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Walking Together: CCI Advisor, PhD Candidate Will Share Commencement Milestone with Student Advisee
PhD candidate Byron Keys was in good company when he registered for commencement this spring. As he prepared to graduate with a doctoral degree from the same college where he works as an academic advisor, the College of Communication and Information (CCI), Keys completed the registration form alongside one of his long-time advisees, Matthew Silitsky,…
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From Classroom to Career: Jonah Freedman Builds a Brand on and off the Track
As graduation approaches, Jonah Freedman reflects on a college experience defined by momentum both in the classroom and on the track. A public relations major in the Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations, Freedman spent the past four years not only earning his degree but also building a personal brand as a professional racer,…
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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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Inspiring Generations Through Sports Storytelling: Allie Campbell’s Journey from Neyland Stadium to the Sidelines
When Neyland Stadium roared to life during the electric 2022 football season at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Allie Campbell discovered more than just the thrill of Vol nation—she found her calling. “I wasn’t a huge sports fan before coming to Tennessee,” Campbell said. “But being in that environment and seeing the community come together…
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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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Thura Mack Celebrates 45 Years of Impact at UT
For Professor Thura Mack (’86), the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is more than a workplace; it is the foundation of a 45-year journey defined by growth, service, and a deep commitment to students. An alumna of the School of Information Sciences, Mack’s path to UT began with a simple recommendation that would shape the course…
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Graduating CCI PhD Candidate Receives UT Extraordinary Graduate Student Teaching Award
Sarah Devereux was a teaching assistant at Marquette University when she taught her first college class. “I was so incredibly nervous to teach a class because I remember taking public speaking as an undergraduate student and hating it,” said the graduating College of Communication and Information PhD candidate. “But my first introduction to teaching at Marquette was also where I fell…
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From Milan to March Madness: How Alex Carpenter’s Paralympic Reporting Crossed Continents to His Grandfather’s Hands
Alex Carpenter’s phone buzzed the morning after he returned from Italy. A text from his grandfather in South Florida lit up the screen: a photo of a USA TODAY sports page beside a March Madness bracket. Under the headline, his grandfather had circled one detail—Alex’s byline. Carpenter hadn’t known how far his stories would travel…
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CCI Announces 2026 Graduate Student Awards Winners
The College of Communication and Information (CCI) is celebrating the three 2026 recipients of its annual CCI Graduate Student Awards, which recognize students for their excellence in research and teaching. This year’s CCI Graduate Student Awards recipients are: Wangi Zhang Wangi Zhang is earning her Master of Science in Information Sciences (MSIS) and is also one of the researchers in the School of Information Sciences (SIS) iLab studying human-robot interaction. She…
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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…