Students and faculty gathered Tuesday evening to celebrate the launch of The Orange Room, a student-led advertising and public relations firm, after more than a decade of its development.
“The moon, the sun and the stars needed to be aligned for this,” David Norman, co-faculty director and assistant professor of practice, said.
The Orange Room, an initiative crafted by the Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations, provides hands-on experience to prepare students pursuing advertising or PR after graduation.
“Here in the university and in this college, we focus on building a best-in-class student experience,” College of Communication and Information Dean Joseph Mazer said. “There are many ways we do that. A lot of those ways are in classrooms, but most of it happens outside the classroom.”
The launch party allowed those involved in the agency to connect with prospective students and clients and commemorate a semester of hard work.
“This is a special moment where we’re able to launch and talk about a new initiative for one of the most successful schools in the College of Communication and Information,” Mazer said.
Tombras School Dean Moonhee Cho said the agency is one of the school’s “most powerful” student engagement resources.
“It shows what happens when theory meets real-world impact,” Cho said. “I believe that The Orange Room creates a mutually beneficial ecosystem where education, professional practice and community engagement intersect.”
Though deciding the logistics of the agency was not a short process, the value that the organization will bring to students is immense, said co-faculty director and professor of practice Dustin Thomas.
“For about 15 years, they’ve wanted an agency as part of the school,” Thomas said. “Imagine going to your first job interview and telling them you’ve worked at an agency before.”
The Tombras School announced the launch of The Orange Room in October, opening applications for students looking to join the agency. Norman and Thomas put together a team of eight students after receiving around 100 applications.
“These are the best of the best,” Norman said. “It’s just truly a testament to their hard work and dedication that they’ve been able to accomplish so much.”
Norman and Thomas selected senior public relations major Kiley Fenn as the agency’s director in the fall. Fenn leads the organization alongside Creative Director Madalyn Ciganovich and Managing Director Kayleigh Makarick.
“It’s been super fun,” Fenn said. “It has taught me a lot about myself and about the PR agency world.”
Since the team’s formation last semester, students have built the agency’s brand and signed real clients.
“We have a team. We have a logo. We have office space,” Norman said. “Most importantly, we’ve got actual, paying clients.”
Fenn said dealing with real-world clients provides unmatched experience that prepares students like her for a career after graduation.
“The goal is to provide real-world, hands-on experience,” Fenn said. “Having this be on school grounds, affiliated with CCI, is very beneficial for everyone.”
Beyond enhancing UT’s student experience, The Orange Room provides a service to businesses in the Knoxville area.
“This student-run agency also provides valuable communication services to local businesses, nonprofit organizations and organizations that may not otherwise have access to professional advertising or public relations support,” Cho said.
The Orange Room will be accepting additional applications in the fall.
