Office: URS D202 | Phone: (308) 865-8412 | Email: luethket@unk.edu
I completed a bachelor’s degree in organizational communication right here at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. I then attended the University of Nebraska – Lincoln (UNL) where I completed a master’s degree in leadership education and a doctorate in human sciences with specialization in leadership studies.
I’m the director of graduate studies for our department and an assistant professor. In this role, I advise graduate and undergraduate students in our programs. I also teach several classes in topics such as organizational communication, leadership, public speaking, and research methods. I have expertise in qualitative methods, including ethnography, grounded theory, narrative, phenomenology, and photovoice. My own area of research is primarily focused on how people adapt and reintegrate following life changing experiences, like forced displacement, military deployment, serious medical diagnosis, or prison. I love mentoring students through my research and frequently work with both undergraduate and graduate students. I’m also the faculty advisor to our local chapter of Lambda Pi Eta (LPH), the National Communication Association's official honor society.
Whether you’re pursuing an undergraduate or graduate level program, we offer a lot of flexibility in terms of your area of study. Communication is an incredibility interdisciplinary field – it’s literally a part of everything we do in life – which makes it possible to customize your program to your own area of interest and career goals. I’ve seen tailored programs focus on everything from business and event planning to international studies and human behavior. There is virtually unlimited potential! Additionally, there are lots of opportunities to be involved in research – our faculty members are doing awesome things in the world today.
