Jack Francis
Major: Strategic Communication: Public Relations and Advertising
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Butler’s Honors Program provides unique opportunities, fosters a sense of community, and helps to create lifelong learners. Meet Jack, a Butler Honors student whose interests and inspirations have stemmed from the Honors Program.

What has been the best part about being an Honors Student at Butler?
The classes I have participated in through the Honors Program are immersive and interesting. I’ve had the opportunity to see behind the scenes at the Children’s Museum, walk the streets of Berlin, and discover how every room at Butler is temperature-controlled. And the Honors Program gives students the chance to register for classes early, which is an advantage not all my peers have.

Which Honors Program faculty member has inspired you the most and why?
Dr. Lantzer has inspired me the most because he sparked my interest in Germany. In my second year, I took the German American Experience course, which started my love for Germany, and then I studied abroad in Berlin with Dr. Lantzer. Now, I am studying abroad in Germany with an exchange program.

What advice would you give someone who is considering joining Butler’s Honors Program?
You should definitely do it. I initially thought that the program requirements would be daunting, but I quickly realized that the benefits severely outweigh the costs. I wasn’t initially in the Honors Program, but after my first semester at Butler, I knew it would provide me with the extra push I needed.

How has the community around you—faculty, staff, peers, or the Honors Program community specifically—helped you see your potential differently?
The Honors Program community supported my interest in continuous learning and improvement by showing me the different ways to learn. Not everything has to be so black and white—the Honors Program inspires me to think outside the box and do what’s best for me.

How has Butler helped prepare you for your future career or next steps?
Butler has prepared me for my future career by providing me with years of professional communication experience. For multiple semesters, I have been a member of five fountains, the student-run communications agency at Butler, and have worked with real-world non-profits and local businesses. I also interned with Butler Athletics, which helped me learn what I want to do for a living.

What’s the story that you tell friends or family when they ask what Butler is like?
I value the atmosphere of a university and being not just a number. When I chose Butler, the small class sizes were a big plus, and so was the Division 1 basketball. Painting myself blue for the games and hanging out with my classmates creates a great sense of community that I am always excited to be a part of.