News
Student Spotlight: Holly Thompson ‘26 (Communication)
Rising above the crowd at 6'3", Holly Thompson '26 is making her mark both on and off the court at our university. The Communication major from Middleborough, England, brings international flair to the Women's Volleyball team as a middle blocker. A two-time ECC Commissioner's Honor Roll recipient (2022, 2023), Thompson proves she's as dedicated to academic excellence as she is to athletics. Between her commitment to the volleyball team and her active involvement in campus clubs, this dynamic student-athlete embodies the spirit of well-rounded excellence. We sat down with Holly to learn more about her journey from England to becoming a key player in our university community.
The Women’s Volleyball team (Holly is #6 in the back row)
How will your Roberts education help you reach those goals?
I am also minoring in marketing, so these classes, alongside my communication classes, put me in a good position to pretty much do any line of work!
What is the best thing about studying your major?
We are a very small major on campus, so all of our classes are the same group of students, and we all get to bond and dive deeper into subjects. Dr. Berry, the head of communication, brings such a strong perspective to the coursework, and it is something I look forward to daily. Dr. Berry challenges us to not only excel in the classroom but to put what we are learning into practice.
What course (so far) has been your favorite, and what do you love most about it?
My two favorite classes so far have been Introduction to Oral Communications and Oral Interpretation. These were two classes where public speaking was the priority, including speaking in chapel and delivering a reading of a poem of our choosing. I used to fear public speaking, but these classes changed my perspective on the subject. Now I love being able to do the thing communication majors love the most… Talk!
How do you serve others?
I do a lot of on-campus work. I am currently a tour guide and have worked with the Bell Program for the past two years. On top of all that, I am involved in many on-campus clubs, including Global Club, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Woman Empowerment, The Hidden Opponent, and African Student Union. I wanted to be more involved in my junior year, so I really dove deep into my campus involvement and found out that being able to build community with my peers is amazing.
Holly Thompson (right) with fellow tour guide Maia Lavaigne
Holly (far right) with BELL Program students
On the court I pride myself in being the teammate that makes practice fun and always being there for people on and off the court. I want people to know that if they feel alone, they will always have me.
Holly (left) with teammate Jaycee Karelus
Share about the Smash The Stigma event from your perspective and why you wanted to be part of this?
I found The Hidden Opponent, a non-profit organization that advocates for athletes' mental health, during my freshman year when I was in a bad spot mentally due to sports. My best friend back home told me to check it out, and ever since then, The Hidden Opponent has really helped me with the mental side of the sport. I have been working on developing my positive strong mindset, and if I needed it, then other people might too. I want to “smash” the thought of keeping mental health struggles to yourself, and I want people to know that people do love them no matter their sports performance, it doesn’t define you at all.
I was also part of organizing Roberts’ first-ever “Smash the Stigma” event for its student-athletes on Oct.26 (which was National Pumpkin Day). At the event, student-athletes smashed over 100 pumpkins to show support for their own and their teammates' and peers' mental health and ultimately smash the bias of mental health – in the classroom, in the gym, on the court, in the field, and out in their communities. The Wellness Center provided mental health resources and giveaways to support ongoing awareness of mental health and resources.
What advice would you give to incoming freshmen?
Give everything a try, you never know what you might like. And surround yourself with an amazing support system, no matter what we all go through, having people to get you out of a negative mindset is a godsend.
Global Club
What is your favorite thing about Rochester?
My family and I always tried to find cute little places back home, even if it was a cool coffee shop. My favorite thing about Rochester would be all the cool little places you can find. A couple of my teammates and I just went to a local coffee shop, Pearson’s, to do homework and it was nice to get all dressed up cute and take pics and do homework with friends off campus.
What academic or professional accomplishments are you most proud of?
I would say my work with The Hidden Opponent, even though it is early and nowhere finished, has shown me I have the power to make a difference.
If you could help everyone understand one thing, what would it be and why?
Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, it's a sign of strength. Everyone on this campus is genuine, from staff in general, dining hall employees, Debbie at the welcome desk in Admissions, the mailroom workers, student-athletes, and professors, to name a few, if they find out someone is struggling, they will step up for them.
Faculty Feedback
“My regular contact with Holly is primarily as her advisor and professor, but I also see her as a "campus cheerleader" who is always on the move—and never without her phone. She is an active participant in the classroom, where a very important aspect of education is encountering and learning from the richness of diverse student perspectives. Holly contributes significantly to that classroom richness with her communicative personality and her British background, from which both Communication majors and class members with other majors benefit. Three Cheers, Holly!”
- Dean, School of Arts & Humanities, Professor of Communication, Dr. Elvera Berry
“Holly is a joy to have in class. She is performing at a high level while working four, yes, four jobs. This says a lot about her character. She will go far.”
-Associate Professor of Marketing William Todd
Coach Comments
“Holly is the teammate that strives to make practice fun. She makes it a point to be there for teammates whenever the need arises. Holly’s creativity in assisting with our social media has been a great asset for our program!”
-Women’s Volleyball Coach Andy Braun
Spotlight Summary
Holly has transformed every challenge into an opportunity for growth. She's found more than just her rhythm on campus—she's become a natural setter, connecting fellow students with resources and sharing her Roberts story with prospective freshmen. Looking back at her journey, those early hurdles now feel like nothing more than practice serves that helped perfect her game. These days, when you spot Holly on campus, you'll see someone standing confident and prepared, exactly like her teammates on the volleyball court: six up and ready for anything that comes her way.