A decade ago, Alyssa Silva first stepped into the as a Running Start student. Running Start is a program that allows eligible high school students to take a college course at a University of Hawaiʻi campus as part of their high school coursework.

Silva is preparing to cross Kauaʻi CC’s commencement stage for the third time to earn her master of library and information science degree from ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�. She was only 16 when she began her journey there, while attending Kauaʻi High School.

“I basically grew up in this library in terms of my career,” Silva said. “I came here when I was 16, and now I’m 26.”

Silva earned her associate degree in accounting from Kauaʻi CC in 2019 before transferring to . She completed her bachelor’s degree in with an emphasis in in 2021, while residing on Kauaʻi. During her undergraduate years, she worked as a student assistant in the Kauaʻi CC library.

After graduating, Silva briefly worked in accounting before finding herself drawn back to the library. What began as a temporary position quickly turned into a permanent role. She credits University Center Education Specialist Rhonda Liu with encouraging her to pursue a master’s degree in library and information science.

Working in a small community college library has allowed her to develop skills across many areas while helping students feel welcomed and supported.

“We get students fresh out of high school, or students returning to school after a long time, and they can be nervous,” Silva said. “We’re here to help them become comfortable using the library and the school’s resources, and to give them a safe space to be.”

Indigenous librarianship

Throughout her graduate studies, Silva said courses focused on Indigenous librarianship had the greatest impact on her perspective and career goals.

“Libraries are based on Western ideas, and Indigenous knowledge doesn’t always fit neatly into those systems,” Silva said. “I feel like my way of contributing to our Indigenous-serving institution is by being a careful steward of what we have, continuing to learn from our community, and finding ways to make library spaces and collections more reflective of the people we serve.”

Meet more amazing ����Vlog�ٷ� graduates

In recent years, Silva has supported a variety of initiatives at Kauaʻi CC, including managing circulation operations, learning cataloging, and collection management while helping plan for future library projects and supporting projects connected to the Kikuchi Center.

“As an Indigenous-serving institution, archiving helps make these materials accessible,” Silva said. “It creates greater access for the community, especially for Native Hawaiian students, to connect with and work with these materials.”

Silva also recognizes the important role libraries play for local students at a time when many public school libraries on Kauaʻi face ongoing challenges and reductions in services.

“Sometimes students come into the library feeling intimidated,” Silva said. “I feel like making sure Indigenous, Pacific and local authors are represented and available to our students is crucial. It’s important for students to walk into a library and see something of themselves reflected there.”

Looking ahead, Silva is considering pursuing a second master’s degree in Indigenous language and culture education, history, anthropology or humanities to become a specialty librarian. No matter where her career leads, the Kauaʻi CC library remains at the heart of her journey.

—By Caitlin B. Fowlkes

This column by Chancellor Lui Hokoana was published by on February 26, 2026.

In December, we took you to our farm on Molokaʻi. This month we take you to our Education Center on ����Բ�ʻ�� where big things are happening.

We’ve had a robust dual enrollment program on ����Բ�ʻ�� for a while. High school students take ����Vlog�ٷ� Maui College courses and get a jump start on a degree or on their chosen profession. Pūlama ����Բ�ʻ��, which was created in 2012 to manage, preserve and protect the island’s land and natural resources, generously funds the students’ ����Vlog�ٷ�MC tuition. Recruiting more students and expanding the program will be the main focus of our new Satellite Manager. Long-time ����Բ�ʻ�� resident Natalie Ropa previously worked in student support services so she is a familiar face and a supportive presence.

“We have about 70 students in the program every year. That’s from a total of about 200 high school students,” Ropa explains. “There are about 50 seniors in the Class of 2026 and 30 have come through the program.”

Since the program began in 2016, 14 students have been awarded Associate of Arts degrees along with their high school diplomas. Seven of them achieved this success just last year. “These seven committed to the program from 9th Grade and have inspired the grades below them to cohort together and commit to doing it, too,” says Ropa.

Let’s hear what some of those seven say about their experiences. For Myah Doolin, working toward an AA degree while still in high school felt like a powerful head start. “I’m already much closer to obtaining a baccalaureate degree,” she says. “The dual enrollment support helped me save money on tuition, adjust to college level work, and build relationships with ����Vlog�ٷ� Maui College instructors who can support my future plans. Earning my AA means I can transfer more smoothly to a four-year university or apply for better jobs in Hawaiʻi with a degree already completed. Overall, this pathway allows me to have a connection to the resources on ����Բ�ʻ��, stay connected to my school and community, and still move forward with my education and career goals.”

Others, like Hannah Mae Lee and Micah Kahihikolo, were drawn by the challenge. As soon as she found out she could achieve an AA degree by the time she graduated from high school, Hannah Mae jumped in. “I knew I wanted to challenge myself and branch out into new experiences and opportunities,” she says. Micah echoes that feeling. “I never want to back down from a challenge,” he says. He’s planning to attend Honolulu Community College to become an Automotive Technician.

Spencer Chew wanted to get a feel for college. “I think that having my AA degree has given me both the skills necessary and the courage to pursue further higher education,” he says.

Kelly Raqueno knows exactly where she’s going next. “Having my AA allowed me to complete some of the prerequisites I’ll need as I move into healthcare and work toward my bachelor’s degree,” she says. “This achievement means a lot to me because it represents growth and persistence.”

Kimora Agliam advises those considering the dual enrollment program to think hard about their choice. Participation requires a lot of hard work and sacrifice. But if they choose dual enrollment, they will have gotten a head start on their futures.

For Jake Ropa, the decision was not taken lightly. “I earned my AA to help uplift the image of what ����Բ�ʻ�� truly is, challenging the stereotypes that reduce our island to pineapple fields or hotel work. I wanted to show the outside world, and especially the younger generation at home, that ����Բ�ʻ�� is more than how it is often perceived. More importantly, I wanted to become a role model, proving that it is possible to balance sports, high school responsibilities, and college-level coursework, and that students from ����Բ�ʻ�� are capable of achieving far beyond the limits others may place on us.”

Natalie Ropa—yes, she is Jake’s proud mom—has more big plans, too. “I really want to focus on adult education,” she says, “and see how we can take our dual enrollment model and tailor it to fit our adult community. Workforce training really interests me,” she says. And she’s the perfect role model. She is currently working on her Master’s Degree in Curriculum Studies from ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�.

For complete information about ����Vlog�ٷ� Maui College, please visit

Dr. Lui K. Hokoana is Chancellor of the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College. Kaʻana Manaʻo, which means “sharing thoughts,” is scheduled to appear on the fourth Thursday of each month. It is prepared with assistance from ����Vlog�ٷ�-Maui College staff and is intended to provide the community of Maui County with information about opportunities available through the college at its Kahului campus and its education centers.

Hawaiʻi faces a significant public health workforce shortage that far exceeds the national average, leaving rural communities especially affected by limited public health resources and academic pathways into the field.

To help fill this gap, a three-course public health certificate offered by was developed and launched in fall 2020 in partnership with the University of Hawaiʻi’s (DPHS) and the Department of Health’s Kauaʻi District Health Office (KDHO). Nearly six years later, 72 students—including high school early college participants—have completed the program, gaining foundational knowledge and credits transferable to a at ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�.

Early college credits, pathway to a degree

The certificate introduces foundational concepts through PH201: Introduction to Public Health, PH202: Public Health in Hawaiʻi, and PH203: Introduction to Global Public Health. Kauaʻi CC students who complete the program get a head start on a four-year degree and strengthen a seamless ����Vlog�ٷ� System pipeline.

The program is also offered to students at Waimea High School and Kapaāa High School through early college partnerships, allowing them to earn college credits that count toward both Kauaʻi CC and ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�.

“It’s so awesome to see high school students grapple with college material and make those important connections to public health,” said Yuka Polovina, a DPHS faculty member who currently teaches PH201. “This certificate and partnership with Kauaʻi CC is a fantastic model for other community colleges across our state and other campuses to follow.”

This program is a wonderful showcase of the collaborative academic pathway across the university system…
—Tetine Sentell

KDHO staff serve as guest lecturers, covering topics such as epidemiology, public health emergency preparedness, public health communications and outbreak control.

“We love the opportunity for our staff to share real-world local examples and make the work of public health come alive for Kauaʻi CC students,” said Janet Berreman, KDHO officer. “We get to see their excitement as they learn about the field.”

By introducing students to the field earlier, the program aims to increase local capacity and cultivate a future public health workforce drawn from the communities it serves. The initiative also supports ����Vlog�ٷ� President Wendy Hensel’s efforts to strengthen connections across the ����Vlog�ٷ� System.

The certificate by DPHS faculty Denise Nelson-Hurwitz, Lisa Kehl and Michelle Tagorda-Kama, with Tammie Napoleon and others at Kauaʻi CC. Yvette Amshoff, a DPHS master’s of public health graduate, taught the first cohorts and helped develop the program.

“This program is a wonderful showcase of the collaborative academic pathway across the university system, including our KDHO partners and DOE as well,” said Tetine Sentell, public health professor and DPHS department chair. “We are working to build more pathways like this to support public health across our islands and beyond.”

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Windward Community College student Peter Scott, 18, has always been curious about the natural world. This propelled him into a nationally competitive summer research opportunity—the (REU) at the University of ����Vlog�ٷ� at ����ԴDz�.

Out of more than 500 applicants across the country, only 10 were selected for the National Science Foundation funded program—and Scott was the one of only two students from Hawaiʻi.

“It was really a cool experience. I’m very glad I got to participate in it. It was a big confidence boost for me,” Scott said. “I got to work with a lot of really, really smart people. And it definitely helped me figure out this is something I want to do. I want to do research, I want to do science, I want to continue in this field.”

Sinking land

Scott’s project focused on why some areas of Hawaiʻi are sinking faster than others. By testing with an electrical current, he found that highly saturated soils and large amounts of fill may be driving subsidence in certain regions.

“It’s important to know why an area is subsiding, because that can affect how you want to plan for development,” he said. “It can affect whether or not you need to put in flood mitigation measures, or whether or not you need to change how you’re building infrastructure in an area, or whether you even want to build infrastructure in an area.”

Windward CC as a high schooler

Homeschooled since fourth grade, Scott enrolled in Windward CC’s early college program in 2023, while still in high school.

“I really enjoyed the smaller class sizes,” he said. “Going to a community college is a great place to start.”

One of Scott’s instructors, Arjun Aryal, told him about the REU program.

“Peter’s curiosity and drive for the natural sciences are impressive,” said Aryal. “As a student from Windward Community College, he met the objectives of the program: providing research experience to students from institutions with limited STEM opportunities.”

Aryal and ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� Assistant Researcher Amir Haroon served as Scott’s advisors for his research project.

Scott expects to earn an associate’s degree in the spring, then plans to continue at ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� in the fall with interests ranging from geology to botany and agriculture. One thing he is sure about his long-term goals: “I want to stay in Hawaiʻi, ideally, and work in the field where I can be outdoors.”

—by Kelli Abe Trifonovitch

Growing up in Waiʻanae surrounded by nurses in her family, Emma Tilitile was inspired by their deep compassion for patients and community, a spirit she carried with her through nursing school at the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�. In spring 2025, she earned her BS in nursing from the (SONDH), while also becoming a dedicated mentor to fellow students.

A proud graduate of Waiʻanae High School, Tilitile got a head start on college through Early College programs at and ����Vlog�ٷ� West Oʻahu. Combined with her coursework at ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�, those credits helped her earn an Associate in Arts degree in fall 2024 through the university’s reverse transfer program.

Still, the path to becoming a nurse wasn’t without moments of doubt. “Once I entered nursing school, and things got tough, I questioned whether I had made the right choice,” she said.

In her final semester, while caring for a patient recovering from open-heart surgery in the Queen’s Medical Center’s cardiovascular ICU, she found clarity. “They thanked me and told me I’d be a great nurse,” she said. “Until then, I knew I wanted to be a nurse, but I wasn’t always sure I’d be a good one. Hearing that reaffirmed that this is my path.”

From mentee to mentor

Inspired by the guidance she received, Tilitile gave back as a mentor through ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�’s Hawaiʻi Undergraduate Initiative, a partnership between the Academic Resource Center and the Student Nurses Association that supports students who, like her, were learning how to navigate the challenges of nursing school.

“My first semester was tough. We had to shift from a ‘normal’ way of thinking to a nurse’s way of thinking,” Tilitile said. “What’s considered common sense in nursing doesn’t feel like common sense at first. You have to retrain your brain. As a mentor, I tried to help students make that shift more smoothly. Practice helps, but having someone guide you makes a big difference.”

One moment she’ll never forget came at her pinning ceremony, when a student she had tutored virtually, showed up in person to thank her. “That one session helped her pass her exam,” Tilitile said. “It reassured me that maybe my actions do make a difference.”

Mentoring also helped her grow. “I found joy in teaching and sharing what I’d learned,” she said. “It’s shaped my goals, and I hope to keep mentoring and maybe teach nursing students someday.”

She added, “Mentoring deepened my empathy. Patients are often vulnerable and unsure, relying on us for care and comfort. That’s something I carry with me.”

She is now preparing to take the NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination) test which must be passed to become a licensed Registered Nurse. Tilitile plans to pursue a career in critical care nursing with a focus on cardiovascular health and eventually wants to return to school to become a family nurse practitioner.

— by Arlene Abiang

The pageant title of Miss Hawaiʻi 2025 was bestowed on University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu alumna Emalia Dalire, who graduated in fall 2024 with a bachelor of arts in with a concentration in .

The Kāneʻohe resident, 19, was crowned on May 31 at Hawaiʻi Theatre by the , which provides women with the opportunity to promote platforms of community service, share their talents, intelligence, and positive values while serving as role models in our island communities, according to the organization’s website.

“Being crowned Miss Hawaiʻi 2025 is an indescribable honor and a dream come true,” Dalire said in an interview with the morning after being crowned. “I feel overwhelmed with gratitude, knowing I get to represent the beauty, culture and mana (power) of our islands. This moment is not just mine. It belongs to every person who believed in me.”

Dalire competed as Miss Kāneʻohe and topped 12 other competitors, called “delegates,” and will move on to represent the state at the Miss America competition in September in Orlando, Fla.

Hula lineage

It may come as no surprise that the talent Dalire showcased at the Miss Hawaiʻi competition was hula. She just competed and placed third in the category at the held in April in Hilo. Dalire dances for Keolalaulani Hālau ʻŌlapa O Laka under Nā Kumu Keolalaulani Dalire (her mother) and Regina Mākaʻikaʻi Igarashi Pascua.

Keep empowering yourself

The community service initiative that Dalire will focus on throughout her upcoming Miss Hawaiʻi reign is, “K.E.Y. to Life: Keep Empowering Yourself.” It’s a platform she holds close to her heart and the same one she promoted when she was crowned in December 2023.

“’The K.E.Y. to Life: Keep Empowering Yourself’ is my message of empowerment to all youth, especially Indigenous people, to be who they are,” Dalire had said in a previous article after winning her Miss Hawaiʻi Teen Volunteer title. “In the words of my mother, ‘The best person in life to be like is yourself,’ and learning about my Hawaiian culture and being proud of my Indigenous heritage, I gained the confidence and determination necessary to create my future, my story.”

Accelerated academic journey

As a freshman at Damien Memorial School, Dalire began attending Windward Community College, simultaneously taking high school and early college classes. The dual enrollment enabled her to graduate a year early from high school in 2022 at the age of 16, then in December of that year, receive two associate degrees from Windward CC in liberal arts and Hawaiian studies along with three certificates of completion.

When 19-year-old Talia Agliam walks across the stage to receive her bachelor’s degree in sociology and a certificate in law and society from the on May 17, she will carry with her not only the pride of achievement, but the strength and support of her Lānaʻi island community.

She was in middle school at Lānaʻi High & Elementary School when she discovered that a college education was within reach through the ����Vlog�ٷ� Maui College —without having to leave home. She started as an Early College high school student in 2019 and earned her associate’s degree in 2022, before graduating from high school in 2023 as a valedictorian and senior class president.

“If it wasn’t for [the Lānaʻi Education Center], I don’t think I’d be even close to as successful as I am today,” Agliam said. “They definitely helped me set up my future, set up my life, and they gave me that stability to do so. I really applaud the advisors and the campus, the small, little building that we have.”

• Meet more amazing ����Vlog�ٷ� spring graduates

A ‘go-getter’

Pamela Alconcel, the center’s director, said, “Talia believes in the power of community and giving back to her community. She is a go-getter.”

That go-getter has earned her bachelor’s degree while working full-time for Lānaʻi Air as a guest experience assistant and part-time for the Purple Maia Foundation as a social media content creator. During it all, she leaned on her support system back home.

“The pilina (connections) there and the relationships that you build in the Education Center really stick with you for a long time—it doesn’t end at graduating from high school or getting into a college,” Agliam said. “I still have deep conversations with the advisors at the center, and it’s relationships that you build for life. Those relationships will continue to feed you and continue to provide you with resources and opportunities even when you are away from home.”

Lānaʻi roots

Law school may be part of Agliam’s long-term post-graduation plans, however, Lānaʻi factors heavily into her immediate next steps. She has been working with a mentor at Hawaiʻi Public Radio with the help of an internship through the Stupski Foundation to start a podcast. Titled “From the Roots Up,” the podcast will function as an archive of ��ā�Բ�ʻ��’s history for upcoming generations, analyze the island’s transformation and look to its future.

“Because there is a lack of resources on the island, it is important to take advantage of the resources that we do have,” Agliam said. “The Education Center on Lānaʻi provides an unwavering amount of support for our students. …I can’t imagine what my high school experience and what my life would look like now without it.”

—By Kelli Abe Trifonovitch

High school graduates of the class of 2024 excelled in numerous academic areas of study and matched the class of 2023 with the highest on-time high school graduation rate on record at 86%, according to the latest , released March 31. Among these students, 34% graduated with honors, the highest level in the past five years.

The class of 2024 CCRI report details the outcomes of 11,613 students among 67 public schools including public charters. The CCRI is produced annually by (Hawaiʻi P–20), in collaboration with the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education (HIDOE) and the University of Hawaiʻi.

Class of 2024 overall college enrollment increased from 51% to 52% and the proportion of class of 2024 graduates who attended a ����Vlog�ٷ� campus increased 3 percentage points from the previous year, from 31% to 34%. Of particular note, the percentage of completers who enrolled in a ����Vlog�ٷ� two-year campus increased from 17% to 19%, the highest percentage since 2020.

“The increase in college enrollment at the ����Vlog�ٷ� Community Colleges highlights the growing impact of our strengthened career pathways between HIDOE high schools and our seven community college campuses,” said Della Teraoka, interim vice president for the . “With ����Vlog�ٷ� two-year enrollment on the rise and four-year enrollment reaching record levels, these collaborative efforts are creating more opportunities for students to pursue higher education and succeed right here at home.”

The class of 2024 also had the highest number of completers in the last five years to earn a score of three or better on an Advanced Placement exam to 18%, and the most completers of Dual Credit classes, which increased 3 percentage points from last year (24% to 27%). Additionally, there was a 3% increase from 2023 of students who entered ����Vlog�ٷ� after completing college-level credits through Dual Credit in high school for English and math.

Graduates who earned the Seal of Biliteracy (students who have demonstrated a high level of proficiency in both of the state’s two official languages, English and Hawaiian; or either of the two languages and at least one additional language, including American Sign Language, by high school graduation) increased to 557 to 598 from the class of 2023, and CTE (career and technical education) honors also increased from 21% to 22%. The top three CTE programs completed by concentrators for the class of 2024 were hospitality, tourism, and recreation (23%); cultural arts, media and entertainment (20%); and health services (17%), all of which are integral areas of Hawaiʻi’s economy.

“Although college-going data from the class of 2024 demonstrates a turnaround from previous years, there are reasons for concern with academic readiness, especially in math,” said Stephen Schatz, executive director of Hawaiʻi P–20. “Math readiness is key across various industries, whether students aspire to be doctors, welders, auto mechanics, nurses, or teachers.”

����Vlog�ٷ� degrees significant return on investment

In a study that evaluated the workforce earnings of ����Vlog�ٷ� graduates who earned two- and four-year degrees, the found that nine years after completing a college degree, students who received Pell grants earned wages similar to their non-economically disadvantaged peers, mitigating the effects of intergenerational poverty. Throughout their lifetimes, a college degree holder earns a 27% higher income, or $2.8 million more in wages for a bachelor’s degree and $2.7 million more, or a 22% higher income, for an associate of science and associate of applied science degree, when compared to students who stopped out and did not earn a degree.

Windward Community College was honored for its innovative efforts in higher education, earning the 2025 ACE/Fidelity Investments Award for Institutional Transformation. Presented by the (ACE), this award honors institutions that have successfully implemented transformative changes to meet the evolving needs of students and their communities.

Both Windward CC and Rio Salado College in Arizona are 2025 recipients of the national award, which was presented at ACE’s annual meeting on February 13, along with a $10,000 check for each institution.

Since implementing its strategic plan in 2020, Windward CC has seen success in boosting both access and completion. Enrollment is 20% higher than it was in 2020, and time-to-degree success rates are higher than they have been since 2005 for both full-time and part-time students.

“He pūnāwai kahe wale ke aloha. ’Aloha is an endlessly flowing spring.’ Through enacting this abundance of aloha, our faculty, staff and students have transformed our college to even more deeply support students and our entire community,” said Ardis Eschenberg, Windward CC chancellor.

Strategic changes, meeting students’ needs

Windward CC’s program strengthened ties with local high schools, facilitating a seamless transition to college with targeted scholarships such as the . College application workshops and Senior Bash, where local high school seniors gather on campus for information, networking, and a reggae concert, helped Windward CC enroll some of its largest freshman classes in years.

As the institution with the highest percentage of Native Hawaiian student enrollment in the University of Hawaiʻi System (44%), Windward CC redesigned its Hawaiian Studies degree into a fully asynchronous online program to expand access, which ultimately led to an 80% enrollment increase. Recognizing workforce needs, the college introduced a Veterinary Technology program with statewide access and created a Mental Health Tech certificate in collaboration with key employers.

A wide range of programs now support students’ basic needs and enhance access. Windward CC provides free lunches to all students, maintains a food pantry and clothing closet for students, and has an on-campus for infants and toddlers. Additionally, Windward CC, which has served the women’s and youth correctional facilities in Hawaiʻi since 2017, expanded its offerings to a correctional facility serving men and will broaden its offerings this year to a correctional facility in Arizona.

ACE President Ted Mitchell said. “Windward Community College’s broad and tailored actions to meet the needs of students has enabled it to bolster its campus and strengthen the wider community.”

• More Windward CC stories:
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  Women inmates strive with Windward CC program

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa recently helped secure a $8.3 million grant for its Oʻahu program, a partnership aiming to boost college readiness.

This particular grant from the U.S. Department of Education will help about 1,600 seventh graders from four middle schools: Dole, Kalākaua, Wahiawā and Waipahu Intermediate.

“We visualize the support we provide to students in three key areas—Bridges, Backpacks and Beliefs,” said Edmond Lee, director at Gear UP Oʻahu. “Bridges: provide learning and advancement opportunities. Backpacks: supplies and essentials to help them on their journey. Beliefs: building mindsets and persistence to be successful in their chosen pathway.”

GEAR UP Oʻahu provides support to students for seven years from middle school through their first year of college. By offering a range of free resources, the program’s goal is to equip students with foundational skills and support to succeed academically.

Resources include:

• peer mentorship
• Early College credits
• career exploration
• college application assistance
• summer sessions
• college campus visits

GEAR UP alumni, cycle of support

GEAR UP graduates who are now in college return to mentor younger students. Many of the current mentors attended Waipahu, Leilehua, and Hilo High Schools, and bring with them first-hand experience that helps them relate to the program’s new generation of students.

The newly awarded grant is just one of 24, out of 118 national GEAR UP applicants. The Oʻahu-based program is a collaboration of 13 programs and offices at ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�, seven target schools and 10 educational and community partners.

Headcount enrollment at the 10 campuses of the University of Hawaiʻi surpassed 50,000 students for the first time since 2018. There are 50,418 students enrolled in the ����Vlog�ٷ� System for the fall 2024 semester, a 3% increase compared to fall 2023. Enrollment is up at eight of the 10 campuses, including all seven community colleges, which has not happened since 2010.

While enrollment for freshmen who just graduated from high school has declined 5% nationally this fall, first-time freshmen at ����Vlog�ٷ� from Hawaiʻi high schools increased by 10% across the system, including a 15% increase at ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� and a 9% increase at the community colleges.

“This is not just good news for ����Vlog�ٷ�, it’s good news for the entire state. The more people who go to college means a more skilled workforce, and that translates to higher wages, and fewer residents receiving government assistance. The ripple effect cannot be understated,” said ����Vlog�ٷ� President David Lassner. “I am most excited about the increases in our first-time freshmen from Hawaiʻi, and the fact that we are bucking the national trend. The people of Hawaiʻi are truly seeing the value of their public higher education system.”

Banner year for ����Vlog�ٷ� Community Colleges

Leeward CC saw the biggest increase in enrollment among the ����Vlog�ٷ� Community Colleges, which all welcomed more students in fall 2024 compared to the same time last year:

• Leeward CC—6,471 students (+7%)
• ����Vlog�ٷ� Maui College—2,792 students (+6%)
• Honolulu CC—3,342 (+4%)
• Kauaʻi CC—1,335 (+3%)
• Kapiʻolani CC—5,914 (+2%)
• Hawaiʻi CC—2,289 (+1%)
• Windward CC—2,765 (+1%)

Enrollment for the Early College program, through which high school students take college courses for dual high school and college credit, reached an all time high at the ����Vlog�ٷ� Community Colleges. Early College is up 10% compared to fall 2023 with 3,717 high school students enrolled. Students who take college courses in high school are more likely to attend college and earn a degree.

Native Hawaiian and Pacific Island enrollment is up 6% at the ����Vlog�ٷ� Community Colleges driving a 5% increase across the 10 campus system with growth in nearly all ethnic groups, including Native Hawaiian and Part-Hawaiian (4%), Filipino (5%) Micronesian and Marshallese (9%), Samoan (3%) and Tongan (10%).

“We are so excited to see increases across our seven community colleges in overall enrollment and in these key areas,” said Interim VP for Community Colleges Della Teraoka. “I commend our chancellors, their leadership and enrollment management teams for their great work along with our faculty and staff. We are going to keep looking for ways to improve so we can continue to meet the needs of the communities we serve.”

����Vlog�ٷ� 4-year campuses

����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� surpassed 20,000 students for the first time since 2013 with 20,028 students enrolled, a 4% increase over 2023. The flagship campus of the ����Vlog�ٷ� System also welcomed a record 3,123 first-time freshmen in fall 2024, the 3rd straight year ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� has reached 3,000 or more freshmen. More information on ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�’s fall enrollment numbers can be found on ����Vlog�ٷ� News.

Although enrollment was down 2% at ����Vlog�ٷ� West Oʻahu, with 2,814 students attending in fall 2024, the number of degree-seeking students and student semester hours taught increased. The modest decrease of about 50 students mostly represents fewer Early College enrollments.

Despite an overall enrollment drop of 4% at ����Vlog�ٷ� Hilo, Chancellor Bonnie D. Irwin emphasized that she was “thrilled to see a 25% surge in returning students—those who had paused their studies during the pandemic and are now back to finish what they started.” She also noted gains in key areas, including out-of-state Native Hawaiian, transfer, graduate and veteran students. ����Vlog�ٷ� Hilo’s fall 2024 enrollment stands at 2,668.

As Miss Hawaiʻi Teen Volunteer 2024, University of Hawaiʻi–W����� Oʻahu student Emalia Pomaialoha Dalire encourages youth to be the best version of themselves—that if they know who they are and where they come from, they will have the confidence to achieve anything.

The 18-year-old Kāneʻohe resident was crowned by the in December 2023. Dalire has been dancing hula since she was two in her family’s hālau, Keolalaulani Hālau ʻOlapa O Laka. She is the daughter of Miss Aloha Hula 1999, Kumu Hula Keolalaulani Dalire, and granddaughter of the first and only Miss Hula, Aloha Dalire.

“I was inspired to run for Miss Hawaiʻi Teen Volunteer because of my haumana (students) at my hālau,” Dalire said. “Working with hundreds of kids in and out of Hawaiʻi, my greatest joy comes from witnessing these children grow into distinguished individuals through their culture. Having a front-row seat to their learning and growth showed me that I have the power to make a difference, not just in my classroom but also in my community.”

• Related ����Vlog�ٷ� News story: Miss Hawaiʻi Volunteer 2024: Merging passion and purpose at ����Vlog�ٷ�, July 15, 2024

Perseverance paid off

As a freshman at Damien Memorial School, Dalire also began attending Windward Community College, simultaneously taking high school and early college classes. The dual enrollment enabled her to graduate a year early from high school in 2022 at the age of 16, and earn two associate degrees and three certificates of completion from Windward CC that same year.

Now a senior at ����Vlog�ٷ� West Oʻahu, Dalire is majoring in with a concentration in , and is on track to graduate with her bachelor’s degree this fall.

“The faculty and nā kumu (teachers) have been immensely understanding and helpful in my journey as Miss Hawaiʻi Teen Volunteer,” Dalire said. “I would like to take this opportunity to give a special shoutout and deepest thank you to one of my professors, who helped me shape my platform’s ‘why.’ The purpose of creating my initiative was to tell others what I wish I was told: ‘You are enough.’”

Both Dalire and her mother were students of Edward Keaunui, a ����Vlog�ٷ� West Oʻahu business administration instructor and risk management and insurance coordinator, who also helped Dalire as an interview coach.

“Her perseverance, her stick-to-itiveness, and her hard work are what paid off in her securing the crown for this pageant,” Keaunui said.

Empowering her students

Dalire is currently a youth mentor at a nonprofit organization called Laulani, which seeks to inspire and teach children through cultural preservation to embrace their uniqueness and gain life lessons through Hawaiʻi’s culture and traditions.

“I have been building my platform from a young age by instilling vital and empowering life lessons into my students, hoping to set them on a path toward success,” she said. “As Miss Hawaiʻi Teen Volunteer, I continue to do that in my classroom and community.”

Read more at .

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

offered Pearl City High School students the opportunity to take college classes in a pathway leading to a management certificate. Fifteen students were enrolled in Pearl City High School’s International Business and Design Academy (IBAD) and offered the cohort to graduate with a Career and Technical Education (CTE) honors certificate and a Certificate of Achievement in Management this spring.

Instead of traditional high school CTE courses, these students completed college-level business courses and established the HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union Student-Operated Credit Union, handling deposits and opening accounts for Pearl City High School staff and students.

“This program has been life-changing for me. Joining this program has pushed me beyond my comfort zone, challenging me to explore new ideas and experiences… giving me the confidence to seek out opportunities to grow,” said student Jordyn Shibata. “I’ve not only gained valuable knowledge, but it has also made me feel more confident and capable as an individual, ready to tackle any challenge in the future.”

Daphne Okunaga, lead teacher for IBAD, said, “The focus was not just Early College (a program that allows high school students to take college classes for credit), but rather a strategic approach to earn CTE honors, the management certificate, and to prepare them to major in business at ����Vlog�ٷ� Mānoa or ����Vlog�ٷ� West Oʻahu.”

Check out more stories of our ����Vlog�ٷ� spring graduates

“I am consistently inspired by the potential of our Early College program,” said Syreeta Washington, Leeward CC’s Early College counselor, “The program’s success is built upon our students’ dedication to their education, the strong collaborations we’ve cultivated, and our shared dedication to fostering student success.”

The program was supported by Hawaiʻi P–20 and a grant from the Stupski Foundation.

Despite the challenges that the class of 2023 faced related to the COVID-19 pandemic, recent data shows that Hawaiʻi high school students reached the highest marks in recent years while also earning more college credit, multiple language proficiency and Career and Technical Education (CTE) honors.

According to the newly-released , 33% of students from the class of 2023 graduated with honors, the highest in at least five years, and 86% graduated on time, tying the high mark over the past five years.

Additionally, participation in the dual credit program reached all-time highs, with 24% of graduates taking at least one dual credit University of Hawaiʻi college class, and 16% earning six or more college credits by graduation. Seventeen percent of graduates earned advanced placement scores of 3 or better, the highest level since the start of the pandemic.

Concerns about college access

The college going rate for the class of 2023 remains flat from the prior year with 51% of the graduates attending college the first fall after high school graduation. Of particular concern is the post-pandemic drop in college access among economically disadvantaged graduates: only 40% of these class of 2023 graduates went to college immediately after high school, down from 44% for the class of 2019.

“While the college going rate to four-year schools is slowly recovering from the pandemic, we are concerned that fewer graduates are going to community college, especially at ����Vlog�ٷ�’s seven campuses. ����Vlog�ٷ� Community Colleges are affordable on-ramps to four-year universities, and offer two-year and certificate programs that enable graduates to find great jobs right here at home,” said (Hawaiʻi P–20) Executive Director Stephen Schatz. “While it’s popular in 2024 to say that college isn’t worth it, that’s just not true. Most jobs in Hawaiʻi that pay a life-sustaining wage require more education or training than a high school diploma.”

The class of 2023 had 557 graduates earning the Seal of Biliteracy (students who have demonstrated a high level of proficiency in both of the state’s two official languages, English and Hawaiian; or either of the two languages and at least one additional language, including American Sign Language, by high school graduation), up from 37 graduates in 2017, the first year it was offered.

Completion of CTE programs remained steady with 64% of Hawaiʻi State Department of Education (HIDOE) graduates taking at least two courses in a career pathway. The top three class of 2023 career pathways were hospitality, tourism, and recreation (23%); cultural arts, media, and entertainment (21%); and health services (19%).

Produced annually by Hawaiʻi P–20, in collaboration with HIDOE and ����Vlog�ٷ�, the class of 2023 report details the achievements of 11,538 students across 65 public schools including public charters.

����Vlog�ٷ� degrees significant return on investment

In a study that evaluated the workforce earnings of ����Vlog�ٷ� students who earned two- and four-year degrees, the ����Vlog�ٷ� Economic Research Organization found that nine years after completing a college degree, students who received Pell grants earned wages similar to their non-economically disadvantaged peers, mitigating the effects of intergenerational poverty. Throughout their lifetimes, a college degree holder earns a 27% higher income, or $2.8 million more in wages for a bachelor’s degree and $2.7 million more, or a 22% higher income, for an Associate of Science and Associate of Applied Science degree, when compared to students who stopped out and did not earn a degree.

“The data is clear that there is significant value to earning a college degree,” said ����Vlog�ٷ� President David Lassner. “College graduates, even those who have been economically disadvantaged, enjoy increased earnings over their lifetimes and many other benefits. Higher education is the most effective pathway to break generational poverty and create opportunities for thriving families and communities.”

—Sudden remembrance, memory, especially of a loved one; fond recollection; premonition; to recall, recollect fondly.

Previous ʻōlelo
Hoʻopili
ʻImi
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Waimakalehua
Alakaʻi
All ʻŌlelo of the Week

“I chose this word because it is my middle name.”

—Samantha-Leigh Stone, Early College student, Hawaiian 101,

For more information on other elements of the definition and usage, go to the ����Vlog�ٷ� Hilo .

Maverick Yasuda, a spring 2023 graduate, knows the value of a community college education. His essay on the topic won the prestigious (PTK) Founders Medal Award. Every year, college students across the country submit essays to be considered for the honor, and Yasuda’s was selected from more than 1,200 entries.

The award comes with a $1,000 scholarship, and Yasuda was presented with a special recognition medallion at Leeward CC’s commencement ceremony on May 12, 2023.

“I very much enjoyed reading his essay—he represents the absolute best of what community colleges have to offer,” said Lynn Tincher-Ladner, president and chief executive officer of the PTK Honor Society.

High school student

Yasuda’s accomplishment is even more extraordinary considering he earned it as a student taking Leeward CC classes through Early College—a partnership between the University of Hawaiʻi and the Hawaiʻi Department of Education that allows students to take free college courses for both college and high school credit.

“I would not be in the position I am today without my Waipahu High School Early College Advisor Steven De Silva, Leeward Counselor Syreeta Washington and amazing Leeward CC professors who gave me the opportunity to learn at a higher level,” said Yasuda.

As a senior at Waipahu High School, Yasuda served as the student member on the Hawaiʻi State Board of Education, representing 170,000 public school students statewide. He maintained a 4.0 GPA and graduated with honors. He will be attending Harvard in the fall, and he hopes to become an individual who affects change on a local, national and global level as an environmental advocate, politician and businessperson.

“We are so proud of Maverick! Our early college students work hard to balance their kuleana (responsibility) as high school and college students,” said Washington, Leeward CC’s Early College counselor. “It’s a joy when they can utilize Leeward’s resources and our robust partnership with the high school to achieve their dreams.”

Key of opportunity

In his essay, Yasuda described his education at Leeward CC as a “key of opportunity” that began while taking summer college courses as an eighth grader, and led to his appreciation of the word “and”—a word that represents unlimited possibilities.

As the ����Vlog�ٷ� System leader in Early College enrollment, Leeward partners with 14 neighboring high schools and is serving more than 1,300 students in 2023 (an increase from 1,200 in 2022). .

It was an emotional moment when Chancellor Ardis Eschenberg looked into her daughter’s eyes with tearful pride as she presented her diploma at the college’s commencement ceremony in May.

student Beatrice Winuna Eschenberg had spent four years working on her associate’s degree in liberal arts through the Early College program, which allows high school students to take free college classes and receive both high school and college credit (dual credit).

“What I love the most about this campus is the love you feel—between the professors, all of the faculty, administration and my fellow students—it’s really easy to come here and feel loved,” said Beatrice Eschenberg. “And just like the motto of the college that says ‘he puniwai kahe wale ke aloha,’ this school is like an endless spring of love.”

She will be enrolling in University of California, Santa Cruz in the fall and majoring in environmental studies.

Both Eschenbergs are grateful for the support Beatrice received at Windward CC.

“Through the eyes of my daughter and as a makua (parent), I have been able to see how the aloha of our faculty and staff nurtures students to become their best selves,” said her mother, the chancellor. “Windward CC is an amazing college because of our people. My family is so thankful to each person who grew Winuna, my lei poina ʻole (child), on her educational journey.”

—By Bonnie J. Beatson

Eight students earned their associate in arts degrees in liberal arts from and walked in commencement ceremonies on May 12—a record number of such students for both institutions. They earned their college degrees before receiving their high school diplomas through University of Hawaiʻi and the Department of Education dual-credit programs.

The students were Leilani Joy Dela Cruz, Rachelle Anne Sales Manuel, Kuʻuleihoku McConnell, Cardenas Pintor, Norine Quach, Cadyn Ramos, Rachael Ahfook Tamapolu and Kailee Umaga-Silva.

“We are just so proud of these students’ accomplishments,” said Karen C. Lee, chancellor of Honolulu CC. “They persevered in getting their college associate’s degree through this partnership, and set themselves on the path to success. More and more jobs require a college degree, so they were so smart to seize an opportunity to go to college at no cost to them or their families.”

Related story: Go Govs! Farrington HS students earn degrees from Honolulu CC, May 2023

The dual-credit programs that helped them—Early College and Running Start—allow high school students to take free college classes and receive both high school and college credit (dual credit) for completion of 100-level and above courses.

“Thank you so much to Honolulu CC, (which helps high school students meet the academic qualifications to participate in Early College and Running Start), and the teachers who helped us get to where we are right now. You are the reason why I am here today, a graduate with an associate’s degree in high school and I can’t thank you enough!” said Manuel.

Administrators emphasize that any number of dual-credit classes will help students and their families, whether or not they end up leading to early college degrees. Enrollment in dual-credit programs has been growing across the state, saving students and their families both money and time. More than 24,000 students enrolled in ����Vlog�ٷ� Community College dual-credit courses from 2013 to 2023.

President David Lassner provided updates on the tenure project SCR 201 Tenure Task Force, fall 2023 enrollment and extramural funding at the May 18 Board of Regents (BOR) meeting at Honolulu Community College.

Lassner also highlighted a recent National Science Foundation award to ����Vlog�ٷ� for a climate-resilient, food innovation network, the Farrington High School seniors who recently graduated from Honolulu CC with their associate degrees, and the .

Also at today’s BOR meeting, Craig Angelos was confirmed as ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� athletics director effective June 5.

• Tenure project update ()
• Fall 2023 enrollment update ()
• Extramural funding down 1% compared to 2022 ()
• NSF climate-resilient, food innovation network ()
• Rewarding commencement season! (
• Farrington High School seniors earn Honolulu CC degrees ()
• ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� Health Sciences Initiative ()

See previous president’s reports to the Board of Regents.