Impact Stories
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Journalism Alum Jim Sexton Looks Back on a Colorful Career in Content Creation
There’s a lot Jim Sexton (’81) has recognized in hindsight about his many formative experiences at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville—but once he recognizes the impact, he turns around and acts on it. When it occurred to him that working as a photographer for the yearbook and The Daily Beacon helped shape his career as…
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Tombras School Alumna Honored for Her Work in DEI Shares Encouraging Message with Student
Christie Sithiphone (’09) calls herself a lifelong learner. Even as the vice president of inclusion and engagement for Marina Maher Communications (MMC), Sithiphone says she’s not above any task. In October, Sithiphone returned to her alma mater to speak to University of Tennessee, Knoxville, students about the skills they need in the real world that…
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J. Phenise Poole 2024 Recipient of the Donald G. Hileman Distinguished Alumni Award
When J. Phenise Poole (’95) joined College of Communication and Information students during their global programs trip to Dublin, Ireland, this past summer, she was very excited when CCI Dean Joe Mazer said that the next Donald G. Hileman Distinguished Alumni Award winner was in the room. Phone in hand with the camera ready to…
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Tombras School Students Get the Chance to Learn from Industry Professionals at PRSA Southeast District Conference
The Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations was proud to be an Education Sponsor for the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Southeast District Conference along with Western Carolina University. The three-day conference was held at the UT Conference Center in downtown Knoxville. PRSA Volunteer Chapter along with the Public Relations Student Society of…
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MSIS Student’s Work Showcased at ALA: First Step Towards Becoming a Published Graphic Novelist
Brandi Payne, a master’s student in the School of Information Sciences, had their work on display at the American Library Association (ALA) Conference this summer in San Diego. Payne is from Sevier County and is working at the Pigeon Forge Public Library while completing their MSIS. Payne loves comics and graphic novels. They received their…
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Non-Traditional BSIS Student Finds Her Passion After Pursuing Second Degree
Catlin Rehders (’23) works as a financial intelligence analyst at Navy Federal. She completed her bachelor’s in information sciences in 2023 and now loves what she does for work, but that wasn’t always the case. Rehders describes herself as a non-traditional student as she did not find her true passion until seeking her second bachelor’s…
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SIS Assistant Professor using UX to help underrepresented communities in Africa and beyond
Assistant Professor Hope Chidziwisano had a very busy summer working on multiple research projects very close to his heart. He traveled across the world to his home country of Malawi to see if his research could improve the lives of those there. Chidziwisano grew up in Malawi and completed his undergraduate studies at the University…
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CCI Schools Win 2024 AEJMC Equity and Diversity Award
The Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations and the School of Journalism and Media received the 2024 Equity and Diversity Award from the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) at its annual conference in Philadelphia. AEJMC is a prominent international organization for academics in the field, providing regional and national conferences…
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CCI Alumna Cindy Brewer Establishes LEO Events Fellows Program to Promote Corporate Event Production Careers
There are so many communication careers out there that sometimes it is difficult to share the breadth of opportunity within the field with college students. But College of Communication and Information alumna Cindy Brewer (’91) wanted to open the world of corporate events to students at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, so she established the…
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SIS Assistant Professor Receives IMLS Grant to Help Continue Research on Inclusive Cataloging in Libraries
Assistant Professor Brian Dobreski at the School of Information Sciences began his research with the Inclusive Catalog Use Lab in 2022. Recently, he secured an Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) National Leadership Grant to support his ongoing research. Dobreski, along with his research partners Karen Snow at Dominican University and Heather Moulaison-Sandy at…