UA Cuts Ribbon on Holle Center for Communication Arts

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The College of Communication and Information Sciences at The University of Alabama unveiled the Holle Center for Communication Arts, an incubator and collaborative space for modern storytelling.

The work of the Holle Center is guided by a commitment to advance narratives through innovative and arts-informed research, community engagement and creative co-operation. The center, located on the fourth floor of Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium adjacent to the Digital Media Center, features a collaboratory for digital storytelling that includes a podcast studio, editing workspace and cyclorama - a panoramic, cylindrical backdrop for filming.

The Holle Center honors the work and legacy of the late Brig. Gen. Everett Hughes Holle, an alumnus of the College of Communication and Information Sciences whose career at NBC 13 (WVTM-TV) in Birmingham spanned 40 years.

The Holle Family Foundation made a $10 million gift in 2019 to establish The Holle Center, provide program support for the Holle Awards for Excellence and Creativity in Communication, and enhance the Everett Hughes Holle Endowed Scholarship. The gift is the largest commitment to date for the College.

"The opening of the Holle Center is an important event for the College, creating fundamentally new opportunities for student learning, community engagement and faculty scholarship," Dr. Brian Butler, dean of the College of Communication and Information Sciences, said. "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."

The Holle Center for Communication Arts is an interdisciplinary and international hub for storytelling focused on critical thinking, ethical storytelling and community engagement. Students will participate through programming, workshops, special events and exhibits sponsored through the center.

The Holle Center will also include opportunities to engage in arts-based research and work with award-winning artists, scholar-artists and industry professionals through future collaborations.

"The Holle Center will use storytelling to explore the meaning of justice in a changing cultural landscape, teaching students to craft personal narratives and sharing these stories with the broader community," Dr. Robin Boylorn, associate professor in communication studies, said.

About Everett Hughes Holle

Holle was a talented broadcast and film communication major at UA, where he reported for The University of Alabama's student newspaper and radio station. Upon graduating in 1950, he was commissioned in the United States Army as a radio/television/motion picture officer, acting as the Army's network liaison. Additionally, from 1950 to 1991, he was associated with WVTM-TV in Birmingham, ultimately being named assistant general manager of the organization.

He was highly regarded for his 40-year career in the Birmingham television industry and his service as a dedicated leader throughout the community and in numerous civic organizations, including his extensive involvement with Scouting.

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