Editors
Addison Middleton – Head Editor
Addison Middleton is a senior at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga studying Communication with a minor in Marketing. Middleton serves as the Head Editor of Rising Rock for the Fall 2025 semester. She has developed skills in writing, photojournalism and social media throughout her academic career and plans to continue to expand in her professional experience. Middleton uses these skills as an outlet to explore storytelling, mass communication and her creativity. In her free time, Middleton enjoys socializing and exploring the community. After college, she plans on pursuing a career in Public Relations to continue building relationships and giving a voice to others. To contact Middleton, email her at sdd415@mocs.utc.edu.
Ella Sole – Assistant Editor
Ella Sole is a junior studying Communications with a focus in Environmental Studies at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She is a skilled photojournalist, proficient in journalistic writing and photography. Sole’s experience includes working as a videographer and editor for UTC Survivor and is currently an editor of UTC’s Rising Rock course. She is proficient in using Adobe programs, photography, and media writing. Sole is passionate about the outdoors and agriculture, and after graduating, she plans on using her writing to highlight women in agriculture. For further inquiries, contact her at xcr833@mocs.utc.edu.
Angelina Fraga – Assistant Editor
Angelina Fraga is a senior studying Communication with a minor in Marketing. She is a staff photographer for the University Echo, and a section editor for Rising Rock. She is also part of a team of students who assist in making local entertainment content for the City of Chattanooga website. Angelina is skilled in journalism and audio, but her true passion lies in photography, capturing moments. She hopes to combine her strong suits in communication and marketing to pursue a career in marketing and PR photography. To contact Angelina, email her at rvg337@mocs.utc.edu.
Clara Paulson – Assistant Editor
Clara Paulson is a junior Communication major attending the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with minors in Brock Scholars and Creative Writing. Paulson is a writer and photographer who aims to capture the charm of Chattanooga’s culture. She has experience as an assistant university photographer, photo editor for the University Echo, and published author in the Sequoya Review. When she’s not behind a camera, you’ll find her hiking, paddle boarding, and rafting the Ocoee. After graduation, her goal is to continue writing—whether it’s with ink or light—the unheard stories of Chattanooga and beyond. If you want her to tell your story, you can reach out to her at tnq894@mocs.utc.edu.
Journalists
Corbin Winters
Corbin Winters is a Senior studying Communications with a minor in Creative Writing at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He works as a staff photographer with the UTC Echo. Winters has also photographed youth travel baseball working with Glossy Photos over the summer. He currently teaches alongside the Lafayette High School marching band. His passion is listening to diverse stories and hearing untold perspectives. In his free time Winters enjoys playing marimba and writing creative fiction. After graduating Winters looks to pursue a career in photojournalism. You can reach him at zvx374@mocs.utc.edu, or view his photography work here.
Sydney Banks
Sydney Banks is a junior studying Communication at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She is an honors student in the Brock Scholars program, serves as the Sports Editor as well as a staff photographer for the University Echo, and is currently a marketing intern for the Institutional Advancement staff at the Hunter Museum of American Art. Through the tenderness of visual and written storytelling, Banks strives for her work to honor the narratives that often go unseen. This belief is reflected in her written pieces and creative media projects, as well as through her interests in journaling and photography. She also has a deep passion for music and often leads worship through guitar and vocals for Cru, a UTC campus ministry. After graduation, she intends to pursue a career in journalism or public relations to continue her passion for telling stories in a professional setting. To have your story told through her language or lens, contact her at hcc634@mocs.utc.edu.
Malcolm Key
Malcolm Key is a senior Communication major with a minor in Environmental Studies at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga. Key is a previous division 1 NCAA athlete turned multimedia artist, graphic designer, and visual storyteller. He is passionate about sharing truths of the human experience using digital communication and its various forms. He is currently serving as Broadcast Assistant for WUTC public radio, where he connects written, video, and photojournalism skills with audio journalism and production. Key’s keen interest lies in connecting with the arts, music, global culture, urban development and infrastructure. He spent 4 months in Paris, France through the Knowledge Exchange Institute, where his passion gained international depth. Key uses photography to highlight the overlooked, and shine light on the forgotten. If you want him to shine light on your story, or collaborate on a project, contact him at tfc775@mocs.utc.edu. For his graphic works, click here.
Kara Newstreet
Kara Newstreet is a junior at University of Tennessee at Chattanooga from Atlanta, GA, majoring in Communications with a minor in Marketing. She is a videographer proficient in Adobe programs and photography. With family roots in audio production and media, Kara grew up behind the scenes. She enjoys working with her local community, traveling to new destinations, and keeping up with recent fashion trends. Holding an All-Georgia In News/ Documentary award from the Georgia Scholastic Press Association, she finds passion in using her work as an outlet to tell stories. Her future goals include working in Advertising or Digital Marketing in a creative environment. To contact Kara, reach her at jkc774@mocs.utc.edu
Moses Malone
Moses Malone is a senior at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga pursuing a degree in Communication and a minor in Film and Television. While Malone enjoys photography, he has a passion for writing and directing visually appealing and heartfelt short films. He is always looking for people to collaborate and build relationships with to further strengthen his film talents. After graduating in the Spring of 2026, he hopes to pursue a career in directing film projects that will cause audiences to see the light in the darkest places. To contact or collaborate with Moses, email him at hhp457@mocs.utc.edu.
Kayelyn McCaslin
Kayelyn McCaslin is a senior at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, majoring in Communications with a minor in Marketing. She is passionate about visual storytelling and is expanding her skills in videography, producing, and social media. Kayelyn currently works with UTC’s MocsNews program, and aspires to pursue a career in multimedia or entertainment journalism after graduation. Through UTC classes and programming, she has experience in leadership, photojournalism, and news writing. Kayelyn enjoys all facets of performance and storytelling, with a particular interest in illuminating stories that inspire action, service, and community. In her free time, you can find her reading, filming, or on a walk around the city. To connect with Kayelyn, email her at kayelynmccaslin@gmail.com
Everett Christiansen
Everett Christiansen is a senior graduating from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a B.S. in Communication and a minor in Sociology. He has skills in content creation and brand promotion utilizing photography, videography, and social media management. He has applied these skills through working with a local nonprofit, and small businesses. Outside of academics, Christiansen values physical fitness and believes in maintaining a balanced, healthy lifestyle, striving to improve in all aspects of his life. He played basketball during his freshman year at Covenant College and is now a captain of the cheerleading team at UTC. Originally from Lookout Mountain, Georgia, he has a deep love for his community but is open to communication opportunities elsewhere where he can create positive change and make a meaningful impact. To reach Christiansen, you can reach him at yqq584@mocs.utc.edu.
Aidan Henderson
Aidan Henderson is majoring in Communications with a minor in Criminal Justice at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Henderson works as a staff photographer for The University Echo and is the social media manager for the Korean Culture Club. Through her academic career, she has developed experience in photojournalism, public relations, creative writing and social media marketing. Henderson’s passion lies in creating and telling stories for others to feel connected. She strives to broaden her creative outlets through different mediums, whether it be a camera, phone or pencil. In her spare time, Henderson loves to go to concerts, play video games and listen to her favorite music. Her goal is to work with social media marketing and create a strong audience. To reach out to Henderson, reach out at pww399@mocs.utc.edu.
Ryan Conley
Ryan Conley is a Junior studying Communication with a minor in Environmental Science at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Conley has experience in studying photography in photojournalism for over a year, and has also worked on video projects for UTC’s football team and on personal projects. Conley aims to capture the beauty of the environment worldwide with pictures and videos to show how breathtaking the world is. He loves to be in nature and loves outdoor activities such as running, hiking, paddleboarding, and so on. Conley hopes to continue capturing the true beauty of this world for all to see in real time. You can find him at dzp647@utc.edu.
Mackenzie Sweat
Mackenzie Sweat is a senior majoring in Communications with a minor in Marketing at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She currently serves as one of the Student Marketing Interns at UTC, where she works as an email marketer. She also serves as an editorial photographer and social media chair for Strike Magazine Chattanooga. Sweat is a visual storyteller with a passion for photography, having started her own freelance photography business, Mackenzie Jane Photography. She manages every aspect of her business, from social media to providing personalized photography services, editing images, and maintaining strong client relationships. After graduation, Sweat hopes to pursue a career in fashion marketing while also exploring photography. To contact Sweat, email her at jrv211@mocs.utc.edu, or to view her work, https://my.readymag.com/edit/5633262/preview/.
Cooper Thompson
Cooper Thompson is a senior studying in Communications with a minor in
Marketing at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Thompson was
born and raised in Atlanta, GA. He is the Vice President and Social Media
Manager for the UTC Men’s Club Soccer team. Thompson works for Vecoma
at the Yellow River and serves as their main wedding photographer and also
focuses on Sports Photography whenever he gets the chance . Every year, Thompson brings his camera with him to document his travels he goes on around the world. This past summer he went to Japan and captured the emotions and beauty of the country with messages that lie in each of his photos. Thompson is a hard working, determined, and kind person who uses
his skills and personality wherever he goes. Growing up, playing soccer has always been his main passion, and after college he wants to pursue a career in Sports Photography for mainly soccer, but also any kind of sport given the opportunity to him. To connect with Thompson, email him at
mbw143@mocs.utc.edu.
Delaney Holman
Delaney Holman is a senior at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, majoring in Communications with a concentration in Journalism and a minor in Political Science. She served as the Editor in Chief of TheSettler.Online at Volunteer State Community College for three semesters. Currently, she writes for the features section of The University Echo. She is also involved in the writing and social media departments of Strike Magazine Chattanooga for its tenth issue. Holman envisions using politics and journalism as a means to engage with and learn from people in the Chattanooga area. She believes in the responsibility of journalism to share stories that foster curiosity, understanding, and community togetherness. Let Delaney tell your story to bridge the societal gaps that disconnect us, utilizing the power of staying informed, connected, and compassionate. To contact Delaney, email her at kqb147@mocs.utc.edu.
Emily Mitchell
Emily Mitchell is a graduating senior at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga majoring in Communication with a minor in English Rhetoric & Professional Writing. She is a driven visual storyteller with particular proficiency in all things video production. Mitchell’s passion for video creation has been evident since high school when she started making YouTube videos in Adobe Premiere and After Effects, but didn’t fully blossom until she first picked up a camera in her college courses. She sees videography as a powerful language and strives to tell meaningful stories through her frame. Currently, her primary experience includes interning with the City of Chattanooga’s Parks & Outdoors department and serving as a videographer for Rising Rock. When she’s not behind a camera or a laptop, she enjoys reading, running, and spending time with her four cats. To connect with her, email her at gfk827@mocs.utc.edu.
Ansley Barry
Ansley Barry is a senior at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga majoring in Communications, French, and International Studies with minors in Environmental Studies and the Brock Scholars Honors Program. Throughout her academic career, she has developed skills in photojournalism, writing, and social media. Currently a part of the Rising Rock team, she also works as a Global Student Ambassador for UTC’s Center for Global Education. Her work includes outreach and communication for students looking to study abroad via hosting classroom discussions, tabling sessions, and fun, informative events. Her passions lie in literature, environmental conservation, and international travel, all of which have played a significant role in her educational experience at UTC. Barry hopes to one day work in public relations or marketing for a sustainable organization or company to educate and inspire people to contribute to environmental initiaves. To contact Barry, reach her at Mrr965@mocs.utc.edu.
Zoie Denton
Zoie Denton is a senior studying Communication with a focus in Marketing at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Denton currently serves as the Assistant Sports Editor for the University Echo, works as a part-time sports photographer for Newport Speedway, and has her own blog where she writes recaps and features about Formula 1. Her passions lie in writing and photography. Denton loves covering sports, and her goal is to work as a sports journalist in motorsports. Find Dentons’ work at https://www.theutcecho.com/sports/ and find more of her Formula 1 work here. For more information contact her at zcl644@mocs.utc.edu.
Andromeda Stewart
Andromeda Stewart is a senior at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, majoring in Communications with a minor in Marketing. Stewart currently serves as the Assistant Photo Editor for the University Echo with a strong suit in sports and is also a freelance photographer in her free time. She studied in Spain, and is proficient in Spanish, hoping to apply her language skills within the field of communications. Traveling and photography has always been a passion of Stewart’s and she loves telling stories through her lens. After graduating she hopes to continue her passions and have a career within photojournalism. To contact her, reach out to txh633@mocs.utc.edu.