Hakim Sims learned how to be a leader in the professional world during his time at Midland University, but he also learned about being a father and a husband.

“I was able to share the college experience with my wife (Cheyenne), and with our kids by our side. Whether it was a wrestling tournament, a cheer competition, or waiting for me outside of class, they were always there. As Midland was developing us as professionals, it was also shaping us as parents and partners. The best part of being a student at Midland was the support from faculty, advisors, coaches, teammates, and the community. Whenever things felt hard, we always had someone there to keep us moving forward and achieve our goals as students, athletes, and parents.”

Hakim has returned to his native state of Texas and currently serves as the Executive MBA Program Director at the University of Texas-Arlington. He oversees the program from start to finish, which includes recruiting and marketing, admissions processing, curriculum development, and alumni engagement.

“Thanks to my experience at Midland, I can say that I gained the confidence and preparation to juggle challenges in both my career and life. It taught me the importance of serving my community, and I am heavily involved in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, serving in several organizations.”

The chance to wrestle, and be near his fiancee, were motivating factors in bringing Hakim to Midland as a transfer student. “We both took a semester off to return to Texas for the birth of our first child. It wasn’t easy, but after our baby arrived, we moved back to Nebraska to prepare for the challenging journey ahead. We were young, but committed to finishing our degrees, chasing our dreams as athletes, and doing it all together.”

He and Cheyenne made a family in the Fremont community, thanks to a television purchase. “We bought a TV off Facebook and met someone who not only delivered it to our house, but also invited us to a Fourth of July party their church was hosting. They found out we were planning to get married at the courthouse and within five minutes, everything changed. They talked to the pastor and offered us a place to get married on a trail by their house. Another person took my wife to get a dress while others handled the cake, music, and photos. Just like that, a group of people we had just met planned a wedding for us. With no family in attendance, we were surrounded by strangers who had become family, along with teammates, and our Midland advisor. My wife and I are celebrating our 10-year anniversary this year, and it’s a reminder of how special that community, and that moment, will always be to us.”

Hakim was a decorated wrestler and student during his time at Midland, earning All-GPAC, All-American, and NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors. “Being a full-time student, athlete, employee, father, and husband was a challenge, but I didn’t want to just get by. I did all of this far from home, while also starting my own family, which made the journey even more meaningful.”