Hogan feeds the need

Hogan Entrepreneurs has launched a chain of fundraising events involving desserts and drink vendors to help their members make it to summer study missions in China and India.

Hogan has been distributing Krispy Kreme donuts and providing car washes to help build up the funds for the summer study missions. The organization has also partnered with outside for-profit vendors in order to help meet a $5,000 goal. Kona Ice, the shave ice truck, is one of the partnered businesses and has been on Chaminade’s campus twice since the start of February.

Instead of Chaminade’s staff or faculty, the student members of the Hogan program are being allowed to take the reins on the organized financial benefits. Chantelle Aguilar, 21, and Judy Ng, 20, are in charge of the fundraising tasks. Aguilar has been involved with Hogan’s efforts for two semesters, while Ng is currently in her first semester.

The current variety of foods and drinks was put together recently by Aguilar.

“I was the one who contacted these trucks and asked them if they could come here,” she said. “The reason why I contacted these trucks was because we were having trouble … well not necessarily trouble, but we were looking to do fundraiser events where we wouldn’t have to do all the work for a little payback.”

Aguilar expressed that Hogan hopes to expand the current selection of vendors to the Chaminade campus. She is planning to bring Taste Tea, a bubble drink vendor, onto the campus on March 2 and April 1, during Extravaganza. There is also talk of introducing a series of homemade lotions to the consumers.

However, the goal of expanding is completely dependent on the capabilities of the vendors. Also, she is aware that other clubs are bringing food trucks to campus, so that limits Hogan’s opportunities.

“The semester is ending, and the trucks are getting booked for like other events and other schools,” Aguilar said. “I have also noticed that there is an interest of other clubs wanting to bring these trucks on campus as well. That creates competition for us in a way.”

Because of the difficulty in reserving the vendors, it is hard to establish a set-in-stone schedule for the events.

Ann Kishi, the associate director of Hogan, encourages the members of the program to become involved in the summer opportunities. She feels like there are a number of benefits that the students can learn as well as experience.

“Some of the students … because they have not traveled at all off of this island, you can see how much they grow,” Kishi said. “They’re more outgoing. They understand more about business internationally because of the company they learned by doing the internship.”

There are normally 8-10 students who go to China during the summer and roughly 3-4 students make it to India. One or two are lucky enough to go to both of the countries.

Hogan is planning to continue the car washes, and Aguilar is planning to add a new chili bowl event on April 20. The next scheduled vendor for the Hogan fundraising efforts will be Taste Tea on March 2 during lunch hours until late afternoon.

Hogan is a program used to develop leadership, marketing, business, and a variety of other skills within the student body. The program offers summer opportunities to further develop these skills overseas.