Adam Holden Had the Greatest Week Ever

Management senior wins Soapbox Derby and Homecoming King

By Maya Hicks
_{Staff Writer, Marketing and Communications}
^{McCoy College of Business}

SAN MARCOS, Texas — A week of fun university events and competitions ended in splendor for Adam Holden as he was crowned Homecoming King on Saturday, Oct. 22.

“I was not expecting to win at all, but man, I’m glad I did,” said Holden. “There was a whole lot of love in that stadium. It was awesome,” said Holden.

Holden is currently a senior, earning his degree in management with a concentration in human resources, but his involvement on campus is almost legendary.

He served as the Student Director for Texas State Pride and Traditions Camp (also known as Cat Camp) this past summer.

“We got to welcome first-year students and help them learn about the resources Texas State has to offer while helping them build connections with current students and other incoming students. In general, just helping them feel more confident with the transition.”

Having worked at Cat Camp two summers before that as a counselor, he felt suited for the role. “I absolutely love doing Cat Camp and getting to meet all the new students.”

He also currently serves as the vice president of the McCoy College of Business Ambassadors. “We focus on bringing awareness to the school of business, and when donors or incoming students come in, we explain to them what it’s like to be a student in McCoy College and how great it is.”

On top of all of this, he is starting a position this coming semester as the operations chair for Bobcat Build, the largest service project organized by Texas State students every academic year. “It’s the second-largest service project in the state, and I get to be a part of it, which is awesome.”

In the days leading up to Saturday’s football game, Holden participated in numerous Homecoming Week events on campus.

“The first thing was Taco Throwdown on Monday with the McCoy College Ambassadors, where you have to try and eat 10 tacos in 10 minutes,” said Holden. “I got to number eight and then I couldn’t do it but I watched the guy next to me finish with like two minutes to spare and I think they caught a photo of me looking at him like, ‘Wow.’”

On Tuesday, he attended the talent show where he received his certificate for making Homecoming Court. “The love that I received at the talent show when they called my name, and having other students cheer for [me] and take [my] photo and ask to take photos with [me] was so cool.”

The last event before the game was the Soapbox Derby. Holden represented the McCoy Ambassadors as the driver, and it was his favorite event of the week. 

“We got second place last year,” he said, “so I was really gunning for first this year, and we won! It was an awesome experience. All my adrenaline kicked in and I was really in competition mode.”

The Soapbox Derby is Texas State’s longest standing tradition, and Holden felt honored to be involved in this unique experience.

The ultimate moment of Holden’s whole week came when he got to walk on the field at Bobcat Stadium on Saturday afternoon as a member of the Homecoming Court. “The whole time I was just taking it all on,” he said. “I started to walk on the field, before they even called my name, and I could feel my heart beating out of my chest.”

As they called his name, Holden felt like he could fall over from excitement, as the crowd cheered his name, and parents, students, alumni, and young kids asked to take pictures with him.

“Being able to represent the university like that, even if it was just for a day, is something I’ll truly always be grateful for,” he said. “I wasn’t even going to run at first, but my friends told me that this is something I needed to do, and they were right. The support that they put behind me made me feel like, ‘Yeah, we did it,’ and it made me realize that this is something much bigger than just myself.”

He hopes to inspire other students to step out of their comfort zone, and to open themselves up to everything that Texas State has to offer. “I want to encourage everybody to try something new. Coming in as a freshman, I never thought that I would be Homecoming King my senior year, and the only reason I’m here is because I was willing to step out and try some new experiences.” ✯

For more information, email Twister Marquiss, manager of marketing and communications for the McCoy College of Business, at twister@txstate.edu.

About the McCoy College of Business
Established in 1970, Texas State’s business school officially became the McCoy College of Business in 2004 following a donation of $20 million by Emmett and Miriam McCoy. The college, which offers classes in both San Marcos and Round Rock, is accredited by AACSB in both business and accounting, and has graduated nearly 42,000 alumni.