欧美视频

Criminal Justice major Hadley Oden will graduate with her bachelor鈥檚 degree during Fall 2025 Commencement.

 

Countdown to Commencement

The 欧美视频 offers a community of support, allowing students to redefine what鈥檚 possible as they forge a path to their future. With help from faculty and staff, UCM students are empowered to be the heroes of their own stories and as we prepare for Fall 2025 Commencement, the News Bureau is shining a spotlight on some of those stories.

 

The future seemed unclear when Hadley Oden, a Criminal Justice major, began her journey at the 欧美视频 (UCM). However, on Saturday, Dec. 13, she will confidently cross the commencement stage as a college graduate and a future law school student.

The Hermann, Missouri, native wasn鈥檛 sure where to attend college, and thought UCM seemed like a good place to start as she figured out her path.

 

鈥淎nd then as soon as I got here, I thought, this is probably my place forever,鈥� Oden recalled. 鈥淚 immediately fell in love with campus. I found a great group of friends immediately, loved my professors, and so I just stayed and made it a home.鈥�

Her path began to take shape during her freshman year. Oden changed her major to Criminal Justice after connecting with a course she took as part of her minor, and she joined the Mock Trial team.

Oden said that Benecia Carmack, associate professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology, who has since retired, and Jim Staab, Ph.D., professor of Political Science and Mock Trial coach, both served as mentors. Carmack was always open to answering questions, and Staab taught her to never stop learning.

 

鈥淯CM has prepared me for a career in law, and just a career in general, because they taught me what it meant to be myself and what I can do,鈥� Oden said. 鈥淥f course, the coursework taught me a lot of the skills, the actual foundation was laid, but bigger than that, they taught me to believe in myself, to knock on doors. A lot of the skills that go with being successful, not just in the career that I'm choosing, but I feel like really in all careers.鈥�

After being a high school student who did what was needed to get by, Oden has taken full advantage of the wide-ranging opportunities available to UCM students. She worked as a student ambassador, completed an internship with the Harris, Sommer, and Peppard law firm in Warrensburg, earned numerous scholarships and awards, and traveled to Peru for two weeks with Global Vision. 

She also spent four years on the Mock Trial Team, including three as captain. Oden said she learned how to think critically, lead a team and speak with purpose and confidence. She also earned several team recognitions and seven Outstanding Attorney Awards. Staab said Oden earned the respect of her teammates as a leader and proved herself to be one of the best Mock Trial attorneys in the region.

For the last two and a half years, Oden has put all of her newfound skills to good use while serving as the student governor on UCM鈥檚 Board of Governors. Appointed by the Missouri governor, the position is a representative of the UCM student body.

The role provided Oden with opportunities that few students have the chance to experience. She鈥檚 served alongside the governors as they conducted university business during board meetings, attended ribbon-cutting ceremonies and other events, hosted dignitaries on campus, and she鈥檚 even had the honor of speaking at commencement ceremonies, something she鈥檒l do one more time during her own ceremony.

鈥淚t鈥檚 taught me the joy and the experience of just meeting people and letting that kind of open doors for you. I also got to learn a lot about leadership and what that looks like,鈥� Oden said. 鈥淚t taught me that I'm capable of doing those things and that I'm capable of doing them to the best of my abilities, and it was a lot of fun.鈥�

Staab said that Oden has grown dramatically as a student, especially through her many leadership roles at UCM.

鈥淚n each of her leadership positions, Hadley is the embodiment of the concept of 鈥榮ervice learning,鈥欌�� Staab said. 鈥淗adley has grown and developed because of her many important leadership positions, but more importantly, her service activities have benefited the entire UCM student body, whose lives and academic experiences have been enriched because of Hadley.鈥�

Oden said she began her UCM journey as a freshman who was unsure of herself and her potential. She was considering transferring to another university but hadn鈥檛 given much thought to her post-graduation plans. Now, she鈥檚 a confident and poised senior who鈥檚 going to law school next fall.

 

鈥淚 think that I would be surprised that not only did I love UCM the way that I did, but that I have made such a home for myself here,鈥� Oden said as she reflected on her freshman self. 鈥淚 also don't think I would have ever imagined that I would be prepared for the next step. I kind of was always concerned about college and never really looked after that. And I have since loved college, but I am so excited for what is to come. 

 

鈥淪omething I learned is to never tone down anymore, that I am who I am,鈥� she added. 鈥淎nd I think that's been the most fun part is just leaning into who I am. And those are, again, all things that I learned through experiences and classes and professors and people while at UCM.鈥�

 

       

Check the News Bureau daily from Dec. 8-12, as we share stories of UCM graduates who are redefining what鈥檚 possible and shaping the future, one step across the stage at a time.