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Student Named to Most Promising Multicultural Class of 2020

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Chaminade Communication senior Sofia Vela jetted off to New York in February for a four-day conference of the American Advertising Federation’s Most Promising Multicultural Class of 2020.

Sofia Vela in NYC for Most Promising Multicultural program

Vela was among just 50 students from around the country selected for the class, a prestigious honor that recognized her portfolio of work and academic accomplishments. A panel of industry representatives from across a host of big-name companies selected the honorees.

The federation launched the Most Promising Multicultural Student program in 1997 to link the advertising industry with top multicultural students from around the country, setting up sit-downs with mentors and recruiters in a bid to create a more inclusive and diverse workforce.

Those selected this year traveled to New York from February 10 to 13 for a packed agenda—with workshops, “industry immersion” opportunities, and the Building Bridge for our Future luncheon.

The students were also treated to a Broadway show: “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical.”

Vela said she couldn’t contain her excitement when she’d found out she was selected for the honor.

And the New York City conference didn’t disappoint. “I had no idea that this trip would be so life-changing,” Vela said. “Each MPM student was hard-working and driven. Together, we lifted each other up and created an energy that continues to motivate me, even after returning home.”

All the honorees in the class are minorities and 43 are women. The diversity left Vela inspired. “We were all there for a similar, unspoken reason: to redefine the norm,” she said. “The time to increase populations of multicultural men and women in the workplace is now.”

Vela said she’s now ready to take on just about anything after college. Whatever her next steps, she knows she’ll have some new peers to share them with. “I made some lifelong friends on the trip,” Vela said. “The students on this trip were all absolutely wonderful.”

Hogan Entrepreneurs Program Ignites Chaminade Student’s Dream Business

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When Sheehan Chase entered Chaminade University at the age of 28, he entered a community of learners that would nurture and challenge him to go beyond what he thought were his limits.

Chase had been out of school for a while before he finally returned. He purposely chose Chaminade because of its Marianist connection. As an alumnus of Archbishop Riordan High School, which is sponsored by the Marianists and under the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco, he was familiar with Marianist educational values and was seeking community. He was not disappointed. He found that students and faculty were involved and engaged. So was he, and he thrived in the smaller-sized classes.

Sheehan Chase (BA Communication '17)“Chaminade has given me a great community and a small tight-knit place to grow in,” said the senior majoring in communications.

His growth took a quantum leap when he entered Chaminade’s Hogan Entrepreneurs Program.

To be eligible for the program, students had to maintain a GPA of 3.0 or better and then continue that performance while in the program. They had to have a record of leadership or entrepreneurial experience and demonstrate evidence of creative thinking and the ability to consider the ethical dimensions of their actions.

Once part of the program, Chase and his fellow student-entrepreneurs learned about the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, the external environments of entrepreneurial organizations, the issues which affect entrepreneurial success and management of entrepreneurial ventures.  Then there were the professional development workshops which develop students’ skills in areas such as professional communications, business etiquette and protocol, media relations, sale and cross-cultural management.

In addition, one of the great benefits offered was that of access to the Hogan Mentors-in-Residence, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, and the Leadership-Coach-in-Residence — a cadre of expert advisors and business leaders available for students to meet with one-on-one. These experts have been an invaluable resource for student-entrepreneurs.

The program offerings and the network of experts ignited Chase’s entrepreneurial passions. He already had an idea for a business seeded in his mind before entering the program. He had created a journal of his grandmother’s life that was so impressive, people encouraged him to start a business. Could he do it?

Sheehan Chase's biographical book about his grandmotherWhen Chase shared his idea with his Hogan advisors and mentors, they urged him forward. Dr. John Webster, the director of the program, was the one who advised him to focus on developing a prototype and perfecting that prototype. Following Dr. Webster’s advice, Chase prepared his grandmother’s book with her oral history to perfection.

Chase showcased the work to the Hogan Advisory Board and landed his first client. In December 2016, Chase’s business “Tale to Tell” was launched. As a communication major and a Hogan entrepreneur, Chase was uniquely qualified to blend the telling of a good story with a business niche.

“For any student with business ideas, the Hogan Entrepreneurs program is a great facilitator and a great provider of resources,” said Chase, who delved into program offerings with gusto and met regularly with Hogan experts regarding his new business.

Chase’s network of Hogan people did not let him stop at just having a business. They pushed him to compete in the state regionals of the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards, which recognizes the best in student-led business innovation. Hosted by the Entrepreneurs’ Organization of Hawaii, the competition judged competitors as entrepreneurs and on their business plans.

Chase made his presentation to a panel of seasoned entrepreneurs and competed with college business students from across the state. He had his doubts, but his mentors were confident. In January, Chase was recognized as one of this year’s top three regional finalists and was mentioned in Hawaii Business.

“I love Chaminade and what it has done for me,” Chase said. Chase is especially grateful for the Hogan Entrepreneurs because it equipped him with new skills, extensive connections, and the mindset to start new things wherever his career may lead him. “It has been such a great experience,” he emphasized.

Chaminade Communication Student Takes on the Big Apple

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It’s been a whirlwind week for Chantelle Aguilar, a senior Chaminade communication major, who was named to the American Advertising Federation (AAF) 2017 Most Promising Multicultural Student Class. Flown into New York City by AAF, she spent Feb. 13-16 meeting with professionals from top advertisers, media companies and advertising agencies at the exclusive Most Promising Multicultural Students Recruiters Expo.

Held in conjunction with the Expo, an Industry Immersion program provided her with invaluable networking and learning experiences. The Industry Immersion component of the program allows students to experience the excitement of a career in advertising firsthand by visiting major advertisers, ad agencies and media companies and attending workshops led by industry leaders. In addition, at the “Building Bridges for Our Future Awards Luncheon,” she dined among leading executives and multicultural industry pioneers. The luncheon provided an opportunity for networking and mentorship.

Representing 34 schools, the Most Promising Multicultural Student Class was a carefully selected group of top-tier students in advertising and marketing programs from across the country.  The class was selected for their excellent GPAs, demonstrated talent, leadership and service abilities.

In his recommendation letter, Aguilar’s adviser Dr. Cliff Bieberly said, “Chantelle is an extremely conscientious student who works hard and always takes on new challenges.”  Adding that she is an officer in Chaminade’s American Advertising Federation College Chapter, he pointed out Aguilar’s exceptional GPA.  “This very high-grade average has been earned despite the fact that she is a commuter student, works and is highly involved in our Hogan Entrepreneurs Club, Communication Club, our AAF Student Chapter and the university’s student government where she serves in a marketing communication role,” Dr. Bieberly said.

The 2017 MPMS Judges Committee reviewed the applications from more than 100 highly accomplished students.  Judges came from several top agencies in the advertising profession, including Arc Worldwide, Bloomberg, Droga5, FCB, fluent360, mcgarrybowen, Momentum Worldwide and Omnicom Health Group.  According to the AAF, the judges “were blown away by the talent pool” and that the final selection was quite difficult.

Chantelle is the seventh student from Chaminade to receive this honor since the Communication program began participating in 2004.