Milestone Moments

President Danko has changed the trajectory of Butler with over a decade of innovation–solidifying Butler’s position as a national leader among private institutions. Milestone moments include Butler’s move to the BIG EAST, investments in cutting-edge learning spaces, innovations in teaching and learning, community partnerships that benefit the state and region, and the No. 1 ranking in the Midwest by U.S. News and World Report.

View Recent Highlights

Fall 2020

• The DEI Innovation Fund is established to provide investments in University-wide or unit-specific initiatives that advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the campus community.
• The University establishes a Hub for Black Affairs and Community Engagement in partnership with Professor of Political Science Dr. Terri Jett as Faculty Director.
• The President’s Council on DEI is established to monitor and report progress on the University’s DEI efforts and to advise the President in matters relating to building and maintaining an intentionally diverse, inclusive, and equitable learning and working environment. 

Spring-Summer 2021

• Butler and IvyTech establish statewide transfer agreements for students pursuing degrees in Business, Art + Design, and Education.
• Butler receives a $1 million grant from the Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation to fund renovations and upgrades to Clowes Memorial Hall.
• The new 44,000-square-foot Sciences Expansion building opens as Phase I of a $100 million investment in the University’s sciences facilities.
• UnitedHealthcare and the Lacy School of Business co-create the UnitedHealthcare Academy at Butler to provide a career pathway for students looking to begin a profession in health insurance.
• Butler announces the launch of two new online master’s degree programs that will begin in January 2022, and the relaunch of a third, in partnership with Noodle, the country’s fastest-growing online learning network.
• A Student Mental Health Task Force is assembled to address mental health concerns among the student population. 

Winter-Fall 2021

• For the fourth consecutive year, Butler University is named the No. 1 Regional University in the Midwest, according to the 2022 U.S News & World Report Best Colleges Rankings.
• With the help of nearly $13 million in grant funding from Lilly Endowment, Inc. through its initiative Charting the Future for Indiana Colleges and Universities, Butler establishes Butler Ventures as the home for three interconnected new units: the Butler Beyond Transformation Lab, the Division of Professional Studies, and the Education Venture Network.
• Bill and Joanne Dugan Hall, which houses the Andre B. Lacy School of Business and the Office of Career and Professional Success, is named in honor of a significant gift from Bill Dugan ‘51.
• The University begins construction on Butler Esports Park, a 7,500-square-foot space in the Sunset Avenue Parking Garage dedicated to esports and technology slated to open in fall 2022.