Five years ago, as she started to wrap up her high school career, Bailey Hartill fell down a flight of stairs and sustained a head injury that was so bad she had to re-learn how to walk and talk. She couldn鈥檛 drive. Some of her cognitive functions 鈥� things like reasoning, remembering, and problem solving 鈥� fell apart.
She had planned to attend college in the south, but even after her months-long recovery, she didn鈥檛 feel comfortable being that far away. So Hartill turned to Central Maine Community College in Auburn, where she could start college close to her Brunswick home, continue to gain strength, and forge a path forward.
On May 6, that path will take her across the 杏吧传媒鈥檚 Commencement stage, where Hartill will receive her bachelor鈥檚 degree in Leadership and Organizational Studies. She鈥檒l continue forward with a master鈥檚 degree in Leadership as part of an accelerated program that allows students to start graduate classes while still an undergrad.
鈥淚n high school I had these big ideas, this big plan. When my life kind of came to a halt, it was like, 鈥榃hoa,鈥� said Hartill, 22. 鈥淚t鈥檚 okay to be unsure. It鈥檚 okay for your plans to change.鈥�
At CMCC, Hartill opted for an associate鈥檚 degree in General Studies. While she hadn鈥檛 expected to start college just miles from her childhood home, the small school was just what she needed. She started with a plan to go on to become a chiropractor, but Hartill soon realized she鈥檇 have to move out of state to complete that education. She shifted her career path and looked to USM instead.
She transferred credits and moved almost seamlessly from two-year community college to four-year university. She started at USM as a junior.
鈥淭hey taught me a bunch of things from a smaller scope at first. And then when I got to USM, I kind of really knew how to advocate and where to go for help, stuff like that,鈥� she said.
Hartill enjoyed higher ed so much that she accepted a position at CMCC as an admissions representative. She worked full time and went to USM full time, a schedule made manageable because her USM classes were fully online.
鈥淭he admissions rep position has a lot of travel in it, so my schedule鈥檚 kind of all over the place. I couldn鈥檛 even come to an evening class,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hen last summer I heard about the accelerated grad program. I was like, 鈥極h my gosh, I want to do that.鈥欌��
For the past year, Hartill has taken graduate classes as she鈥檚 finished her undergraduate requirements, allowing her to shave off two semesters鈥� worth of work. She also applied for 鈥� and won 鈥� a coveted spot in a Leadership study abroad program to South Africa this summer.
鈥淲e鈥檒l be working with underserved communities and really learning about leadership from a global standpoint,鈥� she said.
She hopes one day to serve in a leadership role herself, potentially in higher education.
鈥淚 love higher ed,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 love helping people figure out what they want to do and making it achievable and realistic for them.鈥�