CCOM Pawcast | Butler University

(Recorded on Jan. 30, 2025) Anna Demia Colosi, great (4X) granddaughter of Ovid Butler, joins CCOM Dean Joe Valenzano as part of this year's Founder's Celebration Week. Anna talks about the important legacy of Ovid and the immense pride her family shares in seeing all that Butler University continues to be. To learn more about this year's Founder's Celebration, please visit the Fou...

(Recorded on Jan. 14, 2025) Bill Neher '66, is Professor Emeritus of Communication Studies at Butler University, and former Dean of the University College (1974-1982) and the inaugural Dean of the College of Communication (2010-2012). He joins current CCOM Dean Joe Valenzano on this episode of the CCOM Pawcast. This conversation builds on the wonderful discussions with Gregory Mark '79, an...

Butler University's Melissa Beckwith, Class of 2000, is the Chief Strategy Officer and Executive Vice President. The marketing major is leading the Butler Gateway Project, a “shared vision to shape a university and campus that enhances lives and strengthens our community in dynamic new ways” and sheds more light on the growth of the University and of Midtown Indianapolis. Learn more about the Butl...

Joe Valenzano, Dean of CCOM, announces the 80 for 80 campaign in honor of Dr. William W. Neher and Dr. David H. Waite. Starting on Monday, Dec. 9, for the next 80 days (until March 1!) we’re asking for your help continuing the vital work Dr. Neher and Dr. Waite inspired. Play your part in raising "80 for 80" as we seek 80 gifts to celebrate year 80 for both of these amazing Bulldogs! Gifts can be...

Dr. David H. Waite, his wife Deeny, and Dr. Gregory Mark '79 poured their heart and soul into Debate & Speech and what today is the College of Communication (CCOM). As close friends to this day, they also remain actively connected to the college and university. Listen to some of their fond memories of Butler before CCOM was an actual college and learn more about the 80 for 80 campaign, celebra...

Giselle Varre '24 co-hosts and welcomes comedian David Nihil to CCOM Backstage to tease his Monday, November 18th performance of “Comedy + Reading Recommendations = Shelf Help” at 7 p.m. at Butler's Shelton Auditorium. Leaving Dublin, Ireland where he was born and raised until the age of 22, David got drunk on travel and never quite hit sobriety of it. He has lived and worked in twelve cou...

(Recorded on November 1, 2024) Grant Leiendecker ‘11, Vice President/Director of Butler Athletics joined CCOM Dean Joe Valenzano as men's and women's basketball kick off their 2024-25 seasons, respectively. Leiendecker reflects on his experiences as a student at Butler, the special feeling that historic Hinkle Fieldhouse provides, his relationship with Barry Collier, what the future holds for Bull...

(Recorded on November 1, 2024) Dr. Bryan Foltice, associate professor of finance and the creator of the “Money Strong” program is joined by his initiative partner Randy Brown, a career mentor with LSB, to talk with CCOM Dean Joe Valenzano on the latest episode of the CCOM Pawcast. Topics include student loans, budgeting, and personal finance, especially while transitioning from being an undergradu...

International performer Eddie Izzard joins CCOM Backstage before heading to Indianapolis and Butler to perform “The Remix Tour: The First 35 Years” at Clowes Memorial Hall on Monday, October 28th. Izzard discusses the influence of Monty Python, his/her role in the new Netflix series "Kaos," the statues on Easter Island, and performing Hamlet in the US and UK.

CCOM Backstage: What's Happening at the Butler Arts & Events Center, returns to shine the spotlight on Koo Koo's upcoming performance at Butler’s Schrott Center for the Arts on Saturday, October 26 at 1 p.m. The duo of Bryan and Neil, who met during college in 2008 in Minnesota, have stepped into a new realm with their TV series “Oh Yeah Heck Yeah,” and they discuss how that ties into their li...

Eva Hallman '26 (journalism), is joined by Gabi Mathus '25 (criminology/psychology dual major) for the latest episode of CCOM Backstage: What's Happening at the Butler Arts & Events Center. This episode features Dr. Scott Bonn, prior to his Friday, Oct. 11 evening at the Schrott Center for the Arts event titled, "Serial Killers: The Curious Appeal of the World's Most Terri...

(Recorded September 15, 2024) Butler's Stephanie Hinshaw, Associate Vice President of Transformation, and Shaun Owens, the BSOL program director for CCOM, join Joe Valenzano, Dean of the College of Communication to talk about the partnership between the transformation lab, CCOM, and other critical stakeholders at Butler and in the Indianapolis community. Celebrate the initial cohort of student...

(Recorded on Sep. 9, 2024) Michelle Azar joins CCOM Backstage: What's happening at the Butler Arts & Events Center, before her one-woman performance of the play “All Things Equal: The Life and Trials of Ruth Bader Ginsburg,” taking place on Saturday, Sep. 14th at 8 pm in Clowes Memorial Hall at Butler University. Michelle discusses playing multiple icons during her career, what it means to...

(Recorded on September 5, 2024) Aaron Hurt ‘08, Vice President of Arts, Events, and Enterprise Management at Butler, joins CCOM Dean Joe Valenzano on the latest episode of the CCOM Pawcast. Hurt started at Butler in 2013 as an operations manager for the Schrott Center for the Arts, and has made a massive impact on delivering world-class acts and entertainment to the amazing facilities on campus.

(Recorded Aug. 29, 2024) Butler's President James Danko joins host Joe Valenzano, Dean of the College of Communication at Butler, in the Season 2 kickoff of the CCOM Pawcast. They talk the excitement of Welcome Week and the Fall 2024 semester, as well as multiple elements of The Butler Gateway Project and the University's leadership role in Midtown Indianapolis. Specific items include the...

(Recorded on Aug. 15, 2024) Welcome to the inaugural episode of CCOM Backstage: What's happening at the Butler Arts & Events Center. Paul Mecurio is an Emmy Award winner for his work on The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, and his current position with The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. He joins the College of Communication's Ross Hollebon and Eva Hallman '25, journalism major, to...

Sarah Myer '06 (Journalism) is not only a CCOM is currently the Chief of Staff & Strategy at Indiana Sports Corp., and was essential in Indianapolis and Lucas Oil Stadium hosting the US Swimming Olympic trials last June. Bob Schultz has been at Butler for 20 years. He is civic leader in Indianapolis who served as an adjunct professor within Strategic Communication and is now a full time CC...

Dan Cooreman '76 (DAB Chairperson), Amy Dichter '98, and Jordan Anderson '10 join CCOM Dean Joe Valenzano in Studio 42 of Fairbanks Center for the 16th episode of the Pawcast. They discuss their roles within the CCOM Dean's Advisory Board, why they volunteer their time, and what Butler means to them still today as they invest in CCOM's ongoing growth. Thanks for listening and #...

(Recorded March 25, 2024) Ryan Briganti '98 is vice president of sports sales at Paramount. He recently arranged a tour of CBS Studios for current Butler sports media students but is also helping his daughter navigate her college selection journey.

(Recorded Feb. 20, 2024) Dr. Nneka Logan is an associate professor at Virginia Tech and she visited Bulter University as the CCOM 2024 Distinguished Speaker. Her presentation focused on “Exploring the relationship between corporations, race, and responsibility in the age of AI.” She was also a classmate with CCOM Dean Joe Valenzano as he worked on his Ph. D. and she worked on her M.A. in mass comm...

(Recorded Feb. 19, 2024) Umayr Shaikh graduated from Butler University in 2021 with a dual major in Spanish Language & Human Communication/Organizational Leadership, as well as minors in Chemistry and English Lit—and he was just getting started. He earned his Master of Public Health (MPH) from The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice in June 2022 and is currently worki...

(Recorded Feb. 16, 2024) Steve Bulpett was in town to cover aspects of the NBA All-Star game and shared his time to speak to a pair of classes, sharing tales from his more than 35 years as a journalist. Stephen has primarily covered the Boston Celtics and the NBA at large, as a veteran reporter for the Boston Herald and Heavy.com. Bulpett spoke to Media Ethics and Sports Media students while visit...

(Recorded Feb. 17, 2024) Cory Stark ’08 and Larry Potash, parent of a current Bulldog, both have illustrious careers as broadcast TV anchors and hosts in St. Louis and Chicago, respectively.  Both visited CCOM in February to talk with students and give them advice on how to achieve success and make a mark on media companies.

Chicagoland native Mohsin Waraich '20, major in sports media and minors in religion, and business, joined Dean Joe Valenzano for a last-minute episode of the CCOM Pawcast. Enjoy Mohsin's take on his Butler experience and how he continues to find success in his burgeoning sports marketing career.

Prof. Ann Bilodeau, representing the Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences department and clinical experience, joins Dean Joe Valenzano to discuss her roles in the classroom and as a Faculty In Residence at Butler University.