Senior Noel Hwang became the recipient of a $25,000 scholarship from Chick-fil-A, Chick-fil-A announced on their website. The scholarship was awarded based on a student’s academic performance as well as being able to demonstrate care and commitment to serving their communities, the announcement said.
One day, Hwang was told to prepare for an “parent appreciation” interview, which was to be held at his workplace, he said. When Hwang stepped out to where the interview would be held, he saw a large crowd, cameras, and the Chief Executive Officer of the company, Andrew Cathy, waiting for him, heHwang added.
“I want to present you with a $25,000 scholarship from Chick-fil-A,” Cathy said as he presented a large check to Hwang, according to ABC news.
When Hwang turned around, he saw all his friends who had skipped school to be there and celebrate with him, he said. Hwang received recognition from Daly City news networks, where Hwang works, and the mayor of Daly City, he added.
“The biggest thing that makes Noel successful is how social he is,” junior Timothy Tu, Hwang’s DECA partner, said. “He is the type of person that can talk to anyone about anything. He is not afraid to ask questions and is not scared to do anything.”
A major aspect of Hwang’s life is his work at Chick-fil-A, which began last summer, Hwanghe said. He joined Chick-fil-A’s Leader Academy, where he learned about leadership and service while managing a community project, he added.
“We reached out to a senior center and we held a talent show for the elderly,” Hwang explained. “Sometimes they have memory problems, so we took Polaroids with them so that they could remember it.”
Hwang also connects with his community through his church, although during his freshman and sophomore year he decided to step away from his faith because he could not understand it, which was difficult because his father is a pastor, he added.
“In junior year, I really had that moment where I felt very helpless,” Hwang said. “I was like, ‘I feel so hopeless in this moment. I feel like I’m like nothing. Do I really even like matter in this world?’”
Encouraged by his friends and family, Hwang decided to give his family’s faith another chance and had an emotional realization, he said.
“I just don’t have another place like church,” Hwang said. “Every time I step into that building, it’s so healing.”
Hwang is also the president of God First, a Christian club on campus that allows students to come together to discuss and share their faith, he said. Even though Hwang rarely has a chance to meet the members outside of the club, he believes that there is a special connection between them, he added.
“I don’t know who they are, where they’ve come from, or even what grade they’re in,” Hwang said. “But when we go in there, we’re all there for one thing, and I hope they know I can always support them.”
Hwang is also dedicated to athletics, having participated in swimming, wrestling, cross country, and track and field over his middle and high school years, he said.
“I went into wrestling my seventh grade year, and I was devastated,” Hwang said. “It was so hard, I ended up quitting a few months in.”
In order to get in proper shape for a return to wrestling, Hwang decided to enter cross country in seventh grade, he said. Over his time in middle school, Hwang saw improvements in both his cross country and wrestling performance, and he managed to make the varsity swimming team as a high school freshman, he added.
“My philosophy is if you just focus on improving yourself to the max, then the subproduct of that would be that you become better than the average,” Hwang said. “So I tried really hard not to compare myself to others.”
Hwang is always trying to make people laugh and smile constantly, junior Sarra Yadav said. Noel is also very approachable and easy to get to know, she said.
“He is a genuine guy,” she said.
Hwang is a student dedicated to others, and that separates him from the rest, Tu said.
“Noel is such a unique person, it is hard to put into words; you have to meet him,” Tu said.
Hwang is committed to the Indiana University’s Kelley Business school.
“I look back on my life and I say, ‘I didn’t do that much. And I don’t really deserve all of this,’” Hwang said. “But there’s just been so many blessings and thank God for that.”