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“When I first arrived, I stayed with Al and his family,” Orzechowski recalls. “Everything from the culture to the friendliness of the people I met made �����Ʊ my second home.”

Dreams of a better life

The decision to leave home was not necessarily an easy one for Orzechowski. He was on track for a career in professional volleyball after spending some time with Poland’s national junior team and receiving an offer from a newly founded professional volleyball school to continue developing his talent. But the impact of 50 years of communism on the country’s economy—not to mention his family and friends—made Orzechowski worried about his prospects off the court.

“There was very high unemployment at the time, and I had friends who couldn’t get a job,” explains Orzechowski. “I had an interest in business and economics and thought, maybe through sports, I could go to a different country, get an education, and either land a position there or come back to Poland with better prospects.”

Exploring those options wasn’t easy for Orzechowski, not only because of language barriers, but because his family, like most in Poland at the time, did not have a home computer. Undeterred, he spent late nights at his father’s office looking at program requirements and preparing submissions. Of all the opportunities he researched, he says Dal appealed to him the most, and he was delighted when he was offered a scholarship, thanks to the tremendous support from the then current volleyball coach, Al Scott.

“The opportunity to play volleyball for one of the country’s top programs at the time while I studied was really a dream come true for me,” says Orzechowski.

During his first year as a Bachelor of Commerce student, Orzechowski was part of the Dal Tigers volleyball team that claimed the 1999-00 AUAA championship title. As much as he loved the experience, he decided to step back from the sport to devote himself to his studies. Although he had various on-campus jobs (such as maintenance worker at the former Fenwick Towers or front desk staff at Dalplex), a bursary, and some funds his parents managed to raise by selling their car, he struggled to make ends meet.

“I wasn’t sure I would be able to make it through all four years,” he says.  

Christopher S. F. McKee Award of Merit

Help came in the form of the Christopher Stuart Fraser (S. F.) McKee Award of Merit. Established by Ian and Johanne McKee in memory of their son, Christopher McKee (BComm’81), it provides support to outstanding second and third-year commerce students who have made a significant contribution to the university. For Orzechowski, the financial support was invaluable. But it was the validation of the award that meant more to him.

“I was looking to get a job in investment banking, which was very competitive, and the banks weren’t even coming to Dal to recruit because they had so many schools in Ontario to choose from,” Orzechowski says. “The award helped me stand out as a candidate.”

Equally important for Orzechowski was the bond he formed with the McKees, who became like family. He kept in touch and they provided a welcoming home during Christmases.

“He was just like one of our boys,” says Johanne. “He’s always been that way and we’ve always been in touch.”

Helping others succeed

After completing his degree, Orzechowski continued his education, earning two master’s degrees from Duke and Columbia universities. He says Ian, who passed away in December 2024, was always a mentor to him throughout the years. “I used to call him the Canadian Warren Buffett,” a term of endearment based on Ian’s long-term investment style.

“He always had time for me,” Orzechowski says. “His advice helped me land my first job, which was the catalyst for my whole career, and I often leveraged his expertise in investments. If there is someone I can help out the way he helped me, I will.” True to his word, Orzechowski has made gifts in support of the McKee’s award and assisted Dal students who have reached out to him for career advice through LinkedIn.

Now living in Toronto, Orzechowski has achieved the better life he dreamed of in Poland. This past spring, he started a new job as vice president of development finance with , a real estate development and private equity investment company. He also got married in May. But Orzechowski has never forgotten his roots or the people who have helped him along the way.

“I'm just very excited to be living where I am and to be doing the work I do,” he says. “But I am also glad to have all the contacts I made at Dal, not just my classmates but also Al and the McKees. They helped make all this possible and I try to keep in touch with them any way I can.”