UT School of Journalism and Media

Earlier this month, UT School of Journalism and Media Professor of Practice Brittany Tarwater moderated a conversation with former Tennessee governor and U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander at the Maryville College Downtown Center.

Brittany was invited by Lamar Alexander to lead the discussion and guide a conversation about his new memoir, "The Education of a Senator: From JFK to Trump: A Personal History," which reflects on six decades of public service, political leadership and American history.

We're proud to see Brittany bringing her expertise as a journalist and educator to important conversations on leadership, public service, and civic engagement across East Tennessee. 👏

Learn more here: https://www.maryvillecollege.edu/news/2026/maryville-college-to-host-lamar-alexander-book-signing-on-june-4/

UT College of Communication & Information

Congratulations to UT School of Journalism & Media alumna (‘25) Grey MacNicoll for receiving a 51st annual Gracie Award! Grey won in the Television Student Winner category as a producer for The Volunteer Channel (TVC). 👏 📺

Presented by the Alliance for Women in Media, the Gracie Awards honor outstanding achievements by women across television, radio, and digital platforms—celebrating those shaping the industry through storytelling, journalism, entertainment, and leadership.

A special shoutout to UT School of Journalism & Media Assistant Professor of Practice Brittany Tarwater for supporting and encouraging Grey throughout her journey at TVC and beyond.

We're incredibly proud of you, Grey! 🧡

Learn more here: https://allwomeninmedia.org/51st-annual-gracie-awards-winners-announced/

Learn more here: https://gradschool.utk.edu/news/2026/06/03/spring-2026-graduate-student-research-awardees/

Join us in congratulating CCI doctoral students Richard Mensah Adonu and Sung Wan Jee on being named Spring 2026 Graduate Student Research award winners!

The UT Graduate School provides students with funding through these awards to advance their research and creative work. Recipients are selected from departments across the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, campus.

Richard is researching how journalism associations in Ghana are orienting their members towards AI adoption, and Sung is investigating how specific greenwashing strategies and subsequent crisis responses to accusations influence public perceptions of corporate accountability.

So proud of both of you and what you are doing to advance research and scholarship at CCI!

Congratulations to UT School of Journalism & Media Assistant Professor of Practice Brittany Tarwater and UT School of Journalism & Media alumnus Pierce Gentry (‘25) on receiving 2026 Edward R. Murrow Awards in Region 8 (Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia) in the small-market TV and radio categories! 👏

Brittany was recognized for feature reporting for her WVLT News story on Edwin Spillman, linebacker for the Tennessee Vols. Watch the piece here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZ1IW-dRNww&feature=youtu.be. The story also aired on Volunteer Gameday, hosted by Brittany, Mike Keith, and Heath Shuler. 🏈

Pierce was recognized for his audio documentary, “Healing after Helene,” in the small-market radio documentary category. Pierce was recognized for his audio documentary, “Healing after Helene,” in the small-market radio documentary category. The WUOT 91.9 FM, Knoxville documentary shares the stories of victims of Hurricane Helene and their resilience in the aftermath. Listen here: https://www.wuot.org/news/2025-09-27/healing-after-helene-one-year-after-the-storm-that-changed-east-tennessee

We’re so proud of you both for this outstanding achievement and for the powerful, impactful storytelling you continue to produce. 🧡

Learn more about their awards here: https://www.rtdna.org/2026-regional-edward-r-murrow-award-winners

UT College of Communication & Information

We’re proud to celebrate UT School of Journalism & Media rising seniors Alex Carpenter and Trevor McGee for earning Top 10 finishes in the AP Sports Editors (APSE) 2026 Student Contest! This marks the second year in a row that two students from our chapter have placed in the Top 10—an incredible testament to the strength of our student storytelling. 👏

Even more exciting: two of Alex’s recognized submissions and two of Trevor’s recognized submissions came from coverage of the 2026 Winter Paralympics with USA TODAY. 🇮🇹 ⛷️ Learn more about the 2026 Paralympics Project here: https://cci.utk.edu/jem/media-opportunities/paralympics-project/2026-paralympic-games/

The winner will be announced in the coming weeks, and we’ll be cheering them on all the way. 🧡

Read the full APSE announcement here: https://apsportseditors.com/associated-press-sports-editors-reveal-2026-student-contest-top-10/

UT College of Communication & Information

Last week, UT School of Journalism & Media graduate student Jalin Wald worked with the Southeastern Conference communications department as a student intern during the SEC Baseball Tournament in Hoover, Alabama. 👏

Throughout the week, Jalin and eight other interns from across the SEC supported day-to-day tournament communications, helping with media will call and credential management, pregame and postgame stat distribution, serving as liaisons for postgame press conferences, and assisting with press conference operations in a fast-paced postseason environment. ⚾

“I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to represent the University of Tennessee, Knoxville at an event like this,” Jalin said. “10 months ago, graduate school wasn’t even on my radar, so being part of something like this feels like an incredible blessing.”

Jalin, who’s been working toward a career in sports media since his undergraduate degree and is also a photographer with the UTK Media Center's Tennessee Club Sports Network (TCSN), said the experience reinforced his goal of pursuing collegiate athletics and sports communications.

We’re proud of Jalin for taking advantage of this hands-on learning opportunity and continuing to grow his skills in sports communications and storytelling. 🧡