Diverse student body study various pathways

At Butler CC, classes began to start for many on Monday, August 19. The college welcomed many students, both new and returning. The diversity of Butler’s student body was on full display with students from various backgrounds and ages.  

 Freshman Wensheng Cheng, who also goes by Rosie, is from China. Rosie was inspired by the Mass Communications department, specifically the radio/television program because it is student led. 

“China is in the east of Asia, the west of the Pacific,” Cheng said. “China is the second most populous country in the world and is heavily urbanized. I live in the north part of China, and in my province, there are more than one hundred million people. Meanwhile, China is a very diverse and inclusive country. After the 2008 Beijing Olympics Games, more teenagers are willing to study abroad. When I was 13, some sisters and brothers in my family decided to study in the United States... At first, I had the same plan, but after knowing that Chinese college students can transfer to American colleges, I couldn’t wait anymore.” 

Cheng met a Chinese student who studied at Butler before and inquired about the college. Then on Friday, May 10, she made a campus visit appointment and flew from Los Angeles, California. 

“When I decided to transfer from LA (Los Angeles), I looked through a lot of information about colleges out of California state,” Cheng said. “At first, I considered Texas and Florida, but I’m not satisfied with the cost and living environment there. In fact, they don’t have dorms, and the college in Florida costs more than $300 per credit hour. Then one recommended Butler through Xiaohongshu, one of the Chinese social media,”  

She plans to study journalism and become a TV host/journalist, which has been her dream since primary school. At her primary school, she organized the photograph groups working for the campus newspaper and Cheng always hosted campus activities. She even helped host the 2010 Shanghai World Expo. When she was 16, she directed a short film during the summer break.  

“Actually, I think I’m more like a producer than a director,” Cheng said. “But it was not a successful experience, because we all lacked experience and the video was not a very complete story. When I tried to edit the video recordings to a small movie, the plot was awkward and the voices were unclear.”  

She has worked in journalism for 10 years. When she was in high school, her family asked her to study science and Cheng studied data science in China and Los Angeles. So it was a good choice to study at Butler for her, which can inspire Cheng’s enthusiasm for journalism.  

In 2023, Cheng studied in Los Angeles, but overall, it wasn’t a good fit for her.  

Keith West, the Mass Communications chair and professor, has encountered students from central and South America in his 15 years at Butler. Often, West said these students come to Butler for another program and then discover the Mass Communications department. 

“She (Rosie) sent me an email, asking to be considered for our program and a possible scholarship,” West said. “We don’t actively recruit from mainland China, but Rosie was already in the United States. After talking with her about her interests and career goals, I thought Butler would be a much better fit than the California schools she had already experienced.” 

Butler has four student media channels such as newspaper, magazine, radio, television) and the sports media program. All four, have a long history of competition, placing students directly into jobs, and supporting transfers to the four-year colleges in Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Missouri.  

“ I know a number of Kansas media groups that normally won’t take a two-year associate’s degree graduate, but make broad exceptions for Butler graduates,” West said. “One group recently stated they don’t take two-year student interns, but they were eager to get a Butler student.  Our secret is hands-on experience in situations as close to the “real world” as possible.” 

After Butler, Cheng plans to transfer to Northwestern University and University of North Carolina. To learn more about the Mass Communications program at Butler CC, visit:  https://www.butlercc.edu/info/200149/mass-communications