Ann Savage
Family and feminism have both influenced the life and career of
Dr. Ann Savage, an associate professor of media arts. Although
she's the youngest in her family, she was the first to receive a
bachelor's degree. Savage says she was greatly supported by her
family, who enabled her to become the strong woman she is
today.
Having parents who both worked and shared family
responsibilities was not often the typical family norm in her
hometown of Buffalo, New York, but Savage says her family always
supported individualism. "My family is very important to me. I am
who I am because it was a lot of work, but also because my family
allowed me to be who I wanted."
It wasn't until graduate school that Savage truly realized she
was a feminist. "I always probably felt like I was a feminist or
thought I was a strong woman, but I didn't have a clue until I went
to grad school. That's where I became a feminist and really crossed
my interests with rock music by women." She went on to earn her
doctorate in mass communication with emphasis in women's studies
and music from Bowling Green State University.
While lecturing during her doctorate work, Savage decided to
continue educating students as a career. After interviewing at a
variety of institutions, she chose to come to Butler. "I came to
Butler because I was impressed with the technology and the access
the students had to it."
Although Savage came to Butler in part to teach media arts
production, her teaching and research has primarily focused on the
media's impact on today's culture. Savage works with students to
help them understand how media often perpetuates dominant ideology
and acts as a tool of oppression, especially in terms of gender,
race, class and sexual orientation. "I want the world to be a
better place for more people than it is." Savage calls on students
to recognize that, as future media practitioners, they have a
social responsibility to the world. She says, "My teaching is part
of my activism." Savage is convinced she changes students' lives
and the way they look at media. In fact, students have even said as
much.
View Ann Savage's campus directory
information.