College of Communication and Information

Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations

  • Meet the Sanders, a Family of CCI Alumni 

    Siblings Ford (’20) and Cara Sanders (’16), aren’t just fourth generation Volunteers, but they’re second generation College of Communication and Information alumni who followed in the footsteps of their mother, Cindy Sanders (‘86). Drawn by a love of storytelling, Cindy earned her degree in public relations with a minor in journalism, and her children have…

  • CCI Summer Global Programs Trips Give Students New Perspectives

    Hillary Tune

    Twenty-two years ago, Professor Sam Swan established the very first study abroad program at the College of Communication and Information. That program grew and evolved into what is now Global Programs, which now consists of several trips every year that take students out of their comfort zones and into exciting new places. Goal 1 of…

  • PR Student’s Congressional Internship Inspires Him to Work in Public Service

    Hillary Tune

    When Derrick Banks started working as an intern for Rep. Steven Cohen of District 9 in Tennessee this past summer, he thought he wanted to become a lobbyist. He walked out of that internship with a completely different outlook and goal for his future. “It was very eye-opening seeing the different issues that people in the…

  • CCI Welcomes 12 New Faculty Members in Fall 2022

    Hillary Tune

    The College of Communication and Information is welcoming 12 new faculty members to its ranks this fall to support its growing student body. These faculty members bring a wealth of expertise and experience to CCI’s four schools and will help CCI to continue achieving its mission and fulfill the goals in its five-year strategic plan. Here’s…

  • ADPR Alum Mary Beth West Named PRCA International Fellow

    Hillary Tune

    July 5, 2022 / Knoxville, Tennessee – The Public Relations & Communications Association (PRCA) – the largest global public relations body, based in London – recently honored two East Tennessee public relations executives as inaugural members of its International Fellows: Fletcher Marketing PR CEO Kelly Fletcher and Senior Strategist Mary Beth West. For more than…

  • ADPR Alumnus Loebner Hired as Global Head of Inclusive Design at Wunderman Thompson

    Hillary Tune

    Creating inclusive design has risen to the forefront of conversation in advertising and other fields, and the timing couldn’t be better for Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations master’s alumnus Josh Loebner (’99). Loebner recently landed a role he calls a dream job: global head of inclusive design for international marketing communications agency Wunderman…

  • ADPR Alum Matt Dirsa’s Legacy Lives on Through Scholarship and Award Established by His Family

    Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations alumnus Matthew (Matt) Dirsa was a man of many interests—he loved outdoor activities such as rock climbing, golf, and snowboarding, but he and his friends also taught themselves how to knit stocking caps and he trained to be a sushi chef. “He wasn’t afraid to try anything and…

  • CCI Recognizes 2022 Retirees and Award Winners

    Today CCI recognized seven retiring faculty members with a combined 138 years of service. These individuals have dedicated their careers to our university, college, schools, and countless students who have come through our doors.[clear] Retirees  Dr. Candace White, DeForrest Jackson Professor in the Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations Candace joined the faculty in August 1994.…

  • Researchers in the Tombras School Win Big at Recent American Academy of Advertising Conference

    Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations professor Eric Haley, along with colleagues Tyler Milfeld and Dan Flint from the UT Marketing Department, took home the Best Article 2021 Award for the Journal of Advertising, the field’s leading journal. Additionally, Eric Haley, along with colleagues from the University of Illinois, was awarded Best Article 2021…

  • Advertising Research Productivity Ranked Fourth Nationally

    Hillary Tune

    The School of Advertising and Public Relations is tied for fourth nationally and eighth globally for advertising research productivity in a recent study published by the Journal of Business Research.  The study examined visibility in journals articles on advertising from 2008-2019, primarily focused on the three prominent U.S.-based advertising journals (Journal of Advertising, Journal of…