School of Communication Studies

Master’s Student Traci Lively’s Delayed Return to UT Turns into Pursuit of a PhD

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Traci Lively entered the master’s program at the College of Communication and Information in 2004 but put it on hold when she was also accepted into the film studies program at the University of California, Los Angeles. Fast forward several years and Lively is back in the CCI program, with a concentration in communication studies, and she’s flourishing.

“Life happened and I decided I hated my job and I just wanted to go back and finish what I started,” she said.

As any master’s student heading into a PhD program does, Lively has thrown herself into conducting research. She recently

… Read more... “Master’s Student Traci Lively’s Delayed Return to UT Turns into Pursuit of a PhD”

Comm Studies Student Heads to Italy on Gilman Scholarship

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When communication studies junior Jonathan Morrell flies to Italy this summer for a month-long study abroad program, it won’t be the first time he has visited the European country—but since he was an active-duty Marine the last time he was there in 2018, he expects this experience to be very different.

“Then, it was a more controlled experience. I feel good knowing that I have the maturity level to go over there now,” he said, noting he and other students in the program will attend classes during the week but have weekends to explore on their own.

His visit to … Read more... “Comm Studies Student Heads to Italy on Gilman Scholarship”

Undergrad Ava Franzoy Gets First Research Paper Published

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When junior Ava Franzoy was approached by School of Communication Studies Assistant Professor Jessica Frampton about conducting research, she had no idea that saying yes would eventually lead to the resulting paper, “An Investigation of Technology’s Role in Coping with Infidelity,” being published in the Qualitative Research Reports in Communication journal.

“I honestly didn’t even know what I was getting into. It was completely new, and I learned along the way and threw myself into the project,” Franzoy said. “It was definitely interesting, it was fun, and a lot more work than I thought it would be—especially when I went … Read more... “Undergrad Ava Franzoy Gets First Research Paper Published”

TV Producer James Glover Makes an Impact with Annual Giving

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When James Glover (’00) was a speech communication major at the College of Communication and Information, he had no idea that one day he’d work for legendary Judge Judy of the eponymous court television show. But that’s exactly where he landed several years after he packed up his bags and moved from Knoxville to Los Angeles after graduating.

Discovering a Career

It all started with one small job posting in the career resources center at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, seeking someone to be a researcher and pull local court records for a court tv show in Burbank, Calif., to … Read more... “TV Producer James Glover Makes an Impact with Annual Giving”

Two CCI Schools Introduce Students First-Hand to Career Opportunities in DC

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Whether it was seeing U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders in the tunnels beneath the United States Capitol, touring the White House, or meeting with numerous College of Communication and Information alumni, students described a recent trip they took to Washington as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Aimed at introducing students to the careers they could pursue after graduating, the annual trip has been a mainstay for the School of Communication Studies and School of Journalism and Media for several years now. While the two schools had differing itineraries to fit the interests of their respective students—with the journalism and media cohort exploring various … Read more... “Two CCI Schools Introduce Students First-Hand to Career Opportunities in DC”

Comm Studies Assistant Professor Jessica Frampton Researches the ‘Dark Side’ of Relationships

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One elective undergraduate communication studies class with an engaging instructor is all it took for Assistant Professor Jessica Frampton to decide to pursue her master’s degree in the field. Once she was in her graduate program and realized academia was a career that would pay her to research how people communicated and interacted with one another, she went all in. 

Frampton came to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in fall 2022 and brought her expertise in interpersonal communication to the School of Communication Studies. In her graduate programs at Clemson University and The Ohio State University, she studied communication and … Read more... “Comm Studies Assistant Professor Jessica Frampton Researches the ‘Dark Side’ of Relationships”

Honors Communication Studies Undergrad Student Takes First Place at Research Symposium

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When senior Isabella Mangano was settling on a major at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, she was immediately drawn to communication studies as the public speaking component suited her career aspirations to be a preacher or motivational speaker. As the semesters passed, she began to see the many career paths one could take with a major from the School of Communication Studies, and it made it all the more appealing to her.

“Once I started taking classes I learned what the discipline actually was and I just fell in love with it. I really enjoy communication studies as a discipline, … Read more... “Honors Communication Studies Undergrad Student Takes First Place at Research Symposium”

Communication Studies Alumna and Restaurant Owner Anna Myint is a 2024 Volunteer 40 Under 40

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Anna Myint (‘08) owns and manages International Market, a business her parents opened in Nashville in 1975—the first Thai restaurant and market ever in the city. It has introduced Thai cuisine to generations of Nashvillians and, after closing the old relocation and opening a new one, landed on Southern Living’s The South’s Best New Restaurants of 2023. Her leadership in building the new location and pulling her brother, Arnold Myint, in as its chef, as well as her involvement in various community efforts, are just a few reasons she landed on her own lauded list: the 2024 Volunteer 40 … Read more... “Communication Studies Alumna and Restaurant Owner Anna Myint is a 2024 Volunteer 40 Under 40”

Comm Studies Alum John Tupps Comes Home to Knoxville and Lands on the Volunteer 40 Under 40 

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Caption: John Tupps, right, works as communication director for then-Florida Governor Rick Scott as they respond to storm damage in Pensacola in 2014. 

School of Communication Studies alumnus John Tupps (’07) always knew that he’d pursue his higher education at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Even though he was an Army brat who spent the first 11 years of his life in Germany, Belgium, and Maryland, Knoxville held a special place in his heart as home since so  much of his family resides in the city. He and his wife, Emily, and their two daughters moved back to Knoxville in … Read more... “Comm Studies Alum John Tupps Comes Home to Knoxville and Lands on the Volunteer 40 Under 40 ”

Communication Studies’ Emily Paskewitz Part of Grant Team Supporting Family Dairy Farmers

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When Associate Professor Emily Paskewitz was writing her dissertation, she often called up her father as often as she did her advisor to see if the theory she was applying to her topic made sense. Her father isn’t an academic in communication studies, as Paskewitz is, but he is a dairy farmer and her dissertation centered on how families operating dairy farms communicate and deal with conflict. 

“I grew up on a dairy farm, that is my heart. The farm girl in me is a big part of my identity. So, to use the knowledge and skills I have in … Read more... “Communication Studies’ Emily Paskewitz Part of Grant Team Supporting Family Dairy Farmers”