Alumni
Four CCI Alumni Honored in Knox.Biz 40 Under 40
CCI alumni Ellie Amador (BS/PR ’04, MS/C&I ’10), Kathryn Hemphill (BS/PR ’09), Drew Rutherford (BS/PR ’10), and Ashley Saunders (BA/CS ’10) were named to the annual Knox.Biz 40 Under 40 Awards.
The Knoxville News Sentinel released interviews with all 40 award winners to start 2021. Read more about our alumni at the links below.
Ellie Amador is the Director of Marketing for the University of Tennessee System and has been working in university system communications since 2007. She is a breast cancer survivor, and her experiences have motivated her to be involved in the Susan G. Komen Foundation of East … Read more “Four CCI Alumni Honored in Knox.Biz 40 Under 40”
Q&A With Alissa Sommerfeldt
The College of Communications and Information offers a master’s program in Communication and Information with four different concentrations: advertising, public relations, communication studies, and journalism and electronic media. The program equips students with the knowledge and skills needed to pursue a career in both professional and management positions. Students gain knowledge in each concentration, regardless of which they choose to pursue, to ensure a well-rounded education. The program also provides students with opportunities to study abroad, receive scholarships, and to participate in research projects.
Alissa Sommerfeldt is working toward her master’s degree with a concentration in public relations, balancing the … Read more “Q&A With Alissa Sommerfeldt”
John Jackson Miller: From Daily Beacon Editor to Star Fantasy Writer
After graduating from the University of Tennessee where he served as editor of The Daily Beacon, John Jackson Miller (JEM ’90) set his sights on the stars.
Specifically, the stars in a galaxy far, far away and the ones in the far-flung future where no man has gone before.
Miller turned his lifelong passion for comic books and science fiction into a career, evolving from a trade publication editor to a creator. Today, he is a New York Times bestselling novelist and comic writer for Star Wars, Star Trek, and many other fantasy licenses and original works in between. … Read more “John Jackson Miller: From Daily Beacon Editor to Star Fantasy Writer”
February 2020
2020 CCI Experience Diversity Banquet
Civil rights activist, author, and historian Robert Booker received the 2020 CCI Diversity Award at the 12th annual CCI Experience Diversity Banquet on Feb. 21 at Bearden Banquet Hall. Read More
2020 UT Social Media Week
CCI hosted the ninth annual UT Social Media Week, which featured session topics ranging from disinformation in social media to marketing and branding for teams, companies, and community organizations. Read More
Alumni Q&A – Andy Bowers (CS ’17)
Andy Bowers (CS ’17), social media manager for the Philadelphia 76ers, presented at UT Social Media Week about his NBA team’s … Read more “February 2020”
CCI 50th Anniversary: Professors Who Made an Impact – Part I
To celebrate the College of Communication and Information’s 50th anniversary, we asked our alumni about their most impactful professors. From genuinely caring to fiercely motivating, these professors shaped students’ careers and lives.
Marvin West
JEM, 1955
“Willis Tucker, head of the journalism department, convinced me that I could earn a living in the field. It was a close call. I could have been a baseball umpire.”
Mustapha Moussa
CS, 2014
“By far, two professors left a great impression on me. Dr. Dwight Teeter was an example of what every educator should aspire to be. Loved his students, was passionate about … Read more “CCI 50th Anniversary: Professors Who Made an Impact – Part I”
Alumni Garners Regional Emmy Nomination for UT Swimming Documentary
Isaac Fowler (JEM ‘18), Tim Morris (JEM ‘18), and Patricia Forrester (Sport Management ‘17) have been nominated for a Midsouth Regional Emmy in the historical documentary category for Triple A, Bar None, a VFL Films production about legendary University of Tennessee swimming and diving coach Ray Bussard.
Bussard coached the Vols from 1968-88 and led the men’s program to its only NCAA team championship in 1978. Triple A, Bar None was created in part to celebrate the 40th anniversary reunion of the national championship team.
During the 1970s, the Vols developed a tradition … Read more “Alumni Garners Regional Emmy Nomination for UT Swimming Documentary”
Room 316 Named for Advertising Leader David Bohan
The College of Communication and Information named Room 316 in the Communications Building for longtime Board of Visitors member and advertising leader David Bohan (BS/Business Administration ’70) on October 11 during the BOV fall meeting.
Bohan is the founder and chairman of BOHAN Advertising, a top full-service advertising firm based in Nashville since 1990. For decades, he has been a strong supporter of CCI and the University of Tennessee and has also given extensively to his community and profession.
Bohan was honored alongside his wife, Linda, in the classroom, surrounded by BOV members, CCI faculty and staff, and university officials. … Read more “Room 316 Named for Advertising Leader David Bohan”
April 2019: Alumni News
Beverly Banks (BS/JEM ’18) received the White House Correspondents’ Association’s 2019 Deborah Orin Scholarship. She is pursuing a Master’s of Science in Journalism with a focus on Politics, Policy, and Foreign Affairs at Northwestern University and plans to work as a political correspondent in Washington, D.C. Read more here.
Julia Small (BA/CS ’96), Knoxville Police Department Technical Services Supervisor, was named the 2018 Knoxville Police Department Employee of the Year in April. She and the Technical Services Unit successfully upgraded the KPD analog radio system to digital, the first major change to the communication system in nearly 30 years. Read … Read more “April 2019: Alumni News”
Alumni Q&A: Jim Sexton
Journalism graduate Jim Sexton (’81) has described his evolving media career as “long and winding,” and that path has led him once again to his hometown and alma mater.
At least for this week.
Sexton is now in his eighth year as vice president of digital for the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.) and is in town for Knoxville’s first hosting of the prestigious Bassmaster Classic, which will be held Friday through Sunday on the Tennessee River. He is in charge of generating and developing content for the organization’s website, mobile, and social platforms.
Rapid changes in technology radically changed … Read more “Alumni Q&A: Jim Sexton”
February 2019: Alumni News
Ballard Earns Award Named in His Honor
Tom Ballard (BS/JEM ‘69) was honored by the Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council (TAEBC) with the first-ever Thomas B. Ballard Advanced Energy Leadership Award. The honor is named after Ballard for his contributions to TAEBC and will be awarded annually for exemplary leadership and success in championing, connecting, and strengthening Tennessee’s advanced energy economy. Ballard was a former board member and founding president of TAEBC. Click here for more information about the award and Ballard’s career accomplishments.
Tombras Group Takes Top 10 Social Media Ranking
Charlie Tombras’s (BS/ADPR ’64) company, the Tombras Group, … Read more “February 2019: Alumni News”