
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…

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.…

A major highlight from Anna Willerer’s experience studying abroad in Valencia, Spain, with the College of Communication and Information (CCI) this past spring was her internship with 24/7 Valencia. For two months, the communication studies major worked as an assistant editorial journalist at the local English language news magazine. Willerer’s responsibilities included writing engaging stories…

Two School of Journalism and Media faculty have received the Athletics Professor of Excellence Award for the 2025-2026 academic year. Six faculty members from across the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, were selected for this award. School of Journalism and Media Professors Amber Roessner and Nick Geidner were among this year’s honorees. Last year, Professor Erin…

From left: Assistant Professor Elizabeth Carlson; Assistant Professor Michelle Saunders of Mississippi State University; Elizabeth Hurst Marold, PhD, University of Oklahoma; Associate Professor Emily Paskewitz. When Beth Hearst Marold (‘17) was growing up in a small, rural town in East Tennessee, she’d always been told that tornadoes weren’t a threat as they don’t cross mountains. That commonly…

After more than two decades of teaching at the School of Journalism and Media, Barbara Kaye was named a professor emerita of the school. “Barb Kaye’s impact can be seen not just in the publications she has authored for our field, but in the lives she has touched, including mentoring junior scholars within the School…

From left, top row: Teaching Assistant Professor Alyson Farzad-Phillips, Teaching Assistant Professor Jennifer Koella, Assistant Professor of Practice Heather Haley. Second row from left: Assistant Professor Ryan Beaty, Assistant Professor Yingying Han, Assistant Professor of Practice David Norman. Third row from left: Assistant Professor Yingbo Ma, Lecturer Anna Franklin , Assistant Professor Sieun Ha The College…

For Sophia Aiello, spending two months in New York City this summer as part of the 2025 International Radio Television Society (IRTS) Summer Fellowship Program was life changing. The nine-week summer program provides its participants with resources to enhance their media skills and opportunities to network with professionals, all while the participants intern at a…