Cadet Col. Sarah Zorn, the first woman to lead the Corps of Cadets, took command in the spring of 2018. At a time when the #MeToo movement was dominating the news, this decision—though based only on her capabilities as the superior candidate—was going to be of great interest. Zorn, a quiet, humble leader, understood that her role could help elevate the perception of the college and agreed to a curated process of media training and interviews, carefully balanced as to not impede her success as commander.
From the Judges
This was a fascinating project to judge. We liked the range of challenges the team had to combat in putting their plan together, including the #MeToo movement. The media strategy was well thought out, with its inception dating back five years, and handled sensitively as a result. Judges were particularly impressed with the decision to target a small number of high-quality and well-researched media to deliver the strategic objectives and balance any perceptions that Zorn would be courting media attention, which would impede her ability to do her job in a typically male-dominated environment.
