School of Journalism & Media

Students Cover 2024 US Paralympic Track and Field Team Trials For USA TODAY

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Three School of Journalism and Media students covered the 2024 US Paralympic Team Trials – Track and Field in July for USA TODAY ahead of traveling to the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. Pictured from left are Catherine Ligon, Avery Bane, and Gabriel Jackson.

“Never in a million years.”

Those are the odds School of Journalism and Media major Catherine Ligon would have guessed if asked about her chances of being published in USA TODAY prior to this summer.

However, that all changed for the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, junior last month.

“It was really humbling.I got super excited when … Read more “Students Cover 2024 US Paralympic Track and Field Team Trials For USA TODAY”

Students Learn About British Sporting Culture In London Over The Summer

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Shannon Upton knew studying abroad would benefit her greatly in the future.

This led the Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations senior to search for the right experience. Her pursuit led her to the School of Journalism and Media’s Sports Communication in the UK study abroad program. 

The annual program provides students with real-world experiences in sports journalism and sports communication all while immersing them in British sports culture and history.

“My overall experience of the program was great,” Upton said. “If it wasn’t for this trip, I would not have met some of my best friends and would … Read more “Students Learn About British Sporting Culture In London Over The Summer”

‘Chronicling History’: Alums, Students Document Tennessee Baseball First National Title

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The Daily Beacon released a special issue to commemorate Tennessee baseball winning its first Men’s College World Series title in June.

After the Tennessee Vols defeated Florida State University to advance to the championship game at the 2024 Men’s College World Series Finals, it started to sink in for The Daily Beacon sports editor Caleb Jarreau that he may have the opportunity to cover history.

Fast forward to the final game on June 24 and Jarreau’s stomach was in knots all day. He felt the pressure to write the best stories ever if Tennessee won.

However, when pitcher Aaron Combs … Read more “‘Chronicling History’: Alums, Students Document Tennessee Baseball First National Title”

Alumna Nikki Burdine Uses Journalism Platform To Advocate For Others

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“It was the scariest and best day of my life.”

That’s how School of Journalism and Media alumna and co-anchor of WKRN’s Good Morning Nashville Nikki Burdine (’05) described the birth of her first child Andi.

Burdine gave birth to Andi twenty-eight weeks into her pregnancy—far from full-term. She weighed just one pound, four ounces.

Due to her size, Burdine’s daughter was considered a ‘micro-preemie’, and Andi’s first few weeks of life were spent in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

One day while visiting Andi in the NICU, Burdine ran into a close friend who was also visiting her … Read more “Alumna Nikki Burdine Uses Journalism Platform To Advocate For Others”

Professor Catherine Luther Awarded $400K DoD Grant

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A unique two-year Department of Defense (DoD) grant that pairs civilian researchers with military experts was recently awarded to Professor Catherine Luther, director of the Information Integrity Institute housed at the College of Communication and Information. 

Luther teamed up with U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Jahara Matisek of the U.S. Naval War College to create a proposal for a Defense Education and Civilian University Research (DECUR) Partnership grant under the DoD’s Minerva Research Initiative. Matisek, a command pilot and military professor, has a PhD in political science and specializes in national security.

Professor Catherine Luther

“I was intrigued by this … Read more “Professor Catherine Luther Awarded $400K DoD Grant”

WUOT, JEM Faculty Win Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards

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Jacqui Sieber remembers watching the synchronous fireflies in her backyard as a kid.

But, the All Things Considered host and WUOT 91.9 FM reporter had never heard about a lottery to watch them, such as the one the Great Smoky Mountain National Park Service holds annually. She thought there was a story there and pitched that idea to her WUOT editors. 

It turned out to be an award-winning idea, as her work was honored with a 2024 regional Edward R. Murrow Award in the “excellence in sound” category for radio.

“I thought it was somewhat surreal,” Sieber said. “I was … Read more “WUOT, JEM Faculty Win Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards”

Students Expand Horizons As Part of CCI Study Abroad Program in Valencia

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Students traveled to Valencia, Spain for the Spring 2024 semester as part of the CCI Global Communication Scholars Semester program.

Since freshman year, Tonyea Pruitt has been researching various study abroad programs offered at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Studying abroad has always been a goal for the senior School of Journalism and Media major. When she learned about the CCI Global Communication Scholars Semester in Valencia, Spain, she knew it was the one.

“It was a great opportunity to not only study abroad but to also complete an internship in my field,” Pruitt said. “An additional plus was that … Read more “Students Expand Horizons As Part of CCI Study Abroad Program in Valencia”

Land Grant Films, East Tennessee PBS JobPop! Series Wins Four National Telly Awards

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Alumnus Seth Reynolds filming Tennessee Valley Authority’s robot dog Spot fora JobPop! video on becoming a programmer.

Land Grant Films and East Tennessee PBS won four national Telly Awards for JobPop!, an innovative video series targeted at third through sixth graders and aimed at workforce development. 

Land Grant Films is a documentary production program in the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s College of Communication and Information, which provides students real-world experience in documentary storytelling while supporting local nonprofit organizations.

“The Tellys are professional awards, so we were competing with organizations like The Disney Channel and Hearst Media,” Professor and … Read more “Land Grant Films, East Tennessee PBS JobPop! Series Wins Four National Telly Awards”

Students Traveling to Paris to Cover the 2024 Paralympics for the USA TODAY Network

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The school has partnered with the USA TODAY Network to cover the 2024 Summer Paralympic Games. Traveling to do so are: Professor Nick Geidner, Caleb Jarreau, Lukas Vysniauskas, Ryan Beatty, Griffin Hadley, Professor Erin Whiteside, Avery Bane, Catherine Ligon, Gabriel Jackson, Kylia Berry, Lillian Van Alsburg (not pictured) and Aman Misra (not pictured).

Catherine Ligon, a junior in the School of Journalism and Media at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is excited about the opportunity to cover the 2024 Paralympic Games.

“Through this trip I hope to learn what covering an international sporting event would be like,” Ligon said. “This … Read more “Students Traveling to Paris to Cover the 2024 Paralympics for the USA TODAY Network”

WUOT, The Daily Beacon, JEM Faculty Win Big At East Tennessee SPJ Awards

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CCI media outlets and college alums won big at the East Tennessee Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists’ (ETSPJ) Golden Press Card Awards this past May. From the left: Professor Mark Harmon, WUOT reporter Jacqui Sieber, CCI graduate student Alexis Bishop, graduate student Nick McNeese, Beacon photographer Edward Cruz, Knoxville News Sentinel reporter and Beacon alumnus Daniel Dassow (’23), and WUOT Interim News Director Melanie Faizer.

College of Communication and Information media outlets and faculty won big at the East Tennessee Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists’ (ETSPJ) Golden Press Card Awards in May.

The annual awards honor … Read more “WUOT, The Daily Beacon, JEM Faculty Win Big At East Tennessee SPJ Awards”