All News

2023 Butler Fellows to Conduct Research and Participate in Internships

By University Relations Staff

DUBUQUE, Iowa - Eight University of Dubuque students will conduct research with faculty on topics such as the impact of technological addiction on college student motivation or partake in internships in their intended profession in areas such as land management this summer through the John and Alice Butler Summer Research Fellowship.

Fellows will also build professional relationships through activities such as mock interviews, resume and cover letter design, and networking opportunities to enhance their post-graduate employment. They will commit to 400 hours of work over a 10-week period this summer. Fellows will each receive a stipend of $5,500 with an additional $600 for research or internship associated supplies and/or travel costs.

Fellows are required to present the results of their research or internship during the following academic year at a local, regional, or national conference.

These students were named 2023 Butler Fellows:

Jenna Benzing, a senior digital art and design major from Caledonia, Minnesota

Project: American Advertising Federation of Dubuque (AAF Dubuque) Public Service for The Grand Opera House

Advisor: Sheila Sabers, MAC, head of the Department of Digital Art and Design and assistant professor of digital art and design

"I am excited and honored to be named a Butler Fellow this year. This is a great opportunity that allows me to utilize what I have learned within my major and apply it to my project.

"My project will help me get my foot in the door within the graphic design workplace by providing me with professional portfolio pieces, as well as giving me the opportunity to experience real examples of what I will do in my future career."


Jordyn Cory, a junior communication major from Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Project: The Impact of Technological Addiction on College Student Motivation

Advisor: Michelle Grace, EdD, associate professor of communication

"Being a named a Butler Fellow is an opportunity that I am so grateful to be a part of. It has been a goal of mine to conduct a research project for a long time, and I am very excited to learn and grow through this experience.

"I hope that my research on internet addiction and how it impacts motivation will not only reveal how important this topic is in our area, but that it will also point towards solutions for these problems that many college students may struggle with. Especially for college students, motivation, along with the increased use of technology, is a key aspect of life and success; I am eager to see how the two of these will correlate."


Dylan Croisant, a junior pre-nursing major from Hennepin, Illinois

Project: Land Management Intern at Wolter Woods and Prairies

Advisors: Eric Nie (C'15), environmental specialist of Wolter Woods and Prairies, and Gerald Zuercher, PhD, director of Wolter Woods and Prairies

"I think it's incredible to be in the Butler fellowship with Wolter Woods and Prairies, which is a top-tier program. Those involved with the Butler fellowship and Wolter Woods and Prairies are working together for our benefit as students trying to find the best possible direction for our lives - this really means the world to us as interns.

"I hope personally to solidify what I want to pursue after college and that at a community level we make a positive impact for the people of Dubuque and our environment."


Zachary Donath, a junior environmental science major from Dubuque, Iowa

Project: Land Management Intern at Wolter Woods and Prairies

Advisors: Eric Nie (C'15), environmental specialist of Wolter Woods and Prairies, and Gerald Zuercher, PhD, director of Wolter Woods and Prairies

"I am looking forward to getting practical experience in land management that will be useful further into my career.

"I hope my project will help to restore the Wolter Woods and Prairies to its more natural state."


James Eberhardt, a junior environmental science major from Elkader, Iowa

Project: Land Management Intern at Wolter Woods and Prairies

Advisors: Eric Nie (C'15), environmental specialist of Wolter Woods and Prairies, and Gerald Zuercher, PhD, director of Wolter Woods and Prairies

"It means a lot to me that Mr. Butler would sponsor this opportunity for me to better myself through hands-on experience in my field.

"I hope my project will accomplish the goal of habitat restoration and land management in general."


Dillon Leffler, a senior digital art and design major from Plattsmouth, Nebraska

Project: American Advertising Federation of Dubuque (AAF Dubuque) Public Service for The Grand Opera House

Advisor: Sheila Sabers, MAC, head of the Department of Digital Art and Design and assistant professor of digital art and design

"It is an honor to be known as a Butler Fellow among the many people of the University of Dubuque. Being a Butler Fellow is an opportunity to show qualities such as integrity, respect, and admiration. Presenting myself as a Butler Fellow will forever put a staple on who I am as a person and who I will grow to be in the future.

"For my project, another student and I will be working together to essentially rebrand the Grand Opera House in Dubuque. What I hope most to accomplish is to obtain the experience of what being a real graphic designer is all about and also provide high quality work to the clients we will be working with this summer."


Talon Newton, a sophomore cybersecurity major from Winfield, Iowa

Project: Assessing Student Views on Emerging AI Writing Technology

Advisor: Daniel Fleming, MA, MDiv, assistant professor of computer studies

"To me, being chosen as a Butler Fellow means to be a part of a group of enthusiastic and academically focused students looking to make an impact in their area of interest. The Butler fellowship will allow me to be able to pursue research in an area I'm passionate about while also giving me valuable experience and skills that will be beneficial to my future career goals. I am very grateful to be chosen for this exciting opportunity.

"I hope that through my research, we will be able to develop greater insights into how new artificial intelligence technology is affecting students and education as a whole. Recent developments in artificial intelligence have had profound and controversial effects on education, and I hope that my research project will be helpful for educational institutions to better understand the student climate surrounding this emerging technology."


Braydin Preston, a junior computer information technology and environmental science double major from Lanark, Illinois

Project: Advanced Land Management Intern at Wolter Woods and Prairies

Advisors: Eric Nie (C'15), environmental specialist of Wolter Woods and Prairies, and Gerald Zuercher, PhD, director of Wolter Woods and Prairies

"To be selected as a Butler Fellow means that I have been chosen to represent something bigger than myself. It means that I have been given the opportunity to pave the way of my future, and it means that I will be equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to be prepared for anything that life is planning to throw my way. I am extremely grateful for my selection and advancement in this fellowship, and I can't thank my professors and peers enough.

"On top of all the knowledge and skills I will gain, this year I am approaching this fellowship with a much deeper meaning. Finding a deeper sense of self while finding ways where nature can help nurture and heal will be a big goal of mine to accomplish. I don't think anyone truly realizes the type of peace and serenity that nature can bring to a person that is looking for this type of healing."