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Butler University is a private university in
Indianapolis Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...
, Indiana. Founded in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler, the university has over 60 major academic fields of study in six colleges: the Lacy School of Business, College of Communication, College of Education, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and Jordan College of the Arts. Its campus is approximately from downtown Indianapolis.


History

On January 15, 1850, the Indiana General Assembly adopted Ovid Butler's proposed charter for a new Christian university in Indianapolis. After five years in development, the school opened on November 1, 1855, as North-Western Christian University at 13th Street and College Avenue on Indianapolis's near northside at the eastern edge of the present-day Old Northside Historic District. Attorney and university founder Ovid Butler provided the property."Butler University" in "Butler University Architecture" in Bodenhamer and Barrows, eds., ''The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis'', pp. 374–75.About Butler University
(Butler University), retrieved April 5, 2010.
The university was founded by members of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), although it was never controlled by the church. The university's charter called for "a non-sectarian institution free from the taint of slavery, offering instruction in every branch of liberal and professional education." The university was the first in Indiana and the third in the United States to admit both men and women. The university established the first professorship in English literature and the first Department of English in the state of Indiana. In 1869 Ovid Butler endowed the Demia Butler Chair of English Literature in honor of his daughter who died in 1867. Demia Butler was the first woman to graduate from the Classical course at the university. The chair was the first endowed position at an American university designated for a female professor.
Catharine Merrill Catharine Merrill (January 24, 1824 – May 30, 1900) was an educator, author, and American Civil War nurse from Indiana who became the second female university professor in the United States. She is best remembered as a talented educator and adm ...
, was the first to occupy the Demia Butler Chair of English Literature in 1869. Merrill was just the second female university professor in the country.Merrill began her fourteen-year teaching career at the school in its 1869–70 academic year and resigned the professorship in 1883. See: See also: Today the Demia Butler Chair of English Literature is occupied by
Susan Neville Susan Neville (born January 4, 1951 Indianapolis, Indiana) is a short story writer, essayist and professor, known for her work exploring Indiana and the Midwest. Life She graduated from DePauw University in 1973. In 1976, she graduated from ...
. The university moved to a new site in the community of Irvington, on the east side of Indianapolis, in 1875, and changed its name to Butler University in 1877. The university's department of religion became a separate Christian Church seminary and "college of applied Christianity" in 1924; it was variously called the School of Religion and the College of Religion. In 1930, Butler merged with the Teachers College of Indianapolis, founded by Eliza Cooper Blaker, creating the university's second college. The third college, the College of Business Administration, was established in 1937, and the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences was established in 1945, following a merger that absorbed the Indianapolis College of Pharmacy. The Jordan College of Fine Arts, the university's fifth college, was established in 1951, following a merger with the Arthur Jordan Conservatory of Music. Butler's School of Religion, established in 1924, became independent in 1958 and is currently known as the Christian Theological Seminary.


Campuses


Irvington campus

The original location of the school was 13th Street and College Avenue on the near-northside of Indianapolis. In 1875, the university was renamed for Ovid Butler "in recognition of Ovid Butler's inspirational vision, determined leadership, and financial support," moved to a campus in Irvington, which at the time was an independent suburb of Indianapolis. The campus consisted of several buildings, including an observatory, most of which were demolished in 1939. The Bona Thompson Library at the intersection of Downey and University avenues, designed by architects
Henry H. Dupont Henry H. Dupont was an American architect. He practiced from Indianapolis, Indiana, and then Pinellas County, Florida. Career DuPont designed Bona Thompson Memorial Library in Irvington, Indiana, the eclectic Masonic Temple and Hall School. I ...
and Jesse T. Johnson, is the only remaining building, although several buildings that housed faculty remain, including the Benton House.


Fairview campus

Enrollment at Butler increased following the end of World War I, prompting the administration to examine the need for a larger campus. The new and current campus, designed in part by noted architect George Sheridan, was formed on the site of Fairview Park, a former amusement park on the city's northwest side. Classes began on the campus in 1928.At a Glance
, (Butler University), retrieved March 16, 2010


Buildings

The first building on the Fairview campus was
Arthur Jordan Memorial Hall The Arthur Jordan Memorial Hall, often referred to as "Jordan Hall", is a historic building on the campus of Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is one of the original buildings of the campus, along with Atherton Union and Hinkle Fieldho ...
, designed by Robert Frost Daggett and Thomas Hibben. The structure's Collegiate Gothic style of architecture, also used in the original William Tinsley-designed 13th Street and College Avenue building, set the tone for subsequent buildings erected on the campus over the next three decades. Also, in 1928, the Butler Fieldhouse (later renamed Hinkle Fieldhouse) was completed after being designed by architect Fermor Spencer Cannon. The building remained the largest indoor sports facility in the state until the mid-1960s. The Religion Building and Sweeney Chapel were completed in 1942. These structures, designed by Burns and James, were remodeled into Robertson Hall in 1966. The building now serves as the university's alumni and admissions offices. Following World War II, construction began on the student center, Atherton Union (designed by McGuire and Shook). This building was remodeled in 1993 and includes an on-campus
Starbucks Starbucks Corporation is an American multinational chain of coffeehouses and roastery reserves headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It is the world's largest coffeehouse chain. As of November 2021, the company had 33,833 stores in 80 c ...
. McGuire and Shook also designed Ross Hall, a dormitory originally designed for men but is now coed, and Schwitzer Hall, a women's dormitory. Art Lindbergh, with help from Daggett, designed the Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium, which was dedicated in 1955. This building houses Indiana's largest telescope. Acclaimed architect Minoru Yamasaki, who designed the World Trade Center, designed Irwin Library, which opened in 1963 and serves as the university's main library. Also, in the early 1960s, Lilly Hall and
Clowes Memorial Hall Clowes Memorial Hall, officially known as Clowes Memorial Hall of Butler University, is a performance hall located on the campus of Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Opened October 18, 1963, it hosts numerous significant ...
were constructed following the move of the Arthur Jordan Conservatory of Music to the campus. Clowes Hall, which opened in 1963, was co-designed by Indianapolis architect Evans Woollen III (founder of Woollen, Molzan and Partners) and
John M. Johansen John MacLane Johansen (June 29, 1916 – October 26, 2012) was an American architect and a member of the Harvard Five.
(of New Canaan, Connecticut). Ten years following the construction of Clowes Hall and Irwin Library, the science complex of Gallahue Hall and the Holcomb Research Institute (now known as Holcomb Building) were built, completing the "U" shaped complex of academic buildings. The Holcomb Building now houses the College of Business, Ruth Lilly Science Library, and Information Technology. The Residential College ("ResCo"), designed by James and Associates, was the university's last major construction project of the twentieth century. Completed in 1990 the building serves as a cafeteria and a dormitory. In 2001, the Fairbanks Center for Communication and Technology was opened to house the school's communication programs of communication studies, journalism, and media arts as well as computer science. The Fairbanks Center houses two multi-purpose studios for video, television, and music production, as well as three professional music and audio recording studios. Early 2004 saw the addition of the Eidson-Duckwall Recital Hall onto Robertson Hall. The 140-seat concert venue serves as a showplace for student, faculty, and guest recitals. Butler built the Health and Recreation Complex (HRC) in 2005. Opening in 2006, the HRC offers a jogging track around a two-court gymnasium, an aquatic complex, free-weight room, cardio and selectorized weight machine area, fitness assessment and massage therapy room, a sauna, two multipurpose rooms, and locker rooms. Outside of the dedicated fitness space, the building houses a health center, counseling and consultation services, conference room, juice bar, and student lounge. The Apartment Village also opened in 2006 as housing for juniors and seniors. Each apartment contains four private bedrooms with a single bed, dresser, and desk with a chair; two bathrooms; a full kitchen, including a dishwasher, disposal, microwave, and a four-stool dining counter; air-conditioning; cable television; and Ethernet and wireless access in each room. The Village has a centrally located community center, The Dawghouse, which includes a convenience store, a career and computer resource lab, a game room, laundry facilities, and a staffed resource desk. On May 8, 2008, Butler broke ground on a , four-story addition to the Pharmacy and Health Sciences Building. This building, designed by Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf, is home to faculty offices, classrooms, and laboratories to support Butler's Pharmacy and Physician Assistant (PA) programs. In 2013, the Howard L. Schrott Center for the Arts opened. It features a 450-seat performance hall and sustainable "green" parking improvements. Facilities has overall responsibility for planning, maintaining, and building Butler's campus.


Academics

Over 60 major academic fields of study, 8 pre-professional programs, and 19 graduate programs are offered in six academic colleges: Arts, Business, Communication, Education, Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Butler ranks 1st for Midwest Regional Universities in ''U.S. News & World Report''s 2019 Best Colleges. The university emphasizes the practicality of knowledge and offers individual attention to its students with its small class size and no teaching assistants. Butler University increased its focus on faculty and student research with the Butler Institute for Research and Scholarship (BIRS), bolstered by a $1 million grant from Lilly Endowment. The university also provides student research opportunities, such as the Butler Summer Institute, a 10-week program in which Butler students are granted funding to perform independent research with a faculty member. The university is organized into the following schools and colleges: * Andre B. Lacy School of Business * College of Communication * College of Education * College of Liberal Arts and Sciences * College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences * Jordan College of the Arts


Athletics

Butler's athletic teams, known as the ''Bulldogs'', compete in Division I of the NCAA. On July 1, 2012, the Bulldogs left the Horizon League, their conference home since 1979, for the
Atlantic 10 Conference The Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) is a collegiate athletic conference whose schools compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division I. The A-10's member schools are located in states mostly on the United States Eastern ...
. Since the A-10 does not sponsor
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
, the Butler football team plays in the FCS's Pioneer League. The women's golf team at Butler joined the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, as the A-10 sponsors the sport only for men. On March 20, 2013, it was officially announced that Butler would leave the Atlantic 10 Conference and became a founding member of the reconfigured Big East Conference July 1, 2013. In the past decade, Butler teams have captured 26 conference championships (in four different leagues). The Bulldogs have made appearances in NCAA National Championship Tournaments in men's and women's basketball, men's soccer, volleyball, men's cross country, lacrosse, and baseball. Butler won the James J. McCafferty trophy, awarded annually by the Horizon League for all-sports excellence based on conference championship points, seven times, including three-straight from 1996–97 to 1998–99 and back-to-back years in 2001–02 and 2002–03, 2006–07, and 2009–10.Butler Athletics
, (ButlerSports), retrieved June 7, 2010.


Men's basketball

The Butler program was one of the most successful " mid-major" basketball programs from 2000 to 2011, having won at least 20 games and reached postseason play eight of the last ten seasons, including six NCAA tournament appearances. Butler also holds two national championships in men's basketball from the pre-tournament era: one from 1924 (earned via the AAU national tournament), and one from 1929 (selected by the Veteran Athletes of Philadelphia). In 2010 and 2011, Butler qualified for consecutive national championship games. The 2010 Butler team, led by star player Gordon Hayward, advanced to the national championship game where they lost a close game to Duke. With a total enrollment of only 4,500 students, Butler is the smallest school to play for a national championship since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985. In
2011 File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
, the Bulldogs advanced to the championship game but finished as runners-up again, this time losing to Connecticut. Butler has the best winning percentage and most wins of all Division I men's basketball programs in the state of Indiana over the last decade (21.6 wins per year through 2006). Until the 2015 Round of 32 loss in overtime to the Irish, Butler had won the previous six meetings with in-state rival Notre Dame and two of the last four against Indiana. Butler defeated both Notre Dame and Indiana during 2006–07 regular season, while also defeating in-state rival
Purdue Purdue University is a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded in 1869 after Lafayette businessman John Purdue donated land and money ...
to move to 2–0 against the Boilermakers this decade. Butler has also been the defending champion of the Hoosier Classic men's basketball tournament since the 2001–02 season, and has advanced to postseason play nine of the last eleven years (7 NCAAs, 2 NITs). Butler has been to 15 NCAA Tournaments and three NITs since 1997.


Football

Over the course of 81 seasons from 1932 to 2013, Bulldog football teams have won 34 conference championships. This includes seven straight Indiana Collegiate Conference titles from 1934 to 1940, league titles in 1946, 1947, 1952, and 1953, and seven straight from 1958 to 1964, all under Tony Hinkle. Following the move from the College Division to NCAA Division II, Butler won 4 straight conference championships from 1972 to 1975, and in 1977, all under the guidance of Bill Sylvester, Sr. Butler went on to win league titles in 1983, 1985, and three straight from 1987 to 1989, under coach Bill Lynch. The Bulldogs also went to the NCAA Division II playoffs in 1983 and 1988. Butler and fellow HCC member schools joined with the Great Lakes Valley Conference to form the Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference (now the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference). Butler's football dominance continued in this new conference with MIFC Conference Championships in both 1991 and 1992. These championships included a trip to the NCAA Division II playoffs in 1991 pairing Butler against eventual Division II champion Pittsburg State. Following the 1992 season, Butler and member school Valparaiso moved up to NCAA Division I-AA (now Division I FCS) to join with Dayton, Drake, Evansville, and San Diego to form the Pioneer Football League. Butler won another conference championship in 1994. In this era, "the Dawgs" were led by Arnold Mickens who broke numerous NCAA Division I rushing records, including eight straight performances during the campaign. In 2009, Butler won its 32nd league title by winning the Pioneer Football League championship under Coach Jeff Voris. The Bulldogs set a school record with 11 wins and went on to the Gridiron Classic, winning over Central Connecticut State 28–23. The Bulldogs' latest championships came in 2012 and 2013 when the Bulldogs won seven league victories each season to secure the share of the PFL Championships. This is the Bulldogs' fourth PFL Championship and the third in the last five years. Butler also earned a berth to the 2013 Division I FCS playoffs, the PFL's first automatic bid for the Division I football championships.


Hoosier Helmet Trophy

The Hoosier Helmet Trophy was established as the trophy helmet for the rivalry football game played between Butler and Valparaiso University. The Hoosier Helmet was created prior to the 2006 season to commemorate the football rivalry that has existed since 1921. The helmet trophy was created to further intensify the rivalry between these two teams. A group of Butler players, along with their head coach, Jeff Voris, came up with the idea. After Valparaiso head coach Stacey Adams agreed to play for the helmet, Butler equipment manager John Harding put the trophy together. The white helmet is mounted on a hardwood plaque and features each team's logo on the respective sides of the helmet. A gold plate is added each year to commemorate the winner and score of the contest. Currently, Butler holds a 9–4 series lead when playing for the Hoosier Helmet. Both Butler and Valparaiso compete in the NCAA Division I-FCS (formerly Division I-AA), non-scholarship Pioneer Football League.


Men's soccer

Butler's men's soccer qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2009, 2010, 2016, and 2017, reaching the round of 16 in 1995, 1998, and 2017. Butler won the Big East tournament title in 2016 and the Horizon League (formerly the MCC) tournament titles in 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001, and 2010. They also won or shared the regular-season title seven times, including 1994, 1996, 1998, 2004, 2008, 2009 and 2010. The 1998 squad enjoyed national rankings as high as No. 8 in the country, and the 2010 squad finished the regular season as the only undefeated team nationally and were ranked as high as No. 6 in the country.


Cross country

Some of Butler's most notable athletic accomplishments have come in cross country. Butler won 13 straight Horizon League Championships in men's cross country and 8 women's championships. Since moving to the Big East, both teams have captured Big East Conference Championships. The men's team placed 4th in the nation in 2004 earning a team trophy at the NCAA Division I championships, and finished 13th in the nation at the 2020 NCAA Division 1 championships. Both teams have frequently qualified for nationals in recent years, placing individuals as high as 3rd (Mark Tucker, 2003). All-Americans from the Butler cross country team include Julius Mwangi, Justin Young, Fraser Thompson (A Rhodes Scholar), Mark Tucker, Olly Laws, and Andrew Baker, Katie Clark, Mara Olson, Erik Peterson, Olivia Pratt, Euan Makepeace, and Simon Bedard. Former coach Joe Franklin was named NCAA Division I Coach of the Year for leading the Bulldogs to their 2004 4th-place finish. In 2013, the women's cross country team added another trophy finish by placing 3rd in the country at the NCAA cross country championships. With the recent move into the Big East Conference, Butler has aligned itself with some of the most notable programs in the country.


Student life

Students at Butler University participate in more than 150 student organizations and dozens of club and intramural sports, and many multi-cultural programs and services. More than 94 percent of students are involved in campus activities. (Butler University), retrieved February 15, 2013.


Greek organizations

Greek life is a popular option at Butler with over 35 percent of undergraduates becoming members of social fraternities or sororities. Fraternities and sororities have long been a part of student life at Butler, with the first fraternity established in 1859, and the first sorority established in 1874. Today, representatives from each of the seven active fraternities make up the Interfraternity Council (IFC), which coordinates men's recruitment and works with the Panhellenic Council to plan all-campus events. The Panhellenic Council has representatives from each of Butler's seven active sororities and women's fraternities.


Interfraternity Council chapters

* Delta Tau Delta—Beta Zeta chapter (est. 1878) *
Phi Delta Theta Phi Delta Theta (), commonly known as Phi Delt, is an international secret and social fraternity founded at Miami University in 1848 and headquartered in Oxford, Ohio. Phi Delta Theta, along with Beta Theta Pi and Sigma Chi form the Miami Triad ...
—Indiana Gamma chapter (est. 1859) * Sigma Chi—Rho chapter (est. 1865) *
Sigma Nu Sigma Nu () is an undergraduate Fraternities and sororities in North America, college fraternity founded at the Virginia Military Institute on January 1, 1869. The fraternity was founded by James Frank Hopkins, Greenfield Quarles and James McIlva ...
—Epsilon Mu chapter (est. 1926) *
Beta Theta Pi Beta Theta Pi (), commonly known as Beta, is a North American social fraternity that was founded in 1839 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. One of North America's oldest fraternities, as of 2022 it consists of 144 active chapters in the Unite ...
- Alpha Psi Chapter (est. 2017) * Lambda Chi Alpha - Alpha Alpha Zeta (re-est. 2019) * Phi Kappa Psi—Indiana Zeta chapter (re-est. 2021)


Panhellenic Council chapters

* Alpha Chi Omega—Alpha Chi chapter (est. 1925) * Alpha Phi—Epsilon Beta chapter (est. 1967) * Delta Delta Delta—Delta Lambda chapter (est. 1914, closed 1995, re-est. 2005) * Delta Gamma—Alpha Tau chapter (est. 1925) *
Kappa Kappa Gamma Kappa Kappa Gamma (), also known simply as Kappa or KKG, is a collegiate sorority founded at Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois, United States. It has a membership of more than 260,000 women, with 140 collegiate chapters in the United States a ...
—Mu chapter (est. 1878) * Kappa Alpha Theta—Gamma chapter (est. 1874, closed 1886, re-est. 1906) * Pi Beta Phi—Indiana Gamma chapter (est. 1897)


=''Closed chapters''

= * Zeta Tau Alpha—Alpha Delta chapter (1920–1956) * Alpha Delta Theta—Epsilon chapter (1923–1933) * Delta Zeta—Alpha Nu chapter (1924–1935) * Alpha Delta Pi—Alpha Phi chapter (1925–1933) *
Alpha Omicron Pi Alpha Omicron Pi (, AOII, Alpha O) is an international women's fraternity founded on January 2, 1897, at Barnard College on the campus of Columbia University in New York City. The main archive URL iThe Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage "AOI ...
—Beta Theta chapter (1927–1940) * Alpha Sigma Alpha (1928–1933) * Kappa Delta Rho—Omicron chapter (1928-1937) * Sigma Sigma Sigma—Alpha Eta chapter (1928–1933) * Pi Kappa Sigma—Alpha Iota chapter (1929–1937) * Kappa Delta—Alpha Omega chapter (1931–1935) * Tau Kappa Epsilon—Gamma Psi chapter (1951–2012)


National Panhellenic Council chapters

On Sunday, November 12, 1922, the Alpha chapter of
Sigma Gamma Rho Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. () is a historically African American sorority, international collegiate, and non-profit community service organization that was founded on November 12, 1922, by seven educators on the Irvington campus (1875–1 ...
was founded at Butler University by a mix of undergraduate and graduate students. The sorority had its beginnings on the original Irvington campus of Butler University. While most NPHC undergraduate chapters have citywide memberships with students from more than one university, the Alpha chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho is composed only of Butler students. Part of the original
Divine Nine Divinity or the divine are things that are either related to, devoted to, or proceeding from a deity.divine
of Black Greek letter organizations, Sigma Gamma Rho is one of two Indiana based historically all-black Greek organizations in the state. Today there is a commemorative stained glass window located just outside the tower room at the south end of Atherton Union, as well as decorative bricks on the right side of Atherton. *
Sigma Gamma Rho Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. () is a historically African American sorority, international collegiate, and non-profit community service organization that was founded on November 12, 1922, by seven educators on the Irvington campus (1875–1 ...
—Alpha chapter (est. 1922)


Service and professional fraternities

*
Alpha Kappa Psi Alpha Kappa Psi (, often stylized as AKPsi) is the oldest and largest business fraternity to current date. Also known as "AKPsi", the fraternity was founded on October 5, 1904, at New York University and was incorporated on May 20, 1905. It is cu ...
, National Professional Business Society, Lambda Upsilon chapter *
Alpha Phi Omega Alpha Phi Omega (), commonly known as APO, but also A-Phi-O and A-Phi-Q, is a coeducational service fraternity. It is the largest collegiate fraternity in the United States, with chapters at over 350 campuses, an active membership of over 25,0 ...
, National Coed Service Fraternity, Alpha Tau chapter *
Alpha Psi Omega Alpha Psi Omega National Theatre Honor Society () is an American recognition fraternity for participants in collegiate theatre. History The ''Alpha Cast'' (Alpha Psi Omega's term for "chapter") was founded at Fairmont State College (now Fair ...
, Theatre Professional Society, Omicron Epsilon chapter *
Kappa Psi Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity, Incorporated, () is the largest professional pharmaceutical fraternity in the world with more than 6,000 student members and more than 87,000 alumni members. It was founded in 1879 at Russell Military Academ ...
, National Professional Society in Pharmacy *
Lambda Kappa Sigma Lambda Kappa Sigma ( or LKS) is an international pharmacy fraternity headquartered in Muskego, Wisconsin. Founded in 1913, it was created to promote the profession of pharmacy among women and advance women within the profession. LKS is the oldest ...
, International Fraternity of Women in Pharmacy *
Mu Phi Epsilon Mu Phi Epsilon () is a co-ed international professional fraternity, professional music fraternity. It has over 75,000 members in 227 collegiate chapters and 113 Alumnus/a, alumni chapters in the US and abroad. History Mu Phi Epsilon was founde ...
, Professional Music Education Society * Sigma Alpha Iota, International Women's Music Fraternity * Sigma Rho Delta, National Dance Society, Alpha chapter (est. 1967) * Phi Delta Chi, National Professional Pharmacy Society, Alpha Phi chapter (est. 1955) * Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, National Music Fraternity, Alpha Sigma chapter


Honor societies

* Kappa Delta Pi, National Honorary Society in Education * Kappa Kappa Psi, National Honorary Band Society, Alpha Beta chapter (est. 1929) * Lambda Pi Eta, National Communication Honorary Society, Upsilon Delta chapter (est. 2007) * Pi Sigma Alpha, National Political Science Honorary Society, Sigma Gamma chapter *
Pi Kappa Delta Pi Kappa Delta () is a Forensics (Public Speaking and Debate) Honor Society for undergraduate university students and a professional organization for graduates, typically university Speech and Debate Coaches. Pi Kappa Delta, or PKD, encourages th ...
, National Forensics Honorary (dedicated to Speech and Debate), Zeta chapter (2011) * Sigma Delta Pi, National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society, Delta Upsilon chapter *
Sigma Pi Sigma Sigma Pi Sigma (), founded at Davidson College on December 11, 1921, is the oldest and only American honor society for physics and astronomy. It is an organization within the Society of Physics Students and the American Institute of Physics and ...
, Physics Honorary Society *
Tau Beta Sigma Tau Beta Sigma Honorary Band Sorority, (, colloquially referred to as TBSigma or TBS) is a co-educational service sorority. The sorority, headquartered at the historic Stillwater Santa Fe Depot in Stillwater, Oklahoma, numbers over 3,800 active m ...
, National Honorary Band Society, Epsilon chapter (est. 1946) *
Upsilon Pi Epsilon Upsilon Pi Epsilon (): International Honor Society for the Computing and Information Disciplines, is the first honor society dedicated to the discipline of the computing and information disciplines. Informally known as UPE, Upsilon Pi Epsilon was ...
, Computer and Information Honorary Society (est. 2001) * Phi Beta Kappa, Academic Honor Society (est. 2009) * Phi Eta Sigma, National Honorary Society for Freshmen * Phi Lambda Sigma, National Pharmacy Honorary Society, Pi chapter * Rho Chi, Professional Honorary Society for Students and Professors of Pharmacy, Alpha Phi chapter (est. 1953) * Psi Chi, International Honor Society in Psychology (est. 1997) * Order of Omega, National Greek Leadership Society, Nu Upsilon Chapter (est. 1993)


Spiritual organizations

The Center for Faith and Vocation (known on campus as "The Blue House") is the hub for campus faith communities. The CFV helps students connect their spiritual journeys with career goals. The CFV places students in internship experiences to help determine their vocation. The Faculty/Staff Workshop—held twice a year—trains staff and faculty on how to help students live lives of purpose and meaning. Faith communities on campus: * Butler Catholic Community * Butler Meditation Group * Coalition for Christian Outreach (non-denominational) * Converge (non-denominational Christian) * Cru (evangelical Christian) * Grace Unlimited * Hillel * Muslim Student Association * Orthodox Christian Association * Reclaimed (United Methodist) * Secular Student Alliance * Voices of Deliverance * Young Life


Competitive organizations

* Forensics (
Speech Speech is a human vocal communication using language. Each language uses Phonetics, phonetic combinations of vowel and consonant sounds that form the sound of its words (that is, all English words sound different from all French words, even if ...
and Debate) * Esports Teams


Notable people


Alumni

*
Clotilde Betances Jaeger Clotilde Betances Jaeger (born 1890, died circa 1970) was a feminist writer and journalist of New York's Puerto Rican intellectual community during the mid-twentieth century. She advocated for Hispanic women's rights. Once a teacher and a lifetime ...
, feminist writer and journalist *
Stanley A. Cain Stanley Adair Cain (19 June 1902, Deputy, Indiana – 1 April 1995, Santa Cruz, California) was a botanist and pioneer of plant ecology and environmental studies. Biography Cain graduated from Butler University with B.S. in 1924 and from the Univ ...
, botanist and plant ecologist * Kevin Calabro, play-by-play announcer in basketball and Seattle sports radio host * Ed Carpenter, IndyCar Series driver *
Grace Julian Clarke Grace Julian Clarke (September 1865 – June 18, 1938) was a clubwoman, women's suffrage activist, newspaper journalist, and author from Indiana. As the daughter of George Washington Julian and the granddaughter of Joshua Reed Giddings, both of wh ...
, author, journalist, and women's suffrage activist * Barry S. Collier, current Butler University athletic director and former head basketball coach at Butler and University of Nebraska *
Arthur C. Cope Arthur C. Cope (June 27, 1909 – June 4, 1966) was an American organic chemist and member of the United States National Academy of Sciences. He is credited with the development of several important chemical reactions which bear his name includin ...
, chemist and originator of the Cope reaction and Cope rearrangement *
Richard N. Côté Richard N. Côté ( ; June 3, 1945 – February 10, 2015) was an American author, social historian, and lecturer. His work included research in Wisconsin and four years researching for the South Carolina Historical Society in the late 1970s to ea ...
, author and lecturer * George Daugherty, conductor of major American and international symphony orchestras; Emmy winner and 5-time Emmy nominee *
Scott Drew Scott Homer Drew (born October 23, 1970) is an American college basketball coach who is the head coach of the Baylor Bears, a position he has held since 2003. Drew began his coaching career as an assistant for Valparaiso under his father Home ...
, Baylor University men's basketball coach * Sarah Fisher, IndyCar Series driver *
Luke Flynn Luke Flynn (born 1988, in Dubuque, Iowa) is an American composer of film, television, and concert music. He is most widely known for his compositions ''Rift'', for orchestra, and ''Beneath the Wave'', for SATB chorus. In the film industry, he has ...
, composer * Talitha Gerlach, American YWCA worker who spent most of her life as a social worker in Shanghai, China *
John V. Hadley John Vestal Hadley (c. 1839–1842 – November 17, 1915) was an United States of America, American lawyer, politician, judge, historian, and writer who served in the Indiana Senate and as a justice of the Indiana Supreme Court from January 2, 18 ...
, Justice of the
Indiana Supreme Court The Indiana Supreme Court, established by Article 7 of the Indiana Constitution, is the highest judicial authority in the state of Indiana. Located in Indianapolis, Indiana, Indianapolis, the Court's chambers are in the north wing of the Indiana ...
* Lawson Harvey, Justice of the
Indiana Supreme Court The Indiana Supreme Court, established by Article 7 of the Indiana Constitution, is the highest judicial authority in the state of Indiana. Located in Indianapolis, Indiana, Indianapolis, the Court's chambers are in the north wing of the Indiana ...
* Gordon Hayward, professional basketball player and professional e-sports athlete *
Bill Hazen Bill Hazen is a Chicago-based sportscaster and currently the president of Bill Hazen Productions. He is the host of Stadiums USA on SB Nation Radio. Hazen was the television play-by-play voice of the Houston Rockets, Chicago Bulls and Indiana P ...
, play-by-play announcer in basketball and syndicated radio host *
Howard A. Howe Howard Atkinson Howe (July 29, 1901 – December 22, 1976) was an American physician, whose work at the Johns Hopkins medical institutions helped to lay the groundwork for the Salk polio vaccine. Early years and education A native of Wabash, Indi ...
, polio researcher *
Freddie Hubbard Frederick Dewayne Hubbard (April 7, 1938 – December 29, 2008) was an American jazz trumpeter. He played bebop, hard bop, and post-bop styles from the early 1960s onwards. His unmistakable and influential tone contributed to new perspectives fo ...
, trumpeter and composer *
Robert M. Jacobson Robert Martin Jacobson (born September 20, 1958) is the medical director of the Population Health Science Program of the Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery.
, chair of pediatrics at
Mayo Clinic The Mayo Clinic () is a nonprofit American academic medical center focused on integrated health care, education, and research. It employs over 4,500 physicians and scientists, along with another 58,400 administrative and allied health staff, ...
* Dan Johnson, professional baseball player * Jim Jones, cult leader who ordered a mass suicide and mass murder of 918 commune members in 1978 *
David Starr Jordan David Starr Jordan (January 19, 1851 – September 19, 1931) was the founding president of Stanford University, serving from 1891 to 1913. He was an ichthyologist during his research career. Prior to serving as president of Stanford Univer ...
, president of Indiana University and first president of
Stanford University Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is consider ...
*
Peter Kassig Peter Edward Kassig (February 19, 1988 – November 16, 2014), also known as Abdul-Rahman Kassig, was an American aid worker who was beheaded by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Early life and education Kassig was born and raised in I ...
, aid worker taken hostage and ultimately beheaded by The Islamic State * Mark Kurlansky, journalist and writer of general interest non-fiction *
Todd Lickliter Todd Arlan Lickliter (born April 17, 1955) is the former head coach of the Evansville Purple Aces men's basketball team of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC). He was previously the head coach of Marian University, the University of Iowa, and Bu ...
, former University of Iowa men's basketball head coach and former Butler basketball head coach *
Peter Lupus Peter Nash Lupus Jr. (born June 17, 1932) is an American bodybuilder and actor. He is best known for his role as Willy Armitage on the television series '' Mission: Impossible'' (1966–1973). Personal life Lupus was one of three siblings born ...
, bodybuilder and actor *
Shelvin Mack Shelvin Bernard Mack Jr. (born April 22, 1990) is an American former professional basketball player who is an analyst for CBS Sports. He played college basketball for the Butler Bulldogs. High school career Mack attended Bryan Station High Scho ...
, professional basketball player * Thad Matta, former Ohio State University men's basketball head coach and both former and current Butler basketball head coach * Elizabeth Miller (1878-1961), novelist * Pat Neshek, professional baseball player *
Harry S. New Harry Stewart New (December 31, 1858 – May 9, 1937) was a U.S. politician, journalist, and Spanish–American War veteran. He served as Chairman of the Republican National Committee, a United States senator from Indiana, and United States P ...
, U.S. Senator from Indiana and United States Postmaster General *
Ronald Nored Ronald Nored (born March 1, 1990) is an American basketball coach, currently an assistant coach for the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Previously he served as the head coach of the Long Island Nets of the NBA G Leagu ...
, head coach of the NBA D-League Long Island Nets *
Madge Oberholtzer Madge Augustine Oberholtzer (November 10, 1896 – April 14, 1925) was a white American woman whose rape and murder played a critical role in the demise of the second incarnation of the Ku Klux Klan. In March 1925, while working for the state ...
, Indiana state employee whose death at the hands of
D.C. Stephenson David Curtis "Steve" Stephenson (August 21, 1891 – June 28, 1966) was an American Ku Klux Klan (KKK) leader, convicted rapist and murderer. In 1923 he was appointed Grand Dragon of the Indiana Klan and head of Klan recruiting for seven other ...
hastened the demise of the
Ku Klux Klan The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to the KKK or the Klan, is an American white supremacist, right-wing terrorist, and hate group whose primary targets are African Americans, Jews, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and ...
in the state *
Scott Overall Scott Overall (born 9 February 1983 in Hammersmith, London) is a British athlete who runs for the Blackheath & Bromley running club. Scott was officially named part of the 2012 GB Olympic team on 5 December 2011 after achieving "A-Standard" a ...
, Olympic athlete * Johann Sebastian Paetsch, musician and cellist * Rebecca Paul, Tennessee Lottery president and CEO *
Linley E. Pearson Linley E. Pearson (born April 18, 1946) is an American politician, lawyer, and judge who served as the thirty-seventh Attorney General of Indiana from January 12, 1981 to January 11, 1993. Biography Pearson was born in Long Beach, California. Pe ...
, 37th
Indiana Attorney General The Indiana Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of Indiana in the United States. Attorneys General are chosen by a statewide general election to serve for a four-year term. The forty-fourth and Attorney General is Todd Roki ...
*
Karen Pence Karen Sue Pence ( Batten, formerly Whitaker; born January 1, 1957) is an American schoolteacher, painter, and was the second lady of the United States from 2017 to 2021. She is married to the 48th vice president of the United States, Mike Penc ...
, former Second Lady of the United States * Ryan Pepiot, professional baseball pitcher *
Bobby Plump Bobby Gene Plump (born September 9, 1936) is a member of the Milan High School basketball team, who won the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) state tournament in 1954. Plump was selected Indiana's coveted "Mr. Basketball" in 1954, ...
, Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, and hero of the 1954 Milan High School team whose story provided the basis for the 1986 film '' Hoosiers'' * George Ryan, former Illinois governor *
Chris Salvi Chris Salvi (born June 22, 1989) is a former American football safety (American and Canadian football position), safety. He played college football at Butler Bulldogs football, Butler and Notre Dame Fighting Irish football, Notre Dame. Early yea ...
, professional football player *
Avriel Shull Avriel Shull (born Avriel Joy Christie; February 9, 1931 – March 6, 1976)There is a discrepancy in her birth year. Newspaper obituaries list the year as 1933; however, other official documents identify her birth year as 1931. See was an Ameri ...
, architect *
Jay Stewart Jay Stewart Fix (September 6, 1918 – September 17, 1989), known professionally as Jay Stewart, was an American television and radio announcer known primarily for his work on game shows. He was probably best known as the announcer on the long ru ...
, television and radio announcer *
Wendi C. Thomas Wendi C. Thomas is an Investigative journalism, investigative journalist and the founder of MLK50, a nonprofit digital newsroom with the goal of reporting on economic justice. Education Thomas graduated from Butler University with a degree in ...
, journalist and founder of
MLK50 Wendi C. Thomas is an investigative journalist and the founder of MLK50, a nonprofit digital newsroom with the goal of reporting on economic justice. Education Thomas graduated from Butler University with a degree in journalism in 1993. Car ...
* Elaine C. Wagner,
Rear Admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarde ...
, United States Navy) and 36th Chief, United States Navy Dental Corps * Ryan Ward, professional lacrosse, PE & health teacher *
Maurine Dallas Watkins Maurine Dallas Watkins (July 27, 1896? – August 10, 1969) was an American playwright and screenwriter. Early in her career, she briefly worked as a journalist covering the courthouse beat for the ''Chicago Tribune''. This experience gave her th ...
, journalist, playwright; author of play '' Chicago'' *
Tyler Wideman Tyler Wideman (born November 18, 1995) is an American professional basketball player for A.S. Ramat HaSharon of the Israeli National League. He played college basketball at Butler Bulldogs from 2014 to 2018 before playing professionally in Croati ...
(born 1995), basketball player in the
Israeli National League Liga Leumit ( he, ליגה לאומית, lit. ''National League'') is the second division of the Israeli Football League, and below its Premier League. Structure There are 16 clubs in the league. At the end of each season, the two lowest-place ...
*
Marguerite Young Marguerite Vivian Young (August 26, 1908 – November 17, 1995) was an American novelist and academic. She is best known for her novel '' Miss MacIntosh, My Darling''. In her later years, she was known for teaching creative writing and as ...
, author of poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and criticism


Faculty and staff

* Igor Buketoff, conductor and teacher * Gordon Clark, philosopher and Calvinist theologian * Michael J. Colburn, 27th Director of the United States Marine Band and a colonel in the Marine Corps. * Joe Franklin, 2004 NCAA Division I Cross Country Coach of the Year * Paul D. "Tony" Hinkle, developed the orange basketball *
Henry Leck Henry Leck (born c. 1946) is the founder and previous Artistic Director of thIndianapolis Children's Choirand thIndianapolis Youth Chorale He is a choral clinician and a specialist on boys' changing voices. In 1986, Leck formed the Indianapolis Ch ...
, Associate Professor of Music and Director of Indianapolis Children's Choir *
Catharine Merrill Catharine Merrill (January 24, 1824 – May 30, 1900) was an educator, author, and American Civil War nurse from Indiana who became the second female university professor in the United States. She is best remembered as a talented educator and adm ...
, first Demia Butler Chair of English Literature *
Walter Myers Jr. Walter Dennis Myers Jr. (June 9, 1914 – June 2, 1967) was an United States of America, American lawyer, politician, and judge who served as a justice of the Indiana Supreme Court from January 7, 1963 until his death on June 2, 1967.Minde C. Bro ...
, Justice of the
Indiana Supreme Court The Indiana Supreme Court, established by Article 7 of the Indiana Constitution, is the highest judicial authority in the state of Indiana. Located in Indianapolis, Indiana, Indianapolis, the Court's chambers are in the north wing of the Indiana ...
, taught business law *
Susan Neville Susan Neville (born January 4, 1951 Indianapolis, Indiana) is a short story writer, essayist and professor, known for her work exploring Indiana and the Midwest. Life She graduated from DePauw University in 1973. In 1976, she graduated from ...
, current Demia Butler Chair in English, author, and creative writing professor *
Matt Pivec Matt Pivec is an American saxophonist and the director of Jazz Studies at Butler University. Work Pivec has been a prolific saxophonist working with several leading musicians and musical groups including Ray Charles, The Temptations, Dave Rivel ...
, saxophonist *
Samuel E. Perkins Samuel Elliott Perkins (December 6, 1811 – December 17, 1879)Minde C. Browning, Richard Humphrey, and Bruce Kleinschmidt,Biographical Sketches of Indiana Supreme Court Justices, ''Indiana Law Review'', Vol. 30, No. 1 (1997), section reproduced ...
, Justice of the
Indiana Supreme Court The Indiana Supreme Court, established by Article 7 of the Indiana Constitution, is the highest judicial authority in the state of Indiana. Located in Indianapolis, Indiana, Indianapolis, the Court's chambers are in the north wing of the Indiana ...
, taught law *
Michael Schelle Michael Schelle (pronounced ''Shelley''), born January 22, 1950 in Philadelphia, is a composer of contemporary concert music. He is also a performer, conductor, author, and teacher. Background Schelle grew up in Bergen County, in northern New J ...
, composer and teacher *
Marvin Scott Marvin Bailey Scott (born March 10, 1944) is an American politician and university professor in Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and ...
, professor, former President of
St. Paul's College, Virginia Saint Paul's College was a private historically black college in Lawrenceville, Virginia. Saint Paul's College opened its doors on September 24, 1888, originally training students as teachers and for agricultural and industrial jobs. By the la ...
, and 2004 Republican Candidate for the U.S. Senate * Brad Stevens, a former head basketball coach from 2007 to 2013, former coach and current President of Basketball Operations of the
Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of t ...
*
Emma Lou Thornbrough Emma Lou Thornbrough (January 24, 1913 – December 19, 1994) was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. She was a pioneer among professional historians in African-American history, a lifelong civil-rights activist in Indiana, a professor of history at ...
, historian of the Midwest and of African American history


See also


Notes


References


External links

*
Butler Athletics website
* {{Authority control Educational institutions established in 1855 1855 establishments in Indiana Universities and colleges in Indianapolis Private universities and colleges in Indiana