Scholarship Helps Indy Native Study Pharmacy at Butler
By Meredith Sauter
Indianapolis native Andrés Huerta remembers his first visit to Butler. It was Homecoming weekend and he was with Sam, his mentor with Starfish Initiative—a local nonprofit that works with promising students to help overcome the barriers of poverty and to understand that college is an option. He vividly remembers walking around campus and eating dinner at Atherton Union, all the while visualizing himself as a student.
“I could see myself here,” Huerta says. “I knew deep down that this was the right place for me.”
So, with the help of his high school guidance counselor, he applied to Butler. And only to Butler.
Huerta was accepted into the highly-competitive Pre-Pharmacy Program, which he knew would be a great academic fit. However, the reality of funding his education was a challenge. “Looking back, I was very ignorant of the fact that college was expensive,” Huerta says. “I just knew I wanted to go to Butler, so I applied, but I didn’t really understand how I was meant to pay for it.”
Thankfully, Huerta, a 21st Century Scholar and first-generation college student, applied for—and received—the Butler Tuition Guarantee, a full-tuition scholarship available to Marion County students who exhibit a strong academic background, but also a large financial need. Huerta admits, “If I didn’t receive this scholarship, not only would I have not gone to Butler, but I probably wouldn’t have gone to college at all.”
Starting as a first-year student in 2017, Huerta said he was very timid and kept mostly to himself. But, over time, he became more comfortable interacting with students and professors, thanks largely to his involvement with the Efroymson Diversity Center (The DC). The DC helped him find his home away from home, allowed him to become more intertwined with campus, and served as the catalyst to many leadership opportunities, including his current role as the treasurer with Latinos Unidos.
Huerta is in the midst of his first (of four) years as a professional student in the Doctor of Pharmacy Program, and is still exploring the many avenues of pharmacy. Regardless of what he chooses, though, he knows that his Butler education will help get him there.
“At Butler, I’ve found that if you put in the work, things typically work out,” Huerta says. “Butler has pushed me to grow and I’ve succeeded far beyond what I thought I was capable of.”
Scholarship Helps Indy Native Study Pharmacy at Butler
Thanks to the Butler Tuition Guarantee, a full-tuition scholarship available to Marion County students, Andrés Huerta is a Bulldog
Why We Dance: Butler Student Researcher Refutes Her Generation’s Reputation
PUBLISHED ON May 10 2019
Emily Nettesheim '19 has heard her generation called lazy, entitled, and selfish. Her research—which she presented in Washington, DC, in late April to an audience that included both of Indiana's Senators—suggests that those labels are misguided.
Since sophomore year, Nettesheim has been examining why so many students participate in Dance Marathon, the annual fundraiser benefiting Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, a non-profit organization that raises funds and awareness for more than 170 pediatric hospitals across North America. This year at Butler University alone, more than 500 participants raised over $365,000.
"Especially in light of how millennials have been portrayed negatively in the media, I knew the passion, drive, and sacrifice I was seeing in Dance Marathon was counter-cultural and special," says Nettesheim, a Health Sciences and Spanish double major from Lafayette, Indiana.
In a survey of Butler, Ball State, and IUPUI students, she found that an overwhelming majority participated in Dance Marathon because they were acting on their values—and because participants have the opportunity to meet families affected by the hospital, and visit the hospitals for tours to see first-hand where the money is going.
"Millennials tend to be motivated if they can see the impact of the cause," she says.
More than 85 percent also said they benefited from participating by developing maturity and specific skills, such as communication and empathy, that they can use later in life, according to Nettesheim’s research.
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Nettesheim's story starts not with Dance Marathon—her high school didn't participate—but with her interest in Indianapolis-based Riley Hospital for Children, the beneficiary of Indiana Dance Marathon events. When her parents' friends asked what she wanted to do when she grew up, she said she wanted to be in the medical field and work with kids.
In 2015, when she arrived on campus, she heard about Dance Marathon almost immediately at an event about campus organizations.
"It sounded like a great opportunity to get my foot in the door somewhere I wanted to work," she says.
She joined the Riley Relations Committee as a first-year student—the committee works directly with Riley families—and fell in love with the people, and what Dance Marathon stood for. Sophomore and junior years, she served as the director of Riley Relations, and senior year became president.
In fall of her sophomore year, she started thinking about a subject for her honors thesis. She met with Pharmacy Professor Chad Knoderer.Knoderer had never taught Nettesheim, but after talking to her and hearing about her interest in Dance Marathon, he suggested that it could be her focus.
"As I researched more," Nettesheim says, "I realized that nonprofits across the country are experiencing issues trying to recruit donors and volunteers, and that the Dance Marathon movement is the No. 14 fastest growing peer-to-peer campaign in the nation. It became really evident that something different and unique is happening. So I wanted to see if I could figure out why—or at least quantify it a little bit."
She and Knoderer worked together on how to design the thesis, roll it out, and make it realistic to be completed. With help from Butler's Center for High Achievement and Scholarly Engagement (CHASE), everything came into focus.
Normally, the final step in the work Nettesheim was doing would be to write and turn in her honors thesis. And she did that—a 35-page paper.
But she wanted to do more. So early this year, she submitted an abstract to present at Posters on the Hill, the Council on Undergraduate Research's annual undergraduate poster session on Capitol Hill. Members of Congress and their staff gather at the presentations to learn about the importance of undergraduate research through talking directly with the student researchers themselves.
The selection process is extremely competitive, but Nettesheim beat the odds—becoming the first Butler student in memory to be invited to participate.
"I can’t say definitively that she’s the first," says Rusty Jones, the CHASE Faculty Director, "but she’s certainly the first that I know of. What’s especially great about the Posters on the Hill event is that they are highlighting the importance of undergraduate research to our lawmakers in DC."
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Part of Nettesheim's goal was to detail her findings, but she was also in Washington to share the value of undergraduate research with members of the Senate and Congress, and their staffs.
Nettesheim's father worked at Purdue University, and being around research there got her interested in it from a young age. She chose Butler precisely because she wanted the opportunity to do her own projects.
"It's so cool that even at a small university, there have been so many opportunities for me to get involved in research," she says.
In addition to delving into students' motivations to participate in Dance Marathon, Nettesheim also has worked in the Neurobiology Lab at Butler with Associate Professor of Biology Jennifer Kowalski. She's studying microscopic roundworms known as C. elegans, which have nervous systems similar to humans.
"It’s exciting to share the impact of research in my life and be the face behind the cause of research," Nettesheim says. "I've had much more of an opportunity to get involved and have my research be my own here than I would have had the opportunity to do elsewhere."
And that, says Knoderer, is the takeaway: Butler encourages and supports undergraduate research.
"If you've got an idea, go for it," he says. "The sky's the limit. I knew what Dance Marathon was from working at Riley Hospital for a number of years, so I knew the organization and what it was, but I didn't necessarily know how to approach her question. But there are enough people to help support a student and see their project through."
Why We Dance: Butler Student Researcher Refutes Her Generation’s Reputation
Millennials tend to be motivated if they can see the impact of the cause.
Millennials tend to be motivated if they can see the impact of the cause.
Butler Improv Troupe Specializes in Unscripted Laughs
PUBLISHED ON Sep 26 2019
Sometimes there’s a payoff to not thinking.
For members of the Butler University Improv Troupe, not thinking tends to get the biggest laughs. The student organization—inspired by Whose Line Is It Anyway?, The Second City, and Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre—specializes in bringing the funny through off-the-cuff jokes in scenes and games on stage. The premises are fueled by audience suggestion.
“To me, at least, improv is not thinking too hard about it,” says Kitty Compton, a junior Theatre major. “If you think too hard, it won’t be as good. Every improv teacher ever will tell you, ‘Get out of your head. Don’t think about it too hard. Just say what comes to your mind.’ The worst thing you can do is try to be funny.”
Weekly practices help students relieve stress through creative performing. Formed in 2017, the all-female group of about 10, hosts shows on-campus at the end of every semester.
Already, the improvisers have benefited from the chance to see touring and local acts that visit Butler stages. Performers from ComedySportz Indianapolis, Indianapolis’ only professional improv comedy group, offered expertise as guest mentors at past meetings. Members attended the August taping of the Hello from the Magic Tavern improv podcast at the Schrott Center for the Arts, and Clowes Memorial Hall will host a live performance of Mystery Science Theater 3000 with comedy actor Joel Hodgson, who made a living from using improv when riffing on bad movies.
Successful improvisations do require some thinking, of course. It just has to be lightning quick. Not all of the jokes land, but members provide one another with helpful feedback. Inspired by Tina Fey’s improv insights within her book Bossypants, the troupe’s first rule is to agree. Their “Yes and … ” mantra creates wide-open scenes and fewer trainwrecks on stage.
The experience of thinking on the fly has helped with the students’ academics. Kait Wilbur, a senior studying Strategic Communication and the troupe’s co-leader, says even bad ideas can inspire her academic work. Her years of improvisation have assisted in writing ad copy at her internship at Young and Laramore, a downtown Indianapolis advertising agency. The exploration has enhanced her creativity. Ideas flow easier.
“This has been helpful in the generative process,” Wilbur says. “I’m not ditching any ideas because they’re dumb, but just letting them exist. You do that in improv because you have to think really fast.”
Funny women
Since its formation, the troupe has had an all-female cast, but not on purpose. Male improvisers are always welcome.
Wilbur believes the strong female cast members of Saturday Night Live and other comedy shows have inspired young women to take the stage, from Butler and beyond.
“I idolized Tina Fey,” Wilbur says. “I did a deep dive into comedy in junior high, and improv was a part of that. I saw it as a good way in.”
Compton is the only theater major in the troupe. Among the founding members, the Evansville, Indiana, native has honed her improv skills over the years. She considers improv an essential weapon in her performance arsenal.
“I think every actor needs to be able to improvise,” Compton says. “You need to at least be able to recover if something bad happens, and if you’re able to improvise, you can add a lot of personality to a role.”
Mae-Mae Han is a first-year Pre-Pharmacy student. Since middle school, she has successfully balanced theater, comedy, music, and STEM studies, and Han will continue to do so at Butler.
“When it comes to comedy and acting, it’s very energizing for me,” she says. “At the end of the day, being able to have fun, laugh, and bounce off of other people’s energies is super beneficial for my mental health.”
‘Bologna danger’
Troupe co-leader and senior Composition major Jessie Lause joyfully orchestrated a recent Monday night group meeting in Jordan Hall. During the “Conducted Story” game, Lause pointed to a performer to start telling a story using the phrase “bologna danger” for inspiration. After a few lines, Lause would point to another troupe member to continue the story, which included a man named Jack Danger and his crimes involving processed meats. Aliens were somehow in the mix, too.
“It helps me let loose,” says Lause, who is also studying Arts Administration. “I get really caught up in the sophistication level of my collegiate work. This is a way that I can step out of that.”
Another game saw the women giving their best impressions of The B-52’s Fred Schneider while singing about mowing the lawn and going grocery shopping.
Wilbur says she’s proud to have performed unscripted in front of friends and strangers, just like her heroes Fey, Amy Poehler, Rachel Dratch, and Catherine O’Hara did years ago.
“This is something that bonds me to the people I look up to,” Wilbur says. “We’re all participating in a similar tradition. It makes me feel self-actualized, in a sense. Sometimes it can be hard to have goals that you aspire to accomplish. Then you actually accomplish them. I’m engaging with that part of myself.”
And that is no bologna.
Great moments in improv, according to BuzzFeed.com
These iconic lines and actions are entrenched in pop culture, thanks to improvisation.
- Willy Wonka’s entrance, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory — Gene Wilder walks like an old man before tumbling into an acrobatic somersault. Wilder said the stunt was meant to set up the mysterious nature of the character. Is the candy magnate lying or telling the truth throughout the film?
- Jewelry box close, Pretty Woman — Richard Gere’s snap of the necklace box wasn’t planned, which drew the famous laugh from Julia Roberts.
- “You’re gonna need a bigger boat,” Jaws — Roy Scheider’s cryptic line was not in the script.
- “I’m walking here!”, Midnight Cowboy — Dustin Hoffman’s reaction was in real New York City traffic. The cab got in the way of the shot and Hoffman delivered the line your dad always says when crossing a busy street.
- “You talking to me?”, Taxi Driver — Robert DeNiro’s intense scene was given with just the note “speaks to himself in the mirror.”
- “Here’s Johnny!”, The Shining — Jack Nicholson tossed in the line, which made it perhaps more famous than Ed McMahon’s call for the The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson at the time.
- “Tears in the rain” scene, Blade Runner — Rutger Hauer’s largely improvised delivery defined the late actor’s career.
Media Contact:
Katie Grieze
News Content Manager
kgrieze@butler.edu
260-307-3403
Butler Improv Troupe Specializes in Unscripted Laughs
At meetings and shows, the student organization’s all-female cast thrives in creating comedy instantaneously.
At meetings and shows, the student organization’s all-female cast thrives in creating comedy instantaneously.
Butler Selects Top 100 Students
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.