CCOM Pawcast | Butler University

Dr. Ann Savage, professor of Critical Communication and Media Studies, provides background on her 2027 Spring Break Study Abroad trip — Prague: Media, Culture & Difference, in partnership with Butler's Center for Global Education. Be part of her group experiencing all Prague has to offer including Barrandov Studios, Old Town, the Astronomical Clock, Prague Castle, and more during this cult...

Veronica Smith '24 (Sports Media) was offered her full time social media coordinator position with the Indianapolis Colts in a unique way . 2nd-year tight end Tyler Warren was part of an orchestrated content team effort in surprising Veronica. And then the video showed up on Good Morning America. Smith shares thoughts about the Colts, her time and opportunities at Butler, the privilege to lear...

Film & Media Production (FMP) lecturer Peter Matsoukas joins the Pawcast to discuss THE DEPTHS, a horror film he helped produce, that is available to stream this Friday, Sep. 18th. He also shares his educational and film background, gushes about his fellow professors in the FMP major, and talks about the start of the Fall 2026 semester in the College of Communication at Butler University. Lear...

Patrick Reilly '27 (Sports Media and Strategic Communication) president of the Butler Institute for Sports and Entertainment (BISE) tells us about the group and two upcoming projects they are excited to contribute to this semester: The Penrod Arts Fair and the NBA Cup Promotional Sprint Challenge.

Dr. Kwadwo Anokwa, Professor of Journalism at Butler University, recently passed away after an incredibly impactful life. For this episode of the CCOM Pawcast, Dave Juday ‘94, BS in Radio/Television with a Journalism minor, joins Ross Hollebon to discuss the legacy of Dr. Anokwa and their relationship and friendship, starting in Dave's first-year and carrying on throughout his adult life. Rest...

Dr. Margaretha Geertsema-Sligh, Professor of Journalism and the Director of Graduate Studies in the College of Communication, joins Ross Hollebon on the CCOM Pawcast to talk about her summer projects and the coming school year. She provides background on the new book she is editing for Routledge, "Journalism and Gender in the Global South: A Research Companion," her vantage point on the...

Ariel Chan ’30 is an incoming first-year Strategic Communication major who has already wrapped up her first marketing internship, plays the guitar and sings, and is one of a quintuplet who will all be going their own direction this fall. Thanks for celebrating Ariel and these initial building blocks of her Butler and CCOM story with us!

Tori Witter '16 is a Butler alum with a Strategic Communication major who is active in marketing, advertising, and design in the Indianapolis area. She is currently Managing Partner + Creative Director of RADL Creative , a full-service creative agency built for the bold. We blend strategy, design, and storytelling to help clients connect with their audiences in meaningful ways—through work tha...

On Thursday night (June 16, 2026) Assistant Professor Kiersten Houser of CCOM’s Film & Media Production (FMP) major, experienced Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey in 70mm perfection at the IMAX Theatre in the Indiana State Museum. There are only 25 theaters in the U.S. (and only 41 theaters worldwide) capable of projecting The Odyssey in true 70mm IMAX. Learn more background about the Film and M...

Butler CCOM alum Sarah Hohman '25 has relocated to Denver to pursue her dream of working in baseball. And she has done it in a big way as the Digital Communications Coordinator for Major League Baseball’s Colorado Rockies. She graduated with dual majors in Sports Media and Journalism and was heavily involved in leadership for The Collegian student newspaper. Listen to learn more about this won...

Lexi Schell ’23 and Grace Harahan ’25 join host Ross Hollebon on the latest episode of the CCOM Pawcast, posting on Super Bowl Sunday. Lexi is an Indianapolis Colts cheerleader, finishing her 3rd season, and Grace has just wrapped up her rookie season for the BenGals squad in Cincinnati. The exemplary Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences (SLHS) majors—currently both working on their Master’s deg...

Renna Reschly ‘26, marketing major in the Lacy School of Business, and agency director of five fountains , joins Joe Valenzano, dean of the College of Communication, in the final episode of the CCOM Pawcast for 2025. Renna IS Boldly Butler and they discuss the ways she exemplifies transformational learning experiences, Butler’s dynamic campus & community, and a thriving Butler over the course...

Welcome to the December 2025 episode of The Blue Carpet podcast, touting what this holiday season has to offer at the incredible venues of the Butler Arts & Events Center. In this month's episode we talk all of the festive offerings in December with special attention to The Nutcracker, performed annually by the Butler ballet dance program. We also help celebrate co-host Isa Silva who gradu...

Caleb Denorme is a member of the Class of ‘26 with a dual major in journalism and sports media, in addition to his role as the current Editor-in-Chief of The Collegian. During this episode of the CCOM Pawcast, Caleb shares his excitement about The Collegian student newspaper, how impactful Dr. Tatsiana Karaliova is as an advisor, professor, and friend, and his deep affinity for the Columbus Crew M...

Isa Silva ’26 and Nora Sableski ’28 are ready to usher you through The Velvet Rope and into their VIP student experiences at the Butler Arts and Events Center . The classmates, during the first day of fall break, share two shows they're excited about and talk about working back of house at the amazing theaters on Butler's campus. Learn more about Taylor Tomlinson and Los Tigres Del Norte,...

Welcome to episode 2 of The Blue Carpet podcast, touting what October 2025 has to offer at the incredible venues of the Butler Arts & Events Center. In this month's episode we talk events that are perfect for Halloween, Taylor Swift, comedians, and tease the spin-off episode that Nora and Isa will host each month as a special deep-dive from a student point-of-view. Your team of hosts: Mall...

The CCOM Pawcast welcomes Butler's Jonathan Purvis, Vice President for Advancement and Marketing, as a special guest. Purvis joined CCOM Dean Joe Valenzano from Studio 50 in Fairbanks to discuss Homecoming 2025 and the new strategy and campaign announcements. During Homecoming weekend Boldly Butler was announced, the University’s commitment to setting the standard for delivering a transformati...

Mallory Doyel ’08 (Arts Administration), Director of Event Marketing for the Butler Arts and Events Center (BAEC), Isa Silva ’26, Arts Administration major with dual minors in Spanish and Strategic Communication, and Nora Sableski ’28, Arts Administration and Theatre dual major, with a minor in Creative Media & Entertainment, join Ross Hollebon, Associate Director of Marketing for the College...

Season 3 begins with special guest Jay Howard, serving as the interim provost and executive vice president of Butler University, joining the CCOM Pawcast with Dean Joe Valenzano. Howard is a professor of sociology who most recently served as the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and from 2017-2019, already as Dean of LAS, he also served as the Dean of the College of Communication. ...

Emily Ristine Holloway, founder and artistic director of Summer Stock Stage and Jacob Richardson '27, a secondary education major, theatre performer, and member of the Butler Cheer team, join Ross Hollebon on this episode of CCOM Backstage: What's going on at the Butler Arts & Events Center (BAEC). Summer Stock Stage was announced as the BAEC's resident theatre company in December...

In 1950, at age seven, Dagnija "Daggie" Lacis   came to America with her parents as a refugee from Communist ruled Latvia. How did it happen that the Prime Minister of newly freed Latvia would invite Daggie back to her homeland in 1990 as the first official visitor from the West? Listen to the story from Daggie, who, upon graduating cum laude from Butler in June of 1964, crashed her firs...

CCOM students Lexi Serra (First year; Strategic Communication), Miles Kong (First year; Journalism), Ally White (Graduating Senior; Sports Media), and Sarah Ripperger (Graduating Junior; Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences) join the CCOM Pawcast to share their experiential learning stories. From Mediterranean cruises focused on travel and hospitality to music business intensives in Nashville, a...

Lesle Lane '91 graduated from Butler University with a degree in Liberal Arts and has earned a successful career in photography, now running Studio 13. She has been awarded national recognition for her images and helped Studio 13 come to serve global manufacturers, distributors, and bio-tech organizations. In this episode of the CCOM Pawcast she joins Joe Valenzano, Dean of the College of Comm...

Isabella Ernsberger '25 leads this episode of CCOM Backstage, with co-host Ross Hollebon, highlighting the upcoming April 4th performance by musical act "Burning Red: A Tribute to Taylor Swift" at Butler's Clowes Memorial Hall. Gina, lead singer and founder of Burning Red, talks about her impressive professional music background, why she has created a band to honor T Swift, and w...

Leslie Mendelson, Grammy Award-nominated artist, will play The Krannert Room in Clowes Hall at Butler University on Feb. 26, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. to support her latest album, After the Party .  Throughout  After The Party ’s ten tracks, Mendelson crafts a distinctive folk-rock, pop-Americana flavor, evoking the sounds of Laurel Canyon, but with the downtown grit and sharp wit of Brooklyn, the city sh...