Master’s Student Lindsay DeVore Credits Tombras School for Professional Development Journey

Lindsay DeVore

Lindsay DeVore pursued her undergraduate degree in business administration with an emphasis on marketing at a private university. After graduating during the COVID-19 pandemic, she quickly realized she lacked the industry experience most employers desire. As her job search proved more challenging than anticipated, DeVore decided to further her education by enrolling in a master’s program at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

“I chose UT because I attended a small liberal arts school for my undergraduate studies, and it simply didn’t have the same reach and presence UT does. I also love the advertising program here. It offers numerous advancement opportunities that I love,” she explained. 

DeVore is now in her second year of her master’s program at the College of Communication and Information with a concentration in advertising. While attending UT, DeVore set a goal to seize every opportunity to build meaningful connections with industry leaders and alumni. One of the first opportunities that came her way was the Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations’s networking trip to New York City.

“Any opportunity we had, I wanted to take it. The first thing I did was participate in a professional development trip to New York in January 2024. It lasted about a week, during which we visited various advertising agencies. The trip was structured so that advertising, PR, and journalism students would break off into their respective areas. I focused on the advertising track. This was my first experience of agency life, and we had the chance to talk with numerous industry professionals at each agency. The highlight of the trip was the alumni reception, which was a networking event where alumni from various places came together to network with students. That’s where I met a lot of people who would influence my other decisions,” DeVore said.

During her trip to New York, DeVore learned about The LAGRANT Foundation, which offers scholarships, mentorships, and professional development opportunities to undergraduate and graduate minority students pursuing careers in advertising, marketing, or public relations.

“I was encouraged to apply for The LAGRANT Foundation scholarship, and I ended up winning. It’s about $3,700 in scholarship money, along with a fully funded three-day professional development trip to New York,” she said.

After receiving The LAGRANT Foundation scholarship and attending her second professional development trip to New York in the summer of 2024, DeVore secured an internship as an account manager intern at the ad agency Highdive in Chicago. 

Lindsay DeVore with her internship group at Highdive in Chicago. 

“It was my first time in Chicago, and I absolutely fell in love with the city. As an account intern, I worked on campaigns for Jeep and Instacart, and I helped build out some of Highdive’s social media presence. I enjoyed being an account intern because I was involved in the creative process without directly executing the creative work. I loved participating in projects from start to finish, and the internship program was really tight-knit,” she shared.

Thanks to The LAGRANT Foundation, DeVore gained significant experience that she wouldn’t have obtained if it weren’t for her initial trip to New York with UT. Through The LAGRANT Foundation, DeVore was introduced to the Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations, which focuses on empowering and advancing the next generation of leaders. 

The Plank Center brought DeVore back to Chicago for another professional development opportunity and she received a travel scholarship for this experience.

“The travel scholarship allowed me to go to Chicago for a two-day professional development seminar, and we had the chance to attend the Plank Center’s Met Gala event, which was an incredible experience. I’ve never attended an event like that before,” she stated.

Lindsay DeVore at the Plank Center Milestone in Mentoring Reception & Ceremony

DeVore is now a graduate research assistant for UT System working with UT Wellness, which stretches across the system’s five campuses and focuses on students’ wellbeing. 

“Right now we built out UT Wellness’s Instagram (@UT_Wellness). We just started, but we’re creating educational content, highlighting staff and faculty across the system, sharing work from our chief wellness officer, Dr. Jessi Gold, as well as having an opportunity for students to share real concerns and experiences. We’re trying to create a safe space for student wellness, and also unify all five campuses,” she shared.

DeVore said it’s been a journey building socials from the ground up. However, her past internships and experiences have given her valuable insight into how to properly manage social media for large organizations.

“It’s been a great learning experience so far,” she said. 

Her advice to other students is to take the leap of faith and sign up for as many experiences as they can while enrolled at the university. DeVore’s one trip to New York in January 2024 led to several internships, mentorships, and scholarship opportunities. 

Lindsay DeVore with Plank Center Group

“What I want to say to students, in general, is, don’t be afraid to put yourself out there because the opportunities are there and you just have to find them. Something one of my favorite professors, Professor Eric Haley, would always say to us, is to put ourselves in environments where great things can happen to us, and I led with that. That’s something I’d want to share with students at large because I’m a very introverted person, but to be in ad or PR you have to have an extroverted-like component. So even if you are an introvert, you still can do it too,” she said. 

DeVore added, “By stepping into uncomfortable environments, I’ve pushed myself to adapt and grow, which has opened the door to one opportunity after another. I’m so grateful for believing in myself and taking my first professional development trip last January.” 

If you would like to learn more about the Tombras School’s travel opportunities for students, you can visit our website’s Student Experience page.