Annie Kadlecek '21, Social Work
Annie Kadlecek ‘21 clicked with Malone’s social work program after a campus visit while she was in high school and has since fallen in love with the community and faculty. She was dedicated to being involved as the president of her class from her freshman to junior year and was selected by her peers to be the student body president for the 2020-2021 academic year.
“I had ideas that I wanted to see happen at Malone and being president of the student body was a way that I could help enact positive changes for our community,” Kadlecek said. “I felt that it was a role that would allow me to be more invested in our campus.”
The COVID-19 pandemic made it challenging to step into leadership when the community-building events that Student Senate is known for were not possible. Kadlecek has worked with other senate members to invest in students in different ways and encourage creative thinking to show that they still care.
“I’ve been amazed and encouraged by the faculty and staff who work here,” Kadlecek said. “I’ve grown exponentially since coming to Malone and I would not be who I am today if not for the experiences I’ve had here. I’ve been empowered in how I lead especially as a woman; there are really incredible female leaders on campus that have encouraged and mentored me.”
When she was born, Kadlecek was diagnosed with diastrophic dysplasia, a rare form of dwarfism. This affects the way she can engage with the world, mainly with issues of accessibility, but she has been embraced by students and faculty alike.
“The receptiveness for my dwarfism and the celebration of it has been so encouraging,” Kadlecek said. “One of my exercise science professors asked if I would be willing to give a presentation on dwarfism because he felt it was important for students to be aware of different disabilities. You don’t find that everywhere.”
Kadlecek plans to get her personal trainer’s license and work with teenagers in the foster care system. After graduation, she will work as a case worker at the Bair Foundation, a Christian foster adoption agency that focuses on teenagers.
“The social work professors work so hard to prepare you for a career and grad school,” Kadlecek said. “They want to see you make the impact that they believe you can make.”
Do you know a current Malone student who is maximizing their academic potential through hands-on learning opportunities like internships or service to the greater community? Recommend them to be featured in our Student Profiles story series!