30 at 30: Catherine Luther
Executive MBA – Strategic Leadership Class of 2019
Director, College of Communication and Information’s Information Integrity Institute and Minnie Dotty Goddard Distinguished Professor, School of Journalism and Media at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville
The Path to Academia
In her early journalistic career, Catherine Luther was driven by a burning curiosity about how news professionals shaped the perceptions of their audiences through daily reporting. Her curiosity, coupled with the desire to teach at the graduate level, empowered Luther to transition from her role at the ABC News Tokyo bureau, where she covered news from the Asia-Pacific region, to an exciting chapter in academia.
“I started thinking about what type of impact we were having on individuals through our news coverage,” Luther said. “That prompted me to pursue graduate studies and get a Ph.D.”
This choice led her to the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, where she pursued a Doctorate in Mass Communication with a Minor in Political Psychology. Upon earning her doctorate in 1998, she accepted a position at UT, where she has continued to make her mark as a professor in the School of Journalism and Media (formerly named School of Journalism and Electronic Media).
By 2023, Luther has built an illustrious academic career serving as associate dean for the College of Communication and Information and director of the School of Journalism and Electronic Media. In addition to an extensive list of accomplishments, Luther is a two-time recipient of the Fulbright Scholar Award.
An Executive Decision
In 2018, Luther started thinking about getting another degree. More than two decades of experience in academia had sparked an interest in leadership and finance, and for that reason, she opted for the Haslam Executive MBA – Strategic Leadership (EMBA-SL) program.
“I chose to apply because I knew that having an EMBA and understanding strategic leadership would assist me in more effectively carrying out my role,” she said.
Having narrowed down her top choice to the EMBA-SL program, Luther began to address the financial side of things. She applied for the competitive EMBA scholarship, granted to one full-time UT employee per cohort, and was chosen as its 2019 recipient.
“I’m very grateful to have been selected for the 2019 class,” Luther said. “But my decision was not only financial. I knew the reputation that the Haslam College of Business had, and even without the scholarship, I would’ve seriously considered this program.”
Mastering the Balancing Act
As a fastidious academic, Luther faced the challenge of balancing her full-time responsibilities with her existing commitments alongside members of her cohort.
“My whole class had to deal with the balance of family life and work life,” Luther shared. “But we found commonality in the challenges and gratification of studying in this program.”
Luther explained that she was intentional about developing a schedule of completing assignments in the evenings and over the weekends, to maintain equilibrium between her career, family and student lives.
Leadership in Lockdown: Navigating the COVID-19 Pandemic
As a lifelong journalist and academic, Luther brought a unique perspective to the EMBA-SL program. Through the program, she also gained valuable insight from her peers about corporate work dynamics. This became even more important in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.
“Understanding strategic intent and leadership within broader themes of culture and environment became especially important when the pandemic hit,” the EMBA-SL alum said. “There were no ready-made solutions, and we had to figure things out with a greater sense of responsibility.”
Leveraging her EMBA-SL knowledge, Luther made decisions that helped to protect her team while maintaining her unit’s operational momentum.
Becoming a Strategic Scholar
Luther explained how the business skills she learned during the program have served her well in the world of academia.
“Some of the classes, like accounting, were intimidating at first,” Luther shared. “But I got to the point where, when I did my final project, it became like a game. I understood how to analyze and apply data in a new way.”
Luther has recently returned from a Fulbright opportunity in the Czech Republic where, among other things, she taught a graduate class in leadership and enterprise to students from areas such as advertising and journalism. Much of what Luther learned during her time at the EMBA-SL program was highly relevant, and the course was well received.
“I applied a lot of what I’d learned through the EMBA-SL program, and the feedback I received from the students was great,” Luther said. “My students were excited to apply the knowledge and the skillsets for themselves.”
EMBA Words of Wisdom
As an EMBA-SL alum, Luther continues to enjoy watching her peers apply classroom concepts in new ways. Working across academic, corporate and military settings, her cohort remains a source of support and inspiration.
She also shared advice for prospective students considering the program.
“Don’t be intimidated by the amount of time that you’ll have to devote to the program,” Luther advised. “In the end, the payoff will be well worth it. Engage fully and step out of your comfort zone, and you’ll develop a network of lifelong friends.”