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CCI Celebrates Three Gifts Established to Make a Lasting Impact on Students
This spring, students, faculty, and staff at the College of Communication and Information (CCI) are celebrating three major gifts that will strengthen hands-on learning, support innovation and research, and make a lasting impact on students preparing to enter the world as leaders in their field. The named gifts, and those who made them, are: “These gifts create opportunities…
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Wilson Academy Cohort Takes Volunteer Spirit to Japan During Inaugural Global Trip
One of Alex Carpenter’s favorite memories from visiting Japan this winter was searching for one last bite of Kobe beef on the final day of the trip. Just when the journalism and media major and his friends were at their wits’ end, they found an affordable, all-you-can-eat buffet where they indulged in the Japanese delicacy…
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From Rocky Top to Knox News 40 Under 40: How J&M Alumnus Julian Wright Built a Career Beyond the Newsroom
When Julian Wright (’16) was named to the 2025 Knoxville 40 Under 40 list by Knox News earlier this year, the recognition honored more than his success as a DJ and entrepreneur—it highlighted how earning a major from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville from the School of Journalism and Media (J&M) prepares graduates to lead,…
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A Student-Led Project with Real Impact: The Future of Human-Robot Interaction
As social robots and AI systems become more integrated into educational, professional, and daily environments, understanding those nuances will only grow more critical. In the School of Information Sciences, robotics research is not just about machines—it is about people. Three School of Information Sciences students have been working with Assistant Professor Jiangen He, examining how…
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Carrying the Torch: Morgan Vance and the Next Chapter of the Pat Summitt Foundation
Knoxville native Morgan Vance (’12) grew up believing her dreams were always within reach, thanks to the strong women role models lighting the way across the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and beyond. Today, Vance is doing her part to ensure others remember the legacies of those women while inspiring the next generation to create their…
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CCI Students Sweep the 2025 Southeast Journalism Conference with 20 Awards
This article was written by Drue Hamlet College of Communication and Information students and outlets in The Media Center brought 20 awards back to Rocky Top from the 2025 Southeast Journalism Conference (SEJC), more than doubling the number earned at last year’s competition. Ten students traveled to Cartersville, Georgia, on February 5 to compete against…
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CCI Expands Study Abroad Trips to Morocco, Experience Focuses on AI, Information Sciences
Nyja Casey was pleasantly surprised when she learned that the College of Communication and Information (CCI) offers a study abroad program focused on artificial intelligence (AI). The applied artificial intelligence major’s first study abroad experience was this past winter as part of the inaugural cohort for the UTK CCI in Morocco program. Casey said the experience combined…
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CCI Students Take on Community-Focused Reporting Through New Knox News Partnership
Professor of Practice Melanie Faizer, far right, is leading a cohort of three student journalists who will work with the Knoxville News Sentinel to do accountability reporting. The students are, from front left clockwise: Kayleigh Smith, Lauren Holladay, and Olivia Lee. This article was written by Drue Hamlet Beginning this semester, College of Communication and…
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Tombras School Student Lands Spot in Tree Hut’s Inaugural Super Bowl Commercial
If you watched the Big Game on Peacock, or in select states, you may have seen a familiar face from the Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations. Junior public relations major Lanie Draughon, also known as Lanie Kristin on social media, appeared in body care brand Tree Hut’s first-ever Super Bowl commercial. Draughon’s passion…
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SIS Makes Its Debut on a Longstanding CCI Networking Trip
For more than 30 years, students across the College of Communication and Information (CCI) have traveled to New York City to meet industry professionals, visit major organizations, and explore career paths beyond the classroom. This year marked a milestone for the School of Information Sciences (SIS), as its students participated in the college-wide networking trip…