The University of Alabama opened the Holle Center for Communication Arts this week. The institution, located within the Digital Media Center in Bryant-Denny Stadium, teaches across all disciplines to create “an incubator and collaborative space for modern storytelling,” according to a UA news release.
“The work of the Holle Center is guided by a commitment to innovative and arts-informed research, community engagement and creative co-operation,” the website states.
The center is led by Endowed Chair and Director Robin Boylorn and program manager Michelle Bordner. Boylorn is an editor for the journal Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies. Her writing focuses primarily on topics of identity and justice.
The Holle Center provides students with opportunities to attend workshops with acclaimed writers, work with experienced authors and see various exhibits put on by University staff.
“In the Holle Center, C&IS students and faculty will work with community partners from across the state to expand their reach and amplify their voices with emerging technologies and innovative storytelling techniques,” said Brian Butler, dean of the College of Communication and Information Sciences.
The Holle Center takes its name from Brigadier General Everett Hughes Holle, an alum of the College of Communication and Information Sciences and The Crimson White who worked at Birmingham’s WVTM 13 for over 40 years. Holle used his voice to inform the world and advocate for community programs like Boy Scouts of America. His family foundation’s $10 million donation in 2019 to establish the program and provide scholarship support is the largest donation to date made to the college.
Holle also created the Holle Awards, a group of $10,000 scholarships awarded for excellence in different areas of the humanities. Undergraduate and graduate students of any year can apply to have their work judged through submissions or competitions. Awards are available for achievements in filmmaking, screenwriting, public speaking, media writing, sports writing, forensics and book arts.
The center has already hosted a panel discussion on the children’s book “Stand Up! 10 Mighty Women Who Made a Change” at the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center on May 3.
For those interested, the Holle Center is holding tours on Oct. 2 at 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and noon.
