Grey MacNicoll was initially going to decline Assistant Professor of Practice Brittany Tarwater’s invitation to enroll in her Advanced Television News Reporting and Producing course.
But MacNicoll’s parents encouraged her to reconsider.
“Professors don’t say that to anybody. You should take advantage of whatever she is seeing in you that you don’t see in yourself, yet,” they said.
Enrolling in Tarwater’s class turned out to be one of the most transformative decisions the graduating senior made during her time at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville—and that is no easy feat as MacNicoll reflects on her undergraduate years.
“My experience on Rocky Top has been second to none,” MacNicoll said. “I don’t think I could have landed anywhere better. It is so special in its traditions, environment, and people.”
Signing up for Tarwater’s class helped MacNicoll discover her love for broadcast production, and she now aspires to work in television after graduation.
MacNicoll always had an interest in storytelling, but it was not until the United States Capitol protests on January 6, 2021, that she saw journalism as a viable career option.
She recalls the cameraman panning over the crowds and seeing in big letters “PRESS” among the chaos.
“I was like ‘Oh, I want to do that.’,” MacNicoll said. “I want to be in the front row covering history.”
It also stoked her interest in politics.
She worked at the Baker Center—now the Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs—while studying journalism at UT. She assisted with events, external communications, and other miscellaneous duties.
At the Baker Center she was exposed to political discourse beyond what is typically televised and took advantage of unique opportunities offered through the center such as participating in the 2022 Washington Fellows Program.
The two-week intensive interdisciplinary program provides UT students an opportunity to meet and learn from the nation’s top public servants, researchers, and journalists about politics and policymaking in partnership with the Bipartisan Policy Center.
In addition, while at the Baker Center she interviewed prominent political figures such as former US Congressman and NFL Quarterback Heath Shuler and met others like former United States Ambassador Arthur “A.B.” Culvahouse, Jr.
“I loved my time at the Baker Center,” MacNicoll said.
Giving Her All to Tennessee and TVC
MacNicoll initially wanted to focus on print journalism until Tarwater recruited her for broadcasting.
A little skeptical at first, she quickly grew to love broadcasting—especially producing a newscast. MacNicoll loves the chaotic nature that can be part of producing a television newscast and learned as much as she could about it; she took Tarwater’s advanced news production class multiple times and visited New York City twice with the School of Journalism and Media as part of their annual professional development trips to tour national television newsrooms like Fox News and CNBC.
She also got involved with The Volunteer Channel (TVC), a student-run broadcast station within The Media Center at the College of Communication and Information, during her final year at UT. She was selected as the station’s executive producer and news director for 2024-25 academic year.
In that dual-role, she aimed to grow and improve TVC and within the last year the station has amassed several accolades. This includes winning “Best in South” in public service journalism and student television station categories at the 2025 Southeast Journalism Conference.
In addition, the station received a 2025 Gracie Awards Honorable Mention for the station’s hour-long Election Day live special Voting Matters that was produced as part of the collaborative reporting initiative between the School of Journalism and Media and The Media Center called the Election Project.
A Gracie Award is a prestigious honor bestowed annually by the Alliance for Women in Media to recognize the achievements of women working in media. This was the first time TVC has won a Gracie Award.
“Awards were never my goal,” MacNicoll said. “But I think the number of accolades TVC received this past year is telling about the work that all our people have put in. I’m so excited for where TVC is going after me. And while I’m super sad that I won’t be a part of it, I look forward to watching how far they go.”
Tarwater believes MacNicoll was the catalyst for TVC’s recent success. She watched MacNicoll invest in everyone at the station, especially the students who are taking over next year, to make the station better.
“It will take a team to take over for this one person, but she is already investing and pouring into those people to make sure that the quality continues to elevate. I think that’s the sign of a true leader,” Tarwater said.
MacNicoll said her interest in broadcasting has continued to grow throughout her internship with WVLT Channel 8 News this past summer, where she observed Tarwarter and the news team in action.
“Brittany Tarwater started the spark; and then the New York trips, my internship at WVLT News, and working at TVC, it created a fire,” MacNicoll said.
As MacNicoll prepares to graduate she is excited about the future, even though she will miss being on campus and seeing her friends and mentors on a regular basis.
Despite growing up a Tennessee fan, MacNicoll said there was a time she did not want to come to UT. But her parents, who are both proud graduates of UT, convinced her to reconsider—much like they did when she was considering enrolling in Tarwater’s class—and she is glad they did.
“I think their excitement for this school made me excited to come here,” MacNicoll said. “It’s hard to really put into words what my experience at UT has meant to me. It just means so much.”