Californian Is Sold on OSU
By John Helsley
Tim Sakabu’s college search didn’t exactly involve closing his eyes, spinning around three times and planting an index finger in middle America.
Still, the Oklahoma State finance student’s path from Sacramento to Stillwater was a bit unconventional. With a college counselor living under his roof back home in California, Sakabu leaned on his mother, Donna, to produce colleges of interest, based on a few basic criteria:
- Medium size.
- Zealous school spirit.
- A stout business school.
- Specialized academic programs.
Eventually, after crunching the data and whittling away from a larger list, a group of three emerged: OSU, Kansas University and the University of Oklahoma.
“I designed a tour,” says Donna, who works for a private school counseling group in Sacramento, where the Sakabus live. “My husband and I took him during spring break of his junior year of high school, so April of 2014.
“I called it the ‘Tornado Alley College Tour.’”
Storms never appeared, yet it was a whirlwind visit to parts unknown, featuring trips along the I-35 corridor to all three campuses. When it came time for a decision, OSU sold itself, with help from its greatest resource – the people.
“What stood out the most for me about Oklahoma State – first off, the campus, it’s amazing here – but also the people,” Tim says. “I could tell there was something different about the people here. They care about everyone who walks on campus. That really stood out over everything. Every question we had was answered.
“Walking past random people you’d get, ‘Oh, do you need help getting somewhere?’ Things like that. That really got to me. It stood out more than any numbers they throw out at you when you visit schools. I left the place actually feeling they cared about me when I visited.”
Today, Tim is one of those people, having immersed himself into the fabric of the campus. He’s a member of the Spears Scholar Leaders Program, involved in the Business News Club and the Financial Management Association, and active in Sigma Chi fraternity.
He’s one of five currently participating in the I Am Building program, which has tracked the students from their freshmen year through the upcoming move into the new business building and ultimately graduation.
Tim also works in the Eastin Center for Career Readiness, assisting other students living out their OSU journeys.
“I really like working there because I can see the impact I’m having on certain students,” he says.
“Seeing the lights click on when they realize, ‘Oh, this really interests me.’ Or, ‘This is what I want to do.’
“Helping someone out with that really brings me a lot of joy.”
Back home in Sacramento, Tim’s parents, Donna and Roy, enjoy the benefit of their son’s involvement in the I Am Building program, which documents each student’s journey through regular updates via photos, videos and stories.
“We’ve seen tremendous growth in him since freshman year,” Donna says. “I think I’ve enjoyed watching all the students in the I Am Building process, and the growth has been very clear.
“I love the webcam, because I do check it regularly. ‘What’s Tim’s day like?’”
None of the Sakabus knew quite what to expect when they made their first trip to Stillwater in that spring of 2014, only that they didn’t want to experience any twisters. But they all agreed they liked what they found. And they continue to like all that they see.
“My husband and I have been amazed by the opportunities Tim’s been given at Spears, both experientially as well as financially,” Donna says. “And to be truthful, because we get asked this all the time – ‘Why is he in Oklahoma?’ – he’s just been given so many wonderful opportunities. We just feel like he’s getting an amazing experience.
“It’s been hard having him 1,700 miles away, because he could definitely come home more and we’d visit him more frequently if he were closer. But the flip side is we know he’s had such a tremendous experience. The people at the school and the friends he’s made are wonderful people.”
Tim’s friends in California questioned his move from Sacramento, too. Why Oklahoma? What is Oklahoma? He knew the college search would likely lead him here, based on cost comparison with schools in California, and knowing there were quality business departments here in the Midwest. OSU has consistently been recognized among the best.
So for Tim, Stillwater became much more than flyover country, it became fly-into country.
“That’s where the cards fell,” he says. “Obviously, I looked at schools who met the original criteria. But this one really stood out to me as a standout candidate.
“As a student, Oklahoma State is second to none with how involved everyone seems to be in your education. Everyone really seems to care. You’re not just a number in the system; everyone seems to know your face and your name.
“The interpersonal relationship aspect of this school is definitely something they should be pushing, just in how meaningful it is. You can reach out to alumni, or you can reach out to your adviser. It’s almost the same in how much they care about your success.”