Hands-On experience
The Media Center
Students can immerse themselves in hands-on experiences at The Media Center outlets by taking on the same roles they’ll find in real-world workplaces. The Media Center offers free workshops and lectures featuring industry and academic experts, giving students additional exposure to knowledge and skills they’ll use in their future careers.
Wednesday Workshop Series
The Media Center hosts a hands-on, student-focused Wednesday Workshop Series. The workshops are meant to introduce students to The Media Center and provide important learning and networking opportunities . The sessions are open to all students and are held in Communication and Information Building Room 011 from 3-5 p.m. Wednesdays.
The interactive workshops will be led by a mix of industry professionals, CCI faculty and staff, and other university staff. No advanced knowledge is needed to attend
Here are some of the upcoming workshops:
- August 27 – Photography and photo equipment checkout 101 with Media Center Multimedia Specialist Tim Santos
- September 3 – Reporting stories that matter with Knoxville News Sentinel Reporter Tyler Whetstone
- September 10 – Reporting breaking news with Daily Beacon advisor Cheryl Welch and The Vol Channel advisor Brittany Tarwater
- September 17 – An introduction to the role of government communications specialists with former journalist and Tennessee Department of Transportation Regional Communications Officer Mark Nagi
Coordinated Coverage
During the 2024-2025 school year, The Media Center launched its coordinated coverage program. The idea was for all the outlets in The Media Center to come together and pick a topic to cover in greater depth.
In fall, we picked the 2024 election. The reporting involved a live Election Day special by The Volunteer Channel, a special issue by the Daily Beacon, a pre-election radio show on WUTK, and countess day-to-day stories across the outlets. The Election Project won numerous awards, including Best Public Service Journalism at the Southeast Journalism Conference.
In the spring, our student and professional reporters choose to cover the opioid epidemic affecting the East Tennessee region. Again, our team produced important reporting on the topic, including in-depth coverage by both The Vol Channel and The Daily Beacon.
This year, we will be expanding and formalizing our coordinated coverage program by the launching the Williams Reporting Cohort. The program will give CCI students the tools and funding needed to effectively report on the broad topic of mental health in developing adults. Students in the cohort will receive a stipend, additional funding to cover reporting cost, access to a professional mentor in the field of mental health journalism, and opportunity to take part in specialized trainings and workshops on the topic.
Award-winning journalism begins here
‘Absolutely Rocking it’: The Media Center Students Win Big in National Competitions
The Media Center brought home 15 top national honors this weekend from two journalism awards contests.
“This is a testament to the amazing students we have in the college and across The Media Center,” Professor Nick Geidner, director of The Media Center, said. “We are so happy to see students excelling across all of our outlets.”
The Associated Collegiate Press and the College Media Association announced the contest winners at the MediaFest25 conference in Washington, DC, Oct 16-18.
The Associated Collegiate Press presented its Best of Show awards, which showcase the best national student media work from the first weeks of the 2025-26 school year. The Media Center won the following eight Best of Show awards:
The Daily Beacon:
- Third place for Newspaper/Newsmagazine to The Daily Beacon staff
- Fourth place for Photojournalism News/Feature Photo to Jed Baso for Candlelight Vigil
- Fifth place for Design Newspaper/Newsmagazine to Lindsay Favre for the Sept. 17 Political Violence Special Edition Cover
- Eighth place for Reporting Feature Story to Trevor McGee for How Tennessee Football’s Motor Keeps Running Through SEC Season
The Volunteer Channel:
- Second place for Broadcast Feature Story to Aubree Curran for Painting with a Purpose
- Third place for Broadcast Sports Story to Luke Lamoree for Tennessee Tradition: Vol Navy
- Eighth place for Broadcast News Story to Gracyn Thatcher for Campus Shooting Hoax Calls Raise Safety Concerns on Campuses
- Eighth place for Broadcast News Program to The Volunteer Channel staff
The College Media Association also presented its flagship national honors, the Pinnacle awards, after judging 3,358 entries from the 2024-25 school year. The Media Center won the following seven Pinnacles:
Ablaze:
- First place for Magazine Spread to Alyx Shaw, Sophia Carter and Morgan Gentile for Why Y2K Fashion is Here to Stay
- Honorable mention for Feature Magazine of the Year to the staff for their Y2K edition
The Volunteer Channel:
- Second place for Video Sportscast to staff for Everything School
- Honorable mention for Breaking News Package to Aubree Curran for Charlie Kirk Visits Campus
- Honorable mention for Video Newscast to staff for their April 4 broadcast
The Daily Beacon:
- Honorable mention for General News Story to Shelby Wright for ‘These are everyday people’: Eviction rates in Knoxville reach all-time highs
- Honorable mention for Sports Feature to Jack Church for Danny White’s UT is thriving: How his ‘ambitious vision’ has paid off for Tennessee athletics
“We are incredibly proud of the student journalists who dedicate their efforts to making The Daily Beacon, The Volunteer Channel and Ablaze Magazine fantastic media outlets,” Publications Advisor Cheryl Welch said.
“These awards recognize the best of the best student media around the nation, and our student media outlets are not only on the map, but reached the top of the list,” she added. “They’re absolutely rocking it.”
The Media Center has won several awards since its inception in 2024, which you can explore below.
National awards
College Media Association Pinnacle Awards (2025)
Ablaze:
- First place for Magazine Spread to Alyx Shaw, Sophia Carter and Morgan Gentile for Why Y2K Fashion is Here to Stay
- Honorable mention for Feature Magazine of the Year to the staff for their Y2K edition
The Volunteer Channel:
- Second place for Video Sportscast to staff for Everything School
- Honorable mention for Breaking News Package to Aubree Curran for Charlie Kirk Visits Campus
- Honorable mention for Video Newscast to staff for their April 4 broadcast
The Daily Beacon:
- Honorable mention for General News Story to Shelby Wright for ‘These are everyday people’: Eviction rates in Knoxville reach all-time highs
- Honorable mention for Sports Feature to Jack Church for Danny White’s UT is thriving: How his ‘ambitious vision’ has paid off for Tennessee athletics
Associated Collegiate Press Best of Show awards
The Daily Beacon:
- Third place for Newspaper/Newsmagazine to The Daily Beacon staff
- Fourth place for Photojournalism News/Feature Photo to Jed Baso for Candlelight Vigil
- Fifth place for Design Newspaper/Newsmagazine to Lindsay Favre for the Sept. 17 Political Violence Special Edition Cover
- Eighth place for Reporting Feature Story to Trevor McGee for How Tennessee Football’s Motor Keeps Running Through SEC Season
The Volunteer Channel:
- Second place for Broadcast Feature Story to Aubree Curran for Painting with a Purpose
- Third place for Broadcast Sports Story to Luke Lamoree for Tennessee Tradition: Vol Navy
- Eighth place for Broadcast News Story to Gracyn Thatcher for Campus Shooting Hoax Calls Raise Safety Concerns on Campuses
- Eighth place for Broadcast News Program to The Volunteer Channel staff
Broadcast Education Association Festival of Media Arts
- 2nd Place, Student Social Media – UT Paralympics social coverage; Kylia Berry, Griffin Hadley, and Lukas Vysniauskas (School of Journalism and Media and The Media Center)
- 2nd Place, Student Radio Hard News – Tennessee offers little relief for farmers wrecked by Helene, Pierce Gentry (WUOT)
- Award of Excellence, Short Form Documentary – Student – Shooting for an A; Ben Cline, Jake Morelock, Eliza Noell, and Brynn Brickell (Land Grant Films)
- Award of Excellence, Faculty Mixed Pedagogical – Carving the Creative Vision; Nick Geidner, Ahmad Hayat, Carter Moore, and Eliza Noell (Land Grant Films)
Hearst Awards
Hearst Awards
- 2nd Place, Audio Competition, Pierce Gentry (WUOT)
- 9th Place, Narrative Video Storytelling Competition, Lukas Vysniauskas (Paralympics Coverage)
- 14th Place, Photojournalism News and Features Competition, Avery Bane (Paralympics Coverage)
Gracie Awards
Honorable Mention, Student Television, TVC Election Matters Special, TVC Team
Mark of Excellence (SPJ National Student Awards)
Finalist, Radio Feature, Pierce Gentry (WUOT)
Telly Awards
- Gold Telly, Social Video, Lukas Vysniauskas (UT Paralympic Coverage)
- Silver Telly, Social Video, Kylia Berry (UT Paralympic Coverage)
- Silver Telly, Series – Sports Social Video, UT Paralympic Coverage
- Silver Telly, Series – Sports Social Video, UT Paralympic Coverage
- Bronze Telly, Social Video, Griffin Hadley (UT Paralympics Coverage)
- Bronze Telly, Film and Shorts, Ben Cline, Jake Morelock, Eliza Noell and Brynn Brickell (Land Grant Films)
Public Media Journalists Association
- First place, Human Interest Feature, Pierce Gentry (WUOT)
- Second place, Continuing Coverage, WUOT
College Media Association Pinnacle Awards (2024)
- First place, Best Magazine Entertainment Page/Spread, Sydney Barney, Bailey Beller and Madison Russell (Ablaze Magazine)
- Third place, Best Column, Walker Kinsler (The Daily Beacon)
- Third place, Best Sports Feature, Caleb Jarreau (The Daily Beacon)
Regional awards
Southeast Journalism Conference ‘Best of the South’ Awards
- 1st Place, Best Public Service Journalism, The Election Project (School of Journalism and Media and The Media Center)
- 1st Place, Best Radio News Reporter, Pierce Gentry (WUOT)
- 1st Place, Best Radio Feature Reporter, Pierce Gentry (WUOT)
- 1st Place, Best Radio Journalist, Pierce Gentry (WUOT)
- 1st Place, Best TV Station, TVC (TVC)
- 2nd Place, Best Editorial-Opinion Writer, Ansley Graves (The Daily Beacon)
- 3rd Place, Best Video Newscast, TVC (TVC)
- 5th Place, Journalist of the Year, Kylia Berry (TVC)
- Honorable Mention, Best Special Events Reporter, Emma Love Johnston (The Daily Beacon)
- 1st Place, TV News Reporting (on-site competition), Maddie Romak and Kylia Berry (TVC)2nd Place, Public Relations (on-site competition), Caden Dyer (The Daily Beacon)
SPJ Mark of Excellence (Region 12)
- Finalist, Best All-Around Television Newscast, TVC Team (TVC)
- Winner, General News Reporting-Large, Shelby Wright (The Daily Beacon)
- Winner, Radio Feature, Pierce Gentry (WUOT)
- Winner, Radio In-Depth Reporting, Pierce Gentry (WUOT)
- Finalist, Radio News Reporting, Pierce Gentry (WUOT)
- Finalist, Television Feature Reporting, Kylia Berry (TVC)
Diamond Awards (Arkansas Regional SPJ)
- First Place, Special Projects, The Election Project (TVC, The Daily Beacon, WUOT, WUTK)
- First Place, Feature Writing, Caleb Jarreau (The Daily Beacon)
- First Place, Sports Writing, Caleb Jarreau (The Daily Beacon)
- First Place, Audio News, Pierce Gentry (WUOT)
First Place, Page Design, Ablaze Issue IV (Ablaze Magazine) - Finalist, Photography, Ryan Beatty (UT Paralympics Coverage)
- Finalist, Audio Features, Pierce Gentry (WUOT)
Tennessee Broadcast Association
- Best Radio News, Sports, or Event Coverage, Pierce Gentry (WUOT)
- Horizon Award: Best Up-and-Coming Radio or TV Reporter, Pierce Gentry (WUOT)
- Best TV News or Feature Story, Kylia Berry (TVC)
Green Eyeshade Awards (Southern SPJ Regional Awards)
- First place, Editorial Leadership, Grey MacNicoll (TVC)
- First place, Special Project, The Election Project (The Daily Beacon, TVC)
- First place, Audio Journalism, Pierce Gentry (WUOT)
- First place, News Writing, Shelby Wright (The Daily Beacon)
- Second place, Student News Outlet, TVC
- Second place, Social Media Strategy, Gracyn Thatcher and TVC Staff (TVC)
- Second place, Print Design, Ciara Chauncey (The Daily Beacon)
- Second place, Public Service in Student Journalism, The Election Project (TVC, The Daily Beacon)
- Third place, Column Writing, Ansley Graves (The Daily Beacon)
Golden Press Cards (East Tennessee SPJ)
- Best of Show, WUOT
- First place, Radio Feature Reporting, Pierce Gentry (WUOT)
- First place, Hurricane Helene Breaking Coverage (student), Pierce Gentry (WUOT)
- First place, Hurricane Helene In-Depth Coverage (student), Pierce Gentry (WUOT)
- First place, Hurricane Helene Breaking Coverage (pro), Pierce Gentry, Jacqui Seiber and Jon Knowles (WUOT)
First place, Hurricane Helene In-Depth Coverage (pro), WUOT - First place, Deadline/Breaking News Reporting, Pierce Gentry and Jon Knowles (WUOT)
- First place, Radio General Reporting, Pierce Gentry (WUOT)
- First place, Government and Politics Radio Reporting, Pierce Gentry (WUOT)
- First place, Best Student Journalist, Kylia Berry (TVC)
First place, Commentary, Ansley Graves (The Daily Beacon) - Second place, Horace V. Wells Jr. Community Service Award, TVC
- Second place, Radio Feature Reporting, Pierce Gentry (WUOT)
- Second place, Best Feature Story, Kylia Berry (TVC)
Second place, Best Student Journalist, Alexie Cowan (TVC) - Second place, Sports Beat Reporting, Trevor McGee (The Daily Beacon)
- Second place, Best Sports Photography, Ryan Beatty (UT Paralympics Coverage)
The Media Center News
The Media Center Announces New Student Media Leadership
The Media Center is excited to announce the senior leadership team for the 2025-2026 academic year for The Daily Beacon, Ablaze Magazine and The Volunteer Channel.
Alumnus’ Paralympic Coverage Earns Top 10 Spot in Hearst Journalism Awards Competition
School of Journalism and Media alumnus Lukas Vysniauskas’ (‘24) reporting on US Paralympian Carson Clough at the 2024 Paralympic Games has been recognized by the Hearst Journalism Awards Program.
The Election Project, Student Journalists Win Big at 2025 Southeast Journalism Conference
Students in the School of Journalism and Media earned several awards for their reporting coverage including Best Public Service Journalism for The Election Project and Best TV Station at the 2025 Southeast Journalism Conference
Recent work from The Media Center outlets
School of Journalism and Media Students Produce Documentary on Vol Baseball Star Hunter Ensley
The 45-minute documentary, produced as part of a School of Journalism and Media Video Sports Production and Performance class last fall, tells the inspiring story of Tennessee baseball outfielder Hunter Ensley and his journey from humble beginnings in Alaska and small-town West Tennessee to becoming a Tennessee baseball star during the program’s historic national championship run.
Remembering First Black Man to Attend UT: How His Fight for Equal Opportunity Tore His Family Apart for Generations
Gene Mitchell Gray Sr. was the first Black man to attend the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, as a graduate student. While he never graduated from UT, his legacy persists and spirit continues on through his great-granddaughter, Arnashia Gray, a current student at UT.
WUOT Reporter Pierce Gentry Nationally Recognized
TVC News Reporter Aubree Curran recently sat down to talk with WUOT 91.9 FM radio reporter Pierce Gentry about how his unique approach to reporting led him to take home a second-place award in the National Hearst Award Competition.