Butler University

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.

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.

When I was growing up, my father published a magazine for children with special needs and the people who care for them. This allowed me to attend the Special Olympics and learn about various challenges people can face, including developmental delays that impact a child’s ability to speak. I also learned about the impact traumatic brain injuries can have on speech during my time helping out at his company. It’s one of the many reasons I am so humbled by, and proud of, the SLHS faculty and students in CCOM at Butler.

SLHS isn’t just a major—It is a heartfelt culture that expertly walks the line between developing professionals and making a tangible impact on the community, while also embracing fun and joy in their work. It’s easy to point to the fact they beat the national acceptance rate for their students into graduate programs by an astounding 50%, but how they do it is even more impressive. Their engagement goes beyond the classroom and our impactful clinics that allow undergraduate students valuable and rare hands-on opportunities. 

Members of the ASL Club during their 14th Annual Hands on Fire event on April 9, 2024 in the Reilly Room on the campus of Butler University.

The SLHS program boasts not one or two, but FIVE different hands-on clinical experiences for our students—something no school I know of in the country does. These include multiple cutting-edge research opportunities with faculty and unmatched undergraduate clinical practicum experiential learning opportunities with our on-campus speech-language clinic, community preschool speech-language hearing screening events, the Butler Early Learning and Literacy (BELL) preschool program, and our Butler Aphasia Community. Visiting these experiences is powerful, as you witness the life-altering work our students do under the guidance of faculty mentors like Dr. Mary Gospel, Prof. Ann Bilodeau, and Dr. Suzanne Reading.

SLHS is also integrated into student groups on campus, providing leadership opportunities and exposure. There is Butler’s National Student Speech-Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) chapter that provides a variety of social, academic, and professional support, as well as the American Sign-Language (ASL) Club. The ASL Club annually signs the National Anthem at a Butler men’s home basketball game and hosts the “Hands On Fire” signing event on campus, providing more community and experiential opportunities within this important course of study.

SLHS and Butler CCOM were well represented by students and Prof. Ann Bilodeau at ISHA Legislative Day 2024 and even spent time with Indiana Senator Greg Taylor (left image).

It’s not just about the great clinical and co-curricular experiences in SLHS either. In February, students provided free speech, language, and hearing screenings at the International School of Indiana. During this year’s kickoff event, our SLHS majors provided services to 55 students. Prof. Bilodeau, who was appointed by former Gov. Mike Pence and has served 12 years on the Indiana Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Board, brought 30 Butler SLHS students to the Indiana Statehouse in February to participate in training on how bills are created and to discuss issues relevant to the profession, such as pending literacy bills at the state level.  In fact, they also met Indiana Senator Greg Taylor who referred to Butler and our SLHS program as a crown jewel in his district. Not too shabby!

Recently graduated seniors, (left to right) Mackenzie Beal, Sarah Mahnesmith, and Emily Bowyer at ISHA Legislative Day at the Indiana Statehouse on Feb. 12, 2024.

The culture in SLHS is also remarkably inviting. This year they hosted two external speakers.  Dean’s Advisory Board Member Amy McConkey Robbins talked with students about supporting language development and listening through music, and Dr. Irina Castellanos discussed cochlear implants and spoken language skills. In addition to intellectual engagement, SLHS knows how to have fun too. Whether it’s their ice cream social at the start of the year, their senior breakfast at the end of the year, their pumpkin decoration tradition at Halloween, or the fact one of their faculty taught a class in a dinosaur costume after a Day of Giving Challenge was met, SLHS brings joy with them wherever they go. I’ve also been the subject of a patient prank by Dr. Gospel. Shortly after I arrived at Butler, she snuck into my office and slipped a Justin Bieber book in with the rest of my small library—and it took me two months and a hint or two to actually find it! It didn’t take me long to realize that these are my people.

SLHS students decorate pumpkins to look like their professors each Halloween.

Although this time of year provides an intentional spotlight on the work of speech, language, and hearing sciences professionals, our CCOM SLHS faculty deliver their work with heart and joy day in and day out. They embody the connection between Butler and our community, and exemplify the sense of fun and heart that fills the halls of Fairbanks Center. Everyday they remind me of my father, his company, and the chance I had early in life to learn about the diversity of human experience and how special people give of themselves to help those who need it.

“Dawgs Helping Dawgs” – Chicago Style

“Dawgs Helping Dawgs” – Chicago Style

There is no substitute for experience. Julius Caesar claimed it is the teacher of all things. And as a teacher for my entire professional life, I can tell you how accurate that statement is. A recent example is the Oct. 11-13 Butler Career Trek in Chicago during fall break. 

Or maybe I should instead refer to the trek as fall break-through based on the myriad opportunities Butler students had to visit a variety of companies and learn from top-notch professionals while building their networks in a structured experiential setting. 

Accompanying 13 students, representing numerous Butler colleges, for a snapshot of what life after graduation in the Windy City could be like was exciting, especially as we entered each new building—immersed in impactful brands. Two powerful stops during the trek were relative but distinct global strategic communications firms in the heart of downtown. 

Edelman is a global communications firm that partners with businesses to evolve, promote, and protect their brands, while Publicis is a global creative network, driving strategy, messaging, and the ads and digital experiences we all see every day.

I was particularly impressed with Butler alumni Catrina Cranfill ’15 and Rachel Berner ’20 who both work at Edelman. They crafted an engaging and informative presentation regarding what they do at Edelman and  the importance of internships, preparing resumes, networking, and refining interview skills. Rule #1: Know your audience—It was the perfect message to students gearing up to launch their careers. These are foundational elements you find in classrooms across Butler, but this experiential extravaganza hosted by former Butler students was filled with helpful hints, interesting anecdotes, and compelling stories that reinforce classroom learning but hit differently in this “real-world” environment shared by members of the Bulldogs community. 

And there may be no better example of a Windy City warm-welcome than a visit with Corey McPherrin ’77, longtime Chicago news anchor.  Corey may have stepped away from the news desk a few months ago, but he was right at home guiding our students through his natural habitat, the Fox32 newsroom. His access to former colleagues, who were preparing stories and packages for air, showed the power of relationships and an eagerness to pay it forward. These busy professionals spoke with students about their careers, and even managed to interview an anchor who was delivering the noon show at the same time (don’t worry, all Corey’s questions occurred during commercial breaks!).

The Chicago Career Trek program is in its third year at Butler and costs students just $50 each. I may not be in the Lacy School of Business at Butler but I see that the return on that investment is incredible for the future leaders and the stewardship of the entire university.  I look forward to experiencing the program’s trips to Detroit (this was the sixth time for the Motor City) and New York City in the future.

The offices and studio were great but there’s also value in socializing with friends, and friends of friends. On Wednesday night we gathered at Chicago’s Gaslight Bar and Grill where the students had a chance to meet and talk with some of the numerous alumni from throughout the city. Personally, I cherished the opportunity to talk with Stacy Hodge ‘00, David Fryrear MS ’03, Jacqueline Wishau ’10, Jessie Surridge ’21, and her mother, Mary Surridge, just to name a few.  They shared their memories of Butler and their excitement for this week’s Homecoming, but mostly peppered the current students with questions about the campus and how they could help prepare them for their futures. The idea of “Dawgs helping Dawgs” is something special, and it truly warms my heart to see it at work when our current students meet our alumni. 

Experiences, and alumni, like those found on Butler’s Chicago Trek, are a huge reason why our university is such a special place. I could not think of a better way to spend fall break than with these curious, driven students. Exploring their options for the future and networking with alumni just a few hours northwest—I know they all feel like it was worth the price of admission!