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.

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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.

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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.
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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.

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WAJC’s Reunion Tour Launch

WAJC’s Reunion Tour Launch

It just feels right when a formal gathering of friends, peers, and mentors evolves into more of a family reunion than a general get together. Everyone doesn’t necessarily know everyone else, but at some point they have shared experiences: they waved the same flag, performed the same duties, learned from the same professor and can reflect upon it fondly.

My good friend and colleague, Ross Hollebon, reminded me recently that a central theme of the Star Wars franchise is “found family,” (yes, we shared “May the 4th Be With You” texts over the weekend) and that is the type of connections that were rekindled during that special evening on Saturday, April 27, 2024 at Robertson Hall.       

Generally speaking, a found family refers to a group of unrelated people coming together to establish their own definition of a family unit or close-knit community. In what is now CCOM (many of the attendees graduated from “Radio & Television” and other degree names of the mass communication degree program) there is no more appropriate way to refer to the alumni who graduated after having found themselves during activities for Butler’s former FM radio station, 104.5 WAJC.

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A Taylor, a Rose, and a Bridge

A Taylor, a Rose, and a Bridge

Stories feed our imagination. A compelling narrative, masterful worldbuilding, and a well-written hero (or villain) stick with readers and viewers—for a lifetime in some instances. I have been fortunate enough to live the culminating on-campus chapters of three award-winning protagonists during the past year and a half as part of CCOM. My time here allows only short story versions of what this impactful trio has developed, nurtured, and shared through their nearly 100 years of combined service to Butler University.

This is a true story about a Taylor, a Rose and a Bridge. They have earned their beautiful and inspiring academic sunsets after so many selfless seconds, minutes, hours, days, and years of preparing Bulldogs to have their own bright, fulfilling futures.

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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.

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‘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.

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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!

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