The Clemson Insider.com is pleased to welcome Katie Barnes to the TCI staff. Barnes, who will begin work immediately and will work through the football season, is currently a Communication Studies student at Clemson University.

The senior has a passion for studying sport communication and her research findings will be published in the International Journal of Sport Communication in July. Her work has also been used and discussed in The USA Today and in several NFL articles.

She has also interned with WSPA-TV (Channel 7) in Spartanburg.

During her time at Clemson, Barnes has worked closely with the Clemson Athletic Department. She has also interned as a tour guide and helped with Public Relations and Promotions for Clemson University. She was also the 2012 Clemson Homecoming Queen.

In January of 2013, Barnes worked with the Orange Bowl staff as a Junior Host to the Notre Dame Football program during the week of the BCS National Championship game.

“Katie has a tremendous passion for Clemson University, but more than that, she has a great passion for sports,” said TCI senior writer and Editor Will Vandervort. “She has a high IQ for sports, in particular football.

“Add those things together, plus her love for Clemson and Katie will be a great addition to our staff. I look forward to working with her.”

Barnes will continue to use her strength as a researcher for TCI, but she will also serve as a writer as well as help with videos and video podcasts.

“We are glad to have Katie join our team,” said TCI owner/publisher Robert MacRae. “I think she is a great addition to our staff. Her resume is quite impressive and her work ethic speaks for itself. I feel she will help us continue to be the best media outlet when it comes to covering Clemson Athletics.”

Barnes graduated high school in San Clemente, Calif., but has lived all over the United States due to her father’s work in the automobile industry. She decided to come to Clemson after visiting the campus and finding that it had everything she loved.

“Clemson has a great football program and that was important to me,” she said. “It also has great school spirit, an amazing campus and even more amazing people.

“Like Coach (Dabo) Swinney likes all fans to be, I’m all-in all the freakin’ time.”