First year College of Saint Benedict soccer player Mollie Holte (Chanhassen, MN, American School of Doha) knew coming in to college that being a student athlete would be a lot of work. On top of soccer and school, Holte is a member of ROTC. This makes for quite the schedule.
Holte, a four sport athlete (soccer, cross country, hockey, rugby) in high school, stated, “So far, ROTC is going really well. It is a great place to experience what it means to part of something greater than yourself. I have met so many incredibly intelligent, hardworking, and selfless people through ROTC”. Holte went on to say, “I am amazed each day by the positive attitude and commitment that the cadets at Saint John's, Saint Ben's and Saint Cloud show towards their peers and country. From day one I have been welcomed into a family of individuals who have chosen a path of leadership and have committed to serving their country. I am grateful to have the opportunity to learn from the cadets here at Saint John's/Saint Ben's, and work along side them in our journey to become commissioned officers in the United States Army.”
“It’s a lot of work to be in ROTC, but the benefits defiantly outweigh the cons. I am able to get money to help pay for my education at this great university.” Holte continued, “if it wasn’t for the ROTC program, I would have a hard time paying for tuition. It is a great way to meet new people, and it’s fun to challenge yourself.”
Holte is a nursing major at CSB, and ROTC has a nursing program in place for people like Holte. ROTC will help prepare her for that field by giving her leadership and critical thinking abilities that she wouldn’t get with any other experience on campus. “I am excited to pursue nursing at St. Ben's. Although it will be challenging, I feel that I will learn a lot and be able to experience nursing in a special way at a liberal arts school. I feel so lucky to be able to be in classrooms with such experienced and intelligent professors and nurses.” Holte continued, “Also, it is very motivating to be in classes with nursing students because they are very hard working and are eager to learn. This kind of learning environment is inspiring for students and is part of what makes this such a well known program.”
For Holte’s Junior and Senior years of High School, she was able to be a part of an experience few people her age are able to. She lived in the Middle East, going to the school where her father teaches.
“Living in the middle east was an extremely life changing experience for me. I lived in Doha, Qatar for my junior and senior year of high school and attended the American School of Doha. My dad was a teacher there at a local school, and is now working at the Western Academy of Beijing in China. In the two years that I was in the Middle East, I was able to visit about 16 different countries for sports, family travel, or school events.”
Holte continued, “I went to school with people from all over the world and have developed strong friendships. Experiencing life immersed in a very unique culture is something that will forever be with me, and has forever changed my perspective. I feel so incredibly lucky that I had the opportunity to learn about different cultures in such a real way. It was surreal for me as a kid growing up on Minnesota, to go camping in the desert by the Arabian gulf, swim with jellyfish in 100 degree heat, hike in the omani mountains, learn arabic in school, and travel to Kuwait, Egypt and Abu Dhabi to play soccer, all at the same time of living the life of a normal high schooler finishing up homework each night. Everyday I was amazed by the people I went to class with who came from such extremely different backgrounds and brought so much to the table when it came to discussions”
On the soccer field, Holte is working hard to make a name for herself. Holte, a reserve on the CSB team, continues to see improvement in her ability with each practice and game.
“My first year of college soccer has been incredibly fun and rewarding. I have had a great experience with the players and coaches this year. It is so awesome to play with talented and experienced players because it is extremely helpful to learn from their example. Each player on the Blazer soccer team brings a positive aspect to the team, and the team chemistry is great. College soccer is competitive, hard work, and so much fun. It is a great way to create friendships and pursue goals.”
Being a student-athlete can be stressful at times, but knowing that you are a part of something with your teammates can make it all worth while. College is all about gaining experience for the future, and Holte is preparing herself well for what’s ahead, while enjoying every step along the way.