Featured Story
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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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CCI Institute Fellows Research Transparency of Paid Political Messages Delivered by Influencers
As more Americans turn to social media for news and political information, campaigns are increasingly turning to influencers to reach highly engaged audiences. But when a social media influencer shares a political opinion online, how can audiences know if their message reflects genuine support or if it’s a paid ad? That question is at the center of…
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Former Communication Studies Director John Haas Retires After 37 Years at UT
Anyone who has worked with John Haas quickly learns that emails or texts from the recently retired School of Communication Studies associate professor and long-time school director almost always say the same thing: “Do you have time to talk?” His penchant for a face-to-face conversation is motivated by more than an affinity for his field…
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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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CCI Welcomes New Faculty and Promotions in Fall 2026
The College of Communication and Information kicked off the fall 2026 semester by welcoming eight new faculty members and celebrating four faculty promotions throughout its four schools: the School of Communication Studies, the School of Information Sciences, the School of Journalism and Media, and the Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations. Read on to…
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Beyond Basketball: Student-Led Documentary Reveals the Untold Story Behind UT Basketball Legend Rick Barnes
In adjunct lecturer Isaac Fowler’s sports documentary course at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, students stepped into a process that felt less like a traditional class and more like a working production team. Fowler and his students produced It’s Not About Me: A Rick Barnes Story, a documentary that explores UT men’s basketball coach Rick…
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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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Online BSCI student fulfills ‘dream’ of becoming a Vol, gets hands-on with CCI
Becoming a Volunteer has always been a goal for Halei Lamb. “The University of Tennessee has always been the dream,” Lamb, 33, said. “I just never thought it would be possible at this stage of life.” When she enrolled in the new online Bachelor of Science in Communication and Information (BSCI) program at the College…
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Vols Voices: The History and Impact of the Charles J. McClung Speech Contest
Caption: Overall winner of the spring 2026 Charles J. McClung Speech Contest, Ariel Soudry, delivers his speech, The Great Emu War. Public speaking can be a daunting act for many students, but those who conquer their trepidation and participate in the School of Communication Studies’ Charles J. McClung Speech Contest find the reward for their…
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PhD Grad, First-Generation Student Carla White Finds Calling in Academia, Secures Professorship At UGA
Carla White never predicted she would go to college, let alone earn her doctorate degree, as she did this spring. The first-generation student from North Bay, Canada, is also preparing for her first professional academic job as an assistant professor at the University of Georgia this fall. “Academia was never a path that I anticipated getting involved in,” White said. “For me,…