Howling Success: Sade Proctor Making Career Moves

Due to a financial aid issue, there was a time when Sade Proctor (business administration ’22) thought she wouldn’t be able to attend NC State. In fact, she wasn’t able to participate in first-year orientation and had even started looking at other options for college. However, she didn’t want to give up on her dream school, so in a last-ditch effort she decided to email the vice chancellor of undergraduate studies who helped connect her to the right people and resources to help her become a member of the Wolfpack.

After overcoming her financial aid issues and getting into NC State, Proctor’s next challenge was finding the right major. She started as an English major, but quickly discovered she didn’t enjoy writing for a grade. To help her look for other options, she took a Career Explorations class taught by Marcy Bullock, the director of professional development for the Career Development Center. It was through that course — and a serendipitous conversation with a friend at her church — that she finally found her calling.

“I was talking with a friend there about my woes in finding a major, and he suggested I go into computer science,” Proctor said. “I thought about it but wasn’t thrilled about all the math it would involve. So then he suggested business technology, and that sounded more like what I wanted to do. So, I met with my advisor to talk it over and fell in love after taking my first business and information technology classes.”

Bullock recognized Proctor’s drive and determination and encouraged her to apply for the Career Ambassadors program, where she helps other students find careers, write resumes, interview for jobs and more. Proctor’s experience came full circle when she became Bullock’s teaching assistant for the Career Explorations class. Additionally, because of Proctor’s skills with technology and her career interests, Bullock hired her as editor of the Wolfpack Career Chats podcast. 

“I really like podcast production,” Proctor said. “It’s really helped me with my decision to go into information technology because I get to work with systems rather than build them. It’s really helped me on my journey.”

Proctor’s experience with podcast production also helped her earn an internship as a technical intern with the SAS Institute this summer. 

“Sade has always gone above and beyond to solve problems and be creative in the way she completes her tasks,” Bullock said. “She never thought she would reach this potential because she came from a small town and just did not believe in herself. I am so proud of this young woman and who she’s become.”

Outside of her work as a career ambassador, Proctor is part of the College Mentors for Kids program, where she mentors a local first grader. She’s also involved in the Black Business Student Association and the Black Artist Coalition, a group for Black students who are passionate about the arts. Through this program, she tutors music students in Wake County schools. She even plays several instruments herself, including acoustic guitar, piano, bass guitar, ukulele and drums. 

To be recognized as a Howling Success is a big honor for Proctor — and validation for all the hard work she has done to reach her senior year at NC State.

“It means a lot to me. It gives me the motivation and the drive to become a better Sade,” she said. “This is something I can show to my parents and grandparents to let them see that I’m doing amazing things at NC State and that the things I do are being noticed. It makes me feel like I’m not just a number among the 30,000 students here — I’m a person and the work I do matters.”