All posts by nhill13
Advertising PhD Student Analyzes Super Bowl
Our very own Advertising PhD student, Alex Carter, has spent the past two years using the Adam Brown Social Media Command Center to understand how various social media platforms react to major events like last night’s Super Bowl.
Especially in an event like the Super Bowl, companies use engagement on Twitter to measure the success of an advertisement in order to gauge whether the millions spent were worth it.
Click HERE to read more into Alex’s findings of the Super Bowl LV advertisements and performers.
ADPR Graduate Student and Assistant Professor Published

Graduate student Shelby Luttman and ADPR Assistant Professor Dr. Sifan Xu have recently been published in New Media & Society for their research paper about how people developed online networks in protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline. The two worked on social media and coding to research this.
“I was learning how to do it [coding] as we went along. Dr. Xu was incredible the whole time and I learned so much,” Luttman said.
The research paper was presented at the International Communication Association Conference digitally.
“It was a long process but it’s been so exciting. When I visited Tennessee there
PR Student Takes Inaugural Lollapalooza Class
Senior public relations student Grant Mitchell had the opportunity to participate in Lollapalooza’s inaugural five-week class at DePaul University. During the class, he learned about networking in the music industry and the importance of learning from entry level positions.
“When it comes to any industry, perseverance is key, and this class helped reinforce that for me through all of the guest speakers,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell cites the ADPR community as being critical to him having gained the opportunity to participate in the course. “Everyone in ADPR has been so supportive of me and the professors have been an integral part … Read more “PR Student Takes Inaugural Lollapalooza Class”
Senior ADPR Student Talks Summer Internships in a Pandemic
As a result of attending the annual ADPR New York City networking trip in January 2020, Patrick Boyd landed a once-in-a-lifetime internship working in account management for FCB Health, a healthcare advertising company with a thriving internship program.
Typically, FCB Health’s internship program brings opportunity for the interns to work in the heart of New York City, with workshops, networking opportunities and working on various advertising campaign projects. However, the rise of COVID-19 cases caused FCB Health to make the tough decision to move the internship to remote working.
“Obviously I was a little bummed out when coronavirus changed my … Read more “Senior ADPR Student Talks Summer Internships in a Pandemic”
Public Relations Student Reflects on Classes, PRSSA and Why She Loves ADPR
Victoria Johnson, a senior public relations student, serves as Vice President of Membership for Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) and is in the Chancellor’s Honors Program. She is currently completing her final semester at UT, and took time to reflect upon the opportunities, involvement and what ADPR has done for her.
“So many people in the college are just so willing to help,” Johnson said. “The classes are setting students up for success and there are so many different experiences like having the Salesforce Social Studio and various study abroad programs.”
During her sophomore year, Johnson participated in … Read more “Public Relations Student Reflects on Classes, PRSSA and Why She Loves ADPR”
ADPR Graduate Student Nicholas Sarafolean Talks Research and Future
Growing up with a love for East Tennessee, Sarafolean described coming to the University of Tennessee for his graduate program after staying in his home state of Michigan for his undergraduate years as a “natural fit.”
“I’m currently in my fourth and final semester of the graduate program here,” Sarafolean said. “My next move is to Macquarie University in Sydney Australia to work with the Sydney Metro System which is really exciting.”
While Sarafolean has grown up and acquired many skills through the ADPR program, the knowledge of theory that he’s gained to help research and answer larger and more … Read more “ADPR Graduate Student Nicholas Sarafolean Talks Research and Future”