The ���ϳԹ��� community mourns the , the University’s tenth president and first alumnus to serve in the role.

Holland served as president from 2002 until 2014, having joined the faculty in 1967. His nearly 50-year tenure includes serving as a professor of biology, department chair, dean of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and president.

As a faculty member, Holland was recognized by students for his teaching, twice receiving the student nominated and selected William E. Gilbert Award for Outstanding Teaching, by colleagues who nominated and selected him for the McIlwain-Bell Trustee Professor Award, and by the alumni association with the ���ϳԹ��� Faculty Loyalty Award. As an alumnus, he has been honored by the alumni association with the Distinguished Alumni Award, and he is a member of the prestigious Society of the Golden Key. His career reflects a commitment to academic life and to the students, colleagues, and the regional institution he served.

“Dr. Holland’s service reflects a deep and lasting commitment to the ���ϳԹ���,” said ���ϳԹ��� President Dr. Todd G. Fritch. “As a student, faculty member, academic leader, and president, he helped strengthen the foundation on which our University continues to build—expanding educational opportunity and deepening ���ϳԹ���’s connection to the people and communities we serve.”

Holland fostered ���ϳԹ���’s engagement with the history, culture, and civic life of Alabama’s Black Belt, advancing the University’s regional mission.

“Today, we take great pride in the recognition ���ϳԹ��� has earned for providing access and support that lead to successful outcomes with far-reaching positive impact,” Fritch said. “We recognize efforts across many years that have sustained this reputation. History shows us that ���ϳԹ��� greatly expanded access to learning as evidenced throughout the University during Dr. Holland’s administration, including but certainly not limited to the expansion of academic offerings, increased capacity for online program delivery, athletic championships, the institution’s first capital campaign, strengthened partnerships, and campus beautification.”

Holland will be remembered as a leader who fostered an enduring connection to the communities ���ϳԹ��� serves and strengthened the foundation for the University’s ability to provide education, scholarship, and partnership that contributes to the strength and vitality of West Alabama and the Black Belt region.

Story: Lisa Sollie

Dr. R.T. Floyd, director of the ���ϳԹ���’s Athletic Training & Sports Medicine Center and associate dean of the School of Health Sciences and Human Performance, has received the 2026 American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award.

Floyd has served the University for 45 years and was instrumental in establishing its athletic training program. Due in large part to his efforts, ���ϳԹ��� was the first public university in the state to receive approval for both a bachelor’s program in athletic training and a master’s program. This year marks the 40th anniversary of ���ϳԹ���’s Athletic Training & Sports Medicine Center which was established in December 1986.

Since 1982, The National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) and the AOSSM have presented the award annually to an outstanding NATA Hall of Fame member whose professional accomplishments have improved the quality of professional practice in athletic training.

Story: Lisa Sollie

Dr. Cheryl Lambert, dean of the Julia S. Tutwiler College of Education at the ���ϳԹ���, has been named an Impact Academy fellow through national non-profit organization Deans for Impact (DFI). Lambert joins a cohort of leaders chosen for their commitment to strengthening educator preparation and ensuring future teachers are prepared to meet the needs of all students.

Lambert is one of 24 leaders announced as part of the Fellowship’s 11th cohort. This year’s fellows represent a wide range of contexts and communities in which future teachers are prepared, including public and private universities, community colleges, national programs, school districts, and innovative teacher-preparation pathways. Together, they share a commitment to strengthening systems of education so that more students are taught by well-prepared teachers.

“Dr. Lambert’s selection for the Impact Academy reflects her strong leadership and commitment to preparing highly effective educators,” said ���ϳԹ��� Provost, Dr. Amy Jones. “This fellowship will provide valuable opportunities to collaborate with national leaders while advancing the important work of the College of Education at ���ϳԹ���.”

As a fellow, Lambert will participate in in-person and virtual monthly cohort-based learning, receive one on one coaching from veteran leaders, and engage in peer consultancies focused on the field’s most pressing challenges. Over the course of the year, fellows will workshop solutions to adaptive challenges: complex problems leaders face when change depends not only on technical or structural fixes, but on shifting mindsets, relationships, and ways of working.

“I am honored to be selected as a Dean for Impact Fellow and grateful for the opportunity to learn alongside leaders who are committed to strengthening educator preparation and improving outcomes for students,” Lambert said.

Educator-preparation leaders today are navigating a rapidly evolving landscape, and more than ever, the field needs leaders who can guide change with clarity, courage, and care while keeping student learning at the center.

DFI aims to support this need through its , which has developed a national network of nearly 200 education deans and executive-level leaders who are today working within and beyond educator preparation to strengthen teaching and learning. The fellowship supports leaders to prioritize evidence-based instruction, navigate their teams through continuous change, deepen partnerships with schools and communities, and build accessible, high-quality pathways into teaching.

“Educator-preparation leaders are being asked to make important decisions in a moment of rapid change,” said Valerie Sakimura, CEO of DFI. “This cohort of leaders stands out for their willingness to engage in complexity with deep care for students, their learning, and their futures. We’re excited to support these leaders as they meet the moment and help ensure every student is taught by well-prepared teachers.”