CCOM Pawcast | Butler University

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...

(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...