The Eller College Welcomes Kaylin Holden, Lecturer of Business Communications
Kaylin Holden is one of the Business Communications Department’s newest lecturers. She began her role in August 2024 and had been working as an adjunct lecturer since 2022. Prior to joining the Eller family, she held various roles at the University of Arizona.
“I previously served as the manager of HR and compliance within the Athletics Department, where I oversaw policy education, Title IX compliance, strategic planning, and personnel operations and performance,” says Holden. “Prior to that, I served as a program coordinator for the THINK TANK Writing Center, where I helped to restructure all program operations and developed a multi-tiered writing tutor training curriculum.”
Preceding that, Holden worked in elementary education. Even before that, she was a professional athlete, competing in volleyball overseas.
Holden already had a busy full-time role on the U of A campus when the opportunity arose to adjunct lecture in the Business Communication department. She was excited to return to Eller, where she earned her MBA, and says it was especially meaningful because the skills she learned in her Business Communication classes remain the most salient, tangible and useful tools that she continues to use every single day as a professional.
“I was thrilled at the chance to provide these same skills to undergraduate students just starting their academic and professional journeys,” she says, adding, “I loved adjuncting, and when a full-time position opened up, it felt like the perfect time to make the transition. This role has allowed me to dive deeper into teaching and have a greater impact on students. Being able to support them as they develop essential communication skills has been incredibly fulfilling. I’m grateful for the chance to contribute to their journeys in such a practical and meaningful way.”
Holden’s role as a lecturer in the Business Communication department allows her to guide students through the fundamentals of professional writing and effective workplace communication. She focuses on teaching students how to craft clear, concise messages tailored to various business contexts.
“In each class, I try to integrate real-world examples and emerging technology, like AI, to help create practical learning experiences,” she says. “By showing how these tools influence communication in professional settings, I aim to make the material relevant and engaging, giving students a deeper understanding of the skills they’ll need in an evolving workplace.”
Holden says that her primary aim is to equip students with tools they can carry into any future job and so many facets of life. She wants them to leave her class with practical skills and a realistic understanding of professional expectations so they feel prepared and confident as they move forward. It’s important to her that they see how the skills covered in class apply directly to the kinds of challenges and opportunities they’ll encounter in their careers.
“Before I teach, I reflect on this goal and remind both myself and my students that, while they may not use every piece of lecture material in their daily lives, the skills of problem-solving and critical thinking, which are woven into their many courses here at the U of A, will always be relevant,” she says. “If I can help them build a mindset that embraces these skills—making them adaptable and thoughtful professionals—then I feel I’ve truly done my job.”
In her spare time, Holden loves relieving her glory days on the volleyball court when she gets the chance, though she admits she doesn’t get to play as much as she used to. She also loves watching all kinds of sports as well as indulging in a wide range of genres of books with her book club. She has a passion for interior decorating and has fun giving her home a little seasonal refresh, which she says keeps things interesting and gives her a way to celebrate each time of year.