By Imaginary Gardens Staff Unfortunately, not everyone has thousands to spend on beach vacations or money to blow on expensive hobbies; in fact, in this economy, most students of Pellissippi State Community College are likely either taking summer classes, or…
By Anna Trevathan, Managing Editor The James Thompson Journalism Award is a prestigious honor for student photojournalists in the East Tennessee region. Named after the late great James Thompson who was a pioneering photojournalist himself, the award invites students from…
By James Cochran, Staff Writer and Photographer To end the spring semester on a high note (literally), Pellissippi State Community College’s Hardin Valley Campus hosted its last choral concert of the semester. Directed by Meagan Humphreys and accompanist Peggy Cavin…
By Mary Arsenault, Staff Writer In America there is a food crisis heading our way; current easy access to food is taken for granted, but with extreme weather events, intense droughts, and climate change affecting growing seasons, the U.S. will…
By Imaginary Gardens Staff, Introduction by Heather Schroeder, Faculty Mentor Everyone has songs on their playlists that make them cringe when someone else sees them. Maybe they’re favorites from bygone summer days or a super secret new listen that you…
By Evie Hawkey with photos by Kaleb Guzman Paint a Pot & Plant a Seed was hosted multiple days on Hardin Valley campus last week, providing some tables in the courtyard full of seeds and small pots to celebrate earth…
By Lee Chaney, Staff Writer Wandering around Hardin Valley campus with a camera and an exquisite fit, local fashion enthusiast John Medina can be found capturing photos of Pellissippi State Community College’s best dressed. Their goal is simple – to…
By Grace Kelly Phillips, Special to the Journal Hillbillies. People of the Mountains. Rednecks. Mountain Folk. These are the names that many Appalachian people are called in modern times. But what makes a person Appalachian? The Appalachian Mountain range is…
By Patrick Dobyns, Editor Those of you who have read my articles won’t be surprised to hear that I was very excited to attend Professor Grechen Wingerter’s lecture on protest theatre, The Revolution Will Not Be Staged. I saw the…
By Lee Chaney, Writer The Knoxville Opera Company’s annual Rossini Festival came around again this year, over the weekend of April 12 and 13. A street fair meant to showcase local creative talent and artisanry, there were cultural performances, food…
By Anna Trevathan, Editor, with photos by Sophie Perrins, Photo Editor Imaginary Gardens had the privilege of attending Pellissippi State Community College’s “Our Vision in Gold” Gala, a fundraising event celebrating 50 years of the campus being open. The gala…
By Sophie Perrins, Photo Editor On April 5, 2025, thousands gathered in Downtown Knoxville at the intersection of Henley Street, Western Avenue, and Summit Hill Drive from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. These activists gathered for a variety of causes…
By Hayden Ashby, Editor On September 22, 2023, queer icon Chappell Roan released her album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, which quickly became a hit in 2024 and received three Grammy nominations, ultimately winning Roan the Grammy…
By Leyli Izadpanah, Writer Chappell Roan, winner of the 2025 Grammy for Best New Artist and producer of the highly acclaimed 2023 album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, has finally recently released her first country single, “The…
By Hayden Ashby On April 1, 2025, four teams from the Pellissippi State Intramural Basketball League faced off in two heated matchups, eagerly competing for bragging rights and, ultimately, a spot in the playoffs scheduled for April 29. In the…
By Scarlett Hall, Writer Charles Miller’s take on Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind by Greg Allen is a current rage at Pellissippi State Community College, boasting an interactive experience to multiple sold-out crowds. While only an hour…
By Lee Chaney, Kaleb Guzman, and James Cochran The 2025 Mag Comic Expo was a brilliant display of local talent and creativity, featuring artists and cosplayers alike. Held on Saturday, April 5, this year marked the expo’s fourth annual run,…
By Lee Chaney with photos by William Dishmon Being part of the Variations choir at Pellissippi State Community College can be stressful; students are expected to constantly learn new music and perform at different venues throughout the year. However, all…
By Leyli Izadpanah, Writer Art has served as a powerful tool in protest movements throughout the years; from Paul Revere’s “Boston Massacre” engraving to Banksy’s street art, self-expression has always been an outlet for critiquing injustice and sparking social change….
By Emma G. Harrison “You had to give yourself up to it spiritually; you had to surrender yourself absolutely to it. When you were done and walked away from the boat, you had to feel that you had left a…
By Kaleb Guzman, Assistant Photo Editor The Past and Present exhibition celebrates Pellissippi State Community College’s 50-year anniversary showing off all kinds of art. Here are some highlights of the many beautiful pieces that were displayed during the week-long event….
By Rocket Belden, Staff Writer Jane Schoenbrun’s 2024 film I Saw the TV Glow is a beautiful reflection of queer identity. Complex and thought-provoking, Schoenbrun uses lighting and sound to contribute to the eerie and off putting feel of the…
By Grace Kelly Phillips In a galaxy far, far away we are introduced to adventures, tales, tragedies, and sagas of various kinds. Or, at least, that’s what The Mandalorian TV show, its upcoming 2026 tie-in film, and the entire Star…
By Leyli Izadpanah, Staff Writer In honor of Women’s History Month, a time to celebrate women’s history, achievements, and culture, Pellissippi State Community College hosted a free showing of the two time Academy Award winning musical fantasy film, Wicked. The…
By Anna Trevathan, Editor I have been a Hunger Games fan since I was about ten years old; it all started when I wandered into the young adult section of our local library. At that young age, I missed much…
By Sophie Perrins, Photo Editor The most recent Academy Award winner for Best International Film, The Seed of a Sacred Fig, is an outstandingly beautiful and deeply meaningful film well worth your attention if you can spare 167 minutes of…
By Emma G. Harrison On March 12, Pellissippi State Community College students gathered in the Clayton Performing Arts Center on the Hardin Valley campus for an unusual lecture experience. Rus Harper, local punk artist and instructor of Engineering and Media…
By James Cochran, Photographer On March 12, the Variations Choir performed a mini-concert at Pellissippi State Community College’s Goins College Center, directed by Liberal Arts Professor Maegan Humphreys. Serving as a send-off concert for the group, the performance showcased a…
By William Dishmon, Photographer and Lee Chaney, Graphic Design Artist The annual Student Honors recital, a beautiful showcase of Pellissippi State Community College’s music department and creative talent, was recently held in the Clayton Performing Arts Center, free to all…
By Anna Trevathan, Editor JENNIE, a previous K-Pop Icon as a formative member of the girl group Blackpink, has released an almost entirely English debut album named after the pseudonym she used while living in New Zealand, Ruby. To launch…
By Sophie Perrins, Photo Editor Between 12 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. on February 22, 2025, photojournalism students at both Pellissippi and University of Tennessee-Knoxville used these 24 hours to capture photos and videos for the James Thompson Photojournalism contest. The…
By Kaleb Guzman, Assistant Photo Editor Student Engage and Lead hosted a fun Brunch with Brushes event last week in the student lounge, located in the Goins Administrations Building. Many tables were set up with a blank canvas for each…
By Patrick Dobyns, Editor Last Thursday, the Student Activities Board put on a showing of the 2007 film, The Great Debaters, a film apt to round out Black History Month. The audience for the movie was somewhat scarce, but that’s…
By Rocket Belden, Staff Writer This year’s annual winter choral concert on February 27, was a celebration of community and music at Pellissippi State Community College, as Pellissippi State Concert Chorale and Pellissippi State Variations performed along with the Clinton…
By Anna Trevathan, Editor Everyone has their own reasons for going sober, I made the choice to be more health- and financially-conscious. Though I’m by no means a health aficionado, I noticed that after drinking, I’d spend one of my…
An Upcoming Lecture from A Long-Time Punk Legend By Leyli Izadpanah, Staff Writer Punk rock has a rich history; from its emergence in the mid 1970s to its often aggressive (and sometimes even poppy?) life in the music scene today,…
By Sophie Perrins, Photo Editor The Southern Appalachian Nature Photographers association (SANP, for short), held another monthly meeting last week in the L. J. Goins Administration Building at Pellissippi State Community College’s Hardin Valley campus. Although hosted at the school,…
By Leyli Izadpanah, Staff Writer Black History month is a time to commemorate and celebrate Black and African American contributions to literature, culture, and history every year. In honor of this, Pellissippi State hosted its tenth annual multi-campus marathon celebration…
By Kaleb Guzman, Photo Editor On February 18th, the Engage and Lead program on Pellissippi State Community College’s Hardin Valley campus hosted a talent show for all students to attend and/or perform in. With lots of talent on display, including…
By Draven Copeland, Editor in Chief Contrary to what seems to have been the popular sentiment, I’ve been excited for Captain America: Brave New World for quite some time. Now it’s finally here. But, how does it shape up against…
By Rocket Belden, Staff Writer In Dr. Annie Gray’s recent lecture, “Love and Its Meaning in the World: An Unsentimental Journey,” she dove into the topic of love and what it means to our modern world. Dr. Gray’s lecture is…
By Anna Trevathan, Editor As Pellissippi State Community College’s Hardin Valley campus continues to grow, students are being increasingly exposed to and exploring topics outside of their core curricula. This interest is not birthed from extra credit opportunities, but is a…
By Anna Trevathan, Editor Sabrina Carpenter broke the internet when she first released her Grammy-winning sixth album, Short N’ Sweet. This album of the summer went mega viral with hits like “Espresso,” “Bed Chem,” and, my favorite, “Slim Pickin’s.” If…
An Interview By Draven Copeland, Editor-in-Chief Before winter break last year, I had the honor of interviewing Scarlet Prater on her life at Pellissippi State Community College as a film student and a filmmaker. Prater is in the process of…
By Anna Trevathan, Editor The 2025 Grammy Awards created an atmosphere unlike any awards show that came before it. With genre-bending, historical, and cultural wins it was a night that will be remembered for years to come, for myself and…
Our Top 15 Tracks From The Weeknd’s Most Personal Album Yet By Anna Trevathan, Editor With The Weeknd’s newest full-length album Hurry Up Tomorrow, we witness another example of the musical formula that made him famous. Throughout the album, he…
By Leyli Izadpanah and Rocket Belden Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, a day where people come together to celebrate love. But what is love exactly? What kinds of love exist, and how have humans thought about love in…
By Nik McMullen The album Brat by Charli XCX has become a cultural phenomenon within the past year; from being ranked a “95” on Metacritic to receiving a “10/10” score from famous internet critic Anthony Fantano, it’s clear that the…
By Anastasia Waddell Pellissippi Community College offers many different jobs within its Student Employment Program (SEP), which plays a beneficial role in helping students learn how to work and earn money while getting their degree. SEP is an important opportunity…
By Kaleb Guzman, Photo Editor On November 20, 2024 Medic Regional and Pellissippi State partnered to host a blood drive in Goins Administration building. Many students arrived to do their part giving blood; all they had to do was walk…
By Draven Copeland, Editor-in-Chief As soon as the theater house opened for the Fall 2024 performance of Antigone on Pellissippi State’s Hardin Valley campus, the waiting audience anxiously funneled together as a stage manager led the way through a dark,…
By Imaginary Gardens Staff Unfortunately, not everyone has thousands to spend on beach vacations or money to blow on expensive hobbies; in fact, in this economy, most students of Pellissippi State Community College are likely either taking summer classes, or…
By Anna Trevathan, Managing Editor The James Thompson Journalism Award is a prestigious honor for student photojournalists in the East Tennessee region. Named after the late great James Thompson who was a pioneering photojournalist himself, the award invites students from…
By James Cochran, Staff Writer and Photographer To end the spring semester on a high note (literally), Pellissippi State Community College’s Hardin Valley Campus hosted its last choral concert of the semester. Directed by Meagan Humphreys and accompanist Peggy Cavin…
By Mary Arsenault, Staff Writer In America there is a food crisis heading our way; current easy access to food is taken for granted, but with extreme weather events, intense droughts, and climate change affecting growing seasons, the U.S. will…
By Imaginary Gardens Staff, Introduction by Heather Schroeder, Faculty Mentor Everyone has songs on their playlists that make them cringe when someone else sees them. Maybe they’re favorites from bygone summer days or a super secret new listen that you…
By Evie Hawkey with photos by Kaleb Guzman Paint a Pot & Plant a Seed was hosted multiple days on Hardin Valley campus last week, providing some tables in the courtyard full of seeds and small pots to celebrate earth…
By Lee Chaney, Staff Writer Wandering around Hardin Valley campus with a camera and an exquisite fit, local fashion enthusiast John Medina can be found capturing photos of Pellissippi State Community College’s best dressed. Their goal is simple – to…
By Grace Kelly Phillips, Special to the Journal Hillbillies. People of the Mountains. Rednecks. Mountain Folk. These are the names that many Appalachian people are called in modern times. But what makes a person Appalachian? The Appalachian Mountain range is…
By Patrick Dobyns, Editor Those of you who have read my articles won’t be surprised to hear that I was very excited to attend Professor Grechen Wingerter’s lecture on protest theatre, The Revolution Will Not Be Staged. I saw the…
By Lee Chaney, Writer The Knoxville Opera Company’s annual Rossini Festival came around again this year, over the weekend of April 12 and 13. A street fair meant to showcase local creative talent and artisanry, there were cultural performances, food…
By Anna Trevathan, Editor, with photos by Sophie Perrins, Photo Editor Imaginary Gardens had the privilege of attending Pellissippi State Community College’s “Our Vision in Gold” Gala, a fundraising event celebrating 50 years of the campus being open. The gala…
By Sophie Perrins, Photo Editor On April 5, 2025, thousands gathered in Downtown Knoxville at the intersection of Henley Street, Western Avenue, and Summit Hill Drive from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. These activists gathered for a variety of causes…
By Hayden Ashby, Editor On September 22, 2023, queer icon Chappell Roan released her album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, which quickly became a hit in 2024 and received three Grammy nominations, ultimately winning Roan the Grammy…
By Leyli Izadpanah, Writer Chappell Roan, winner of the 2025 Grammy for Best New Artist and producer of the highly acclaimed 2023 album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, has finally recently released her first country single, “The…
By Hayden Ashby On April 1, 2025, four teams from the Pellissippi State Intramural Basketball League faced off in two heated matchups, eagerly competing for bragging rights and, ultimately, a spot in the playoffs scheduled for April 29. In the…
By Scarlett Hall, Writer Charles Miller’s take on Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind by Greg Allen is a current rage at Pellissippi State Community College, boasting an interactive experience to multiple sold-out crowds. While only an hour…
By Lee Chaney, Kaleb Guzman, and James Cochran The 2025 Mag Comic Expo was a brilliant display of local talent and creativity, featuring artists and cosplayers alike. Held on Saturday, April 5, this year marked the expo’s fourth annual run,…
By Lee Chaney with photos by William Dishmon Being part of the Variations choir at Pellissippi State Community College can be stressful; students are expected to constantly learn new music and perform at different venues throughout the year. However, all…
By Leyli Izadpanah, Writer Art has served as a powerful tool in protest movements throughout the years; from Paul Revere’s “Boston Massacre” engraving to Banksy’s street art, self-expression has always been an outlet for critiquing injustice and sparking social change….
By Emma G. Harrison “You had to give yourself up to it spiritually; you had to surrender yourself absolutely to it. When you were done and walked away from the boat, you had to feel that you had left a…
By Kaleb Guzman, Assistant Photo Editor The Past and Present exhibition celebrates Pellissippi State Community College’s 50-year anniversary showing off all kinds of art. Here are some highlights of the many beautiful pieces that were displayed during the week-long event….
By Rocket Belden, Staff Writer Jane Schoenbrun’s 2024 film I Saw the TV Glow is a beautiful reflection of queer identity. Complex and thought-provoking, Schoenbrun uses lighting and sound to contribute to the eerie and off putting feel of the…
By Grace Kelly Phillips In a galaxy far, far away we are introduced to adventures, tales, tragedies, and sagas of various kinds. Or, at least, that’s what The Mandalorian TV show, its upcoming 2026 tie-in film, and the entire Star…
By Leyli Izadpanah, Staff Writer In honor of Women’s History Month, a time to celebrate women’s history, achievements, and culture, Pellissippi State Community College hosted a free showing of the two time Academy Award winning musical fantasy film, Wicked. The…
By Anna Trevathan, Editor I have been a Hunger Games fan since I was about ten years old; it all started when I wandered into the young adult section of our local library. At that young age, I missed much…
By Sophie Perrins, Photo Editor The most recent Academy Award winner for Best International Film, The Seed of a Sacred Fig, is an outstandingly beautiful and deeply meaningful film well worth your attention if you can spare 167 minutes of…
By Emma G. Harrison On March 12, Pellissippi State Community College students gathered in the Clayton Performing Arts Center on the Hardin Valley campus for an unusual lecture experience. Rus Harper, local punk artist and instructor of Engineering and Media…
By James Cochran, Photographer On March 12, the Variations Choir performed a mini-concert at Pellissippi State Community College’s Goins College Center, directed by Liberal Arts Professor Maegan Humphreys. Serving as a send-off concert for the group, the performance showcased a…
By William Dishmon, Photographer and Lee Chaney, Graphic Design Artist The annual Student Honors recital, a beautiful showcase of Pellissippi State Community College’s music department and creative talent, was recently held in the Clayton Performing Arts Center, free to all…
By Anna Trevathan, Editor JENNIE, a previous K-Pop Icon as a formative member of the girl group Blackpink, has released an almost entirely English debut album named after the pseudonym she used while living in New Zealand, Ruby. To launch…
By Sophie Perrins, Photo Editor Between 12 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. on February 22, 2025, photojournalism students at both Pellissippi and University of Tennessee-Knoxville used these 24 hours to capture photos and videos for the James Thompson Photojournalism contest. The…
By Kaleb Guzman, Assistant Photo Editor Student Engage and Lead hosted a fun Brunch with Brushes event last week in the student lounge, located in the Goins Administrations Building. Many tables were set up with a blank canvas for each…
By Patrick Dobyns, Editor Last Thursday, the Student Activities Board put on a showing of the 2007 film, The Great Debaters, a film apt to round out Black History Month. The audience for the movie was somewhat scarce, but that’s…
By Rocket Belden, Staff Writer This year’s annual winter choral concert on February 27, was a celebration of community and music at Pellissippi State Community College, as Pellissippi State Concert Chorale and Pellissippi State Variations performed along with the Clinton…
By Anna Trevathan, Editor Everyone has their own reasons for going sober, I made the choice to be more health- and financially-conscious. Though I’m by no means a health aficionado, I noticed that after drinking, I’d spend one of my…
An Upcoming Lecture from A Long-Time Punk Legend By Leyli Izadpanah, Staff Writer Punk rock has a rich history; from its emergence in the mid 1970s to its often aggressive (and sometimes even poppy?) life in the music scene today,…
By Sophie Perrins, Photo Editor The Southern Appalachian Nature Photographers association (SANP, for short), held another monthly meeting last week in the L. J. Goins Administration Building at Pellissippi State Community College’s Hardin Valley campus. Although hosted at the school,…
By Leyli Izadpanah, Staff Writer Black History month is a time to commemorate and celebrate Black and African American contributions to literature, culture, and history every year. In honor of this, Pellissippi State hosted its tenth annual multi-campus marathon celebration…
By Kaleb Guzman, Photo Editor On February 18th, the Engage and Lead program on Pellissippi State Community College’s Hardin Valley campus hosted a talent show for all students to attend and/or perform in. With lots of talent on display, including…
By Draven Copeland, Editor in Chief Contrary to what seems to have been the popular sentiment, I’ve been excited for Captain America: Brave New World for quite some time. Now it’s finally here. But, how does it shape up against…
By Rocket Belden, Staff Writer In Dr. Annie Gray’s recent lecture, “Love and Its Meaning in the World: An Unsentimental Journey,” she dove into the topic of love and what it means to our modern world. Dr. Gray’s lecture is…
By Anna Trevathan, Editor As Pellissippi State Community College’s Hardin Valley campus continues to grow, students are being increasingly exposed to and exploring topics outside of their core curricula. This interest is not birthed from extra credit opportunities, but is a…
By Anna Trevathan, Editor Sabrina Carpenter broke the internet when she first released her Grammy-winning sixth album, Short N’ Sweet. This album of the summer went mega viral with hits like “Espresso,” “Bed Chem,” and, my favorite, “Slim Pickin’s.” If…
An Interview By Draven Copeland, Editor-in-Chief Before winter break last year, I had the honor of interviewing Scarlet Prater on her life at Pellissippi State Community College as a film student and a filmmaker. Prater is in the process of…
Our Top 15 Tracks From The Weeknd’s Most Personal Album Yet By Anna Trevathan, Editor With The Weeknd’s newest full-length album Hurry Up Tomorrow, we witness another example of the musical formula that made him famous. Throughout the album, he…
By Leyli Izadpanah and Rocket Belden Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, a day where people come together to celebrate love. But what is love exactly? What kinds of love exist, and how have humans thought about love in…
By Nik McMullen The album Brat by Charli XCX has become a cultural phenomenon within the past year; from being ranked a “95” on Metacritic to receiving a “10/10” score from famous internet critic Anthony Fantano, it’s clear that the…
By Anastasia Waddell Pellissippi Community College offers many different jobs within its Student Employment Program (SEP), which plays a beneficial role in helping students learn how to work and earn money while getting their degree. SEP is an important opportunity…
By Kaleb Guzman, Photo Editor On November 20, 2024 Medic Regional and Pellissippi State partnered to host a blood drive in Goins Administration building. Many students arrived to do their part giving blood; all they had to do was walk…
By Draven Copeland, Editor-in-Chief As soon as the theater house opened for the Fall 2024 performance of Antigone on Pellissippi State’s Hardin Valley campus, the waiting audience anxiously funneled together as a stage manager led the way through a dark,…
