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!