School of Journalism & Media

UT Student Journalists win regional SPJ Mark of Excellence Awards

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Student journalists at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, won several first-place and finalist awards at the annual Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Region 12 Conference last month.

Award-winning work included stories covering Hurricane Helene and the 2024 presidential election campaign.

Senior journalism and media major and The Daily Beacon Editor-in-Chief Shelby Wright said she is proud of her work on Hurricane Helene, which won in the general news reporting category. She sees the award as another opportunity to spread awareness about the impact of this tragedy.

“I think it shows how important journalism is at the end of the day,” … Read more “UT Student Journalists win regional SPJ Mark of Excellence Awards”

Senior Helene Burch Presents Research on Female Athletes’ Perceptions of Their Sports Uniforms at IACS Conference

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Graduating senior Helene Burch knew accepting School of Journalism and Media Assistant Professor Guy Harrison’s invitation to help with his research last year was a good opportunity.

But she never predicted the impact it would have on her academic career.

Last month, she presented her own research at the International Association for Communication and Sport (IACS) annual summit in Chicago.

Burch interviewed female collegiate athletes from different sports disciplines to learn more about how they feel physically and emotionally about their uniforms, culminating in her presentation titled It’s a Feminionmenon: A Qualitative Analysis of Collegiate Women Athletes’ Perceptions of Their … Read more “Senior Helene Burch Presents Research on Female Athletes’ Perceptions of Their Sports Uniforms at IACS Conference”

Graduating Senior Griffin Hadley Proud To ‘Carry The Torch’

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Griffin Hadley and Kate McCarville the Tennessee men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams receiving the Torchbearer award at Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center in Knoxville, TN. (Photo By Kyndall Williams/Tennessee Athletics)

School of Journalism and Media Professor Erin Whiteside met graduating senior Griffin Hadley for the first time during an informational session for students selected to cover the 2024 Paralympic Games for the USA TODAY Network in Paris.

“But it was not until around 3 am on Aug. 29 (the first day they were in Paris), when Griffin was working in a hotel lobby surrounded by his jet-lagged peers, … Read more “Graduating Senior Griffin Hadley Proud To ‘Carry The Torch’”

Land Grant Films Team Produces Award-Winning Short Documentary on Blind Woodworker

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Senior Carter Moore interviewing Greenville, Tennessee native and woodworker George Wurtzel for the Land Grant Films short documentary “Carving The Creative Vision”.

In small-town America, there always seems to be that person everyone knows who perfectly reflects what that community is all about. 

This phenomenon is what prompted Nick Geidner, School of Journalism and Media professor and Land Grant Films director, in 2023 to pitch to the student documentary production team a series highlighting unique individuals from various small Tennessee communities. 

While the full series has not yet developed, the team’s initial research introduced them to Greenville, Tennessee native and … Read more “Land Grant Films Team Produces Award-Winning Short Documentary on Blind Woodworker”

Thatcher, Durben Selected for 2025 Carnegie-Knight News21 Project

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Juniors Gracyn Thatcher and Alexa Durben, both journalism and media majors, will represent the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, this summer at the 2025 Carnegie-Knight News21 Fellowship at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.

Two School of Journalism and Media students have been selected to participate in a prestigious national reporting initiative this summer.

Juniors Gracyn Thatcher and Alexa Durben, both journalism and media majors, will represent the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, this summer at the 2025 Carnegie-Knight News21 Fellowship at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.… Read more “Thatcher, Durben Selected for 2025 Carnegie-Knight News21 Project”

The Election Project, Student Journalists Win Big at 2025 Southeast Journalism Conference

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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

The Election Project won “Best in the South” in public service journalism at the 2025 Southeast Journalism Conference (SEJC).

A collaborative reporting initiative between the School of Journalism and Media and The Media Center at the College of Communication and Information, the Election Project gave students invaluable hands-on experience in election reporting while also educating the public on the 2024 presidential election and other civics topics.… Read more “The Election Project, Student Journalists Win Big at 2025 Southeast Journalism Conference”

Alumnus’ Paralympic Coverage Earns Top 10 Spot in Hearst Journalism Awards Competition

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School of Journalism and Media alumnus Lukas Vysniauskas’ (‘24) with US Paralympian Carson Clough in Paris.

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.

Vysniauskas finished ninth in the 2024-25 Hearst Multimedia Narrative Video Storytelling Competition.

The Hearst Journalism Awards is a nationally recognized program that honors colleges and students that produce exceptional work in the field of journalism and media. Winners in the multimedia narrative video storytelling competition were selected from 81 entries submitted by 47 schools in … Read more “Alumnus’ Paralympic Coverage Earns Top 10 Spot in Hearst Journalism Awards Competition”

Journalism and Media Student Pierce Gentry Places Second in Hearst Audio Competition

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Journalism and Media senior Pierce Gentry embraces Joy Lambert, a resident of Hampton, Tennessee, who lost her home to flooding caused by Hurricane Helene. Gentry reported from rural communities in East Tennessee during the aftermath of the storm for WUOT 91.9fm and NPR. (Justin Hicks / KPR)

School of Journalism and Media senior and WUOT 91.9 FM reporter Pierce Gentry has earned second place in the Hearst Journalism Awards Program’s 2024-2025 Hearst Audio Competition.

“I can’t begin to express in words how it feels to be recognized on such a national scale and by such a prestigious organization,” Gentry … Read more “Journalism and Media Student Pierce Gentry Places Second in Hearst Audio Competition”

School of Journalism and Media Students Produce Documentary on Vol Baseball Star Hunter Ensley

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A new student-produced documentary titled Hunter premiered February 13 on the Tennessee Athletics YouTube page.

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.

This film is a collaboration between the School of Journalism and Media, Tennessee Athletics and The Media Center at the College of Communication and Information.

“This shows the power … Read more “School of Journalism and Media Students Produce Documentary on Vol Baseball Star Hunter Ensley”

Students Start Spring Semester Getting Hands-On Experiences in New York City

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School of Journalism and Media students visited New York City as part of the school’s annual professional development trip in January 2025..

The first day of school for the spring semester looked a little different for 20 School of Journalism and Media students this year.

Instead of reporting for classes at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, students were in New York City as part of the school’s annual professional development trip. 

For more than 30 years, the School of Journalism and Media has organized the trip as a way to expose students to media professionals and College of Communication and … Read more “Students Start Spring Semester Getting Hands-On Experiences in New York City”