Manor College Graduate Seeks Lasting Impact, One Child at a Time

Aiden Holman (Nottingham High School North/Hamilton, NJ) graduates from Manor College with his Bachelor’s Degree in Child Development.

Under a cloudy, blue sky and the hot September sun, two of the greatest goalkeepers in Manor College history traded booming punts across the soccer field after practice.

Aiden Holman had already been a two-time USCAA All-American goalkeeper, but both he and John Dempster ‘99, Men’s Soccer Head Coach and former keeper, knew there were heights that Holman could still reach.

“One… little hop… BOOM. Just like that,” Dempster said.

Holman followed. He took two short steps before his right foot thumped the ball halfway down the pitch.

“Look at that!” Dempster yelled. “That’s it!”

Holman smiled. In a career filled with records and championships, this moment showed Holman the kind of person and educator he wants to be.

“We’d be here all day if I told you every little thing he’s done for me,” Holman said. “Having him by my side, it’s made a huge impact on me. He doesn’t have to do a lot of the things that he does, but he does it anyway.”

After receiving his Bachelor’s Degree in Child Development in May, Holman plans to work as a health and physical education teacher for younger children. For three years, he worked at a local day care facility with another Manor College alum, Brooke Strassle ‘24, who introduced him to the facility.

“I never thought I would be a preschool teacher and that job helped me with my future,” Holman said.

Holman brought himself to the same level as the children. He taught preschoolers the colors of the rainbow and how to write the letters in their names. In the same way Dempster yelled in excitement over the proper placement of a punt, Holman remained equally excited watching the preschoolers’ growth in the classroom.

“What will make him a great teacher and coach is his patience, determination and discipline,” Dempster said. “Aiden did all the things necessary to be great. He is the prime example of what a college student-athlete should be. His teammates trusted him and looked up to him, just like his future players and students will do.”

When those tangible moments occur, Holman remembers the words from one high school teacher.

“They said, ‘If you can impact at least one or two kids positively every year, I know I did my job,’” Holman said. “That stuck with me. If I can do that through teaching and coaching, I’d be a happy person.”

Holman’s greatest memories come from living in the dorms. Whether it was Strassle introducing him to a preschool or Aiden Tiblier to New Orleans culture, the dorms became a melting pot of cultures and experiences. It helped Holman, a self-described introvert, get involved on campus as a Presidential Ambassador, a Resident Assistant and a Men’s Volleyball player in addition to soccer.

His advice to future students is to force yourself out of your room and take in the college experience.

“Don’t get trapped in your dorm,” Holman said. “Of course, there’s days where you just want to sit in your room. That can’t be every day. There’s a group out there at Manor for everybody.”