Over 50 students, parents, mentors and friends attended the Hogan Entrepreneurial Program graduation ceremony on April 29. Typically held on campus in the Mystical Rose Oratory, this year’s ceremony took place online via Zoom due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The ceremony celebrated the accomplishments of Chaminade students who have spent the past one to two years participating in the community service projects, academic coursework, mentorship activities, networking events and weekly lectures that are hosted by the Hogan Entrepreneurial Program. Funded by the Hogan Family Foundation, the Hogan Entrepreneurial Program provides students with the skills and knowledge necessary to become successful entrepreneurs, with an emphasis on community service. The program’s motto is “doing business things that make social sense and doing social things that make business sense.”
“As we do every April, we look to this celebration as a time to recognize the most important players in this program, and that’s you, our students,” said Dr. Webster. “You’ve heard me say before, our aim is simple: it’s to give you, some of Chaminade’s best students, the knowledge skills and motivation to start new things.”
The celebration began with a prayer from Brother Edward Brink, Chaminade’s rector and vice president for mission. Next, Dr. Lynn Babington, president of Chaminade University, welcomed all in attendance and offered well wishes for the graduates who were moving on to the next leg of their journey.
The ceremony continued by awarding students from each class year with the Outstanding Student Awards, including juniors Elijah Abramo and Yoshlinda Note, and seniors Isabella Tessitore and Natalie Burton. Charlie Clausner took home the Outstanding Graduate Student award, and Esther Patterson took home the overall Outstanding Hogan Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Charlie Clausner was also one of two student speakers who shared spoken word poems they had written to inspire and uplift, joining fellow graduate Fabian Patterson.
Dr. Babington also had the pleasure of introducing the next director of the Hogan Entrepreneurial Program, as Dr. John Webster will be retiring in June following 18 years of service to Chaminade University.
Dr. Roy Panzarella will begin his role as director of the Hogan Entrepreneurial Program on July 1, 2020. Dr. Panzarella most recently served as the vice president of operations at Alaka‘ina Foundation Family of Companies. He is the former general manager of Lockheed Martin in the United Arab Emirates and retired from the Army as a Colonel after 33 years of service. He will be stepping down from his role as vice chair of the Board of Regents at Chaminade University to join the Hogan program.
“I’ve known Roy Panzarella for a number of years, and have long been convinced that he would provide the leadership that you would expect from the Hogan program,” said Dr. Webster. “He has the values and the heart to make you, and Chaminade, proud of your program.”
Congratulations to the 2020 Hogan Entrepreneurial Program graduates. As Dr. Babington said, “You are our future, and we have great hope and high expectations for all of you.”
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