Future food marketer and lacrosse ace at the top of her game

The lacrosse champion has an Elite Sports Scholarship and a Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship for Excellence, which will both be invaluable as she looks to fulfil her future goals as an athlete and gain a Bachelor of Agribusiness and Food Marketing that could eventually take her overseas.

Born in Christchurch, Katie was eight when she and her family moved north to Cambridge following the Canterbury earthquakes. She spent her high school years at the Waikato Diocesan School for Girls, where she really honed her lacrosse skills after being "thrown in the deep end playing in the premier grade in year 9 while the rest of my friends played in the juniors".

Taking part in her first U15 rep tournament that year, Katie continued to shine in Waikato rep teams all the way through high school.

"I was also lucky enough to captain the Waikato Dio A team for two years and last year, we made our first ever trip to NSS where we placed fifth and made history," she said.

Katie Hollands representing New Zealand at the Australian National Championships in Adelaide.

In another big 2022 sporting moment, Katie was selected to play in the New Zealand U18 team, placing fourth in Adelaide’s national tournament. 

Now that she’s on the Elite Sports Scholarship programme, which is designed to prepare sporting champions for future success, she’s looking to make the New Zealand U20 team next year and compete in the Hong Kong World Cup.  

"Hopefully, I’ll continue my career as an athlete for a little while after this."

The talented sportswoman is also clear on where she wants to end up after completing her degree.

When seeking out her perfect study programme, she landed on the Bachelor of Agribusiness and Food Marketing, which involves several of her favourite subjects, including economics and food technology.

I am really interested in the job opportunities that will become available to me when I finish studying, such as working in the marketing sector for a large New Zealand owned food company.

Due to a love of travelling, she hopes to head further afield for work at some point, "whether I go on trips to market New Zealand goods or find a job overseas".

"In the long term, I would love to eventually own a business involved in the food sector of the economy."

Katie’s decision to attend Lincoln was a "last-minute one", but now that she’s made it, she couldn’t be more grateful.

"Being born and raised in Christchurch, studying down here was always something that interested me, as I love the city and have heaps of family down here," she said.

"At first, I was torn between multiple degrees at different universities but then I became really interested in the Bachelor of Agribusiness and Food Marketing.

"I began talking to my mum, who used to work at Lincoln, and one of my friends who studied here. Both had great things to say. I also loved the idea that Lincoln is a comparatively smaller university and is a community where students and staff get to know each other really well."

To seal the deal, Katie was offered the two scholarships just before making her final decision.

"Scholars at Lincoln are given many great opportunities, including taking part in a special orientation, which is an awesome way to learn new skills and meet like-minded people. I decided on Lincoln very quickly after considering all these factors and am very glad I did."

Double scholar Katie Hollands is well placed for success in both academia and sport.