University of Hawaiʻi students helped reimagine an iconic local company by pitching bold new ideas for Meadow Gold Dairies Hawaiʻi at a fast-paced innovation event. Hosted by 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa鈥檚 (PACE), the spring 2026 competition took place on March 28 and April 4, at the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center.

Community connections take top prize

The team of Danielle Grace Banggo (dietetics, 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa) and Leticia Rodriguez Gutierrez (liberal arts, Honolulu Community College) won the $2,000 grand prize. Their strategy focused on a grassroots “Community Growth Campaign” designed to be both budget-friendly and ready for immediate rollout.

The plan involves deploying Meadow Gold trucks and vans to high-traffic local venues such as the Honolulu Zoo and community marketplaces. By utilizing brand ambassadors to engage directly with families, the team aims to strengthen the bond between the iconic brand and the local community.

“Innovate 808 taught me that your background doesn鈥檛 define your ability to make an impact,” Banggo said. “It encourages you to step outside your comfort zone, share your ideas and collaborate with others to create meaningful solutions. This experience empowered me to think creatively, communicate confidently and realize that even small ideas can make a big difference in the community.”

Three other teams won $1,000 runner up prizes, and another team won the $500 innovation award. Beyond the competition, Innovate 808 is designed to connect classroom learning with real-world experience. Students worked in interdisciplinary teams to tackle an active business challenge, building career-ready skills in communication, critical thinking and creative problem-solving while engaging directly with industry professionals.

Creative solutions for a new era

Concepts pitched during the competition included:

• Lani Moo Milk Candy: A sweet extension of the company鈥檚 famous mascot
• NIL Deals: Partnering with 糖心Vlog官方 athletes to reach younger demographics
• POG 2.0: New bottle designs and updated formulations for the passion-orange-guava juice

Kimia Sadeghi, sales and marketing manager for Meadow Gold, said, “I wanted to hear from the next generation and how they think of executing solutions, and that’s exactly what happened.”

Meadow Gold Dairies Hawaiʻi sponsored the project and prizes.

A “sprint” across all disciplines

Facilitated by Jeff Hui, entrepreneur-in-residence at PACE, the competition is designed to put real-world problems in front of students and see how they meet the challenge through research and innovation.

“The most exciting part for us is seeing students from all disciplines—business, engineering, computer science, art, education, anthropology and food science—coming together to come up with real solutions,” Hui said.

The University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents approved awarding an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters to Walter A. Dods Jr., recognizing his decades of leadership in Hawaiʻi鈥檚 business community, his extensive philanthropic impact and his longstanding commitment to the university.

The regents voted at the board鈥檚 March 19 monthly meeting, held at Leeward Community College. The honorary degree will be formally conferred during the 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 spring 2026 commencement ceremony, where Dods will also serve as commencement speaker.

“I am deeply honored and grateful to the University of Hawaiʻi and the regents for this recognition,” said Dods after the vote. “糖心Vlog官方 has played an important role in my life, and it has been a privilege to support the university and its students over the years. I share this honor with the many people who have inspired me and worked alongside me to strengthen our community.”

Alumnus, business leader, philanthropist

A 1967 graduate of 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 Shidler College of Business, Dods is widely regarded as one of Hawaiʻi鈥檚 most influential business leaders. Over a 36-year career at First Hawaiian Bank, he rose from an entry-level role to chairman and CEO.

“Walter Dods represents the very best of what the University of Hawaiʻi hopes to inspire in its graduates: leadership, service and an unwavering commitment to community,” said 糖心Vlog官方 President Wendy Hensel. “His impact on Hawaiʻi鈥檚 economic development is profound, but equally important is his lifelong dedication to giving back and creating opportunities for others. He has opened doors for generations of students and strengthened this university in lasting ways.”

Deep 糖心Vlog官方 support

His ties to 糖心Vlog官方 span nearly five decades. Dods has been a donor since 1975 and previously served as president of the 糖心Vlog官方 Foundation Board of Trustees. He chaired the university鈥檚 1998 Campaign for Hawaiʻi, which raised $116 million, and currently serves as campaign chair for the ongoing $1-billion “For 糖心Vlog官方, For Hawaiʻi” fundraising effort.

His personal philanthropy includes a $5-million gift to support student innovation and entrepreneurship at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补, resulting in the naming of the Walter Dods Jr. RISE Center, as well as a $1-million endowed scholarship supporting immigrant students and their children.

Dods has previously been recognized with the 糖心Vlog官方 Distinguished Alumni Award and the Shidler College of Business Hall of Honor Award.

The honorary doctorate recognizes individuals of national or international distinction whose contributions have had a significant impact in areas such as business, public service or scholarship. Regents cited Dods鈥� extraordinary career and enduring commitment to the university and the state as meeting and exceeding those standards.

A new art exhibit at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa鈥檚 Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center pays tribute to a defining force in Hawaiʻi鈥檚 modern art movement: the Metcalf Château—a pioneering collective of Asian-American artists who convened their studio practice in an old house on Metcalf Street, later hailed as the 鈥淢etcalf Château.鈥�

Initiated by longtime 糖心Vlog官方 supporter Walter Dods and curated by Allison Wong, the exhibit features the works by artists Bumpei Akaji, Satoru Abe, Tadashi Sato, Edmund Chung, Tetsuo “Bob” Ochikubo, Jerry T. Okimoto and James K.K. Park.

“Their work spoke to place, identity and innovation—and it still speaks to us today,” said Dods. “I got to know them first as people, and I liked them. I admired their character as much as their creativity, and it鈥檚 an honor to help share their legacy.”

Center for creativity and community

Much like the Charles H. Atherton YMCA—now the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center—the Metcalf Château served as a lively center for creativity and community. Over six transformative months, Akaji, Abe, Sato, Chung, Ochikubo, Okimoto and Park converged at the house, pushing artistic boundaries and propelling Hawaiʻi鈥檚 modern art movement forward. The group later expanded to include artists Isami Doi, Keichi Kimura, Sueko Matsueda Kimura, Harue McVay, Toshiko Takaezu and Harry Tsuchidana.

In 1954, seven members of the Metcalf Château opened an impromptu exhibition that profoundly reshaped the local art scene and captured the attention of Robert Griffin, director of the then-Honolulu Academy of Arts, who organized a subsequent group exhibit that propelled these artists to wider recognition.

Dods is preserving their legacy by cultivating an inspiring environment where students, alumni, donors and friends of the university feel a powerful sense of connection and creativity—a space where innovation and entrepreneurial thinking can flourish.

“The Metcalf Château artists were visionaries who redefined what art could be in Hawaiʻi,” Wong said. “This exhibition is a celebration of their courage, creativity and connection to the islands. It鈥檚 also a reminder that the spaces where we gather—whether a house on Metcalf or a center like RISE—can become launchpads for meaningful, transformative work.”

Nine University of Hawaiʻi faculty members were celebrated for transforming their classrooms through entrepreneurial thinking at a May 16 showcase hosted at the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center.

The event marked the culmination of the inaugural season of the , a year-long professional development initiative designed to help faculty integrate experiential learning, entrepreneurship and engineering design into their curricula.

“These frameworks are designed to help students develop critical skills for the modern workplace, preparing them to grow into innovative, problem-solving contributors to society,” (PACE) Executive Director Sandra Fujiyama said.

The faculty members in the inaugural cohort—from disciplines such as architecture, business, esports and nutrition—were awarded digital badges, certificates and stipends in recognition of their efforts to reshape how 糖心Vlog官方 students learn.

Student wins reflect faculty impact

EL3vate participants Associate Professor Kacie Ho (), Assistant Professor Yasushi Ishida () and Assistant Professor Xiaodan Mao-Clark ( in the ) introduced their students to PACE business and innovation competitions. Ho and Ishida鈥檚 students were among the awardees in the Innovate 808 competition with their kimchee and marinara flavor chip seasonings and an architectural storefront makeover, respectively.

“I’ve had the privilege of coaching Kalo Grants student entrepreneurs for over a year now, and their creativity, expertise and passion for their community continue to inspire me,” Mao-Clark said. “Their projects not only drive my teaching to foster an entrepreneurial mindset in the classroom but also propel my research to improve community sustainability.”

Collaborations spark cross-campus creativity

In addition, Ishida partnered with a 糖心Vlog官方 Maui College faculty member on a Lahaina-focused course initiative, blending design and business perspectives. In a separate collaboration, Mao-Clark worked with a 糖心Vlog官方 Hilo faculty member on an initiative where students engaged with the community, strengthening their learning experience through real-world connections.

“From using the PACE 3D printer to create a scale model of Lahaina for my ‘Rebuilding Lahaina’ seminar, to students in the capstone studio clearly communicating their designs with printed models, hands-on tools make a significant impact,” Ishida said. “I’m eager for more opportunities like Innovate808 that allow our students to connect their unique skills outside the university setting.”

Gaming meets entrepreneurship

糖心Vlog官方 Esports students are gaining invaluable entrepreneurial skills and industry connections through a dynamic collaboration between Nyle Sky Kauweloa (糖心Vlog官方 Esports director and 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 specialist faculty for interdisciplinary studies) and PACE.

“Over the previous three years, PACE has been critical with expanding support for the 糖心Vlog官方 Esports program by giving our esports players, student leaders and video game community a broader vision of how to align their interests in digital games and entrepreneurship,” Kauweloa said. “With our new 糖心Vlog官方 Esports arena opening up soon (right across the street from PACE), there is more to come!”

PACE, housed in the Shidler College of Business, continues to lead systemwide efforts to foster entrepreneurship and innovation in education. Faculty interested in future opportunities, including the EL3vate program, can find more information at this . The EL3vate program is a collaboration between PACE, and Maui Economic Development Board.

When Jonavan Gonzalez walks across the Stan Sheriff Center stage on May 17, it will mark the culmination of a six-year journey—one that began at N膩n膩kuli High and Intermediate School and led to two degrees from the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补. After earning his bachelor鈥檚 in in 2023, Gonzalez is now graduating with a master鈥檚 in , a rare academic combination that reflects his drive to blend technical innovation with business strategy.

“It鈥檚 just an exciting time,” Gonzalez said. “I鈥檓 looking forward to seeing where everything I鈥檝e learned takes me next—ideally at Disney, NASA or SpaceX.”

A journey shaped by inspiration, family

Born and raised in N膩n膩kuli, Gonzalez said his early aspirations were shaped by both his aspirations and his imagination.

“Tony Stark, Iron Man, is like my idol and he’s also a mechanical engineer,” he said. “That was my main motivation for mechanical engineering. I knew I always wanted a higher education degree after high school, but I know it’s rare for N膩n膩kuli graduates to get their bachelor’s in engineering.”

That perception shifted when Gonzalez鈥檚 older brother pursued a civil engineering degree at .

“Watching him do it showed me that it was possible and that as long as I follow his footsteps, I鈥檒l be good,” Gonzalez said. “The degree is what I want, so why not go for it?”

Bridging the gap: Engineering meets finance

He enrolled at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 in 2019 and dove headfirst into mechanical engineering.

Meet more amazing 糖心Vlog官方 spring graduates

“I earned my undergrad degree in mechanical engineering because I鈥檝e loved solving complex problems and coming up with innovative solutions,” he explained. “But I realized I was also passionate about finance and business. I didn鈥檛 want to quit engineering, and it was too late to get a minor in business, so I decided to get my master’s in finance.”

Gonzalez sees his combined degrees as the perfect foundation for a future that blends technical expertise with business acumen.

“With my double degrees, I鈥檓 hoping to start in the workforce, whether at Disney, NASA or SpaceX as a mechanical engineer, or at Disney, they call themselves ‘imagineers,’” he said. “And from there, I鈥檒l work my way up the corporate ladder to more business-related roles, elevating from product manager to executive roles in either finance or operations.”

Mentoring the next generation

At 糖心Vlog官方, Gonzalez served as a PACE Leader at the in the , mentoring fellow students on prototype design, product development and pitching. In 2024, he received the Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation Scholarship for RISE, and in 2025, Gonzalez was a semifinalist in the 糖心Vlog官方 Venture Competition for his work on COCO, an AI-powered app designed to reduce food waste.

“I鈥檝e been with the program for about two years now. As a PACE leader, I鈥檝e had the opportunity to mentor and support other students interested in entrepreneurship and innovation,” he said. “But most importantly, it鈥檚 just the networking aspect of it all, especially as someone like me in my position living here at the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center. It鈥檚 just so convenient and perfect.”

Inspiration for the future

Despite his technical expertise and accomplishments, Gonzalez stays grounded in where he came from and offers advice for others in his community.

“Especially for N膩n膩kuli or similar schools, it鈥檚 not where you start. It doesn鈥檛 define where you go, especially in your career,” he said. “If you put in the work, believe in yourself, you can achieve pretty much anything, and that includes higher education.”

“糖心Vlog官方 means so much to me. It鈥檚 my local college. It’s where I grew up here personally and grew here professionally. My time at 糖心Vlog官方 Manoa gave me the foundation to chase my passions in engineering, finance, and leadership. Beyond academics, 糖心Vlog官方 gave me the community, lifelong connections and the confidence to take on bigger goals. It’s truly been a place that shaped who I am today.”

—By Marc Arakaki

The was awarded LEED Gold from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the most widely used green-building rating system in the world and an international symbol of excellence. Through design, construction and operations practices that improve environmental and human health, LEED-certified buildings, including the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center, are helping to make the world more sustainable.

“Achievement of LEED Gold marks a significant milestone for RISE Center,” said project lead Mike Lam, senior vice president of Hunt Companies Hawaiʻi. “Creation of a sustainable facility reflects the vision of the public-private partnership team, who were committed to developing a 21st century facility with a reduced carbon footprint that offers a healthy indoor environment for the students, educators and community members who use it every day.”

By designing to a LEED Gold standard, the University of Hawaiʻi, and Hunt Companies Hawaiʻi developed a cutting-edge project that features:

• More than 30% reduction in energy consumption through the installation of LED lighting, efficient HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) systems and equipment, a 104-kilowatt photovoltaic system and a solar water-heating system that measures 60 square meters;
• More than 30% reduction in indoor water use due to low-flow fixtures and other water-efficient technologies;
• More than 75% of construction waste diverted from landfills through aggressive recycling and reuse; and
• Low-emission and/or non-toxic materials used throughout the design and construction process.

The LEED Gold certification process required a comprehensive third-party review of the project, evaluating it on nine elements including indoor environmental quality, water efficiency, sustainability of the site, transportation, energy and atmosphere, and materials and resources.

“RISE鈥檚 LEED Gold certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership,” said Peter Templeton, president and CEO, USGBC. “LEED was created to make the world a better place and revolutionize our buildings and communities by providing everyone with access to healthy, green and high performing buildings. RISE is a prime example of how the innovative work of project teams can create local solutions that contribute to making a global difference.”

Housing, entrepreneurship, innovation

The $70 million live-learn-work RISE Center opened to its first 糖心Vlog官方 student-residents in August 2023. It was the first new 糖心Vlog官方 student housing in 15 years, successfully repurposing the landmark 1930s Charles Atherton House building into a state-of-the-art modern institutional facility flanked by two new six-story student residential wings. This first-of-its-kind entrepreneurship-and-innovation center for Hawaiʻi is located on the corner of Metcalf Street and University Avenue at the flagship 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 campus.

“This LEED Gold certification underscores our commitment to environmental sustainability,” said John Han, vice president for administration and chief financial officer at 糖心Vlog官方 Foundation. “RISE was designed with the intent to have a smaller environmental footprint by reducing carbon emissions, enhancing energy efficiency, and safeguarding the health and environment of the project’s surroundings.”

The Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center has garnered local and national accolades since first opening, including the CoStar Group鈥檚 Redevelopment of the Year in its 2024 Impact Awards Hawaiʻi program, the Hawaiʻi section of the American Society of Civil Engineers鈥� Grand Overall Winner and Best Large Project at its 2024 Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Awards and NAIOP Hawaiʻi鈥檚 27th Annual Kukulu Hale Public/Government Project Award.

In 2019, Hunt Companies Hawaiʻi, 糖心Vlog官方 and the 糖心Vlog官方 Foundation entered into a public-private partnership (P3) to design, build and finance RISE—the first P3 for the university. It is fully funded with private, non-taxpayer money.

Following RISE and set to open in fall 2025 is the Hale Haukani graduate students and faculty housing facility on Dole Street.

Susan Yamada, chair of the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 (PACE) Board of Directors and alumna, has been named the (PBN).

PBN cited Yamada鈥檚 work to diversify Hawaiʻi鈥檚 economy through new businesses and higher education. She will be honored alongside the Women Who Mean Business honorees at an event on March 13 at The Royal Hawaiian.

As director of 糖心Vlog官方 Ventures, Yamada championed a groundbreaking effort to create the —a student entrepreneurship and innovation facility with housing for 374 students that opened in August 2023. From 2008 to 2017, Yamada was the executive director of PACE, during which she quadrupled the number of programs, fundraised and opened a coworking space at the Shidler College of Business.

Read more about the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center

“Special thanks to Dean Vance Roley and the PACE team for allowing me the opportunity to pursue my passion and to serve the students at 糖心Vlog官方,” Yamada said. “I have been so fortunate to have the support of many in the business community who see the value of an entrepreneurial mindset in our future workforce.”

Prior to assuming her positions at PACE and 糖心Vlog官方, Yamada spent 17 years working, transforming and investing in startup companies in the high tech, health care and travel industries. Since moving back to Hawaiʻi from California in 2001, Yamada has dedicated her life to building a robust startup ecosystem in Hawaiʻi and providing young talent the opportunities to build, develop and thrive as entrepreneurs. In 2024, Yamada received the Startup Paradise Champion award at the Hawaiʻi Entrepreneur Awards.

A one-of-a-kind nursing simulation center, innovative classroom spaces, and student-made satellites launched into space were some of the highlights from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Talk Story: Campus Tour on June 26, which invited new state legislators to discover and support the university鈥檚 academic and research spaces.

“We were glad our lawmakers were able to get a better understanding of what we are doing here on campus,” said 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa Provost Michael Bruno. “The tour showcased some of our exceptional programs, spanning from innovative learning spaces to creating a workforce pipeline in space science. Our representatives also had the opportunity to meet some of our incredible faculty, staff and students who make this campus the world class institution that it is.”

Hawaiʻi state legislators from the House participated in the tour including Reps. Trish La Chica, Darius Kila, Luke Evslin, Andrew Takuya Garrett, Jackson Sayama and Kirstin Kahaloa.

Related 糖心Vlog官方 News stories:

• State lawmakers get insights about how 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa is innovating, March 1, 2024
• 糖心Vlog官方 faculty, state lawmakers share ideas on public safety, April 19, 2024

The tour began with a welcome message at the Queen Liliʻuokalani Center for Student Success. The first stop was the 糖心Vlog官方 Translational Health Science Simulation Center in the , where theatre and dance students portray patients and their families while nursing students practice patient interactions through .

“This was actually my first time touring the campus,” said Kila. “The highlight for me was seeing where the university is positioned for almost this tangible strategic future plan. I’m truly impressed with the nursing facility that we got to tour. I鈥檝e been impressed with every facility that we’ve seen and the quality of staff, faculty and students. Now I can actually visualize the programs here and I am proud of the work that’s being done.”

The highlight for me was seeing where the university is positioned for almost this tangible strategic future plan.
—Darius Kila

Representatives also toured the 鈥檚 glass blowing classroom; innovative learning spaces in Sakamaki Hall and the (LAVA Lab); and the , where students are trained to engineer small satellites that are being launched into space. The tour concluded at 糖心Vlog官方鈥檚 Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center for a Q&A session.

“As a mom raising two young kids here, I’m constantly thinking about ways to enable our youth to stay,” said La Chica. “One of the highlights from today was the Hawaiʻi Space Flight Laboratory and learning about the opportunities to diversify our economy and create pathways for high tech jobs here. And looking at how 糖心Vlog官方 is creating opportunities for our students to get a world-class education and a strong start in their careers. It was just a wonderful experience today. And I’m looking forward to continuing to get more exposure and learning how else we can best support the university.”

University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 alumni Walter Dods, Jr. and Jay H. Shidler have gifted a sculpture by the late Bumpei Akaji to their alma mater. The sculpture, “RISE,” was installed outside the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center, and dedicated in a special ceremony prior to the official grand opening of the center on June 15.

The sculpture “RISE” was created in 1979 by Kauaʻi-born artist Bumpei Akaji as a gift for the late Masaru “Pundy” Yokouchi, founding chairperson of Hawaiʻi鈥檚 State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. Dods and Shidler purchased the sculpture from Yokouchi鈥檚 estate on Maui. Dods named it “RISE” with permission from Yokouchi鈥檚 family.

“I thought it’d be cool to name it RISE, and bringing it back to Metcalf Street is just incredible,” Dods said.

Akaji was one of seven local artists who attended 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 after World War II and lived at the “Metcalf Chateau,” an old house they rented in the 1950s on Metcalf Street, a short distance away from the RISE Center. Akaji, who was a member of the famed 442nd Regimental Combat Team during the war, stayed in Italy to study painting and sculpture before returning to attend 糖心Vlog官方 and became one of the first to earn a master鈥檚 in fine arts degree from 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 in 1952.

RISE grand opening

The RISE building was named for Dods in honor of his gift of $5 million, which supports the RISE programs operated by the (PACE) at the 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 . The student entrepreneurship and innovation center with housing for 374 students opened in August 2023.

RISE was built under a public-private partnership between 糖心Vlog官方, and Hunt Companies Hawaiʻi. 糖心Vlog官方 Foundation recently moved its headquarters to the second and third floors of the Charles Atherton House at RISE.

“This project is such a powerful example of what can happen when we innovate in our thinking and embrace creative partnerships to re-imagine our state鈥檚 future,” said Gov. Josh Green, MD. “These projects serve as an example that there is a way to improve facilities without relying solely on taxpayer dollars, and in 糖心Vlog官方鈥檚 case, tuition monies.”

“We are proud that 糖心Vlog官方 Foundation is a partner in this groundbreaking project that will nurture and inspire generations of student entrepreneurs,” said 糖心Vlog官方 Foundation CEO Tim Dolan. “We鈥檙e excited we get to work here in this historic building and grateful we get to admire this wonderful gift from Walter and Jay, the sculpture by Bumpei Akaji, every day.”

PACE Board Chair Susan Yamada noted that her first trip to the University of Utah鈥檚 Lassonde Studios, which served as the model for RISE, was just seven years ago. The groundbreaking was in January 2022 and the building was completed in August 2023.

Related 糖心Vlog官方 News stories:

• New state-of-the-art 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 RISE center inspired by Utah鈥檚 Lassonde Studios, June 4, 2023
• Space for 3D printing, fabrication, sewing, more in new 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 RISE center, July 5, 2023
• RISE to host student entrepreneur events, funding incentives, July 30, 2023

“The journey to this grand opening was very challenging,” Yamada said. “Overcoming adversity by working as a team and persevering are traits we want our students to acquire while studying at 糖心Vlog官方.”

In addition to gifting the RISE sculpture to 糖心Vlog官方, Dods brought it from Maui to 惭腻苍辞补 with help from Matson, Royal Contracting and Island Movers, each of which donated their services.

Artist and consultant Kelly Sueda oversaw a restoration of the sculpture to its original glory, as well as the installation.

Products created and produced by University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 students including non-alcoholic ginger beer, hand-sewn accessories, stickers, air fresheners, baked goods, handmade cosmetics, education STEM kits and an app for skin disease identification were on display at the Walter Dods Jr., RISE Center.

The display was part of the Shidler College of Business 鈥檚 (PACE) inaugural PACE Founders and Friends Showcase, held at the end of the spring 2024 semester.

More than 70 PACE alumni and members of the center鈥檚 network of volunteers had the chance to meet 10 糖心Vlog官方 student entrepreneurs, who used the time to gather feedback about their ideas and products, and practice selling and networking skills. The showcasing student entrepreneurs represented a variety of disciplines, including molecular biosciences and bioengineering, education, psychology, information technology management, marketing and entrepreneurship.

“It was truly an honor to participate in the event and engage with the attending community,” said student Luphane Bonhomme, who created stickers with wellness messages. “I had the opportunity to connect with numerous partners and presenters. This event marked the debut of my product, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.”

, an attendee and serial entrepreneur with more than 40 years of career experience said, “The experience of the event was great, more than I expected. The tour and students showcasing their products gave more meaning to the program.”

PACE plans to host a PACE Founders and Friends Showcase every semester.

Goals of the newly-established include:

• Connecting PACE alumni with each other and with current students
• Re-engaging alumni with PACE and 糖心Vlog官方
• Building a network of founders who support each other and mentor the next generation of business creators
• Growing an ecosystem of entrepreneurs who are born at PACE, raised by the community and who become positive contributors to Hawaiʻi鈥檚 economy

It’s happening organically, and it’s the right time for us to establish a program that intentionally brings generations together.
— Tracy Taira

PACE aims to bring together generations of students who participated in PACE programs, and those in Hawaiʻi鈥檚 startup community who dedicate their time and knowledge to 糖心Vlog官方‘s startup community. To learn more, .

“After more than 20 years in operation and offering its resources to students, our team is seeing past participants returning to PACE to serve as mentors, judges, speakers and donors to the center,” said PACE Program Manager Tracy Taira. “It’s happening organically, and it’s the right time for us to establish a program that intentionally brings generations together.”

The University of Hawaiʻi鈥檚 Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center has been named the Redevelopment of the Year in the 2024 Impact Awards Hawaiʻi program by CoStar Group.

The CoStar Impact Awards are judged based on a number of factors including innovation, challenges overcome, and whether the redevelopment is a catalyst for economic activity or vibrancy in the market.

Judges鈥� comments about the RISE Center included:

• “This project sets a new standard for PPP (public-private) partnerships and repurposing a historic building into an institutional 21st century building.” (Yifan Chen, assistant professor of finance and real estate, 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补)
• “I chose this project for the efforts it went through to restore this historic site while also creating a place that benefits the surrounding community.” (Evan Ketter, leasing manager, MW Commercial Realty, Inc.)
• “This large redevelopment will turn out some very well-educated business students for our community.” (Mark Bratton, senior vice president, Colliers International)

“The Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center was self-funded with the private funds that the raised through bond issuance and no taxpayer funds, and was the foundation鈥檚 first development project, which we could not have done without our partners,” said John Han, 糖心Vlog官方 Foundation COO and CFO. “We are honored and grateful that CoStar is recognizing the RISE Center with this award.”

The $70 million live-learn-work Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center opened to the first 糖心Vlog官方 student residents in August 2023. It was the first new 糖心Vlog官方 student housing facility in 15 years, successfully repurposing the landmark 1930s Charles Atherton House building into a state-of-the-art modern institutional facility flanked by two new six-story student residential wings. The first-of-its-kind entrepreneurship-and-innovation center for Hawaiʻi is located on the corner of Metcalf Street and University Avenue at the flagship 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 campus.

Read more about the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center

In 2019, 糖心Vlog官方, 糖心Vlog官方 Foundation and Hunt Companies Hawaiʻi entered into a public-private partnership (P3) to design, build and finance RISE Center—the first P3 for the university.

“To receive a national award for RISE Center is reflective of not only the vision of the University and the University of Hawaiʻi Foundation, but also the hard work of the many people that had a hand in opening up this project on time,” said project lead Mike Lam, senior vice president of Hunt Companies Hawaiʻi. “On behalf of Hunt, our project partners and the 糖心Vlog官方 community, we thank CoStar Group for this honor.”

A startup company helping learners master different languages won the 2024 (糖心Vlog官方VC) and a prize package totaling approximately $50,000.

What began with more than 40 teams at the start of the competition, OmniVocab bested three other teams in the event finals on May 4 to claim the title. The company aims to help intermediate language learners overcome obstacles in acquiring a new language through immersive experiences.

The team included 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 students Ryan Beattie (mechanical engineering), Josiah Kila (information and computer science), Kaihehau Goo (management), Sage Suzuki (computer science) and Noah deMers (computer science). They were coached by marketing lecturer Patricia LaPorte.

“What previously was a last-minute submission soon became a worthy competitor amongst many worthy teams,” DeMers said. “If we鈥檝e learned one thing from this, it is to never underestimate what you have to offer compared to others and to always tunnel through any uncertainty. As the movie Coach Carter puts it, ‘As we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.’”

The first place prize included $10,000 from Hawaiian Electric Industries and Hawaiian Electric, 20 hours of marketing consultation by Pineapple Tweed ($5,000 value), rapid prototype development or data driven digital marketing package from Blue Logic Labs ($4,000 value), one year of unlimited coworking membership to The Hub Coworking Hawaii ($19,500 value), incorporation package and financing term sheet sponsored by Vantage Counsel LLC ($7,500 value), and other in-kind prizes.

糖心Vlog官方VC is hosted annually by the (PACE) in 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 Shidler College of Business to support budding entrepreneurs by providing hands-on education, mentorship and resources to students from the 10-campus 糖心Vlog官方 System who wish to start a new business. This year, excitement soared as the event took place within the vibrant, newly inaugurated live-learn-work student housing community——marking a momentous milestone in the competition鈥檚 history. With student team representation from 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补, 糖心Vlog官方 Hilo, and Kapiʻolani Community College, encompassing more than 20 diverse majors from tropical plant and soil sciences to computer science, the competition showcased the innovative spirit thriving across the 糖心Vlog官方 System.

Finalists

Placing second was EduKits Hawaiʻi, a nonprofit organization that creates and distributes placed-based STEAM resource kits to Title I school students. Its goal is to enrich classroom learning and increase parent involvement through fun hands-on activities based on STEAM lessons that align with Next Generation Science Standards and Na Hopena Aʻo framework. The team members were Candide Krieger (curriculum studies) and Samantha Alvarado (tropical plant and soil sciences), and their coach was Susan Yamada, PACE Board of Directors chair. The second place prize included $5,000 from PACE and more than $40,000 in in-kind prizes.

• Related 糖心Vlog官方 News story: Using Oreos to study moon phases, grad student creates dynamic STEM lessons, April 24, 2024

The third place team was Tadish, a mobile application that streamlines the process of recording and rating individual dishes, offering users accurate and personalized suggestions based on their taste preferences and history of liked dishes. The team members were Alyssia Chen (information and computer science) and Timothy Huo (computer science), and their coach was Alexey Loganchuk from Sidera Labs. The third place prize totaled more than $17,000, including a $2,500 prize sponsored by HiBEAM.

AgiPower—an agricultural engineering company that designs and builds customized aquaponic systems for residents and farm owners—won fourth place and a $1,000 prize from PACE. The team members were Kurt Metrose (mechanical engineering) and Ted Metrose, and they were coached by Faustino Dagdag from Leeward Community College.

“We鈥檙e thrilled to showcase the incredible passion, creativity and perseverance displayed by all participants in the 2024 糖心Vlog官方 Venture Competition,” PACE Executive Director Sandra Fujiyama said “It鈥檚 inspiring to see innovative entrepreneurs at 糖心Vlog官方, like OmniVocab, paving the way for transformative solutions in language education.”

Gaining real-world experience running a digital marketing campaign was the goal of a spring 2024 project by University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 digital marketing students, under the guidance of Instructor Constancio Paranal III.

Inspired by the opening of Island Brew Coffeehouse in the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center, Haley Marie Torres, Wendy Sakuma, Kaycee Nakashima, Ocean Vuong and Sophia Lopez set their sights on increasing brand awareness across campus, increasing foot traffic, and boosting sales among students through their digital marketing campaign, “Student Sips.”

As the only store within the coffeehouse chain located on a university campus, the team found it fitting to cater their marketing efforts toward 糖心Vlog官方 students. Being students themselves, they were at a unique advantage in understanding their target market.

Over the course of four weeks, the students worked with the shop鈥檚 owner, Rafael Baez, to manage its social media account, create and introduce a new and exclusive-to-糖心Vlog官方 beverage (Warrior Matcha) to the menu, as well as craft and distribute e-newsletters to nearly 14,000 recipients.

Prior to the team鈥檚 involvement, the shop did not have an online ordering system. However, through these students鈥� initiatives, the shop successfully integrated online ordering, resulting in increased traffic on the coffeehouse鈥檚 website and boosted online sales by 22.2%. Overall, the team managed to increase sales by 32.7%, which surpassed their initial goals.

“Being inside of a large building, we currently don鈥檛 have any signage outside and so the discovery phase is the biggest key,” Baez said. “The team鈥檚 marketing efforts not only brought in regulars from the coffeehouse鈥檚 other locations, but it has done a pretty good job of creating additional awareness within the campus community.”

Sakuma stated, “I learned how to grow a social media page from the early stages with new content and through different mediums. Being able to achieve real results in a short amount of time was so powerful.”

Drive to create

Nakashima attributes the team鈥檚 success to their motivation and “drive to create.”

“We were constantly drawing inspiration from one another and played to each of our unique and individual strengths. It was so rewarding for us to see our diligence and hard work come to fruition,” Nakashima said.

By immersing themselves in real-world scenarios, students not only acquire practical skills but also cultivate the mindset of creative thinkers and doers, according to Paranal III.

“The emphasis at Shidler is not just on theoretical knowledge but on the ability to apply that knowledge in innovative ways to solve real-world challenges,” Paranal III said.

Haum膩na (students) from the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 (PACE) participated in the inaugural PACE X Very50 Social Entrepreneurship Program, serving as PACE Cross-Cultural Ambassadors and collaborating with students from Meijo University in Nagoya, Japan, to identify local challenges in our Hawaiʻi community, analyze the challenges and come up with implementable solutions. Some of the issues included:

• Creating a beach advisory mobile app to show which beaches are safe and general information about a particular beach
• Reducing plastic waste to encourage people to recycle bottle caps to be repurposed for other items like asphalt. A bottle cap recycling station was created at the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center.
• Since surfing is not always for beginners, creating educational opportunities or having a designated area for beginner surfers in Waik墨k墨 would help
• For tourists with young children, developing a sled type device to assist parents with pushing strollers on the beach

The PACE Cross-Cultural Ambassadors and the Meijo students worked together to conduct field research and interviews, and develop solutions and prototypes during many late-night sessions at the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center. The PACE X Very50 Social Entrepreneurship Program was an intensive one-week program that culminated with a showcase event at the RISE Center with each team presenting about their journey from challenge identification to innovative solution.

“It was really interesting to hear a variety of different perspectives from the international students on what they believed were problems here in Hawaiʻi—hearing things that I would have never thought about prior to working with them,” said PACE student Rochelle Jokura. “I also felt it was a good opportunity for me to sort of take a leadership-like role as they relied on me to take them around Hawaiʻi, and for providing suggestions for their project.”

Ryosuke Sugaya, co-founder and CEO of Very50, a social enterprise accelerator based in Tokyo, led the program for the Meijo University students and brought this opportunity to PACE. Very50 provides “on the ground” experiences for students, which aim to foster collaboration and tackle real social challenges in Asia-focused regions.

“Very50鈥檚 program aligns with PACE鈥檚 mission of educating innovative problem-solvers,” said Sandra Fujiyama, executive director of PACE. “Through this collaboration with Ryosuke and Very50, our PACE Cross-Cultural Ambassadors benefited from the unique educational opportunity offered by Very50, working alongside the Meijo University students to tackle real-world challenges and transforming into innovative-problem solvers in the process.”

The PACE Cross-Cultural Ambassadors involved were Jokura, Matthew Andres, Noah deMers, A鈥橫arie Paraso, Sho Matsumoto, Ryan Nishizaki and Abigail Vanblaricom-Nutt. Shota Ichitaku spearheaded this collaboration on behalf of PACE, taking the lead on organizing the effort with Sugaya and Very50, with assistance from Aimie Katayama.

PACE is housed in the 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 .

The University of Hawaiʻi Foundation and Hunt Development Group Hawaiʻi selected to open its fourth location early next year in the , the mixed-use innovation center/student housing facility at the University of Hawaiʻi鈥檚 flagship 惭腻苍辞补 campus.

Island Brew鈥檚 new RISE Center location is a 1,700-square-foot space on the ground floor of the historic Charles Atherton Building with street frontage at the corner of Metcalf Street and University Avenue. Large windows facing both Metcalf Street and University Avenue will have natural lighting, and seating will be available inside of the Island Brew itself and on the ground floor of the RISE Center. The new Island Brew will be open to 糖心Vlog官方 students and employees, as well as the general public.

Rafael Baez, who owns Island Brew with his wife, Peiyu Wen, said they plan to open a popup location at RISE in January, while the new store is being built out with the opening planned in time for the fall 2024 semester.

The popup will serve espresso drinks, cold brew coffee and a limited menu of food, such as pastries. When the main store opens, it will have the same menu as Island Brew鈥檚 other locations, with a full coffee menu featuring Rusty鈥檚 Hawaiian Coffee from Hawaiʻi Island, plus açai bowls, smoothies and hot freshly made sandwiches, including breakfast sandwiches.

“We are excited to serve not just the student population but the immediate neighborhood and 惭腻苍辞补,” said Baez. “We really like to integrate with the neighborhood, as we鈥檝e done in Hawaiʻi Kai, Ala Moana and Kakaʻako.”

Read more about the 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 RISE center.

Hunt, 糖心Vlog官方 and the 糖心Vlog官方 Foundation entered into a public-private partnership (P3) to design, build and finance the live, learn and work innovation facility. The Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center is fully funded with private, non-taxpayer money. The first 糖心Vlog官方 students moved into the $70 million live-learn-work RISE Center in August for fall 2023.

Hundreds of students, faculty and staff will study and work in the RISE Center each day, while 374 residents live in the complex above. Island Brew will open in this prime location, which is conveniently located for the nearly 20,000 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 students, as well as more than 1,000 faculty and staff, and the nearby 惭腻苍辞补 and 惭艒ʻ颈濒颈ʻ颈濒颈 communities.

Sandra Fujiyama, executive director of the (PACE) in the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 , has been named a 2024 Power Leader by (PBN).

The Power Leaders awards recognize individuals who have demonstrated not only significant accomplishments, but also show incredible potential for what they will do in the future.

As PACE鈥檚 executive director, Fujiyama is responsible for leading 糖心Vlog官方鈥檚 innovation and entrepreneurship efforts, including strengthening ties with community stakeholders and driving student success by equipping our students with the skills and mindset necessary to adapt and thrive as they enter the workforce. She, along with her dedicated team and board, were instrumental in the creation of the (RISE), a state-of-the-art live-work-learn facility at the site of the old Atherton YMCA that combines an innovation center with housing for up to 374 students.

RISE is fully funded with private, non-taxpayer money under a public-private partnership (P3) between 糖心Vlog官方, 糖心Vlog官方 Foundation and Hunt Development Group Hawaiʻi, and was completed on time. PACE runs the innovation and entrepreneurship center at RISE, offering more than 15 programs to foster Hawaiʻi鈥檚 next generation of problem-solvers, game-changers and leaders.

Most recently, Walter Dods, Jr., former First Hawaiian Bank chairman and CEO and a longtime supporter of 糖心Vlog官方, donated $5 million to RISE and PACE. To recognize the monumental contribution, the facility is now named the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center.

Sandra’s visionary leadership, proactive initiative, and steadfast commitment to PACE, the Shidler College, and the wider 糖心Vlog官方 community are evident in every aspect of her work.
—Vance Roley, dean of Shidler College of Business

“Sandra’s visionary leadership, proactive initiative, and steadfast commitment to PACE, the Shidler College, and the wider 糖心Vlog官方 community are evident in every aspect of her work,” said Vance Roley, dean of Shidler College and First Hawaiian Bank Chair of Leadership and Management. “We celebrate her accomplishments in elevating innovation and entrepreneurship to new levels, exemplified by the successful launch of the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center. Her selection as a 2024 Power Leader underscores her extraordinary contributions to our institution and the broader community.”

Previously, Fujiyama served as innovation and business development officer at 糖心Vlog官方鈥檚 where she conducted technology and marketing assessments of inventions, protected and marketed technologies in 糖心Vlog官方鈥檚 IP portfolio, and helped secure funding for the development and commercialization of 糖心Vlog官方-based inventions.

Fujiyama spent nearly 15 years specializing in intellectual property law in Los Angeles, where she prosecuted patent and trademark applications at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, litigated intellectual property matters, and provided intellectual property strategy and counseling to a range of clients. Before returning to Hawaiʻi, she was a partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati PC.

While in Los Angeles, Fujiyama was also involved in a number of organizations, including serving on the boards of the California Bar Foundation, the Japanese American Bar Association Educational Foundation and the Asian Pacific American Women Lawyers Alliance. She was recognized by the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association as a “Best Lawyer Under 40.” Prior to joining 糖心Vlog官方, Fujiyama worked for Dentons U.S. LLP in Honolulu, with clients in the local technology and startup market.

PBN鈥檚 Power Leaders will be recognized at an event at The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort, on January 25, 2024.

A first-of-its-kind “Shark Tank” style event at the resulted in five student-led business ideas earning $1,000 or $500 prizes, and dozens of students gaining real world experience in innovation and entrepreneurship.

The inaugural program, hosted by the (PACE) in the , culminated in a live pitch event at the state-of-the-art Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center in October 2023.

Teams from 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 and received the top prize of $1,000 each, and three other teams won $500 prizes.

The top two business ideas were:

• Hawaii NutriNative is an app designed to intertwine culture and nutrition while addressing food insecurity and the undervalued richness of Native Hawaiian foods. This project was by Dongjun Xie, a food science and nutrition student at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补.
• ResQ Drone Innovations is a more efficient and humane way of finding survivors and recovering bodies using drones. This project was developed by 糖心Vlog官方 Maui College (ABIT) students Cody Hankins, Joshua Bushe, Bryson Uehara and Sang Bui.

The members of the 糖心Vlog官方 Maui College team are students of Debasis Bhattacharya, associate professor and program coordinator of the 糖心Vlog官方 Maui College Applied Business and Information Technology program. Bhattacharya aligned his class with the Kalo Grants program and encouraged his students to apply.

“The PACE Kalo Grants program was a great opportunity to apply what was learned in the classroom in a competitive setting, including a live pitch, at the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center and to showcase the ABIT capstone students’ business ideas,” Bhattacharya said. “Seeing all of my ABIT students come home with a PACE Kalo Grant to continue pursuing their ideas to support the Maui recovery efforts is very meaningful.”

Before making it to the live pitch event, students were tasked with submitting a business narrative. Entries that demonstrated high potential were invited to pitch to a live audience that would help to determine the awardees. Leading up to the event, the students were provided with coaching to prepare for their presentations. Scores from the audience were tallied, and results were announced at the close of the event. Attendees had the chance to celebrate with and meet the awardees.

“We’re always looking for new ways to support students,” PACE Executive Director Sandra Fujiyama said. “With this new Kalo Grants program, we’re providing students with a little bit of cash to take their ideas to the next level. We’re also hoping that by participating they gain the confidence to keep going down the startup path. For many of them, this will be their first taste of entrepreneurship, and hopefully the beginning of an extended journey with PACE.”

Students helping students

Kalo Grants is a program organized for students by students. It is a special focus of PACE to increase the number and frequency of student-led events. A team of five students from diverse backgrounds ran Kalo Grants (four undergraduates and one graduate student from Shidler college, travel industry management, social sciences and information and computer sciences).

Get involved, earn funding

The Kalo Grants program is open to all 糖心Vlog官方 students, from any program of study and any 糖心Vlog官方 campus. The intent of the program is to provide small amounts of seed funding to students who wish to pursue an idea for a business. Participants are challenged to research market opportunities, identify customer segments, and build a minimum viable product, as well as hone their presentation skills. The deadline to apply for the next round of Kalo Grants is October 31, and there will be monthly chances to apply for both grant levels ($1,000 and $500). For more information, .

Esports isn鈥檛 just about playing video games. It has become one of the world鈥檚 most booming industries with career opportunities in many areas, including software engineering, product management, event management, graphic design, marketing, content production and more. .

Dozens of University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 students learned from the success of 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 own skyrocketing esports program, which was named the nation鈥檚 best collegiate esports program in 2022 and has been named a finalist in 2023, at a networking and panel event at the new Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center on October 10. Hosted by the (PACE) in the in collaboration with 糖心Vlog官方 Esports, the students learned about:

• First hand experiences from 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 students who interned with leading South Korean esports company Gen.G
• How they can be a part of the esports industry right here in Hawaiʻi with Vanta
• Résumé additions to stand out when applying to internships in the gaming industry from Pacxa, Vanta, MPIRE Gaming and Lenovo

“As the director of 糖心Vlog官方 Esports, I want other parts of the 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 campus to help shape what esports can mean to their respective communities,” said 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 esports Program Director Nyle Sky Kauweloa. “Collaborating with PACE has brought in diverse perspectives and conversations around the core skills, operations, and knowledge that lie beyond a singular focus on competitions. The collaboration between 糖心Vlog官方 Esports and PACE at RISE represents one of the more diverse venues on the island where new ideas are being shared among the future leaders of esports in Hawaiʻi.”

PACE Executive Director Sandra Fujiyama added, “The mission of PACE is to inspire our budding innovators and entrepreneurs at 糖心Vlog官方 to explore their passions and bring their ideas to life. Partnering with 糖心Vlog官方 Esports to host events like this and inspire our students to dream big in this skyrocketing industry, and to do it at our state-of-the-art facility, the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center, is truly a win-win for all.”

Kylin Daniel is a senior communicology major and 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 League of Legends coordinator. Daniel was one of the students who participated in the three-week internship with Gen.G.

“Interning with the esports organization Gen.G taught me what it鈥檚 like to apply myself to assignments that feel more meaningful, because these assignments aren鈥檛 graded, but are used in the real world,” Daniel said. “Also, it is imperative to understand how to use AI (artificial intelligence) and ChatGPT as a tool to work more efficiently. Learning how to prompt in AI isn鈥檛 just a valuable skill, but an absolutely necessary one.”

Casey Caro is a sophomore computer science major. Caro is a Valorant player for the Women of 糖心Vlog官方 Esports team, volunteers at iLab and also participated in the Gen.G internship.

“My time at Gen.G and 糖心Vlog官方 Manoa for this internship has shown me firsthand how a diverse group of individuals can effectively merge two seemingly unrelated domains: esports and education,” Caro said. “I was genuinely surprised by the unexpected connection between these two fields. While they may seem like complete opposites, I discovered that they complement each other in ways that are both fascinating and effective.”

Vote for 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补!

The 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 esports program has been nominated for the best collegiate esports program of the year award in 2023, after winning the award in 2022 and being nominated for the past two years. The public can vote for the team on the Scholars Collegiate Gaming Awards website until November 20. The winner will be announced at an event in Las Vegas on November 28.

糖心Vlog官方 Esports receives substantial funding from the . 糖心Vlog官方 the 糖心Vlog官方 Esports team鈥檚 and pages. More stories on 糖心Vlog官方鈥檚 esports program.

—By Marc Arakaki

Honolulu philanthropist and former First Hawaiian Bank Chairman Walter A. Dods Jr. is donating $5 million to the University of Hawaiʻi鈥檚 new (RISE) at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补. In recognition of this momentous gift, the building will be renamed the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center.

Dods is an alumnus of 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 , a longtime donor to 糖心Vlog官方 and former president of the 鈥檚 Board of Trustees.

The student entrepreneurship and innovation center, with housing for 374 students, opened in August. Programs at RISE are operated by the (PACE) at the 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 Shidler College of Business. The historic new gift builds on to PACE announced in 2022.

“I鈥檓 honored to champion a program that鈥檚 growing new generations of critical thinkers and entrepreneurs who will create the businesses that grow Hawaiʻi鈥檚 economy,” said Dods. “I look forward to seeing the future these PACE at RISE students will create for themselves, our state and the world.”

Dods is one of the most influential businessmen and philanthropists in Hawaiʻi, and has been an active community volunteer and fundraiser since early in his career. He retired from First Hawaiian Bank in 2004 after a 36-year career there, the last 15 years as chairman and CEO. A recognized industry leader, Dods was the national president of the American Bankers Association in 1996.

“Walter Dods has embodied leadership, entrepreneurship and innovation over his long career at First Hawaiian Bank as well as through his expansive and generous service to the community,” said 糖心Vlog官方 President David Lassner. “It is beyond appropriate to link the Dods name to the premier place and program that will nurture our future leaders who will drive Hawaiʻi鈥檚 economy, and we thank Walter for his forward-thinking and generous commitment to our students.”

“Walter鈥檚 incredible vision and generosity enables us to attract passionate students, cutting-edge professionals and faculty, and offer meaningful programming at RISE,” said Sandra Fujiyama, executive director of PACE. “It鈥檚 so exciting to see these students transform into the next generation of changemakers and problem-solvers to start their own businesses or join existing ones.”

Read more about the 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 RISE center

Dods鈥� roots in Hawaiʻi, and his dedication to the community, run deep.

Born to a blue-collar, working-class family in Honolulu, he went to work after graduating from Saint Louis School, and later attended night classes at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 while working full-time. Dods graduated in 1967 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. In 1993, he was honored with the 糖心Vlog官方 Distinguished Alumni Award.

Dods鈥� long history of support to 糖心Vlog官方

His philanthropic support of 糖心Vlog官方 stretches back to 1975, when he was among the founders of 糖心Vlog官方 Foundation鈥檚 President鈥檚 Club to encourage support for 糖心Vlog官方 from alumni, friends and community leaders. He served on the 糖心Vlog官方 Foundation Board of Trustees, was its president from 1978 to 1980 and chaired the 1998 糖心Vlog官方 Campaign for Hawaiʻi that raised $116 million for the university.

Dods and his late wife, Diane, established the Walter A. and Diane N. Dods Endowed Scholarship Fund with a gift of $1 million, for students who are immigrants or children of immigrants. He also helped raise $1.6 million to establish the Dan and Maggie Inouye Distinguished Chair in Democratic Ideals and co-chaired the committee to establish the Senator Daniel K. Akaka Regents Scholarship Endowment.

“Walter鈥檚 long dedication to community service and to 糖心Vlog官方 is exceptional,” said Tim Dolan, 糖心Vlog官方 vice president of advancement and 糖心Vlog官方 Foundation CEO. “His exemplary leadership in business and philanthropy is inspiring and we couldn鈥檛 be more grateful for this special gift.”

In 2004, Dods was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, with Gold and Silver Star, an imperial honor from the Government of Japan. Since retirement, he has served as the board chairman of Alexander & Baldwin, and later Matson. He was also a trustee of the Samuel Mills Damon Estate, and served as non-executive board chairman for Hawaiian Telcom and Mid Pac Petroleum. He is currently a director on the board of Par Pacific Hawaii.

RISE was built as the first public-private partnership between 糖心Vlog官方, 糖心Vlog官方 Foundation and Hunt Development Group Hawaiʻi.

More than 325 University of Hawaiʻi students have become the first residents to move into the new state-of-the-art (RISE) student housing facility for the fall 2023 semester. The state-of-the-art building opened in August 2023 on the site of the former Atherton YMCA and is expected to transform the entrepreneurial ecosystem at 糖心Vlog官方鈥檚 flagship campus.

“This has been a groundbreaking project several years in the making and we are extremely excited to welcome students into the brand-new complex,” said Sandra Fujiyama, (PACE) executive director. “Last week, we kicked off the semester with a summit for our 50+ PACE leaders and a welcome reception for the RISE residents. Our PACE team and PACE leaders have lined up a variety of programs and events for our new space at RISE to inspire, empower, convene, connect and support students across all 10 糖心Vlog官方 campuses.”

PACE, housed in 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 , is expanding its footprint to the innovation center on the second floor of RISE and will manage the center and activate the space with its innovation and entrepreneurship program. RISE and PACE are open to students from any discipline and any 糖心Vlog官方 campus, including the community colleges. The inaugural group of RISE residents represents every college and school at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补.

RISE鈥檚 student residents will experience a transformative housing community with like-minded students, and proximity to the wealth of 糖心Vlog官方 entrepreneurship programs in the classroom, makerspaces, meeting rooms and co-working spaces on the floors below.

“It was super cool to be able to move into the newest housing facilities as a freshman. The amenities RISE offers were a large draw for me,” said Briena Du, a 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 botany and tropical plant and soil sciences student. “On moving day it was extremely busy, but everyone was incredibly friendly and excited to meet new people. I was invited to many different rooms and floors for get-togethers and tours, as everyone was (and still is) making use of the communal spaces in the halls and kitchens.”

Joshua Galeria, a 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 computer engineering student, added, “I could feel the excitement from the other students. Everyone was eager to meet one another and make that connection. I could hear a lot of conversations and laughter throughout the hallways. I’ve also noticed an active use of the amenities such as the outdoor deck and collaboration space. All of my friends and classmates not living in RISE have been wanting to come by and hang out.”

More about RISE

RISE is fully funded with private, non-taxpayer money under a public-private partnership (P3) between 糖心Vlog官方, and Hunt Development Group Hawaiʻi, and was completed on time. PACE and 糖心Vlog官方 Foundation have received several private gifts totaling more than $5 million to pay for the cost of furnishings and equipment, and to cover the cost of operations and scholarships in the first few years of operation.

Read more about the 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 RISE center

Moss is the general contractor on the project, and B.HOM Student Living is managing RISE, the university鈥檚 first externally managed student housing complex.

Current and prospective students at any of the 10 糖心Vlog官方 campuses are still welcome to apply. For more information and to apply, . All RISE student spaces have opened. The Atherton wing, which will house office space for 糖心Vlog官方 Foundation and additional ideation space for PACE, is expected to be completed by January 2024.

—By Marc Arakaki