Alumni - The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

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CONNECTIONS
Department of Communication • The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Fall 2011
'86 Grad Award-Winning
Producer at CNN
Communication degree prepares
alums in faith-based careers
Alumna Finds Success in
Decorating and Design
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Stacy Gray, 1996
Connections • 2 • Fall 2011
Dear
Alumni,
I’ve had the good fortune to stay connected with our alma mater in
the time since I graduated, and I hope that has been the case for you as
well. There’s a special pride that I feel in watching the campus grow and
evolve because I’ve made the decision to be an unofficial “spokesperson”
for the University and for the Communication Department. There’s
much to talk about, much to be excited about …
One of the connections I’ve maintained is to the faculty members who
played such a tremendous role in shaping the person I’ve become and the
career path I’ve forged. Dr. Betsy Alderman keeps me informed about
the Communication Department – the ever-growing array of courses and
hands-on opportunities that are provided to today’s students to prepare
them for a truly multi-media, multi-discipline world – and also the need
for support to ensure the department can continue to grow and flourish.
I hope that you’ll join me in supporting the Communication Department,
through whatever means is of interest and available to you. Mentor
a current student, host an intern at your workplace, be a guest speaker for
an event, consider a periodic financial gift (any amount helps!)
Most importantly, stay in touch with your alma mater. It’s a connection
you’ll feel glad you made, and then kept. Donate online at utc.edu/giving.
Or email Dr. Alderman at Betsy-Alderman@utc.edu.
Have a good autumn, and GO MOCS!
Assistant Vice President, Consumer Strategy, Unum
www.utc.edu/communication

4
10
Connections • 3 • Fall 2011
contents
Connections is produced by the UTC Communication Department. This publication was written, created, and designed by Kendra L. Stickford, communication major. Cover photo courtesy of Margie Lamb Lennon, CNN .
Publication number E041050-001-12. Full-time faculty: Betsy Alderman, Mike Andrews, Rebekah Bromley, Elizabeth Gailey, Felicia McGee-Hilt, David Sachsman and Charlene Simmons
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, handicap, or veteran status in provision of educational opportunities or employment opportunities and benefits,
pursuant to the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age Discrimination in Employment
Act of 1967, and other applicable statutes. Inquiries and charges of violation of this policy should be directed to the Office of the Director for Affirmative Action, 104 Founders Hall, 423-425-4124.
www.utc.edu/communication
8
Faith-Based Careers
Alums who seek professions in faith-based
organizations detail their experiences
Staying Connected
Stay updated on career endeavors of fellow alumni
Company Spotlight
Communication grads find success at
True North Custom Media
Celebrating the University
Chronicling the desegregation of UC
for the university's 125 th Anniversary
Driving Ambition
2010 graduate lands internship at
Volkswagen Group of America, Chattanooga Operations
5
6
9
11
12

Margie Lamb Lennon, 1986
The adventure of producing live
television newscasts brings excitement
to Margie Lamb Lennon (’86), senior
news producer for “CNN Newsroom
with Fredricka Whitfield.”
Lennon, who grew up in Chattanooga,
came to CNN after working for
local affiliates in Chattanooga, Huntsville,
Charlotte, and Atlanta for more
than 15 years. Her work at the cable
news giant also includes working for
“CNN Newsroom with Tony Harris,”
“CNN Saturday and Sunday Mornings,”
and “CNN Saturday/Sunday
Night with Rick Sanchez.”
Lennon selects the stories and decides
how they will be presented in her
show. She works with writers, editors,
and correspondents to decide what
they will be saying and showing. She
strives to keep the show fast-paced and
intriguing throughout the newscast.
Connections • 4 • Fall 2011
Breaking News, Crisis Management
are all in a Day's Work
Lennon said she specializes in crisis
management in the newsroom.
“My news team gathers facts and information
on crises around the world,”
Lennon said. “CNN informs viewers
on natural disasters, political uprisings,
economic fallouts, horrific crimes and
scandals, as well as showcasing the
good in human kind. It’s fast-paced,
exciting, and something different every
day.”
Hearing breaking news first is one
of the most exhilarating things about
her job, Lennon said.
“You know things before the world
knows, and I love that. Even in the day
of YouTube and Google, we still get
video in before anyone else sees it.”
As the news industry and technology
continue to evolve, Lennon’s job
continues to change.
“As part of my job, I include more
social media interactions,” Lennon
www.utc.edu/communication
said. “Our viewers respond via Facebook,
Twitter and blog comments.”
Lennon values working in a unique
atmosphere filled with people from all
over the world that specialize in different
areas of news.
“It’s so neat to see the diversity
of the world in your
own workplace,” Lennon said.
“And everybody looks at each other on
the same level. No one is better than
the other one. They just have a different
perspective.”
At UTC, Lennon discovered her
individual strengths and how she could
put them to use in her career.
Lennon has earned many awards
throughout her career in the news
industry including the 2010 Peabody
Award for Gulf Oil Spill Coverage and
the 2006 Emmy Award for Election
Coverage.

Working by
With the versatility of the Communication
degree, many alums use
their skills in media and writing to help
others in a wide variety of faith-based
careers.
Jimmy Latham (’08), is the youth director
at Signal Mountain Presbyterian
Church, shepherding over 250 middle
and high school students in growing
their faith.
Latham uses his communication
skills to continually minister effectively
to the students in the youth group, he
said.
Ted Draper (’99), is the vice president
of marketing and development for
Avant Ministries in Kansas City, Mo.
“I enjoyed my PR and design classes
at UTC, but it wasn’t until I did some
freelance work with a start-up in Chattanooga
that I realized I wanted to do
more marketing communications,”
Draper said. “After realizing my passions,
I began looking to do work in the
non-profit, faith-based industry.”
After traveling the world in his career,
Jeremy Callahan (’01), now lives
in Nashville working as a producer
for “The 700 Club” on The Christian
Broadcasting Network. His practical
Connections • 5 • Fall 2011
Nathan Frick, 2004 and wife, Amber Jeremy Callahan, 2001 Elizabeth James Tallman-Gazaway, 2006 Jimmy Latham, 2008
experiences from UTC have greatly
benefitted him in his career, Callahan
said.
“If you want to be successful on the
job, never stop learning, networking
with people, or try new things,” Callahan
said. He said he chose a career
in a faith-based company because he
believes in the importance of loving
what you do on a daily basis.
Nathan Frick (’04) is currently
pursuing a masters of divinity and will
graduate from The Southern Baptist
Theological Seminary in July 2013. He
is also the interim director of children’s
ministry at Brainerd Baptist Church.
“Seeing the joy in a child’s face as
he or she learns the truths about the one
true God, his Holy Word, and ultimately
becomes a lifelong follower of Christ,”
Frick said is one of the most exciting
parts of his job. “I hope and desire
everything I do will make an impact for
eternity.”
He and his wife have applied with
the Southern Baptist’s Convention
International Mission Board to serve as
missionaries overseas.
After completing her undergraduate
education in communication and
www.utc.edu/communication
earning her master’s degree in public
administration, Elizabeth James Tallman-Gazaway
(’06) is the executive
administrator and development director
at The Bethlehem Community Center in
Chattanooga.
Her communication degree has
helped her in promoting awareness of
her organization.
“Promotion is very important in any
nonprofit,” Tallman-Gazaway said. “It
is much easier to solicit funds when
people are aware of your work. My
most important task is conveying the
results of our ministry to current and
potential donors so that they are confident
that their donations are producing
the outcomes they care about.”
Working for a faith based, non-profit
organization is extremely rewarding for
Tallman-Gazaway because of the
visible benefits that can be seen
throughout the community. The things
she likes best about her job includes
assisting children, being a good steward
of valuable resources to benefit others,
contributing to a better community, and
loving people who are in need of being
loved, she said.
Parts of this story were contributed by communication
majors Taylor Jordan and Erin Bowman

Connections • 6 • Fall 2011
Staying
Connected
Beth Hicks, 1990 Christina Gastador, 2007 Erica Tuggle, 2010 Tony Waterford, 2008 Laurel Eldridge, 2000 Nikki King, 2007 Lew Gilliand, 1994
Mallory Browning ('11)
marketing assistant, Double Cola
“I have an understanding of the
media and how it works. When
news in the company arises, I
write press releases and all the
copy for the new websites we are
about to launch.”
Alex Cooze ('10)
web producer and production assistant,
WDSI Fox 61
“My communication degree
provided me with the video editing
experience needed to feel
comfortable doing my job.”
Linda Louise Elliott ('10)
copywriter, ARS Advertising
“The position I hold now requires
a varied set of skills, so
everything I learned I can use in
some way.”
Brooke Fontana ('10)
marketing assistant,
Chattanooga Times Free Press
“My communication degree has
helped me in more ways than
I can explain. It has helped me
become a more well-rounded
person.”
Erica Tuggle ('10)
assistant editor, Hamilton County
Herald Newspaper
“Through my work in the Communication
Department, I learned
to be a more outgoing individual,
to ask questions, to write tightly
and efficiently, and to use a variety
of tools.”
Erica Johnson Van Slyke ('09)
marketing coordinator, Advanced
Surgical Concepts, Chattanooga
“When I was at UTC, many of
my communication courses were
project-based. This concept was
very effective in preparing me for
the workforce.”
Jennifer Heitt ('08)
graphic designer, Arden Hills Resort
Club and Spa, Scaramento, Calif.
“The most important thing I
learned that I use every day is
keep it simple. The less, the
better in terms of delivering the
message with the most impact.”
Lindsay Galloway Manning ('08)
photographer, WTVC News
Channel 9, Chattanooga
“There is nothing I do today
in this job that I didn’t learn at
UTC. I was hired because I am
able to complete a project from
start to finish, from creating the
idea, writing the script, shooting
and editing.”
Tony Waterford ('08)
retail operations assistant,
St. Louis Cardinals
“The Communication Department
at UTC is very broad
and encourages you to follow
whatever career choice you want
to pursue."
www.utc.edu/communication
David Blevins ('07)
creative director, Blair Creative
Group, Chattanooga
“Success in any business depends
on the ability to effectively communicate.
I believe I was offered
those opportunities based on my
communication background.”
Christina Gastador ('07)
environmental law graduate student,
Vermont Law School, South
Royalton, Vt.
“Writing in my previous courses
at UTC helped me to prepare
for writing a lot in my master’s
courses, especially in my writing
and advocacy class."
Nikki King ('07)
Self-employed, freelancer/graphic
designer, Gatlinburg
“I feel that I came out of school
well equipped with a wide range
of skills, but the element that has
made the difference is the persistence
I learned while working on
class projects and internships.”
Ben Edwards ('05)
team leader, Volkswagen Group of
America, Chattanooga
“I use my communication degree
all day long, every day. Being
able to effectively communicate
is perhaps the most important
skill I use any given day.”

Justin Dean ('05)
financial advisor, Edward Jones
Investments, Washington, D.C.
“I can’t think of a better degree
to have as a financial advisor! I
use my communication and presentation
skills on a daily basis."
Chloe Morrison ('05)
journalist and business reporter,
Nooga.com
“The classes I had at UTC taught
me the basics of what I needed
to know to start a career as a
journalist. I also learned the
importance of networking, which
has been invaluable to my career
so far.”
Amanda Miller Worley ('02)
administrative assistant to city services
director, City of East Ridge
“The variety of classes within
the department helped give me
experiences that I was able to
take with me in the ‘real world.' I
use these skills daily.”
J.R. Fitch ('01)
vice president, Wells Fargo Advisors,
Dalton, Ga.
"I am a communicator, and I
know how to talk to people about
how they want to plan their lives
financially.”
Connections • 7 • Fall 2011
Laurel Dickinson Eldridge ('00)
program director,
Arts & Education Council
“I manage a variety of community
and education outreach program
for the Arts & Education
Council, a Chattanooga non-profit
organization that reaches more
than 70,000 people each year.”
Melanie Mayo ('00)
director of education and outreach,
Crabtree Farms, Chattanooga
“My communication degree
honed my writing, organization,
and public relations skills, which
I use frequently on the job. The
Communication Department also
taught me how to write a strong
resume and keep it up-to-date!”
Mark Kleiner ('98)
manager, Suntrust Bank
“The UTC Communication
Department specifically prepared
me for this position by stressing
the importance of written
communication. An email many
times is a legally binding statement
associated with considerable
financial and safety related
liability."
Kim Greuter ('96)
associate attorney, Allen, Kopet, &
Associates, Nashville
“My degree taught me to communicate
in a clear manner. I applied
the concepts that I learned
in media law class while sitting
in a defamation trial against a
television station. It was that trial
that spurred my interest in law
school.”
Lew Gilliand ('94)
sports editor,
Fort Payne Times-Journal
“My communication degree
helped me build a solid foundation
for a career in journalism.
Learning that style meant editors
didn’t have to break me of many
bad habits when I went looking
for work.”
Kennard Yamada ('94)
director of sales, Citadel Broadcasting,
Chattanooga
“The communication degree gave
me the tools needed not only to
survive corporate consolidation,
but to thrive in the environment
of added responsibility.
Bill Thornton ('91)
general sales manager,
Comcast, Chattanooga
“Going to college here and staying
here was a great benefit. I
feel tied to Chattanooga!”
Beth Spears Hicks ('90)
marketing coordinator, Trident
Technical College, Charleston, S.C.
“My communication degree has
definitely prepared me for my
career. I feel confident in my
writing skills and have a good
understanding of print and broadcast
media.”
www.utc.edu/communication
Brian Hicks ('89)
metro columnist, The Post and Courier,
Charleston, S.C.
“I learned the basics of news
gathering and reporting from
my communication classes, and
those are things you have to
know to get in the door at any
newspaper.”
Erica Van Slyke, 2009 David Blevins, 2007 Vicki Herrell, 1982 Brooke Fontana, 2010 Brian Hicks, 1989 J. R. Fitch, 2001 Melanie Mayo, 2000
Vicki Herrell ('82)
executive director, Society of Workforce
Planning Professionals and
Quality Assurance & Training Connection,
Nashville
“Much of my day-to-day job
involves writing. I honed my
writing skills in my communications
classes at UTC.”
Lisa Huggins Thornton ('82)
attorney, University of Alabama, Office
of Counsel, Birmingham
"My communication degree has
been helpful in that it honed my
writing and interviewing skills.”
Communication students Lee Blaustone
and Jake Chapman contributed to this
story.

The past two years have been a
whirlwind of excitement and opportunities
for entrepreneur Lakeisha “Mariah”
Patrick Huq (‘03), chief operating
officer of Jewel and Jem.
Huq and her sister, Lake Kelley, had
been in the interior design business for
ten years before they founded Jewel
and Jem, a multi-cultural decorating
and design company, two years ago.
Since the company’s inception, Jewel
and Jem has been featured on Bravo’s
hit reality TV show “Real Housewives
of Atlanta” and the sisters are planning
a product launch nationwide in Macy’s
stores in spring 2012.
Jewel and Jem offers the best of
style, functionality, and quality products
by designing spaces filled with
multi-cultural bedding, artwork, window
treatments and décor.
“We came up with the idea of Jewel
and Jem to basically help be able to
inspire children by creating spaces that
are reflective of their culture,” Huq
said. “So, you’re making their dreams
come true through the art and images
that they have in their rooms,” Kelley
said.
Of 14,000 businesses, Jewel and
Jem was chosen to participate in
Macy’s first company workshop. The
experience allowed the Chattanooga
natives to talk with other CEOs and
Connections • 8 • Fall 2011
designers of Macy’s brands.
Mariah Patrick Huq, 2003
“We walked away [from the experience]
excited about the future of our
brand and the brand going into Macy’s,”
Huq said. “It’s such a huge
opportunity.”
With plans to launch the products in
Macy’s in the spring of 2012, the brand
will include a lifestyle line that will
accommodate both children and adults.
The multi-cultural designs are very
versatile because of the high end
materials and quality products that
Jewel and Jem will bring to stores
nationwide, Huq said.
www.utc.edu/communication
Designing
Diva
Success is always in style for alumna
Jewel and Jem’s décor featured on
“Real Housewives of Atlanta” helped
add to the company’s rapid growth. “It
was a huge ordeal for us because it
took the business to another level in
terms of national focus,” Kelley said.
Huq’s experience in the communication
field made her the mastermind
behind the company’s marketing and
networking strategies. She drives the
company’s continued growth and is
constantly creating unique ways to
advance the brand.
Huq credits her strong work ethic
and communication skills to the things
she learned at UTC. “Being a
part of the Communication
Department was
phenomenal for me because I
was exposed to a lot of phenomenal
teachers and just learning how to talk
to people and relate, and you apply that
in every aspect of business,” Huq said.
“Being able to write opened a lot of
doors for us. I am very, very happy to
have been a part of the Communications
Department.”
Huq encourages striving entrepreneurs
to not be afraid of following their
passions. “The sky is the limit. In order
to catapult, you have to believe in
yourself,” she said.

Connections • 9 • Fall 2011
The World of Publishing:
Grads get creative at True NorTh CusTom media
After leaving UTC, many
alumni have found their niche in
the media, communication, and
marketing industry at True North
Custom Media in Chattanooga.
Although they perform a variety
of different tasks, each alum has
put the skills and knowledge in
media and writing they learned at
UTC to use in their success.
“I learned the importance
of working hard
and doing my best
in all situations,”
said managing editor,
Bill Colrus (’00)
said.
Colrus strategizes
edits, and writes media
material for various
clients in a variety of
mediums. A communication
degree helped
him refine his skill set
and expand his knowledge
of what is possible
in the media field, he
said.
“I’ve also met many
great networking
contacts through my
association with the university,”
Colrus said.
Jenny Poole Havron-Miller
(’99) is a managing editor who
oversees the content of quarterly
magazines for clients. She said
she uses her communication degree
on a daily basis in her career.
Havron-Miller has worked at
True North for mor than seven
years. “True North is a great com-
pany! I get to work with a group
of amazing, intelligent people,
and we always try to have a lot of
fun while we work,”she said.
Chief Sales Officer Jason
Provonsha (’99) joined the True
North team right out of college
and has watched his career
advance as the company grew
larger.
Publications from True North Custom Media
“It’s a great business I have
been fortunate to be a part of
from the ground floor,” Provonsha
said. “We have a great culture
with great people at all levels and
we are all proud of the amazing
work we have been able to
engage in as a team. I wouldn’t
www.utc.edu/communication
want to do anything else.”
Provonsha said his communication
degree was great preparation
for his career. “It’s been a
tremendous asset in understanding
media and how it is changing
and adapting to technology and
unique audiences,” he said. “It
has definitely helped me prepare
for being a media and marketing
professional.”
Rachel Stewart (’06)
minored in communication
at UTC. She has been
a copywriter at True North
since April 2009.
While at UTC, she
gained strong work
ethic and training to
write articles that she
uses on a daily basis.
Brianne Carswell
(’07) started
as a copywriter with
True North in 2008
before being promoted
to managing editor in
2010.
“I wouldn’t
change my experience
with the
communication
department at UTC
at all,” Carswell said. “The
professors, the course work and
the life of a UTC communication
student shaped me into who I am
today. I left UTC with confidence
and feeling prepared to take on
anything.”
Brianne Carswell, 2007
managing editor
Bill Colrus, 2000
managing editor
Jenny Poole Havron-Miller, 1999
managing editor
Jason Provonsha, 1999
chief sales officer
Rachel Stewart, 2006
copywriter
Photography by Monika Morris

Heather Pelley (’03) will never forget
where she was the morning of Sept.
11, 2001 –Dr. Betsy Alderman’s Media
Writing I class.
“I’m sure I’ll remember that day for
the rest of my life,” Pelley said. “We
were sitting in class and someone came
into the room and said, ‘Turn the TV
on; a plane has crashed into the Twin
Towers.’ So we stopped whatever it
was we were doing and started watching
television. We were all shocked and
absolutely terrified. We all knew that
we were witnessing an event that was
going to change our lives forever.”
However, Pelley’s experience of 9/11
did not influence her decision to join
the Air Force. After she graduated from
Connections • 10 • Fall 2011
Flying High
With career in Air Force, the sky's the limit
UTC, she spent some time traveling
Europe with her sister and then decided
to enlist.
Pelley, originally from Cleveland,
Tenn., is a contract administrator. “My
job entails procuring supplies and
services that the Air Force needs in
order to function,” Pelley said. This
includes finding equipment and people
to fulfill jobs in the Air Force ranging
from highly skilled medical services to
custodial needs.
“I get to interact with every specialty
on the base and learn about what it is
they do, while trying to find the best
product or service to fit their needs. It’s
an incredibly interesting job and one
that affords wonderful travel opportunities,”
Pelley said.
Pelley has traveled to countries all
over the world including Iceland, Italy,
Germany, Turkmenistan, and Iraq. She
spent six months working in Iraq and
living in a containerized housing unit.
In her time spent in Iraq, she was
responsible for more than $18 million
in contract actions, most of which were
for material handling equipment.
“I had a contract to build a school for
one of the surrounding villages,” Pelley
said. “It got bombed by insurgents
while I was there, causing a lot of damage.
That was a setback for us, but the
work went on. Being that busy made
the time go by very fast though. You
bond very quickly with the people you
work with just because of the amount
of time you spend with them every
day.”
Pelley is constantly writing a varying
degree of reports and often briefs
high ranking military officers and noncommissioned
officers.
www.utc.edu/communication
“Thankfully, all my writing
classes and media classes
prepared me for this,” Pelley
said. “I have a confidence when
speaking in front of large groups that a
lot of my peers don’t have. UTC gave
me that confidence. I was also very
fortunate to have written for the Echo a
few times and that gave me confidence
in my writing ability for work.”
Pelley’s education at UTC taught her
how to perform research and be detail
oriented.
“Attention to detail is such an important
part of being in the military and my
UTC communication classes taught me
how to really analyze, whether it is a
report that I must study or something I
am preparing to turn in at work,” Pelley
said.
Pelley is currently stationed at RAF
Lakenheath in Bury St. Edmunds,
United Kingdom. She is preparing to
return back to the states to live in San
Antonio, Texas, and teach new airmen
the work of contracting so they will
be prepared to expand their knowledge
when they enter their first duty
station.
2003 graduate Staff Sergeant Heather Pelley
in Sardenga, Italy for work.

Connections • 11 • Fall 2011
Celebrating Achievement
Documentary on the desegregation of UC produced by the Communication Department faculty
Three Communication Department
faculty members are producing a documentary
about the desegregation of the
University of Chattanooga (UC) in the
early 1960s.
Dr. Betsy Alderman is serving as the
producer for the program, which will
be part of the university’s 125 th anniversary
celebration.
“We have interviewed many people
YOU make a difference at UTC!
Did you know that one of the factors
in UTC's national rankings is the
percentage of our alumni who make donations
to UTC? That means, whether
$10 or $10 million, your gift makes a
difference.
Chancellor Roger Brown's current
goal is to see UTC climb from the Top
Dr. Horace Traylor, the first African-American graduate of the University of
Chattanooga, is interviewed by Dr. Felicia McGhee-Hilt.
directly involved in the decision to
allow blacks into the then-private
UC,” she said. “Unlike many southern
schools, at UC the process was peaceful,
mainly because of the personalities
of those involved.”
Dr. Felicia McGhee-Hilt interviewed
some of the first black students at the
school. “Dr. Horace Traylor, the first
black graduate of UC, has a rich family
25 to the Top 5 schools in its category,
and an increased alumni giving percentage
is critical to that achievement. As
UTC continues to increase in value, so
does your degree!
You can give to any area of campus
including the Communication Department,
and you can know that your gift
will make a difference in the lives of
our students. For example, just $50
www.utc.edu/communication
history,” she said. “He grew up in the
segregated south and his memories of
that time were fascinating.”
Professor Mike Andrews is heading
up the technical side of the documentary
production. He has supervised
both field and studio production for
the program which will be screened in
February 2012.
Giving Back to Your University: Make a Difference!
Contributed by Emily Geyer
UTC Director of Development for Annual Giving
would buy a new audio recorder for
students to use.
Your investment at UTC will continue
to enhance the experiences our
students have each and every day.
Everyone can give
something to impact
achievement at UTC!

Connections • 12 • Fall 2011
Recent Grad Drives into VW Internship
Scott Wilson, 1991 and Morgan Loftin, 2010
facebook.com/CommAlumni
Every new day at work brings
something different and exciting for
Morgan Loftin (’10), an intern in
the media relations area at the newly
opened Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga.
“Things were crazy when I first
started, which was the week before
the grand opening,” Loftin said.
Loftin works for Scott Wilson, a
1991 Communication Department
graduate.
Loftin worked in corporate communications
for a year at Unum
before she began her position at
Volkswagen in May 2011. “The
Communication Department at VW
wears a lot of different hats,” Loftin
said. “It’s really exciting, to say the
least.”
She said that learning the invaluable
skill of networking and selfsufficiency
are the most important
things she learned at UTC.
Department of Communication
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
615 McCallie Avenue
Chattanooga, TN 37403
www.utc.edu/communication
“The professors in the
department are great
about facilitating their
students’ needs, providing
great resources and helping them
work through problems, but they
also do a good job of encouraging
students to take charge of their
careers,” Loftin said.
“I best like that I’m getting to
work at a place that is just taking off
and I’m getting to be involved in the
startup of a brand new plant. Even
if the impact I’m having is small, I
got to be here when it was all taking
place,” Loftin said.
She is currently taking graduate
school classes at UTC and will
graduate with a master’s of business
administration in August 2012.
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