More than 12,000 people attended The Wall That Heals traveling exhibit during its display at the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu Great Lawn in January. The three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., along with a mobile education center, served as a powerful gathering space for the community to learn, remember and share.

The Wall That Heals, a program of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF), honors the more than three million Americans who served in the Vietnam War and bears the names of the 58,281 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Ken Inouye, assistant to the vice chancellor for administration at 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu, was part of the team that helped bring the exhibit to campus and found the experience deeply moving. He noted that unlike the quiet, often solitary nature of the D.C. memorial, the atmosphere at 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu fostered spontaneous connection and sharing.

Place of healing

“Seeing the effect it has had within our community has been humbling, and the way people just spontaneously shared their stories with me and others was clearly healing,” Inouye said. “People who came to visit The Wall That Heals immediately sensed that everyone there was of the same community.”

Inouye is the son of the late U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, who served in the U.S. Army鈥檚 442nd Regimental Combat Team, one of the most decorated military units in U.S. history.

“A woman and her husband approached me to ask for directions and then started talking to me about the Wall,” he said. “After about five minutes of us talking about family members who had served in the military, she realized that her uncle and my father had served together in World War II.”

Nearly 400 volunteers and more than 20 community partners contributed to the event. The display at 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu was the first stop of the VVMF鈥檚 2026 The Wall That Heals . The exhibit will visit a total of 31 communities in 2026.

For more visit .
—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

The mobile exhibit, , which features a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., is coming to Oʻahu. It will be on display January 14–19 at the Great Lawn of the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu in Kapolei. The exhibit, which also includes a mobile Education Center, honors the more than 3 million Americans who served and bears the names of the 58,281 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in the Vietnam War. The exhibit will be open 24 hours a day until it is dismantled on January 19.

“After 30 years displaying in communities throughout the United States, few communities have worked as hard as Kapolei to host The Wall That Heals,” said Jim Knotts, president and CEO of Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF), the nonprofit that founded The Wall. “Our events in Hilo and Maui were incredible, and we鈥檙e excited to bring the exhibit to Oʻahu.”

Community impact

Local efforts were championed by Vietnam veteran Eddie Freeman, co-chair of The Wall That Heals 鈥� Oʻahu. He noted that his past experience on other islands “deepened my resolve to bring this powerful memorial to Oʻahu. The selection of Kapolei, Hawaiʻi, by VVMF stands as one of the most significant events for the community in 2026.”

A related showing of “Ah Quon McElrath: The Struggle Never Ends” will be held 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. on January 16, at the ʻUluʻulu film screening room in the James & Abigail Campbell Library. Presented by the Center for Labor Education and Research, the event will include comments from filmmakers Chris Conybeare and Joy Chong-Stannard on the film’s connection to the Vietnam War and today, along with a historical exhibit.

For more visit .

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

The University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu recently launched the inaugural issue of (DPP), an undergraduate journal featuring 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu student writers and artists, showcasing their diverse and creative works.

DPP is by and for 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu students, with the mentorship of humanities faculty and the support of the and 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu administration.

“It is so important to have a journal established on our campus,” said DPP faculty mentor Yasmine Romero, associate professor of English and the chair of the Humanities Division at 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu. “We are an Indigenous-serving university, which means we should strive to create spaces for our students to build their archives and create connections to their communities.”

Aloha ʻ膧ina

Published on December 5, Vol. 1 No. 1 “Aloha ʻ膧ina” centers on the theme of “love for the land” and includes the work of 11 writers and three artists. The issue includes a by Tanya H艒k奴lani Racoma, the fall 2025 DPP editor-in-chief.

“The issue moves from works grounded in Hawaiʻi鈥檚 memory and everyday life, to creative retellings of familiar stories through local and Indigenous lenses, and then to ethical and critical essays engaging film, media, and social justice,” Racoma said. “It concludes with reflections on writing, identity and ancestral knowledge. Together with cover art honoring land as family, the issue embodies Aloha ʻ膧ina as love, connection and care for ʻ膩ina and community.”

She believes Da Pueo Press has the potential to grow into a space where Indigenous students feel empowered to publish in their native languages

“Honoring language, after all, is a way of honoring the people and futures they carry,” Racoma said.

For more visit .

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

A new partnership between the University of Hawaiʻi鈥揥别蝉迟 Oʻahu and the Hawaiʻi State Department of Health (DOH) will provide students with valuable hands-on training while addressing a critical shortage in the state鈥檚 public health workforce.

The 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu Public Administration (PUBA) division鈥檚 Health Care Administration (HCAD) certificate program equips students and health care practitioners with a broad range of administrative skills needed in the growing health care field. In consultation with DOH, PUBA has developed the HCAD DOH Pathway for practicum placements that prepare students for employment in the public health sector.

“We see it as a win-win for both DOH and 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu,” said HCAD Instructor Linda Axtell-Thompson. “There is a critical and growing shortage in public health staffing鈥攂oth locally and nationally鈥攖hat our 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu programs can help address.”

Students in the pathway must complete 120 field hours and 40 academic hours. Participants who meet requirements are eligible for tuition support, book stipends and a $2,000 practicum stipend.

Urgent need

Vacancy rates across DOH and many state agencies are about 30%, according to DOH Chief Policy Officer Lorrin Kim. Nationally, the reports that local and state health departments need an additional 80,000 full-time employees just to provide basic public health services.

“The pathway collaboration between 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu and the Department of Health is a strategic investment in our public workforce designed to expose Hawaiʻi鈥檚 future health care leaders to essential public health concepts and functions,” Kim said.

“We are incredibly excited and grateful to the Department of Health for this amazing opportunity,” said PUBA Division Chair Kristina Lu, who is also the HCAD Program Director. “Through this pathway, students will complete their administrative practicum with the DOH, gain valuable, real-world experience and be well-positioned for future employment with the department after graduation.”

For more visit .

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

The University of Hawaiʻi has received a $150,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation鈥檚 Public Knowledge program to plan for a social media archive that preserves 贬补飞补颈ʻ颈鈥檚 digital history and centers on Native Hawaiian voices.

The project, Kaʻohipōhaku (gathering rocks or stones), is a collaboration between the 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu James & Abigail Campbell Library, 糖心Vlog官方 Maui College library and 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补.

“Kaʻohipōhaku will bring together Native Hawaiian activists and web/social media archivists to start the discussion on what a social media archive, rooted in ʻāina (land) and guided by the l膩hui Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian Nation), could look like,” said principal investigator Kawena Komeiji, Hawaiian Initiatives librarian at 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa鈥檚 Hamilton Library and the former Hawaiian Pacific resources librarian at 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu.

Komeiji said the effort rebalances how history is preserved, and is significant to 糖心Vlog官方 and the broader Hawaiʻi community.

“It aims to put mana (power, authority, privilege) and ea (sovereignty, independence) back into the hands of the Native Hawaiian community. In the past, collections in libraries and archives were created with our ʻike(knowledge) but without our consent or approval; and Kaʻohipōhaku aims to flip that narrative by including K膩naka (Native Hawaiian) voices in the design process,” she said.

With Mellon support, the team will consult with community leaders and web archiving experts, test preservation tools, and establish sustainable, culturally relevant practices for digital archiving.

Web pages, posts are vanishing

“Kaʻohipōhaku is about giving social media creators, audiences and communities agency, especially around these major events in Hawaiʻi,” said Alphie Garcia, information resources and collection management librarian at 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu. “Hawaiians and people living in Hawai鈥榠 are having these conversations in social media spaces about the Lahaina wildfires and the Kū Kiaʻi Mauna movement, but these conversations are fragile.”

Garcia said research shows that nearly four in 10 web pages vanish within a decade, and one in five Twitter/X posts can disappear within months, similar to content on other platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

“Without active preservation, that history is gone,” Garcia added. “My role is to test tools and identify infrastructure that can help safeguard this digital heritage while working with a team of advisors on ways to accomplish this goal that are sustainable, ethical, trustworthy and community driven.”

The Mellon Foundation also awarded 糖心Vlog官方 $3.22 million to 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补, 糖心Vlog官方 Maui College, and 糖心Vlog官方 Hilo for Kahoʻiwai: Reclaiming Hawaiian Knowledge Sovereignty, a related project running from 2024 to 2027.

For more visit .

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

From campus meetups at 4 a.m. to the national stage in Florida, a first-time team of University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu cybersecurity students impressed the field—winning their regional division in March and finishing 12th out of more than 130 teams at a national competition in April.

“I’m incredibly proud of my team since we were 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu鈥檚 first-ever competitors in this competition,” said freshman and team captain Kiana Merez. “To not only take first place at regionals but also represent our school at the national invitational is a testament to our dedication and teamwork.”

Live defense

The 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu squad competed in the 2025 National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) Cyber Games Invitational in Tampa, Florida. Representing the university at the national event were Merez, Nyla Boneza, Blix Hazen, Joel Kawamae, Chloe Kurashima, Branden Ramos and Shane Zuls. They were accompanied by Eli Tsukayama, associate professor of business administration.

“During the competition, we defended against a live red team for the first time. It was challenging, but we did our best to use our experience to defend our infrastructure,” Merez said. “This opportunity taught us very important lessons that will stay with us long after this competition, and we are looking forward to participating again next year!”

Senior Blix Hazen called the experience both fun and intense.

“Having to actively defend against a red team was totally new to me,” Hazen said. “Having to keep your services up and scoring really forces you to learn in the moment and teaches how to be proactive against attackers.”

‘Plan to be back’

The team earned its invitation to the national competition by winning the 2025 NCAE Cyber Games Southwest 2 Regional Division. That winning roster included Merez (captain), Boneza, Hazen, Kawamae, Kurashima, Zuls, Ryan Vagay and Kendall Wong.

Cybersecurity instructor and faculty sponsor Anthony Eich, a 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu graduate, thanked the families and faculty who came together to make travel to Tampa possible, and praised the team鈥檚 performance.

“Their hard work, dedication, and teamwork have paid off, and it highlights the strength of our cybersecurity program at 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu,” Eich said. “There is so much to be proud of, and we plan to be back next year.”

For more visit .

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

The U.S. Department of Justice awarded the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu $2 million over three years to increase the university鈥檚 threat assessment and violence prevention capabilities in K–12 private, charter, and public schools and their communities throughout Hawaiʻi.

“This award is significant, both in the amount and the scope since it not only continues to build knowledge and capacity of Behavior Threat Assessment and Management within K–12 schools and connected communities, but it helps the state with identifying options for violence prevention to assist with keeping our school communities safer during these challenging times,” said Principal Investigator Bev Baligad, who serves as 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu鈥檚 director of compliance, Title IX coordinator and Behavior Intervention Team manager.

The project is titled, “Hawaiʻi State Targeted Violence Prevention鈥擲chool Community and Threat Assessment Team Training and Capacity Building.”

Goals and expected outcomes

• increased threat assessment and violence prevention capabilities on involved campuses
• sustainable violence prevention practices in K–12 schools and its communities
• successful application of bystander intervention techniques by members of school and campus communities
• school Behavior Threat Assessment teams operating under national best practice
• improved cultural perception of threat assessment and violence prevention practices in school and campus communities

Partnerships that will support the project include the Hawaiʻi Office of Homeland Security, the Hawaiʻi State Fusion Center (HSFC), K–12 private and charter schools, Threat Team Hawaiʻi, and other public and private organizations and businesses. Additionally, 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu is a lead implementing partner in the , working closely with Homeland Security and HSFC to achieve state-wide violence prevention.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security awarded targeted violence and terrorism prevention grants to Baligad in and , totaling more than $1.3 million, to help build Hawaiʻi state school threat assessment teams and to further state community awareness efforts.

“糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu intends to fulfill its commitment to the prevention of acts of targeted violence in Hawaiʻi by working closely with schools and fostering the establishment of sustainable threat assessment teams and practices,” Baligad said.

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

An estimated 8,000 people attended the 9th annual —one of the largest STEM celebrations in the state鈥攐n April 5 at the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu.

The free, family-friendly event, presented by the , featured more than 100 interactive activities and over 50 in-depth workshops designed to engage participants of all ages in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Booths and exhibits showcased cutting-edge robotics, environmental science experiments, coding, sustainability, Hawaiian culture, career pathways and more.

“Onizuka Day brought people together to build, explore, and imagine what鈥檚 possible,” said Blake Parsons, CEO and Scout Executive of Scouting America, Aloha Council. “Thousands of kids and families got hands-on with STEM and honored Ellison Onizuka, a Hawaiʻi-born Eagle Scout who showed the world how far courage and curiosity can take you.”

This is the third year that the Onizuka Day of Exploration took place at 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu.

“Mahalo to 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu for hosting us, and to our volunteers, sponsors, and partners who made it all happen,” Parsons added. “This is how we grow bold leaders鈥攂y giving them the tools, the inspiration and the space to dream big.”

The Onizuka Day of Exploration continues a legacy that began in 1911 as the Makahiki, making this the longest-running Scouting event in the U.S., according to organizers. The Onizuka Day of Exploration honors the legacy of astronaut Ellison Onizuka, inspiring Hawaiʻi鈥檚 youth to reach for the stars and explore the endless possibilities of STEM.

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

A $25,000 gift from to the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu鈥檚 is a boost to addressing the nursing shortage in Hawaiʻi. The will help support students pursuing a career in nursing by covering tuition, books and other related expenses.

The 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu bachelor of applied science, health professions, general health science concentration with a pre-nursing pathway was designed to address the nursing shortage and aims to develop and prepare scholarly leaders from west Oʻahu who are interested in improving the health and wellness of their community through a career in nursing.

“Healthcare and increasing the number of healthcare professionals—especially nurses—is paramount in Hawaiʻi,” said Rebecca Romine, faculty director of the .

“These scholarships will help reduce financial stress so our students can focus more on their studies and academic performance,” said Romine, an associate professor with the Division of Mathematics, Natural and Health Sciences. “The scholarship funds will help students from the west side of Oʻahu learn and practice the skills and knowledge within the pre-nursing curriculum so that they pursue their nursing career.”

Scholarship criteria and eligibility requirements

• 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu student enrolled in the pre-nursing program
• Undergraduate, full-time
• Graduate of a Hawaiʻi high school, preferred
• Resident of Hawaiʻi, as determined by the university admissions office, preferred
• Demonstrates academic merit, as determined by the selection committee

糖心Vlog官方 the to learn more about the scholarship. Students may apply through the 糖心Vlog官方 System Common Scholarship Application.

Investment in the future of healthcare

Nicole Akana, co-lead of the Pre-Nursing Pathway Program, added that the scholarship is more than financial support for students.

“It鈥檚 an investment in the future of healthcare on the west side of our island,” Akana said. “By empowering aspiring nurses, we are addressing the critical nursing shortage and strengthening our local workforce, ensuring quality care for our community for generations to come.”

ʻOhana Health Plan initially created the scholarship in 2016 with a $10,000 gift that impacted 12 students.

“Hawaiʻi is experiencing a nursing shortage and ʻOhana Health Plan is committed to investing in our local workforce development,” said Scott Sivik, ʻOhana Health Plan president and chief executive officer. “We are pleased to offer another round of Pre-Nursing Pathway Scholarships at the University of Hawaiʻi鈥揥别蝉迟 Oʻahu to students interested in transforming the health of the community, one person at a time.”

For Jared Kāʻeo McCann, success is also about the journey of overcoming failure. As one of two student speakers at the University of Hawaiʻi–West 翱ʻ补丑耻鈥檚 on December 14, McCann hopes to inspire graduates by sharing his own story of perseverance.

McCann has earned his second degree from —a bachelor of science in cybersecurity with a concentration in cyber operations.

“I鈥檝e struggled with so many different things since I started school in 2019, and I鈥檝e wanted to quit and just give up more times than I could possibly count,” said McCann, who worked through imposter syndrome to rediscover his motivation. “To be able to look back at everything I鈥檝e been through and see how far I鈥檝e come, and to really have something to show for all of it, it truly feels special.

The 23-year-old Kapolei resident transferred to 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu from 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa in 2022. In spring 2024, McCann earned his first degree from 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu—a bachelor of applied science with a concentration in information security and assurance. He got a job at Hawaiian Electric, where he works as an information assurance analyst.

“Most often, we are the only ones who ever get to see or know our own failures,” said McCann, 23, a Kapolei resident. “Everyone around us just sees our successes. Learn to embrace the praise and don鈥檛 dwell on how long it took to get here or how many mistakes you made. Be proud of your achievements.”

• Read more about Travis Antonacci, who was also selected to be a student commencement speaker.

Demonstrating ‘exceptional leadership’

Throughout his two years at 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu, McCann worked for the IT Help Desk and was a member of the Health, Transportation, and Technology Committee. He served as assistant director of the Cyber Security Coordination Center in spring 2024, and assistant director of the Cyber Security Research Lab in fall 2024—both on-campus internship programs.

“Jared consistently demonstrates the highest level of determination and achievement in his academic courses and research,” said J. Burrell, an associate professor of information and computer science. “He also demonstrates exceptional leadership qualities that inspire and empower other students, which are representative of a next-generation cybersecurity professional.”

McCann intends to go to graduate school while continuing to work in cybersecurity.

He said, “In the long term, I would like to come back to 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu to teach as a lecturer to be able to share my knowledge and experiences with the next generation.”

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman