Reviewed by: Nathan Watson
State of Alabama, Tuscaloosa & Saban Center team up to create STEM hub and more
Reading time: 2 minutes
The State of Alabama, the Saban Center and Tuscaloosa have scored a touchdown for education.
Earlier this month, Governor Kay Ivey announced during her “State of the State” address a significant partnership with the Saban Center to create an innovative STEM hub (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) for local and regional school districts that will prepare students, educators and the workforce for the future.
On March 8th, the Alabama State Department of Education, the Saban Center, Tuscaloosa City Schools and the City of Tuscaloosa held a joint press conference to discuss the newly announced partnership.
Watch the press conference here.
“Our Mayor and our City Council determined that our children deserve an elite STEM education center, and that our Tuscaloosa Children’s Theatre deserves a home. Since they ignited this project, it has gone from a spark to a roaring conflagration,” Terry Saban said. “This support from the state will ensure that the Saban Center will make a lasting impact on education.”
Saban Center: Uniting Science, Technology, Math and the Arts
The Saban Center will house two Tuscaloosa institutions:
- Tuscaloosa Children’s Theatre
- IGNITE (formerly the Tuscaloosa Children’s Hands-on Museum)
The state of the art facility will unite science, technology, engineering and math with the arts and outdoor recreation. It will also build the capacity of local and regional school districts, educate and inspire children to enter STEAM-related fields and improve STEM education in Alabama.
Working Together
“This community and our state, working together, have risen to the occasion to ensure that every child in Alabama has their shot at an American dream,” said Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox. “Success is never an accident, and it rarely happens in isolation. Today, the State joins the long list of partners in this effort, without whom this elite STEM center would not be possible.”
Thanks to the public-private partnership, the center, which is located on the site of the former Tuscaloosa News building, plans to open in 2026.
What do you think of the new Saban Center? Tell us on social media, by tagging us in the comments at @Thebamabuzz
