Hands-On experience
The Media Center
Students can immerse themselves in hands-on experiences at The Media Center outlets by taking on the same roles they’ll find in real-world workplaces. The Media Center offers free workshops and lectures featuring industry and academic experts, giving students additional exposure to knowledge and skills they’ll use in their future careers.
Wednesday Workshop Series
In the Spring Semester of 2025, The Media Center is hosting a hands-on, student-focused Wednesday Workshop Series. The sessions are open to all students and are held in 011 Communication and Information Building from 3-5 p.m. Wednesdays. The interactive workshops will be led by a mix of industry professionals, CCI faculty and staff, and other university staff. No advanced knowledge is needed to attend.
Here are some of the upcoming workshops:
- 2/19 – Broadcast News Production with Will Dowling (DELAYED DUE TO WINTER WEATHER COVERAGE)
- 2/26 – Portrait Photography with Steven Bridges
- 3/5 – Investigative Reporting with Melanie Faizer
- 3/12 – Sports Radio Broadcasting with Jose Lopez
- 4/9 – Photojournalism with Brianna Paciorka
Coordinated Coverage
The Media Center launched its first coordinated coverage program, The Election Project, in fall 2024. Student and professional journalists from the Daily Beacon, The Vol Channel, WUTK, WUOT, and courses within the School of Journalism and Media curriculum reported on all aspects of the 2024 election, with a special eye toward how the election was understood by and affects the younger generation (e.g., 18-25).
The Election Project produced numerous pieces of original reporting, a special issue of the Daily Beacon, and an hour-long live television program, produced by The Vol Channel and simulcast on WUTK. Among other awards, The Election Project was awarded 1st place in Public Service Journalism at the Southeast Journalism Conference.
This semester, we are continuing our coordinated coverage with Covering the Opioid Epidemic. Partnering with Metro Drug Coalition, students across The Media Center and the School of Journalism and Media’s master’s program will be reporting on this important issue.
Award-winning journalism begins here
National Awards
- Broadcast Education Association Festival of Media Arts
- 2nd Place, Student Social Media – UT Paralympics Social Coverage; Kylia Berry, Griffin Hadley & Lukas Vysniauskas (School of Journalism and Media and The Media Center)
- 2nd Place, Student Radio Hard News – Tennessee offers little relief for farmers wrecked by Helene, Pierce Gentry, University of Tennessee (WUOT)
- Award of Excellence, Short Form Documentary – Student – Shooting for an A; Ben Cline, Jake Morelock, Eliza Noell & Brynn Brickell, University of Tennessee, Knoxville (Land Grant Films)
- Award of Excellence, Faculty Mixed Pedagogical – Carving the Creative Vision; Nick Geidner, Ahmad Hayat, Carter Moore & Eliza Noell, University of Tennessee (Land Grant Films)
- Heart Awards
- 2nd Place, Audio Competition, Pierce Gentry (WUOT)
- 9th Place, Narrative Video Storytelling Competition, Lukas Vysniauskas (Paralympics Coverage)
- 14th Place, Photojournalism News and Features Competition, Avery Bane (Paralympics Coverage)
- Gracie Awards
- Honorable Mention, Student Television, TVC Election Matters Special, TVC Team
Regional Awards
- Southeast Journalism Conference “Best of the South” Awards
- 1st Place, Best Public Service Journalism, The Election Project (School of Journalism and Media and The Media Center)
- 1st Place, Best Radio News Reporter, Pierce Gentry (WUOT)
- 1st Place, Best Radio Feature Reporter, Pierce Gentry (WUOT)
- 1st Place, Best Radio Journalist, Pierce Gentry (WUOT)
- 1st Place, Best TV Station, TVC (TVC)
- 2nd Place, Best Editorial-Opinion Writer, Ansley Graves (The Daily Beacon)
- 3rd Place, Best Video Newscast, TVC (TVC)
- 5th Place, Journalist of the Year, Kylia Berry (TVC)
- Honorable Mention, Best Special Events Reporter, Emma Love Johnston (The Daily Beacon)
- 1st Place, TV News Reporting (on-site competition), Maddie Romak and Kylia Berry (TVC)2nd Place, Public Relations (on-site competition), Caden Dyer (The Daily Beacon)
- SPJ Mark of Excellence (Region 12)
- Winner, General News Reporting-Large, Shelby Wright (The Daily Beacon)
- Winner, Radio Feature, Pierce Gentry (WUOT)
- Winner, Radio In-Depth Reporting, Pierce Gentry (WUOT)
- Finalist, Radio News Reporting, Pierce Gentry (WUOT)
- Finalist, Television Feature Reporting, Kylia Berry (TVC)
- Finalist, Best All-Around Television Newscast, TVC Team (TVC)
The Media Center News
Student Media Leadership Openings
The Media Center is excited to launch the search process for 2025-2026 student media senior leadership! To apply, you must be a current student in good standing with at least one semester of service in the outlet for which they are applying. Preference will be given to students, who have served in a leadership position.
Read about the Student Media Leadership Openings and learn how to submit an application
Alumnus’ Paralympic Coverage Earns Top 10 Spot in Hearst Journalism Awards Competition
School of Journalism and Media alumnus Lukas Vysniauskas’ (‘24) reporting on US Paralympian Carson Clough at the 2024 Paralympic Games has been recognized by the Hearst Journalism Awards Program.
The Election Project, Student Journalists Win Big at 2025 Southeast Journalism Conference
Students in the School of Journalism and Media earned several awards for their reporting coverage including Best Public Service Journalism for The Election Project and Best TV Station at the 2025 Southeast Journalism Conference
Recent work from The Media Center outlets
School of Journalism and Media Students Produce Documentary on Vol Baseball Star Hunter Ensley
The 45-minute documentary, produced as part of a School of Journalism and Media Video Sports Production and Performance class last fall, tells the inspiring story of Tennessee baseball outfielder Hunter Ensley and his journey from humble beginnings in Alaska and small-town West Tennessee to becoming a Tennessee baseball star during the program’s historic national championship run.
Remembering first Black man to attend UT: How his fight for equal opportunity tore his family apart for generations
Gene Mitchell Gray Sr. was the first Black man to attend the University of Tennessee as a graduate student. While he never graduated from UT, his legacy persists and spirit continues on through his great-granddaughter, Arnashia Gray, a current student at UT.
WUOT Reporter Pierce Gentry Nationally Recognized
TVC News Reporter Aubree Curran recently sat down to talk with WUOT radio reporter Pierce Gentry about how his unique approach to reporting led him to take home a second-place award in the National Hearst Award Competition.