Butler Magazine Winter 2025 by Butler University

WINTER 2025

INSIDE: BUTLER’S TAYLOR SWIFT MOMENT BULLDOGS ABROAD

10 YEARS OF BUTLER BLUE VISITS

“In

winter the stars seem to have rekindled their fires, the moon achieves a fuller triumph, and the heavens wear a look of a more exalted simplicity.”

- John Burroughs

Junior

Dr. Mira ’Assaf

Butler’s

From

Junior

Study

Students

Hannon

Major Indianapolis events enlist student talent.

From the classroom to the distillery, Jamie (Pierce) Fahrner ’05 mixes it up.

Completed Projects

These innovative facilities are key to offering a transformative student experience.

Irvington House

Residence hall

Opened fall 2018

Levinson Family Hall and renovation of Gallahue Hall and Holcomb Building

Sciences expansion and renovation

Opened spring 2023

Bill and Joanne Dugan Hall

Home of the Lacy School of Business and the Butler Transformation Lab Opened fall 2019

Fairview House

Residence hall

Opened fall 2016

On the Horizon

Connecting campus to community, these projects are at the heart of the Gateway Project’s mission.

Midtown Arts District

In December, Butler announced a $9 million grant from the Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation to support a multiphased renovation and expansion of Clowes Memorial Hall. The grant will also support the construction of a new, multi-purpose venue adjacent to Clowes Memorial Hall, which can shift between being a 1,250-1,450-capacity music hall and a reception and private event space. The renovation and expansion projects will launch the development of a $100 million Midtown Arts District, a transformative hub for live performances, thoughtprovoking lectures, stunning exhibitions, and world-class arts education. Future plans call for the construction of additional venues and amenities, including a multi-purpose convention center and an outdoor plaza.

The grant-funded renovations will occur in phases beginning in June 2025. Phase one will bring much-needed upgrades to the seating across the theater’s three balcony terraces, including the addition of open-air suites. Restrooms will be renovated and expanded, with the addition of 13 new gender-neutral facilities. The second and third phases will involve the installation of additional loading docks and stage upgrades, enhancing the venue’s ability to host top-tier productions and performances. The final phase will introduce the Allen Whitehill Clowes Ballroom to the east lobby, a new, versatile event space that will open in spring 2027. Allen Whitehill Clowes, the Foundation’s namesake, was a philanthropist, civic leader, arts patron, and business executive who took leadership in the construction of Clowes Memorial Hall, opening in 1963. Its construction was made possible by major donations from Clowes, the family foundation, friends, and other partners in memory of Clowes’ father George H.A. Clowes.

Last August, Butler University and Hilton announced an adaptive reuse project that will restore historic Ross Hall at the corner of Sunset Avenue and Hampton Drive, transforming it into a bespoke hotel within the Curio Collection by Hilton brand. Ross Hall opened in 1954 and housed thousands of Butler students in its 65 years as a residence hall before closing in 2019. The refurbished property will feature 105 elegantly designed rooms and suites, a signature restaurant, and meeting spaces, all thoughtfully integrated into the historic architecture of Ross Hall. The hotel is expected to open in 2027 and is developerfunded by partner Purpose Lodging.

Watch the Ross Hall Hotel announcement and Gateway Project press conference:

Ross Hall Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton

Opening in 2027

Memorial Hall:

Holcomb Gardens

Replanted 2024

Last fall, more than 400 Butler students, faculty, staff, and community volunteers replanted Holcomb Gardens with approximately 3,700 native plants. The effort was made possible through the partnership and in-kind design assistance of the Indiana Native Plant Society. The 20-acre Gardens serve as a public park for many thousands of visitors each year and represent a treasured historic space for the campus and larger community alike. Originally established in 1928, the Gardens had been covered with turf during the COVID-19 pandemic due to plant theft, destruction, and staffing shortages. Through the replanting project, Butler is advancing quality of life in the broader neighborhood by keeping the Gardens free and open to the public, while also making them more accessible, sustainable, and educational than ever before.

Last summer, Marianne Glick ’73, MS ’74 and her spouse, Mike Woods, generously donated $2.5 million to the University, providing operating support and facility renovations for Founder’s College. Named in gratitude for the gift, the Marianne Glick and Mike Woods Founder’s College Commons offers a welcoming space designed to provide holistic support for Founder’s College students. Located at the intersection of 42nd Street and Haughey Avenue, alongside Butler’s College of Education, the facility integrates resources such as financial aid and career services under one roof. Construction on the space began last summer and will be completed over the winter months. The design reflects the College’s family culture approach. Following a ribbon-cutting ceremony this spring, Founder’s College faculty and staff will move into the space and prepare to welcome the inaugural class of students this fall. Founder’s College aims to offer equitable opportunities for academic success and an affordable high-quality education to students with high ability and low wealth.

Marianne Glick and Mike Woods Founder’s College Commons

Opening in fall 2025

Watch a video about the plans for Holcomb Gardens.

Jay and Christie Kile Love University House

Opening at end of 2025

In 2022, Butler received a $4 million gift from Trustee Jay Love ’76 and spouse Christie (Kile) Love ’79 to fund the construction of a new University House and Presidential Residence, which will be named the Jay and Christie Kile Love University House. Construction on the house began last summer and is expected to be complete by the end of 2025. The residence, located at the corner of Sunset Avenue and Blue Ridge Road, will serve as both a home for future Butler presidents and a prominent, inviting venue for hosting fundraising and other community events.

Safety and Transit Hub

To learn more or view renderings of other potential future projects, visit butler.edu/gateway.

Located on Butler’s campus, the Hub will service pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicular traffic. This facility will expand parking options on campus and provide a new, expanded headquarters for the Butler University Police Department (BUPD). Final project details are still being determined.

the deal real real

Ten years of paw deliveries.

For over a decade, Butler University has brought admission excitement to a new level by surprising prospective students with their admission in the most memorable way possible— with a visit from the beloved live mascot, Butler Blue. Each year, Butler Blue travels across the country to personally deliver the exciting news to students who have been admitted.

In total, 519 students across states including Indiana, Illinois, Georgia, Tennessee, Michigan, and Wisconsin have experienced the thrill of Butler Blue showing up at their front door, acceptance letter in paw, to let them know they’ve officially been welcomed into the Butler family.

“These visits are so much more than just delivering an admission decision,” says Evan Krauss, Assistant Director of Digital Content Strategy and Live Mascot Handler. “It’s all about creating a memorable experience that shows students the type of community and support that they’ll receive at Butler. When they see Blue and me on their doorstep, they feel that connection. We’re bringing Butler to them. It often helps students realize that Butler is truly the place they want to be.”

With no plans to stop anytime soon, Butler Blue looks forward to visiting even more students in the years to come, welcoming them to the Butler family in the most unique way they could imagine.

Past recipients reminisce about their visits from Blue.

“We’re bringing Butler to them. It often helps students realize that Butler is truly the place they want to be.”

Indiana top scholars choose Butler

Butler’s fall 2024 class includes 42 recipients of the prestigious Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship, bringing the total number of Lilly Scholars enrolled at Butler to 118—more than any other college or university in the state.

Lilly Scholars receive full-tuition scholarships, including required fees and a book stipend, to attend the accredited Indiana public or private four-year college or university of their choice.

“There are several excellent colleges and universities in Indiana that students can choose to attend, so it’s quite an honor that more Lilly Scholars—who represent the cream of the crop of the state’s graduating seniors—have chosen to attend Butler University over any other school,” Butler University President James Danko says. “I think their choice speaks to Butler’s academic reputation and the success achieved by our graduates. I also suspect that our Indianapolis location, which provides direct access to the state’s top employers for internships and jobs, likely attracted many of these bright young minds to Butler.”

The most popular majors in this cohort of Butler Lilly Scholars are Accounting, Middle/Secondary Education, Biochemistry, Health Sciences, and Exploratory Studies.

One-third are first generation college students and 24 percent are students of color. Their average high school GPA was 4.28.

THE RIGHT CHOICE

Junior Lilly Scholar Michael Hannon reflects on his experience at Butler.

As a Lilly Scholar, what made you pick Butler University?

I was looking into a lot of schools across the Midwest during my senior year of high school, and a lot of different schools stood out to me for different reasons. However, Butler was the only one that truly felt like the right fit. From my first tour here, I instantly loved the campus and all the opportunities that would come with being a student here. I really like the small school feel that Butler has while also having every opportunity that a big school would offer, especially with us being so close to downtown Indianapolis.

Also, since Butler is a smaller school, there is much more emphasis on the community aspect which I have always loved. Across all aspects of campus, it is easy to find people to connect with and to find your support system. Have you taken part in any internships or research opportunities?

This past summer, I interned under the Global Center for Species Survival (GCSS) at the Indianapolis Zoo. For this internship, I worked with their Freshwater Species Coordinator Monni Böhm who was a great mentor. We worked on a project to map and catalog freshwater species across the globe by their endangered status so that environmental organizations in those areas could create conservation plans for these species. I was also able to visit a few local projects the GCSS is working on in our own backyard to bring conservation here to Indianapolis.

I have also been able to travel abroad in my time here at Butler. Over this past winter break, I spent some time in Chile for a chemistry course looking at how the environment has been affected by mining operations and human activity throughout the country, as well as taking a closer look at the cultural aspects of the nation.

Which faculty member has inspired you the most and why?

For my First-Year Seminar course, I had Dr. Darryl Pebbles for the Modern American Memoir course. All year, we had great discussions in class, and he was always happy to chat with us about anything going on. Even though I am no longer in that course, he still makes a point to stop and talk to me when I see him around campus and is always so sincere. I think that just reflects our professors as a whole; they are always great resources and truly show they care about their students.

LIVING, LEARNING, and SHAKESPEARE

By Rachel Stotts

“The Newberry’s rich collection on indigeneity was particularly illuminating,” she says.

Upon completing her PhD at The Ohio State University (OSU), Dr. Mira ‘Assaf stayed in Columbus, Ohio to serve as Senior Lecturer at OSU and start a family. But when Dr. Ania Spyra, Professor of English at Butler, called to see if ‘Assaf would be interested in a Shakespeare position, ‘Assaf felt it was “the right place and the right time.”

Butler’s commitment to liberal arts and smaller, more intimate classrooms offered an environment where ‘Assaf could teach Shakespeare and early modern literature in a way that aligned with how her academic focus had evolved during and since graduate school. She also holds a 50 percent appointment in the Race, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program.

She was most excited that Butler “was looking for someone who doesn’t teach Shakespeare as the ‘glorious dead white man’ we’ve inherited,” she says. “They would appreciate my framework of pre-modern critical race studies.”

While still in graduate school, ‘Assaf began enrolling in workshops and attending seminars and conferences focused on Shakespeare, race, and racism, many of which were located at or funded by the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC.

So, when she was awarded a prestigious Folger Shakespeare Library Long-Term Fellowship for the 2023–2024 academic year, she describes it as “winning the lottery.”

Through her fellowship, ‘Assaf accessed rare texts, consulted with experts, and worked on her book, Royal Marriage, Foreign Queens, and Constructions of Race in Early Modern England, which is under contract with the Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies Press and due to be published in 2026.

The renovation project the Library was undergoing at the time had a silver lining: The Newberry Library in Chicago granted ‘Assaf visiting scholar privileges, allowing her access to their archive of rare books, maps, and manuscripts.

Sigma Gamma Rho Founders’ Plaza

The fellowship also signals to ‘Assaf a new direction to include academics who work in teaching universities, people whose voices are central to the study of Shakespeare and premodern culture.

She was eager to return to Butler to share what she had been studying with her students, who she describes as engaged, prepared, curious, and mindful of their educational trajectory.

“There is a sense of deep, deep conviction in the importance of the field and importance of the skills that an English degree brings to any workplace,” says ‘Assaf.

Her work extends beyond the classroom in a unique way. As a faculty-in-residence (FIR) living in Residential College (ResCo), she has created a space where students, especially students of color, can see themselves reflected in academic and leadership roles.

“It helps very much because this is the generation I’m teaching,” she says. “The more I know about them, their worldviews, the way they speak, the better. It very much completes me intellectually and interpersonally, to be seen as a caregiver and an academic.”

Food plays a special role in ‘Assaf’s approach to community building. Many of the events she hosts for her wing at ResCo are either directly or indirectly related to food. She grew up in Lebanon during the tail end of the civil war, an experience that instilled in her a deep empathy for students facing financial pressures. She even keeps a snack stand outside her apartment, an idea borrowed from her fellow FIR, Alexander Carter.

“I also love playing host to parents,” says ‘Assaf. “They just want to know their kids are okay and that someone is caring for them.”

Capitol session

By Elle Rotter ’27

As a part of Butler’s Domestic Study Away program, junior Political Science major Brady Stinson spent the fall semester in Washington, DC, interning for Congressman André Carson and the constituents of Indiana’s 7th Congressional District. For this Washington, DC Learning Semester, Stinson was tasked with answering phone calls, compiling press clips, corresponding with other constituents, and staying up-to-date with current events and legislativerelated research.

While on its face that might sound relatively straightforward, “It’s constantly evolving,” says Stinson. “Every single day is different. You never know what’s going to happen. Our Legislative Director likes to characterize it as ‘drinking water from a fire hose’; you learn so much at a constantly changing pace that it can be hard to find your footing, but once you do, you’ll likely succeed here.”

Capitol session

In addition to his everyday tasks as an intern he also learned how to be interviewed, developed additional communication and leadership skills, and got to know people at the Capitol.

“Networking is a huge thing on Capitol Hill,” Stinson says.

“Butler alumni are always willing to help and just chat. They all want what’s best for our tight-knit community and for everybody to succeed and flourish. It’s always great meeting up with Butler alumni because we all come from the same place, and there’s no better place than Butler.”

For Stinson, the program application and the housing process was seamless. However, when it comes to finding an internship, the program puts that responsibility on the student to apply and experience on their own. Stinson was able to use prior connections from when he worked on Carson’s campaign to get his internship with the Congressman. “I was very fortunate to use my connections that I had built with the campaign and individuals that I had met previously. They’ve always been my biggest supporters.”

“The internship applications are pretty rigorous,” Stinson says. “A lot of people want to be here, and it is hyper competitive, so

being able to get into it was certainly a privilege that I never took for granted. Just being able to walk past the Capitol every single day was never lost on me.”

Senior History and Political Science major Lauren Stubbs spent spring 2024 interning in the White House for the Domestic Policy Council where they did research, drafted talking points for the Director, communicated with other offices, and worked on projects. Their favorite part of the internship was seeing policies enacted from start to finish, and work on issues they had been involved with since the beginning of college.

Stubbs applied to Butler’s Domestic Study Away program with the hope of getting an internship in Washington, DC.

After getting into the program, Stubbs says Butler took a hands-off approach in helping them obtain the internship. While this was stressful for Stubbs at times, they said it was also helpful because it forced them to experience the reality of searching for a job and facing rejection.

“It can be a lot initially,” Stubbs says. “You have to find an internship in a different state. But it also helps because it’s taking a risk on yourself or betting on yourself. I would just caution that you really have to commit to this. The biggest thing is to stay consistent and apply to things. You have to be hopeful that there will be something better and more fitting around the corner. Even if it doesn’t happen, you might have learned something along the way.”

In the future, Stubbs hopes to go to law school with the goal of working in advocacy law for marginalized people. “I don’t want to work in federal government, but I still want to continue helping people—especially those who are underserved, underprivileged, or marginalized. That’s what I took from the experience.”

Brady Stinson ’26

Lauren Stubbs ’25

CATALYST for a CAREER

By Victoria Ochs

As a scientist at Eli Lilly and Company in Indianapolis, Paola

Ariza-Storch ’23 inspects injectable pharmaceuticals before they make their way to shelves and pharmacies. She feels she’s helping people in her role in medicine as she uses the skills she learned in Butler’s Biochemistry program each day.

Ariza-Storch credits the many opportunities she received at Butler for paving her path to Eli Lilly. During her time at Butler, she did undergraduate research with Chemistry and Biochemistry Professor Todd Hopkins, an experience that helped her secure research grants, internships, and other hands-on experiences.

“I think every science student at Butler should do research at least once, because in class, you gain a good foundation of the chemical principles, but that looks different in real life and application like anything else,” Ariza-Storch says. “Having the opportunity to do research allows you to apply the knowledge you’ve developed in school and in your courses to take you to that next step to get jobs and understand where in the sciences you’d like to go.”

With Hopkins, she studied the luminescence of various solvents and whether the solutions would dissolve or emit light. They worked on developing sustainable emissive layers for producing brighter organic light emitting displays (OLEDs).

Even though Ariza-Storch would typically gravitate toward work involving the chemistry of the human body, the experience was still incredibly valuable and she counted herself lucky to work alongside Hopkins.

“Dr. Hopkins really prioritizes his students,” Ariza-Storch says. “He prioritizes both doing the research and making sure your name is on it so you’re able to use it for other opportunities. Before I graduated from Butler, I had four publications with my name on them. That’s huge.”

With his help and mentorship, Ariza-Storch went to University of Michigan for the Frankel Cardiovascular Center Innovation program her sophomore year, then the following year secured her internship at Eli Lilly. She also traveled to San Diego for the American Chemical Society conference to present Hopkins’ research, and again in Puerto Rico for a conference for minority students in STEM.

Whenever she was unsure if external funding would come through for her to attend, Hopkins always offered his support, reassuring her they’d find a way to make it happen.

“Having that encouragement and having someone believe in you was so valuable to me,” she says.

Hopkins said getting to know students like Paola is one of the greatest joys of his role. When it comes to undergraduate research, he especially loves seeing the moment students realize they’ve made a brand-new discovery.

ALUMNI PROFILES

Thank you to our credit union partner, Elements Financial, for their support.

“It is really important institutionally that we provide these experiences to our students,” Hopkins says. “I also think it is an important part of the job as science faculty to help train our future STEM workforce, and undergraduate research is maybe the best way to further that training… to provide a platform where students can thrive, create knowledge, and gain confidence.”

Hopkins shared that Butler often offers support for student research beyond course credit, with Butler Summer Institute (BSI) being one of the most significant avenues. He said Paola’s experience as a STEM student was unique because she had space to pursue another one of her interests—the arts—through BSI despite her rigorous degree curriculum.

“My art is very science inspired, so it really felt like a whole closing of the loop for me,” Ariza-Storch said. “My artwork was created to promote diversity in STEM, and those works should now be in Dugan Hall because Butler bought them from me. Being able to be well-rounded is what I liked about Butler—with a little bit of initiative from your part, Butler has a supportive community to allow you to do a lot.”

The opportunities she enjoyed at Butler also helped nurture her path to living out her vision of leadership.

“I was President of the Latinx Student Union at one point, I was RA for three years, and I worked as a tour guide for Admissions all four years,” Ariza-Storch says. “I also worked with a lot of diversity efforts, so one of my passions in addition to science is helping the underserved.”

Ariza-Storch looks forward to her future in medical school, where she plans to combine her love for biology and medicine with her call to advocacy. She is considering a specialization in geriatrics, and her dream is to see more Hispanic and Spanish-speaking providers in medicine.

A STELLAR OPPORTUNITY

By Katie Palmer Wharton ’14

When Caroline Erickson, a junior majoring in Astronomy & Astrophysics and Physics, began her undergraduate journey, she never imagined she would spend a summer immersed in cuttingedge astrophysical research at the University of Southampton in England. Thanks to the Seitz Award, an opportunity designed to support Butler natural science students in conducting research abroad, Erickson did just that—and so much more.

“I was looking for smaller awards when applying to schools, and the Seitz Award became a goal I wanted to achieve during my time at Butler,” Erickson says. “It’s been a phenomenal opportunity. I learned how to conduct research, read academic papers, and perform data analysis that I had never done before. Plus, I got to attend lectures by world-renowned astrophysicists.”

The Seitz Award, funded by the Katrina Roch Seitz Science Education Endowed Fund, provides Butler students majoring in natural sciences with the unique opportunity to extend their education beyond the classroom through research, seminars, and immersive cultural experiences abroad. Established by Butler alumna Dr. Katrina Roch Seitz ’79 and her husband, Dr. David Seitz, the award honors Seitz’s passion for science education and her distinguished career in medicine. Since its inception, the Seitz Award has supported dozens of Butler students’ research in destinations around the world—from South Africa and Spain to Japan and China.

“This is one of our best-kept secrets,” Travis Ryan, Associate Provost and Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, says. “These opportunities are really significant—not only academically, but for shaping students’ careers. You’re just not going to find this type of opportunity at a lot of other institutions. It’s pretty powerful because it covers nearly all costs, allowing students to fully immerse themselves in these summer-long research experiences with little to no out-of-pocket expenses.”

For Erickson, her eight-week research stint in Southampton was transformative. Her project involved analyzing the emission spectrum of iron fluorescence lines using the latest x-ray data from the XRISM satellite. Through this work, she gained critical research skills and collaborated closely with a faculty advisor who helped guide her learning experience.

“It was a great entry-level position for research,” she explains. “I didn’t have any prior experience, but my professors adjusted to my level and supported me throughout the project.”

Beyond the lab, Erickson found herself growing in ways she hadn’t anticipated. Having never been to Europe before, she made the most of her time abroad by traveling to six new countries, including Scotland, Germany, and Italy. “Aside from the research, the program gave me great life experience. I learned how to live on my own, made friends both inside and outside the program, and stepped out of my comfort zone,” she shares.

The experience not only enriched her academic and personal life but also opened new doors for her future. “I’ve made great connections, including one with another undergraduate who is presenting her project at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Now, I’ll be presenting my research at one of the largest astronomy conferences,” Erickson adds.

Ryan highlights that this opportunity doesn’t just stop at academics. “Aside from the science, the funds also help cover meaningful social experiences, like cultural expeditions. In one case, students in Belize were able to visit Mayan ruins as part of their coursework—experiences that help shape their worldview,” he explains.

It’s a

By Cindy Dashnaw Jackson

Whether they accompany students on trips or adjust class schedules to accommodate them, faculty members are the key to Butler University’s study abroad programs’ rapid growth and popularity.

“Students value University faculty and seek their advice, and faculty actively make sure students know about study abroad opportunities,” says Jill McKinney, Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs and Director of Global Engagement.

“Faculty have also made a real effort over the last five years to lessen students’ concern about class schedule disruptions.”

McKinney oversees the University’s more than 300 study abroad programs in over 50 countries. The most recent U.S. News & World Report ranked Butler in the top 25 universities nationwide for opportunities. Study abroad options are now part of every college on Butler’s campus. Forty percent of Butler students study abroad prior to graduation, compared to less than six percent of graduating students across the country (Open Doors 2023 Report). “Butler’s faculty-led study abroad courses have grown nearly sevenfold over the past 10 years, and we now have the secondmost students participating in facultyled study abroad courses in the country,” McKinney says.

Professors Marleen McCormick Pritchard and Stephanie Fernhaber tour Lisbon, Portugal with 19 undergraduate students.

These trips comprise a group of Butler students accompanied by one or two faculty members, like Marleen McCormick Pritchard, PhD, Associate Professor of International Business and Strategy in the Lacy School of Business. In 2024, she successfully led her first group of students to Lisbon, Portugal, tying the trip to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

“The shared engagement builds a strong connection between Butler’s faculty and students. They all become friends,” Pritchard says. “I still talk to the students from the Portugal trip all the time. It’s a very bonding and rewarding experience. And faculty support each other—I just had another professor tell me she announced my 2025 program in her class.”

Study abroad veteran and International Business major Alessa Rodriguez ’26 has studied in London and Portugal and plans to do so in Singapore.

I’ve looked into many other study abroad programs, and Butler offers so much more. Everyone in the Center for Global Education and all the faculty who lead the programs are happy to meet and talk with you, and every single faculty member has been so much fun on trips,” Rodriguez says.

Studying abroad is nearly always described as a life-changing experience—“transformative” was Rodriguez’s one-word description.

“I’m a different person every time I come back. Sure, there’s some nerves at first because it’s such a new experience, but you find your groove. It’s meant to help you grow, and it does. It changes your worldview,” she says.

McKinney stressed that the trips are not vacations. Excursions are part of the immersive experience.

“Study abroad is absolutely hinged on the ‘study’ part, but it’s also what we call a classroom outside of the classroom,” she

says. “Students are always learning, whether it’s in their courses, on excursions, trying to navigate to places on their own, and particularly interacting with the people from the host country.”

McKinney, Pritchard, and Rodriguez agree that study abroad pushes students out of their comfort zones and that Butler students rise to the challenge.

“The best thing I’ve seen in Butler students who return from studying abroad—and I’ve seen it more than anything else—is the increased trust they have in their own capacity to deal with whatever life throws at them,” McKinney says. “The confidence they gain in going abroad is remarkable, and that’s the most transferable skill students can get from any college experience.”

Self-reliance and attitude can be hard to communicate on a resumé, so McKinney’s staff helps students create narratives for job interviews that reflect the soft skills they developed abroad.

“Students are likely to be up against lots of other job candidates. I want them to have a memorable story to share so that when a hiring committee is making their decision, someone says, ‘Do you remember the candidate from Butler who got lost in Paris and had to figure out how to navigate and interact with the local population on their own? We need problem solvers like that here,’” she says.

It’s just an example of how committed Butler’s faculty is to helping students get the most out of their time at the University.

“We see a wide range of identities, backgrounds, situations, skills, and desires among Butler students who consider study abroad, and we can customize just about every step of the process,” McKinney says. “It doesn’t matter who you are, what your academic demands are, or where you want to go in life. If you think you might be interested in studying abroad, don’t hesitate to talk to us. Getting you into a study abroad program and ensuring you get the most out of it is the ethos of my office.”

Alessa Rodriguez ’26 at the Palace of the Marquises of Fronteira in Lisbon, Portugal.

Dr. Pedro Mateus das Neves, expert of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, guides a study abroad group through key sites in Portugal.

VIBES VIBESAutumn

From Orientation to Family Weekend and Homecoming to fall sports, students had no shortage of activities to keep them busy throughout first semester.

VIBES VIBESAutumn

In Our

By Victoria Ochs

Four days before Taylor Swift arrived in Indianapolis to conclude the U.S. leg of her global Eras Tour, senior Isabella Ernsberger took a behind-thescenes tour of the 70,000-seat concert venue: Lucas Oil Stadium. She and a group of classmates explored the stadium and met with Stadium Director Eric Neuburger just 12 hours before the stage was loaded in. Ernsberger posted a TikTok showcasing the experience before going to bed. She woke up the next morning to over 13,000 views.

Hundreds of comments flooded in, asking about the details of the weekend and how Ernsberger secured such a unique opportunity. In a video reply, she shared about the College of Communication course that made it all possible: COM 301 Industry Intensive Experience.

“It’s one of the coolest things I’ve been able to do at Butler,” she says. “One of Butler’s biggest priorities is experiential learning, and I think this experience is going to be top-tier.”

CCOM students experience Indy events up close.

The “pop-up” course connects students to timely attractions in Indiana’s event-centric capital for class credit, resumé-building, and volunteer opportunities. Ernsberger, an Organizational Communication and Leadership and Strategic Communication double major, said she is interested in a career in public relations postgraduation and loved getting an inside look at large scale event preparation.

From November 1–3, students on the “Swiftie Street Team” lined the streets in pink Visit Indy hoodies to help visitors locate parking, direct fans to Taylor Swift themed merch and events, take photos, and welcome over 200,000

fans to Indianapolis. Ernsberger said that several guests recognized the pink hoodies from her TikTok, which had gained 130,000 views by that weekend, and already knew to approach the Butler students with their questions.

“Volunteering itself was one of my most rewarding experiences while at Butler,” Ernsberger says. “Making the visitor experience in our city the best it could be and joining in with them in the fun was pure magic. I will definitely remember the friendship bracelet trading, picture taking, and sing-alongs for a long time.”

The course, taught by adjunct professor and Internship Director Bob Schultz, is designed to be able to pivot quickly to align with major events. As Senior Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Events for Downtown Indy, Inc., a nonprofit organization focused on improving Downtown Indianapolis, he’s seen firsthand how the Crossroads of America collaborates across industries to provide exceptional guest experiences.

“Once the class or volunteer experience is over, we unpack it, reverse engineer it, and talk about what all goes into putting on large-scale events,” Schultz says. “You have this

great academic curriculum that makes a Butler degree so valuable in the marketplace, and layer into that hands-on experiences and resumé -building experiences before they step away with their degree, and now they can start seeing the world beyond the rhetorical. They’re not only going downtown and enjoying themselves; they’re providing a true civic volunteer role and meeting professionals.”

In addition to its most recent focus on the weekend of Taylor Swift concerts, the course has previously centered around the NBA All Star Games and Olympic Swim Trials. Both events brought buzz and tourism to Indianapolis and students were thrilled to be in on the action.

Junior Journalism major and Strategic Communication minor April Kirts enrolled for the Swiftie Street Team because she enjoyed learning under Schultz during the NBA All Star weekend. “One thing that I really appreciated from the All Star weekend class was how we had the opportunity to meet so many different professionals from Indiana Sports Corp and Downtown Indy,” Kirts says. “I liked how each of the classes connected us with organizations that work directly with the City of Indianapolis and would be incredible places to work after graduation.”

Schultz credited Butler’s culture of innovation, community building, and experiential learning for making COM 301 possible. He’s grateful for leaders like College of Communication Dean Joe Valenzano and Provost Brooke Barnett for their support in creating a course that can move nimbly from semester to semester.

“Only at a university like Butler can we develop a class that can be offered on a quick turnaround for students and that provides them real experience in the field that also benefits the community,” Valenzano says. “It is exciting to see students have the opportunity to gain credit for meaningful work that advances their career goals, while also showcasing the great City of Indianapolis and the industries our students enter when they graduate.”

Among the many things Jamie (Pierce) Fahrner ’05 appreciates about her Butler education is being encouraged to take risks—even when they might feel uncomfortable.

By Marc Allan MFA ’18

That lesson is coming in handy these days as she and her husband, Dan, try to build their company, Hi & Mighty, a fully operational distillery that produces gin and canned cocktails.

Just a few miles from Butler’s campus, inside the Southwest Pavilion at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, they’re making adult beverages with names like Lemon Shakeup, Spiced Apple Sidekick, and Cool Blue. The last of those—a Butler-inspired cocktail that blends vodka with blueberry and lemon flavors —is now sold at Hinkle Fieldhouse and Clowes Memorial Hall events as well as at liquor stores across Indianapolis.

“It feels remarkable to be selling Cool Blue at Butler,” Fahrner says. “I have distinct memories of waiting for my brother after his football games, cheering on the Bulldogs during my college career, and taking my kiddos to games at Hinkle and shows at Clowes. It’s such a special place and I feel so proud to be sharing our locally made cocktails in places so historic and celebratory. It’s a partnership that is rooted in so much joy and nostalgia for me.”

Fahrner’s connection to Butler goes back years before she was a student. She grew up in Crown Point, Indiana, and traveled to Butler frequently with her parents to watch her older brother Jesse play football for the Bulldogs.

“I loved the campus,” she says. “I thought it was so beautiful. It felt far enough away from home that I could go and do my thing but also still go home on weekends if I wanted to.”

At her Commencement, Fahrner—then a high school junior—was so moved by the faculty speaker, former College of Education (COE) Dean Ena Shelley, that she wrote the Dean a letter of appreciation.

“That was such a surprise that she was actually listening to my speech,” Shelley says with a smile. “When she enrolled at Butler she reminded me of the letter. Who knew that one day I would be fortunate enough to be her Dean and that she would be a graduate of our beloved COE.”

ALUMNI PROFILES

Thank you to our credit union partner, Elements Financial, for their support.

Fahrner initially planned to major in Public Relations, but then she had a pivotal meeting with Education Professor Arthur Hochman.

“I sat with him in his office and I was like, ‘I think I want to be a teacher.’ And he’s like, ‘I think you want to be a teacher’ in the way that he talks.”

She became an Education major. After graduation, she taught second grade for three years at a charter school in the Fountain Square neighborhood, then became an outreach coordinator, a kind of community liaison connecting kids and families to local resources.

And then…she and Dan had four children in four years: Calvin, Royal, and twins Art and Gus. For the next 10 years, she was a stay-at-home mom.

In 2019, during an anniversary trip to Maine, she and Dan were trying to figure out how they could work together.

“After a lot of exploration,” she says, “we landed on a distillery that really focuses on not just the big celebrations—the graduations, the jobs, the whatever—but the little celebrations in life.”

They didn’t know how to open and operate a distillery, but their friend Nick Traeger had some of the requisite knowledge. He joined as a partner, and the three of them went to a place in Louisville called Moonshine University to learn what they needed to know. They named the business Hi & Mighty, with “hi” signifying the friendliness of the brand and “mighty” for the deliciousness of the drink, and in 2022 released their first products.

Dan handles marketing and partnerships, Traeger does the production, and Jamie does a little of everything—working the canning line, running events and tastings, securing permits, handling regulations, and government reporting. So far, they’ve distributed about 16,000 cases of their products, which are now distributed in Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin.

It’s a far cry from teaching elementary school, but Fahrner said what she learned in the College of Education remains applicable.

“If you walk into a classroom and you’ve got 24 kids, they all have different needs, right?” she said. “You have to be able to respond on a dime to anything. And that is so similar to what it’s like owning a startup business, because you think that things are going to go a certain way and then challenges are thrown your way. And so, responding with kindness and generosity and with intention, using those soft skills to grow a business, feels really transferrable.”

ALL BUSINESS

By Kobe Mosley ’23

“It was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” Abby Isger ’23 says.

Due to a redshirt year on the soccer team and the extra year of eligibility awarded to student-athletes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Isger had the option to use two more years to further her education by earning her MBA and continuing to play soccer at Butler.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Isger hopes to accomplish her goals of playing soccer professionally and using her Entrepreneurship and Innovation and MBA degrees to start her own business with her sister, Anna.

Since she began playing at the age of four, soccer has been a huge part of Isger’s life, with success following her wherever she goes. At Butler, some of her accolades include BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year, All-BIG EAST First Team, and a selection to the BIG EAST Championship All-Tournament Team. During the offseason, Isger has also played for the local United Soccer League women’s team, the Indy Eleven. In two seasons, she’s helped the Eleven win two division titles and a league championship.

Above all the plaques and trophies, what Isger has enjoyed the most is seeing her hard work pay off and playing with her teammates.

“I got to play with a lot of my closest friends throughout my whole time here…so that has been really fun,” Isger says.

When her collegiate career is over, Isger hopes to travel and continue playing soccer at the next level—overseas.

“If I could pick a place, I’d definitely choose somewhere in Europe, like Spain or Italy,” Isger says. “I think somewhere that has a really cool culture and cities … it would be really awesome to live there and also get to play soccer.”

When she begins pursuing her marketing and entrepreneurial career, Isger plans to put what she has learned at Butler into practice. As a master’s student, some of her favorite courses include Dr. Jane Siegler’s Supply Chain and Professor Dennis Robleski’s Leadership classes. They have given her confidence and excitement for what is to come after graduation.

“I think my undergrad and my master’s program have given me a really good base, especially if I start my own business,” Isger said. “Especially in the MBA program, it’s a really good overview, so you are equipped to figure it out on your own.”

By Kobe Mosley ’23

Volleyball may be what drove Destiny Cherry ’25 to Butler, but the support systems she’s garnered along the way have kept her here.

Since stepping on campus for her first visit, Cherry knew she had found her second home. The opportunity to play the sport she loves and pursue a career in strategic communication was intriguing, but that was not all that went into her choice.

“When I finally had to make my decision, it was really clear to me that this was a community,” Cherry says. “This was a place that people loved and where they grew. So, I wanted to experience that and wanted to be a part of that.”

Through her first two years, she began building that community. Outside of her teammates on the volleyball team, Cherry formed relationships with people like Sonya Hopkins and Molly Sullivan of Butler Athletics and professors Dr. Eileen Taylor and Dr. Teigha VanHester.

DIGGING IN

“They’ve seen me grow and learn and go through things, get over those things, and then go through new things,” Cherry says. “So, I think that they’ve been a real constant for me.”

Their constant support came at a crucial time after Cherry’s sophomore year, when she began contemplating if Butler was still the best choice for her. “I was going through so many changes…and it was becoming so unbalanced,” Cherry says. “I felt like I needed to go somewhere else, and I wasn’t really sure what to do.”

After doing some soul-searching, she realized that amidst the changes around her, one thing had never changed: her love for Butler. “I have so much love for the school, for the people I’ve met here, for my professors, and the things I’ve learned,” Cherry says. “So, I think something that’s always been constant is that Butler has become a home for me, and I didn’t see myself leaving, even through all of those changes and trials.”

Realizing Butler was where she wanted to be, Cherry made it her mission to aid those around her. She started by sharing her story with the University’s Board of Trustees, wanting them to see that though student-athlete life can take its toll mentally, Butler is equipped with the right support systems. On the volleyball team, she has embraced a mentor role and strives to be a teammate who is “malleable and easy to approach and talk to.” Finally, she also serves as President of the Butler Athletics StudentAthlete Advisory Committee.

All of these roles allow Cherry to give back to the community that has taught her the importance of being there to support others.

Money Strong

By Emily Schlorf ’21

While Butler prepares students for academic success, a career mentor and professor saw an opportunity to start equipping students with an additional type of knowledge: financial literacy.

Randy Brown, Executive Career Mentor in the Andre B. Lacy School of Business, was inspired to start a personal finance program after hearing students’ concerns about paying off their student loans. Little did he know that in the same building, Dr. Bryan Foltice, Associate Professor of Finance, had the same idea.

“I’ll never forget the conversation we had,” Foltice says. “We realized we were each other’s missing piece.”

While Foltice is the personal finance expert, Brown (former Chief HR Officer of Anthem, Inc.) had a vision for how the program could be organized and executed. And after many more conversations, the Money Strong approach was born.

The program kicked off in the 2024 fall semester with four components: Money Talks, a “Managing Student Loans” webinar, the student-run Personal Finance Club, and one-onone guidance when needed.

Money Talks took place on September 16, October 7, and November 7, and featured high-level discussions about budgeting and investing.

In addition to the finance tips, students in attendance also earned a Butler Cultural Requirement (of which they need eight to graduate) for each of the sessions.

“We’re both very grateful for the support we got from the Provost’s Office, who approved this for BCR credit,” Brown says. “We know that was a powerful driver of getting people just to show up.”

And show up, they did.

Roughly 175 students attended each of the Money Talks sessions, filling up the just-over-200-seat room in Jordan Hall. And around half of the students in attendance came from colleges other than the Lacy School of Business.

“Probably the best testament to whether or not it was useful is that 45 percent of the people who came to session one came back for another session,” Brown says.

In addition, 85 percent of surveyed students found the content “very useful.”

The second component of Money Strong was a live, large group session in the Atherton Union Reilly Room tailored to the 60 percent of students who have taken out student loans.

Led by Geoff Beck ’18, Certified Financial Planner, the session also included a Q&A session with two recent grads, both of whom have had success managing loan payoff post-graduation. Butler’s Student Government Association (SGA) promoted the event.

Money Strong’s third component, the Personal Finance Club, also launched in fall semester 2024. The club provides students with financial literacy resources and peer support and has already gained more than 100 members.

The final component is personalized support from volunteer professional financial advisors, some of whom are alumni.

“We put a flag out during the Money Talks, saying, ‘Look, if you go through this exercise, and you start feeling overwhelmed, this is your cue to reach out to our support system,’” Foltice says. “And that’s what we’ve built with financial advisors. We have people who are there to tackle this hard situation, to make sure that everyone knows they’re not doing it alone.”

To the program’s founders, this is just the beginning.

Moving forward, Brown and Foltice plan for the program to give the Personal Finance Club more of the spotlight.

“It’s amazing, the quality of the students we have around us, and we want to now let them run with things in the spring semester and support them,” Brown says. “They’ve supported us this semester and now we want to flip and let them be the lead dogs and we’ll support them.”

Another goal they have is to share their resources with alumni.

“There is a long game here,” Brown says. “We’re really pleased that the launch has been so well-attended and received by students. Over time, we hope we can go deeper with these topics.”

NO TESTS. NO GRADES. SUMMER SPARK WEEK at BUTLER: JUST THE JOY OF LEARNING.

Butler’s Lifelong Learning Collaborative hosted its inaugural Summer Spark Week in June, an on-campus educational opportunity designed for adult learners.

Participants selected from a menu of classes, hands-on activities, and behind-the-scenes experiences to build a custom itinerary of sessions led by Butler faculty, staff, and expert guest speakers. From working professionals to residents of senior living communities, Summer Spark Week catered to a wide range of audiences and interests. Topics for the social, interactive classes spanned from music and art to science and technology and more.

Participant Patsy See had just decided against pursuing an advanced education in her 70s when she enrolled in Summer Spark Week. While the long-term demands of a degree program didn’t appeal to her, she was still seeking a fun, social, and intellectually challenging environment.

“The way in which this series was organized, formatted, and executed was just right for me,” she says. “There was an atmosphere of scholarship without any stuffiness or pressure. It was great to be back in the classroom, if only for a few days, and I enjoyed being around people who love to learn as much as I do.”

The Butler Lifelong Learning Collaborative provides inquisitive adults with a learning environment that exists outside of degree programs, professional development, and job certifications. It was developed as an additional educational model to support the natural human motivation to learn, engage, and grow—at any age.

As an extension of their programming, the Summer Spark Week experience will be an annual celebration of curiosity with the added benefit of a dynamic campus environment, catered meals and snacks, optional wellness activities, social events, and more.

Hear more from 2024

2025 Summer Spark Week

Choose from 40+ sessions, including:

• Blood, Clues, and Breakthroughs: Famous Cases that Forwarded the Field of Forensics

• Mocktail Mixology

• Hoops and Hinkle Magic: The History and Future of Hinkle Fieldhouse

• Mind Games: Nutrition’s Role in Brain Health

• Quick and Easy Heart Healthy Dinners

Summer Spark Week returns June 2–5, 2025. Learn more and register for specific days.

IGNITE YOUR CURIOSITY

Summer Spark Week participants.

Briefs

Butler science launches into space…again

On November 4, 2024, the second Butler University crystal experiment went to the International Space Station aboard SpaceX 31. This launch continues experiments to produce larger and more perfect crystals of pharmaceutical compounds between students in Dr. Anne Wilson’s laboratory and Redwire Space Technologies, Inc. Clara Zuniga ’25 and Lilli Miller ’26 were present at the night launch, sending their research into low earth orbit. Zuniga and Miller agreed that “it was the most astonishing experience” that they have ever had and they were grateful for the opportunity to witness the launch.

MFA alumni shine in print

Kaveh Akbar MFA ’15 was a 2024 National Book Award finalist in fiction for his debut novel Martyr! Akbar’s poems appear in The New Yorker, the New York Times, The Paris Review, The Best American Poetry, and elsewhere. He is the author of two poetry collections: Pilgrim Bell and Calling a Wolf a Wolf, in addition to a chapbook, Portrait of the Alcoholic

Suzette Hackney MFA ’21 won a national Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in Writing, in the Large Digital Organization category, for her work at USA Today. Her winning article is entitled, “You might think America’s gun problem isn’t fixable. You never met Jose Quezada.”

McCaffery family makes Hinkle home

Connor McCaffery, former Basketball Development Coordinator for the Indiana Pacers, joined Butler’s Men’s Basketball as an Assistant Coach in September 2024. Connor played at the University of Iowa under his father, Fran McCaffery. He also played alongside his brother, Patrick, who is suiting up for the Bulldogs this season as a graduate transfer. Their younger brother, Jack McCaffery, has also announced his commitment to Butler for the 2025–2026 season.

Swifties in Indy

The Butler Marketing and Communications division executed an initiative to raise awareness of Butler and to keep the University visible during Indianapolis’s biggest event of 2024. As Taylor Swift fans converged on Indianapolis in November for her Eras Tour, Butler social media campaigns and billboards surrounding Lucas Oil Stadium were front and center garnering over 600,000 impressions.

Thrift store “pops up” in Dugan Hall

In its pilot year, the student-led thrift store pop up, Blue’s Closet, had its grand opening in September 2024. The store gives the Butler community the opportunity to shop sustainably and affordably while providing individuals with the chance to donate used clothing. The business also encourages collaboration among student interns and mentorship with Butler’s Office of Sustainability and Lacy School of Business, as it provides leadership and experiential learning options. Blue’s Closet will have various clothing collection drives and pop-up shop events in Dugan Hall throughout the year.

Bulldog makes Speedway podium

Al Morey IV, a first-year Exploratory Studies major, dreamed of becoming a race car driver since childhood. At age nine, he raced indoor go-karts and won his first championship when he was 14. He began outdoor karting after he was picked up by Jay Howard Driver Development. He also participated in the USF2000 Championship and finished 11th out of 33 drivers as a rookie. For the 2024 season, Morey raced in The North American Lamborghini Super Trofeo Series for Topp Racing and earned back-to-back podium finishes in the racing capital of Indianapolis.

New programs set to launch in 2025

Through the Lacy School of Business, Butler will launch new undergraduate and graduate programs in Supply Chain in 2025 to meet the growing demand for one of Indiana’s most crucial industries. The new degree pairs data analytics with supply chain management. Students will participate in numerous business courses that focus on the way supply chain topics are connected to finance, marketing, accounting, and more.

The bachelor’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences pairs the science of drug discovery, development, and delivery with new frontiers in data science, AI, and informatics. Students will be exposed to the latest advances in pharmaceutical sciences, AI, cheminformatics, bioinformatics, pharmaceutics, and regulatory science through a curriculum that merges chemistry, biology, pharmacology, and informatics.

Butler offers a wide range of exciting summer programming for kids of all age levels. Two new camp offerings will engage the curiosity of budding chefs, architects, gamers, and more.

Butler Discovery Camps, for students entering 1st-7th grade, will allow campers to explore their interests on Butler’s campus and dive into captivating topics and activities. With a variety of themes spread over five weeks this summer, young chefs, artists, farmers, architects, astronauts, and more will find their ideal camp adventure.

BUTLER ESPORTS CAMP Briefs

Butler Esports Camp, geared toward students ages 12–18, will be held at Butler’s state-of-the-art Esports Park. Campers of all skill levels will join teams, participate in tournaments, and sharpen their skills in a fun, supportive environment. While mastering strategy and competition, campers will also gain insight into both the collegiate and global Esports community.

For more information about these and all of Butler’s camp offerings, visit butler.edu/camps.

CLASS ACTS

the ’60s

Stephen L. Hardin ’69 proudly marked 51 years serving as a family physician in Martinsville, Indiana on July 1, 2024.

the ’80s

Faith Maddy ’80 was honored with a Resolution from the Board of Aldermen of the City of St. Louis, recognizing her professional contributions to the nonprofit community during her career.

Elizabeth J. Scharman ’86, now an Emeritus Professor, was a tenured Professor with the West Virginia University Department of Clinical Pharmacy until her retirement on July 1, 2024, after 32 years of service as a faculty member and Executive and Clinical Director of the WV Poison Center. In June 2024, she received the Distinguished Mountaineer Award, the highest honor the Governor can award to a non-native West Virginian.

the ’90s

Kathryn (Stevens) Jessup ’93 was appointed Superintendent of Schools of the Brownsburg Community School Corporation (BCSC) in July 2024. She was previously the Assistant Superintendent and has been with BCSC for 30 years as a teacher, building-level administrator, and central office administrator.

Michele McConnell ’93 joined the Butler University Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Chris Mohammed ’93, Education Director of Boys & Girls Club of Evansville, completed the Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership program from Oakland City University.

Sharel Welch ’93 was named Senior Communication Strategist for Purdue University in Indianapolis in December

2023. She earned a Master of Arts in Public Relations in May 2024 from Indiana University Indianapolis.

Bryan Brenner ’95 was featured in Indiana 250 Finance & Business Services for the third time.

Renee K. Nicholson ’95 has been named Series Editor of Connective Tissue, books about health humanities, narrative medicine, and art and medicine at West Virginia University Press (wvupressonline.com/series/connective_ tissue). Her second collection of poems and fifth book, Postscripts, was published in August 2024 by Wild Ink Press.

Stacey Anderson Jones ’96 PharmD has accepted the role of Director of Pharmacy at Vanderbilt Health for Wilson County in Tennessee.

Bonny (Sullivan) Rouleau-McCabe ’99 was promoted to Executive Director of Safety Data Sciences at Eli Lilly and Company.

the ’00s

Kellie Beumer ’00 recently accepted the role of Director of Education for the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy.

Jill Mackey Carrel ’00 accepted the role of Executive Director of Pi Beta Phi Foundation in February 2024.

Leslie (Bush) Siems ’00 joined the Butler University Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Erin (Ruttle) Leach ’01 graduated in May 2024 from the University of Georgia’s Louise McBee Institute of Higher Education with a PhD in Higher Education.

Whitney Bransford Goble ’03 accepted the role of Upper School Principal at Flagstaff Christian School in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Laura McCammack ’03 recently completed her master’s in Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She serves as the School Librarian at North Park Elementary School in Chicago, Illinois.

Catie (Brazda) Stimmel ’03 has been promoted to Vice President, Chief Controlled Substance and Patient Safety Officer for Walgreens. In this new role, she will continue to serve as the Director for The Patient Safety Research Foundation, Inc., overseeing patient safety, controlled substance compliance, and regulatory affairs and systems enablement.

Kate (Korslin) Kennedy ’04 joined the Butler University Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Irem (Cigdemoglu) Rashidfaroki ’05 joined the Butler University Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Olivia Walter ’07 was recognized as a PR News Person of the Year. The award ceremony took place in New York City in October 2023. The award showcases innovative and inspiring professionals making a quantifiable impact on their organization and the communications industry at large.

Joseph Owen ’08 joined the Butler University Alumni Association Board of Directors.

the ’10s

Joseph Longardner ’10 became an Associate Professor of Jazz Studies at the Sichuan Conservatory of Music in Chengdu, China.

Jesica (Hyndman) Bradley ’11 was a panelist at the International Leadership Association’s Global Conference in Chicago. The panel title was Reforming Policing: Female Voices, Inclusive Leadership, Performance Metrics, and Followership.

Jessica Schein ’11 accepted the role of Director of Strategic Accounts, Higher Education at Attain Partners in McLean, Virginia.

Erin Weybright ’11 received her Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Saint Francis in May of 2024 and published her 2nd children’s book, Norah Is Funny (and Turning Three)!

David Martin ’13 joined the Butler University Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Scott Nemeth ’13 was elected as a Term Member to the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, New York. He joins the Council in addition to his role as Head of Global Leadership at the McCain Institute.

Andrew Smeathers ’13, MS ’17, CGR ’21 defended his doctoral dissertation through Youngstown State University and completed his Doctor of Education in the spring of 2024.

Lindsey Van Winkle ’14 continues to work in film and television in Los Angeles, California. She recently received a promotion to Contract Manager, Business Affairs at Amazon MGM Studios.

Ashley Walter ’14 was part of the Day One Biopharmaceuticals team that was granted FDA accelerated approval of Ojemda (tovorafenib), the first and only FDA-approved treatment for patients with the most common molecular alterations in pediatric low-grade glioma, which is the most prevalent brain tumor diagnosed in children.

Courtney Considine ’16 accepted the Senior Manager of Luxury Services role at BSE Global with a focus on the Brooklyn Nets. She will be the

department head of luxury service for the organization.

Sam Lilly ’17 moved to Anchorage, Alaska in June 2020. She started her own business in December 2023 and has run the marketing and philanthropy for nonprofit Alaska Geographic since early 2021.

Natalie Kaczmarski ’18 teaches math at Chesterton High School and went viral on TikTok for a Back-to-School remix of a Drake song. At the time of press, the video had over 3.2 million likes. You can see her interview with Good Morning America digital online.

the ’20s

Aaron Blades ’20 has successfully celebrated three years in business with his Broad Ripple gym, Legacy Barbell Club.

Gabriel Diederich ’21 accepted the role of Athletic Director at Brownsburg West Middle School in Brownsburg, Indiana. Prior to this, Gabriel was a PE and Health teacher in Zionsville.

Ben Traverso ’21 recently installed Epic’s Medical Record Software with the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, helping the lives of over 10,000 patients across Ohio.

Maria De Leon ’22 was recognized as an honoree for the Indianapolis Business Journal 20 in their 20s.

Ryan Howard ’22 and Emily Schultz ’22 got engaged on campus in October!

Jared Pietila ’23 is the Public Relations & Marketing Specialist at Tidewater College of Virginia Beach, Virginia.

WEDDINGS

Brandon Beck ’19 and Francesca Cambria ’20 on May 11, 2024 (1)

Maggie Boone ’19 and Thad Boone ’19 on July 14, 2024 (2)

Lauren Brown ’19 and Samuel Burton ’19 on November 9, 2024

Alexandro Cazares ’16 and Hayley Cazares ’18 on May 6, 2023 (3)

Devin Dearing ’13 and Matt Beckham on April 27, 2024 (4)

Aimee Green ’15 and Taylor Heck on April 11, 2023 (5)

Clare (Lintzenich) Irvin ’14 and Charles Irvin on March 9, 2024 (6)

Emily Kenworthy ’19 and Veronica Kenworthy on October 12, 2024 (7)

Kathryn Kruse ’15, MPAS ’17 and Cole Smith ’16 on September 9, 2024 (8)

Maggie Lies ’17 and Carlos Hernandez on October 11, 2024 (9)

Samuel Ludlow ’19 and Hannah Eppley ’20 on April 28, 2024 (10)

Krysta Monroe ’21 and Zachary Monroe on October 30, 2022 (11)

Ashleigh Porter Neumann ’21 and Ben Neumann ’21 on October 14, 2023 (12)

Nick Rekis ’20 and Leah Stuckwisch on April 14, 2024 (13)

Justin Rice ’19 and Alyssa Mason ’20 on October 19, 2024 (14)

Sydney Yesnes ’17 and Sean Robertson ’17 on August 3, 2024 (15)

INCLUDE YOUR NEWS IN THE NEXT CLASS ACTS

Your fellow alumni are interested in your professional accomplishments, including a job change, a promotion, or retirement; community and volunteer activities; a recent marriage or addition to your family; or any other news you would like to share. Submit your updates at butler.edu/alumni/stay-connected

Due to space limitations, submitted photographs and/or Class Acts may not always be published.

NEW ARRIVALS

Lindsay Douglass Brandon ’17 and Andrea Brandon ’16 welcomed Briar Marceline Brandon (1)

Meghan Brown ’16 and Tucker Brown welcomed Charlotte Brown in September 2024 (2)

Ashley (Jones) Charton ’17 and Garrett Charton welcomed Elise Jane in July 2024 (3)

Morgan Clarkson ’14, MPAS ’18 and Taylor Clarkson ’13 welcomed Brayden Grey Clarkson in May 2024 (4)

Daniel Dewar ’13 and Kimberly Dewar ’15 welcomed Hazel Wren in February 2024 (5)

Michael Gorin ’14 and Meghan Gorin ’16 welcomed Conor in April 2024 (6)

Alison (Painter) Green ’14 and Brandon Green ’14 welcomed Cameron Green in May 2024 (7)

Elyse Harvey ’13 and Scott Harvey ’13 welcomed Lilly Grace in May 2024 (8)

Megan Hoyer ’17 and Jack Hoyer ’17 welcomed Corbin J.W. Hoyer in June 2024 (9)

Rebecca Lamore ’20 and Nathan Lamore ’20 welcomed Franklin James Lamore in September 2024 (10)

Brittany Liljestrand ’20 and Ian Liljestrand welcomed Elliott Liljestrand in May 2024 (11)

Haley (Carroll) Markley ’09 and Brandon Markley welcomed Austin in March 2024 (12)

Olivia Pennington ’14 and Andrew Pennington welcomed Owen Alexander Pennington in June 2024 (13)

Emmy Robinson ’20 and Andy Robinson ’20 welcomed Amelia Robinson in October 2024 (14)

Alan Snyder ’13 and Nicole Snyder welcomed Nolan Peter Snyder in February 2023 (15)

Meredith Rashid Wise ’17 and Bryton Wise ’18 welcomed Nolan Wise in November 2023 (16)

BUTLER DAY OF GIVING | FEBRUARY 26-27

SEPTEMBER 26–27, 2025

BUTLER UNIVERSITY

IN MEMORIAM

Robert Ake ’38

Jane (Stettler) Lewellen ’42

Alice (Fisher) Levine ’46

Shirley (Loucks) Nason ’46, MS ’65

JoAnn (Ranstead) Seller ’46

Paul Mathis

James Maugans

John Christ ’49

Carver McGriff ’49, MS ’65

Carol (Kraft) Kasberg ’50

James Millis ’50

Robert Baker ’51

James Bounnell ’51

Phyllis (Stultz) Gambill ’51

Carolyn Harvey Lingeman ’51

Alvin Jennings MA ’51

James Sewrey ’51

Marjorie (Stuhldreher) Tobin ’51

Virginia (Higgs) Barnes

Francis Etheridge ’53

Walter Blair ’54

Portia (Dutchess) Devore ’54

Ginsel (Barnett) Haverstick ’54

Harold Laut

Beatrice (Douglass) Mercer ’54, MS ’57

John Mercer ’54

Carolyn (McClurg) Ribordy ’54

William Evans

Harold Ewen ’55

Gloria Gustafson ’55

Margie (Campbell) McNamara ’55

Frank Wiechecki ’55

Margaret (Davis) Frayman ’56

Marilyn (Mills) Ault

William Beaver ’57, MS ’63

James Oliver ’57

Ann (Freeman) Price ’57

Alma (Fitzgerald) Seward

Doris (Holt) Wills MS ’57

Arnold Alpert ’58

Joseph Bennett ’58, MA ’60

Edward McNulty ’58

Edward Sweetman ’58

Marvin Williams ’58

Sherry (Byfield) Williams ’58

Robert Gasper ’59

Charles Lehr ’59

Joseph Rabb ’59

Thomas Siurek ’59

Martha (Teeter) Spraetz

Joseph Kramer ’60

Marilyn Norris

Lewis Born ’61

Donald Forburger ’61

Martha Hoadley ’61

Darrel Horton ’61, MM ’67

Robert Koesters ’61

Leila Peters ’61

Donald White ’61

Karen (VanBuskirk) Cooley ’62

John Demos ’62

Maxine (McIntosh) Ferguson MS ’62

Joann Pribble ’62

John Sittler ’62

Herbert Biddle ’63

Lester De Boer MS ’63

Earl Engle ’63

Robert Kendall MA ’63

Ronald Shields ’63

Shirley (Wright) Thompson MS ’63

Shirley (Wilson) Wentzel ’63

Louis Wolter MS ’63

Barbara Gallagher ’64

Lee Grimm ’64

Thomas Williams ’64

Margaret (Read) Davee ’65

David Johnston ’65

Dorothy Tolhurst MS ’65

Madelynne (Kottman) Chandler Purdy

MA ’66

Joseph Eisenhut ’67

James Francese MS ’67

Carol (Gruber) Hertz MS ’67

Sue (Hill) Moreland MS ’67

Robert Vollmer MBA ’67

Gary Claflin MS ’68

Thomas Edwards ’68

Peter Kambiss ’68

Jean (Mount) Merritt MS ’68

Richard Olson ’68

Virginia (McMahel) Simmons ’68

Margaret (Kilpatrick) Allen ’69

Jackie (Clapper) Brown MS ’69

Linda (Voosaar) Dolan ’69

Marilyn Johannessen MS ’69

Margaret (Ramey) Julien MS ’69

Stephen Kuhn ’69

Jean Niewald MS ’69

Stephen Orphey ’69

Donald Stafford ’69

Joan Gasper ’70

Craig Haenes ’70

Joseph Poio ’70

Kent Barnard ’71

Carol (Parker) Conner MS ’71

Marilyn (Cotton) Etchison MS ’71

Barbara Griffith-Smith MS ’71

Lawrence Horn ’71

Dorothy Kennedy MS ’71

Norris Teague MM ’71

Stephen Lorentzen ’72

Margaret “Margo” Scheuring ’72

Roger Strickler MBA ’72

Nancy (Kindley) Walker ’72, MS ’74

Marcia (Donoho) Bolin MS ’73

Ann (Thompson) Cornell ’73

Donel Criswell MS ’73

Lois (Janson) Franklin MS ’73

Roberta (Ratliff) Graham MM ’73

George Boyer MS ’74

Ellen Thorn MS ’74

Ronald Voegele MBA ’74

William Ziegele MBA ’74

Patricia (Piercefield) Davis MS ’75

Anita (Martin) Funches MS ’75

William Henley MBA ’75

Patricia (McCarthy) Huesing MS ’75

John Hughes MS ’75

Stephen Larsen MS ’75

John Perazzo ’75

Gisela Toller ’75

Barbara (Wimmer) Anderson ’76, MA ’83

Janice Davis MS ’76

John Gigli ’76

Constance (Hurd) Tracy MS ’77

Aubrey Kelley MS ’78

Wayne Koch ’78

Vicki Murray ’78

Stephen Woodard MBA ’78

Carla Myers MS ’79

Gary Norman MBA ’79

Edward Chandler MBA ’81

George Dickison EdS ’81

James Madden ’81

Louis Schimenti ’83

Martha Meck MS ’84

Deborah Ashley ’85, ’90

Jonathan Bennett

Karen Curtice-Rose MA ’85

George Frentz ’85

Gail Pollard

Betty Whittaker MS ’85

Scott McIlrath ’86

Samuel Merl

Goldie (Clutter) Plant MS ’87

Tamara (Jordan) Barnes ’88

Stephen Billheimer ’90

Diana Etshokin MS ’90

Mark Bullington MBA ’92

Christine (Busuttil) Walczybock ’96

Michael Burbrink MBA ’99

Michael Collins ’06

Keenan Casey ’18

Former Trustee

James Morris ’70

Randy S. Guirguis ’19, Lacy School of Business alumnus and beloved son of Mona Guirguis, Butler Career and Professional Success Advisor, passed away June 12, 2024. A loving husband to wife Brittney and father to son Damian and daughter Felicity born the July after his passing, Guirguis enjoyed spending time with his family, his church community, and his friends—“a loyal servant to all he encountered.”

John Parry, who served as Butler University’s Director of Athletics from 1990–2006, passed away August 4, 2024. During his tenure, Butler expanded its sports offerings, added and improved athletic facilities, and captured its first Horizon League James J. McCafferty Trophy for all-sports excellence in 1996–1997. The Bulldogs repeated that honor in 1997–1998, 19981999, 2001–2002 and 2002–2003. The Bulldogs also captured 55 conference regular season/tournament championships over Parry’s 16 years and made NCAA Tournament appearances in 12 sports. Parry also led a group that modernized the NCAA Tournament and created Final Four weekend, similar to other NCAA Championships, which still exists today.

Owen Schaub, Chair of the Butler Theatre Department for 37 years, passed away October 6, 2024. Schaub joined Butler in 1980 and taught academic courses like Dramatic Literature, Text Analysis, and five different History of Theatre courses.

“Owen was a kind, thoughtful person who made a positive difference in the lives of countless students and colleagues,” says Diane Timmerman, current Theatre Department Chair. “Owen’s knowledge of theatre history was encyclopedic, and he generously shared his wisdom with all of us. He always had time for a student or colleague who needed to talk. Owen took pride in each facet of his job as a university professor. He was truly the best of our profession.”

Dr. Margaret Shaw, a longtime professor in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (COPHS), taught in COPHS for 29 years before retiring in 1994 as a Professor Emerita. She passed away in June 2024, but her legacy lives on through the many students whose lives were changed by her mentorship. Several of those former students combined their gifts in 2022 to establish the Dr. Margaret Shaw Pharmacy Scholarship to honor Shaw’s profound and lasting influence in their lives. Memorial contributions can be made to the Dr. Margaret Shaw Pharmacy Scholarship at butler. edu/gifts. Pictured from left, Denise Soltis, Bob Ternik ’87, Laura Ternik ’87, Dr. Margaret Shaw (seated), Jo Ann Sefcik, Don Sefcik ’81, COPHS Dean Bob Soltis

The best part of my job, paws down, is surprising high school seniors with the best news ever: they’ve been admitted to Butler!

Let me paint the picture for you. I show up at their front door, tail wagging, mascot sweater on, ready to celebrate. The looks on their faces? Priceless. First, it’s a mix of confusion and curiosity—“Why is there a bulldog here?” But when my dad and I hand over their #ButlerBound admit packet and they realize they’ve been admitted, their expression turns to pure joy. Some jump up and cheer, some cry happy tears, and others just stand there, stunned.

Being part of such a life-changing moment fills my big bulldog heart with pride. I know these students have worked hard, and to be the one delivering the news that their dreams are coming true? That’s the kind of honor I don’t take lightly.

I can’t take all the credit for these visits, though. They’ve been happening for the last 10 years! Uncle Trip was the bulldog who started it all way back in 2014, surprising students throughout Indiana and beyond. Once he retired, it was my turn. And I’ve had a ball visiting an amazing 519 students across Indiana, Illinois, Tennessee, Michigan, Georgia, and more.

I can’t wait to keep showing up on doorsteps and helping to change lives. It’s an honor to carry on this tradition, and I can’t wait to see where the next #ButlerBound journey takes me. Who knows? Maybe it’ll be right to your front door.

PRESIDENT, BUTLER UNIVERSITY

James M. Danko

VICE PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT AND MARKETING

Jonathan Purvis

EDITOR

Rachel Stotts

EDITORIAL TEAM

Josie Drake

Kristi Lafree

Victoria Ochs

Meredith Sauter ’12

Courtney Tuell ’99

ART AND DESIGN TEAM

David Downham

Phil Eichacker (Art Director)

Alisha Luckenbill

UNIVERSITY PHOTOGRAPHER

Zach Bolinger

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Marc Allan MFA ’18

Jennifer Gunnels

Kaitlin Hennessey

Cindy Dashnaw Jackson

Kobe Mosley ’23

Victoria Ochs

Elle Rotter ’27

Emily Schlorf ’21

Rachel Stotts and Butler Blue IV

CLASS ACTS

Office of Butler Community Engagement

ClassActs@butler.edu

Butler Magazine is published for alumni, parents, supporters, and friends of Butler University. Share Butler Magazine story ideas and comments via email at butlermagazine@butler.edu or by phone at 317-940-9946.

“The opening of Clowes Memorial Hall for the Performing Arts is of significance to the entire nation, a tangible symbol of increasing public interest in the arts. It is a splendid example of a center which will not only serve the needs of the University, but also the community…”

- Maurice Evans, reading a letter from President John F. Kennedy during opening ceremonies, October 16, 1963