Featured Image: UT Martin alumni Trey Warren speaks to students and faculty at Mass Media and Strategic Communication awards in the UC Ballroom on April 9, 2026. (Photo provided by MMSC)

On April 9, in the University Center ballroom, the UT Martin Mass Media of Strategic Communication (MMSC) department held their annual award ceremony to recognize the department’s success. 

The highest honors of the night went to department alumni Trey Warren and Scott Hinshelwood for their achievements after leaving UT Martin.  

Warren, a 2017 UTM graduate, was the recipient of the Outstanding Young Alumni Award. He is currently a Senior Client Executive for Microsoft. After getting his Bachelor of Arts in Communications, Warren secured his MBA from Clayton University and worked his way up the ranks at UPS before joining Microsoft in September 2022. 

After accepting his award, Warren offered a short but sweet speech about his time at UT Martin and how he has found success after college—finishing with, “Invest in the people here and they will invest in you.” 

“I think it’s just really important to understand where you come from and understand that the people that supported you then are still supporting students now,” said Warren. “I think that’s really encouraging and I hope to continue to be a part of that moving forward.”  

When asked to give one message to the students, Warren said, “Tough times don’t last. Tough people do.” 

Along with Warren was 1997 graduate Scott Hinshelwood who received the Distinguished Alumni Award for his 28+ years of work with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.  

Hinshelwood was a classmate of MMSC professor and Department Chair Tracy Rutledge who hosted the event for the first time since being appointed Chair in January.  

Rutledge and Hinshelwood both recalled memories of working together in the department even beyond normal school hours.  

“We would let the door to the computer lab close, turn off the light and hide in the back so when security came out to check it, they’d leave and then we can stay up later in the labs, and we can keep working,” Hinshelwood said. “Hypothetically, I knew people that did that.” 

Along with the alumni awards, students were not only recognized for their accomplishments, but also able to present their work before the event—a new addition to the awards this year. 

“It’s a great way for guests and donors and supporters to also see what [students are] doing,” said Rutledge. “I thought it brought a good energy to it and made it more student focused.” 

The displays included written work, social media posts, radio broadcasts, video productions and media designs produced by students during their time at UT Martin.  

Students also received awards and scholarships in their respective concentrations.  

Winners for accomplishments in broadcastings included Izzy Burdette, Maddy Kennedy, Riley Rushing, Jacob Sullivan, Christian Bryson and Daniel Mancusi; for accomplishments in journalism included Bethany Collins, Nate Szarzynski, Ethan Tanner, Ryleigh Ulen, Maddy Kennedy and Chloe Kent; for accomplishments in media design included Sophia Phillips, Aubrey Abbott, Carson Alexander, Darby Self, Dylan Sulcer and Riley Thompson; for accomplishments in public relations included Ryleigh Ulen, Bella Bone, Lacie Coleman, James Crowell, Dylan Sulcer and Maddy Kennedy; for accomplishments in public speaking included Ariel Leon and Lillian Otto. 

The department also awarded departmental awards/scholarships that applied to any student in the department. Freshman, sophomore, junior and senior scholarships which awarded $1,500 dollars to each recipient; the recipients were Caleb Buchanan, Owen Kreuziger and Case Gatlin for the freshman scholarship awarded to incoming freshmen; Ty Bartlett received the sophomore scholarship for a current freshman; Daniel Mancusi received the junior scholarship for a current sophomore and Maddy Kennedy received the senior scholarship for a current junior. 

Chloe Kent was the recipient of the Outstanding Non-Traditional Student Award for the second year in a row. Recipients of the Ambassador award included Jayda Disney, James Crowell and Michaela Gallian.  

Finally, the department awarded four students the Outstanding Senior Awards for their respective concentrations. Winners were Katelyn Cohee in Broadcasting, Chyler Lee in Journalism, Michaela Gallian in Public Relations and Chloe Kent in Media Design.

The ceremony concluded by honoring professors Richard Robinson for 25 years with the department, and Robert Nanney for serving as Department Chair for 25 years — Nanney stepped down in January and was succeeded by Rutledge.