Beth has over a decade of work with college students and wellness. She is a Butler alumna (’03) and earned her Master’s degree in Kinesiology from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (’14) and her second Master’s degree in Counseling from Butler University (’19). Her passion for health started in high school when she participated in sports and exercised regularly. In college, she joined group fitness classes and knew she wanted to lead others in fun, high energy classes. While she pursued marketing research and university admissions counseling in her first few years after graduation, she earned her group fitness certification in several formats. She then went on to become a certified personal trainer and fitness professional at for-profit and non-profit facilities before becoming the Assistant Director for Recreation – Fitness and now the Associate Director for Fitness and Wellness at Butler. She believes in welcoming all people into her space and honoring each person for who they are and want to become.
Education:
- Master of Science in Education, M.S. Ed. – Baylor University, 2000
- Bachelor of Science in Recreation – Indiana University, 1998
Employment:
- Executive Director, Student Well-being – Butler University, 2018-present
- Director of Recreation – Butler University, 2005-2018
- Assistant Director of Recreation – City of Greenwood, Indiana, 2003-2005
- Coordinator, Intramural and Club Sports – University of Texas at Dallas, 2000-2003
Volunteer/Leadership:
- Executive Council, Butler University, 2018-present
- Senior Management Team (SMT), Student Affairs, Butler University, 2018-present
- Health & Safety Task Force (Convener), Butler University, 2020-present
- Staff Assembly Executive Committee (Chair), Butler University, 2018-present
- Staff Assembly Executive Committee (Vice-Chair), Butler University, 2016-2018
- Staff Assembly Executive Committee (at-large), Butler University, 2014-2016
- House Corporation board member – Indiana University Delta Tau Delta fraternity, 2006-present
- House Corporation board member (President) – Indiana University Delta Tau Delta fraternity, 2012-2018
Professional Organization Involvement
- ACHA, American College Health Association, 2018-present
- NIRSA – Leaders in Collegiate Recreation, 1997-present
- National Wellness Institute, 2019-present
- IRSA, Indiana Recreational Sports Association, 2005-2018
- IPRA, Indiana Parks and Recreation Association, 2003-2005
Presentations & Publications
- "Mobile Apps & Social Media", IRSA State Workshop, 2013, Purdue University
- "Tech Trends in Campus Rec", IRSA State Workshop, 2012, Indiana State University
- "Career Panel: Helping You Find Your Dream Job", IRSA State Workshop, 2011
- "Assessing Over-Exercise, Anorexia, and Bulimia in Campus Recreation, NIRSA Annual Conference, 2011, New Orleans
- "Intervention Training", Athletic Business, April 2011
- "Assessing Over-Exercise, Anorexia, and Bulimia in Campus Recreation, Recreational Sports Journal, RSJ Volume 35, Issue 1, April 2011
Connect With Me:
- Email – speden@butler.edu
- Work Phone – 317.940.8436
- Twitter – @Scott_T_Peden
- LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/pub/scott-peden/6/82a/65b
- Online – www.butler.edu/health-rec
Nick Ames, born and raised in Northwest Indiana, joined the Recreation and Wellness team in 2022. Prior to joining Butler University, Nick was with the University of South Carolina Upstate where he worked with Intramural Sports, Club Sports, and eSports. Nick has been involved in various forms of campus recreation since 2013 and brings experience from multiple years of sports officiating. He is currently a certified high school football referee and was selected to officiate in the state tournament in Indiana in 2022 and South Carolina in 2021.
Nick is a member of the National Intramural and Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) and the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO).
Nick obtained his B.S. in Recreation Management from Brigham Young University – Idaho and M.S. in Sports and Recreation Administration from Indiana State University.
Outside of the office Nick is a proud uncle of 4 nieces and 2 nephews and is a dedicated Chicago Cubs fan.
Education
- B.A. Psychology, Indiana University-Bloomington (2016)
- Master of Public Health (MPH), Indiana University-Bloomington (2018)
Bio
Katie joined the Recreation and Wellness team in 2019. As a born-and-raised Hoosier, Katie attended Indiana University-Bloomington, where she earned both her B.A. in Psychology and her Master of Public Health (MPH). She also earned her certification as a Health Education Specialist (CHES). Her time at Indiana University fostered her passion for college student well-being & ultimately prepared her for her career in university health promotion.
In her role as Assistant Director for Health Promotion and Wellness, Katie reinforces and supports a culture of well-being at Butler through specific prevention and health promotion strategies. Her professional interests include mental health advocacy and sexual health promotion.