Saban Center Announces Partnership With Shelton State

TUSCALOOSA, AL — The Saban Center on Tuesday announced a new partnership with Shelton State Community College aimed at enhancing and promoting STEM and arts education across the state.

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The Saban Center says it plays to collaborate with Shelton State to develop programming and enrichment initiatives for all campus patrons.

“We are thrilled to have an opportunity to impact lives in our community beginning at a young age," SSCC President Jonathan Koh said. "The collaboration and partnerships within our community these days are very strong, and projects such as this allow us to build on that strong foundation in a way that maximizes our impact on those who live, work and play in Tuscaloosa and the surrounding communities.”

SSCC will also play a big role in the Tuscaloosa Children’s Theatre and Ignite – the new name for the Children’s Hands-On Museum of Tuscaloosa.

Shelton State is designated as The Community College of the Fine Arts by the Alabama Legislature and the school's longstanding partnership with Theatre Tuscaloosa offers additional opportunities for children’s theater actors and camps, alongside college and career pathways in the theatrical arts.

The Saban Center also said Shelton State's prominence as the premier training entity for West Alabama’s industrial sectors positions it to create relevant programming for exhibits related to STEM and career technologies, including robotics, computer programming and networking, electronics, welding, truck driving, health care, child care and more.

“It is an honor to collaborate with Shelton State Community College and align our mission with their extensive expertise and resources," Saban Center Executive Director Audrey Buck said. "Their commitment to education is vital in shaping the future of STEM education in West Alabama and will greatly influence our approach to integrating the arts and sciences.”

As Patch previously reported, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox revealed that design work is expected to be complete on the state-of-the-art educational facility by January 2025, followed by a groundbreaking that April.

The Saban Center is on track to open in June 2027.

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