discuss excitement about classes kicking off and big campus and community news.
They talk the excitement of Welcome Week and the Fall 2024 semester, as well as multiple elements of The Butler Gateway Project and the University’s leadership role in Midtown Indianapolis. Specific items include the transformation of Ross Hall into a Curio Collection Hotel by Hilton, a generous $22.5 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., and the recently launched Founder’s College.
Ep. 17 – Sarah Myer ’06 and Prof. Bob Schultz on Indiana Sports Corp., the 2024 US Olympic Swimming Trials at Lucas Oil Stadium, and studying sports in college.
Myer is a Butler CCOM alumni star, currently the Chief of Staff & Strategy at Indiana Sports Corp. She was essential in Indianapolis and Lucas Oil Stadium hosting the US Swimming Olympic trials last June.
Bob Schultz has been at Butler for 20 years. He is civic leader in Indianapolis who served as an adjunct professor within Strategic Communication and is now a full time CCOM lecturer and the College’s Internship Director. Bob has recently taught a class involving 100 Butler students working as Ambassadors for the NBA All-Star Game last February 2024, in conjunction with Indiana Sports Corp.
Ep. 16 – Dean’s Advisory Board members share their thoughts on CCOM and Butler University as we close the 2023-24 school year.
(Recorded May 10, 2024) Dan Cooreman ’76 (DAB Chairperson), Amy Dichter ’98, and Jordan Anderson ’10 join CCOM Dean Joe Valenzano in Studio 42 of Fairbanks Center for the 16th episode of the Pawcast—the final episode of the 2023-24 school year.
The active alumni discuss their professional paths, roles within the CCOM Dean’s Advisory Board, why they volunteer their time, and what Butler means to them today as they invest in CCOM’s ongoing growth and mentorship opportunities with current students.
Ep. 15 – Ryan Briganti ’98, VP of Sports Sales at Paramount, discusses his years at Butler, working in Manhattan, and his side of the sports industry
(Recorded March 25, 2024) Ryan Briganti ’98 is vice president of sports sales at Paramount. He recently arranged a tour of CBS Studios for current Butler sports media students but is also helping his daughter navigate her college selection journey—including a visit to his beloved alma mater.
Ep. 14 – Dr. Nneka Logan, 2024 CCOM Distinguished Lecturer, shares her impressive PR & communication background and how it impacts her research
(Recorded Feb. 20, 2024) Dr. Nneka Logan is an associate professor at Virginia Tech and she visited Bulter University as the CCOM 2024 Distinguished Speaker. Her presentation focused on “Exploring the relationship between corporations, race, and responsibility in the age of AI.”
She was also a classmate with CCOM Dean Joe Valenzano as he worked on his Ph.D. and she worked on her M.A. in mass communication.
Ep. 13 – Umayr Shaikh ’21, Butler alum, talks Pokemon, Speech & Debate at Butler, and his non-traditional path to currently pursuing his M.D. at Georgetown (Posted Wednesday, March 13, 2024)
(Recorded Feb. 19, 2024) Umayr Shaikh graduated from Butler University in 2021 with a dual major in Spanish Language & Human Communication/Organizational Leadership, as well as minors in Chemistry and English Lit—and he was just getting started.
He earned his Master of Public Health (MPH) from The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice in June 2022 and is currently working on his MD at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. — where he also gave a TEDx Talk in April 2023. Watch: ”So, you want to be a doctor? Study English!” with Umayr Shaikh | TEDxGeorgetown
And yes, he has a formal title relative to Pokemon too.
Ep. 12 – Steve Bulpett, veteran reporter, talks about covering the Celtics, NBA, and the journey he traveled to get there (Posted Tuesday, March 12, 2024)
(Recorded Feb. 16, 2024) Steve Bulpett was in town to cover aspects of the NBA All-Star game and shared his time to speak to a pair of classes, sharing 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.
Bulpett spoke to Media Ethics and Sports Media students while visiting CCOM and also sat down with Dean Joe Valenzano for this episode of the Pawcast.
Ep. 11 – Cory Stark ‘08 and Larry Potash share their professional broadcast news experience and thoughts on Butler (Posted Tuesday, March 12, 2024)
(Recorded Feb. 17, 2024) 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.
Both visited CCOM in February to talk with students and give them advice on how to achieve success and make a mark on media companies.
Ep. 10 – Mohsin Waraich ’20 talks life in sports marketing, his Muslim experience at Butler, and more (Posted Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2024)
Enjoy Mohsin’s take on his Butler experience and how he continues to find success in his burgeoning sports marketing career.
Ep. 9 – Prof. Ann Bilodeau on Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences and her Faculty In Residence Experience (Posted Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023)
Learn more about the value of our amazing SLHS undergraduate program, Ann’s cat Oreo, and find out how she handles the “Dean’s List” speed round.
Ep. 8 – Dean Joe Valenzano and Ross Hollebon discuss the NCA Conference and a DC Alumni Event (Posted Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023)
They celebrate conference presenters from Butler CCOM including Prof. Janis Crawford, Dr. Rong Ma, and Dr. Kristin Swenson. Joe and Ross also share the fun they had with Butler alumni at a men’s basketball watch party on Friday evening.
Ep. 7 – Abby Kom ’24 discussing her TEDx Talk, Speech & Debate, and her love of Butler (Posted Tuesday, November 7, 2023)
Abby recently presented “Called aggressive? Me too,” at TEDx Danville (Ky.), and is a dual major in Organizational Communications & Music. She is the president of the Butler Speech & Debate team and has completed multiple internships in Indianapolis. A native Minnesotan, she trekked down to Indy for the close community of a mid-sized campus that has allowed her numerous opportunities to grow and thrive.
Ep. 6 – Butler CCOM Alumni Panel – Homecoming 2023 (Posted Thursday, November 2, 2023)
Listen to their stories of how they ended up at Butler, where they’ve gone since (CNN, ESPN, and more), and why they’re excited about the future of their alma mater.
Go Dawgs!
Ep. 5 – Guest: Barry G. Hohlfelder ’66 with Guest Host Corey McPherrin ’77 – Homecoming 2023 (Posted Wednesday, November 1, 2023)
Hohlfelder won the Katharine Merrill Graydon Alumni Service Award in 2015. It recognizes a long-term commitment of outstanding service to Butler University. The recipients have provided affirmative service to the University to assist in perpetuating the University as a great educational and cultural institution.
Ep. 4 – Guest: Jacqueline Eckhardt ’13 – Homecoming 2023 (Posted Tuesday, October 31, 2023)
They discuss Eckhardt’s memories of her time at Butler, the special role Prof. Bob Schultz has played during and after her graduation, and there’s another round of the “Dean’s List.” So hit play and enjoy. Go Dawgs!
Ep. 3 – Guest: Amy Ulrich ’98 with Guest Host Corey McPherrin ’77 – Homecoming 2023 (Posted Monday, October 30, 2023)
Learn more about Amy’s career at https://amyulrich.com/.
Go Dawgs!
Ep. 2 – Guests: Alison Miccolis and Eva Hallman – The Butler Collegian (Posted Wednesday, October 11, 2023)
They talk about their Butler experience and their path to choosing the school, the future of The Collegian, and some of their biggest mentors on campus. And they both take part in “The Dean’s List” speed round.
A special thank you to CCOM students Elizabeth Dixon ’25 and Chas Hall ’25 for their audio engineering and positive energy in making this episode happen.
Ep. 1 – Guest: Provost Brooke Barnett (Posted Saturday, September 16, 2023)