Holle Awards

About the Holle Awards 

The Holle Awards for Excellence in Creativity and Communication are designed to celebrate and reward student achievement in the areas of book arts, filmmaking, forensics, media writing, public speaking, screenwriting and sports media. These annual awards include a $10,000 prize for the winner of each category. 

The next awards cycle will be in 2025.

About Everett Holle 

After graduating from The University of Alabama in 1950, Everett Holle enjoyed a 40-year career in the television industry at NBC 13 and achieved the rank of Brigadier General in the U.S. Army. Throughout his time in the industry, Holle was always intentional to invest in the lives of students. 

His passion for the next generation of communicators, and for creativity in the fields of media and communication, fueled his desire to see students rewarded for their excellence. In 2015, Holle founded the Holle Awards for Excellence in Creativity and Communication to recognize deserving students for their work. 

Although Holle passed away shortly after creating the awards, his legacy continues to have a lasting impact on students throughout the nation. After his passing, the Holle Family Foundation board generously pledged $10 million to fund the Holle Awards in perpetuity and establish the Holle Center for Communication Arts. The interdisciplinary Holle Center will support collaboration and promote creativity in communication and storytelling. 

Each year, C&IS continues to celebrate the legacy of Holle by giving seven students a $10,000 prize for winning one of the Holle Awards for Excellence in Creativity and Communication. These awards not only help students embark on their careers but continue to symbolize the compassionate generosity of a man who sought to celebrate student creativity and success. 

Awards

Holle Award for Excellence in Book Arts 

The Holle Award for Excellence in Book Arts is awarded annually for work that demonstrates both conceptual strength and exceptional craft skills. The work may include hand bookbinding, letterpress printing, mixed media including digital printing and various art printing technologies, and hand papermaking. Applications will be evaluated on the following criteria: the integration of form, materials, and content within the bookwork, and a strong statement of purpose that articulates an artistic vision and potential for professional leadership in the field. 

Who’s eligible? Book Arts students enrolled in the graduate Book Arts program in an American university during the current academic year. May, August, December and May graduates are eligible. 

Holle Award for Excellence in Forensic Competition 

The Holle Award for Excellence in Forensic Competition is awarded annually to the winner of the individual sweepstakes award at the Invitational Tournament hosted at The University of Alabama. This award recognizes excellence across the spectrum of individual event forensic competition as it awards the competitor who performs best in each genre: Literary Interpretation, Limited Preparation and Public Address. In addition to excellent presentation skills, this award demonstrates a nuanced mastery of critical thinking, persuasion, quick interpretation and dissemination of information, and artistic performance. 

Who’s eligible? Students competing must be currently enrolled undergraduate students and members of their educational institution’s competitive forensic team/organization. Students must compete at the Dr. Frank M. Thompson Jr. Crimson Classic and UA Alumni Individual Events Swing Tournament hosted at The University of Alabama each fall. Students must compete in all three genres of competition during the tournament—Limited Preparation, Public Address and Interpretation. 

Holle Award for Excellence in Filmmaking 

The Holle Award for Excellence in Filmmaking honors the director of the best narrative or documentary short film made by an undergraduate student. Successful submissions are films that demonstrate artistic excellence through creative storytelling, emotional resonance, ambition and an engagement with larger themes. Ideally, projects will be tightly connected to the distinct lived experiences of the director. The top five films selected by the Holle Award judges will automatically be programmed in the Black Warrior Film Festival at The University of Alabama. 

Who’s eligible? The director of the film must be currently enrolled as an undergraduate student or must have graduated within the last calendar year. 

Holle Award for Excellence in Screenwriting 

The Holle Award for Excellence in Screenwriting is awarded annually to students who create an original script. The script must be in proper format, three-hole punched and bound by two brads only – top and bottom left margins. Judges are looking for excellence in craft including plot and character development, visual storytelling, attention to format and an overall compelling narrative. 

Who’s eligible? Undergraduate or graduate student who is currently enrolled in a southeast regional college or university during the current academic year. Students who completed their screenplays during the regular school year but have graduated within the following year are also eligible. All academic majors qualify. May, August, December and May graduates are eligible. 

Holle Award for Excellence in Sports Media 

The Holle Award for Excellence in Sports Media is awarded annually to any undergraduate student, both nationally and internationally, working on sport and social issue-related projects. Nominated artifacts could be submitted in many manners, but must be consumable in 10 minutes or less. Options include (but are not limited to) long-form sports journalism writings, documentary sport films, single-issue public relations campaigns, development of useful mobile applications or web-based interactive content. However, the common thread would be the betterment or knowledge of a social issue in the context sport in society. 

Who’s eligible? Nominees can be any student (national or international) who is either a current undergraduate student or student who has graduated at the undergraduate level within the last academic year. 

Holle Award for Excellence in Media Writing 

The Holle Award for Excellence in Media Writing is awarded to the author of exceptional news stories written for class or campus media assignments, internships, jobs or freelance work. Students must submit three single-authored news stories, and each story must be at least 800 words in length. Though “news” is not defined here in a specific way, it is expected that a news story will be non-fiction and will reflect topics and issues that are relevant to society. Submissions may be enterprise reporting, feature stories or sports stories. Entries must have been written while the applicant was a student at UA. 

Who’s eligible? The writer must be an undergraduate or graduate student at The University of Alabama during the current academic year of any academic major. May, August, December and May graduates are eligible. 

Holle Award for Excellence in Public Speaking 

The Holle Award for Excellence in Public Speaking is awarded to the winner of the Holle Award for Excellence in Public Speaking competition each spring. Students must be enrolled in a humanities course that cultivates basic public communication skills to enter the competition. Entrants will be required to present a formal persuasive speech that demonstrates logical structure and credible research in support of specific actions or concepts and that displays exemplary standards of delivery. 

Who’s eligible? Students who have been enrolled in a public speaking course in the current academic year who have been selected by their peers and instructors. December and May graduates are eligible.