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!

The inaugural CCOM Chili Cook-Off:  As a chili fan I am a firm believer that there is no one right way to make it. This theory was put to the test with the faculty and students, as eight different chilis were entered by faculty, and then judged by students, staff, and faculty in a blind taste competition.  The winner for best overall chili and hottest chili was Prof. Bob Schultz, who made a flavorful turkey tortilla chili. The most unique prize went to Ross Hollebon for something I had never tasted before—Peanut butter chili. It was surprisingly tasty too! Finally, Prof. Carly Middleton received the most votes for the best name category for her “Girl Dinner” entry. The best part was seeing our CCOM community come together for the new event.

Cory Stark ‘08 and Larry Potash class visits: 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.  They led a discussion with students stressing the importance of reading, writing, developing a character in new stories, and exhibiting hard work and creativity.  It was an engaging conversation, and Cory even left our students with a great set of slides, entitled “The Art of the Interview.”  Click to listen to the CCOM Pawcast episode with Cory and Larry.

Stephen Bulpett class visits: Stephen Bulpett is an old friend of mine. He visited Indianapolis to cover aspects of the NBA All-Star game and shared his time to speak to a pair of classes, telling 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. He engaged with our Media Ethics class and shared, among other things, the importance of telling the truth and maintaining professionalism when working with professional athletes. He also made time to talk with first-year journalism and sports media majors.  As a proud alum of the University of Dayton, he also could not hold back from trying to push for the Big East to invite his alma mater into the fold—and I can’t say I disagree! Click to listen to the CCOM Pawcast episode with Stephen.

Indy NBA All-Star Weekend: While conversations and classroom visits with Stark, Potash, and Bulpett were occurring, 100 Butler students were working as ambassadors for Indianapolis and the NBA All-Star Weekend. Led by the indefatigable Prof. Schultz, these students traded shifts downtown during a snowstorm Friday evening and then braved frigid temperatures Saturday and Sunday to shine warmth and smiles on visitors and fans during this once-in-a-lifetime experience.  As “Street Team” ambassadors they handed out sunglasses, maps, and good ol’ Hoosier Hospitality to the 150,000 guests in town for this major sporting celebration.  One student, Katelyn Skinner, created a short video about this opportunity.  Another student, Kristin Anderson, was on her shift and saw something suspicious that she called in, and it turned out she stopped scammers from taking advantage of Indy’s guests.  A third student helped a person find their way around downtown when they looked a little lost.  That person was perennial NBA All-Star Steph Curry, of the Golden State Warriors.  I don’t think she will ever forget that moment!

My trip to New Jersey: More recently, I traveled to New Jersey to watch our men’s basketball team take on Seton Hall. It was special to attend the game with several alumni from that area. Our own Dean’s Advisory Board Chair, Dan Cooreman ‘76, and his partner joined, as did current Butler parents Dana and Jenna McClintock.  Dana, as it turns out, worked alongside an alum who was with us, Ryan Briganti ‘98, years ago at CBS. Ryan was fresh off selling advertisements for the Super Bowl—during the Super Bowl!

Day of Giving 2024: I immediately switched gears for the 2024 Day of Giving upon returning to Indianapolis. Students and faculty concentrated on redecorating many of the main hallways (and the offices of five fountains and The Collegian) to produce our very own 9-hole miniature golf course. We staged a massive upset in terms of the number of gifts in 2023, more than any other group on campus, and aimed to defend our title. Unfortunately, Athletics managed to top us this year—and I now owe our new Athletic Director a round of golf—but we still set college records for most gifts received (365), and most support received for our students (a whopping $71,411). It was great seeing all the creative putt-putt holes our faculty and students crafted to help create the Fairways at Fairbanks, as well as all the smiles and cheer we had in the building.

CCOM Butler Bound 2024: Finally, on March 1^st we welcomed roughly 40 prospective students to campus for the CCOM Butler Bound experience.  This fantastic all-day event helped students who are thinking about being a Bulldog (what’s there really to think about, I say) understand more about The Butler Way and how it can impact their immediate future and career and life goals. They heard from a terrific panel of current students and a panel of alumni. They met numerous members of the CCOM faculty, toured our phenomenal facilities, and learned more about internship and study abroad opportunities. In what was a humbling moment, one student and their parents came up after the event and asked where they could go to make a deposit right there and then!

I know this has been a long read (and an even longer post to write), but it goes to show you why, as we enjoy Spring Break, it’s understandable that people are eager to relax for a moment. On the other side of this lull, we still have so many fun activities, events, and achievements to pack into the final weeks, but a deep breath now goes a long way.  So, what will yours truly be doing? I’ll be accompanying a dozen of our students to the Big East Tournament for an alumni event, a networking opportunity in the sports and media industry, and a tour of Madison Square Garden. There is no rest for the weary here—and I wouldn’t have it any other way!