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Parent Department University of Florida

When Innovation Meets Opportunity

By Hayden Hawes

My name is Hayden Hawes, and I am an upcoming sophomore studying Agricultural Education and Communication with a specialization in Communications and Leadership Development (AEC-CLD). I find myself where I am today thanks to a particular mindset I will expand upon further in this blog. This mindset is one I will sincerely encourage you to adopt.

Hayden Hawes

Innovation. I once thought I knew the meaning of this word, but it wasn’t until I joined the Innovation Academy at the University of Florida that I truly realized its significance.

Throughout high school, I was an active member of Florida 4-H, a youth-led program that provides peers with the opportunity to learn life skills and better their communities. When I joined 4-H, I didn’t know what opportunities may lie ahead, but I jumped right in (and I’m so glad I did). 4-H helped me hone numerous life skills, eventually culminating in being elected by my peers to serve as the Florida 4-H State Council President from 2021-2022, where I oversaw the implementation of statewide events, activities, and initiatives available to our 250,000 members statewide. I tell you this information because many times during my 4-H career, I was uncertain of what the future held for me; I was sometimes unsure if I was ready to rise to some of the momentous challenges and responsibilities that came with my leadership. However, I didn’t let an opportunity slip by. I made sure to take advantage of every opportunity that presented itself because the only way to learn and grow is to step outside of your comfort zone and “learn by doing.”

Now, I serve as a student worker/intern at the Florida 4-H Foundation in Gainesville (associated with UF/IFAS Advancement). I strive tirelessly to raise funds for a program that benefits me in many ways and work to maintain excellent relations with donors, sponsors, and stakeholders. I would never have had the opportunity to work in this role if not for making the most of my time and all the opportunities presented.

This same mindset led me to apply as an Innovation Academy student at the University of Florida. I knew that I wanted to attend UF if I was fortunate enough to be accepted, but I didn’t learn about IA until it was time to apply. After hearing about the program, and learning more via research, I was intrigued. Leadership and public speaking sounded like perfect fits for me, but specific skills such as coding, wiring, and 3D modeling were undoubtedly way out of my comfort zone (to name a few). However, keeping with the same mindset that carried me throughout life, I believed I had found an incredible opportunity to learn new skills, as long as I just took a leap of faith. So, I did. When I received my IA acceptance letter, I was thrilled. My first semesters have almost been a blur. They have been filled with incredible courses, outstanding professors, and countless friendships, skills, and memories gained along the way.

Recently, I had the opportunity to compete in the IA Summer A 2023 Catalyst Event with my team (LoxedIN) from Dr. Diane Porter-Roberts’ class. We worked diligently to create an innovative solution to help reach corporate zero-waste goals. We were thankful to have been awarded the Best Prototype and Judges Choice (Overall) Award at the event. This was made possible thanks to excellent instruction, an incredible team that worked hard to make our dream a reality, and a group mindset that didn’t shy away from significant challenges. We had an opportunity presented to us … an opportunity to make an impact … and we decided to take advantage and not let it go to waste.

As you consider your future, whether it is as a prospective IA student or someone already in the program looking forward, I want to leave you with some advice. Step outside your comfort zone. You might not feel ready for that next big challenge, tough class, demanding internship, dream job interview, or anything of the sort. However, you will never realize your full potential if you don’t try. Treat every opportunity, regardless of the result, as a learning experience. If your potential wasn’t realized in that current scenario, you will now be all the more prepared to accomplish your goal in the future. This mindset is one of innovators. It is a mindset of innovation. Don’t let an opportunity go to waste.