UT System President, Communications and Marketing Honored at PRSA Awards Night

Photos by Adam Bimer

KNOXVILLE — The University of Tennessee was well represented at the Volunteer Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America’s annual awards ceremony Thursday, May 12. The UT Communications and Marketing team received seven awards total, including the Excellence in Mentorship award. UT President Joe DiPietro was recognized as the Executive of the Year.

Ellie Amador, assistant director of communications, received the Volunteer Chapter’s inaugural mentorship award after being nominated by colleague Erica Jenkins, UT public relations associate.

Amador called mentorship a privilege.

“Knowing that Erica believes I’ve made a positive impact on her life is deeply fulfilling,” she said. “This award is a reminder of the importance of investing in the success and wellbeing of others.”

For his support of public relations and elevating its impact at the University of Tennessee, President Joe DiPietro was named Executive of the Year by the Volunteer Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.

“We are very fortunate at the University of Tennessee to have skilled public relations professionals serving every campus and institute throughout the state, and I am both fortunate and grateful for the exceptional team of public relations, communications, marketing and creative experts who work with me on behalf of the statewide UT system,” DiPietro said.

Gina Stafford, assistant vice president and director of communications, noted that DiPietro uses his public relations professionals as strategic assets. By elevating and respecting the professionals, Stafford wrote that it has signaled its value to the executive team.

The University of Tennessee is a statewide system of higher education with campuses in Knoxville, Chattanooga, Martin and Memphis; the UT Space Institute in Tullahoma; the UT Institute of Agriculture with a presence in every Tennessee county; and the statewide Institute for Public Service. The UT system manages Oak Ridge National Laboratory through its UT-Battelle partnership; enrolls about 50,000 students statewide; produces about 10,000 new graduates every year; and represents more than 360,000 alumni around the world.