Katherine Ann Rush

Katherine Ann Rush, Lecturer of Business Communications, earned a Ph.D. in organizational communication from the University of Oklahoma, a master’s degree in organizational communication from TCU and a bachelor’s degree in honors communication studies with a Spanish minor from Baylor University. Rush’s research interests lie primarily in organizational communication specifically related to positive organizational scholarship and positive deviance. Most of her research to date focuses on the helping professions, examining how the unique emotional and relational demands of this sector inform membership, emotion, and culture. She also studies how organizational processes, such as socialization, social support, and identification, are enacted in short-term organizational experiences where exit is anticipated throughout membership. More recently, she studies extraordinary cases of positive deviance in organizations, examining communication practices that are honorable, exemplary, and intentional. She is particularly attentive to communication that facilitates meaningfulness of work, resilience, and flourishing, especially in emotion-laden caregiving work that holds immense social significance, yet easily lends to burnout and exhaustion. The goal of her research is to utilize theory and methodology to conduct empirical research that has meaning for applied contexts. Her work is published in several journals, including Western Journal of Communication and Journal of Applied Behavioral Science. 

During her doctoral work, Rush received The Provost’s Certificate of Distinction in Teaching (2020), the Michael W. Kramer Scholarship (2021), the Dodge Family Research Fellowship (2022), and the Reagan Kramer Wieder Dissertation Proposal award (2023). Throughout her graduate work, she taught undergraduate courses including Communicating Effectively, Principles of Communication, Public Speaking, Organizational Communication, and now Business Communications. 

She is passionate about teaching, training students to speak and write effectively, and mentorship. Outside of her teaching and research, Rush enjoys spending time with friends and family, hosting in her home, and serving in her local church.

• Ph.D., Organizational Communication, University of Oklahoma
• M.S., Organizational Communication, Texas Christian University
• B.A., Honors Communication Studies, Spanish minor, Baylor University