
Meet the Class of 2022: Kate Callihan
Kate Callihan
Major: Sports Media
Hometown: Austin, Texas
High School: Westlake High School
"I am most excited about the growing Sports Media program. It offers so many opportunities here and around Indy, and the professors show so much interest in the students already and classes haven't even started yet. Working with people who are likeminded and driven is going to be just incredible."
Like many high schoolers, Kate Callihan and her classmates studied the Vietnam war during their junior year.They read The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien, heard from veterans who visited their class, and, as a final assignment, researched an American soldier who died in, or as a result of, the war.
Unlike many high schoolers, though, Kate took this assignment to the next level–and discovered a passion for storytelling in the process.
The name Kate was assigned was Michael Meyhoff. Rather than do some cursory research, she tracked down his family in North Dakota and made a 20-minute documentary using home movies, photos, and recollections of family and friends.
"I absolutely loved every second of it," she said.
Kate said she'd always loved writing, but it wasn’t until this project that she realized how much she loved storytelling. She narrated the video, "and at the beginning you can hear how timid I was and by the end of it I really found my voice and confidence."
"I realized that by telling this story I was not only impacting my grade and my own agenda, but there was a whole community that benefited from it and it was an absolutely incredible experience," she said.
Kate's English teacher, Dr. James Moore, wrote this about her effort: "The work you put in with calls, interviews, and emails eclipsed that of your classmates tenfold at least. I can tell that you really delved into the material, too, mining it for any little detail that would help fill out your story. "
Kate will continue honing her storytelling craft as a Sports Media major at Butler this fall. She will be one of 1,357 first-year students in Butler’s Class of 2022, the University’s largest class ever.
Butler’s Sports Media program drew her to Indianapolis–and it’s drawn others, too. Since 2017, the number of first-year students enrolling in Sports Media has more than doubled. The program, an integration of Sports Journalism and Digital Sports Production, is the only degreed program of its kind in Indiana, and one of only a handful of degreed programs in the Midwest.
In addition to studying Sports Media at Butler, Kate plans to double minor in Marketing and Theology, with a focus on Monotheism and Biblical Studies. She hopes one day to combine her interests in sports media and theology to bring teams to third-world countries to teach the children there how to play sports.
But that's the future. For now, she said, "I feel blessed to be part of the young Sports Media program and blessed to be part of Butler."
Meet the Class of 2022: Kate Callihan
Butler's Sports Media program drew Kate to Indiana from Texas.
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Caring for Mental Health During COVID-19
BY Katie Grieze
PUBLISHED ON Apr 01 2020
In the midst of a global crisis that is very tangibly affecting everything from physical health to job security, it’s easy to neglect the invisible consequences a situation like this can have on mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Even for those who have never experienced clinical anxiety, the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic might be deeply disturbing. And that fear is multiplied among those who are prone to mental illness, especially now that several go-to coping strategies have become inaccessible.
But, according to these three Butler University experts, you can find comfort in not being alone: Everyone is experiencing this together. Plus, there are plenty of ways to stay healthy while staying inside.
Shana Markle
Counseling and Consultation Services (CCS)
Associate Director
How does the COVID-19 pandemic influence mental health?
I want to start by clarifying the difference between anxiety and worry. By definition, anxiety is an irrational fear. When there is a legitimate threat to our health, the feelings people experience might not be actual anxiety—you might be having a normal, legitimate response to a threat.
For some people, though, those concerns can be more irrational, leading to real anxiety. For individuals who are prone to anxiety or have other underlying mental health conditions, a situation like this would likely activate that.
Responses to crisis vary widely, but it’s not unusual for people to either maximize or minimize a situation like this. Some people are out living their lives like there’s nothing going on, while others are hunkering down and buying eight packs of toilet paper. Especially for those who are prone to anxiety, some people will try to do anything they can to fix things that are really out of their control.
There’s just a lot of ambiguity with this pandemic, and that’s something people don’t always tolerate very well. Not knowing something can be very unsettling, especially if you like to plan. With this particular situation, there’s also a lot of disappointment that things are being canceled and that you can’t do some of the things you want to do.
And then of course the social distancing, for some, is social isolating. It can lead to a sense of loneliness. But I think on the flip side, the fact that this is such a universal concern can draw people together. Almost every place you go—whether that’s going to the grocery store or walking outside—almost every person you see is going to be experiencing something similar. You can know you aren’t alone in this, which can help you feel protected.
What coping strategies do you recommend?
This might sound cliché, but I would really encourage people to get off of social media right now. There’s no benefit to exposing yourself to all those anxieties that other people have. Anxiety can be very contagious. And it’s important to stay informed, but because the news about COVID-19 is changing so rapidly, you might consider finding a reliable source and checking in with it just once a day or every couple days. I think we could all do ourselves a very big favor by limiting exposure to some of that anxiety that’s out there.
If you do find yourself in an anxiety spiral, there are a couple grounding techniques I like. For example, in the “5-4-3-2-1” technique, you look for five things you can see around you, and you say them out loud. And then you find four things that you can feel, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. Going through your senses like that can bring you back to the present.
You can also look through this list of very common cognitive errors and recognize which ones you might be dealing with right now. This will help you challenge thoughts that aren’t helpful.
And you can just remember the basics of self-care. Go for a walk. Read a book. Set goals and accomplish some of those tasks you’ve been putting off. Make a list of things you’re grateful for. If you have a faith community, stay connected as much as possible. Make a playlist of songs you find encouraging.
For Butler students: The CCS phone and email lines are open. Teletherapy is now available for students currently residing in Indiana (as we are only legally able to practice in-state). However, we can provide over-the-phone consultations with both in-state and out-of-state students to help with talking through options and providing some support.
We also recommend these online resources that are available to anyone.
Marguerite Stanciu
Center for Faith and Vocation (CFV)
Assistant Director
How does this crisis affect spiritual and emotional well-being?
Obviously, the element of uncertainty is huge here. There is this vast unknown, and for many, that is combined with disappointment about all the things that need to be canceled or moved to a virtual space. People are also facing the need to quickly adjust in a variety of ways, including working or learning from home, which can be a strain.
How can people take care of themselves?
In general, it’s really important to start by building structure into your day. Get up at a regular time, get dressed, and observe your normal rituals. Adding that structure takes care of the three essential elements of mind, body, and spirit.
I think we also need to remember that this is a temporary situation. Although we don’t know exactly what the future holds, I encourage people to be resourceful in staying spiritually healthy. Reach out to others as you need to, and know that the faculty and staff at Butler are working very hard and thoughtfully to provide continuous support.
The CFV recently started offering Spiritual Care Conversations, which are available to faculty, staff, and students. Through this resource (which we have now moved online), you can request confidential or private conversations with CFV staff, advisors, or affiliates who can help you work through challenges, feelings, or questions. These conversations are open to people of various faith traditions, as well as those who are nonreligious.
We at the CFV are also working to create new content that we hope will be supportive and informative for the Butler community. We are sending out writing prompts, meditation videos, and information on how to practice mindfulness in your everyday life. You can find these resources by following us on social media (Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook), or by signing up for our e-newsletter. Just reach out to us at cfv@butler.edu.
Brian Day
Assistant Professor of Psychology
What are the psychological impacts of this situation?
This crisis is consuming all the news we see. When people talk to their friends and families, they are all talking about the same thing. There’s this feeling of all-consumption, like COVID-19 is the only thing happening. It seems to be taking over everything and creating a new normal. It’s hard to think about anything else.
I’m not a clinical expert, but I know that for individuals who are prone to paranoia, this can really contribute to that. Maybe that means constant thoughts of “I need to wash my hands again” or, in states with lockdowns, “What will happen to me if I go outside?” At the grocery store, people might worry that every person they see is infected with the virus.
And even for those we would consider to be completely mentally healthy, a crisis like this can cause feelings of doubt or concern that might be unfamiliar for people who have never been scared to go to the grocery store. Fear isn’t something a lot of us deal with on a daily basis, so people are needing to learn to cope with it in new ways.
The biggest factor I’ve been hearing and reading about is the removal of social connections. Some psychologists have been advocating for a change in terminology from “social distancing” to “physical distancing.” They’re advocating for a focus on how we can still communicate, whether that’s through Zoom, Skype, FaceTime, or a phone call. I can get behind that relabeling: I want to remind people that we do still have opportunities to seek social contact with those who are important to us.
What other strategies can help people stay mentally healthy?
Make the best of every situation. I’ve been thinking about how I don’t want to be stuck in my basement all day long. I don’t want to be teaching online. There’s a lot of “I don’t want tos.” But this is what we’ve been presented with, so it’s time to buckle up and make do.
Another thing I’ve been focused on is that my schedule has changed drastically, which is the case for most people. But this actually provides an opportunity to change your behavior in a desired way. Now is a great time to build positive habits. With a little bit of mindfulness and determination, even in the face of changes you can’t control, you can introduce the change you want.
I usually take care of my mental health by going to the gym and hanging out with friends. Of course, now, neither of those are options. But you can look for other solutions. Maybe you can’t go to the gym, but you can stay home and do yoga, pilates, pushups, or situps. Staying active is so important to feeling good.
The other thing I’ve been advocating for is making some sort of routine. I’ve found that regimenting my time—scheduling when I’ll be working and when I’ll be taking breaks—has helped me get things done and enjoy my days at home.
You can also work on that list of all the things you’ve been meaning to do, whether that’s reading a book or calling a friend from high school. Make time to watch that 15-minute TED Talk you’ve had bookmarked for a while.
And remember that humans get used to things. After a few weeks, we will be used to this. It just takes a little bit of time, so hang in there.
Media Contact:
Katie Grieze
News Content Manager
kgrieze@butler.edu
260-307-3403

Caring for Mental Health During COVID-19
Three Butler experts explain the pandemic’s psychological impacts and offer advice for staying well
Three Butler experts explain the pandemic’s psychological impacts and offer advice for staying well

Butler Selects Top 100 Students
BY
PUBLISHED ON Jan 26 2018
The Alumni Association has announced Butler University's Top 100 students, honoring the top juniors and seniors for the 2017–2018 academic year.
The list is below, and Butler Collegian coverage is here.
The Top 100 students are determined by the Top 100 Selection Committee composed of representatives of each of the six colleges, student affairs, academic affairs, and alumni. Each candidate is judged against the core values of the program on a numeric scale. At the end of the judging period, all scores are tabulated, and the Top 100 students are selected.
Visit the Top 100 website to view guidelines for the program.
The Alumni Association in conjunction with the Office of Student Affairs conducts the Outstanding Student Recognition program. The program is in its 57th year.
Due to a tie in scoring, more than 100 students are being honored for the 2017–2018 academic year. All honorees will be recognized at the Outstanding Student Banquet on April 13, when the Top 15 Most Outstanding Students will be announced.
Full Listing of Honorees (in alphabetical order)
Katie Allee, senior, Communication Science and Disorders, College of Communication (CCOM)
Lynn Alsatie, junior, International Studies, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS)
Siena Amodeo, junior, International Management, Lacy School of Business (LSB)
Deborah Arehart, senior, Middle-Secondary Education, College of Education (COE)
Thomas Baldwin, senior, Biochemistry, LAS
Adam Bantz, senior, Strategic Communication, CCOM
Alex Bartlow, senior, Accounting, LSB
Leah Basford, senior, International Management, LSB
Zach Bellavia, senior, Economics, LSB
Bri Borri, junior, Psychology, LAS
Lauren Briskey, junior, Actuarial Sciences, LAS
Amy Brown, senior, Accounting, LSB
Rachel Burke, junior, Mathematics, LAS
Jeremy Caylor, junior, Biology, LAS
Parker Chalmers, junior, Risk Management, LSB
Lauren Ciulla, junior, Biology, LAS
Brooklyn Cohen, junior, ELED.BS, COE
Hannah Coleman, senior, Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (COPHS)
Dana Connor, senior, Communication Science & Disorders, CCOM
Vickie Cook, junior, Biochemistry, LAS
Meredith Coughlin, senior, Human Communication & Organizational Leadership, CCOM
Ryan Cultice, junior, Accounting, LSB
Ashley Dale, senior, Physics, LAS
Erin Dark, junior, Pharmacy, COPHS
Darby DeFord, junior, Biology, LAS
Matthew Del Busto, junior, English Literature, LAS
David Dunham, senior, Middle-Secondary Education, COE
Suzanne Dwyer, junior, Pharmacy, COPHS
Shelby Eaton, junior, Sociology and Psychology, LAS
Katie Edwards, senior, Marketing, LSB
Ashlyn Edwards, junior, Philosophy, LAS
Sarah Elam, junior, International Studies, LAS
John Evans, junior, Finance, LSB
Chiara Evelti, senior, International Studies, LAS
Hannah Faccio, senior, Psychology, LAS
Megan Farny, junior, Health Sciences, COPHS
Elizabeth Fecht, senior, Middle-Secondary Education, COE
Megan Fitzgerald, junior, Elementary Education, COE
Annie Foster, junior, Spanish, LAS
Caitlyn Foye, senior, Biology, LAS
Travis Freytag, junior, Actuarial Sciences, LAS
Jackie Gries, junior, Pharmacy, COPHS
Nathan Hall, junior, History and Political Science, LAS
Hannah Hartzell, senior, Strategic Communication, CCOM
Patrick Holden, senior, Pharmacy, COPHS
Jonny Hollar, junior, Marketing, LSB
Kate Holtz, junior, Risk Management, LSB
Nicholas Huang, senior, Finance, LSB
Karla Jeggle, senior, Actuarial Science, LAS
Nathan Jent, junior, Health Sciences, COPHS
Drew Johnson, senior, Pharmacy, COPHS
Jakob Jozwiakowski, senior, Chemistry, LAS
Colton Junod, senior, Biology, LAS
Libby Kaufman, senior, Elementary Education, COE
Nida Khan, junior, Pharmacy, COPHS
Rachel Koehler, junior, International Studies, LAS
Caroline Kuremsky, senior, Elementary Education, COE
Carly Large, senior, Accounting, LSB
Emily Lawson, junior, Chemistry, LAS
Rachael Lewis, senior, Marketing, LSB
Becca Lewis, junior, Biology, LAS
Kayla Long, junior, Critical Communication & Media Studies, CCOM
Nicholas Maicke, senior, International Studies, LAS
Kelsey McDougall, senior, Biology, LAS
Kirsten McGrew, senior, Pharmacy, COPHS
Kasey Meeks, junior, Health Sciences, COPHS
Rachel Metz, senior, Health Sciences, COPHS
Joshua Murdock, senior, Pharmacy, COPHS
Kelly Murphy, senior, Organizational Communications, CCOM
Garrick Nate, junior, International Studies, LAS
Emily Nettesheim, junior, Health Sciences, COPHS
Alexis Neyman, junior, Biology, LAS
Olivia Nilsen, junior, Communication Science & Disorders, CCOM
Gehrig Parker, senior, Sports Media, CCOM
Justin Poythress, junior, Accounting, LSB
Tori Puhl, junior, Actuarial Science, LAS
Salman Qureshi, senior, Biology, LAS
Courtney Raab, senior, Health Sciences, COPHS
Jordan Rauh, senior, Pharmacy, COPHS
Allison Reitz, senior, Communication Science & Disorders, CCOM
Kate Richards, senior, Communication Science & Disorders, CCOM
Sophie Robertson, junior, Dance, Jordan College of the Arts (JCA)
Abdul Saltagi, junior, Biology, LAS
Kaitlyn Sawin, senior, Marketing, LSB
Olivia Schwan, junior, Marketing, LSB
Abby Sikorcin, junior, Health Sciences, COPHS
Sundeep Singh, senior, Biology, LAS
Molly Smith, senior, International Studies, LAS
Maree Smith, senior, Marketing, LSB
Lilli Southern, junior, Communication Science & Disorders, CCOM
Madison Stefanski, junior, Elementary Education, COE
Isaiah Strong, junior, Recording Industry Studies, CCOM
Jennifer Sutor, junior, Marketing, LSB
Natalie Van Ochten, senior, Biology, LAS
Alexander Waddell, junior, Accounting, LSB
Skyler Walker, senior, Pharmacy, COPHS
Kate Warma, junior, Science, Technology and Society, LAS
Riley Wildemann, senior, Pharmacy, COPHS
Alexander Wright, senior, Chemistry, LAS
Heather Wright, senior, Music, JCA
Jill Yager, senior, Biology, LAS
Media contact:
Marc Allan
mallan@butler.edu
317-940-9822

Butler Selects Top 100 Students
Recipients to be recognized at April 13 banquet.
Recipients to be recognized at April 13 banquet.

How Butler’s New Therapy Dog is Breaking Down Barriers to Seeking Support
BY Katie Grieze
PUBLISHED ON Sep 17 2019
Floppy black ears bouncing in the sunlight, Scooter trots down a busy sidewalk at Butler University. Students pass by, winding down from the chaos that comes with the first full week of classes. Scooter looks up at them from the end of his Butler-themed leash, giving that look that only dogs can give.
And for student after student, just seeing Scooter brings instant joy. Their faces transform as they smile back. While some walk away grinning after just a quick pet, others stop in their tracks for the chance to rub Scooter’s belly or feed him a treat from the bag Shana Markle carries with her on their afternoon walk through campus.
Scooter, a one-year-old Cavachon, joined the Butler University Counseling Center as a therapy dog in August 2019. He’s cared for by Markle, the Center’s Associate Director. Markle says it’s not rare for universities to offer this service, but it isn’t common, either, and the counseling staff at Butler wanted to stay ahead of the game when it comes to supporting student health.
“We talk a lot about being innovative and just trying to provide the students with the best experience we can,” Markle says. “For us, it’s an opportunity to provide a better experience for them, and also to remove barriers and be more accessible. There’s still a stigma related to coming to counseling, and this makes it a little easier for people to come in who might not otherwise.”
With depression and anxiety on the rise among teens and young adults, many university counseling centers have a hard time keeping up with the demand for care. Average counseling center usage increased by up to 40 percent between 2009 and 2015, according to the Center for Collegiate Mental Health, while school enrollment only rose by 5 percent.
While adding Scooter to the mix won’t magically solve these issues at Butler, it does make the Center more well-rounded by introducing a new approach when it comes to this very real challenge of how best to care for mental health, Markle says. For students who don’t need clinical care, just petting a dog can be enough to reduce stress. And within regular counseling sessions, having a dog around will allow Markle to implement new forms of therapy for students with more serious illnesses.
Animal-assisted therapy goes deeper than just having a furry thing to pet. Interacting with dogs in a clinical setting can provide relief to students who’ve struggled with leaving pets behind at home, or who are going through trauma and other diagnosable mental issues.
According to Pet Partners, a national nonprofit organization that trains and registers therapy animals and their handlers, humans and animals can bond in beneficial ways. Research shows that therapy dogs can help relieve pain, improve mood, encourage more social behavior, and lower blood pressure. Plus, by stimulating the release of endorphins, dogs usually just make people feel happy.
Plans to bring a therapy dog to Butler began taking shape during the 2017-18 academic year, when one of the Counseling Center’s doctoral fellows brought her expertise in animal-assisted therapy to campus. Student Affairs leaders at the University carefully studied the benefits and potential risks of such a program, considering what has worked best on other campuses in order to shape policies for animal-assisted therapy at Butler. Soon enough, it was time to pick a puppy and decide who would take the dog home each night.
Of the three full-time staff members, Markle was in the best position to take on a new pet. She says it took as much effort to convince her husband as it did to convince her colleagues, but after some time—and some begging from their teenage son—the couple decided to take a chance. On Labor Day 2018, they brought an eight-week-old Scooter home.
Over the next year, there was a lot of paperwork for Markle and training for Scooter. A therapy dog’s role goes deeper than that of an emotional-support dog—the use is more intentional and clinical, which meant Scooter needed to be certified with a pet therapy organization.
Scooter started taking obedience courses at just 12 weeks old, one of the youngest students in his classes. Despite having the extra playfulness of a puppy, Markle says he did a great job. He was trained and tested in a range of skills, from following basic commands like sit and stay to remaining calm in a crowd of strangers, before becoming registered with the American Kennel Club as both a “S.T.A.R. Puppy” and a “Canine Good Citizen.” He also passed an evaluation for dogs who demonstrate advanced skills in urban settings. After a little more practice interacting with other dogs, Scooter will likely become certified by Pet Partners, one of the most well-known and respected national pet therapy organizations.
But all the effort was worth it, Markle says, because when students interact with Scooter, she can see their stress melt away.
During therapy sessions, it can be therapeutic for patients to breathe along with Scooter, or hold onto him to stay mentally grounded while discussing traumatic experiences. Students know Scooter will never judge what they say.
"Human connection is very important to our well-being, but relationships can also be a source of stress,” Markle says. “Even healthy relationships require effort to maintain and can be quite challenging.”
With a dog, the relationship will be genuine, accepting, and unconditional.
Students can play with Scooter or brush his curly black-and-white fur. They can try to teach him a new skill or just let him curl up at their feet. Or, for students who would rather not interact with a dog, he doesn’t need to be in the room. The animal-assisted therapy service will be carefully tailored to each student’s needs.
“To me, Scooter represents more than the day-to-day assistance he’ll be able to provide,” says Scott Peden, Executive Director of Student Health & Recreation. “It’s kind of a representation of our efforts to meet the students where they are and address whatever barriers they face when seeking out our services.”
Peden says Scooter has already had an unexpected impact on the Counseling Center staff. After a tough session, therapists can relax by rubbing Scooter’s ears or taking him outside for a walk.
“Therapists need therapists, because what they do is really a tough job,” Peden says. “So it’s nice to have Scooter in-house to be a support mechanism.”
But animal-assisted therapy isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay. Markle and the other counselors are more than happy to make any accommodations necessary. Scooter is hypoallergenic and doesn’t shed, but there will still be some campus offices he never visits. A sign on the Counseling Center’s door also informs guests how to ask that Scooter be put away before they enter.
“It’s so important for us, as a Center, to be a support for everyone on campus,” Markle says. “We’re there for everyone. We would not want the presence of a therapy dog to be a barrier for others.”
The animal-assisted therapy program fits into Butler’s emphasis on mind and body wellness, one of the eight dimensions included under the BUBeWell student experience model that was introduced last year. This initiative aims to help students grow and learn, both inside and outside of the classroom.
“Right now in higher education,” says Vice President for Student Affairs Frank Ross, “there’s a significant movement looking at student wellbeing as the foundation for student success. We’ve taken that framework to heart here by creating BUBeWell. It’s comprised of eight dimensions that we feel are important holistically for student development.”
Within the mind and body dimension, the Counseling Center will be expanding outreach in a variety of ways throughout the next year. Scooter is just one part of that. Staff members are also introducing a series called Let’s Talk, providing opportunities for groups of students to gather and share whatever is on their minds. Counseling staff will be visiting the Efroymson Diversity Center, too, hosting sessions that address topics specific to students of color.
Ultimately, the goal is to make resources for maintaining mental wellbeing more accessible to students. That often means getting out of the Counseling Center and meeting students where they’re at, whether that’s in another campus office or right by the sidewalk on a sunny afternoon.
Olivia Jacobs, a Community Assistant in her junior year at Butler, first met Scooter during a training about how to help fellow students find the best on-campus mental health resources.
“Having Scooter here shows me that Butler’s Counseling and Consultation Services is innovating,” Jacobs says. “It’s so exciting that they are looking at different routes for making student mental health a priority. And by the intentional ways they are implementing Scooter, it also shows me that they are still accommodating to everyone. I would just encourage people—if they see Scooter around campus—to go up and say hi, and to go pet him, because it’s his job to be a support.”
Media Contact:
Katie Grieze
News Content Manager
kgrieze@butler.edu
260-307-3403
Student Access and Success
At the heart of Butler Beyond is a desire to increase student access and success, putting a Butler education within reach of all who desire to pursue it. With a focus on enhancing the overall student experience that is foundational to a Butler education, gifts to this pillar will grow student scholarships, elevate student support services, expand experiential learning opportunities, and more. Learn more, make a gift, and read other stories like this one at beyond.butler.edu.

How Butler’s New Therapy Dog is Breaking Down Barriers to Seeking Support
This fall, Counseling Center staff introduce animal-assisted therapy. Meet Scooter, their newest co-worker.
This fall, Counseling Center staff introduce animal-assisted therapy. Meet Scooter, their newest co-worker.