School of Journalism & Media Students to Cover the 2026 Paralympic Games
The School of Journalism and Media is excited to offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students to cover the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games in Milan, Italy.
In partnership with the USA TODAY Network, under the direction of Professor Erin Whiteside, participating students will gain real-world experience working alongside sports journalists from around the globe, reporting on the prestigious international sporting event and the personal stories behind it.
Taking the classroom to the real world
This experience is part of the JMED 494 Sports Media and the Paralympics special topics course offered in the spring 2026 semester, which includes a trip to Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, where selected students will study the Paralympic movement and adaptive winter sports, complete background reporting, and collaborate with USA TODAY editors in preparation for on-the-ground coverage. This opportunity follows the school’s inaugural collaboration with the network at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris.
Any undergraduate student at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is eligible to apply for the course and participate in coverage of the Games. The current cohort includes 10 students selected through a competitive process that considered interest in Paralympic sport coverage, relevant multimedia experience, and demonstrated professional achievement and potential.
Meet the 2026 Paralympics Project team
Allie Campbell
I am a senior majoring in Journalism and Media with a Sports Communication concentration. I am really passionate about sports journalism and connecting with people through storytelling. I am a radio co-host on Fox Sports Knoxville and also have experience working as a sideline reporter in the Cape Cod Baseball League. I’m also a Vol Network intern, CCI Land Ambassador and anchor for the Volunteer Channel.
I am excited to take all that I will learn from this experience, to share incredible stories, and take skills from this opportunity into my future endeavors after graduation in May.
Alex Carpenter
I am a senior majoring in Journalism and Media with a minor in Sports Management. My dream is to work in the world of sports. I’ve spent my time at UT making the most of my opportunities in the athletic department and in student media. I’ve interned with UT Strategic Communications, as well as serving as the Sports Director of WUTK. I’ve also been involved with The Volunteer Channel, WUTK, and Tennessee Club Sports Network.
My dream is to work as a broadcaster as well as serving in a Sports Information Director role inside the athletic departments.
Molly Dignan
I am a junior majoring in Journalism and Media with a Sports Concentration. I will be a videographer for the 2026 Paralympic team! I have done videography for 4 years now, primarily with VFL Films at Tennessee.
I am a post-production intern for VFL Films where we cover the video and editing of all things Tennessee athletics. I am also involved with SEC Network as a production assistant, doing camera work for live sporting events. I recently traveled to Florida to be a video intern for the 2026 Hula Bowl, which is the bowl game for seniors with aspirations of making it to the NFL.
I am incredibly eager to cover the Paralympic Games and know this experience will contribute greatly to my future goals. After graduation, I hope to continue doing video work for a professional sports team within the NFL or MLB.
Alexa Durben
I am a senior Journalism and Media major passionate about telling stories that uplift communities and inspire others. I served as assistant managing editor of Vol News at The Volunteer Channel in fall 2025 and am managing editor in spring 2026.
In summer 2025, I worked as a visual journalist for the Carnegie-Knight News21 program at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism, producing a documentary on changing immigration policies. Previously, I was a News Intern at WVLT-TV, Knoxville’s CBS affiliate, reporting community-focused stories as a multimedia journalist.
I have been involved with TVC for two and a half years, starting as an on-air personality and later earning TVC’s Anchor of the Year award in May 2025. I am also a member of Kappa Tau Alpha and the Society of Professional Journalists.
After graduation, I plan to begin a career in local broadcast journalism, with long-term goals of working as a news anchor or red carpet reporter. Covering the 2026 Winter Paralympics excites me because it allows athletes’ stories and voices to be heard in powerful, meaningful ways.
Drew Garrison
I am a sophomore Sports Management major from Suwanee, Georgia. Since August 2024, I have worked as a sports photography intern with the Tennessee Athletics Department, capturing Vol sports teams and events. I also photograph major cheerleading competitions, drawing on my background in elite competitive cheer.
During my time at Tennessee, I have developed a strong interest in both the media and business management sides of the sports industry, with particular aspirations in professional golf. I am eager to continue gaining hands-on experience in fast-paced sports environments and am excited to capture the action in Milano Cortina.
Hollan Hines
I’m a senior majoring in Journalism and Media, with a concentration in Sports Communication, and minors in cinema studies and English.
I’ve had the amazing opportunity to cover sports at UT for a long time now, not just as a reporter but as a television producer and director. I’ve been the technical director for The Volunteer Channel’s “Torch Sports” for almost my entire time at Tennessee, and as of my senior year I’ve had the incredible responsibility of being the show’s Executive Producer. Outside of my time with Torch Sports, I’ve interned with VolNetwork on “The Mike Keith Show”, and with WATE Channel 6 as a production intern.
After graduation it’s my goal to take my talents and be a producer or director elsewhere, wherever I can do my best work.
Trevor McGee
I am a senior majoring in Journalism and Media with a Sports Communication concentration and a political science minor.
I am the sports editor of The Daily Beacon, where I have covered a wide range of Tennessee athletics and led coverage of high-profile events across multiple sports during my collegiate career. I’ve also covered 14 of UT’s 20 NCAA-sanctioned sports. My feature work includes stories on Tennessee football’s nutrition program and a 35-year career retrospective of the Vols’ former diving coach, along with consistent beat coverage of football and the national-championship-winning baseball program.
I am excited to use the Paralympic Games to catapult further exploration, telling stories from sports that many audiences may not fully understand.
Mikayla Poteet
I am a senior majoring in Journalism and Media with a concentration in Sports Communication. I’m passionate about storytelling and emphasizing an athlete’s voice through a visual representation of their proudest moments! I love all aspects of creative media, but editing and videography have a special place in my heart.
Currently, I am working on a sports documentary on a high-profile, legendary individual at the University of Tennessee. This spring, I will continue my video production internship with the Vol Network through VFL Films, and I am loving every second of it. After graduation, I’m moving to Chicago and hope to get a sports media job there, so send any connections my way if you have them! I look forward to covering the Paralympics in Italy in March and can’t wait to continue working with our team to ensure these para-athletes get the coverage they deserve!
Jordan Smitherman
I am a senior Journalism and Media major with a concentration in Sports Communication and a minor in Advertising and Public Relations. Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, I enjoy watching TV shows and spending quality time with friends and family when not immersed in sports media.
I have served as a Tennessee Football Creative Intern since freshman year and worked as a freelance writer for the Associated Press during the summer of 2025. On campus, I am involved with College of Communication and Information organizations, including The Volunteer Channel.
After graduation, I aspire to work in football or basketball media in any capacity within the sports industry.
Professor Erin Whiteside
Paralympics Project lead
Erin Whiteside is a professor and graduate program coordinator for the School of Journalism and Media.
Before entering academia, Whiteside worked for Major League Baseball in New York City, where she edited and wrote for a variety of publications, including the World Series program, All-Star Game program, Little League Magazine, and Major League Baseball en Español. Following her time at MLB, she worked in communications for the Penn State athletic department, where she oversaw communication for the women’s basketball team while also assisting with football and contributing to the development and re-launch of the athletics website.
Professor Nick Geidner
Nick Geidner is a professor at the School of Journalism and Media. He also serves as director of The Media Center at the College of Communication and Information.