Wayne Hwang, Class of 2009
Major: Biological Sciences
Focus/Concentration: Unofficially reconstructive/plastic surgery
Student Groups: Charity Fashion Show (run by Stanford Fashion Society)
Overseas: Lived in Taipei, Hong Kong, New Zealand, NYC, and Minnesota. Stanford Bing overseas trip for Craniofacial Biology in London and Paris this past summer.
Post-Stanford Plans: Medical school to become a reconstructive/plastic surgeon
Your public Website/Links to projects: http://charityfashionshow.stanford.edu
http://www.wdesignsfashion.com
Favorite thing about Stanford: Everyone’s commitment to their own extracurricular student group(s).
A Chat with Wayne Hwang
Stanford Student Arts: Why did you decide to come to Stanford?
Wayne Hwang: As a high school senior, I was deciding between Stanford
and Julliard, where I was recruited for piano. Eventually, I decided
that I did not want to be a struggling artist for the rest of my life.
SSA: Why is Stanford a special place to be as an artist/creator/organizer?
WH: At Stanford, the students art community has only recently gained
its foothold on campus. This developing structure allows for many
students to become art community leaders and founders, who can directly
mold Stanford’s artistic environment that most reflect its students’
expressions.
SSA: What are you most passionate about?
WH: Design and its integration with human aesthetics. This includes
designing human fashion apparel, jewelry, hair, etc. More recently,
I’ve discovered an even greater interest in presenting these products
in an eye-catching extravaganza, such as fashion shows.
SSA: How does this play a role in your life at Stanford?
WH: Aside from founding, developing, and directing Stanford’s Charity
Fashion Show, my passions have also directed my academic interests. As
a pre-medical student, I’ve determined that enthusiasm for human
aesthetics would best serve me in cosmetic surgery. Thus, for the past
two years, I’ve been working in the reconstructive/plastic surgery
center at the medical school, conducting both clinical and laboratory
studies.
SSA: How did you get involved in your various activities/groups outside of academics?
WH: As a freshman, I was initially contacted by the Asian American
Students’ Association (AASA) to coordinate their annual fashion show.
From this event, I realized the potential of creating a campus-wide,
ethnic diversity fashion show. So with the help some friends, I not
only created a university-recognized event sponsored by the various
ethnic and cultural student groups on campus, but also the largest
fashion show on the West Coast.
SSA: Describe what motivates or inspires you to do the work you are doing in the arts at Stanford.
WH: My own personal investment in the arts inspires me to continually
drive my efforts with Charity Fashion Show. Moreover, I always draw
myself back to the arts, whether as a way to relax, pass time, or enjoy
myself.
SSA: What project or experience that you’ve had as a student has made the greatest impact on your Stanford experience.
WH: Charity Fashion Show
SSA: What resources were most helpful/useful to you in your project(s)?
WH: Charity Fashion Show often draws upon personal experience in the
fashion industry for inspiration and guidance, since we look upon
leading fashion productions around the world. Additionally, the
advisors of the OSA provide great advice in terms of working with
outside contacts, groups, and sponsors to make our production possible.
SSA:What was the most challenging aspect of the project?
WH: Securing funds.
SSA: What funding sources did you use?
WH: The ASSU appropriation funds, SSFD, The Stanford Fund, and external off-campus sponsors.
SSA: Describe any creative solutions to problems you encountered?
WH: When producing our numerous photo shoots throughout the year, we
often need to hire photographers, makeup artists, and hair stylists.
Unfortunately, our budget does not allow proper payment for these
professionals. So, we discovered that we could get their services in
return for massive publicity on the released photos, as well as free
VIP seating at our annual production.
SSA: How has your project been rewarding?
WH: Charity Fashion Show feels the most rewarding when others,
especially models within the group, tell me how much they appreciate
the organization and production.
SSA: What did you learn/what are you most proud of as a result of this experience?
WH: When starting the VSO a few years ago, I made it a goal to involve
the various ethnic and cultural student organizations in Charity
Fashion Show, in order to demonstrate CFS’s determination to create a
diversity fashion show. My work in CFS taught me how to effectively
seek out and work with other organizations.
SSA: What are some things you’ve done during summers that are of particular interest?
WH: This past summer, I published a research paper in the American
Journal of Plastic Surgery while working in the reconstruction/plastic
surgery center of the Stanford Medical Center. Meanwhile, my Co-Head
Coordinator and I were already prepping for the 2008-2009 year for
Charity Fashion Show, by seeking sponsors, developing a calendar, and
making tent preparations for the May 2009 show.
SSA: Let's talk a little bit about your academics. How have your
academic studies been related or unrelated to your activities in the
arts?
WH: My academic studies (Biological Sciences major) have almost nothing
to do with my artistic interests. In fact, my intended career, cosmetic
surgery, only mildly overlaps with my director, choreographer,
designer, manager work in Charity Fashion Show.
SSA: Since you are not studying the arts academically, tell us a
little bit about how you’ve balance your artistic interests with your
academics.
WH: Although academics always come first, I treat Charity Fashion Show
as a 9-unit course (or possibly more) each quarter. This mentally
prepares how I handle my schedule.
SSA: What do you dream about doing after Stanford?
WH: I definitely plan to become a cosmetic surgeon in the future, but
there may be plans to work part-time as an artistic director for a
leading fashion week.
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A Chat with Wayne Hwang
Stanford Student Arts: Why did you decide to come to Stanford?
Wayne Hwang: As a high school senior, I was deciding between Stanford and Julliard, where I was recruited for piano. Eventually, I decided that I did not want to be a struggling artist for the rest of my life.
SSA: Why is Stanford a special place to be as an artist/creator/organizer?
WH: At Stanford, the students art community has only recently gained its foothold on campus. This developing structure allows for many students to become art community leaders and founders, who can directly mold Stanford’s artistic environment that most reflect its students’ expressions.
SSA: What are you most passionate about?
WH: Design and its integration with human aesthetics. This includes designing human fashion apparel, jewelry, hair, etc. More recently, I’ve discovered an even greater interest in presenting these products in an eye-catching extravaganza, such as fashion shows.
SSA: How does this play a role in your life at Stanford?
WH: Aside from founding, developing, and directing Stanford’s Charity Fashion Show, my passions have also directed my academic interests. As a pre-medical student, I’ve determined that enthusiasm for human aesthetics would best serve me in cosmetic surgery. Thus, for the past two years, I’ve been working in the reconstructive/plastic surgery center at the medical school, conducting both clinical and laboratory studies.
SSA: How did you get involved in your various activities/groups outside of academics?
WH: As a freshman, I was initially contacted by the Asian American Students’ Association (AASA) to coordinate their annual fashion show. From this event, I realized the potential of creating a campus-wide, ethnic diversity fashion show. So with the help some friends, I not only created a university-recognized event sponsored by the various ethnic and cultural student groups on campus, but also the largest fashion show on the West Coast.
SSA: Describe what motivates or inspires you to do the work you are doing in the arts at Stanford.
WH: My own personal investment in the arts inspires me to continually drive my efforts with Charity Fashion Show. Moreover, I always draw myself back to the arts, whether as a way to relax, pass time, or enjoy myself.
SSA: What project or experience that you’ve had as a student has made the greatest impact on your Stanford experience.
WH: Charity Fashion Show
SSA: What resources were most helpful/useful to you in your project(s)?
WH: Charity Fashion Show often draws upon personal experience in the fashion industry for inspiration and guidance, since we look upon leading fashion productions around the world. Additionally, the advisors of the OSA provide great advice in terms of working with outside contacts, groups, and sponsors to make our production possible.
SSA:What was the most challenging aspect of the project?
WH: Securing funds.
SSA: What funding sources did you use?
WH: The ASSU appropriation funds, SSFD, The Stanford Fund, and external off-campus sponsors.
SSA: Describe any creative solutions to problems you encountered?
WH: When producing our numerous photo shoots throughout the year, we often need to hire photographers, makeup artists, and hair stylists. Unfortunately, our budget does not allow proper payment for these professionals. So, we discovered that we could get their services in return for massive publicity on the released photos, as well as free VIP seating at our annual production.
SSA: How has your project been rewarding?
WH: Charity Fashion Show feels the most rewarding when others, especially models within the group, tell me how much they appreciate the organization and production.
SSA: What did you learn/what are you most proud of as a result of this experience?
WH: When starting the VSO a few years ago, I made it a goal to involve the various ethnic and cultural student organizations in Charity Fashion Show, in order to demonstrate CFS’s determination to create a diversity fashion show. My work in CFS taught me how to effectively seek out and work with other organizations.
SSA: What are some things you’ve done during summers that are of particular interest?
WH: This past summer, I published a research paper in the American Journal of Plastic Surgery while working in the reconstruction/plastic surgery center of the Stanford Medical Center. Meanwhile, my Co-Head Coordinator and I were already prepping for the 2008-2009 year for Charity Fashion Show, by seeking sponsors, developing a calendar, and making tent preparations for the May 2009 show.
SSA: Let's talk a little bit about your academics. How have your academic studies been related or unrelated to your activities in the arts?
WH: My academic studies (Biological Sciences major) have almost nothing to do with my artistic interests. In fact, my intended career, cosmetic surgery, only mildly overlaps with my director, choreographer, designer, manager work in Charity Fashion Show.
SSA: Since you are not studying the arts academically, tell us a little bit about how you’ve balance your artistic interests with your academics.
WH: Although academics always come first, I treat Charity Fashion Show as a 9-unit course (or possibly more) each quarter. This mentally prepares how I handle my schedule.
SSA: What do you dream about doing after Stanford?
WH: I definitely plan to become a cosmetic surgeon in the future, but there may be plans to work part-time as an artistic director for a leading fashion week.
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