• Endowed Professorship, Terrace Established in Honor of Patty Williams

    Endowed Professorship, Terrace Established in Honor of Patty Williams

    Patty Williams always enjoyed sitting and reading out on the third-floor patio of the Communications Building when her husband, John Williams (‘71) would attend College of Communication and Information Board of Visitors meetings. Both of them knew their lives wouldn’t have been the same if it hadn’t been for their time at the college—John as…

  • Comm Studies Alum Gives Back to the College That Felt Like Home

    Comm Studies Alum Gives Back to the College That Felt Like Home

    As a freshman, School of Communication Studies alumnus Drew Griggs (’12) was ready to follow through with his plan to eventually become a pastor. He figured the combination of communication studies classes plus religious studies would be the right precursor to a master’s in divinity, but the divine guided him in a different direction—and he…

  • Claire Jordan: SIS Alum and Library of Congress Research Librarian

    Finding a job that fuels multiple passions is rare. But Claire Jordan (’22) successfully did just that when she accepted a position working for the Library of Congress as a research librarian for the Congressional Research Service. After completing the master’s program at the School of Information Sciences, she returned to her old stomping grounds…

  • JEM Alum Travels the World for Almost 30 Years as CNN Photojournalist

    Jerry Simonson, JEM alum, on a recent trip to cover the war in Ukraine. If you want to hear riveting tales of what it’s like to be a photojournalist covering breaking global news, Jerry Simonson (’91) has almost 30 years’ worth. Whether it’s about the time he grabbed exclusive footage of hostages during the Iraq…

  • Daria Podzolkova Moved from Ukraine to Tennessee to Become a Vol

    Daria Podzolkova Moved from Ukraine to Tennessee to Become a Vol

    It took more than 24 hours for Daria Podzolkova to travel from her hometown of Dnipro, Ukraine, to a Polish town at the border of the two countries. She had to use trains and other transport since the airspace over Ukraine has been closed to civilian travel ever since Russia launched a full-scale invasion into…

  • JEM Alum Janna Abraham on Coming Home to Tennessee

    Janna Abraham in her booth at Southern Market in Knoxville. Home is so many things: the place where family and friends are, the comforting landmarks from childhood, and the origins of where one grows, and thrives. For Janna Abraham (’01), Tennessee is home, and she’s come back to it at just the right time. “This…

  • ADPR Students Go Behind the Scenes at Moon River Music Festival

    Beth Foster (fourth from left in back row), was joined by students, alumni, and other professionals who produced the Moon River U event. Photo credit: Ryan Carey Sometimes the only way to truly understand what goes into launching a successful project is to get behind the scenes and see how it’s done. That’s why the…

  • WUTK Gifted First Endowment by Alum Doug Alder (‘92) and Eric Middleton

    Alum Doug Alder, right, and his partner, Eric Middleton, check out WUTK’s studios on a visit to the station. After celebrating its 40th anniversary all year long, WUTK 90.3 “The Rock” has something else to celebrate: its very first endowment. This new source of funding for the radio station was established by School of Journalism…

  • ADPR Students Can Earn a Graduate Degree in One Year with 4+1 Concentration

    For many students, adding several more years of education to earn a graduate degree can be overwhelming, both in terms of time and cost. But, earning a graduate degree can increase their value in the workforce and result in better job prospects. Faculty at the Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations considered these factors…

  • Learning Through Service: PR Class Provides Real-World Volunteer Experience

    At the College of Communication and Information, students are being prepared to take on the next stage of their lives and launch their careers after they graduate. To do that, they need knowledge, experience, and a network of Volunteers and community support at their side. Their education often goes beyond the walls of a classroom…