Before launching her local clothing and accessory brand, , Hilo native Tania Takashiba made the decision to continue her education at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补. She spent several years studying on the U.S. continent before attending the Shidler College of Business, where she earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in marketing in 2002.

A member of the business fraternity Pi Sigma Epsilon, Takshiba said her time at Shidler played a pivotal role in shaping her professional network and lasting friendships.

“I think graduating from ”糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 was the perfect transition into adulthood,” said Takashiba. “[I] did internships, I was able to get a job pretty easily, and I couldn鈥檛 be more thankful for the people I met.”

Those connections continue to play a role in her life today. Takashiba stays in touch with several friends from her Shidler years, including one who serves as her financial advisor.

Building a local business

Takashiba started MaruMaru Hawaii with her sister in 2015. She said it was hard to find local brands that offered clothes for kids, so they decided to create their own. The brand has taken off, and Takashiba has run into people at the airport and on vacation wearing her clothes.

“Our designs are super simple, but I think because they鈥檙e based on real things, it resonates with a lot of people,” said Takashiba.

Popular designs such as “Hilo Das Why” and “Hilo Love” reflect the brand鈥檚 commitment to represent Hilo and its people.

Rooted in Hilo

Despite the brand鈥檚 popularity, Takashiba has intentionally chosen to keep MaruMaru Hawaii rooted on the Big Island. She said she does not plan to expand through pop-ups on Oʻahu or other islands, even when opportunities arise.

“I think there鈥檚 something to be said about being able to give Hilo people something first,” said Takashiba. “There鈥檚 nothing like Hilo; it鈥檚 very special. The community here is amazing, you鈥檙e connected to everybody, and it鈥檚 just Hilo das why.”

For Janie-Maria Kikila, graduating from Leeward Community College this May is more than earning a degree—it鈥檚 a deeply personal milestone shaped by resilience, growth and determination. As a nontraditional student, mother and the first in her family to graduate from college, Kikila sees this moment as proof of perseverance.

“This shows me that if you keep going, you can finish what you started,” she said.

Raised in Whitmore Village, Kikila attended Leilehua High School before transferring to Waiʻanae High School. Her journey hasn鈥檛 been easy, but she鈥檚 remained focused on a bigger goal.

“I鈥檝e gone through a lot—from not always feeling safe as a child to postpartum depression as an adult—but I made a decision not to let those things define me,” she said. “I want to break generational cycles, and I want to be someone my keiki can look up to.”

Finding support at Leeward CC

Kikila first enrolled at Leeward CC in 2013 but stepped away to build a career in management. That was disrupted when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020.

“It was hard going from being financially independent to needing help,” she said. “I knew if I was going to start over, I needed a clear direction.”

She returned to Leeward CC in 2023 to pursue a degree in business management. Back on campus, Kikila found support that helped her stay on track鈥攏ot just academically, but personally. Through Leeward鈥檚 counseling services, she began working with mental health therapist Lori Lum.

“I鈥檝e been seeing Lori for a little over a year, and she鈥檚 been amazing,” Kikila said.

Turning challenges into motivation

She also credits flexible student employment and mentors, such as business division faculty Tina Lee and Dag Faustino.

“Janie leads with intention and heart,” Lee said. “She鈥檚 someone who turns challenges into motivation.”

Kikila founded , Leeward鈥檚 first marketing club, open to students of all majors across the 糖心Vlog官方 System. It brings students together to connect, collaborate and gain real-world experience.

“She saw a need and built something that brings students together in a meaningful way,” Faustino added. “That kind of initiative is what sets her apart.”

Kikila plans to transfer to 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu to continue her studies in business and marketing, with the goal of one day serving in a leadership role within the State of Hawaiʻi.

By Tad Saiki

The ancestor spirit represents my deep appreciation to my ancestors, who I feel are always guiding me in life.
—King James Mangoba ()

As part of its 50th anniversary celebration, Hamilton Library鈥檚 and the Center for Philippine Studies at the 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 opened , an exhibition linking 1500s colonial maps with tattoos as living archives of Filipino cultural memory, on view through February 2026.

Opening events, held October 15–17, drew more than 100 participants for workshops, talks and live tattoo demonstrations. Attendees explored how Filipinos have used body art and the written word to resist erasure—from rare 16th-century maps and letters from the Philippine Revolution to underground newspapers from the Marcos era, all part of Hamilton鈥檚 Philippine Collection.

Mapping identity through body and archive

Philippine Studies Librarian Elena Clariza opened the program with a presentation on early colonial maps, connecting “fragile maps on paper with living maps of the body—tattoos as archives of ancestral knowledge and cultural memory.”

Guest artists from California鈥檚 Spiritual Journey Tattoo Shop and members of Tatak ng Apat na Alon (Mark of the Four Waves) demonstrated traditional hand poke and tapping tattoo techniques, sharing their nearly 30-year effort to revive Indigenous Filipino tattoo practices.

“In the beginning it was just for us to find our identity, to represent the culture in some way,” said Elle Festin, tattoo artist at Spiritual Journey and a Datu (chief) of the Mark of the Four Waves tribe. “It鈥檚 important to get the tattoos to show the resistance and to revolt against the systematic colonial mentality.”

糖心Vlog官方 community connects to heritage

For King James Mangoba, a 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 double major in communication & marketing and Hamilton Library social media content creator, the event was a personal and cultural milestone.

“The rice symbolizes my family鈥檚 livelihood of rice farming back in the Philippines. The ancestor spirit represents my deep appreciation to my ancestors, who I feel are always guiding me in life,” he said. “This tattoo is a permanent reminder of where I came from and my appreciation to my ancestors who came before me.”

Doctoral candidate Matthew Melendez, from the , participated in the tattoo sessions. “Receiving knowledge from the Tatak ng Apat na Alon tribe through our cultural portal of batok (tattooing) has profoundly transformed me from within,” he said.

The event was co-sponsored by 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 Center for Southeast Asian Studies and Center for Philippine Studies, and Spiritual Journey Tattoo Shop. To support programs like this at Hamilton Library, visit the .

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Mark of the Four Waves members visit the Philippine Studies section at Hamilton Library.The post Exhibit links Filipino tattoos, maps across centuries first appeared on University of 贬补飞补颈驶颈 System News.]]> 225411 /news/2025/08/26/cooking-up-change/ Tue, 26 Aug 2025 22:20:24 +0000 /news/?p=220900 糖心Vlog官方 students helped a local meal delivery service double its reach with fresh marketing strategies and digital tools.

Reading time: 2 minutes

Students from the (PACE) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa partnered with a Hawaiʻi Island meal delivery service to boost its growth through a new marketing strategy. Their work has helped local entrepreneur Jasmine Silverstein expand her small business, .

The company—which focuses on providing locally sourced, gluten free, fully prepared meals to customers—had primarily relied on word-of-mouth marketing. Recognizing the potential for expansion, she saw an opportunity to work with PACE鈥檚 aspiring business leaders to develop a structured growth strategy.

“The students brought fresh ideas and practical solutions that I wouldn鈥檛 have thought of on my own,” said Silverstein. “Their expertise in digital marketing, customer engagement and data tracking has already helped me take key steps toward expanding my reach.”

Led by Roma Amor Malasarte (computer science), Hokumalie Serna (marketing), Candide Krieger (education) and Emma Hsu (history), the team tackled challenges such as enhancing website functionality and streamlining the customer checkout experience. Their marketing recommendations included the implementation of A/B testing for coupon codes (trying different coupons to see which works best), exploring strategic partnerships with local gyms and wellness businesses, and refining Meals in a HeartBeet鈥檚 social media presence.

“The hands-on experience of working with a real business has been invaluable,” said Malasarte. “We鈥檝e been able to apply what we鈥檝e learned in the classroom to help a local entrepreneur grow her business, and that鈥檚 what PACE is all about.”

Silverstein refined her brand messaging and added extra protein options to better meet her customers’ needs. As a result, Meals in a HeartBeet has nearly doubled its meal deliveries, reaching new markets while maintaining its commitment to locally sourced, nutritious meals.

“This is a perfect example of how PACE equips students with the skills to be innovative problem-solvers and support Hawaiʻi鈥檚 local businesses,” PACE Executive Director Sandra Fujiyama said. “We鈥檙e proud to see our students making a tangible impact.”

Central Pacific Bank鈥檚 (CPB) WE by Rising Tide initiative served as the catalyst for this collaboration. The initiative is designed to empower women entrepreneurs through mentorship and growth opportunities, and the PACE students are all recipients of the CPB Foundation Scholarship for Entrepreneurship. Through the initiative, the students connected with Silverstein, eager to apply their skills to a real-world business challenge.

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The post Cooking up change: 糖心Vlog官方 students power local meal delivery startup expansion first appeared on University of 贬补飞补颈驶颈 System News.]]>

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鈥檚 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 H膩lau ʻ艑lapa O Laka under N膩 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鈥檚 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.

For the third year in a row, the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 athletics marketing department earned national recognition from the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators, winning two gold awards in fundraising and game day experience.

The department took home top honors in fundraising for its “s糖心Vlog官方rf City” women’s basketball uniform campaign, which featured a fan-submitted design contest that drew 140 entries from 26 states and five countries. The winning uniforms were auctioned off, raising $24,000 in net profit.

In game day experience, 糖心Vlog官方 was honored for its “Mixed Plate Series,” a cultural celebration across multiple sports including volleyball and baseball. Promotions such as Pinoy Day, Chinese New Year and Banzai Weekend helped boost ticket sales by 21% and drew strong fan engagement.

“It’s great to receive recognition from our peers and for them to notice the hard work our entire department is putting in to be creatively different,” said Eric Mathews, the director of marketing and fan experience.

Read more about it at .

As a local kid at McKinley High School, Koa Webster experimented with graffiti, an outlet that often got him into trouble. It wasn鈥檛 until he enrolled at a University of Hawaiʻi campus that he discovered how his passion for art could evolve into a meaningful and lasting career.

“I didn鈥檛 know much about colleges as a local kid, but the University of Hawaiʻi was my entryway into higher education and so it was good for me to be exposed to a lot of things,” said Webster.

Webster earned a liberal arts degree from Kapiʻolani Community College in 2013. In 2016, he earned degrees in international business and marketing from the 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 Shidler College of Business and a degree in Chinese from the College of Arts, Languages & Letters. He has since built a successful career in advertising, and is currently the senior art director for .

“Working in advertising in Chicago has been great and I get to do a lot of fun things for big national brands like Hidden Valley Ranch, Papa John鈥檚 Pizza, Porsche, TGL, Metro by T-Mobile,” Webster said. “The exposure is really cool to get to learn about how national brands operate.”

Problem solver

His Shidler business education has helped in the visionary world of advertising.

“Although I’m creative and I love to think of the most artsy, crazy commercial I can do, the thing I learned at Shidler is that these clients have real business problems and you can help them with a creative solution,” Webster said.

One of his most transformative 糖心Vlog官方 experiences was studying abroad. Until then, Webster had not traveled outside of Hawaiʻi much, or interisland.

“Through my scholarships, especially from the Freeman Foundation, I got to experience some things that I never thought I would,” he said. “The connections that I made through the programs were awesome.”

Important connections

He encourages students to immerse themselves in other cultures.

“All the connections through your experience abroad are sometimes those things that come back later on in life, and being able to put that on your resume is super valuable.”

Today, Webster stays connected with fellow 糖心Vlog官方 alumni living in the windy city.

• Related 糖心Vlog官方 News story: Bringing aloha to the Windy City: 糖心Vlog官方 alumni celebrate in Chicago, April 3, 2025

“When I moved out to Chicago, 糖心Vlog官方 alumni were some of the first people I tried to connect with,” Webster said. “They are professionals and those can be great connections, so it鈥檚 a perfect blend of having a community where you are and also professional support.”

Learn more about other outstanding .

Marketing Specialist Dayna Tamashiro and her team are revolutionizing the media landscape, proving that corporate branding can be innovative and engaging. Recently, the 2009 graduate led a collaboration with Disney for the world premiere of Moana 2.

“This one-of-a-kind experience allowed us to craft a ‘chocolate voyage’ where hundreds of guests filled their Moana 2 themed custom chocolate box, with our delicious treats from our curated chocolate bar.” she said.

“This project was not only a creative dream but also a career-defining moment that brought together storytelling, artistry and collaboration at the highest level.”

Like many college students, Yamashiro found her passion later in her academic journey. When she first started at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补, she thought she wanted to pursue fashion and enrolled in the Apparel Product Design and Merchandising Program.

“While I was passionate about fashion and creativity, I quickly realized that I didn鈥檛 have the technical skills, like sewing, and wasn鈥檛 entirely sure if it was the right path for me,” said Tamashiro. “That realization led me to switch to the business school, where I found a perfect balance in .”

Today, Tamashiro and Hawaiian Host Group are capturing corporate humor in a way that resonates with a broad audience. She said they bring “a playful, relatable energy to the content.”

While reflecting on her 糖心Vlog官方 journey, she shared a few favorite memories.

“Sharing lunch, grabbing coffee or tea, and simply hanging out on campus together made those days unforgettable. It鈥檚 funny how the simplest moments become the ones you miss the most,” Tamashiro said.

University of Hawaiʻi students from Kapiʻolani Community College, 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu and 糖心Vlog官方 Maui College swept the held in May in Waik墨k墨. The Pele Awards is one of 15 National District Competitions for the American Advertising Awards (also known as the ADDYs) to recognize excellence in advertising and design.

The Best of Show award went to Kapiʻolani CC student Cat Daniels Rivero for in the illustration-campaign category. Rivero also received a $2,500 cash scholarship from the NMG Network and Eleven 17 Creative scholarship program.

“Winning Pele Awards has made me feel like I’m moving in the right direction and has further motivated me to keep working hard,” Rivero said. “That moment was especially heartening because I got to share it with my professors. Knowing how dedicated they are to us (students), when I walked up on stage, I really wanted to grab the mic and give them a big shout-out for all the office hours and weekend Zoom calls they’ve given me!”

Her classmate, Leighna-Ann Lariosa, won the Special Judges Award for her in the integrated brand identity campaign category.

糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu Creative Media student Ashley Macho won first place for the American Advertising Federation Hawaiʻi Shining Star Scholarship ($2,000).

The Pele Gold winners in all national categories are sent to the National Finals of the American Advertising Awards Competition to represent District 13.

Melanie Denda, who graduated from 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu in December 2023, won two gold and one bronze Pele Award. One of Denda鈥檚 gold-winning projects also advanced to the 2024 American Advertising Awards, where her entry won a silver award.

Denda said she was shocked when she received the ADDY Award and messaged all of her family members and friends that she won.

“I was in disbelief and extremely happy,” Denda said. “It was an incredible and unexpected honor.”

Read more about 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu honorees at .

2024 Pele Award Winners

Gold

Cat Daniels Rivero (Pele Gold and Best of Show), Kapiʻolani CC
Project:
Category: Illustration – campaign
*Winner of a $2,500 Presenting Sponsors Cash Scholarship from NMG Network and Eleven 17 Creative

Leighna-Ann Lariosa (Pele Gold and Special Judges Award), Kapiʻolani CC
Project:
Category: Integrated brand identity campaign
*Second place winner of an $800 AAF Hawaiʻi Shining Star Scholarship

Melanie Denda, 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu
Project:
Category: Interactive/online advertising & promotion campaign

Melanie Denda, 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu (also won a silver American Advertising Award)
Project:
Category: Logo Design

Cassandra Neri, Kapiʻolani CC
Project:
2 Categories: Point of purchase, Logo design

Julz Calasicas, Kapiʻolani CC
Project:
Category: Publication design – cover/editorial spread or feature – series

Mari Seymour, Kapiʻolani CC
Project:
Category: Website (desktop or mobile)

Sua Lee, Kapiʻolani CC
Project:
Category: App (mobile or web-based)

Silver

Cassandra Neri, Kapiʻolani CC
Project: Serene Branding
Category: Packaging

Hanna Shibata, Kapiʻolani CC
Project:
Category: Publication design – cover/editorial spread or feature – series

Leighna-Ann Lariosa, Kapiʻolani CC
Project:
Category: App (mobile or web-based)

Leighna-Ann Lariosa, Kapiʻolani CC
Project:
Category: Logo design

Cat Daniels Riveros, Kapiʻolani CC
Project:
Category: Logo design

Bronze

Faith Christy Soliven, 糖心Vlog官方 Maui College
Project:
Category: Television advertising campaign

Melanie Denda, 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu
Project:
Category: Logo design

James God, Kapiʻolani CC
Project:
Category: Illustration

Hanna Shibata, Kapiʻolani CC
Project:
Category: Animation or special effects

Other Pele Awards honorees included students of 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu Academy for Creative Media alumni Dexter Corpuz and Scott Alquisa, both of whom are now educators at Maui and Waipahu high schools, respectively.

SEO:
Photos: Can we also grab images from the winner驶s links?