Kara Stark is not afraid to take a chance. Some may recall her diving into the Concordia Lip Sync Challenge as just a freshman with her rendition of “Let It Snow!” Then as a sophomore this past academic year, Stark one-upped herself.
Where did you say you did your internship at? Oh that’s cute. Kara Stark did hers at THE WHITE HOUSE. The opportunity kept Stark out of spring volleyball practice, but it was just too good to pass up.
“If you can travel to Nebraska from Texas and if you can travel to Washington, D.C., from Nebraska, you’re setting yourself up to be a functioning adult,” said head volleyball coach Ben Boldt. “That’s the type of thing we hope is provided for our kids. So many times we get stuck in a bubble and we live our lives inside that bubble. Being able to get outside of that is really going to help her develop as a person.”
An internship in D.C. seems like the perfect way to bust through a bubble. Let’s just get it out of the way quickly. Yes, Stark did meet President Donald Trump. The 45th president of the United States posed for a photo at The White House with Stark and the rest of the roughly 80 interns who spent the bulk of this past semester working there.
A native of Frisco, Texas, (just north of Dallas), Stark had never been to D.C. until finding her way there in January. For three months, she lived in intern housing on Capitol Hill, rode the Metro from place to place and worked in the management office as part of the executive office of the president. At times there were “high profile people in the administration” that would give talks to the group of interns.
Says Stark, “It wasn’t a ton of glamorous things, just a lot of projects and programs and lots of communication with the other offices.”
Beyond learning how such an office operates, Stark gained new perspectives on her own life and what her future path might look like. The history and English major discovered greater clarity and found that “there’s so much more out there than I realized.”
Added Stark, “It was definitely overwhelming. I’m from Texas so being at Concordia I’m used to being far from home, but this was a different kind of being far from home. Concordia is easily like a second home and D.C. is so much bigger. It was a good kind of overwhelming. I really enjoyed being thrown into it. Every day was a different day. To be able to try a little bit of everything was really cool.”
Stark gives plenty of credit to the environment at Concordia in helping her secure such a unique opportunity. Her advisor Dr. John Hink passed along the application to Stark and encouraged her to apply. Hink and President Brian Friedrich supplied recommendations for Stark, who wasn’t sure she had the experience to qualify for a White House internship. But Stark had the right attitude and the courage and confidence to succeed in such an environment.
To be sure, Stark possesses the traits to thrive just about anywhere. Big city. Small town. Medium-sized city. Stark can now say she’s experienced it all. She decided to come to Concordia, at least in part, because she wanted to see the contrasting seasons in Nebraska. There’s more to that story. Her parents Paul and Kimberly were both student-athletes at Concordia. Naturally, Kara was introduced to the school at a young age.
“I did camps throughout high school so that’s how I got to know the program and how I got to know the athletic side of Concordia,” Stark said. “I found that it was a fit. Then when I did my visit I got to see the campus. I love the people at Concordia. The small town feels like home to me in a way that is different from Texas or D.C. I get to combine playing sports with professors and coaches that are encouraging me to go away for a semester and try a totally once-in-a-lifetime experience. I think that opportunity only comes at a place like Concordia.”
Stark admits that she had some hesitation in taking the internship because, as she put it, “I have a commitment to my team.” Stark remained committed from afar. The building she lived in on Capitol Hill had a weight room in the basement where Stark would retreat to when she finished each day’s work at The White House. If any athletic progress was lost during that time, Stark has made up for it this summer by staying in Seward to train.
Slowly but surely, Stark has become a more prominent figure on the varsity squad. Her playing time increased as her sophomore season wore on. A 6-foot-2 pin hitter, Stark has the potential to make a major difference for Concordia volleyball over the next two seasons.
“She has bought into what we are trying to teach her,” Boldt said. “Step one is believing that you can do it. Now she just needs reps. She’s developed a whole lot. You can see differences in her from the beginning of a session to the end. It’s fun to coach that. She has to work on her consistency. The reps she’s gotten this summer have been really good for her.”
In turn, Stark appreciates what coaches Ben and Angie Boldt have brought to the table. Stark says she and her teammates know what to expect from them on a daily basis and the program core values are made clear. Within that environment, Stark may just take off as a junior. Her thunderous kills will be welcome at all times inside Walz Arena.
On the court, off the court and from Texas to Nebraska to D.C., Stark is enjoying life as a Bulldog.
Says Stark, “It all comes down to the people that make Concordia the reason why I love it. I love the opportunities that Concordia offers and a lot of that comes through people who know you and want you to succeed.”