THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 15, 1996 TAG: 9602140122
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SHIRLEY BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines
Christopher Holloway always has had an affinity for numbers.
``When other kids were playing guns or war, I played `bank' or Monopoly,'' he said with a smile. ``When I was in the third or fourth grade, I knew all the serial numbers on my money and kept the bills in order. If my mother changed $5 for five of my $1 bills, I always knew which ones were missing. It was a family joke.''
While Holloway excelled in math, his overall academic record throughout high school and college has been exceptional.
A recent graduate of Old Dominion University, Holloway, 23, posted a 4.0 cumulative grade-point average in financial management in the College of Business and Public Administration and was named Outstanding Scholar.
A student in ODU's Academic Honors Program, Holloway was on the dean's list every semester and won eight National College of Business merit awards and was named to the National Dean's List.
A member of several organizations at ODU, Holloway worked his way through college as a bookkeeper for The Finance Company in Norfolk. A part-time employee during semesters, he worked full-time on holidays and during the summers.
Although he always worked to maintain his straight ``A'' average, Holloway said he eventually learned to relax and ease up during the time he spent studying.
``I studied for hours . . . harder than I had to,'' the Holland resident said. ``No one ever put pressure on me, but I worried about grades. I put the pressure on myself. But I've always found that you can make a class enjoyable if you can find some way to make it interesting. If I could find one thing I liked, I could get through.''
The youngest of four children, Holloway arrived the same year his sister, Kathy H. Wiggins, graduated with honors from Churchland High School, and eight years after his older brother, John, was born.
``I never saw a woman who could read as many books as my mother,'' he said, ``and she read to us. If there was a word we didn't know, we had to look it up.''
Holloway said his parents, Marc and Lurlene Holloway, encouraged their children to do their best and never had trouble getting them to do their homework.
``We were extremely competitive siblings,'' Holloway said. ``The others did so well, I had to out-do them. The teachers at Suffolk Christian Schools always told me how well my brother, John, did.''
Today, John Holloway is a Portsmouth Police sergeant and only one thesis away from receiving a master's degree.
Although Holloway received several merit awards at Alliance Christian High School, he admits that he often used to hide his grades from classmates.
``I'd rather not be stereotyped as `the brain,' '' Holloway said, laughing. ``I've known people who were picked on. Fortunately, I was bigger than most.''
Holloway has a close relationship with his brother, Michael, who lives in Las Vegas and has a doctorate in civil engineering.
Before he moved to Nevada, Michael Holloway was a professor of civil engineering at Old Dominion.
``He helped me with projects,'' Holloway said. ``Later, I faxed him questions in calculus that I couldn't figure out. He'd send them back with an answer and solutions.''
In the beginning, Holloway planned to earn a bachelor's degree in business and attend law school.
``That's where I was headed, but then, I had second thoughts,'' he said. ``I took a finance class and liked it. I enjoyed working with stocks and bonds.''
In the past, Holloway has tutored students at Alliance Christian Church on a voluntary basis.
``I worked with those who needed help, but also those who needed to be challenged.,'' he said. ``I had two seventh-grade algebra students who were two years ahead of anybody in math.''
Holloway recently applied for a $7,000 scholarship and plans to enroll in ODU in the fall to pursue a master's degree. He and his fiancee, Susan Spears, who have known each other since elementary school, plan to be married in a year or two.
After completing his education, Holloway plans to seek employment with a federal savings bank and hopes to remain in the Suffolk area. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Christopher Holloway admits, ``When other kids were playing guns or
war, I played `bank' or Monopoly.''
by CNB