Students raise more than $250,000 per year in food sales and donations, and experience all sorts of challenges from organizing, negotiating, competing, operating and more.| Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar
The Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship organized the annual three-day Spring tradition Wolffest from April 9 to April 11.
Wolffest is part of the WCE capstone course and is the final step in completing a Bachelor of Business Administration in Entrepreneurship from the Wolff Center. The program makes its students act under pressure and make real-life decisions that help them act like entrepreneurs.
“Essentially at its core, it’s a food festival and each team has its own theme,” said CEO of team Backyard Wolves and entrepreneurship and finance senior Alim Maknojia. “All of us try to compete to raise the most amount of money through the food stalls.”
The money raised by WCE students from the pop-up food stands is used towards scholarships and student activities.
Students raise more than $250,000 per year in food sales and donations and experience all sorts of challenges from organizing, negotiating, competing, operating and more.
“The first few days, weather was extremely bad and I think that definitely affected some of our foot traffic,” said CEO of team The Wolves and marketing and entrepreneurship senior Dara Santiago. “But even then, my team was able to sell out everything completely on both days and we’re expecting the same thing today.”
However, the benefits of organizing an event as big as Wolffest are not just limited to WCE students.
“I think it’s a good change from the food that we usually have at the Student Centers and there’s a lot more variety and good vendors too,” said public health junior Jamie Rucker. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar
This year, Wolffest managed to bring about 30 different food stalls not just from big brand names like Raising Cane’s and Minute Maid, but small businesses like Two Hands Korean Corn Dogs, Feng Cha Boba and more, according to student organizers.
“We want to showcase not just large but also the really small businesses. This is why we have brought different and new types of food,” Santiago said.
Wolffest is open to the entire university and welcomes everyone with open arms. Students each year enjoy the food fest to the fullest as it brings a change to the daily food options available on campus.
“I think it’s a good change from the food that we usually have at the Student Centers and there’s a lot more variety and good vendors too,” said public health junior Jamie Rucker.
Aside from the different food options available, guests appreciated the non-profit cause behind the annual food fest. According to health education senior Alva Hernandez-Okamoto, they appreciated the abundance of mom-and-pop shops that have seen increased business in the post-COVID-19 era.
Both organizers and attendees have a mutual feeling that the food fest is a great opportunity to recognize the diversity on campus.
“Wolffest is really good for students to come together,” Rucker said. “It’s a good opportunity for students to come together and try different things.”
Although most attendees shared positive opinions and enjoyed trying the different vendors, others still had conflicting views.
Rucker and Hernandez-Okamoto said that the fest could improve with more interactive activities and more favorable prices.
“Everything here isn’t super expensive but I wish it would be a little bit cheaper and the vendors had more free stuff to give away,” Rucker said. “It would be better if it was more interactive with games and giveaways.”
Maknojia and Santiago feel thankful for the opportunity provided by WCE and UH that helped them organize this annual fest.
“It’s been amazing to see months of hard work come into play,” Maknojia said. “I’m just mind blown every single time by the number of people that come out, show support and love the fest.”
You can find more information about Wolffest here.
