{"id":2073,"date":"2024-08-12T19:51:50","date_gmt":"2024-08-12T19:51:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ocean.edu\/?page_id=2073"},"modified":"2025-01-10T13:59:11","modified_gmt":"2025-01-10T13:59:11","slug":"hailey-sadowski","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.ocean.edu\/alumni\/alumni-success-stories\/hailey-sadowski\/","title":{"rendered":"Hailey Sadowski"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A.S. Business Administration 2022<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Hailey<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When Hailey Sadowski initially applied to OCC, she intended to get in, get her degree, and get out. She wasn\u2019t planning to join clubs, win awards, or get involved in student government, and she certainly didn\u2019t plan to address the Class of 2022 from the Commencement stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was just winging it,\u201d Sadowski said, describing those early days. \u201cI never planned for any of this.\u201d But a pattern soon emerged that would carry her through the next two years, driving her toward a success she had never imagined. \u201cPeople present opportunities to me, and I say \u2018sure\u2019\u2013 and from there it just kind of snowballs into something bigger each time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her first instinct, on learning that she had been nominated for Commencement Speaker, was to turn it down flat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI had to say no,\u201d she recalled, adding that the idea of giving a speech was \u201cpetrifying.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But then she thought about the advice she could give\u2014not just to other graduates, but to anyone who might be watching and wondering if they could do it, too. As a first-generation college student, she knew how hard it can be to figure things out on your own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s definitely tough, especially when you first start. That\u2019s the hardest part\u2014figuring out the FAFSA, how to apply, and how to pick your degree path. But once you start that process, it gets easier, because you get connected with the proper resources.\u201d Sadowski initially decided to give OCC a try after seeing a cousin earn her degree in 2020. \u201cWhen I saw her graduate, that\u2019s when I kind of decided,\u201d she explained. \u201cShe was able to help me out with the FAFSA, and after that, I just started making appointments. It was definitely unsettling, but once I got the groove of it, I figured it out along the way.\u201d Sadowski connected with the Educational Opportunity Fund, a program that provides funding and other services to income-eligible students who are motivated to go to college. EOF offers financial and academic resources, such as tutoring and academic advising, as well as a network of support on campus. That support gave Sadowski the confidence to stay focused on her goal, even during the pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI thrived as an online student,\u201d she said, noting that having to schedule her readings and plan out her work helped her learn self-discipline while being in lockdown prevented her from encountering too many distractions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Hailey<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It was through one of her online classes that Sadowski met Laura Wagner, an adjunct professor at OCC and the Director of Marketing and Development at Northern Ocean Habitat for Humanity. Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization that builds affordable homes for families in need of a decent place to live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even in the virtual classroom, \u201cHailey really popped out to me,\u201d said Wagner. Sadowski\u2019s papers displayed strong attention to detail, meticulous research, and a talent for critical thinking. Wagner invited her to intern at Habitat for Humanity over the summer to help them build a marketing plan. Eager to explore marketing as a potential career path, Sadowski agreed to give it a try. As summer turned into fall, she stuck with it, learning to develop marketing strategies, perform grant research, and solicit sponsorships. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe was just phenomenal,\u201d Wagner said. \u201cShe wanted to learn everything about Habitat for Humanity. She even offered to make cold calls.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was during a community fundraising event when Sadowski got the idea to bring Habitat for Humanity to OCC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cI saw that a lot of other campuses around us had a Habitat chapter,\u201d she said in an interview with OCC\u2019s Student Life. \u201cI thought, I would love OCC to have that kind of representation in the community with this nonprofit. I decided to see if I could create a club and get students involved.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHailey is big on motivating others,\u201d said Wagner, adding that the club took off quickly under her leadership. \u201cShe\u2019s excited to share opportunities with other people. She\u2019s definitely a leader. She makes things happen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The club held its first meeting on St. Patrick\u2019s Day, and by April, members were participating as a group in Habitat\u2019s bingo fundraiser. \u201cIt was kind of like trial by fire,\u201d Sadowski says of that first event. Despite their inexperience, she is proud of how the club members represented OCC that day. She kept the momentum going by organizing a multi-club, offsite event in May, another first for OCC. By the end of the term, the club had grown to 30 members, an impressive number even by Sadowski\u2019s standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo have it be this successful was definitely shocking,\u201d she admitted, although she is quick to add that she\u2019s not finished yet. \u201cThere\u2019s definitely a lot of plans.\u201d Although she won\u2019t be a student at OCC next year, she intends to serve as chair to help keep the club active and guide the next generation of officers. She also hopes the club can participate in Habitat on the Hill, a conference in Washington, D.C. where club members learn how to advocate for affordable housing legislation in their communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI really want to be able to bring that experience to OCC students, especially those interested in student government,\u201d she said. \u201cI just feel like it would be a great opportunity for them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for Sadowski, in the fall of 2022, she will be transferring to Stockton University to begin a dual degree program in business administration. Although she hasn\u2019t decided on a focus yet, she\u2019s not worried.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m kind of hoping I\u2019ll figure that out along the way,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the past two years are any indication, it seems certain that she will<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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