Indianapolis, IN
BISE breaks into the Indianapolis sports scene
BISE Ambassadors taking part in the 2025 LIV Golf Tournament street team. Photo courtesy of Bob Schultz.
PIPER BAILEY | MULTIMEDIA EDITOR | pcbailey1@butler.edu
The new Butler Institute for Sports & Entertainment (BISE) program integrates the Butler and Indianapolis communities.
Founded at the beginning of the school year, the program offers new opportunities for Butler students and faculty to join the Indianapolis sports scene through various volunteer, semester-long, one-hour credit and multi-semester opportunities.
BISE was created following the success of the NBA All-Stars, Taylor Swift and Olympic Trials street teams under the guidance of strategic communication lecturer and BISE Director Robert “Bob” Schultz.
“Butler was made for [these] moments,” Schultz said. “It has created a culture here that says we’re innovative, flexible and adaptable… All we’re doing is building…[an] interactive hub to make connections between different colleges on campus and programs to have a multidisciplinary approach.”
The first partnership with Hamilton County Sports Authority took place from June to August. BISE student ambassadors were hired to work the 2025 LIV Golf Tournament and assist the company with their social media, hospitality, street ambassador and documentary teams.
Sophomore strategic communication major, Regan Canada, who served as an ambassador for three of the teams during the tournament, described the atmosphere as fast paced.
“The pace of the work environment was something that you can’t get in the classroom,” Canada said. “I [had to] learn to quickly adapt, generate ideas and kind of roll with whatever was thrown at me.”
The BISE social media team was led by Sarah Hale, Hamilton County Sports Authority’s Sports Marketing Coordinator and 2024 Butler alum.
“Over the course of three days, we were able to gain over 200,000 impressions across all of our social media platforms,” Hale said. “As well as gain a 30% increase in followers.”
Schultz originally hoped for two or three partnerships for the 2025-26 school year, but instead accumulated over double in the first three months. Including a collaboration with TEDSportsIndianapolis this week and another with Hamilton County Sports Authority for the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup set for Oct. 10 through 12.
Butler’s proximity to downtown Indianapolis provides BISE with unique opportunities and partnerships that other universities are unable to compete with. Schultz believes that this aspect is key to getting students real world experience before graduation.
“These types of contextual learning opportunities — partnering with businesses, having civic connections — [are] the way for our continued growth as a university,” Schultz said. “From [the] Founders College all the way through every major on campus.”
For more information about upcoming volunteer opportunities with BISE, contact Professor Schultz at rschultz@butler.edu.
Related
ICYMI: Top 5 IndyStar business stories in May 2026
A busy month at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway reignited debates about hotels and the downtown heliport. Plus, Eli Lilly celebrated 150 years.
May came and went, and with it, we saw the closest Indianapolis 500 finish in history, the 150th anniversary of Eli Lilly and a contested primary election day.
There’s also been some movement in retail news ahead of the summer shopping season. On the north side, a new women’s clothing store opened while a piercing studio set up shop in Speedway. Meanwhile, an indoor children’s play place opened on the near north side.
Read on for four spots that recently opened and one in Broad Ripple that said farewell.
Openings
Monkee’s
8659 River Crossing Blvd., monkeesofindianapolis.com, opened in March
Monkee’s of Indianapolis, a high-end women’s clothing store, opened recently on the north side in the Shops at River Crossing near the Fashion Mall. The brand Monkee’s started in the South three decades ago and has since grown to nearly 70 locations. In Indianapolis, Missy Llewellyn and Whitney Schmitt started the franchise to bring the clothing brand to the Circle City.
The Nest Play Cafe
515 E 22nd St Suite 101, indynestplaycafe.com, opened early May
The Nest Play Cafe opened at the corner of Central Avenue and 22nd Street, offering an indoor space for parents and caregivers to bring their children to play. Caregivers can book 90-minute play sessions for $15 per child over the age of one. Tickets for additional siblings run $10. The cafe sells coffee and snacks, too.
Open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Friday 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. to noon. Closed Tuesdays.
Forget Me Not Piercing Studio
5324 W. 16th St., jessflowerspiercings.square.site, opened May 27
A new piercing studio opened in Speedway at the end of May just days after the Indianapolis 500. Forget Me Not Piercing offers traditional lobe, helix and conch piercings along with nostril and septum piercings. Artist Jess Flowers opened the one-woman shop on 16th Street.
Open Sunday and Thursday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Black Orchid Barbers Fountain Square
1201 Prospect St. Suite 100, blackorchidbarbers.com, opened in May
Black Orchid, a local barbershop known for its sharp haircuts with a side of humor, opened its Fountain Square spot, marking the company’s seventh brick-and-mortar location. Walk-ins are welcome but Black Orchid recommends grabbing a time slot online for your preferred service.
Open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Closures
Vitality IV Bar
6302 Guilford Ave., vitalityivbar.com
An IV-wellness spot in Broad Ripple shut its doors last month. Vitality IV Bar was located next to the Thieves cocktail lounge, formerly the Broad Ripple Starbucks location, before it went out of business.
Vitality IV still operates an Indianapolis-area location on Mass Ave downtown at 749 Massachusetts Ave where customers can book a variety of infusions with vitamins.
See a store opening or closing near you? Contact IndyStar reporter Alysa Guffey at alysa.guffey@indystar.com.
Forty-one names comprised the 11th layer of Springer’s “The Forgiving Sea VI,” an interactive painting that invites people to wr
Elizabeth Gabriel, Mirror Indy
(MIRROR INDY) — The Garfield Park Conservatory will host multiple family-friendly events throughout June. The events include plant shows, kid’s story time and Dollar Menu Night, which allows residents to harvest and eat veggies from a community garden.
Events at the Garfield Park Conservatory, 2505 Conservatory Drive, range in price and some require advance registration.
The Indianapolis Bonsai Club will have displays and answer questions about a variety of bonsai. Vendors will have items for purchase.
🗓️ 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 6, 1-5 p.m. June 7
🎟️ $7 per person, $15 per family (maximum of two adults per family)
Preschoolers ages 2-5 can participate in nature-themed storytime and crafts.
🗓️ 10-11 a.m. June 9
🎟️ $6 per child
Residents of all ages can harvest and eat veggies from Blakes’ Garden. Advance registration is preferred.
🗓️ 6-7 p.m. June 10
🎟️ $1 per person
Focused on ages 2-8, participants will listen to a nature-themed story and explore Blakes’ Garden. Attendees will relocate to a classroom if there’s inclement weather.
🗓️ 10 a.m. June 12
🎟️ Free
Up to 15 neighbors ages 10 and up will learn to ferment kimchi. Registration is required.
🗓️ 1-2 p.m. June 13
🎟️ $15 per person
Kids ages 2-5 can plant and harvest crops in the Children’s Garden. Registration is required.
🗓️ 11 a.m. to noon June 24
🎟️ $6 per child
The Indiana Insectivores will display tropical and native Indiana predator plants. Plants will also be available for purchase. Those who attend the plant show will also have free entry to the Predatory Plants Presentation 1-2 p.m. June 27.
🗓️ 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 27, 1-5 p.m. June 28
🎟️ $7 per person, $15 per family (maximum of two adults per family)
Mirror Indy, a nonprofit newsroom, is funded through grants and donations from individuals, foundations and organizations.
Mirror Indy reporter Elizabeth Gabriel covers the south side of Marion County. Contact her at elizabeth.gabriel@mirrorindy.org. Follow her on X at @_elizabethgabs.
-
Delaware23 seconds ago
FOX43 News
-
Florida3 minutes agoRainy stretch continues in South Florida
-
Georgia8 minutes agoPrices climb as Georgia gas tax break ends
-
Hawaii15 minutes agoBystander video shows damage after concrete falls at Ala Moana Center
-
Idaho18 minutes agoSecretary of State: Idaho’s rapid growth is reshaping state politics
-
Illinois23 minutes ago104th Illinois General Assembly passes bills for immigration, technology
-
Indiana30 minutes agoIndiana extends gas tax suspension: ‘Cheapest gas in the country’
-
Iowa33 minutes agoTrump's primary endorsement winning streak just ended in Iowa
