Cathy Black B.A., ’85, University of Kentucky Internships opened the doors for Cathy Black to ultimately work for the network she had admired while growing up in Lexington. Having worked for CBS for 25 years, New York, New York, is a long way from that young girl who arrived at UK after graduating from Henry Clay High School. She knew she wanted to be a producer, but she took a variety of communications classes at UK that equipped her to troubleshoot situations in the studio or in the field. Prior to joining CBS News, Black worked at Kentucky Educational Television, assigned to the Special Events Unit. She traveled throughout Kentucky to cover key events, but also covered the General Assembly in Frankfort. At CBS, she lived the thrill of being a part of a national news team. She covered a wide range of important news events, such as the Gulf War, the September 11 terrorist attacks and Hurricane Katrina. After covering so many tragedies and talking to grieving families, she realized that she really wanted to be on the entertainment side of the business. Her job taught her to expand herself, to live outside the box. She wasn’t star-struck by the musical guests she booked for CBS concert series, nor by media veterans like Charlie Rose and Harry Smith. Black tutors and mentors young people and reminds them to “always, always, always, be genuinely nice to everyone.” She learned at UK and in life, there is no person and no job that is ever too small.
Cathy Black covered a wide range of important news events as a national news team member at CBS.
“It’s also an honor to walk the same halls where Cronkite and other great journalists have walked. My favorite part of my job is covering the news — meeting people, ordinary people and superstars, who are impacting our world, and who are making a difference in our society. I love sharing their stories with the audience at home. It’s always an adventure because no two days at work are alike.”
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