Student Worker of the Month

Abi Shaults - January 2024

SOPHOMORE - SPORTS MANAGEMENT | TOWANDA, KS

Abi began her student worker position in Athletics ready to jump into the world of sports management and marketing. Her position is directly tied to her future goals, meaning the work she does supports her future endeavors. Abi started in the fall of 2022 with duties including managing the Butler Grizzly social media pages, game interviews, office work and more.

The work she performs for Butler Athletics has impressed the department. “Abi is beyond dedicated to Butler Athletics,” Michaela Serrioz, Associate Athletic Director and Athletic Compliance, said. "She makes herself available whenever we are in need of extra hands, is at every home event working game day operations and travels to some away games as well. I’ve never met someone more hard working and willing to support Butler Athletics than her. She’s been the best student assistant to date and [will leave] a lasting impact on all of our sports programs.”

Abi believes the work she does for Butler Athletics will benefit her educational and career pursuits in the sports management and marketing field. “My goal is to go to a D1 and work in athletics there, so I feel like wearing a lot of hats at Butler has helped me experience a lot of things,” Abi said.

She plans to continue building connections and relationships, adding to the resources she has acquired from Butler Athletics. These resources helped her secure a position working for the Wichita Wind Surge, contributing to her skills and knowledge of the sports management field. Butler Athletics directed her to the application, gave her solid references and spoke with the Wind Surge on Abi’s behalf. These connections also helped her land a job working the Kansas Junior College Athletic Association (KJCAA) baseball tournament.

Abi hopes to attend the University of Arkansas and major in Sports Marketing, but is still keeping her options open for her educational journey. Serrioz has already contacted the athletic department at University of Arkansas to help her with the process.

Away from Butler and Wichita Wind Surge, Abi works at her family’s pool and spa company. She loves her nieces and nephews, enjoys golfing and going to the lake during good weather. Abi hunts and fishes on the weekends, spends time with family and friends and loves her dog, Scout.

Kaden Warner - November 2023

SOPHOMORE - MASS COMMUNICATION, SPORTS MEDIA | HUTCHINSON, KS

Kaden began his Butler Creative TV (BCTV) student worker position a year ago and his Residence Assistant (RA) position this August. Both positions have given him valuable experience, such as communication improvement and career-ready broadcasting practice. He is currently on a sports media scholarship, so his work at BCTV directly benefits his academic and career goals. For his BCTV position, Kaden livestreams events like the Board of Trustees meetings and football games, among other tasks.

“[The benefits] are great, not just with the job, but Butler in general. My major and job go hand in hand. I’m getting so much hands-on experience,” Kaden said.

For Butler athletic games, Kaden researches the history of and between Butler’s team and the competition to add into livestreams. Kaden sets up equipment, creates score board props and writes a script for the livestreams during the student-run Butler football halftime shows. He is handy with a camera and has even had some of his photos featured in Butler’s two print journalism outlets, The Lantern newspaper and The Grizzly magazine.

“Kaden has become a vital member of the BCTV staff,” Matt Jacobs, BCTV Director and Sports Media Advisor, said. “He can be found overseeing the production of live board meeting broadcasts and has assisted with production of campus events such as life enrichment and nearly every athletic event that is streamed on BCTV.

” Kaden’s sports media résumé includes involvement last year as a cameraman for a Wichita Wind Surge Minor League Baseball game. This opportunity let him set up the cameras next to the dug outs, work two cameras and ensure media content for the sports apps and TV channels.

Although Kaden’s RA position is less related to his academic goals, he is still able to draw beneficial experience from it. He is available to student dorm residents to assist with the mail room and help them back into their rooms if they are locked out.

“It’s teaching me leadership skills and really improving my communication skills because you’re in charge of maybe 20 or 30 residents and need to talk to them and deal with tough situations,” Kaden said.

Kaden and other RAs rotate schedules for an overnight shift with an RA phone, where he is usually on call two to three times a month. Students can call Kaden all hours of the night to be let into their dorms. Along with letting a few students back into their rooms at two to three in the morning, he also completes rounds of the building to make sure there are no student altercations or issues taking place.

“Kaden is a wonderful RA for our department,” Melanie McLemore, Director of Residence Life, said. “He works hard to build relationships with students and make the hall he is over feel like a home away from home. He's a wonderful communicator and is always willing to lend a hand.”

Kaden enjoys studying at Butler and the activities he is involved with through his two on campus jobs and his sports media pathway. “I think that something Butler does so well, school wise and at my job, they will give you a lot of work. It ends up working out; you can you ask questions and learn how to do those responsibilities in the future,” Kaden said.

In his personal life, Kaden plays video games to relax and spends time with his friends. He plans to continue with a sports media academic career and is considering Kansas State University and Pitt State University as transfer schools.

Danae Loomis - October 2023

EARLY COLLEGE ACADEMY - EISENHOWER HIGH SCHOOL | WEST WICHITA, KS

Danae chose her position to earn extra money, become actively involved with campus life and to experience “behind the scenes” activities of a successful restaurant. As an aspiring chef, Danae appreciates the opportunities her campus job offers her, such as one-on-one learning with the chefs, building lasting relationships with colleagues and a rounded training in business management

“I’m definitely pushed by my chefs for the better. It’s all so well intentioned, I can tell I’m pushed to grow and get better with my culinary expertise,” Danae said. She has worked in the department since the spring semester and has gained many skills. She credits Chef Luis for part of this growth, as he has helped her pair dishes while developing her menu and given her tips to fill a plate and plate it well.

“Danae has been an asset to the Redler Institute of Culinary Arts from her very first semester,” Chef Luis Peña said. “From the beginning, she has been an integral part of the reboot of our student organization, CHOMP. Danae has taken the lead to create a smooth transition for new students coming into the program through involvement in CHOMP activities and other opportunities happening at the Redler Institute of Culinary Arts. At her young age, Danae has been a role model for students in all age groups.”

Because of the professional tone of the culinary practices and events, Danae receives valuable exposure to the world of business management and preparing and serving quality, artistic foods to various people. The department events draw clientele from high-end visitors to younger children, giving Danae the chance to exercise professionalism and communicate with a variety of groups.

Her work with CHOMP grants her opportunities to meet with business connections and work with individuals she could potentially open a business with. She has practiced menu design and acquired effective strategies to help her fellow chefs.

Away from Butler, Danae bowls on her high school team and with Unified Bowling working with special needs kids. She likes to run and previously served as a runner with Ainsley’s Angels, an organization that allows runners to push individuals in wheelchairs for the purpose of empowerment and advocation. Danae played the baritone saxophone in band class and works occasionally at McAllister’s. She has beloved pets, including a cat named Sam and two poodle mixes.

Danae hopes to find employment or an internship in a well-established Chicago Michelin-star restaurant. After gaining experience, she intends to bring that training and eatery back to Wichita for locals to enjoy.

Shauna Bihlmaier - September 2023

SOPHMORE - LIBERAL ARTS | EUREKA, KS

Shauna started working as a Microbiology Lab Assistant during the Spring 2023 semester to earn lab experience before entering the Medical Lab Science (MLS) program at Wichita State University. Shauna’s efforts to ensure proper lab preparation not only make her an asset to the biology department, they offer her hands-on exposure to a challenging and competitive field.

“She did the job of 3 lab assistants this summer, quite an amazing job,” Susan Forrest, Biology Lead Instructor said. “She did it without a lot of direction and was able to figure out what needed to be done without being told what to do. An amazing accomplishment for her second semester as a lab assistant. We could not have made it through the summer without Shauna. She represents the best use of our Biology Lab Assistant position.”

Shauna’s college academic journey began when she joined the Army after high school, showcasing a seven-year long dedication to her studies and goals. She believes Butler is a great fit for her and her academic background. “As a student at Butler, it has given me motivation to move forward with my degree and career along with personal accountability to show up and give everything I have to be successful,” Shauna said.

Shauna embraces her role and appreciates the responsibilities her position places on her. “As an employee, Butler has given me a sense of purpose; students and the microbiology professors count on me to prepare media – among other tasks – needed for labs and to stay on schedule.” Shauna believes this on-campus job will prove a useful resource for her academic and career goals, including an advantage over some of her academic peers. “Experience from this position will help me get into the Medical Laboratory Sciences program at Wichita State University,” Shauna said. “It is giving me experience and skills that are required for lab work and other responsibilities that I will have while in the program and possibly in my career after graduation.”

Away from Butler, Shauna works another job and finds time to enjoy hobbies and visit with loved ones. She has a spunky mixed dog, Stella, she brought home with her from her time stationed in Guam, a goofy Great Dane, Koda, and recently purchased a pied ball python named Dood. She loves to travel, including multiple countries with the military and going on semi-frequent cruises with her family.

Taylor Buehrle - August 2023

SOPHMORE - DIGITAL MEDIA | MCPHERSON, KS

Taylor started as a student worker in the College Relations & Marketing Department last August to gain entry level experience and an advantage in securing the career she hopes for. She contributes to multiple areas in the department, giving her valuable job training. This hands-on experience includes interviewing Butler students and staff to create informative and publishable website pieces, editing large video files into usable selections and assisting with digital marketing duties. Taylor believes her position has offered her real-world experience and a professional portfolio that will benefit her job-hunting endeavors.

“Taylor is a great asset to our team,” Rodney Dimick, Digital Production Manager, said. “She’s constantly willing to learn new skills to help us be more productive, especially in our video and photo area. Having her here to help assist us while we’re performing other tasks really helps move projects along smoothly. The work she has accomplished makes our lives easier.”

Taylor enjoys her time as a Butler student and worker, crediting her classes and job duties for her gained independence and critical problem-solving skills. She is both an effective team player and independent worker, able to collaborate and share feedback when needed and take initiative on her own.

“Butler helped me maintain a healthy balance within having a school and work life,” Taylor said.

Outside of Butler, Taylor works as a model for M&I Models and spends time with her family, such as visiting Turkey for a month this summer. Once she is a Grizzly graduate, Taylor plans to use her Digital Media associate degree to immediately start working and continue her travels.