MAGAZINE SUMMER 2015
A MESSAGE from PRESIDENT JAMES M. DANKO
“Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher.” —Japanese proverb In just the past few weeks, I’ve had two experiences that are among the highlights of my career. In May, I had the joy of handing diplomas to the many students who I welcomed to Butler in my first month as president in 2011. It is gratifying to know that these new graduates will no doubt achieve success in their lives and careers. One month after our remarkable Commencement ceremony, I had the honor of speaking at the retirement celebration for the person who first hired me into the academic world, Paul Danos, who has since spent 20 extraordinary years as dean of the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. Both events have me reflecting on the essence of great teaching and the innovative spirit necessary to ensure the relevance of great universities. In fact, it is the influence of a great teacher that has affected my own career journey without which I would not have the good fortune to be writing this letter as a university president. Paul has been my mentor, confidante, and friend. He hired me in 1991 at the University of Michigan in a newly created position we jointly established as “Director of Program Innovations.” As a result of Paul’s remarkable instinct for shifting trends and his ability to successfully lead change, I became part of a groundbreaking shift in pedagogy and program delivery: experiential education that paired student teams with organizations facing real world challenges. Theory connected with practice, something our students experience during their time at Butler. Working with Paul—both then and years later, at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, where I served as associate dean—taught me that entrepreneurial thinkers can find a true vocation within academic administration. By removing barriers, pairing great faculty with great students, and supporting high-performing staff and infrastructure, such leaders can empower the people within their institutions to dream big and achieve bold new goals. Just as many Butler students have been influenced by great teachers, so have I. For Paul was at heart a teacher. As the Japanese proverb implies, a great teacher can impart wisdom that lasts a lifetime. I am confident that many Butler students will have their own stories of success thanks to great teaching, the hallmark of a Butler education, combined with the innovative spirit that is clearly evident in the stories contained within. I hope you enjoy reading about innovation at Butler University in the following pages as much as I have. I am confident that the “blue sky thinking” described in this issue of Butler Magazine, along with the exceptional care our faculty and staff show toward our students, will be key factors in Butler’s recognition as one of the nation’s premier private residential universities, in keeping with our Butler 2020 vision. Sincerely,
James M. Danko president@butler.edu
Butler University President James Danko with Paul Danos, retired Dean of the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.
MAGAZINE SUMMER 2015
PAGE 1O A PLAN with VISION
PAGE 12 THE POWER of YES
PAGE 13 INNOVATION at WORK
PAGE 18 A GREAT START
PAGE 2O GETTING SOCIAL
PAGE 22 ALUMNI PROFILES The SOURCE of SUCCESS—KATE DRANE WORTH all the EFFORT—MARSH DAVIS
PAGE 2 CAMPUS NEWS
PAGE 6 Butler Magazine is published for alumni, parents, supporters, and friends of Butler University. Send story ideas and comments to Butler Magazine, 4600 Sunset Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46208; email butlermagazine@butler.edu. Vice President for Marketing and Communications: Matt Mindrum Editor: Sheryl Rodgers ’83 (srodgers@butler.edu) Editorial Team: Cindy Conover Dashnaw, Nancy Lyzun, Rachel Stotts, Courtney Tuell ’99, Megan Ward MS ’13 Art Director: Phil Eichacker Art Design Team: Phil Eichacker, Alisha Luckenbill, Katie Orlowski University Photographer: Brent Smith Contributing Writers: Marc D. Allan, Cindy Conover Dashnaw, Michael Kaltenmark ’02, Sarvary Koller ’15, Mary Ellen Stephenson, Rachel Stotts, Megan Ward MS ’13 Class Acts: Office of Alumni and Parent Programs (alumni@butler.edu)
ATHLETICS
PAGE 14 FOCUS on FACULTY
PAGE 16 SPEAKING of STUDENTS
PAGE 26 ALUMNI and PARENT NEWS
PAGE 28 CLASS ACTS
PEOPLE, PLACES,
and
EVENTS
CAMPUS NEWS BUTLER BREAKS GROUND for NEW STUDENT RESIDENCE HALL Butler University officially broke ground on May 8 on a state-of-the-art sophomore residence hall facility that will substantially modernize and update Butler’s housing options. During the groundbreaking celebration, President James Danko shared that the most important part of the project is the improvement of our housing options, which will serve as a valuable attraction along with Butler’s world-class education. Sunset Student Residences will feature rooms set up in pods of three to four bedrooms, with no more than two students in any room. Each
The new residence is the result of a partnership between Butler University and American Campus Communities (ACC). Under the agreement, ACC will build and maintain the facility, while Butler will provide staff to manage the building.
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CAMPUS NEWS
shared room will have a divider to provide more privacy, a bathroom for every bedroom, and a vanity for each student.
BUTLER NAMES NEW ASSOCIATE PROVOST Butler has named Thomas Paradis as the new Associate Provost for Assessment, Scholarship, and Professional Development Programs. He will oversee academic and administrative assessment on campus, institutional accreditation through the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (HLC-NCA), faculty and academic staff development, the Office for Institutional Research and Assessment, and the Butler Institute for Research and Scholarship.
YOU'RE GOING TO LOVE IT HERE. ®
OPENING FALL 2016
THOMAS PARADIS
JULIA ANGSTMANN
THE CENTER for URBAN ECOLOGY GETS a NEW DIRECTOR An interest and expertise in plant ecology has taken Julia Angstmann from Indiana to Manitoba, Canada, to Cape Town, South Africa, and back to Indiana—where she is now the new Director of Butler’s Center for Urban Ecology (CUE), which oversees Butler’s Campus Farm and the University’s sustainability efforts. CUE also focuses on the environmental needs and challenges facing Indianapolis.
BRYAN BRENNER ’95 ELECTED to BOARD of TRUSTEES Bryan Brenner ’95, Founder and CEO of the Indianapolis-based strategic business advisory FirstPerson, has been elected to a threeyear term on the Butler University Board of Trustees. Brenner graduated cum laude from Butler University with degrees in Public and Corporate Communications and Journalism, with a concentration in Public Relations.
DEDMAN RETURNS to BUTLER as ASSOCIATE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR for COMMUNICATION John Dedman, a former Butler student who spent the past nine years on the executive team at Indiana Sports Corp (ISC), including the past five as Vice President of Communications, has been named Associate Athletic Director for Communication at Butler University. Dedman ’03 graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Public and Corporate Communications
BRYAN BRENNER ’95
JOHN DEDMAN ’03
and began his career in the Butler Athletic Department in summer 2003. As an undergraduate, Dedman was named one of Butler’s Top Ten Outstanding Male Students.
USHERING in the INDIANAPOLIS BICENTENNIAL, with BUTLER’S HELP Nine emerging leaders— including Butler University Sustainability Coordinator McKenzie Beverage, Aaron Harrison ’14, and Samantha Helferich ’14—will play a pivotal role in setting the stage to implement Plan 2020: The Bicentennial Plan for Indianapolis and Marion County. Plan 2020 is a pioneering planning process to define the next century for the city and is driven by a team of community leaders. Its goal: a visionary yet strategic Bicentennial Plan for Indianapolis, and updates to six local government plans.
BUTLER UNIVERSITY MILESTONES
BUTLER LAUNCHES NEW EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION EVENTS Butler University launched its first-ever Milestones event this academic year to recognize faculty and staff contributions and to celebrate their years of valuable service. (Continued on page 5…) SUMMER 2015
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CAMPUS NEWS
BUTLER 2014–2015:
The Academic Year in Review
New construction and renovations, a plan to eliminate greenhouse gases on campus, and three students earning Fulbright Awards are among the highlights of Butler University’s 2014–2015 academic year. While there was sad news, too—the deaths of former University President Bobby Fong and former student Abdul-Rahman Kassig—the year was overwhelmingly positive. Here’s a look back.
August
•The Irwin Library faculty and staff unveiled several changes in the facility, including added study space, collaborative workstations, and a new catalog that allows a worldwide search for materials. •Renowned opera singer Angela Brown joined the Jordan College of the Arts as a visiting artist in the School of Music for the 2014–2015 school year, presenting master classes, lectures, and performances. •The annual Bulldogs Into the Streets (BITS) brought out more than 500 student volunteers, who donated 1,500 hours of community service to 19 agencies across greater Indianapolis. •Butler President James Danko gave his State of the University speech, in which he outlined a vision of the University that includes new academic, housing, and parking facilities; development of strong leadership and engaged employees; and a safe and secure campus environment. “When we talk about Butler 2020, that’s the vision,” Danko said. •Butler University welcomed 974 first-year students on move-in day Saturday, August 23.
September
•Bobby Fong, Butler’s President from 2001 to 2011, died in Collegeville, Pennsylvania.

•U.S.News & World Report said Butler University was among the top schools in the country when it comes to enriched undergraduate offerings that lead to student success. •The College of Education introduced Jill Jay as the new Director of the Experiential Program for Preparing School Principals (EPPSP) and Katie Russo as Director of Student Personnel Services and External Relations. •Butler unveiled a new memorial to its bulldog mascots at the Butler Bowl entrance. •Marianne Richardson ’14 became the first Butler student to be selected for the prestigious Princeton in Latin America Fellowship in Uruguay. •The University broke ground on a 1,038-space, multi-use parking garage located on the lot behind the Howard L. Schrott Center for the Arts along Sunset Avenue. •The Center for Urban Ecology was awarded a $10,000 SustainIndy Community Grant to continue and expand Make Change, a neighborhood-based currency program that generates credit for doing good for the environment.
For a complete history of highlights from the 2014– 2015 academic year, visit butler.edu/magazine. 4
CAMPUS NEWS
(…Continued from page 3)
The Milestones Luncheon held on April 9 recognized faculty and staff celebrating anniversaries of 5, 10, 15, and 20 years of service. The Milestones Dinner on May 12 honored faculty and staff celebrating 5-year incremental anniversaries of 25 years and more, retirees, and faculty who were awarded emeriti status during the 2014–2015 academic year. Honorees for both events received a commemorative box that contained a congratulatory letter from President Danko, a Butler pen, an acrylic plaque, and a booklet that described gifts they could choose. A list of the honorees for the Milestones
914 STUDENTS BECAME ALUMNI on MAY 9
Luncheon and Dinner can be found online at butler.edu/magazine.
2015 MILESTONES LUNCHEON
Butler University conferred degrees upon 914 graduates during spring Commencement ceremonies on May 9 in Hinkle Fieldhouse. Holocaust survivor Eva Mozes Kor delivered the Commencement address and received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. Longtime Butler benefactor Jean T. Wildman also received a Doctor of Humane Letters. The faculty speaker was Craig Caldwell, Associate Professor of Management in the College of Business. William Grabb ’15, President of the Senior Class, offered reflections. This year’s graduates included 32 international students from 16 nations, 26 Phi Beta Kappa inductees, and 185 students who studied abroad.
222 from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
220 from the College of Business
203 from the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
96
from the College of Communication
88
from the Jordan College of the Arts
85
from the College of Education
SUMMER 2015
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CAMPUS NEWS Holocaust Survivor Eva Kor to Class of 2015:
NEVER GIVE UP. Holocaust survivor Eva Kor told Butler University’s Class of 2015 that they should never give up on themselves or their dreams. Her son, Dr. Alex Kor ’83, stood by her side on stage for the May 9 Commencement ceremony and the extraordinary address that left few dry eyes in Hinkle Fieldhouse. “It was one of the most moving speeches and statements of firsthand knowledge of history I have ever heard,” said Gregory K. Silver, an Indianapolis attorney. “Although she and my family are Jewish, her alluding to present genocide in Darfur, Rwanda, Syria, and Iraq show us all that what she endured is continuing to happen today. We must all be aware of others’ misery.” Silver’s father was David M. Silver, Dean of Butler’s Liberal Arts and Sciences College for 45 years.
“fifty years of pain was lifted from my shoulders” – Eva Kor on Forgiveness
Kor spent from May 1944 to January 27, 1945, in the Auschwitz concentration camp. She said she was able to endure excruciating experiments by Nazi Dr. Josef Mengele because she promised herself “to do anything and everything in my power” to make sure she and her sister, Miriam, survived. In her mind, she kept picturing how she and Miriam would look when they finally walked out of the camp. They dealt with rats, lice, and starvation—both of food and human kindness. She recalled one experiment where Mengele injected her multiple times and she ended up in a hospital. When he saw her there later, he said, “Too bad she’s so young. She only has two weeks to live.” “But I refused to die,” said Kor, who runs the CANDLES (Children of Auschwitz Nazi Deadly Lab Experiments Survivors) Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Terre Haute, Indiana. Kor said that in the years since, she learned to forgive the Nazis as well as “everyone who ever hurt me.” She told the story of writing a letter of forgiveness to a Nazi doctor 50 years after the liberation of Auschwitz, which she called “an act of self-healing and self-liberation.” “Fifty years of pain was lifted from my shoulders,” she said. On Thursday, October 22, Kor will return to campus to speak as part of the Butler University Diversity Lecture Series.
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CAMPUS NEWS
(To watch Kor’s Commencement address, visit butler.edu/magazine.)
BUILT BULLDOGS for
ATHLETICS FROM THE SIDELINES to the SPOTLIGHT The journey Matt Shiltz ’16 took from high school B-team to starting quarterback for the Bulldogs is proof that some of the biggest lessons in sports— and in life—are learned from the bench. Plain old hard work and perseverance helped Shiltz to excel in his sport at St. Charles North High School in Illinois. He ran track his junior year to increase his speed and improve his conditioning. When the starting quarterback was injured in his senior year, Shiltz stepped up and secured the position, unexpectedly opening doors to play college football. “I could have gone to a Big Ten school and tried to walk on, but I knew I’d be sitting in a classroom with 600 people,” said Shiltz. “I really wanted to get that small feel that would allow me to have one-on-one time with my professors. That’s how I learn best, so Butler was really the perfect fit.”
“IT’S BEEN KIND OF A WILD RIDE... BUT HERE I AM AND I’M JUST GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.”
In the 2014 season—his first as starting quarterback for the Bulldogs—Shiltz broke his throwing hand in the sixth game. Though the injury finished his season, he has recovered and will have the opportunity to play for the Bulldogs in 2015. (He red-shirted his first year.) This also allows him to complete the credit hours he needs for his double major. Though Shiltz began his academic career as an Exploratory Business major, he soon migrated to Marketing and Public Relations. While taking an Accounting class, he began to recognize his aptitude and affinity for the field. With encouragement from Accounting Professor Sakthi Mahenthiran, he officially changed his major to Accounting and Management Information Systems. He has completed two internships since then, one with Ernst & Young and the other with Crowe Horwath LLP, both in Indianapolis.
Now he has two job offers, and the Pioneer Football League has named him to its Academic Honor Roll. “It’s been kind of a wild ride,” said Shiltz. “But here I am, and I’m just grateful for the opportunity.”
VISIT BUTLERSPORTS.COM for ATHLETIC NEWS and EVENTS. SUMMER 2015
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ATHLETICS
“THERE IS SO MUCH MORE TO BEING A LEADER THAN PLAYING WELL.”
“From my first visit,” said Maccagnone, “I was dead set on a smaller campus. I knew that I wanted to go somewhere where I could talk to my professors. I knew I wanted to be part of a team that had really great chemistry. I liked how the girls acted with each other and how dedicated they were to the team.” Now entering her senior year, Maccagnone feels both she and the team have grown. “Coming in as a freshman, everything is intimidating— school, team, setting, competition. You either come in really confident, or really intimidated. It’s a battle, for sure. You want to prove yourself, but you don’t want to mess up. “I came in guns blazin’, trying to do the best I could. I remember in my first practice how competitive and aggressive my teammates were. That’s a huge part of how our team is. Our competition level on game days and practice days is always the same.” Maccagnone comes from a family of soccer coaches. Her father now directs the club team she was once a part of, one of her older brothers coaches, and her other brother also played the sport. She even talks like a coach. “There’s so much more to being a leader than playing well,” said Maccagnone. “On an individual level, I try to understand my teammates more and understand what they each need, what motivates them, what encourages them. My coaches and my teammates have helped me to be the kind of leader that’s going to help every single kind of player and not just focus on the team in general.”
DEDICATED to TEAM Sophie Maccagnone ’16 grew up immersed in soccer. Raised in Shelby Township, Michigan, where soccer is king, she played club soccer for the Michigan Gators. In her sophomore year of high school she committed to become a Bulldog.
Though coaching may be in her future, Maccagnone hopes to play professionally after she graduates. She’s also excited to employ her Strategic Communication and Sports Media majors. Already, she has completed two internships, one in the Sports Information Department at Butler and the other as a social media intern at Black Acre Brewery in Indianapolis. A prolific scorer, Maccagnone has earned First Team All-Conference recognition in both the Atlantic 10 and BIG EAST Conferences.
VISIT BUTLERSPORTS.COM for ATHLETIC NEWS and EVENTS. 8
ATHLETICS
LEADING THE PACK Butler senior Mara Olson finished her stellar career strong by placing 11th in the women’s 10,000-meter run at the 2015 NCAA® Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championship. The finish earned Olson second-team All-America honors. Olson was also the winner of a 2014–2015 BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award. She was the only winner is two sports: Women’s Cross Country and Women’s Indoor Track and Field. The award recognizes academic and athletic achievement as well as community service.
SUMMER 2015
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by Cindy Conover Dashnaw
FEATURE
A PLAN with VISION Will private residential colleges and universities survive? Some experts aren’t so sure. Harvard’s Clayton Christensen, for example, predicts that half of U.S. colleges and universities may be bankrupt by 2030. And a number of recent closures and mergers lend credence to his forecast. From Sweet Briar’s announced closure and subsequent bailout in Virginia, to the merger of Tennessee Temple University with Piedmont International University in North Carolina, to the shuttering of Ashford University’s residential campus in Iowa, cracks in the foundation of the university business model are clear and present. Could it happen at Butler?
To thrive, not just survive Butler’s history of achievement is as old as the institution itself. In recent years, this success has accelerated—from our backto-back Final Four runs to our recognition in 2014 by U.S.News as one of the best undergraduate programs in the nation for promoting student success. Despite this momentum, Butler—like the schools mentioned above and countless others across the country—is confronting the challenges of shifting demographics, increased competition, and intense cost pressure. But unlike many of these schools, Butler’s strength and vision position it to thrive for generations to come. “Butler 2020 is an ambitious plan to strengthen and advance Butler’s reputation as one of the nation’s premier undergraduate residential universities,” Butler President James Danko said. “We are preparing graduates to make a meaningful impact in the world and distinguishing Butler as a school of choice for diverse, talented students across the country.”
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FEATURE
Danko frames Butler 2020’s strategic initiatives through three key concepts—people, place, and purpose. “It’s through transformational investments in our people and our facilities that we can deliver on our purpose: to offer superior student outcomes through world-class academics, experiential learning, and personalized support for every Butler student,” Danko said.
Superior campus environment Right now, the physical changes on campus are the most visible evidence of Butler 2020’s progress. A parking garage with more than 1,000 spots and 15,000 square feet of retail space will open this fall. Next year, a stateof-the-art student housing facility will open for its first residents, welcomed by the blooms of trees and flowers along the new Sunset Avenue streetscape. This progress paves the way for future investments in Butler’s most important physical spaces—its classrooms, laboratories, and innovative learning environments. Planning is underway for the renovation and expansion of the University’s science facilities, and the site just north of Irwin Library has been identified as the future home of Butler’s College of Business.
Butler’s greatest assets Danko is quick to point out that it’s what happens inside Butler’s facilities that matters most. And it’s Butler’s people who make these exceptional learning experiences possible. Butler is attracting new faculty who are leaders in their field—such as Col. Michael Colburn, who joined Butler in 2014 as Professor of Music and Director of Bands after serving 10 years as Director of “The President’s Own” United States Marine Corps Band, and continues to support and develop existing faculty—such as Professor of English and author Andrew Levy, whose latest book, Huck Finn’s America, was released to critical acclaim from The New York Times. “Key to our realization of the Butler 2020 Vision is continued investment in recruiting, developing, and retaining accomplished faculty and staff who put students first,” Danko said. “I have had the privilege of serving at a number of great universities in my career, but I have never seen a community more dedicated to student success than Butler.”
Lives of purpose Through these transformational investments in its people and places, Butler University is poised to continue fulfilling its Right Outcomes, Right Way promise for decades to come.
“Butler students benefit from uniquely valuable learning experiences, which help prepare them for long-term success in an ever-changing world,” Danko said. “Our graduates have the learning agility, work ethic, and character that employers and graduate programs are looking for.” With a 95-percent placement rate for Butler’s 2014 graduates, it certainly appears the University is on the right track. “I am confident that our vision and strategy have us on the path to sustainability and leadership among private residential universities,” Danko said. “What we need now is the support of the entire Butler community— especially you, our alumni and friends—to make this exciting future possible.”
SUMMER 2015
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by Cindy Conover Dashnaw
FEATURE
THE POWER of YES "According to the U.S. Department of Commerce: As innovation and entrepreneurship
becomes an even greater force in economic growth, U.S. universities … will be the vanguard in discovering that innovation.” (The Innovative and Entrepreneurial University, 2013) Butler is not only discovering innovation, but also making it possible. Four years ago, President James Danko challenged the Butler family to dream big. He promised to establish a new, donor-supported fund to give students, faculty, and staff the chance to see their transformational ideas come to life. The goal for the Butler Innovation Fund was to create programs that could take experiential education to the next level—a level envisioned in Butler 2020, the University’s strategic plan. The fund launched in 2012 and sparked an enthusiastic response. In 2013, $400,000 funded 18 projects from among 70 submissions. In 2014, $239,600 funded 10 projects. This year, the fund will award up to $250,000 in grants. (Recipients will be announced this fall.) Appointed by Danko as the fund’s Executive Director, Jason Range JD PhD built the program from the ground up. He said it’s been a rewarding learning process. “Most ideas already exist. It’s how you propose to take an idea in a new direction or apply it in a new application. That’s the nature of innovation,” Range said.
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FEATURE
Jason Range
An Evaluation Committee of rotating faculty from three colleges, a student, a staff member, and relevant outsiders recommends proposals for funding. Rather than add his vote, Range helps submitters draw up their best proposal. College deans and the Provost review the recommendations for feasibility, then final approval rests with President Danko. “Jim Danko is very true to the process,” Range said. “He asks tough questions, but Jim’s policy is that we have to take risks. He wants us to fund as many programs as possible.” Danko said that entrepreneurial thinking is a fundamental part of supporting a vibrant academic community. “The Innovation Fund enables faculty, students, and staff to collaborate on exciting projects that connect theory with practice,” Danko said. “It fosters the kind of cross-disciplinary, creative thinking that enriches Butler’s campus and serves our students well throughout their lives.” The Innovation Fund is supported solely by donors. Learn more about how to apply and give at butler.edu/innovation.
INNOVATION at WORK by Cindy Conover Dashnaw
Groundbreaking student project is made possible by Butler’s Innovation Fund Neither Professor Panos Linos PhD nor his Computer Science students knew how to create iPhone apps when they first set foot inside the Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Now, thanks to the Butler Innovation Fund, they’re designing one specifically to help students with low or no vision navigate the buildings and campus there—with the hope that the Butler campus may also use the tool one day. Linos leads EPICS (Engineering Projects in Community Service), which pairs credit-earning students with nonprofits that need technology help. While shadowing School for the Blind and Visually Impaired students, Linos and his students saw immediately that learning to move from class to class safely was a long and laborious process for those with vision loss or impairment. “These students require special navigational instructors to learn how to get from one place to another. They use a white cane, and instructors tell them the route as they walk beside them. The students create a mental map that they practice over and over,” Linos said. As if steering through a school building isn’t challenging enough, going anywhere outdoors is even more daunting. “What if there’s a pothole in the road or sidewalk? Having a cane wouldn’t necessarily keep you away from that kind of danger,” Linos said. The team discovered that School for the Blind and Visually Impaired students carried the device ubiquitous among young people today: the cell phone. A mobile app seemed like the perfect tool to replace the navigational instructors and give students more freedom. The school agreed—and so did the Butler Innovation Fund, which awarded $19,000 for the project.
Panos Linos
As of this writing, Linos and the Butler team are well on their way to creating a deceptively simple interface. By tapping areas of the phone’s screen that are easy to estimate by touch, users hear Siri give their route, landmarks to look out for, and clues to tell them they’re in the right or wrong place. They’re calling the app GuideDawg. The team is scheduled to unveil a prototype at the end of summer 2015, and work will continue based on funding availability. Learn how the Butler team approximated blindness and why Linos thinks technology has altered teaching forever at butler.edu/magazine. SUMMER 2015
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FOCUS on FACULTY By Mary Ellen Stephenson
BUTLER SUMMER INSTITUTE PARTNERSHIPS lead to INNOVATIVE RESEARCH and HIGHER UNDERSTANDING
Elvis’ Hound Dog and glowing enzymatic reactions were behind two of the 35 Butler Summer Institute (BSI) projects for 2015. Selected students received University stipends to spend May through July in research with faculty mentors. Junior Emily Farrer of Lexington, Kentucky, worked with professors from her two majors—music, Tim Brimmer, and psychology, Tara Lineweaver—to explore whether hearing songs that were popular during individuals’ late teens and early 20s would reopen social connections for elderly persons with dementia. Farrer randomly selected residents of Harrison Terrace, a facility specializing in dementia care, to hear 15 minutes of personalized music before family visits. Afterwards she asked visitors if their residents interacted with them more than usual. Tim Brimmer
Residents Farrer worked with would typically sit with heads down, uncommunicative. But, when she put headphones on them and played tunes by such artists as Elvis Presley, Billie Holiday, or Glenn Miller, “their heads and shoulders came up, their eyes lit up,” she said. Some hummed and danced in their beds. Patients tend to be livelier, more vocal, and use more gestures for up to an hour later, Farrer said.
Tara Lineweaver
Lineweaver said Farrer’s findings could lead nursing homes to implement music listening as a standard of care to enhance residents’ relationships with family and caregivers. See a video on Farrer’s research at butler.edu/magazine.
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FOCUS on FACULTY
RESEARCH generating NEW KNOWLEDGE
BSI participant Alex White of Evansville, Indiana, contributed to a growing library of compounds synthesized and tested at Butler for their abilities to bind to specific bacterial enzymes. “If one of our compounds glows, or fluoresces, when in contact with a bacterial enzyme, that indicated the enzyme’s substrate specificity—that is, the kind of chemical structure with which the enzyme prefers to interact,” said Professor of Chemistry Geoff Hoops, White’s BSI mentor. “Knowing this can provide information on how to inhibit the enzyme, and may lead toward novel antibiotics.” White, who graduates in December, and Hoops began research in August 2014. During BSI, White developed two or three new compounds a week. He also documented his processes for purifying compounds so others can reproduce his methods.
Geoff Hoops
Professor Jeremy Johnson helped White consult with research scientist Luke Lavis of Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Lavis shared “highly pure reference materials” related to White’s study “so we could compare those to our compounds,” White said. Hoops, Johnson, and biology faculty Jen Kowalski have brought research into their classrooms, “Not just experiments others have done, but research that’s generating new knowledge,” Hoops said. It’s also generated grants from the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation.
Read about BSI research by Pharmacy student Daniel Przybylski with Professor David Reeves on whether probiotics lower infections in leukemia patients undergoing chemotherapy at butler.edu /magazine.
Engaging in research is a “self-feeding cycle,” according to Hoops. “The more I research, the more I can publish, bring in grant money, and involve more students in research Research makes him a better teacher, he added. “It forces me to read literature that I wouldn’t read on my own. It keeps me abreast of new information, and affects my curriculum choices.” SUMMER 2015
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SPEAKING of STUDENTS By Megan Ward MS ’13
CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURS at WORK in the COLLEGE of BUSINESS ENTREPRENEURSHIP. INNOVATION. Two
compelling concepts the College of Business (COB) has combined to create a powerful program in which students get direct business experience from day one. The many unique features of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation major include the Freshman Business Experience, in which students work in teams to develop and present business plans, and Real Business Experience, during which students form teams to create a business and apply for funding from real business executives. This type of hands-on experience appeals to students. “The major is definitely growing. We are seeing a lot of double majors, where students major in another business discipline, along with Entrepreneurship and Innovation (E and I),” said Stephanie Fernhaber, Assistant Professor of Management. She also expects to see growth in both the E and I minor, which is for students outside of COB, and in the MBA Entrepreneurship and Innovation concentration. What can E and I graduates do? Many begin careers as independent entrepreneurs, managers of new-venture divisions, or in venture capital and investment banking activities. Fortunately, our location in Indianapolis, our faculty, and the professional mentors who partner with Butler make it easy for students to build relationships and connections in the industry that help them find quality jobs.
THE TEAM: Nolan Read CEO Hailey Jensen Chief Sales Officer Anne Clark Mentor and College of Business Professor
BASSOON STUDENTS: Owen Carlos
REEDS ARE REAL SUCCESS THE BUSINESS: Butler University Bassoon Reed Co.,
a partnership between the Butler University Bassoon Studio and students in the College of Business, builds reeds for bassoons. This company was born out of Butler’s Real Business Experience class—a sophomore-level, experiential-learning course.
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SPEAKING of STUDENTS
Kathryn Chamberlain Sara Erb Claire Hazelton Erin Wells Heather Wright
THE COMPETITION: The Zotec Business Competition
is part of Butler’s Real Business Experience curriculum, which allows students to learn how to develop, grow, and run a real business. To win, teams must demonstrate the skills they have learned, including presentation, business process management, sales and marketing, and social responsibility. The competition is made possible by Zotec Partners, a national firm providing revenue-cycle and practice-management services to hospital-based physicians. THE RESULTS: In awarding the $9,000 top prize in
the fifth Zotec Business Competition, judges said the Bassoon Reed Co. “did an outstanding job presenting their challenges and milestones in a very concise and professional presentation. They also were able to maintain a competitive price strategy and establish employee production measures that increased efficiency and ensured their products’ quality control was superior.”
THE TEAM:
Learn more about the Bassoon Reed Co. at butlerreeds.com.
VACCINATIONS? NO WORRIES THE PROJECT: An intercollegiate project that unites
students from several of Butler’s colleges to write, publish, and sell a children’s book on any topic they choose. The goal of Max Greene and the Vaccine Team is to educate children about vaccines so they will be less fearful and anxious over shots. The book turns objects in the doctor’s office into characters and uses fun rhymes to help children understand the importance and ease of getting a shot to keep them healthy.
Anissa Hakim ’15 and Katrina Rodriguez ’15 College of Education
THE OUTCOME: College of
Business Assistant Professor of Management Stephanie Fernhaber, who has helped organize this and past book projects, said the student team worked cohesively to manage all aspects of the children’s book independently. The Indiana Immunization Coalition funded the publishing of 1,000 books, and the team had an additional $1,100 in presales.
Matt Speer ’15 and Andres Pena ’15 College of Business Emily Ellsworth ’15 and Terri Newman ’15 College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Mara Olson ’15 College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Learn more about the book at vaccineteam.weebly.com.
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When Suzanne Reading discovered that the Garden House in Holcomb Gardens was unused and relatively abandoned, she knew she had found her diamond in the rough—a place to teach young children struggling with language delay. Reading, Associate Dean of the College of Communication and Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders, received a gift from Susan Ebbinghaus ’79 and Harris Warsaw to help start the Butler Early Language and
Language delay affects nearly 8 percent of preschool students, causing serious social anxiety and difficulty learning to read for some. BELL seeks to create a positive, safe learning environment where children can grow in confidence and ability, try new things without fear of judgment, and have some fun. “The BELL program has several premises,” Reading said. “One is success—the children will experience success. The other is joy—they will want to be here, and they will feel
By Sarvary Koller ’15
the butler early language and literacy program Literacy (BELL) treatment program. Reading also received a $25,000 Ball Venture Fund Grant to fund BELL. With this funding, the BELL program began in Summer 2015 with seven children diagnosed with language delay. After University approval of the program and a semester of renovations, the Garden House is finally prepped for its first summer troop of students. And Reading is “really jazzed about it.”
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safe and happy. That’s the real mark of it: success and joy as we focus on building literacy and language skills.” The program began with a four-week summer session from June 9 to July 2, in which children received a total of 30 treatment hours. In the fall, the program will hold twice weekly sessions for the entirety of the semester, resulting in 62 treatment hours.
Jessica Bartley, a licensed preschool teacher, will coordinate the program along with a licensed speech pathologist to implement language-rich treatment to prepare children to succeed in kindergarten. But Reading said an added strength of the BELL program lies in its dual ability to help children and to provide undergraduate Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) students with hands-on clinical experience before graduate school.
CSD students enroll in a three-credit-hour practicum course and are placed in one of several clinical treatment experiences. BELL is one option for students, and Reading said the placement builds knowledge of how to interact with and provide treatment for young children. All CSD majors must go to graduate school to become a licensed speech-language pathologist, Reading said.
“That’s the real mark of it: success and joy as we focus on building literacy and language skills.”
Butler's experience is especially rare and valuable in an undergraduate program. It gives students a leg up on the competition as well as a glimpse of professional life. “Our students continually report that they do so well in grad school because they’ve had these opportunities,” Reading said. “They get to experience what treatment is like. I think when you go to grad school with that behind you, you are more likely to be successful and enjoy it.”
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gettingsocial Social media has forever changed how we get our information and the speed with which it comes to us. Three Butler University alumni talk about the ways they and their organizations have successfully used Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook to spread their messages. Caroline (Hauss) Taylor ’97 can tell you all about the power of social media. Taylor is the business manager for the Louisville (Kentucky) Leopard Percussionists, a performing ensemble featuring about 65 student-musicians ages 7–12 who play xylophones, vibraphones, drums, and other instruments. In November, the Leopards posted a six-minute video of the students performing portions of three Led Zeppelin songs: Kashmir, The Ocean, and Immigrant Song. Somehow—they don’t know how—Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page saw the video. On February 20, he posted it to his Facebook page along with this message: “Too good not to share. Have a rocking weekend!” Before then, the video had about 7,000 views. As of this writing, it had more than 4 million, and the Leopards have been inundated with donations, merchandise orders, and media attention. “Small donations are still trickling in from all over the world, which is quite fascinating,” said Taylor, who majored in Music Business at Butler. “Most of them are from the United States and include great notes of encouragement.” The Leopards’ encore—of the kids playing Ozzy Osbourne’s Crazy Train—hasn’t been quite as popular, but it did win the group three important new fans: The Osbournes. Ozzy, his wife, Sharon, and their daughter, Kelly, all shared it on Twitter. “We got a $10,000 donation and a letter from Ozzy Osbourne himself!” Taylor said. He wrote: “Myself, my whole family, and my fans all loved your rendition of Crazy Train. Keep up the good work. God Bless, Ozzy Osbourne.” “How cool is that?” Taylor said. “So the good things just seem to keep happening this year.”
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After “Trip” threw up on the Madison Square Garden court before a BIG EAST tournament game, Director of External Relations Michael Kaltenmark ’02 decided to have a little fun with the situation. “I’d like to thank @Gatorade for clean-up towels, @ TheGarden for rolling w/ it, & @BIGEAST for something to get so e_cited about. #GoDawgs,” he tweeted from the @ButlerBlue3 account. By the end of that night, he’d added a few hundred additional followers. The next day, thanks to media coverage, he added nearly 500 more. “Things like that just happen, and it turned to social media gold,” Kaltenmark said. “That’s the stuff I live for on social media.” Since creating the Twitter account in August 2011, Kaltenmark has been able to turn Butler’s live mascot into a social media darling. The ButlerBlue3 Twitter account has more than 15,000 followers who enjoy the dog’s escapades, and he has 7,700 Facebook fans. “I can have conversations with people I don’t know, and people we’ve impacted, in a way I never would have before, on behalf of the University,” Kaltenmark said. “If we can be engaging and personable, that’s going to allow our culture to spread digitally.” Fans have used social media to meet up with Kaltenmark and Trip when they’re on the road, and a school counselor in Texas who connected with Butler through Twitter has referred three students to the University. When Kaltenmark graduated, there was no Facebook and no Twitter. He remembers President Bobby Fong saying that the students of today are being prepared for careers that don’t exist yet. “I knew what that meant, but I always kind of passed it off,” Kaltenmark said. “And I became one of the people who made that transition to a job that didn’t exist. What counted was, I had an education that taught me how to write well, how to be creative. Those are the exact skills I need.”
When Boston mass transit riders have a complaint or a compliment, they jump on Twitter and tweet to Lisa Battiston ’06. They don’t necessarily know they’re talking to Battiston, but weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., she’s the one fielding their comments and letting them know whether the trains are moving or delayed. “It’s never boring,” she said. “Every day there’s a challenge. And it uses my (English) degree. I’ve come to enjoy the social media part where I talk to people all day long— especially if I can do something that positively impacts somebody’s day.” For nearly four years, through the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013 and one of the worst winters in Boston history in 2014–2015, Battiston has spent her workdays in a windowless room in front of a gigantic electronic map of Boston’s subway lines. “The Wall,” as it’s called, spans a semi-circular wall from floor to ceiling and shows, in real time, the movement (or delay ) of the four subway lines, all the stations and switches, and camera views from some of the thousands of different cameras in the system. When she started, her job as Public Information Officer was to convey information about the train service. But in a role that requires typing a lot of variations of, “Minor westbound delays due to a signal problem near Arlington,” and “Blue Line regular service has resumed,” Battiston has managed to inject some personality. When riders ask questions, she engages with them. She responded to one complaint—written as a haiku—with a haiku of her own. And when a commuter griped that “due to” was improper grammar—she should write “because of,” he argued—Battiston used her knowledge of grammar to prove him wrong. Her personalized touch has helped boost the number of people following @MBTA on Twitter from 15,000 when she started to more than 124,000. “We want our customers to know that they’re important to us and we’re listening to them.”
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ALUMNI PROFILE
“Success shouldn’t be based on whether you have access to capital. If someone’s willing to work really hard for a great business idea, that’s what should be important.” This philosophy belongs to Kate Drane ’03, Senior Director of Chicago Outreach for Indiegogo, the world’s largest crowd-sourcing site. Drane clears roadblocks to startup funds. And she loves it.
The
SOURCE of SUCCESS Kate Drane ’03 By Cindy Conover Dashnaw
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“I’m always asking myself, ‘How can I add value for others?’ At Indiegogo, I get to empower entrepreneurs to fund what matters to them. It’s my dream job,” she said.
IT ALL BEGAN AT BUTLER “I was looking for a small campus that had a good liberal arts school and a real commitment to diversity,” Drane said. “I went to Butler for a visit, and it felt like home.” Although she now speaks at TED talks and gatherings across the country, Drane wasn’t self-confident when she arrived at Butler. (“Not even a little bit!”) She credits Professor of Political Science Margaret Brabant with planting the seeds of courage. “Professor Brabant would be in front of a [neighborhood association] crowd that was giving her some pretty harsh feedback, and she never took it personally. She viewed what residents were saying as important information to take back and see what Butler could improve on,” Drane said.
FROM EDUCATION TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP Working for six years after graduation, Drane took advantage of a layoff to enroll in Presidio Graduate School’s MBA program. The prestigious institution became the setting for her first foray into the morass of challenges facing a person who has a great idea, but no investors.
She was in San Francisco, a hot spot for craft brewers. Identifying that cost was keeping local brewers from canning their product, Drane and her capstone project team came up with an idea for a mobile canning service, dubbed The Can Van. “We went to Indiegogo with a specific need: money for a trailer. We raised $4,000, but most importantly, we got global exposure we never could’ve gotten on our own.”
“The Midwest is made up of people who are willing to work super hard. They just don’t know how to raise capital,” she said. “I really believe that the more people can tell them ‘Yes,’ the more the sky’s the limit. And it’s my job to say, ‘Yes.’ ” She said it’s been a good decision, personally and professionally. “On my first day back, I watched a Butler game with a bunch of my undergraduate friends. It was great!” Drane said.
Drane had met the people who would ultimately cement her
“I really believe that the more people can tell them ‘Yes,’ the more the sky’s the limit. And it’s my job to say, ‘Yes.’ ” career choice. A year later, a job-seeking Drane called her Indiegogo contacts for help networking. Instead, she got a job offer. “I couldn’t believe it! I can have the same impact on other people’s lives that Indiegogo had on mine?” she said. She did so for five fun and successful years before getting homesick. By then, she felt almost ready to give up the dream job to move back to the Midwest, nearer to her family and Butler friends. But she didn’t have to. Indiegogo allowed her to create a position based out of Chicago. A firm believer in the area’s untapped potential, Drane did so with full confidence.
‘IT’S AT THE HEART OF BUTLER’ Ultimately, Drane’s most successful decisions have come from following her own advice. One such piece of wisdom is to get involved. “Butler has built-in opportunities to experience the world through other people. That’s a gift,” Drane said. “It’s the kind of thing that builds you into a stronger, more wellrounded person and, ultimately, develops empathy, which is the most valuable skill you can build.” “And it’s at the heart of Butler. Butler attracts good people who look out for others. They make Butler what it is.”
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ALUMNI PROFILE
WORTH EFFORT all the
Marsh Davis ’80 By Marc Allan
Photo provided by The Star/Michelle Pemberton
INDIANA LANDMARKS PRESIDENT MARSH DAVIS ’8O relished the opportunity he had in April to give the organization’s Cook Cup for Outstanding Restoration to Butler University to recognize the preservation of Hinkle Fieldhouse. As head of a nonprofit whose mission is to save historic places, he appreciated the quality workmanship and attention to detail that went into the $36.2 million revitalization of the 87-year-old arena, one of only 40 National Historic Landmarks in Indiana. And as a Butler alumnus who remembers taking swim classes in the fieldhouse pool, he was happy to see the 24
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structure solidified and the space used more productively. In fact, he had suggested that Butler look into a Save America’s Treasures grant, which brought in $700,000 to pay for exterior tuck-pointing and replacement of 9,734 window panes. “Places like Hinkle mean something to people,” Davis said. “It could be the architecture that is aesthetically beautiful. There could be history imbedded in the building. Or a combination of history and architecture is usually the case.” Davis has devoted his career to projects like this. After graduating from Butler with a History degree, he went to
Ball State University to pursue his master’s degree. Their architecture program included a graduate assistantship that placed him in Indianapolis at what was then called Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana. He “did gofer stuff” then, but that led to an internship after graduation as a field surveyor, documenting historic sites and structures in several Indiana counties. “A great way to learn about Indiana architecture and see historic buildings,” he said. After a stint in Michigan, Davis returned to Indiana and spent the next 15 years working on projects related to African-American heritage, rural preservation, and more. In 2002, wanting to do something different, he moved his family to Galveston, Texas, to be Executive Drector of the Galveston Historical Foundation. He returned to Indiana Landmarks in 2006. The organization has more than 40 employees in eight offices around the state, plus two gift shops in French Lick and West Baden. Davis said his role is “problem solving” constant challenges—economic, structural integrity, politics, obstreperous property owners, and more. But the successes make it worthwhile. In Spencer, restoration of the Tivoli Theatre has helped spur a downtown resurgence. In Evansville, Indiana Landmarks worked with the city, a neighborhood association, and a group who labeled themselves “Blockheads” to save an 1880s Victorian Second EmpireStyle row house called the Owen Block. They raised $440,000 in two months and found a developer to take on the restoration project. As the largest statewide nonprofit in the country and an organization unlike other historic preservation groups, Indiana Landmarks is “limited only by our vision and our ability to pay for that vision,” Davis said. An upcoming project, thanks to a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., will focus on helping religious congregations convert old buildings that are a financial burden into incomeproducing assets. Davis said his Butler education gave him an excellent foundation. “If you want to, you have access to professors in a way that a lot of institutions don’t allow,” he said, citing History Professors Mac Waller, George Geib, and Emma Lou Thornbrough as valuable mentors. “Building a relationship with those people really had a big, positive impact.”
INDIANA LANDMARKS HONORS BUTLER for RESTORATION of HINKLE FIELDHOUSE Although Hinkle Fieldhouse appeared sturdy and timeless, this National Historic Landmark needed attention before Butler launched a $36.2-million restoration. At its conclusion last spring, Indiana Landmarks honored the renovation that paid tribute to Hinkle’s history and heart. Butler’s enrollment barely topped 1,000 when Fermor Spencer Cannon designed Butler Fieldhouse in 1928. The 15,000-seat fieldhouse hosted graduations, addresses by six U.S. presidents, a concert with 125 pianos, and Jesse Owens’ world track record. And it became a barracks for World War II soldiers. To many Hoosiers, Hinkle will forever be remembered as the home of Indiana’s single-class high school basketball championship. Angelo Pizzo, who wrote the screenplay for the movie Hoosiers, called the fieldhouse “a work of art and a thing of beauty.” In designing the restoration, team leader RATIO Architects followed Vice President and Director of Athletics Barry Collier’s mantras: “Keep Hinkle, Hinkle” and “make Hinkle more Hinkle.” “Keeping Hinkle, Hinkle” meant tuck-pointing all the masonry, restoring steel-sash windows and replicating those too rusted to save. Filled over the years with mismatched glass, the windows were retrofitted with 9,700 energy-efficient panes. Butler won a federal preservation grant, so the windows rehab followed federal restoration guidelines. “Making Hinkle more Hinkle” meant removing cement-block offices, storage closets, and concession stands. This change returned the interior to its original configuration, opening up the concourses and uncovering trusses that rise up and over the barrel-vaulted ceiling. To improve conditions for athletes, Butler created new spaces for the academic center, West Gym and locker rooms, and training and workout areas in unused space, added floors in the space, opened bricked-in windows, and installed an elevator that made the upper levels accessible to those in wheelchairs for the first time. “The restoration means that the Bulldogs can continue to attract student athletes and, a hundred years from now, Hinkle Fieldhouse will still be standing strong,” said Carl Cook, Indiana Landmarks Board Chairman.
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ALUMNI and PARENT NEWS
HOMECOMING JOIN US SEPTEMBER 25–27! Don’t miss out on these annual favorites:
• Alumni Awards Recognition Program • Bulldog Beauty Contest • Family Fun Fest • Parade, Tailgating, and Football • Reunions – for the Classes of 1965, 1990, 2005, and 2010
Visit www.butler.edu/homecoming for a complete Butler Homecoming schedule of events and to register before September 11.
Register Now!
NOMINATE SOMEONE FOR AN ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Each year, the Alumni Association honors alumni and friends for outstanding service to Butler University, outstanding contributions in a career field, and/or exemplary service to the community. Nominations are accepted year-round from members of the Butler community. You can learn more about the awards and submit a nomination for consideration by visiting www.butler.edu/alumni/events/recognition. Nominations for the 2016 honorees will be accepted through October 15, 2015. Join us to celebrate the 2015 honorees at the Alumni Awards Recognition Program on Friday, September 25, in the Howard L. Schrott Center for the Arts as part of Homecoming. Reservations are required and can be made through the Homecoming website. NEW LEADERSHIP SELECTED FOR THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION The Alumni Association Board of Directors elected officers for June 1, 2015, to May 31, 2016: Beth Morris ’78, President-elect; Tracy Phillips ’88, Vice President; and Courtney Roberts ’98, Secretary. Joining the Alumni Association Board for four-year terms beginning in June 2015 are Dr. Roger Boop ’62 MS ’65, Jauvon Gilliam ’01, Rob McConnell ’78, and Dr. Alana Washington ’01. The Young Alumni Board elected new officers: Leslie Hoggatt ’04, President; Nick Schellinger ’05, Vice President; and Janell Zimmer ’09, Secretary. The Young Alumni Board also welcomed new members Jessica Balser ’07, Jacqueline Cromleigh ’13, Ben Fuelberth ’08, Jana Fuelberth ’10, Aisha Herring ’13, Kara Holthaus ’08, David Korb ’14 MPAcc ’15, and Leslie Tarble ’08, who will serve three-year terms. MOST OUTSTANDING MAN AND WOMAN Chad Pingel ’16 and Katelyn Sussli ’16, were named Butler’s Most Outstanding Man and Woman at the 2015 Outstanding Student Banquet in April. In its 54th year, the Outstanding Student Recognition Program honors the top 100 junior- and senior-level students on campus.
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CHAPTER PRESIDENT PROFILE ANDY ZACH ’05 major(s): History and Political Science occupation:
Congressional Staff chapter: Washington, DC
Great things are happening at Butler President Danko was on the road this spring to update alumni and friends of the University on the progress of Butler 2020. Through a spirit of innovation, Butler is pursuing a strategic plan that will bring better experiences and outcomes to our students and graduates, and greater national recognition to our University. President Danko expressed his excitement for what is to come as we focus our collective effort to distinguish Butler as an innovative leader in the creation and delivery of transformative, student-centered learning experiences that prepare graduates to make a meaningful impact in the world.
We reached out to a few alumni that attended the Butler 2020 Tour events to gather their feedback on the presentation and the exciting path Butler is on. Here’s what we heard from…
BEST BUTLER MEMORY: Following the Bulldogs’ win over Louisville in the 2003 NCAA® tournament, sending the Dawgs to their first Sweet 16®, hundreds of students poured outside throughout campus in excitement. It was indicative of ensuing success on the basketball court and positive national exposure for the University. BEST CHAPTER EVENT: In 2007, the Alumni Chapter went sailing on the Chesapeake Bay in Annapolis, Maryland. It was the perfect summer day for sailing, and we were joined by Brad Stevens, who had just been promoted to Head Coach.
SARA STILES ’10 What are your thoughts on Butler’s 2020 Vision? “I think President Danko has laid out an effective plan to ensure Butler is competing with comparable institutions going forward. Improving the undergraduate residential experience will make lifelong advocates for Butler, who will not only make the most of their four years as a student, but will also give back to their alma mater in the future. Have you been back to campus lately? “Yes. I have been on campus to visit my mentor, Marv Recht, in the College of Business and I’m impressed by the changes in the road structure when you drive on campus from the Northwest side. I think the greenery looks great, and I am glad there are plans to make Butler’s campus more accessible by building the parking garage. I’m looking 27
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“We were encouraged that Butler is still innovative and seeking to challenge the individual student to become a well-rounded, thinking contributor to his or her community.”
forward to having a sit-down restaurant on campus as well as other stores and am grateful that what could be an eyesore is actually going to add value to our overall campus! As a Marketing major, I’m excited to see the investment in building a new business building and future plans to upgrade student housing.” How do you think alumni can help Butler reach its 2020 Vision goals? “As someone who works in fundraising, I understand the importance of raising funds to support the operations of an organization, especially while undertaking major improvements. Alumni can give back financially and stay connected to Butler since it created special memories for all of us.” DOTTY REEHLING ’58 What are your thoughts on Butler’s 2020 Vision? “As always, we were blown away with the presentation on the ongoing plans for Butler’s campus. But most importantly, we were encouraged that Butler is still innovative and seeking to challenge the individual student to become a well-rounded, thinking contributor to his or her community.” JESSICA BALSER ‘07 What do you think is Butler’s greatest asset? “I’m encouraged by the fact that Butler recognizes its people as its greatest asset. The support the University provides to faculty, staff, students, alumni, and the community speak volumes to the commitment of the University to fostering an environment that will elevate Butler even higher.” What do you think of Butler’s new branding after viewing some of the assets this evening? “The branding caught my attention because it was simple, clean and professional, yet gave the impression that we are making a bold, confident statement. President Danko ended the evening with a video produced by Butler students. This should be a must moving forward. Showcasing student work to the public only exemplifies the core values of the University and the commitment to student education and hands-on learning.” What do you think ‘the right outcomes’ means for Butler students? A global education. A real-world education. Preparing students to be passionate, caring, educated citizens of the world. It’s just like any other professional career where the environment is key to the success of the employee. When a student has compared their top two college choices using a pros-and-cons list, and the academics requirement gets a check in the right box for both choices, it then comes down to living conditions and campus atmosphere. Ensuring our campus life is appealing to those prospective students could be the final factor in whether they choose Butler over another university.” JIM BAGNOLI ‘75 Butler’s vision is to prepare graduates to make an impact in the world. What to you think Butler is best known for? Butler is best known for its students. Being a graduate of Butler gives you a competitive advantage in today’s job market. Butler students are better equipped to deal with real life situations due to practical experiences in the classroom, campus leadership opportunities and mentoring programs, on-the-job practical experience provided by internships, and an understanding and commitment to community pride. What are your thoughts on the Butler 2020 Vision? Butler continues to look for ways to differentiate itself from other elite universities. It’s exciting to see not only the new brick-and-mortar plans, but the creation and expansion of innovative academic programs attracting and developing high-quality faculty, the commitment to preparing graduates to succeed in the workforce and global market, as well as the continued desire for community engagement. Butler is a university a young and talented high-school student would want to attend.
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ACROSS BULLDOG NATION the
CLASS ACTS The ’40s James Akers ’44 celebrated his 70th wedding anniversary with his wife, Helen Akers.
The ’50s Jack Eaton ’55 has written a booklet about the beginnings of the Jordan College of the Arts, available in Lilly Hall. Gordon Rose ’58 has authored two books in recent years, Just Passin’ Through and Uncle Ben and Me.
The ’60s Dr. Hans Sheridan ’63 has been named to the board of directors at the Easter Seals Arc of Northeast Indiana. Alan Demos ’67 and his wife, Valerie, have retired to Florida after over 40 years of global missionary service with the United Pentecostal Church in Greece and Germany. Ralph Ogden ’67 was appointed President of Technology Partnership, a humanitarian nongovernmental organization that provides refurbished computers and technology and Internet training to schools in Meru, Kenya. He also serves on the U.S. board of directors of the International Peace Initiatives in Meru. Greg Lucas ’68 was inducted into the Howard County (Indiana) Sports Hall of Fame in 2014. He has also written a book, Baseball, It’s More Than Just a Game, which can be found on amazon.com. Patricia (Norris) Hommes ’69 was inducted into the National Association of Professional Women’s VIP Woman of the Year Circle for 2015–2016.
The ’70s Jack Hittle ’70 has been named a 2015 “Super Lawyer” by Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters company. James T. Morris MBA ’70 will serve as the honorary chair of the Big Fun Event at
the Indianapolis Children’s Choir annual fundraising gala. Tekia (Mitchell) Murphy ’70 is retiring from her teaching position at Lima City Schools in Ohio. Bruce Darnall MS ’71 has published Truth Hits a Home Run for Marlins Reliever on Miami Marlins pitcher Steve Cishek in Athletes in Action. Richard Hailey ’71 is now a board member for the Marion County Bar Association. Frank Jozsa Jr. MBA ’71 has authored his 14th book, National Basketball Association Strategies: Business Expansions, Relocations, and Mergers (Springer 2015). Yvonne Perkins ’71 was honored with IUPUI’s Spirit of Philanthropy Award. Janet Priest ’74 has completed her first year as part-time Assistant Director of Orchestras at her alma mater, Lafayette Jefferson High School, after retiring from the Community Schools of Frankfort as Director of Orchestras for 40 years. Col. Robert Settle ’75 retired from RollsRoyce in Indianapolis after being with the company for more than eight years. Leslie King ’76, USA Gymnastics’ Vice President of Communications, received the Carolyn Helman Lichtenberg Crest Award from the Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women for her professional achievements. Dennis Bassett MBA ’79 was named Public Finance Director of the Indiana Finance Authority by Gov. Mike Pence.
The ’80s Donald Sefcik ’81, MS ’94 was given the 2015 Distinguished Service Award by the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians. Felicia Toreno ’84 has been named to the newly created position of Director of Ultrasound Education at Eastern Virginia Medical School. Shannon (Cagle) Dawson ’86 was named to the Indiana Debate Commission Board of Directors.
Pam Millikan EPPSP ’86 EDS ’90, former Principal of Franklin Middle School, Franklin, Indiana, has been elected to serve as President-elect of the Board of Trustees for the Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE). Thomas Crawford ’87 is retiring from St. Vincent Frankfort Hospital. Dr. Martha (Alexander) Miller ’88 has been named Department Chair of Microbiology and Immunology at Wake Forest University. Lori (Birchall) Dearing ’89 has been named Director of External Affairs for Midwest Academy. Jerry Wiley ’89 has joined KPMG’s Indianapolis office as a Partner and local office Tax Leader.
The ’90s Rod G. Haywood Jr. ’90 was appointed to serve the remainder of a four-year term through September 30, 2016, on Indiana’s Board for Proprietary Education. Mark Taylor ’90 joined Yargus Manufacturing Inc. as Vice President of Industrial Sales. Ronda (Rushton) Freije ’92 was named Director of Pharmacy Services for Franciscan St. Francis Health. Jolie Lindley ’92 has been named a Staff Writer for the “GermU” section of Germ Magazine. Germ is an online publication for girls in high school and beyond that “celebrates beginnings, futures, and all the amazing and agonizing moments in-between.” Wendi C. Thomas ’93, a columnist for the Memphis (Tennessee) Flyer, has been selected for the 2016 class of Nieman Fellows at Harvard University. Joseph Zompetti ’93 is the recipient of a Fulbright grant to travel to Brazil. Lori (Carlson) Pierson ’94 received her doctorate from United Theological Seminary in April 2015. She and her husband, David, will be moving into the mission field to a rural village outside of Fuzhou, China, to work with disabled and special-needs orphans. They will also teach at a local seminary.
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CLASS ACTS Bryan Brenner ’95 was elected to a three-year term on Butler’s Board of Trustees. Erik Sederberg ’96 is now the Associate Creative Director at Bradley & Montgomery. Cynthia Simon Skjodt ’96 is now the Board Chair of The Indianapolis Foundation, an affiliate of CICF. Rev. Jason-Paul (J-P) Channels ’97 has accepted a call as Associate Minister at Heart of the Rockies Christian Church in Fort Collins, Colorado. Michelle Liffick ’97 moved her realestate sales practice to Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty in Chicago. Michelle is a broker with the company and a Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty 2014 Top Producer. Melissa (Tolhuizen) Loeffelholz ’97 is Director of Series Production for Nickelodeon. She lives in Studio City, California, with her husband and two daughters. Eric S. Payne ’98 was named to the Indianapolis Business Journal’s “Forty Under 40” Class of 2015. Erin (Bohannon) Roth ’98 was named to the Indianapolis Business Journal’s “Forty Under 40” Class of 2015. Aaron Simms ’98 has received a Master of Fine Arts from Columbia University in Theater Management and Producing. Chris Duzenbery ’99 is now the Director of College and Career Readiness at Decatur Central High School. Joseph Eppers MBA ’99 is now the Senior Vice President, Chief Investment Officer, for Selective Insurance Group Inc.
Gwenn (Speck) Eldridge MA ’00 was installed as National Association for Developmental Education President at the organization’s annual conference and will lead the group through 2015–2016. Nathan Habegger MBA ’00 has been named CTI Group Inc’s Chief Financial Officer. Chad Martin ’00 is now Managing Director, Phoenix at nimblejack. Laurie (Bowman) Martin ’00 has been named partner at Hoover, Hull, Turner LLP. Mark Novak MBA ’00 has joined the Farmers Bank as Chief Credit Officer. Lauren Howard ’01 is the new President of Truckload Operations for Celadon. Jason Myers ’01 has been named a Partner at BKD LLP. Jessica (Bryant) Stephenson ’01 has been promoted to Vice President of Marketing and Service Operations at ExactHire. Eileen Drake MBA ’02 is now the Chief Operating Officer for GenCorp. Jonathan Manning ’02 has accepted a new position at the International Monetary Fund as the Information Management Officer in the Middle East and Central Asia Department. Katasha Butler ’03, MBA ’14 has been elected President of Membership of The Circle City Chapter of The Links Inc. John Dedman ’03 was named Butler University’s Associate Athletic Director for Communications. Ed Carpenter ’03 was named to the Indianapolis Business Journal’s “Forty Under 40” Class of 2015.
Michael Grimes ’99 was named to the Indianapolis Business Journal’s “Forty Under 40” Class of 2015.
Adriane Fink ’03 MM ’05 was awarded the National/Global Impact Award and 2015’s Woman of Achievement for the Canton, Ohio, YWCA.
Matthew Kraemer ’99 has been appointed as the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra’s Music Director and Principal Conductor.
Richard Leverett ’03 is now the Director of External Affairs for Northern Indiana with AT&T.
Cynthia Lawson ’99 has joined Renaissance Administration as Director of Strategic Marketing.
Amy Brown ’04 earned her real-estate broker license and is now a Broker with Crowne Realty in Bloomington, Illinois.
Michael Ososki ’99 has been named a Partner at BKD LLP.
Katie (Foster) Gordon ’04 was named a 2015–2016 Martha Lea and Bill Armstrong Teacher Educator.
Laura Schlesinger ’99 was honored with the Middle School Level Award for the Teacher of the Year for Rutherford County Schools in Tennessee.
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The ’00s
CLASS ACTS
Ryan Marques ’04, an Associate at the Indianapolis law firm Lewis & Kappes, has been named the Honorary Consul of Portugal to Indiana.
Melanie Saffell MBA ’04 has been hired by dunnhumbyUSA as a Senior Client Lead, Client Leadership, in the Cincinnati office. Dr. Randi (Carpenter) Earls ’05 has completed requirements to become a Certified Diabetes Educator. Aaron Johns ’05 has been hired by Clover Architectural Products as a Project Manager. Desiree Brooks MS ’07 EPPSP ’07 was named a 2015–2016 Martha Lea and Bill Armstrong Teacher Educator. Melanie Perry ’07 was appointed to the board for Joy’s House Adult Day Service. Brant Sloan ’07 joined Limestone Title & Escrow in Louisville, Kentucky, as an attorney. Alicia Hammonds ’08 is now a Public Relations Account Executive for Caldwell VanRiper. Michael J. Pecchia ’08 has been promoted to Vice President of Revenue Accounting at Celadon. Eric Stark ’08 is the Head Coach for the men’s tennis team at Eastern Illinois University.
The ’10s Jennifer Lisak ’10 has been selected to join the inaugural class of TechPoint’s Tech 25, a group of 25 individuals building organizations in the state’s tech community. Julie Michalski ’10 is an Associate Veterinarian at a small animal clinic in Dayton, Ohio. Dr. Jacob Capito ’11 and Dr. Rachel Scott ’15 got engaged in May. Josh Evans ’11 was awarded the 2015–2016 Gert Quigley Fellowship by the American Association for Dental Research. Ensign Jenna Hillman ’11 completed her training as a Naval Flight Officer and was awarded her Wings of Gold by her father, Dr. Larry Hillman ’76, at a winging ceremony at NAS Jacksonville on March 27. Alex Mattingly ’11 is now a Copywriter/ Producer for Well Done Marketing. Marcella Moreman ’11 is now the Community Development Manager for FORUM Credit Union. Garrett Morales ’12 has graduated from the University of Iowa College of Law.
Ronald Nored ’12 is now an Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach at Northern Kentucky University. Shelby Walton ’12 is an Assistant Account Executive for Well Done Marketing.
OUR GROWING BUTLER COMMUNITY 1
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Jacqueline Cromleigh ’13 joined Indiana Humanities as the Communications Manager and Program Associate. Emerson Kampen ’13 is now a Basketball Analyst for the Butler men’s basketball team. Kelcie Lyons ’13 MPACC ’14 received the 2014 Elijah Watt Sells Award, given to candidates who have obtained a cumulative average score of about 95.5 across all four sections of the Uniform CPA Examination. Abdul-Rahman (Peter) Kassig ’13 was honored posthumously by the Indiana Pacers with the Indiana Hero Award.
5
Mason Dettmer ’14 has been named Business Development Assistant at Thomas P. Miller and Associates. Alex Barlow ’15 is now a Video Assistant for the Boston Celtics. Ashley Kline ’15 received a second-place poster award from The Genetics Society of America (GSA).
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Elise Kotsakis ’15 signed with the Icelandic professional soccer team Afturelding (UMFA) in the Pepsi Women’s Premier League. Bekah Mackey ’15 has been hired as a Legislative Assistant at the Indiana Senate after completing an internship in which she received the Verizon Communication Scholarship Award.
6
Zach Steinberger ’15 was selected by the Houston Dynamo with the eighth pick in the MLS draft.
3
Weddings Ashlea Inniger ’04 and John Stone on February 1, 2015
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Dr. Randi (Carpenter) Earls ’05 and Justin Earls on August 30, 2014 (PHOTO 1) Amanda (Jarrett) Thomas ’06 and Scott Thomas on April 11, 2015 Vincent Accetturo ’08 and Perry Hilficker ’10 on November 1, 2014 Billy Cahill ’11 and Dr. Kelsey (Young) Cahill ’13 on April 11, 2015 Dr. Amanda (Dec) Pelliccioni ’11 and Brice Pelliccioni on January 3, 2015 Grace (Frank) Alcaraz ’13 and Emilio Alcaraz on December 27, 2014 31
New Arrivals
In Memoriam
Dawn Toth ’99 and Ryan Clark Jackson Paul Clark on September 20, 2014
Helen (Lowry) Martin ’38 Lucille (Bosler) Collier ’42 (PHOTO 2) Barbara (Frederickson) Doyle ’43 Regan (Rastetter) Bohnert ’01 and Aaron Raymond Grahn ’43 Bohnert; Jillian Barbara on March 30, 2015 William Neeriemer ’44 MA ’48 Jillian joins big brother Hudson. (PHOTO 3) Winstan “Bud” Sellick ’44 Angela (Koebcke) Del Principe ’03 and David Marion (Feichter) Brown ’45 Del Principe; Cameron James Del Principe on Marilyn (Behymer) East ’45 November 10, 2014. Cameron joins big sister Winifred (Sellick) Ingram ’45 Ava. Robert Gwyn ’47 Lauren (Boyd) Harper ’05 and Jerod Harper; Elizabeth Ott ’48 Katherine Teena Harper on August 5, 2014 Manson Church ’49 Carolyn (Finn) Welch ’49 Emily Stephenitch ’06 and Ryan Kluber ’09; Louis Buergler ’50 Bennett Kane Kluber on July 16, 2014 Carl Freije ’50 (PHOTO 4) Robert Hine ’50 Amber (Semro) Kimberlin ’07 and Brian Michael Holowach ’50 Kimberlin; Olivia Rose on January 18, 2015 Robert Meiners ’50 Brant Sloan ’07 and Angela Sloan; William Bruce Poynter ’50 Ryan Sloan on January 30, 2015 (PHOTO 5) Marlene (Ranes) Thornberry ’50 Cassie (Krisher) Dull ’08 and Chad Dull; Ray Davis ’51 Gavin Parker Dull on February 21, 2015 Gavin Roy Foxworthy ’51 joins big sister Hayley. Alfred Hood ’51 Whitney (Cockerham) Rodgers ’08 Elaine (Kilcline) Keach ’51 MPAS ’12 and Nicholas Rodgers ’10; Cohen Barbara (McCown) Menzie ’51 Michael Rodgers on May 19, 2015. Cohen joins Peter Sofios ’51 big brother Graham, 2. (PHOTO 6) James Speas ’51 Melanie (Petty) Pizzino ’09 and Joe Pizzino; Fred Ball ’52 Anna Pizzino on January 19, 2015 Warren Johnson ’52 MS ’64 Donald Pagels ’52 Angela (Galik) Fantone ’10 and Michael John Walls ’52 Fantone ’09; Maxwell Fantone on Joy (Richey) Delay ’53 January 3, 2015 (PHOTO 7) Marlin Husted ’53
Henry Jones ’54 Doris (Graham) Lyons ’54 Nancy (Johnson) Bullington ’55 Armen Bottles ’56 Ronald Milton ’57 Edwin Shearer ’57 George Amend ’58 Robert Crowner MS ’58 Charles Ford ’58 Thalia (Hosea) Hanna ’58 MS ’62 Jack Nail MS ’58 Bernard Burk ’60 Russell Freeland MS ’60 Philip Harwood ’60 MS ’61 Robert Johnston ’60 Jack Crum ’61 Robert Green ’61 MS ’64 Iris (Brill) Showalter ’61 John Waggaman ’61 Lowell Ellabarger ’62 James Monroe MS ’62 Elnora (Gehrett) Upton ’62 MS ’67 J. R. Kritz ’63 Nancy (Kealing) Blondin ’64 Martha (Rigdon) Bradshaw MS ’64 Sharon (Crockett) Mutter ’64 MS ’68 Marya (Betner) Butler MS ’65 Sylvia (Roberts) Dandridge MS ’65 Carol (Murphy) Kocher ’65 Irving Laird MS ’65 Elizabeth (Fuller) Bays MS ’66
Gerald Manuel MA ’66 Richard Beck MA ’67 Lucille (Mitchell) Peterson MS ’68 Thomas Strawn EDS ’68 Peter Americanos ’69 Ethel (Hobson) Miller MS ’69 Everett Taylor ’69 John Beatty ’70 Gladys Johnson MS ’70 Edward Wagner ’70 Marilyn (Riser) Atkinson MS ’71 Edward Evans ’71 Sally (Butler) Runion ’71 Ruth Talbergs MS ’71 Martha (Sutton) Wilson ’71 Ruth (Bibos) Beyer ’72 MA ’74 Frederick Fishback MS ’72 Steven Hughes ’72 MS ’74 Karen (Weigand) Eakins MS ’74 Michael Persson MBA ’74 Janet (Maddox) Shaughnessy MS ’75 Karen Chapman ’76 Cameron Doran ’77 Cathleen (Coyle) Johns ’80 Larry Brassard ’82 Lori Alexander ’83 Deborah (Fortune) Hunter ’83 Elizabeth (Johnston) Mattingly ’87 Ronald Jones MS ’88 Angela Jones ’91 Julie (Cantrell) Gilbert ’96 Jamison Dubnicek ’02
INCLUDE MY 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; recent marriage or addition to your family; or any other news you would like to share. Send to Alumni and Parent Programs, Butler University, 4600 Sunset Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46208; online through Bulldog Nation at bulldognation.butler.edu; via email to alumni@butler.edu; or fax to 317-940-8079.
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q New Address Phone (home)
Employer/Position Phone (work) Phone (cell) Employer Address, City, State, Zip Please include: Due to space limitations, submitted photographs may not always be published. 32
CLASS ACTS
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It doesn’t take a dog’s-eye view to see that innovation has become a hallmark of Butler University (though a four-legged viewpoint sure makes life interesting). For further proof, however, this issue of Butler Magazine is busting at the binding with evidence of our innovative ways, and it makes me proud as a dog with two tails! Printed on these pages are stories about the pioneering Bulldogs among us, the many ways we are redefining the higher-education experience, and, of course, updates on the very apparent and ongoing construction projects I see as I trot around campus. Crack it open and jump in with all fours! Over the last 160 years, the Butler Bulldog has grown into a breed all its own. That’s by design, I assure you: a long, strategic transformation into a dynamic people, developing a distinct place, all with a driving purpose. Daring Dawgs, we are!
GO DAWGS! TRIP (BUTLER BLUE III)