Public Affairs Office

R.G. Smithson is the College's Director of Public Affairs and his office is located in the Alumni Affairs and Development Suite (Room 157). R.G. is responsible for producing and distributing news and information about the College of Law -- its people and programs.

This includes producing official publications and maintaining the College's web presence. In addition to writing and editing, R.G. also handles much of the College's photography and video production. His is the primary media contact for the College, working in alliance with the University's News Bureau.

R.G., who earned bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Tennessee, was a newspaper reporter and editor for 14 years before entering graduate school. He was the Director of Public Relations at Berry College in Rome, Ga. prior to joining the College of Law's administrative staff in 1994. While in Rome he was also an adjunct English instructor at Floyd Junior College.

R.G. is also certified by U.S. Sailing as a Small Boat and Keelboat Instructor and a Club Race Officer. He actively races his J24 sailboat on Ft. Loudon Lake at Knoxville's Concord Yacht Club.

In addition, R.G. has been a high school and college soccer referee for more than 20 years and has refereed in all three divisions of the the NCAA championship tournament, as well as the NAIA tournament.