CCI Welcomes 12 New Faculty Members in Fall 2022
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 a little bit more about each of CCI’s new faculty members:
Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations
Assistant Professor Minjie Li
Li brings a passion for social justice issues in advertising to his work, and his research is in the areas of multicultural … Read more “CCI Welcomes 12 New Faculty Members in Fall 2022”
Two SIS Grads Lead the Newly Relocated World Data System
Two alumni of the School of Information Sciences master’s program have taken the lead at World Data System (WDS) International Program Office (IPO), which relocated headquarters to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville this year after a successful bid to have the international institution move from Japan to East Tennessee.
Meredith Goins, who not only graduated with her master’s degree from SIS but is also a doctoral student at the College of Communication and Information, is executive director of WDS. Sarah Gonzalez, a UT employee of 20 years, earned her SIS graduate degree in 2020 and is program manager for WDS. … Read more “Two SIS Grads Lead the Newly Relocated World Data System”
JEM Launches New Major Concentrations, New Minors
The School of Journalism and Electronic Media has added four new concentrations to its major and two new minors starting in fall 2022. The new concentrations are: creative media, news, science communication, and sports communication. The new minors are: digital media and broadcast meteorology—the latter of which is offered in collaboration with the Department of Geography.
“The new concentrations are designed to provide students with an opportunity to develop important areas of expertise in our fields,” JEM School Director and Professor Catherine Luther said. “While the concentrations are predominately made up of existing courses, they provide focused pathways for … Read more “JEM Launches New Major Concentrations, New Minors”
Carolyn Potlock Fulfills Lifelong Dream of Becoming a UT Graduate
Carolyn Potlock, second from left, with her parents and son and her UT acceptance letter. From left: her father, Jay Potlock (’79); Carolyn; her son, Payton Potlock; and mother, Mary Kay Potlock.
Carolyn Potlock (’22) had dreamed of becoming a Volunteer ever since she was a little girl watching college football by her father’s side. Her father, Jay Potlock (’79) managed to transfer his VFL spirit to his daughter, and she clung to her hopes of one day attending his alma mater. Which she eventually did, though not as directly as she initially thought she would.
The Road to UT
… Read more “Carolyn Potlock Fulfills Lifelong Dream of Becoming a UT Graduate”JEM Faculty’s ‘On the Sidelines’ Recognized as Outstanding Book by NCA
When Journalism & Electronic Media Assistant Professor Guy Harrison was in his undergrad years, he wanted to be a sportscaster. As his knowledge and interests grew, he switched to studying the social aspects of sportscasting, specifically gender and race. Now, years of research that went into his book, “On the Sidelines” has been honored with the Outstanding Book Award from the National Communication Association’s Communication and Sports Division.
“The book is a feminist examination of women who work in electronic sports media–tv, radio, and podcasting. It explains how, even though there are more women working in the industry now … Read more “JEM Faculty’s ‘On the Sidelines’ Recognized as Outstanding Book by NCA”
Comm Studies Alum Says CCI Changed Her Life, So She Gives Back
Alexanderia Honeycutt’s (‘03) career has taken her around the world and into the offices of politicians and changemakers. It also allowed her to become a partner at a lobbying agency firm, and finally, to launch her own government relations and consulting firm, Honeycutt Strategies, in 2012. She says none of it would have happened if she hadn’t transferred to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and landed School of Communication Studies Associate Professor John Haas as an advisor.
“I absolutely love what I do and I very well could have had a different trajectory for my path if … Read more “Comm Studies Alum Says CCI Changed Her Life, So She Gives Back”
CCI’s Director of Career Development Guides Students to Find Their Success
A chance meeting led to a new professional direction for Devan Lane, College of Communication and Information’s new director of career development. Lane had experience in sales and marketing but had learned what she really wanted to do was connect job seekers with information to aid in their hunt. That’s when she ran into a career counselor on the rooftop of her gym in Chicago who inspired her to research what it would take for her to become someone who helps others discover their own career paths.
Lane has gathered a wealth of experience in her field after she … Read more “CCI’s Director of Career Development Guides Students to Find Their Success”
JEM Duo Awarded AEJMC Collaborative Scholars Grant
College of Communication and Information PhD student Teodora Trifonova and Journalism and Electronic Media Assistant Professor Joy Jenkins were awarded the highly competitive Collaborative Scholars Grant by the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. They will be studying the experiences of Eastern European foreign correspondents reporting on the war in Ukraine.
Trifonova, who is from Bulgaria and works as a reporter for the country’s leading TV network, said she wants to explore how journalists from seven countries are covering the Ukraine war because it aligns with her interest in research around foreign correspondents as well as freedom of … Read more “JEM Duo Awarded AEJMC Collaborative Scholars Grant”
ADPR Alum Mary Beth West Named PRCA International Fellow
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 20 years, Fletcher and West have served in various leadership positions in the industry. They manage a public relations podcast, “Ms. InterPReted,” which focuses on leadership, ethics and strategic issues in the PR industry – including marketing to women and advancing women in career … Read more “ADPR Alum Mary Beth West Named PRCA International Fellow”
SCRIPS Grant Funding Supports Innovative Research at CCI
The Research and Innovation Center (RIC) supports College of Communication and Information (CCI) scholarship by offering services to aid researchers throughout the research process, with a particular focus on helping compete for and win grants. This year, the center introduced the Summer CCI Research and Innovation Projects Support (SCRIPS) program. This competitive program provides CCI funding to awardees.
SCRIPS grants promote broad participation from the CCI research community. Tenured, tenure-track, and non-tenure track faculty can submit a proposal and CCI staff can also team up with faculty for project proposals, said Suzie Allard, director of RIC and Chancellor’s Professor in … Read more “SCRIPS Grant Funding Supports Innovative Research at CCI”