4 UA Students Win Holle Award

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama College of Communication and Information Sciences’ 2016 Holle Awards for creativity in communication honored five students with a total of $50,000 in cash. Students at UA and around the Southeast submitted original work in book arts, filmmaking, media writing and screenwriting and participated in the 2016 Holle Awards for Public Speaking competition.

• The Holle Award winner for communication and creativity in Book Arts was given to book arts student Sara White (Tallahassee, Florida). Her piece, “Riverine,” was praised for its integration of drawings, photography, handmade paper, letterpress and bookbinding techniques.
• The Holle Award for filmmaking was awarded at the Black Warrior Film Festival, an annual event hosted by UA students to highlight emerging talent in filmmaking. Julius Damenz, a senior at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri, won the award for his film “Infinite.” The film chronicles a young man who is learning to deal with the idea of death.
• The Holle Award for creativity in communication in media writing was given to UA journalism student Matthew Wilson (Mobile) for his exploration and in-depth reporting on relevant societal issues in three single-authored, three-source news stories.
• The Holle Award for creativity in communication in screenwriting was given to UA telecommunication and film student Sean Taylor (Birmingham). Taylor’s script, “The Big Picture,” was described by judges as the most cinematic and highly energizing of all the submissions received.
• The Holle Award for creativity in communication in public speaking was awarded at the Holle Awards for Public Speaking competition — previously named The University of Alabama Speak-Off. Brant Briddle (Rainbow City) won the award for his speech on the need for diversity in media.

“The 2016 Holle Award winners displayed a true commitment to crafting stories and creative work and represent the unique talent within the college and the region” said Dr. Mark Nelson, dean of the College of Communication and Information Sciences. “These students excel in their chosen areas of study and have very bright futures ahead.”

The Holle Awards are named for UA alumnus and businessman Everett Holle, best known for his 40-year career at NBC 13. He has been elected into the Bureau’s Hall of Fame and, in 2012, was inducted into the Alabama Broadcaster’s Hall of Fame. Holle also served in the U.S. Army Reserve for 35 years, retiring as a brigadier general. The annual awards were created to celebrate university student’s creativity in communication.