Category Archives: Featured Story
Q&A with PhD Student Dennis McCarty
Dennis McCarty is beginning his fourth year as a student in CCI’s doctoral program and is a graduate teaching assistant in the School of Communication Studies’ Public Speaking Center.
McCarty earned his bachelor’s degree in print journalism and his master’s degree in education from Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas.
What made you choose to get your PhD communication studies? What are your previous degrees in?
My previous degrees are in journalism and education, and I first became attracted to communication studies because of the theoretical components of my experiences teaching English as a second language and public speaking. I think … Read more “Q&A with PhD Student Dennis McCarty”
Q&A with PhD Student Mark Willoughby
Mark Willoughby is no stranger to Rocky Top. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Haslam College of Business and has been working full time for the college since 2007.
He is currently the Director of Student Engagement for the Haslam College of Business. After contemplating a PhD for several years, he enrolled in CCI’s program because the communication studies emphasis is a strong combination of his previous experiences in marketing and HR.
What made you choose to get your PhD in Communication Studies?
For the past couple of years, I have been contemplating the pursuit of a … Read more “Q&A with PhD Student Mark Willoughby”
Q&A with Recent Master’s Graduate Lily Crosby (MS C&I ’21)
Lily Crosby was drawn to strategic communications after working for the Appalachia Service Project (ASP), a housing non-profit that works with people in Central Appalachia. She returned to school to improve those skills, graduating in May 2021 with her master’s degree in Communication and Information with the concentration in public relations.
Crosby wants to use her enhanced public relations and strategic communication skills to serve the community through nonprofit organizations.
What has it been like juggling an internship while attending graduate school? Do you have any time management tips?
Juggling an internship while in grad school has been one of … Read more “Q&A with Recent Master’s Graduate Lily Crosby (MS C&I ’21)”
Q&A with Recent Master’s Graduate Phil Servello (MS, C&I ’21)
After four years of full-time copywriting work, Philip Servello was drawn back to college to pursue a degree that would help him pivot to a sports production career.
He recently completed his master’s degree with a concentration on journalism and electronic media. He took full advantage of the student media programs that CCI offers, serving as sports and news director for WUTK 90.3 the Rock and a news producers and sports director for UT Today. He was also a freelance sportswriter for the Oak Ridger covering high school sports.
Before coming to UT, he earned his undergraduate degree in advertising … Read more “Q&A with Recent Master’s Graduate Phil Servello (MS, C&I ’21)”
Q&A with PhD Student Jessica Barfield
Jessica Barfield is pursuing her PhD in the College of Communication and Information with a concentration in information sciences and recently completed her first year of studies.
She is an active member of the CCI Graduate Student Association and served as vice president during the spring semester. She is a graduate research assistant working with Professor Dania Bilal and also works in the Adam Brown Social Media Command Center.
What made you pursue your PhD in Information Sciences? What are your previous degrees in?
My path to the PhD program in information sciences has not been direct. My undergraduate degree … Read more “Q&A with PhD Student Jessica Barfield”
Q&A with PhD Graduate Scott Sikes
After being inspired by his wife simultaneously working and earning her Master’s degree, Scott Sikes looked to Rocky Top for his return to higher education. He earned his Master’s degree in Information Sciences in 2018 and recently completed his PhD with a concentration in Information Sciences in 2021.
He successfully defended his dissertation, “In Our Very Blood: The Use of Social Media in the 2018 West Virginia Teachers’ Strike.”
What made you decide to pursue your masters degree and PhD at UT? What made you decide to go back to school?
When I was looking at graduate programs, the … Read more “Q&A with PhD Graduate Scott Sikes”
Laura Miller Selected for Swain Professorship
School of Communication Studies Associate Professor Laura Miller has been selected as the second recipient of the William H. Swain Endowed Professorship.
Miller’s scholarship intersects interpersonal and health communication, specifically exploring illness-related uncertainty, identity negotiations, and conversations with close others in various disease contexts. She teaches courses in health communication, communication theory, and qualitative methods.
The Swain Professorship was made possible by a generous gift from CCI Board of Visitors member and former chair Martha S. “Missy” Wallen (BS/CS ’74) in honor of her father, William H. Swain. This endowed professorship was established to reward and recognize an outstanding School … Read more “Laura Miller Selected for Swain Professorship”
Joseph Mazer Named Dean of CCI
Joseph Mazer, professor and chair of Clemson University’s Department of Communication, will be the next dean of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s College of Communication and Information effective July 1. Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor John Zomchick made the announcement to the campus community earlier today.
Mazer has over 17 years of experience in higher education. In 2012, he was named the director of the Social Media Listening Center at Clemson University. In 2018, he was selected to serve as the chair of Clemson’s Department of Communication, and in 2019, he was selected as a Faculty Fellow by Clemson’s Office … Read more “Joseph Mazer Named Dean of CCI”
Q&A with Ciera Noe on the New Strategic and Digital Communication Master’s Concentration
In a few months, Ciera Noe will earn her second degree from CCI as she completes the Master of Science in Communication and Information program with a concentration in Strategic and Digital Communication.
The second one will definitely be a first.
Noe completed her bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Electronic Media in 2020 and is on track to being the first graduate of CCI’s new Strategic and Digital Communication (SDC) program this summer. She does not have finalized career plans, but she found a strength in copy edited during her undergraduate studies and the SDC coursework sparked an interest … Read more “Q&A with Ciera Noe on the New Strategic and Digital Communication Master’s Concentration”
Q&A With PhD Student Darina Sarelska
After more than 15 years away, Dania Sarelska returned to Rocky Top in 2018 from her home country of Bulgaria to pursue a PhD in Communication and Information with an emphasis in Journalism and Electronic Media.
She was part of two Journalism and Electronic Media non-degree exchange programs in 2000 and 2003 while studying at Sofia University. Since graduating, she has been a news producer and director in Bulgaria.
What made you decide to pursue your PhD at UT?
I have a long-lasting relationship with UT dating two decades back. In 2000 and 2003 I was here on different non-degree … Read more “Q&A With PhD Student Darina Sarelska”