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CCI PhD Student Wins TCA Outstanding Graduate Student Paper Award
College of Communication and Information doctoral candidate Traci Lively recently won the Tennessee Communication Association (TCA) Outstanding Graduate Student Paper Award. The award recognizes outstanding graduate student research in communication. TCA is a professional organization comprised of leading communication scholars, faculty, and students within the state. “I was a little shocked,” Lively said. “This is…
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CCI Taking Networking Trips to the ‘Next Level’
Senior Sana Boghani always wanted to attend an industry networking trip, but there was always a scheduling conflict—until the most recent networking trip. The communication studies major joined more than 90 students and faculty from the College of Communication and Information on a two-day industry networking trip to Nashville, Tennessee in October. “As a senior…
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Communication Studies Associate Professor Jenny Crowley Recognized for Innovative Research and Dedication to Service
Caption: Associate Professor Jenny Crowley at a networking reception during the 2025 National Communication Association’s Doctoral Honors Seminar in Knoxville. The past year has been a whirlwind of career accolades and leadership opportunities for School of Communication Studies Associate Professor Jenny Crowley, who came to the College of Communication and Information in 2017 and achieved tenure…
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Students Gain Hands-on Investigative Reporting Experience through News21 Fellowship
Gracyn Thatcher knows very little Spanish. This made the journalism and media major anxious about conducting an interview using an interpreter. But the editorial staff at the 2025 Carnegie-Knight News21 Fellowship had faith in her abilities to tell the story. “At the end of the day, I’m still in shock that I was able to…
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A New Addition to The Media Center Sparks Student Growth
This article was written by Drue Hamlet The Media Center in the College of Communication and Information welcomes a highly anticipated new publications advisor, Cheryl Welch. “I’m honored to join a university with such a strong tradition of student media. The digital age has opened so many avenues for storytelling, and I’m eager to help…
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Coming Home to Rocky Top: SIS Alumna Jordan Kaufman Returns as Research Data Librarian
Jordan Kaufman (‘18) has returned to Rocky Top after graduating from the School of Information Sciences (SIS) master’s program in 2018. She is now a research data librarian at Hodges Library at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. With a passion for data and community service, Kaufman is eager to bring her volunteer spirit back to…
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Todd Steed, WUOT 91.9 FM Program Director and Jazz Music Programming Host to Retire After 27 Years of Service to the University of Tennessee
After 27 years of service to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UT) and WUOT 91.9 FM, Todd Steed, program director and longtime host of Improvisations and Studio 865, has announced his plans to retire from his role at the station this fall. I’ve had a lot of jobs at UT; none of them have felt…
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Communication Studies’ Jennifer Koella Earns TLI’s AI Innovator Award for Integrating AI Literacy and Accessibility into Courses
While some academic instructors see generative artificial intelligence as an insidious intruder that undermines student learning, School of Communication Studies Assistant Teaching Professor Jennifer Koella views tools such as ChatGPT as an assistant that can enhance critical thinking skills. “When generative AI hit, and when ChatGPT was released in November of 2022, I already had…
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Student Launches Tennessee Club Sports Network, Expands Vision to The Media Center
When Charlie Sarafian transferred to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, to double major in journalism and media and business, he wanted to be a sports broadcaster but was unsure how to achieve that goal. Fortunately, he met former Voice of the Vols and College Communication and Information alumnus Bob Kesling (‘77), who gave the senior…
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CCI Faculty and Undergraduate Student Paper Wins Award At 2025 AEJMC Conference
Assistant Professor Shannon Scovel loves sharing her passion for research with her undergraduate students. So, she invited students in her spring 2024 JMED 175 Introduction to Journalism and Creative Media class to contact her to learn more about and/or to work on a research project together. Senior public relations major Katy Niedling accepted that invitation.…