Balancing Athletics, Academics and Ambition, Jessica Holler Built Her Own Definition of Success

For Jessica Holler, college became a lesson in resilience, discipline and learning to define success on her own terms.

A first-generation college student from Barnegat, Holler graduates from Montclair with a degree in Political Science and a minor in English. Throughout her four years, she balanced the demands of academics with a rigorous schedule as a student-athlete, competing on both the university Dance Team and Track and Field team while also participating in community-focused work and preparing for her future in law.

“My favorite part of being at Montclair State University, aside from the connections I made and what I learned, was being on the Track and Field team,” Holler says. “I learned to manage being a student-athlete during stressful times while also creating amazing friendships and bonds.”

Excelling in Competition and in the Classroom

Athletics became one of the defining parts of Holler’s college experience. During her freshman and sophomore years, she competed on the Dance Team, helping the team earn both state and national titles, while also competing in track and field.

Although she had participated in track for more than a decade, Holler challenged herself to try a new event during her junior year: the heptathlon, one of the sport’s most demanding multi-event competitions. In her first season competing, she earned All-Conference honors, placed third in the conference championship, recorded the second-highest score in school history and qualified for regional competition.

This past indoor season, Holler continued to make her mark, ranking among the top performers in program history in both the 60-meter hurdles and pentathlon.

Holler says one of her proudest accomplishments has been recognizing her own growth throughout college and learning to appreciate the work she has put into her goals.

“It’s so easy to criticize yourself and demand more,” she says. “But if you gave it everything you had, then whatever result you get is a success.”

Finding Purpose Through Political Science

Holler chose Political Science because of her long-term goal of attending law school. Pairing the major with a minor in English allowed her to strengthen both her understanding of political systems and her writing skills.

A particularly meaningful experience came in Advanced Public Policy Analysis with Fanny Lauby, where students worked on developing policy solutions for real-world issues affecting communities in New Jersey.

“We experienced for ourselves what policymakers actually do,” Holler says. “This was meaningful to me because it exposed me to a possible career path early on.”

She also credits faculty mentors including Kevin Wronko, Ian Drake, Fanny Lauby and Yoshira Macías Mejía with helping shape her academic journey through their mentorship, enthusiasm and support.

“One thing I learned from my time in CHSS and at Montclair State that will stick with me is that I have so many people in my corner supporting me,” she says.

Learning Through Service

Outside of athletics and academics, Holler also dedicated time to tutoring fifth-grade students through the Ignite teaching fellowship program. Four mornings a week before class, she worked with students on math lessons and helped build their confidence in the classroom.

“That was an amazing experience,” she says. “I loved being able to help the kids I worked with.”

The experience taught her adaptability, communication and time management, skills she says will continue to benefit her long after graduation.

Looking Ahead

This summer, Holler plans to take the LSAT and begin applying to law schools as she prepares for the next chapter of her academic and professional journey.

Looking back, she says college taught her that success is not about perfection, but about persistence, growth and continuing forward even through challenges.

Quoting Vincent van Gogh, Holler reflects on a lesson she will carry with her beyond graduation: “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.”

For Holler, those small things — practices, assignments, friendships, setbacks and accomplishments — ultimately came together to shape a college experience defined by determination and growth.