Brandon Hsu

Experience

1. Administrative Aide

   Friends In Deed

   Aug 2018 — Present · Pasadena, CA, US

   On Saturday mornings at the Pasadena Farmers Market, I lead a high school volunteer crew that collects unsold produce and delivers it to local food banks and shelters. I first joined this group in 7th grade and have worked over 1,150 hours in six years. Each week, I manage a roster of 11 volunteers. I recruit new members, run our group chat, track attendance, and submit donation weights to Food Cycle LA’s log. I pay close attention to my team’s strengths: one member skilled with Google Sheets calculates totals, physically stronger members carry heavy crates, and others lead conversations with vendors. I encourage everyone to rotate roles so they can practice new skills. Balancing these responsibilities is challenging, but it has helped everyone become effective and confident. I also reshaped how we worked. Instead of letting my group spend idle time on their phones, I suggested that we help vendors clean up their stations. We began folding tents, stacking crates, loading trucks, and hauling produce. We’ve earned the trust of vendors who sometimes run a stand with only one or two workers. That extra effort turned us into part of the market’s community, not just project- based volunteers.To date, our team has collected more than pounds of fresh food to donate for those experiencing food insecurity. But what I value most is not the number; it is our culture of reliability. Leadership is about making the people around me feel seen and empowered to contribute. The farmers\' market is no longer only a place to volunteer. It is a network of people I know, respect, and support.

Education

• UCLA Extension

  Certificate Course, Social Media Marketing

• USC Marshall School of Business

  Summer Pre-College Program, Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services