Fielding Curiosity 

By Rachel Carlson

Hayden Lam, BBA ’19, MBA ’20
Manager of Research Operations
Wakefield
Waco, Texas

Growing up in the small town of Mount Vernon, Washington, Hayden Lam’s childhood was marked by a blend of outdoor adventures and community engagement. With a tight-knit family and a love for exploration, Lam’s early years laid the foundation for his future pursuits.

Throughout middle school and high school, Lam participated in various activities, from being on his school’s basketball team and playing guitar for his church’s worship group to camping trips with his family.

When it came time to choose a college, Baylor University was not initially on Lam’s radar. However, having a family connection—and the fact that it was a big school with a small school feel—helped spark his interest. After visiting Baylor with his dad, Lam knew it was where he wanted to be.

“When I stepped out of the car during my visit, the flowers were blooming, the weather was nice and the bells happened to be ringing at the same time,” Lam said. “It just kind of felt like the perfect Baylor bubble moment.”

Before starting at Baylor, Lam was interested in pre-med. However, he quickly realized that while he was good at science, he did not find fulfillment in it. Discovering the Sports Strategy and Sales (S3) major, Lam found an area that combined his analytical skills with his passion for sports.

After attending S3 club meetings and getting to know people, he knew S3 was the path and major he wanted to pursue.

“I could tell it was made up of a lot of good people that wanted to affect positive change in the sports industry,” Lam said.

Lam went on to become the S3 Club vice president his senior year, as well as working in the Athletic Department in event management and facilities, which was a great way for him to get a behind-the-scenes look at college athletics, a space he always wanted to get into. After his undergraduate degree, Lam received his Master of Business Administration from Baylor in 2020.

The S3 program—now known as the Curb Sales Strategy in Sports and Entertainment (S3E) program—provided Lam with the platform to delve into research, collaborating on projects that intersected sports and data analytics. These experiences paved the way for his transition to Wakefield, a leading business-to-business and business-to-consumer market research firm, where he is now the manager of research operations. Lam helps onboard clients and works on the back end of the survey creation process.

Reflecting on his journey from childhood to college to where he is today, Lam emphasizes the importance of curiosity. This natural curiosity drives Lam’s research work at Wakefield, where they diligently seek to answer the ‘whys’ with integrity.  For students aspiring to follow a similar path, Lam encourages nurturing curiosity and embracing opportunities for growth.

“My favorite question has always been ‘why’—understanding the reasons behind things and why they are the way they are,” Lam said. “Being a curious person from a young age has been instrumental in shaping where and who I am today.”

As Lam continues to forge his career in Waco alongside his wife, his story serves as a testament to the transformative power of curiosity, community and purposeful research.