School Of Journalism And Media Alumni, Faculty Celebrate Broadcasting Awards Together
School of Journalism and Media alumni and faculty won several awards at the 2024 Tennessee Association of Broadcasters Awards in August. Pictured from the left are: alumna Caroline Mueller (’24), Assistant Professor of Practice Brittany Tarwater (’09), and alumna Nicki Marker (’24). with their trophies.
Alumna Nicki Marker (‘24) was leaving the stage at the 2024 Tennessee Association of Broadcasters Awards when the next award was announced and the winner’s name was one very familiar to the WHNT News multimedia reporter.
Marker won the Horizon Award for Best Up-and-Coming Radio or Television Reporter or Personality but her excitement grew when they announced her mentor and Assistant Professor of Practice for the School of Journalism and Media (J&M) Brittany Tarwater (‘09) won Best TV Anchor in the television large market category.
Overjoyed, Marker waited by the stage for Tarwater.
“She gave me the biggest hug in the world. I was crying happy tears,” Marker said. “It was surreal. I just felt so blessed to be able to hug my mentor, who has encouraged me and created the path for what I wanted to do post graduation, at an award ceremony.”
Tarwater and Marker were not the only J&M alumni to win TAB awards in August.
Joining them were other alums such as: Alan Adkins (‘97), creative services producer at WTVF, who won for Best Locally Produced Commercial or Promo with his fellow coworkers; Josh Roe (‘97), who won best anchor and shared best news team in the television small market category with others at WTCV-TV; and WYMT reporter Caroline Mueller (‘24), won Best TV News or Feature Story in the college division.
WVLT-TV also won Best News Team in the television large market category. Tarwarter said the station employs several J&M alumni that contributed to this honor.
“There are more than a dozen UT grads working in the WVLT newsroom,” Tarwater said. “This team is prepared and committed to bringing trustworthy and comprehensive news to East Tennesseans every day.”
Celebrating Together
During their final year of college, Tarwater encouraged both Marker and Mueller to submit their work for consideration to win a TAB award.
But, neither of them thought they would win.
Mueller said celebrating her first journalism award as a professional journalist with Tarwater and Marker was just the “cherry on top” to an already amazing night. Mueller grew close to both of them in her final two years at UT, and it was great to reconnect with them.
“Nicki and Brittany are both incredibly talented, and I had no doubt they would both get the recognition they deserved,” Mueller said. “Getting to be on the same stage as them that night is an experience I will always hold close to my heart.”
Mueller said Tarwater invested the time to help her reach her full potential. She said learning from Tarwater is an opportunity she is forever grateful for and considers herself lucky to have an instructor whom she can see both as a mentor and a friend.
Marker also agrees that Tarwater’s influence has been life-changing for her. Marker attended UT for nursing but early on found she did not have the passion for it. After being undecided for a while, it was recommended she take Tarwater’s class.
It was hard. However, she found herself excited by the field and hanging on her instructor’s every word.
“Brittany inspired me to get into TV news,” Marker said. “She really is my inspiration.”
Tarwater was more excited for her two students at the award ceremony than for her own award. When the finalists were announced and she saw their names, she was thrilled but not surprised.
Tarwater said Marker and Mueller consistently reported excellent work and she was proud they are considered among the best in the state.
“These two are incredibly impressive reporters, but even more special to me is how they both have grown as young women,” Tarwater said. “This is just the start of two very impressive careers, wherever their paths lead them.”