Dr. Allison Holland was recently awarded the Faculty Excellence Award for Public Service from the College of Social Sciences and Communication.
Dr. Holland and her writing center interns and graduate assistants have been reaching out to community for the past 5 years through numerous charitable events. They have worked with the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) to successfully sent 228,000 coupons to families overseas. Dr. Holland and her staff have also worked with the Little Rock Police Department, reading essays submitted by police officers applying for the force or wanting a promotion.
The writing center interns also host a bake sale each year, sending their proceeds this year to Camp Quality, a camp that allows kids that have been diagnosed with cancer to take part in a camp that allows kids with cancer to have fun, and all at no cost to their families.
Melissa Johnson and Amy Rhea, two of Dr. Holland’s graduate assistants described Dr. Holland in three words: dedicated, selfless, and empathetic.
Dr. Holland had this to say about service in the Writing Center:
The University Writing Center is ground zero in meeting educational needs and challenges face to face. We serve others each day as we work with clients, but adding a community service component to the writing internship adds a broaden dimension to the experience of students who come to serve as interns.
A good education means a well rounded educational experience, and community service work is one of the finest ways to share your education, expertise, and caring. It’s also one of the most important ways of becoming a more humane and understanding person.
I believe community service and giving our time, efforts, and hearts to serve others makes us stronger and more compassionate because it adds depth to our education and to our lives. It’s one of the reasons I’ve chosen to work in the UWÇ for so long. I’ve learned as much as I’ve taught, and service is at the heart of everything we do.
Dr. Holland will be honored at the CSSC Faculty Excellence Awards Ceremony on Thursday, April 13.
