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Carly (Holboke) Connolly '17 found opportunity at Dominican and ran with it. She balanced a busy athletic schedule on the women’s basketball team with multiple internships and campus leadership roles. Throughout her four years, she made career-shaping connections with faculty, staff, and classmates. 

In her senior year, Carly was selected to lead a social media campaign for a national student voter engagement initiative led by Dominican in association with the Commission on Presidential Debates. This work resulted in an invitation for Carly to attend the October 2016 presidential debate at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Fast-forward eight years, and Carly is excelling as a sales leader with Cisco—a career path that began thanks to Dominican’s alumni network. 

Recently, she presented to 20,000 people at Cisco GSX, a milestone she can link back to her Dominican experience.

“Dominican helped shape me into who I am today. It gave me the foundation and confidence to succeed in my career, provided opportunities and paths to grow, and gave me lifelong friends that I still hold close today.”

Q: You recently presented to 20,000 people at Cisco GSX—an incredible milestone. What was that experience like, and in what ways did your time at Dominican—whether through your coursework, mentors, or community—help build the skills and confidence to step into such a moment?

A: It was an amazing experience and an honor to speak on stage during GSX. It was exciting getting to speak about something I'm so passionate about—AI tools and making sellers' day-to-day tasks more efficient so that we can better support our customers. I built my foundation at Dominican, where I found the confidence to speak to an arena-sized crowd. Dominican provided countless opportunities for me through classes and internships to develop these skills and know that I am capable of doing anything.

Q: You came to Dominican to play NCAA Division II basketball. How did your background as a student-athlete prepare you for your future career?

A: As a student-athlete, I learned how to juggle a busy schedule and strive for success, whether playing basketball or in the classroom. It instilled discipline into my day-to-day and taught me to keep moving forward through adversity. Turning to sales as a career felt natural because I could be competitive with myself, challenging myself to hit my quotas and support my customers. Now, as a Sales Leader, I use those skills to coach my team, providing guidance and feedback and helping them to grow as sellers.

Q: As a business major, what skills did you gain at Dominican that continue to serve you well as a professional?

A: The business major at Dominican does a great job at teaching students all areas of business - from finance to marketing to economics. Going into my professional career, I knew where I wanted to go because I'd had the opportunity to dip my toes into a little bit of everything. I think that's extremely valuable to students so that they can learn different areas of business and learn what they like best. I minored in leadership, which has helped me become a successful Sales Leader at Cisco. I use those skills every day.

Q: Dominican is a small school with a strong focus on mentorship and guidance. How did Dominican support you as an undergraduate?

A: Dominican is a smaller school, so they do a fantastic job of providing real-world experience and mentorship opportunities around the area. I was able to make genuine connections in multiple areas of business so that I could truly see what I liked best in the business world. I think I did around four or five internships throughout my four years at Dominican, and I had mentors helping me every step of the way.

Q: Looking back, what were the most impactful experiences at Dominican?

A: I enjoyed the smaller school aspect of Dominican. I knew my professors personally and could ask them for help or guidance. This was important to me because I built genuine relationships with all my professors, which not all universities offer. The community is supportive of one another, and there is always someone in your corner.

Q: What are your fondest memories of Dominican – and Marin?

A: Some of my favorite memories at Dominican were the yearly Midnight Madness kick-off events at the Conlan Center to celebrate the beginning of the basketball season. I also always enjoyed the yearly Thanksgiving meal, where we all came together in Caleruega. Those were always special nights. I fell in love with Marin and its beauty, as well as the local communities—I'm still here over a decade later.

Q: Do you stay in touch with your former teammates and classmates?  Have you returned to campus?

A: Yes, absolutely. My best friends are those I met at Dominican or who were on the basketball team with me. Since I still live close to campus, I do get the pleasure of coming back for events a few times a year or even taking a quick drive down Acacia when I pass through town.

Q: Your internships at Dominican included working as a social media intern for Dominican’s marketing department, on the College Debate 2016 voter engagement initiative. You also attended the October 2016 presidential debate. What are your memories of that time?

A: Interning for College Debate 2016 is something I'll remember for the rest of my life. It was so fulfilling getting to connect with fellow college students around the country, engage with them about the election, and help increase voter registrations. We wanted to ensure that college students felt their voices were heard during the election and could speak about their ideas and thoughts. Knowing that I was a part of that is something I'll always value.

Q: What did you do immediately after Dominican? How has your career progressed?

A: After Dominican, I began working as an Account Executive for Dibble & Dibble — a product and promotional marketing firm. I had been interning there my senior year and was very excited to step into a full-time role upon graduation. I spent a few years there before moving on to technology sales and joining Cisco Meraki. I got introduced to Cisco Meraki through our alumni network (go Dominican!) and spent the first two years as an Account Executive. I knew I wanted to move into a leadership role, as that's always been a passion of mine, so about three years ago, I moved into a Regional Sales Manager role for Cisco, which is where I am today. I manage a team of Cisco sellers for the West.

Q: What advice would you give to student-athletes on their own Dominican journey?

A: My advice would be to find a routine and a balance that works for you. Being a student-athlete is an incredible and busy time. Find a balance between getting your studies done and focusing on classes so that you can perform your best on the field or the court. Take advantage of the resources that Dominican offers you because I wouldn't be where I am today without them.