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  1. Home
  2. Alumni & Friends
  3. Giving Opportunities

We want to help any deserving student, but if we can help someone from where we’re from, even better.”

Hunter Gresham (’98, AdPR)

On why she and partner Steven White created the Gresham-White UT Knoxville Alumni Student Success Endowed Scholarship.

Read more about Hunter and Steven’s giving story

Advancing CCI Through Philanthropy

Our donors live out the Volunteer tradition of lighting the way for others. As we build the culture of philanthropy in the College, we look to our alumni, faculty, staff, community members, and current students to give back with their time, talent, and treasure to provide opportunities for the next generation of Volunteers.

  • Recruiting the best and brightest faculty to lead engaging classroom education
  • Scholarships for first-generation students
  • Programs and resources for historically underrepresented student groups
  • The newest technology for real-world experiences

All of these are possible through philanthropy. When the CCI family gives as one, the impact is great. Gifts of all sizes move the needle on student success and launch CCI into its new future as a first-choice school. If you’re ready to make an impact and spark a flame of greatness for our students, we’re here for you.

Make Your Impact Today

Join CCI’s Giving Societies

We’re re-launching CCI giving societies with a greater focus on keeping you engaged with the College. Our Volunteer community has a heart for our students—we know you want to see them succeed, and we want you to be a part of the new vision for the College.

Our graduates are launching their careers as advertisers, professional communicators, journalists, data scientists, and more. Your investment in the College of Communication & Information elevates the student experience. Gifts from donors also help us recruit and retain top faculty to help ensure the best educational outcomes for our students, too.

To learn more about how you can become a member of our giving societies, please contact the College of Communication & Information Development office at 865-974-7464 or email CCIDevelopment@utk.edu .

CCI Sparks

Our new giving club for young alumni! Graduating seniors who make a Senior Impact gift of their class year (ie: $20.22) to any CCI fund and our graduates of the last decade who renew their class year gift each year are invited to become a CCI Spark.

Courtesies:

  • A CCI-branded gift your first year
  • Circle Park newsletter
  • Annual special event invitation from the Dean

Dean’s Circle

We welcome donors who make a gift of $1,000 or more to a Dean’s strategic initiative fund in a fiscal year to join the Dean’s Circle.

Enrichment Funds

  • College of Communication & Information
  • School of Communication Studies
  • School of Journalism & Electronic Media
  • School of Information Sciences
  • Tombras School of Advertising & Public Relations

Other Funds

  • CCI Research and Innovation Center
  • CCI Study Abroad
  • CCI Technology
  • CCI Diversity Leadership Initiative
  • CCI Career Development

For UT Knoxville graduates of the last decade, a gift of $500 or more secures your membership in the Dean’s Circle.

Courtesies

  • Circle Park newsletter
  • Birthday and holiday cards
  • Annual special event invitation from the Dean

Karl Bickel Society

We recognize donors who have given lifetime gifts between $25,000 and $99,999 to any CCI fund in the Karl Bickel Society.

Courtesies

  • Circle Park newsletter
  • Birthday and holiday cards
  • Annual special event invitation from the Dean
  • Athletics event invitation
Karl Bickel Society Members

Circle Park Society

Affectionately named for the campus landmark adjacent to the College of Communication & Information, the Circle Park Society recognizes donors who have given over $100,000 to transform CCI.

Courtesies

  • Circle Park newsletter
  • Birthday and holiday cards
  • Annual special event invitation from the Dean
  • Athletics event invitation
  • Torch sculpture
Circle Park Society Members

CCI Legacy Society

Donors who graciously include CCI in their estate plans are invited to join the new CCI Legacy Society. We recognize the visionary leadership of deferred gifts in any amount.

Courtesies

  • Circle Park newsletter
  • Birthday and holiday cards
  • 2 special event invitations each year from the Dean
  • Athletics event invitation
CCI Legacy Society Members

What’s Your Passion?

Faculty Support

Creating opportunities for our faculty to continue conducting and publishing quality research is vital to CCI’s mission as a land-grant university. You can support faculty research through graduate research assistantships or endowed professorships.

Leaving a Legacy

You can provide for the continued growth of the College, and leave a legacy to benefit generations of Vols. Planned gifts can include bequests, gift annuities, or beneficiary designations.

Scholarships

Whether you create an endowed scholarship or make a one-time gift, giving to CCI’s scholarships allows our undergraduate students to thrive and be successful both in and out of the classroom.

Hands on Learning

CCI provides many valuable hands-on learning opportunities, and there’s just as many ways you can contribute to creating these opportunities. Donors like you can also help make these accessible to all students, especially those with financial need.

Be a Part of CCI’s Future

CCI continues to evolve and grow to meet the goals of our Strategic Plan. Giving to the College Fund for Communication & Information provides college leadership the flexibility to apply that gift where it is most needed to advance CCI’s mission and vision.

Graduate Fellowships

Graduate fellowships provide funding for research and teaching experience. They also help CCI recruit top graduate students who contribute to important research in the communication and information fields.

Our Team is Here to Help You Make an Impact

The Office of Advancement works to create a culture of philanthropy in CCI, where everyone can light the way for future Volunteers through financial support. Investments from our alumni, friends, and corporate partners provide opportunities for our students through scholarships, innovative programs, and career-oriented experiences. It takes a Volunteer to keep CCI prepared for the next generation of thoughtful and innovative communicators.

Mark Geller

Senior Director of Advancement

mgeller@utfi.org

Sarah Barclay

Assistant Director of Annual Giving & Stewardship

sbarcla3@utk.edu

Impact Stories

  • Moore Family Creates Student Success Endowment for CCIMarch 21, 2023
  • Alum Stephen Land Helps JEM Students Get Real-World Experience at Realscreen SummitMarch 21, 2023
  • Two CCI Alumni Establish Endowed CCI Scholarship for Appalachian StudentsJanuary 12, 2023

College of Communication and Information

302 Communication & Information Building
1345 Circle Park Drive Knoxville, TN 37996-0332

Email: cci@utk.edu

Undergraduate Advising Phone: 865-974-3603
Administration Office Phone: 865-974-3031

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee 37996
865-974-1000

The flagship campus of the University of Tennessee System and partner in the Tennessee Transfer Pathway.

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