Videos, Publications, Photography and Design Win Honors in 2025
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Marketing and communications professionals with the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture (UTIA) won state and national awards for their work to promote the institute and the agricultural industry.
Members of the Office of Marketing and Communications received awards at the Association of Communications Excellence (ACE), National Agricultural Alumni Development Association (NAADA) and Tennessee College Public Relations Association (TCPRA) conferences held in May and June.
“The significance and sheer number of these awards is not surprising considering the work created by this outstanding group of professionals,” said Lisa Stearns, vice chancellor of marketing and communications. “However, it is an honor to have our work focused on telling the agriculture and institute story recognized nationally by experts in our field.”
The 2024 holiday video “Our Mission Is Possible” won gold awards at NAADA and TCPRA. Senior Vice Chancellor and Senior Vice President Keith Carver starred with a host of dairy cattle and other characters played by Farm Bureau President Eric Mayberry, Tennessee Commissioner of Agriculture Charlie Hatcher, Associate Vice Chancellor Chris Clark, Carver’s executive assistant Rachel Kerley, administrative specialist Tammie Jay, and Kevin Cornett, senior research associate at the East Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Walland, where a portion of the video was filmed. The video drove home the importance of robotic milking technology in order to avert a milk shortage during the holiday season. Haley Harbin, PR and social media specialist, led the production with marketing and communications team members assisting in a variety of ways.
The 2024 summer/fall issue of the UT Gardens’ magazine Cultivate, designed by Nadia Harris, won top honors at ACE with not only a gold award but also the Outstanding Professional Skill Award for graphic design. Harris was featured in a video shown at the conference describing the magazine and how it comes to life. ACE membership includes communicators at land-grant institutions with a focus on agriculture.
Another ACE gold award went to the 2024 spring/summer issue of Land, Life and Science, edited by Margeaux Emery and designed by Caitlynn Dowland. The issue focused on the student experience in the Herbert College of Agriculture.
The Cul2vate video by videographer/producer Charles Denney about the Tennessee Department of Agriculture and UT Extension program that provides formerly incarcerated people a second chance by learning to grow produce for Nashville area food banks won a gold award for script writing at ACE.
A brochure with an embedded video created by marketing and communications to present the UTIA strategic plan won gold at TCPRA for a special publication.
Other awards included:
ACE Bronze Awards
- Eagle-eye surgery, feature photograph, by Haley Harbin
- Outstanding in Their Field, education technology and design website, by Haley Harbin and Katie Whitehouse, digital communications specialist
TCPRA Silver Awards
- Land, Life and Science, spring 2025, for a printed college/alumni magazine
- We Grow Real. Life. Solutions. print advertisement
- Herbert College of Agriculture print advertisement series in Tennessee Home and Farm magazine, written by Maci Heffelfinger, communications coordinator for the college
TCPRA Bronze Awards
- Common Ground, electronic newsletter, edited by Margeaux Emery
- Eagle-eye surgery, spot photography, by Haley Harbin
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is comprised of the Herbert College of Agriculture, UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch and UT Extension. Through its land-grant mission of teaching, research and outreach, the Institute touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. to Tennesseans and beyond. utia.tennessee.edu.