Access and Engagement News
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Building Community from Day One: Inside CCI’s Nexus LLC
The first year of college can be nerve-racking for many students, particularly first-generation college students and those coming from out of state without an established community at their new university. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s University Housing is working to make that transition a little smoother by partnering with colleges across campus to create Living and Learning Communities…
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Shani Daily Brings Human-Centered Approach to Technology and STEM Education to UT
At the center of Professor Shani Daily’s research is a question extending beyond technology itself: How can institutions and technologies be designed to help more people thrive? Seeking answers to that question through scholarship resulted in Daily becoming one of the first of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s faculty preeminent hires—a university-wide initiative to continue building UT’s top-tier research through groundbreaking innovation and discovery. She…
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Tombras School Hosts Inaugural Showcase Highlighting Student Work, Faculty Research, and Industry Connections
The Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations welcomed more than 100 students, alumni, faculty, and community partners to its first-ever Tombras School Showcase, an event designed to bring classroom learning to life and strengthen connections between the school and the industries it serves. The showcase featured student presentations, faculty research highlights, and an alumni…
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From Memphis to the Smithsonian: Paul Springer Jr. Bridges Public History and Information Sciences
For Paul Springer Jr., the path to a career in libraries and public history has been anything but linear, but every step has reinforced his commitment to preserving and expanding access to knowledge. Springer, who is graduating with his Master of Science in Information Sciences at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is also serving as…
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The Orange Room: Building the Future of Agency Experience at Tennessee
The Orange Room is more than a student organization—it is a living, working agency built by students, for students, with real clients and real impact at the Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations. The agency is giving students real-world experience and helping them prepare for life after graduation, a strategic goal of the College of Communication and…
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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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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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Coming Home to Rocky Top: SIS Alumna Jordan Kaufman Returns as Research Data Librarian
Jordan Kaufman (‘18) has returned to Rocky Top after graduating from the School of Information Sciences (SIS) master’s program in 2018. She is now a research data librarian at Hodges Library at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. With a passion for data and community service, Kaufman is eager to bring her volunteer spirit back to…
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From Pigeon Forge to Los Angeles, Tombras School Students Interned Across the Nation this Summer
From the bright lights of Los Angeles to the scenic hills of East Tennessee, Tombras School students are acquiring practical experience in industries that align with their passions and future goals. The Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations encourages its students to pursue internships around the world. Internships provide an excellent opportunity for students…
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SIS Showcases Global Impact at LIDA 2025
The Libraries in the Digital Age (LIDA) conference is an internationally recognized event that celebrated its 25th anniversary this year in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Several faculty members, students, and alumni from the School of Information Sciences (SIS) attended and participated in engaging workshops and presentations at this year’s LIDA conference, which is one of many events…