Central Connections

Emery Holland ’29 | Casselton, North Dakota
Major: Business with a concentration in Project Management
Minor: Supply Chain Management

Please tell us about yourself.

I’m a sophomore majoring in business with a concentration in project management and a minor in supply chain management. I’m from Casselton, North Dakota, and graduated from Central Cass in Spring 2025.

Outside of the classroom, I’m an active member of the women’s cross country and track teams. I’m also part of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, collaborating with fellow student-athletes to coordinate events like the Golden Cobbs, organize volunteer opportunities, and foster a positive environment for all 22 of Concordia’s varsity athletic teams. I also enjoy serving as a student ambassador, welcoming prospective students and their families to campus while giving tours and sharing my favorite parts of Concordia.

In my free time, I enjoy attending Letters of Love meetings to create cards for children in the hospital, participating in Cobber Crafts, and cheering on my classmates and friends at sporting events. I also love taking part in the Campus Events Commission activities with my friends. CEC hosts a variety of fun and free events throughout the year, including some of my favorites like Build-A-Bear stuffing, silent discos, movie nights, and scavenger hunts.

How did you hear about Concordia and what made you decide to attend?

Back in my sophomore year of high school, I had the opportunity to tour Concordia’s campus. It was a chance for me to see the Offutt School of Business up close and meet the OSB dean, Chris Mason. At that point, I hadn’t visited many colleges, but Concordia left a strong impression. The campus was beautiful, and the warm, welcoming vibe made it seem like everyone knew each other.

What stood out to me was the size of the classrooms and the student participation in the classes we visited. Students were actively engaged in discussions, asking questions, and giving presentations. I learn best in hands-on, interactive environments, so seeing that level of participation immediately stood out. It was completely different from other colleges I had visited, where the classrooms were massive lecture halls with little opportunity for students to interact. It showed me that Concordia offers a learning environment where every student’s voice matters.

During my junior and senior years at Central Cass, I was introduced to our new cross country coach, Marv Roeske. He was one of the best coaches I have ever had because he genuinely cared about every one of his athletes, both on and off the course. I soon learned that coaching our high school team was just a “side job” and that he was the head coach of women’s track and field at Concordia.

Marv told many stories about Concordia, and I could tell he truly thought the world of the college. With each story he told, I could tell it had the close-knit community I wanted for myself someday. Through his connection, I met the cross country head coach, Maddie Van Beek, and all the cross country athletes when she invited me on campus for a tour.

I got to see what a day in the life of a Concordia student-athlete was like. That experience is how I made my decision to choose Concordia. The team was very close and had a great sense of community, which was unlike anything I had seen at any other college I visited, and I wanted to be a part of it.

What inspired you to choose project management and supply chain management as your areas of study?

To be honest, I didn’t know what to major in because I have always had an interest in both education and business.

I thought education could be a path for me because I have always enjoyed learning, my parents are both teachers, and I have had many influential teachers in high school and at Concordia. However, I really enjoyed all the business classes I took in both high school and college. 

In high school, I was involved in DECA, where I had the opportunity to compete in project management and placed first internationally in the Project Management Community Giving category. That experience sparked my interest in project management and showed me how much I enjoy working through a project, solving problems, and seeing an idea come together.

How do you see project management and supply chain management working together in your future career?

As I explored different career paths, I also had the opportunity to visit with several mentors who helped me better understand my options. Jonathan Warrey, a business leader, technology executive, and member of the North Dakota House of Representatives from Casselton, was especially helpful in discussing my interests and helping me see how project management and supply chain management could work well together in a future career. 

Project management focuses on planning and completing a project, while supply chain management makes sure that the resources, people, and processes needed to accomplish that goal are in place. Having an understanding of both will allow me to look at the bigger picture while also understanding the details that make a project successful. I’m excited to continue learning about both areas and see where they can take me in my future career.

What skills or lessons that you’ve learned as a Cobber student-athlete have helped you in the classroom?

One of the most important things about training as a distance runner is consistency. Not every run or practice is going to be easy, but it is important to still show up and get the work done every day to better yourself and succeed in your goals. I’ve learned that consistency is also important in the classroom. You aren’t going to be motivated about every single assignment, but it is important to keep showing up and putting effort in.

Being a student-athlete has taught me that success does not happen overnight. Success comes from the little things, like running the extra mile at practice, keeping a positive mindset when things get tough, or studying and staying on top of assignments. What I have learned from being an athlete has helped push me in the classroom to do my best and be consistent with studying and my assignments.

How do you balance athletics, academics, and other activities?

Balancing athletics, academics, and my other activities definitely keeps me busy, but it has taught me lots of time management and organizational skills that I believe will be very helpful in my future. The main thing that I started doing in college to organize my schedule was to start using a planner. Setting reminders in my phone wasn’t cutting it anymore, and now I use a paper calendar, as well as a digital one.

One thing I’ve learned is that the little moments between classes, practices, and other activities can be really valuable. Even having just 30 minutes to an hour of free time can make a difference, and it doesn’t always have to be spent scrolling on my phone. If I use those open slots throughout the day wisely, I can get a lot done.

I started thinking about my time this way after an activity in my wellness class with Dr. Stefanie Meyer, where we mapped out our hourly schedule of a typical day. I realized that I actually had more free time than I thought. Instead of letting those moments go to waste, I could use them to study, do my homework, or prepare for practice. Doing this has helped me become more intentional with my time and gives me more time to myself.

Concordia was home.

What do you enjoy most about being on the Concordia track and field and cross country teams?

My favorite thing about being on Concordia’s track and field and cross country teams is that from the moment I first arrived on campus, I felt like I had a built-in support system. Everyone was so welcoming, and they helped me realize Concordia was home.

Another thing that I enjoy about being on the teams is my distance coach, Maddie Van Beek. I could not believe the individual amount of attention she gives to all of her athletes. She takes so much time to do check-ins with everyone and not just about running. She truly cares about what is going on in our lives and is always a listening ear and a shoulder to lean on.

Maddie is the glue of our team, and I think it’s so special that we get the privilege of having a coach who is so enthusiastic to share her love of running with us. She pushes us to be our best but also is quick to remind us that we are more than our times or a bad race. Having a coach that cares so deeply about her athletes has made being a student-athlete at Concordia very rewarding and fun.

Have you had any professors or mentors at Concordia that have supported your journey so far?

There are so many amazing people at Concordia who have guided me in the right direction and have always looked out for me since I first arrived on campus. Of course, my coaches, Maddie Van Beek and Marv Roeske, but if I had to pick one professor, it would be my business professor, Leann Wolff.

My first semester at Concordia, I had the privilege of having Leann Wolff as my Ethics and Leadership professor. At that point, I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to major in. During the year, some of my classmates and I sat down and had a conversation with her. She told us about the various jobs that she has had throughout her career and the path that led her to consulting. She explained to us that she loves consulting and that she has found her passion.

This put my mind at ease knowing that plans can change and it will all work out. It was a great reminder that I don’t need to have my entire future planned out right now, and I can continue to explore even after graduation. Although I learned a lot about business ethics in her class, I feel like I learned just as much about life. She shared her business experiences with us and gave us so many real-world ethics examples. Her passion for teaching and business gave me the nudge I needed to explore business and see the careers that would fit me.

What are you most looking forward to this year?

This year, I am looking forward to taking more classes focused on my major. Last year, I took a lot of general courses I needed because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to major in yet.

Outside of academics, I’m eager to attend campus events and take part in community activities. Concordia has such a vibrant atmosphere, and I want to take in all the experiences it has to offer. From cheering at sports games with my teammates to exploring Fargo-Moorhead with friends, I’m looking forward to making this an amazing year!

What advice would you give to a high school student who is considering Concordia?

A piece of advice I would give is to look for a school where you are more than just a number — one that fosters a true sense of belonging and community.

My deciding factor in choosing Concordia was how caring the professors are, which I heard from the students I talked to and learned firsthand during my freshman year. I experienced what it’s like being in a small classroom where the professors want to get to know you and are willing to go the extra mile to help.

All of my professors know my name and have taken the time to get to know me and what interests I have. If I ever need to be gone for track or cross country, I just let them know, and they are always willing to work around my schedule if I am missing something. Not only that, but they are excited to hear about how I did when I return to class. This showed me that they didn’t just care about my grade or academics, but they genuinely wanted to know how I was doing. All of my professors are invested in my success inside and out of the classroom and make me feel very supported.

One other thing I would encourage students to consider when looking at Concordia is that there are so many opportunities for scholarships and financial aid that can make a big difference in the overall cost. There are scholarships available in many different areas, as well as other forms of financial assistance for those who qualify. Once you take those opportunities into account, the cost of attending Concordia can be much more comparable to other universities than you might initially think. For me, it was definitely worth taking the time to apply and see what opportunities were available!

Is there anything else you’d like to share about your Concordia experience?

Another thing I love about Concordia is that even though the campus is smaller and everyone knows everyone, it is located in a big city with all the amenities you could ask for. Shopping, concerts, amazing restaurants, and so many other things are just minutes away, so you really get the best of both worlds. You get a small campus with personalized instruction and a strong sense of community, while still having all of the excitement and opportunities of a bigger city.

^{Published September 2026}