14 | The Hockaday School | Grade 8
This charitable investment fund has 137 members in 22 states and three other countries. Its financial lectures and workshops have reached an audience of more than 3,000, and its investment returns have supported more than 10 nonprofit organizations.
But its founder and president doesn’t have an MBA. She’s Olivia Zhang, an eighth grader at The Hockaday School. With support from her parents and teachers, Zhang started the Hoperation Fund as a local investment club almost three years ago.
“I am especially proud not only of how much the organization has grown, but also of the impact it has been able to make through education, service, and charitable giving,” Zhang said. “Seeing an idea that began on a small scale grow into a community that empowers others and gives back in meaningful ways has been incredibly rewarding.”
The Hoperation Fund has used its proceeds to support overlooked charities and communities. It recently funded the construction of a concrete wall at an impoverished school in the Philippines. The new wall, which helps protect students and school property, replaced a wooden predecessor that washed away in a flood.
Zhang has also volunteered her time at food pantries, has helped pack backpacks for underserved Dallas families, and is active in her school community as a writing center tutor.
Zhang said that her service was motivated by her parents, who taught her from an early age to not focus solely on her personal success, but also to find ways to help others in need.
“They instilled in me the belief that giving back is an important part of living a meaningful life,” she explained, “and their example inspired me to become involved in my community.”
What (or who) motivated you to get involved in the community?
My family has been my biggest motivation — my parents taught me from a young age that life is not just about focusing on your own goals and success, but also about paying attention to the people around you and finding ways to help others. They instilled in me the belief that giving back is an important part of living a meaningful life, and their example inspired me to become involved in my community. Additionally, after reading many books, I have come to realize that not everyone has the same resources and opportunities, fueling my desire to make a positive impact on the community.
What accomplishment are you proudest of and why?
I am most proud of founding and developing the Hoperation Fund over the past three years. In these three years, we have grown from a small, Dallas-based nonprofit into an organization with 137 members, representing 22 states and three other countries. We have hosted over 100 financial lectures and workshops, reaching a total audience of more than 3,000, and supported over 10 nonprofits through the investment returns generated by the Hoperation Fund investment portfolio. I am especially proud not only of how much the organization has grown, but also of the impact it has been able to make through education, service, and charitable giving. Seeing an idea that began on a small scale grow into a community that empowers others and gives back in meaningful ways has been incredibly rewarding.
What do you hope you’ll be doing ten years from now?
Ten years from now, I hope to be an entrepreneur, building innovative solutions to solve real-world problems. I want to launch something that both improves peoples’ lives and opens up doors for others by creating job opportunities for thousands of people. Beyond that, I also want to continue growing the Hoperation Fund so it can support more communities and inspire more young people to develop financial literacy, leadership, and a spirit of service. Overall, I hope to be in a position where I can combine innovation, leadership, and compassion to make a positive and lasting impact.
What is the best advice you’ve received?
The best advice I’ve received is: Be stubborn about the goal, but flexible about the method. Persistence and grit is key to achieving anything. Often, however, when running the Hoperation Fund or working on a project in school, I’ve realized that my initial plan for tackling a challenge just wasn’t going to work out, so it’s important to keep an ear out for feedback while still remaining determined.
Who is your biggest inspiration?
Charlie Munger is my biggest inspiration. He was not only a legendary investor, but also a life-long learner who read countless books across many fields and was even called a “walking bookshelf.” Additionally, throughout his life, he was very disciplined and patient, qualities which also helped him make strong, rational investments in high-quality companies. What I admire most, though, is his uncompromising integrity. He consistently emphasized the importance of trust, reliability, and ethical behavior, and how character matters just as much as knowledge. He also used his success to support education and public institutes, making him a big role model to me.
What do you love most about your community?
I love how my community, both at school and in my neighborhood, is so inclusive. I appreciate being in an environment where everyone supports and uplifts one another, and everyone is encouraged to feel valued and included. Being part of this kind of community has shown me how important it is to respect others, learn from different perspectives, and contribute in a positive way.
If there was ONE thing that you could change or improve in the community, what would it be? How would you change it?
One thing I want to improve is financial literacy. Being well-equipped in personal finance skills is very important — you can have a good salary but still struggle with managing your money. My community, at school and in my neighborhood, is pretty aware of the importance of personal finance, actually, but many people still lack essential financial knowledge to manage their money properly and invest. There is a big inequality in financial education, especially among the less privileged, and the mission of the Hoperation Fund is to help bring financial literacy to more people.
What is something that gives you hope for the future?
Something that gives me hope for the future is how quickly people are adapting to a new, rapidly developing world. Every day, more high-tech inventions are being innovated and refined, and it is amazing to see how people are continuously learning and changing their world views — for example, if you had asked someone three years ago, before ChatGPT came out, about their perspective on AI, they probably would have responded that AI was something belonging only to science-fiction books. Now, though, AI is prevalent in daily life. I personally think that humanity has a bright future, and I’m excited to see what life will be like in 20 more years.
What social issues are you the most passionate about, and why?
I am passionate about addressing inequality in access to financial education. I think everyone should have the resources to learn basic personal finance and investing skills. These skills are essential for making informed decisions on spending, budgeting, and increasing your wealth, yet many people never receive this education. Even people with high salaries can still struggle financially because they don’t know how to manage their money and spending. Additionally, I am also passionate about supporting underserved groups and individuals. Everyone is human, and everyone needs care, guidance, and resources to succeed. To me, making a meaningful difference means using education and support to empower people who may otherwise be overlooked.
If you could shop for free anywhere in the Park Cities or Preston Hollow, where would you go?
I would go to NorthPark Center. I love going there with my friends, and there’s such a variety of great stores!
Is there anything else you think we should know about you?
Aside from finance and investing, I am also interested in AI. In my spare time, I have done a lot of research projects on how AI can be applied to solve community problems, such as reducing food waste, monitoring the health of office workers using smartwatches, and managing investment portfolios using large language models; these led to three published papers. I also founded Lumos AI Club, where students study together on AI, including reading AI technical books, discussing AI topics, and more. In my free time, besides working on research projects or learning about investing, I like to practice fencing — I have fenced for around five years — and read books. I am also a big foodie, and I love going to new restaurants and trying new foods!
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