From Triple Alumna to University President: Dr. Cady Short-Thompson's Journey and Impact on Higher Education
By Joey Mazzone, FOC Intern, Communication Major
University of Cincinnati, Class of 2025
Before being unanimously selected as the next president of Northern Kentucky University (NKU), Dr. Cady Short-Thompson was a triple alumna of the University of Cincinnati's (UC) communication program. Throughout eleven years of coursework, Dr. Cady Short-Thompson participated in all of UC's programs, gaining knowledge, teaching, researching, and eventually transitioning into administration. She's significantly impacted NKU and Hope College by holding many positions, such as Chair of multiple departments, Professor, Program Director, and more. Cady Short-Thompson has also served as a CEO while spending time in the non-profit sector with Breakthrough Cincinnati, a program designed to provide opportunities for disadvantaged students in the Cincinnati area.
During her time at UC, Dr. Cady Short-Thompson took a wide array of courses and participated in various internships to help determine her path within communication. She acknowledges the influential role models that UC provided, citing Dr. Trent and Dr. Dao as essential guides in her journey. Dr. Cady Short-Thompson believes that UC's development of her interpersonal skills through their communication courses has enabled her to thrive in a highly interpersonal field, with organizational communication being particularly vital in her academic roles.
Dr. Cady Short-Thompson encourages current students to take advantage of UC's various communication sub-disciplines to round out their education. She highlights areas such as social media, public relations, graphic design, and more as favorable paths. Additionally, she praises UC's department for its phenomenal teachers, scholars, researchers, and motivated faculty, emphasizing their commitment to engaging with students. Dr. Cady Short-Thompson wants students to recognize that UC and NKU offer excellent opportunities and connections.
Dr. Cady Short-Thompson believes that embracing technology, rather than avoiding it, is critical to the future. She highlights the significance of students understanding tools, data, and analytics while embracing the unique human aspects of communication that AI cannot replicate. Dr. Cady Short-Thompson notes that being broadly educated and engaging in critical thinking are distinct human qualities that technology cannot replicate.