CCI Schools Win 2024 AEJMC Equity and Diversity Award
The Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations and the School of Journalism and Media received the 2024 Equity and Diversity Award from the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) at its annual conference in Philadelphia.
AEJMC is a prominent international organization for academics in the field, providing regional and national conferences and refereed publications. It consists of various membership divisions, interest groups, publications, and websites.
The Equity and Diversity Award is a prestigious honor recognizing academic programs in journalism and mass communication that have shown measurable success in promoting equity and diversity. The winning programs must demonstrate progress and innovation in racial, gender, and ethnic equity and diversity over the past three years.
“This award is an indicator of the intentional, consistent, and passionate efforts our faculty and staff have poured into access and engagement initiatives in these two schools and across the College of Communication and Information. Their tireless work reflects the university’s vision and truly embodies the Volunteer spirit, and we are proud to see it recognized at the national level,” said College of Communication and Information Dean Joe Mazer.
The College of Communication and Information had strong representation from faculty, staff, students, and alumni who attended, presented their research, and participated in discussions. Mazer was present at the award presentation and also facilitated the Award Panel Session celebrating the 2024 Equity and Diversity Award winner.
CCI faculty on the panel were: Assistant Professor Christina Najera, Tombras School Director Beth Foster, Associate Professor María De Moya, and the School of Journalism and Media Assistant Professor Guy Harrison, Professor Amber Roessner, and Assistant Professor of Practice Michael Martinez.
“I think that this award stresses the commitment that we’ve made to access and engagement, diversity, equity, and inclusion in our schools and college over the past decade,” Roessner said. “This award suggests that both within our schools, college, and on this university campus, we really do care passionately and have a commitment to making certain that all Vols matter and belong.”
Both the Tombras School and the School of Journalism and Media have spearheaded a number of initiatives to grow equity and diversity in the field.
School of Journalism and Media’s Commitment to Access, Equity, and Community Engagement
Some of the School of Journalism and Media’s most recent efforts to expand access and engagement include hosting 2021 Pulitzer Prize Finalist in Commentary Roy S. Johnson to share his experience of “shouting truth to power” over several decades, particularly surrounding the events of the Tulsa Race massacre.
The school also partnered with the College of Communication and Information and the Division of Access and Engagement for a special event commemorating Holocaust Remembrance Day. At the event, Roessner said they showcased work from Professor Rob Heller from his time with the Tennessee Holocaust Commission, which focuses on educating Tennesseans about the history of the Holocaust.
Roessner said the school continues to work with other campus partners such as the Division of Access and Engagement on different projects. One of these is the Community-University Research Collaboration Initiative program, which works to connect community members and organizations with faculty, as well as create more equitable research for community benefit. She added they are also working with the division on its climate assessment.
The school has also worked to include diversity and equity in pedagogy. One example of this is Assistant Professor Guy Harrison’s Media, Diversity, and Society class.
Harrison said one of the goals of the class is to train the next generation of storytellers to tell those stories responsibly. The class culminates with students participating in a video essay festival where a panel of CCI faculty acts as judges for the competition.
“The work our faculty and students have done surrounding diversity and equity has real-world impact because it directly connects to audience trust. Being responsible storytellers, whether in news or entertainment, means representing our audiences and their interests accurately and authentically,” said Amy Jo Coffey, director of the School of Journalism and Media. “I look forward to supporting these efforts for years to come.”
Tombras School’s Engagement Initiatives and Collaborations
The Tombras School’s Tombras Touchpoints focus on community-based initiatives that support students and young professionals interested in advertising and public relations. These touchpoints aim to provide opportunities for all students, especially those from marginalized and underrepresented groups. They offer professional development workshops, mentorship, study abroad programs, and other signature initiatives.
This past summer, the Tombras School partnered with the Emerald Youth Foundation to conduct a content creation summer workshop for high school students as part of Emerald Youth’s Calling and Career program. The workshop’s goal was to provide hands-on experience in social media management and to introduce students to career opportunities in public relations and advertising.
Through the school’s Exploration Initiatives, the Tombras School collaborates with flagship high schools to offer various pre-collegiate engagement opportunities. These initiatives are designed to help students explore the university and envision themselves in different career fields.
The Tombras School also collaborates with industry leaders through the UT Purpose Project. This project serves as a forum for business and community leaders, academics, students, and key stakeholders to work together to advance purpose goals through effective communication practices. It is a platform for the development of original research, discussion of ideas, and sharing best practices in purpose communication.
“It is such a rewarding feeling to know that we are making a difference in someone’s life where, maybe before coming to UT, they didn’t know they had the opportunity to do this. But then to see someone who looks like them and who speaks the same language as them, lets them know that there is a community here,” Najera said while talking about the different outreach programs the Tombras School does through its Tombras Initiatives.
AEJMC Conference Connecting Scholars, Nurturing Growth, and Fostering Collaboration
Najera has been going to AEJMC since 2014. She said her favorite part about attending the conference year after year is hearing about all the research her peers are doing.
“There are people who I met when they were in their PhD programs and I was still getting my masters. They had so much advice in terms of what to look for in a PhD program. It’s amazing to see how they’ve developed into their roles now, and some of them have tenured already. I like touching base with them to see how they’re doing, but I also like seeing the next generation of people coming up every year. This is a space where you can share both industry and practical work, and you can share scholarly work,” Najera said.
One of those next-generation students is Curry Wilson. She is in the last semester of her PhD program at CCI. Wilson presented her research on Immigrants Inspire Me: Mediation on Bandwagon Effects of Social Media Comments on Immigration Policy Support.
“AEJMC is an incredible opportunity to explore current research and connect with both old and new friends. Coming from a town of fewer than 2,000 people, I was thrilled to meet people from around the globe and to experience Philadelphia for the first time. AEJMC is a hub of innovation and collaboration, and I am beyond excited to be a part of it,” she said.
This was Wilson’s first time presenting her research. She said it was nerve-wracking but the support from CCI faculty helped put her at ease.
“I’m deeply grateful for my community at the Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations. Without their guidance and support, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” she stated.
Ivanka Pjesivac is an alumna of the Tombras School and is currently an associate professor at the University of Georgia. She said UT is a place very close to her heart since it is where she met her husband and where her daughter was born.
She enjoys going to AEJMC every year to share her research, hear what other peer schools are doing, and catch up with faculty from her alma mater.
“AEJMC is a place where you grow as a researcher, as a scholar, and as a teacher as well,” she said.
CCI has several faculty members who serve on the AEJMC Elected Standing Committees including De Moya who’s on the Publication Committee and Roessner who is on the Research Committee.
CCI Schools Win 2024 AEJMC Equity and Diversity Award written by Kristen Gallant and originally published on the College of Communication & Information site.