Despite the rain and gusty winds sweeping across Zuberano Lawn on Wednesday, Chaminade University’s Open Marketplace went on without skipping a beat and with plenty of energy. The smell of baked goods, the sound of live conversation and laughter, and rows of colorful booths filled the campus lawn, creating a lively scene that defied the gray skies above.
From 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members gathered to shop for handmade goods, local treats, and creative projects crafted by members of the Chaminade ʻohana. The Open Marketplace has become an event on campus to showcase the community’s talents and their creative sides.
Sister Malia Wong, who has organized the event for the past four years, said the goal of the Open Marketplace is to celebrate both creativity and community.
“It is an event for the whole Chaminade ʻohana, which includes the students, the faculty, the staff, the retired faculty, alumni, and parents … to come together and enjoy the day together,” she said.
The Open Marketplace originally began as a project through the Hogan Entrepreneurs Program, but after the COVID-19 pandemic, the tradition came to an end. Determined to revive it, Sister Malia said she took the opportunity to bring the marketplace
back to life and make it an inclusive campus-wide celebration.
Booths lined the lawn under a large white tent, sheltering vendors from the crying skies as they sold everything from jewelry and baked goods to art, clothing, and ceramics. The sound of rain tapping on tent tops didn’t stop the crowd from browsing, chatting, and supporting one another.
One of the vendors, Ava Walker, a sophomore Biology major and member of the Chaminade softball team, sold handmade ceramic pieces she created in her Ceramics class this semester. Her booth featured hand-crafted pieces that drew plenty of attention from students and staff walking by.
“My teacher told me about it and said I should sell some of my stuff,” Walker said. “I’m selling a bunch of ceramic pieces, trinket dishes, coasters, all kinds of things.”
Walker said her small business began simply because she enjoyed the creative process. After discovering her passion in the Ceramics class, she decided to turn it into an opportunity.
“I took the class this semester and had a lot of fun,” Walker said. “I was making so much stuff that I figured I might as well make some money from it.”
In preparation for the marketplace, Walker spent the past month creating inventory and experimenting with new designs. Even with the unpredictable weather, she said the event was a great way to bring the students together, along with the Chaminade community. Walker added that she plans to continue her craft and return to the marketplace next year.
“I’m taking the class again next semester, so I’ll be making more stuff to sell,” she said.
Event organizer Sister Malia said she was proud of how the marketplace turned out, noting its success extended beyond the vendors and shoppers. NMDP, a program that helps patients needing blood stem cell transplants, was there to get potential donors in the system.
“[NMDP] just doubled their quota from this event alone, with students signing up for the bone marrow program,” she said.
Sister Malia said she expects to host another Open Marketplace on campus during the spring semester.