Claudia Bornholdt, Ph.D., dean of the Thomas W. and Robin W. Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts at Coastal Carolina University, was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award and named 2023 Music Educator of the Year for her support of women in music and the arts by the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame (WSHOF). Bornholdt attended the awards ceremony on June 24 in Washington, D.C. Other honorees included Olivia Newton John, Toni Basil, and Scherrie Payne.

“Having received this recognition for my support of the arts is a great honor,” said Bornholdt. “Songwriters bring together the humanities and the arts in a special way because songwriting is about telling a story. It is such a privilege to be able to support our talented students and all songwriters in finding their voices. I accepted the award on behalf of our dedicated faculty, who help our students develop their skills and foster their creativity. I am looking forward to hearing more of our students’ great work in the future.”

During her tenure as dean of the Edwards College, Bornholdt has been an advocate and facilitator for multiple new music-focused programs and initiatives. She led the fundraising campaign that surpassed $100,000 to send more than 80 student musicians to London to participate in the London New Year’s Day Parade 2023. Under her leadership, CCU has received designation as a Steinway campus and added two new Steinway Model D Spirio grand pianos to its collection. Bornholdt secured a partnership between CCU and Varna International that allowed CCU to host the 2022 Varna International Music Academy, which presented opera and chamber music performances on campus and along the Grand Strand. CCU’s Department of Music recently launched a new Center for Group Voice Pedagogy and Research, which works to advance the field of group-voice pedagogy through innovative research, professional development, and community engagement. Bornholdt accompanied a group of CCU students to visit the WSHOF in 2022, and students in the music department recently formed a Women Songwriters Club.

Established in 2021 to honor the legacy of women in the music industry, the WSHOF celebrates women songwriters as well as performers, educators, and scholars. It also serves as a resource for developing new songwriting talent through workshops, showcases, and scholarship.

For more information, contact Sara Sobota in the Edwards College at 843-349-2507.