Honors Alumni Q&A with Carla Curtsinger ‘85

Carla Curtsinger '85 

Profession: Communications Consultant, Self-Employed

Education: UK College of Communication & Information and UK Honors program graduate, who earned a bachelor's of science in broadcast/multimedia journalism and a minor in political science. She went on to earn a master's certification in publishing from New York University. 

What was your major and are you working in that field today?

I majored in [present day] Broadcast/Multimedia, and in the sense that much of what was then considered ‘broadcast’ is now online, then the answer is yes. I host virtual conferences and moderate virtual roundtables as well as lead virtual communications training workshops and executive coaching. Prior to COVID-19, these sessions were live and virtual, but I believe most will remain virtual in the new normal.

What was your career goal in college? (If that changed, how?) 

Not to date myself, but I wanted to be the next Jessica Savitch, an NBC news correspondent and anchor who tragically died while I was still in college. After completing an internship as a radio news reporter my sophomore year, my desire to work in news died as well. So, I shifted my focus to advertising and writing, eventually becoming an editorial director at Hallmark Cards in Kansas City. There I was tapped as a trainer in the creative division, and I discovered a new passion.

Who is your hero?

Carol Burnett. She’s hilarious, intelligent, a fellow red head and she headlined her own network variety show at a time when women were expected to be content with much more traditional roles. She gave this small-town girl big-city dreams.

What motivates you to work hard?

I work hard because I want to give my very best to the events that I host, the students that I train, and the writing that I do. Work is never a drudgery; it’s something new to accomplish. It’s something to do well, something to take pride in. And when I’m finished, I am just as dedicated to my play time. I am very good at being a sloth. 

What is your favorite book to read?      

A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving. I re-read it about once a year. It has the best opening paragraph of any book ever written – I stand by that statement – and the most compelling, heartbreaking hero that I have ever encountered in fiction. Each time I finish reading it, I am not only sad the book is over, but also that Owen Meany is not flesh-and-blood. The world would be a much better place if he walked among us.

Yeah, I kinda like it.