Before coming to St. Ursula Academy, Chelsey (Bentley) Holts ’09 attended Toledo Christian. Choosing SUA was a natural next step for her academic and personal growth. “The amazing academics were a big factor,” she explained. “At the time, it was a 99% acceptance rate to a higher ed institution, and my family knew I would be well prepared and supported to apply and get accepted to college. I also had such a great time during my shadow day. The girls were warm, confident, and kind, and the staff and teachers were welcoming.”

At SUA, Chelsey embraced both academics and activities. “I played lacrosse, contributed to the yearbook and The Arrow, and was a member of the National Honor Society,” she said. She was also a member of the St. John’s Jesuit Marching Titans Color Guard.

After graduation, Chelsey attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she double majored in journalism and religious studies. “After graduating from Carolina, I’ve worked in the PR/Comms field in several sectors, including automotive, entertainment, and agriculture,” she shared. “For the last six years, I’ve worked in higher education and have been at Carolina for four years. Currently, I serve as the Director of Content Strategy at Carolina and lead the teams responsible for our flagship social media and storytelling on unc.edu.”

Her work has had a profound impact on students. “At Carolina, I’ve worked on a lot of the safety communications that go out to students and have been able to encourage the team to adopt more frequent communication in emergencies, especially on social media,” she explained.

Chelsey also dedicates time to service and mentorship. “I serve on the alumni board of the Carolina Covenant, which is a full-paid scholarship to UNC for students whose families make under a certain amount. It’s been incredibly rewarding to mentor students and support them as they attend Carolina.” In addition, she launched a yearly marketing and communications conference during her time at North Carolina Central University. “It’s been wonderful to see students hone their skills and even get internships as a result! I did the conference for two years during my time at Central, and it’s been incredible to see it continue after I left the institution.”

When asked how she approaches challenges, Chelsey said, “I take a step back—to fully understand the problem and its root cause, or even—what needs to happen? The solution may come in a way I haven’t thought about before. I also like to look at things from multiple angles, sometimes drawing on past experiences, researching how others have solved similar issues, and often brainstorming with others.”

Looking back, her milestones remain meaningful. “Being the first in my family to graduate from college was a big moment!” she reflected. “I met my husband in college, we got married at our alma mater in 2017, and then welcomed our daughter Kallena, who is now five.”

Chelsey also treasures blending her personal passions with her career. “I’ve had the chance to work with a variety of music festivals, including Essence Fest, so being in a space where I can combine my love of music and marketing/comms strategy has been wonderful,” she said. “In addition, volunteering has been a big passion of mine since high school, so I love volunteering to help local foster children and the homeless here in NC.”

Chelsey’s time at SUA left her with a deep appreciation for her teachers and spiritual formation. “Mrs. Coolidge definitely pushed me to be a better writer—and reader,” she remembered. “Mrs. Rode, Mr. Shannon, Mrs. Dudley, Mr. Maas, and Mrs. Buehrer were incredible educators, and I loved their classes! I loved the Science and Religion class and the discussions we had—I think that motivated me to pursue religious studies as a major. Kairos was such a moving, beautiful experience that I’m glad I could participate in.”

Like many alumnae, Chelsey’s fondest memories include the sisterly spirit of intramurals. “Intramurals were so fun! I really loved each year’s theme. My junior year, our class was themed Jungle Juniors, and I had so much fun participating in the events and class dance.”

She shared a lighthearted fun fact: “I once auditioned for an Oscar Meyer commercial!”

Living the life you love while making a positive impact on your community is possible when you combine talents with passions. Chelsey is a true example of Arrows Making an Impact.