On April 7, LEO Events and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville hosted the LEO Fellows Celebration and Industry Power Hour, marking the successful conclusion of the second LEO Fellows cohort – a year-long apprenticeship designed to bridge the gap between the classroom and real-world experience in the corporate event industry.
Through a partnership between LEO Events and UT’s College of Communication & Information (CCI) and College of Education, Health and Human Sciences (CEHHS), students selected to participate in the Fellows program gain hands-on experience working alongside the LEO team at a variety of client events throughout the year.
The 2025-2026 cohort achieved extraordinary growth in both scale and professional impact. The Fellows supported 24 incredible experiential client programs across the country, marking a 300% increase in opportunities compared to the inaugural year. This expansion resulted in 892 hours of hands-on work – a 4.5x increase in student engagement – and saw the Fellows travel a combined 25,370 miles to support high-level corporate events onsite.
Commemorating the close of this cohort’s involvement, the Fellows Celebration kicked off with an Industry Power Hour panel discussion. The session was moderated by Cindy Brewer, LEO Events principal, and Joe Mazer, who is the CCI dean, Faye Julian Dean’s chair, and professor at UT. The session convened an impressive group of industry leaders from Hilton, Walmart, MassMutual and UT.
Together, these professionals shared real-world insights on topics including artificial intelligence, sustainability, accessibility, community engagement, data-driven decision-making, and the importance of continuous learning.
After the insightful panel conversation, the ceremony honored 10 graduating Fellows who demonstrated exceptional commitment to the industry:
CCI Fellows: Josiah Rushing (Co-Captain), Abigail Cheslock, Caden Dyer, Eliza Underwood, Maggie Meier, Nia Powers, Taylor Ellison.
CEHHS Fellows: Ella Herring (Co-Captain), Lydia Wilt, Milli Mitchell.
As the program continues to evolve, we are thrilled to welcome our newest cohort. Josiah Rushing and Eliza Underwood will return as LEO Ambassadors, while Caden Dyer and Maggie Meier take on Co-Captain roles for the incoming year.
The new cohort features representatives from both colleges, including: Nia Powers, Emery Brown, Emerson Carter, Ashley Case, Sophie Brison, Madison Hill, Grace Powell, Kathryn Truss, Gracie White, and Liz Williams.
Learn more about the LEO Fellows program, and how LEO and UTK are collaborating to usher in the next generation of events professionals.
