A modern school of excellence
Vision
Enriching curricula and improving facilities, plus the addition of new educators, will make the Tombras School the country’s academic leader in advertising and public relations.
Charles Tombras Sr., class of 1935, and Charles Tombras Jr., class of 1964
A legacy of innovation
Charles Tombras Sr. first came to Knoxville to attend UT, and later launched the agency in town on Gay Street. His son Charles Tombras Jr. built upon his father’s legacy by repositioning the agency around data + creativity for business results. More than 75 years after its founding, Tombras is the fastest growing independent agency in America, and the Tombras School continues its legacy of innovation and represents the next evolution in the agency’s path forward.
A realworld environment for world-class students
The College of Communication and Information is investing in the School’s collaborative and connected showcase learning spaces.
Facility Highlights
The modern agency environment allows professionals to adapt their workspaces to best suit their needs.
Data-driven insights will inform the modern industries.
The Tombras School’s technology will match the industry standards.
Students will be trained in spaces that simulate industry spaces in which they may work.
Vision
Faculty Growth & Development
Growth of the student body demands new faculty positions, and the university will support the growth of the Tombras School with the addition of five new faculty positions.
Additionally, faculty summer stipends will fund participation in the Tombras Tune-Up—an immersive experience as a professor-in-residence at Tombras. Faculty will also be encouraged and supported to travel globally to agencies to train and learn state-of the-art practice.
Student Experience
The student experience is the centerpiece of the Tombras School's success. The Endowment allows the School to generate myriad initiatives that offer students opportunities they may not have otherwise had. Funds will be used to support study abroad, living stipends to intern in big cities and abroad, summer portfolio programs, and other opportunities that will make visible and compelling recruiting tools.
Vision
Modern Curricula
The Tombras School's main priority is training and preparing students to enter the workforce with a contemporary skillset and the academic training they need to succeed. The School will develop new courses in analytics, advanced graphic design, and production. The Tombras School will enhance the curricula through state-of-the-art software for research, planning, analytics, and design. Curricula enhancement involves a recurring, steady commitment to stay on track with the rapidly evolving industry landscape.
Real Experience
Students will gain access to real world experiences that will better prepare them for the rigors of advertising and public relations careers. To get there, Tombras will play an active role in bringing students into the agency throughout their time at UT, ensuring that by the time they graduate they are not only armed with a world-class education, but they will understand more about their professional future.
