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Each autumn, as I see the leaves on our campus change into beautiful shades of red, orange, and yellow, Robert Frost’s celebrated poem The Road Not Taken often comes to mind. Perhaps the imagery of the yellow wood or the fallen leaves is what ties the work to autumn for me, but more notably, the poem invokes the theme of change and new beginnings and opportunities—a motif that is very much apparent on campus this time of year.

Long before the initials DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) were part of the lexicon, Ovid Butler founded the University that bears his name with a goal to admit students “without distinction on account of sex, race, or color.”
One hundred and sixty-seven years later, Dr. Khalilah Shabazz, Butler’s new Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, intends to build on that mission.

A decade ago, Laura Anderson ’15 gave little thought to life outside the United States, let alone how to launch a thriving career abroad. 

When Anne Wilson and Mike
Samide led a group of 31 Butler
community members on a trip
to Europe this past summer,
it was about more than just
tourism. By focusing on food—as
well as the science, cultures,
and history behind it—the
Chemistry professors
aimed to reconnect
participants with the
classroom experience.

As an educator responsible for preparing future
health providers, Kent VanTyle ’67 wanted to be sure Butler students
were being adequately prepared to provide Spanish-speaking
patients with the best care possible.

In 2008–2009, Butler offered four faculty-led study abroad programs; this year 32 faculty-led programs are in the works. For those faculty who have a front-row seat to the experiences students are having abroad, the impact is more personal than rankings could ever demonstrate.

Jill McKinney MS ’11, Butler’s Director of Global Engagement, shares how the study abroad program has grown in recent years and the significant impact on and benefits to students who study abroad as part of their undergraduate education. 

Gary Beaulieu, Director of CaPS, joined Butler from Indiana State University 19 years ago and has played a crucial role in helping students discover their passions and, subsequently, how those passions translate into internship and career opportunities. 

Maddie Silverstein ’13 has always enjoyed the opportunity to create her own path, but never would have guessed that her search for an extra internship would place her in the realm of search engine optimization (SEO), content strategy, brand storytelling, and, ultimately, the pursuit of stand-up comedy. 

Nick Huang wants students to know how he got his dream job so they can get theirs, too.

Abbas Rizvi ’12 credits an internship experience for altering the trajectory of his career—placing him on a path completely different than the one he started on.

When Greg Jung MBA ’98 and his colleagues work with interns, they always aim to provide meaningful learning moments. Students don’t just check off tasks—they own initiatives, collaborate on projects, then give presentations about how the experience has influenced them.