Centers of Excellence

The Holle Family Foundation provides four distinct endowment scholarships across four educational institutions. 

• The first Center for Excellence was established by General Holle at the University of Alabama Center for Communications and Information Sciences.  This endowment provides support for:

  • The Holle Center for Communication Arts was created to inspire students to develop works of creative nonfiction that advance human dignity, break down barriers to understanding, illuminate social injustices, encourage collaboration and empathy, and support and informed society and citizenry.  Partnerships across the campus, the state, and the region enable the production of nonfiction stories across a variety of media, including documentary film, narrative writing, digital audio and photography.  These multidisciplinary partnerships facilitate the presentation of these stories to a wide and diverse audience. 

  • Endowed Chair at for the Holle Center for Communication Arts.  These resources are intended to be utilized to recruit and retain esteemed scholars and faculty members of national and international distinction.  Chairs selected have demonstrated significant contributions to his/her field of study through exceptional teaching, research, leadership, and scholarly excellence.  The current Chair is Dr. Robin Boylorn, an accomplished writer, storyteller, and cutting-edge thought leader.

  • The Holle Awards for Excellence and Creativity in Communication are designed to celebrate and reward student achievement in seven areas: book arts, filmmaking, forensics, media writing, public speaking, screenwriting, and sports media.  This annual award includes a $10,000 prize for the winner in each category and a Hermes Rising award statue.  Awardees represent the best of innovative, out-of-the-box thinking in communications.

  • Hall of Fame Event:  Each year, the College of Communication and Information Sciences proudly recognizes the accomplishments of individuals who bring prominence to the State of Alabama through application of disciplines taught, research and practiced at the College through induction to the Communication and Information Sciences Hall of Fame.  The first Hall of Fame recipients were inducted in 1998.  The Hall of Fame gallery is located in the rotunda of Reese Phifer Hall.  

  • The Everett Hughes Holle Endowed Scholarship was established on June 19, 2009, to provide opportunities for students interested in Communication Arts, creating the next generation of nonfiction storytellers.

     

• The Everett Hughes Holle Award for Social Justice and Community Engagement, presented by the National Communication Association, recognizes individuals who demonstrate outstanding commitment to advancing social justice through communication practice that promotes democracy, diversity, and creative expression. The award will recognize community-based work that is directed toward creating democratic and equitable outcomes for the most marginalized, and/or humanizing difference through a hands-on approach that seeks to respond, bridge and/or confront issues of social injustice and indignity and engage in activism aimed at improving the lives and conditions of others, through education, engagement, or embodiment.  

   

• The General Everett H. Holle Military Chaplain Scholarship at Samford University Beeson Divinity School, supports students pursuing studies in military chaplaincy, enabling them to provide vital spiritual care to military personnel and families.

   

• The Marianna Greene Henry Special Equestrians Program , affiliated with the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind,offers therapeutic programs to AIDB students such as hippotherapy, equine facilitated learning, equine facilitated mental health, equine facilitated psychotherapy, speech therapy, therapeutic riding, riders club, and trail rides. Through participation in these activities, AIDB students exercise static muscles, improve balance and motor skills, improve verbal skills, and build self-esteem, confidence, and pride.