Featuring Dr. Allyn Lueders, communication studies professor at Wayne State College.
When it comes to helping students achieve their goals, Dr. Allyn Lueders has had a plan in place for years. Lueders, a professor of communication studies at Wayne State College, is the subject of a special Faculty Spotlight Series segment, which is celebrating National Transfer Student Week on Oct. 20-24.
“We are always happy to welcome transfer students to Wayne State,” said Lueders, who began teaching at Wayne State in 2014. “I have helped quite a few students complete their four-year degree after transferring from another institution. Wayne State’s Communication Studies degree allows for a wide range of transfer credits and leads to tons of careers!”
A Communication Studies degree is perfect for those who want to influence public opinion, create engaging content, or captivate an audience. Employers across a variety of industries highly value communication specialists for their ability to connect with people, solve problems, and lead with confidence. With a Communication Studies degree, students can become the voice that shapes ideas, narratives, and the future.
Wayne State’s Communication Studies degree offers these concentrations: Organizational Leadership and Public Relations; Theatre Arts; Interpersonal and Applied Communication; and Rhetoric, Influence, and Civic Engagement. Whichever concentration a student chooses, the skills they’ll learn in the Communication Studies degree program will empower them to thrive in a wide range of careers, making a lasting impact in whichever path they choose.
Lueders says a lot of those success stories can be found right here in the Midwest.
“An organizational leadership and public relations graduate is an account executive with the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association,” said Lueders, who was born in Shreveport, La., but grew up in Papillion, Neb. “Another graduate is working at DNA Swine Genetics in Columbus, Neb., and another is a college instructor. Also, a former organizational leadership and public relations student is currently working as an employment and benefits specialist at Borsheims in Omaha, Neb.”
“Public relations is a high-paying career that is in high demand,” added Lueders. “Businesses of all types need public relations pros to help raise money, attract talented employees, and manage their social media accounts. Students today have natural social media talents that companies are desperate for, and a degree in Organizational Leadership and Public Relations will help you sharpen those skills!”
Lueders teaches undergraduate courses in public relations and interpersonal communication and graduate courses in public relations leadership. She is the chair of the Communication Arts Department.
Lueders enjoys qualitative research on topics related to the internet, health, and stigma.
Lueders earned her bachelor of arts degree from Nebraska Wesleyan University, her master of arts degree from Saint Louis University, and her Ph.D. from the University of Kansas.
Fun Fact: “I am a huge Japanese anime fan! I have a lot of favorites, but my biggest anime accomplishment is that my husband and I have watched all 1,133 dubbed episodes of ‘One Piece!’”