Category Archives: News
Beth Avery Foster and Courtney Childers #ChooseToChallenge
March was Women’s History Month – All month ADPR highlighted the women in ADPR who #ChooseToChallenge. Two faculty members from the School of Advertising and Public Relations are doing that by fighting the opioid epidemic.
Under the direction of UT President Randy Boyd, the University of Tennessee System is working to combat the TN opioid crisis. In August 2019, UT held its first Summit for Opioid Addiction and Response (SOAR).
To diminish opioid fatalities, the Department of Health and Human Services awarded faculty members at UT a grant to strengthen opioid prevention resources in rural Appalachian communities, to understand community … Read more “Beth Avery Foster and Courtney Childers #ChooseToChallenge”
Jill Williams Joins ADPR
We’re pleased to introduce to you our new ADPR student assistant, Jill Williams! Originally from Nashville, TN, she enjoys traveling, cooking, reading, and spending time outdoors. Jill attended UT for her undergraduate education where she received her bachelor’s in communication and information with a concentration in PR. Before graduating in May of 2020, she began to explore her options and decided she wanted to reach new heights and become a master’s candidate in PR here at UT. Her research interests include computer-mediated communication and how it affects relationships and also crisis communications. “Attending graduate school amid a pandemic is a … Read more “Jill Williams Joins ADPR”
Assistant Professor of Practice in Public Relations
Assistant Professor of Practice in Public Relations
Position Description
Assistant Professor of Practice in Public Relations (NTT)
School of Advertising and Public Relations, – Full Time – The University of Tennessee, School of Advertising and Public Relations seeks to a non-tenure track (NTT), Assistant Professor of Practice position to begin August 1, 2021, on a 3-year, renewable contract.
Qualifications
Qualifications include Master’s degree in communications or related area or equivalent and evidence of excellence in teaching or significant professional experience in the field of public relations. A Ph.D. is preferred but not required.
Responsibilities
Responsibilities include teaching undergraduate level courses … Read more “Assistant Professor of Practice in Public Relations”
ADPR Celebrates International Women’s Day
March 8 was International Women’s Day (IWD). IWD celebrates women’s achievements, raises awareness against bias, and takes action for equity. The IWD 2021 theme was #ChooseToChallenge, which encourages us to question stereotypes and help forge an inclusive world. The UT ADPR office was pleased to recognize this deserved focal point for women that is crucial to the women’s rights movement. To engage in the celebration, ADPR shared the accomplishments of its amazing faculty and staff who rewrite the narrative every day. Throughout Women’s History month ADPR is sharing the stories of students, faculty, and alumni who have helped us achieve … Read more “ADPR Celebrates International Women’s Day”
ADPR Featured Among Top Programs
The School of Advertising and Public Relations master’s program is featured among the top 15 programs in 2021 by Best Value Schools. The ranking criteria is based on the best academic strategy centered around creative campaign development, research and analytics, brand management consumer behaviors and media buying. A master’s in advertising and public relations helps equip students with the skills needed to excel in a variety of industries.
Read the entire article at Best Value Schools
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
CCI Alumni Start VOLs Remote Internship Program for Students
As many students around the country had their summer internship plans put on hold because of COVID-19 and economic uncertainty, the University of Tennessee’s New York City Alumni Chapter quickly organized a virtual internship program for future communicators.
The VOLs Remote Internship pilot program paired five interns from CCI with social media and digital communication roles at nonprofit organizations dedicated to education.
CCI Board of Visitors member Jamie Lonie (PR ’10), who also serves as president of New York City Alumni Chapter, said the idea for a digital internship program was born from the November 2019 CCI Board of Visitors … Read more “CCI Alumni Start VOLs Remote Internship Program for Students”
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”
Marketing a Vol Hotel
Ben Weprin (’01) has developed a national brand on building and repurposing hotel properties in college towns to appeal to alumni returning to their alma maters. His latest project has brought him back to his own alma mater, and he has given fellow Vols a chance to be a part of the project.
Weprin opened Graduate Knoxville in the former Hilton Garden Inn on Cumberland Avenue on August 13. The revamp includes a lot of features that will make Vols cheer, including UT-themed illustrations by cartoonist Marshall Ramsey (’91) in the lobby. And thanks to a friendship between Weprin and … Read more “Marketing a Vol Hotel”