Announcements


Advisory Board Spotlight: Ted Hosp

When Ted Hosp first came to Alabama, he thought it would be for just one year. A native of the Northeast who grew up in the New York area, he moved south in 1994 to clerk for Federal Judge Harold Albritton in Montgomery. Thirty-one years later, he’s still here, having built a career, a family,…


Fellows Spotlight: Jay Little Cunningham

Jay Little Cunningham is a class of 2017 Blackburn Fellow. He is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at DePaul University. What have you been up to since graduating from UA? Since graduating from UA in 2019, I earned my M.S. and Ph.D. in Human Centered Design and Engineering from the University of Washington, becoming…


Reflections from Oxford: A Fellow’s Year Abroad

Blackburn Fellow John Richardson (left) was an Eisenhower Global Scholar at the University of Oxford in 2024-2025, where he pursued a Masters of Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government (BSG). Here, he reflects on his time abroad and the lessons learned through the program. On Academics The academic experience deepened in both substance…


Advisory Board Spotlight: Whitney Miller-Nichols

Originally from Shelby County, Whitney Miller Nichols now calls the Montgomery area home, where she lives with her husband and their two children. A proud two-time graduate of The University of Alabama, Whitney holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from UA. Her graduate degree set her on the path that led to her current…


Blackburn Student Hailey Adams Crowned Miss UA

Hailey Adams (Blackburn Class of 2024) is a junior majoring in Public Relations on the CREATE Path to MBA. Adams was crowned Miss University of Alabama on Saturday, October 10, 2025. On October 10, I was incredibly honored to be crowned Miss University of Alabama 2026 at the historic Bama Theatre. As a Birmingham native…


Anchoring College Students in the Druid City

In this article written by UA junior Robin Reid, the author highlights Anchor Tuscaloosa, a student-led initiative tackling Alabama’s brain drain by connecting college students with local career and community opportunities. Through hands-on experiences and partnerships, the program encourages graduates to build their futures in Tuscaloosa.


2023-2025 Annual Giving Circles

Recognizing financial support to the Blackburn Institute through individual and corporate donations from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2025. Legacy Donations of $1,001+ Visionary Donations of $501-$1,000 Leadership Donations of $101-$500 Heritage Donations of up to $100


2025 Annual Symposium

The 2025 Frank A. Nix Memorial Lecture will take place at 5 p.m. on Friday, August 22, 2025 in The University of Alabama Student Center Theater. The full UA campus community is invited. Students can RSVP via MySource. Keynote Speaker Our keynote speaker for this year’s symposium is Robert Putnam, political scientist and prolific author,…


2025 Symposium Schedule

Blackburn members can register to attend through Thursday, August 14. See list of registered attendees below the schedule. Schedule Please read each event carefully to ensure that you are included in the invited audience(s). Friday, August 22 Saturday, August 23 Attendees The following have registered to attend as of July 29. Blackburn Advisory Board and…