McKenzie Kurosu is the first University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa / graduate to earn a . It is issued by the Universal Accreditation Board (UAB), which is operated by the Public Relations Society of American (PRSA). The certificate demonstrates a fundamental competency and knowledge for college graduates entering the public relations profession.

Kurosu is a May 2025 graduate who double majored in communication and journalism from the . She received the certificate in December 2025 after taking required courses and passing an exam.

“This certificate really helps bridge the gap between what you learn in a classroom and real-world applications,” said Kurosu. “Having this on a résumé helps you stand out to recruiters, and serves as a great first step to pursue an APR (Accreditation in Public Relations) designation later in your career.”

Public relations or related majors may apply for the certificate, but must be members of PRSA or student chapters of UAB participating organizations. At 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa, Kurosu completed the public relations coursework while serving as a vice president and director of communications of the David A. Ward chapter of PRSSA (Public Relations Student Society of America). Kurosu said belonging to PRSSA was a career-defining experience.

“Beyond the leadership roles, I had the chance to travel to California for the ICON conference, and network with professionals and peers who share my passion for the industry,” she said.

For more information about the certificate and to check eligibility, or contact PRSSA faculty advisor Ji Young Kim at jkim22@hawaii.edu.

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa ballroom dance team won its third consecutive national title at the (NCDC), in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, March 27–29.

Competing against 37 colleges, 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa once again took first place for “highest point average,” as well as a close second place for the overall team championship, asserting its place among the nation鈥檚 top ballroom dance college teams. Winning top honors in the highest point average requires most team members to perform exceptionally well in all events.

The dancers of the Ballroom Dance Club @糖心Vlog官方M—a registered independent organization at 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa—are trained and coached by Ravi Narayan and Synthia Sumukti. Narayan and Sumukti also represented Hawaiʻi in the senior age division placing 1st in several events.

“We are no longer the underdogs, so all the other colleges are looking at us as the team to beat,” said Narayan, who is also an adjunct faculty member in the 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa . “The bar is getting raised higher and higher each year, but we prevailed once again. We are incredibly proud of the dedication of our dancers who put in many hours to prepare for this competition. We are grateful for the incredible support we have received from the entire ballroom community in the state of Hawaiʻi.”

The Ballroom Dance Club @糖心Vlog官方M was formed in September 2022, and the team took first place for “highest team average” in 2024 and 2025.

“Nationals was an amazing and eye-opening experience for me,” said Caleb Zerbe, who competed in the nationals for the first time. “Getting to see so many people dance and enjoy themselves on the floor made me realize how fun dancing can be, even at the highest stages. It was a moment that helped me build a lot of confidence, and one that I will never forget.”

Christopher Ramirez, who competed on all three victorious 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa teams, added, “Given the opportunity to compete at my third nationals, there is always something new to learn. Winning for the third year in a row has reminded me just how incredible it is to be a part of this team.”

Tough competition

NCDC is a grueling competition with events starting at 7 a.m. every morning. It consisted of multiple events based on proficiency (bronze, silver, gold, etc.). Each student danced in up to 32 different events at the bronze and silver skill levels. They competed in all four styles of ballroom dance including International Standard (waltz, tango, viennese waltz, foxtrot and quickstep), American Smooth (waltz, tango, foxtrot and viennese waltz), American Rhythm (chacha, rumba, swing, bolero and mambo) and International Latin (samba, chacha, rumba, paso doble and jive).

Several students took individual first place awards in their respective divisions defeating up to 70 other competitors in some events. This trip was designed to give the team exposure to a collegiate competition, as Hawaiʻi has no statewide collegiate ballroom competitions.

More about the Ballroom Dance Club

The Ballroom Dance Club offers beginner classes to all 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa students, faculty and staff in studio 2 in the athletics department from 6—7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays. No dance experience is required. For more information, or visit their Instagram page @bdcuhm.

The team would like to thank the Department of Information and Computer Sciences, 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa Department of Athletics, Student Activity and Program Fee Board, Associated Students of the University of Hawaiʻi, USA Dance Honolulu and the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation for facility and financial support.

糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa 2026 nationals collegiate and adult team roster:

• Ravi Narayan, faculty (computer science), coach and alumnus
• Synthia Sumukti, coach and alumna
• ʻAulani Wagner, library science and American studies
• Alexander Picken, Earth science
• Amanda Kanthack, psychology and Japanese
• Caleb Zerbe, computer science
• Christopher Ramirez, linguistics
• Christopher Wright, electrical engineering
• Courtney Hisamoto, computer science
• D’Elle Martin, architecture
• Elijah Saloma, computer science
• Gregory Snyder, mechanical engineering
• Hannah Madiam, kinesiology
• Iris Calauan, pre-nursing
• Jonathan Bona, civil engineering
• Julietta Lopez, architecture
• Kanaru Ebi, psychology
• Karl Merritt, mechanical engineering
• Luis Hernandez, electrical and computer engineering
• Lyndsey Moku, political science
• Maya Ito, psychology
• Michaella Villanueva, computer science
• Noah Asano, computer science
• Samantha Reed, computer science
• Shaelyn Loo, computer science
• Tessa Heidkamp, journalism and political science
• Andrew Lin, computer science alumnus
• Sydney Kim, computer science alumna
• Jason Aguda, computer engineering alumnus
• Matthew Rummel, political science and business alumnus
• Ariel Ramos, cinematic arts animation alumna
• Yong-Sung Masuda, computer science alumnus
• Wilson Tran, computer science alumnus
• Florence Liu, faculty, mathematics

Luis Hernandez and Maya Ito dancing the American Cha-cha in the Collegiate Team Match where 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa placed 3rd. (Video courtesy: Calvin Ota)

Elijah Saloma and Michaella Villanueva dancing the International Quickstep in the Collegiate Team Match where 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa placed 3rd. (Video courtesy: Calvin Ota)

Coaches Ravi Narayan and Synthia Sumukti dancing the Mambo in the Senior IV American Rhythm Championship final. (Video courtesy: Ravi Sundaram)

Students cheering for their coaches Ravi Narayan and Synthia Sumukti (Video courtesy: Ravi Sundaram)

Fourteen University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa academic subjects were ranked among the world鈥檚 best in the 2026 , released on March 25.

Four subjects placed in the top 22 in the nation and top 100 in the world. Leading the way was geology (No. 19 in the U.S. and No. 51–100 in the world), geophysics (No. 19 in the U.S. and No. 51–100 in the world), Earth and marine sciences (No. 21 in the U.S. and No. 51–100 in the world) and linguistics (No. 22 in the U.S. and No. 61 in the world).

Ten additional subjects placed in the world鈥檚 top 2% (within top 500 in the world out of ):

• English language and literature: No. 28 U.S., No. 101–150 world
• Agriculture and forestry: No. 30 U.S., No. 151–200 world
• Anthropology: No. 31 U.S., No. 101–200 world
• Modern languages: No. 41 U.S., No. 251–300 world
• Environmental sciences: No. 66 U.S., No. 351–400 world
• Communication and media studies: No. 68 U.S., No. 251–275 world
• Physics and astronomy: No. 70 U.S., No. 401–450 world
• Education: No. 78 U.S., No. 351–400 world
• Medicine: No. 99 U.S., No. 451–500 world
• Biological sciences: No. 100 U.S., No. 451–500 world

“These rankings highlight the exceptional work and commitment of our faculty, students and staff,” 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa Interim Provost Vassilis L. Syrmos said. “They showcase the university鈥檚 global standing and reinforce that 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa offers outstanding educational opportunities and experiences for both our local community and those joining us from around the world.”

糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa was ranked in three broad subject areas and 14 narrow subject areas. The QS World University Rankings by Subject are calculated using five criteria: academic reputation (measures the reputation of institutions and their programs by asking academic experts to nominate universities based on their subject area of expertise), employer reputation (measures the reputation of institutions and their programs among employers), research citations per paper (measures the impact and quality of the scientific work done by institutions, on average per publication), H-index (measures both the productivity and impact of the published work of a scientist or scholar) and international research network (measure of an institution鈥檚 success in creating and sustaining research partnerships with institutions in other locations).

The 2026 edition of the rankings by global higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds analyzed the performance of more than 18,300 university programs, taken by students at more than 1,700 universities in 100 locations around the world.

Other rankings

糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa also received these notable rankings:

• 2025 U.S. News and World Report best online programs, January 27, 2026
• 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject, January 21, 2026
• 2025 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, January 4, 2026

The earned high marks in nearly 20 academic subjects in the , with , and leading the way among the highest-ranked programs.

Oceanography ranked No. 5 in the U.S. and No. 7 in the world, atmospheric science placed No. 8 nationally and No. 11 worldwide, and hospitality and tourism management ranked No. 12 in the U.S. and No. 32 in the world.

The rankings were released by the Shanghai Ranking Consultancy and is considered one of the most comprehensive and objective assessments of university performance by discipline.

糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa also posted strong global and national placements across science, engineering, social science and other fields. tied for No. 17 in the U.S. and ranked No. 51–75 worldwide, while ecology and each tied for No. 24 nationally and placed No. 76–100 globally.

Additional 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa subjects recognized in the 2025 rankings include communication, education, political science, water resources, biological sciences, civil engineering, food science and technology, environmental science and engineering, agricultural sciences, economics, management and physics.

“These rankings reflect the depth and consistency of excellence at 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa,” Interim Provost Vassilis L. Syrmos said. “Our faculty are advancing research that matters locally and globally, while preparing students to address some of the most pressing challenges facing our world.”

糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa was evaluated alongside approximately 2,000 universities from more than 100 countries and regions, selected from a global pool of more than 25,000 institutions. The rankings are based on measures such as world-class faculty, world-class research output, high-quality research, research impact and international collaboration.

Other recent rankings:

• 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, October 9, 2025
• Wall Street Journal/College Pulse 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. rankings, October 2, 2025
• U.S. News and World Report 2026 Best Colleges rankings, September 23, 2025

For more information, .

—By Marc Arakaki

Nearly 60 attendees gathered on October 29, in the Flex Space at RISE at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 for “The Human Connection: Communication Skills for Professional & Personal Success,” an event designed to foster engagement between students and industry professionals. The program featured interactive activities and a lively panel discussion focused on cultivating essential workforce skills.

Professor Hye-ryeon Lee, chair of the , highlighted the importance of proactively developing these capacities.

“Students entering college need to understand that it takes some planning to cultivate and refine these essential skills. And, to those who seek it out, the university offers many wonderful opportunities for improving these skills,” she said.

Get out and connect

The career advice resonated with students preparing to enter the workforce. Exploratory Business major Gervase Ngo was inspired by the discussion on critical thinking, passion and purpose. Senior Aerospace Engineering student Savannah Dubois felt the immediate impact of the panel鈥檚 emphasis on connection.

“Something that really hit me was creating that connection with the interviewer or with the person you’re going to be working with,” Dubois said. “I want to be able to show my passion and drive for the work I’m doing.”

For pre-nursing major Triston Chavez, the most memorable piece of advice centered on practical preparation.

“Practice, practice, practice,” he said. “Get out there, talk to more people. Don’t feel afraid to talk in front of crowds.”

Authenticity on paper

Panelists鈥攊ncluding Jeff Hui, founder and CEO of Jumpstart AI, Lori Lum of Anthology Marketing Group FINN Partners, and Lisa Park, RN and current doctor of nursing practice student鈥攕tressed the crucial role of authenticity in professional communication.

“Empathetic listening is really important,” Park advised.

Lum added, “Do you have an authentic voice and an authentic sense of ‘This is who I am, this is the way I think.’ I want to see that. I want to see that smile come through the paper. I want to be able to see that passion come through the paper.”

Hui encouraged students to use AI to “pressure test” their communication rather than communicate for them.

The event was organized by the School of Communication and Information and co-sponsored by the , and the 糖心Vlog官方 System Office of Workforce Development.

Workforce development is one of the core pillars of the 糖心Vlog官方 System鈥檚 Strategic Plan.

The David A. Ward chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s earned the for the 2024–25 academic year. This national award recognizes the chapter鈥檚 outstanding achievement and leadership in community engagement.

“We dedicated our time and effort to ensure that we upheld the highest standards set by PRSSA,” said Mailani Magbanua, chapter president and a in . “We can鈥檛 wait to see how our chapter will continue to flourish in the future.”

To earn the Star Chapter Award, PRSSA student chapters must meet at least eight of 11 rigorous requirements, which include strengthening relationships with a sponsoring professional chapter, addressing ethics in meetings, participating in community service, and engaging in national events and awards.

The 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa PRSSA students organized a variety of academic and professional events, including a speaker series, communication skills workshops, community service projects and fundraising efforts. The chapter also held semi-annual career day tours and, this past spring, offered members a behind-the-scenes glimpse of Hawaiʻi Business Magazine and Anthology Marketing Group.

“This award reflects our members鈥� passion and dedication to achieve the chapter鈥檚 goals,” said Ji Young Kim, faculty advisor and associate professor of communication. “This is the second time the chapter has earned this national recognition, and I am looking forward to their continued success.”

Added Amy Hennessey, the chapter鈥檚 professional advisor, “As an alumna, it gives me great pride to see how they鈥檝e continued to build on the legacy of so many members before them. I continue to be inspired by the quality of our students and their contributions to the profession and our local PR community.”

.

The School of Communication and Information is part of 糖心Vlog官方 惭ā苍辞补鈥檚 .

University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 students swept all 24 student awards at the annual Excellence in Journalism awards, hosted by the (SPJ), July 30.

Headlining the group were the following first-place winners:

• Student Investigative Journalism in Any Media—Lili Hurd ( major)
• Student Breaking News in Any Media—Emma Davidson (journalism major)
• Student Feature Journalism in Any Media—Flynn Hamlin (2024 journalism graduate)
• Student Sports Journalism in Any Media—Justin Gardner (2024 journalism graduate)
• Student Journalism Featuring Video—Lili Hurd
• Student Journalism Featuring Photography—Kiersten Morgan (exploratory major)
• Student Journalism Featuring Audio—Alyssa Francesca Salcedo (2025 journalism graduate)
• Student Editorial/Opinion Writing—Emma Caires (2025 journalism graduate)

Associate Professor Youjeong Kim from the in 糖心Vlog官方 惭补苍辞补鈥檚 and faculty sponsor of the 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 SPJ Student Chapter, said, “It鈥檚 incredibly rewarding to see our students recognized for their hard work. They鈥檙e not just learning how to report the truth鈥攖hey鈥檙e out there doing it, with heart and a strong sense of responsibility. Their work makes a real difference in Hawaiʻi, and I鈥檓 proud to support them.”

Other students who won awards included majors in , and . Suah Cho, an incoming PhD student in the communication and information sciences program, won three awards for stories that were published in Civil Beat, where she interned in 2024. Many faculty members and alumni also earned awards in professional categories.

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The huge public reaction to a kisscam moment at a Coldplay concert that went viral reveals deeper insights about how we relate to strangers online and the real-world consequences that can follow, according to University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 Professor Jingyi Gu.

The moment, captured during the band鈥檚 performance and later shared widely on social media, shows a man and woman caught on the jumbotron in what appears to be a romantic interaction. As soon as they noticed they were on screen, they immediately pulled away from each other prompting Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin to say, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.”

As users speculated about their relationship, identities and intentions, the clip took on a life of its own, leading to both individuals being publicly identified and ultimately losing their jobs.

Getting parasocial on social media

Gu from the in 糖心Vlog官方 惭ā苍辞补鈥檚 said that people who saw the video on social media experienced a parasocial relationship with those two people whose personal lives were captured. A parasocial relationship is a one-sided connection in which someone feels a sense of familiarity or emotional attachment to a media figure or stranger, often formed through glimpses into their personal lives shared via media or social platforms.

“Most social media spectators and users don鈥檛 know these two people in real life,” Gu said. “Yet, they become personally invested in what they watched and felt ‘familiar’ with those two in the videos because the media feeds them with a glimpse of the very intimate and personal moment of the couple who were captured by the kisscam.”

Gu noted that viral moments like this often trigger viewers to invent backstories. “We create stories or personas around people we don鈥檛 know in order to make sense of the world around us, understand others and ourselves, and express our cultural, moral and social values.”

The incident also transformed on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram into a trend, or popular, recurring actions and videos that gain significant attention and influence user activity. Due to the nature of trends, many social media users—including sports teams who would recreate the moment in a comedic fashion on their jumbotrons or kisscams—would create their own version of the incident. In turn, this encouraged other users to do their own takes on the trend, causing the concert moment to go even more viral.

Gu emphasized how social media intensifies these tendencies, saying, “Social media platforms also amplify this type of story- and persona-making by rewarding emotional engagement and attention-grabbing narratives.”

Viral moment can plague those captured

What was once a private exchange became a public spectacle, and, as this case showed, can become destructive for the lives of those involved. “Social media collapses traditional boundaries—what was captured on the Coldplay kisscam was originally a fleeting, personal moment in an anonymous crowd, but can now be recorded, circulated and discussed by many people online.”

“[Viral moments] can be monetized, but can also be destructive—especially when internet narratives assigned to individuals don鈥檛 reflect their full reality,” Gu said. “People might face unwanted attention, misidentification, doxxing and even harassment.”

She added, “Some of these narratives also resemble acts of ‘internet vigilantism’—people participate not only in sharing what they consider to be evidence of morally questionable acts (in this case, having an affair), but also in public shaming these targeted individuals.”

While viral clips may be short-lived, the effects are not. “Virality is largely unpredictable and often short-lived. However, this incident shows how an ‘emotional hook’ is critical to something going viral. In this case, feelings of embarrassment, awkwardness and curiosity all drove engagement and contributed to the clip鈥檚 spread on social media. But as we consume these viral moments, we also need to remember that the people involved are real individuals (not fictional characters)—and maybe even consider how we might feel if we were in their place.”

Twenty two academic subjects at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 earned high marks in the 2025 , released on March 12.

Leading the way was linguistics, which earned a No. 11 ranking in the U.S. and No. 40 ranking in the world. Library and information management (No. 17 U.S., No. 51–100 world) and Earth and marine sciences (No. 20 U.S., No. 51–100 world) also placed within the top 100 in the world.

Eleven additional subjects placed in the world鈥檚 top 1% (within top 250 in the world out of ):

• Geophysics: No. 30 U.S., No. 101–150 world
• Geology: No. 31 U.S., No. 101–150 world
• Anthropology: No. 35 U.S., No. 101–170 world
• Agriculture and forestry: No. 34 U.S., No. 151–200 world
• English language and literature: No. 40 U.S., No. 151–200 world
• Philosophy: No. 42 U.S., No. 201–225 world
• Geography: No. 34 U.S., No. 201–250 world
• History: No. 42 U.S., No. 201–250 world
• Politics: No. 43 U.S., No. 201–250 world
• Physics and astronomy: No. 45 U.S., No. 201–250 world
• Communication and media studies: No. 57 U.S., No. 201–250 world

“These rankings reflect the outstanding scholarship and dedication of our faculty, staff and students,” 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 Provost Michael Bruno said. “They reaffirm our university鈥檚 reputation for excellence and innovation, not just in Hawaiʻi, but on a global scale. For the communities we serve and the students considering 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补, these rankings are a powerful endorsement of the exceptional education and opportunities we provide.”

糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 was ranked in four broad subject areas and 22 narrow subject areas. The QS World University Rankings by Subject are calculated using five criteria: academic reputation (survey responses from academics), employer reputation (survey responses from graduate employers worldwide), research citations per paper (citations data sourced from鈥疎lsevier Scopus), H-index (measures most cited papers and the number of citations) and international research network (reflects ability to diversify the geography of their international research network).

The 2025 edition of the rankings by global higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds analyzed the performance of more than 18,300 university programs, taken by students at more than 1,700 universities in 100 locations around the world.

Other rankings

糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 also received these notable rankings:

• 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 earns highest national research designation, February 20, 2025
• 2025 Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject, January 23, 2025
• U.S. News and World Report 2025 Best Colleges rankings, September 24, 2024

Three University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 students are leading the charge to promote brain health on campus, combining their communication expertise with public health advocacy. Kiersten Donahue, McKenzie Kurosu and Jamie Olsen, all senior communication majors in the , partnered with the (COA) to develop a strategic campaign encouraging students to prioritize their brain health.

The students, who named their team the “Mastermind Collective,” approached the project as part of their public relations strategy course taught by Associate Professor Ji-Young Kim. Throughout the semester, they conducted research, collaborated with COA staff, and crafted creative materials designed to connect with their peers. Their campaign features social media messaging, bookmarks with evidence-based brain health tips鈥攕uch as exercising for 30 minutes daily and getting 8–10 hours of sleep鈥攁nd stickers with motivational slogans like, “Brain health matters! Fuel it, move it, rest it, you can do it!”

“College students often overlook their brain health because they鈥檙e so focused on academics and other stressors,” said Donahue. “We wanted to create a campaign that not only raises awareness but also gives students simple, practical tips they can incorporate into their daily lives.”

It was rewarding to see how communication can inspire healthier habits.
—McKenzie Kurosu

For Kurosu, the project offered a chance to explore the intersection of communication and public health. “Working with the Center on Aging taught me how to identify challenges, pitch solutions and develop long-term campaigns,” she said. “It was rewarding to see how communication can inspire healthier habits.”

Christy Nishita, COA interim director, commended the students for their creativity and professionalism, as well as COA staff Whitney Katsutani and Kevin Kawamoto for also working on the campaign.

“Because brain diseases like Alzheimer鈥檚 may develop decades before symptoms appear, raising awareness early is essential,” she said. “This campaign will help us reach students and promote lifelong brain health.”

COA plans to incorporate these materials into an ongoing effort to engage 糖心Vlog官方 students in brain health and healthy aging. The center is housed within the .

A University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 alumna is believed to be the first person from Hawaiʻi to win a title at the Miss Asia USA pageant in its 36-year run.

Emily Smith, who graduated summa cum laude from 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 in 2022 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in in the , was crowned Miss Asia USA America 2025 on November 16 at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center in California. Smith, who is half Japanese and half Welsh, represented Japan in the cultural pageant. Her national costume included a kimono designed by Sueko Oshimoto, who worked on the Emmy-awarded project Shogun.

“It shows that no matter where you鈥檙e from, even if you鈥檙e from a small town and you don’t have as many pageant resources in Hawaiʻi, as long as you work hard and you have a good team of people and you practice hard, you can achieve your dreams,” Smith said.

Smith entered 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 at age 16 after graduating early from 贬辞ʻ腻濒补 School in Wahiaw膩. Despite having some of her college years disrupted by COVID-19, she credits her university experience with teaching her valuable lessons about teamwork.

“I love how 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 really emphasizes teamwork, even during COVID, when we were having Zoom classes,” Smith said. “The fact that teachers were still emphasizing and putting importance on working with your peers really taught me the importance of having a good team.”

After earning her master鈥檚 degree in communication management from USC in 2023, Smith transitioned from her role as a digital media specialist at Hawaiʻi Magazine to focus full-time on her pageant coaching business, Elevated Pageant Coaching.

“We really don’t have the same resources as maybe girls in California or Texas have when it comes to pageantry,” Smith said. “I want our girls in Hawaiʻi to not only feel prepared when they鈥檙e joining pageants, but also have the same resources to grow themselves, to grow their confidence, to have good interview skills, to learn how to walk with grace.”

A $50,000 donation to will enable the student-driven and community-centered online newsroom at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 to hire its first paid student and professional staff members. Prior to this, all the student contributions to The Mirror have been voluntary, supported by 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 professors.

The donation was made by , a national initiative that aims to address long standing inequalities in journalism coverage and practice in the U.S. by supporting small, local newsrooms that provide original reporting in underserved communities.

“The rapid loss of local media sources in the United States is a huge threat to democracy,” said Hye-ryeon Lee, chair of the (SCI), which houses the journalism program. “The award from Press Forward will strengthen The 惭腻苍辞补 Mirror so that we can better contribute to expanding the news ecosystem in Hawaiʻi and also serve as an important resource to train our students to become conscientious and trustworthy journalists necessary for democracy.”

Founded in 2023 within the 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 journalism program, The Mirror aims to teach journalism students how to create impactful local journalism. The free, online and mobile-accessible program enables students to write about a variety of stories that before The Mirror likely would have gone untold, and collaborate with professional media organizations to enhance the quality of local news coverage.

“Support for The Mirror signifies our belief that college news services can provide a vital source of information for communities,” said Marika Lynch, a spokesperson for Press Forward. “We鈥檝e seen this across the country. In areas rural and urban, where few news sources exist, colleges and universities can play an essential role in meeting local information needs. We鈥檙e thrilled The 惭腻苍辞补 Mirror can help fulfill this role in Hawaiʻi.”

SCI is housed in 糖心Vlog官方 惭补苍辞补鈥檚 .

Summer Steinsrud was born in Norway and, as a child, was shy but curious. Lili Hurd, originally from Denver, Colorado, sought a college major focusing on the creative strengths of storytelling. Emma Caires from Sunnyvale, California, appreciates the First Amendment right of freedom of expression. And Alyssa Salcedo, born in the Philippines and raised in Waipahu, is passionate about covering diverse communities.

Different but alike. Unique but on the same career pathway. And all equally inspired as University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 (CSS) majors who attended this summer鈥檚 2024 East-West Center International Media Conference (IMC) in Manila, Philippines. Held every two years in a major regional media hub, this year鈥檚 IMC conference was themed, “The Future of Facts,” with a focus on climate change, regional geopolitics and elections.

It was a working trip for the student group from , who wrote daily stories and published them in The 惭腻苍辞补 Mirror news website and its page.

“Attending the conference left me awe-struck,” said Salcedo. “It gave me a glimpse into the challenges faced by journalists around the world, and I was able to contribute by participating in a panel discussion with other young journalists. The connections made and lessons learned are all-important and will be lifelong.”

Gaining experience as a foreign correspondent

The students were accompanied by two CSS adjunct instructors, Annalisa Burgos, Hawaiʻi News Now (HNN) weekend anchor, and David Usborne, a founding member of The Independent British online newspaper.

“This was the first time 糖心Vlog官方 journalism students had the opportunity to experience reporting in the field as foreign correspondent,” said Burgos, who was an Asia-based journalist before joining HNN.

The students were grateful to go abroad to cover the event, and said the life-changing trip cemented their interest in journalism.

“Never in a million years would I have imagined that I鈥檇 be reporting from Manila as a student,” said Steinsrud, who is interning at HNN this summer.

Never in a million years would I have imagined that I鈥檇 be reporting from Manila as a student.
— Summer Steinsrud

Hurd said what she loves most about journalism is being able to tell different stories through multiple platforms such as photography, video and podcasts.

“What makes my department unique compared to other programs is we鈥檙e encouraged to go out and do things in the field instead of just listening in a classroom,” said Hurd. “There鈥檚 a lot of opportunities to practice our craft and see amazing places like the Philippines. You are traveling and engaging with Indigenous communities in the islands and beyond.”

Added Caires, who hopes to pursue a career abroad after graduation in 2025, “I enjoy the freedom of expression that journalism allows. It鈥檚 not just writing hard news—it鈥檚 intricate storytelling, comic strips, tear-jerking photography, detailed video, carefully chosen words. Within each of these things comes the freedom and encouragement to use your own unique voice, experiences and background to make things matter to people.”

Journalism is a program in the (SCI). Other SCI programs are , , , and .

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students, faculty and alumni showed off the value of its journalism program at the annual Excellence in Journalism awards hosted by the Hawaiʻi Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists on July 30. 糖心Vlog官方 students swept all the awards in their categories, and many faculty members and program alumni also earned professional accolades.

“University of Hawaiʻi students and graduates provide the heart and soul of local journalism,” said 糖心Vlog官方‘s Director Brett Oppegaard. “These are the people who shine the light of truth in the state, and none of it happens without their talent, dedication and hard work. Many of them are 糖心Vlog官方 graduates, trained in the 糖心Vlog官方 Journalism Program, and I think that speaks well of the impacts of the program, especially within the state.”

In addition, four students with 糖心Vlog官方 ties earned paid summer journalism internships: Summer Steinsrud, 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 (Hawaiʻi News Now); Keilani Martin, 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 (KHON2); Alyssa Salcedo, 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 (Hawaiʻi Public Radio); and Sarah Burchard, Kapiʻolani Community College (Hawaiʻi Magazine).

First-place winners who are 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 current or former students or faculty members:

• Student Investigative Journalism in Any Media: Margaret Cipriano
• Student Breaking News in Any Media: Victoria Budiono
• Student Feature Journalism in Any Media: Kaiya Laguardia
• Student Sports Journalism in Any Media: Tanner Haworth
• Student Journalism Featuring Video: Hiʻilawe Neves
• Student Journalism Featuring Photography: Mackenzie Olivo
• Student Journalism Featuring Audio: Lowy Shim
• Student Editorial/Opinion Writing: Summer Steinsrud
• Magazines, Business Reporting: Noelle Fujii-Oride
• Magazines, Industry or Trade Reporting: Steve Petranik, Noelle Fujii-Oride, Chavonnie Ramos
• Magazines, Feature Writing/Long Form: Robbie Dingeman
• Newspapers, Spot News Reporting: Melissa Tanji
• Newspapers, General News/Enterprise Reporting: Melissa Tanji
• News Media, Column Writing or Blog/News: Naka Nathaniel
• News Media, Column Writing or Blog/Features or Sports: Eric Stinton
• News Media, Breaking News Reporting: Melissa Tanji
• News Media, Science Reporting: April Estrellon
• News Media, Data Journalism Story or Series: Steve Petranik
• News Media, Sports Reporting: Eric Stinton
• News Media, Editorial Cartoon/Illustration: Naka Nathaniel
• News Media, Informational Graphic: Steve Petranik
• News Media, Special Section: Lynn Kawano, Monet Sadural
• News Media, Investigative Reporting: Noelle Fujii-Oride
• Newsletters/Podcasts, Non News Media, Feature Information: Eric Stinton
• Newsletters/Podcasts, Non News Media, General Information Podcast by Non-Disseminating News Organization: Malika Dudley
• Radio, General News Podcast: Krista Rados
• Television, Spot News Reporting: Jason Sakamoto
• Internet, Best 1-Person Online Features Site/1-Person Features Blog: Stanford Fichtman, Brandon Dela Cruz

See the entire awards list at the .

The Journalism Program is housed in the in 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 .

In 2003, when California resident Ben Weitz was close to earning his master鈥檚 in speech at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补, he was certain of one thing: One day, he would return to Hawaiʻi to work, live and raise a family. Twenty years later, that prescient vow has been realized. In October 2023, the 鈥� alumnus began his position as executive director of . Shangri La is the center of the Doris Duke Foundation on the stunning Diamond Head coastline.

“Since starting with Shangri La, I鈥檝e been inspired and challenged every day,” Weitz said. “While it is certainly a museum, Shangri La is also an international center for transformation, and we are leading conversations of local, national and global significance.”

Weitz has had an impressive career since earning his MA in the College of Social Sciences department now known as .

“I credit 糖心Vlog官方 with giving me the leadership building blocks that made me an empathetic, strategic and creative executive,” Weitz said. “Thanks to the program and its exceptional faculty, my communication and listening skills were optimized at a relatively early time in my career. One of my greatest mentors was my thesis advisor, Dr. Amy Hubbard. She had the patience of a saint and always had the best advice for me. I am forever grateful for her mentorship.”

The Los Angeles native was previously the inaugural chief brand officer for UCLA; before that, he spent a decade leading brand marketing and storytelling at Disney in Burbank, California.

“Without question, these two experiences will inform the kind of brand cohesion that is critical to Shangri La鈥檚 identity,” Weitz said. “The goal is to appropriately translate that identity to the diverse audiences who visit Shangri La. They learn about global cultures and are transformed by its design and collection, while we鈥檙e also introducing it to so many from our islands who have not heard of Shangri La or have only seen it from Cromwell鈥檚 (beach).”

For more about his time at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 and anticipation for the job ahead, .

Haley Taylor is a shining example of a student who found her passion at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补. And for the past few years, the spring 2024 graduate and student has been paying it forward to the community through her service in Alohathon, a 糖心Vlog官方 Manoa-based non-profit organization, and to future Rainbow Warriors as a tour guide with the .

Discovering academic interests

Taylor began her academic journey at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 in the midst of the pandemic, unsure of what the university would have to offer and what major to pursue. After enrolling in a few courses in the 鈥� , she found that these classes resonated with her interests.

“I’ve met some really amazing faculty who really wanted me to thrive,” Taylor said. “They taught me things about new emerging social media and media connections and how vital communications is in the world we live in now.”

Inspiring future 鈥楤ows

Taylor was born in Tennessee and went to high school in Las Vegas, but in between spent four years residing in Hawaiʻi Kai, so she wasn鈥檛 new to living on Oʻahu. While Taylor lived on campus during her freshman year, most of her classes were online due to the pandemic. She recalled that when her parents visited, she couldn鈥檛 tell them what most of the buildings were. This is what inspired her to apply to be a campus tour guide during her sophomore year.

“By luck they hired me and I鈥檝e loved it ever since I started—just being able to talk to prospective students and tell them what I’ve learned, what I’ve gained from it and hopefully allow them to see what kind of amazing opportunities they might not be thinking about, and how it鈥檚 a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get your education in a place like this,” Taylor said. “It really is unlike any other.”

She continued working as a tour guide through her senior year and also became a leader to welcome and connect new students and their families with the campus.

“At orientation, they鈥檇 come up to me like, ‘Hey, you’re my tour guide. I heard you talk about this. I knew I wanted to be a part of it when I came to the school.’ And that’s just a feeling you can’t really describe,” Taylor said. “It’s just like, ‘Wow, I made an impact on someone’s major life decision.’ It’s not solely because of me. It’s because of how amazing the university is.”

Giving back

Becoming a part of the 糖心Vlog官方 Manoa ʻohana inspired Taylor to look for ways to give back to her campus community. In her sophomore year, she called it her “proudest moment” when she led an organization called Alohathon at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补. They helped raise more than $27,000 for Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women and Children.

Stepping toward the future

Taylor is headed to Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, to pursue a master鈥檚 degree in communications, with a focus on artificial intelligence. While she鈥檒l be leaving the islands, at least for now, a piece of her legacy will remain at the place it all started—the admissions office. Inspired by the impact 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 had on their daughter鈥檚 academic career, Taylor鈥檚 parents made a generous contribution to revamp the welcome center in the Office of Admissions—the place many prospective students see when they first step foot on campus and where Taylor spent many memorable hours.

“To revamp this and to get this to be a fresh new happening place for prospective students to come in and see, it鈥檚 a good first look for the university,” Taylor said. “In however many years when I have a family, I can come back and show them not only the place that I love, the island that I love, but the place I spent so much of my undergraduate time in.”

Check out more stories of our 糖心Vlog官方 spring graduates

When asked about what 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 has meant to her, Taylor concluded, “糖心Vlog官方 has meant everything. This has been the best four years that I could have ever imagined. I can’t imagine going to a different undergraduate program.”

—By Marc Arakaki

Tori DeJournett, a major at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补, has been named a —an honor among the nation鈥檚 most talented up-and-coming journalists. Selected from a pool of more than 1,000 applicants, DeJournett is among 86 college students, and the only recipient from Hawaiʻi, chosen for the highly competitive program that offers paid summer internships in 62 newsrooms around the country.

DeJournett and 12 other interns will receive specialized digital media training at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. Upon completion of the training, DeJournett will begin a paid summer residency in Hawaiʻi Public Radio鈥檚 newsroom.

“I am very grateful for all the opportunities that I have been able to partake in through 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 Journalism program,” said DeJournett, who will be graduating May 11, at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 113th Annual Commencement Exercise held at the Stan Sheriff Center. “The skills and knowledge that I have gained from the professors and mentors will serve me well throughout my career.”

糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 journalism students have been accepted into the Dow Jones News Fund internship program in each of the last three years. Past recipients and their placements include: Keya Rivera, Pacific Business News in 2023; and Krista Rados, at Hawaiʻi News Now, and Nate Bek, at Geekwire, in 2022.

“These achievements show what 糖心Vlog官方 students can do, toe to toe with the best students in the nation,” said Professor Brett Oppegaard, journalism program director. “If you want to study journalism, and you want to do that in Hawaiʻi, you can get a great, nationally competitive education in this field. We also are home growing in 惭腻苍辞补, the next generation of our community驶s most trusted storytellers and truth tellers.”

The is housed in the in 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 .

The placed in the nation鈥檚 top 20 in eight subjects, the best performance by 糖心Vlog官方鈥檚 flagship institution in the .

Released April 10, QS鈥檚 2024 version of the rankings listed 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 among the nation鈥檚 best in the following categories:

• Linguistics: No. 10 U.S., No. 22 world
• Hospitality and leisure management: No. 15 U.S., No. 46 world
• Anthropology: No. 19 U.S., No. 51–100 world
• Modern languages: No. 19 U.S., No. 101–150 world
• Geophysics: No. 20 U.S., No. 47 world
• Geology: No. 20 U.S., No. 49 world
• Earth and marine sciences: No. 20 U.S., No. 51–100 world
• Geography: No. 20 U.S., No. 101–150 world

“These rankings are a testament to the excellence of our faculty and the dedication of our entire staff,” 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 Provost Michael Bruno said. “To the communities that we serve, they affirm that this university represents the very best in scholarship and education. And to our prospective students and their families, the rankings are a strong endorsement of the quality and value of an education from 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补.”

糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 also placed in the nation鈥檚 top 50 in nine additional subjects:

• English language and literature: No. 30 U.S., No. 101–150 world
• Archaeology: No. 30 U.S., No. 151–200 world
• Agriculture and forestry: No. 34 U.S., No. 151–200 world
• Physics and astronomy: No. 39 U.S., No. 151–200 world
• Sociology: No. 42 U.S., No. 201–250 world
• Politics: No. 44 U.S., No. 201–250 world
• Communication and media studies: No. 46 U.S., No. 151–200 world
• Arts and humanities: No. 47 U.S., No. 210 world
• Environmental sciences: No. 49 U.S., No. 251–300 world

糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 was ranked in four broad subject areas and 24 narrow subject areas. The QS World University Rankings by Subject are calculated using five criteria: academic reputation (survey responses from academics), employer reputation (survey responses from graduate employers worldwide), research citations per paper (citations data sourced from鈥疎lsevier Scopus), H-index (measures most cited papers and the number of citations) and international research network (reflects ability to diversify the geography of their international research network).

The 2024 edition of the rankings by global higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds analyzed the performance of more than 16,400 university programs, taken by students at more than 1,500 universities in 96 locations around the world.

Recent rankings

糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 also received these notable rankings:

• 2024 U.S. News and World Report鈥檚 Best Graduate Schools rankings, April 9, 2024
• QS World University Rankings: Sustainability, December 11, 2023
• 2023 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects released by the Shanghai Ranking Consultancy, October 29, 2023

For more information on rankings, see the .

—By Marc Arakaki

What happens when the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 (SCI) throws its first open house? The results are more than 160 RSVPs to lively mini workshops attended by (CSS) students and alumni; an all-encompassing presentation about the within SCI; and a networking reception honoring the first five SCI distinguished alumni for their exceptional leadership and significant contributions to the community.

It all happened on April 5, at George Hall and the Architecture Building at the SCI event spotlighting the programs of , , , , and the . Now one of the largest academic units at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补, SCI has 24 faculty members, 305 undergraduate majors and 76 graduate students, with a total of more than 4,000 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 students taking 220-plus SCI classes over the course of an academic year.

Communication competence, information literacy and communication technology literacy are foundational skills that our students need to succeed in today鈥檚 world.—Hye-ryeon Lee

“The open house aimed to showcase the new school鈥檚 core values of communication, connection and community, and to foster relationships with alumni and community partners for collaborative growth and development,” said Hye-ryeon Lee, SCI chair and communicology professor. “Communication and information are at the core of our existence. Communication competence, information literacy and communication technology literacy are foundational skills that our students need to succeed in today鈥檚 world. The SCI is the core unit that provides this important education at the university.”

Announced at the presentation were the five inaugural recipients of the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award. They are Ruth Horie, retired catalog librarian at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补; Nyle Sky Kauweloa, director of 糖心Vlog官方 Esports and faculty specialist in interdisciplinary studies; Anne Marie Smoke, administrator of the Hawaiʻi State Judiciary鈥檚 Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution; Jennifer Sur Matayoshi, lead deputy Title IX coordinator and senior investigator at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补; and Suzanne Puanani Vares-Lum, president of the East-West Center.

The University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 Library and Information Science (LIS) program has earned full continued accreditation from the American Library Association (ALA) for the maximum seven years. As the only accredited professional school for librarians and archivists in the state, this marks the program’s first accreditation since merging into the School of Communication and Information in 2022.

“Full accreditation is a reflection of the quality of the program and the dedication of the faculty to our students and our community,” said 糖心Vlog官方 Manoa Provost Michael Bruno.

As one of the smallest accredited programs, the 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 LIS program emphasizes the importance of relationships (pilina) among students, staff, faculty and the professional community. There are currently 54 graduate students enrolled in the program.

The ALA accreditation, which was first obtained in 1967 and most recently in 2016, holds significance as most libraries and archives prefer hiring graduates from accredited programs. 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 is among 64 accredited LIS programs in North America.

Unanimous praise from students and alumni

The re-accreditation process involved:

• LIS faculty submitted a comprehensive 178-page self study to the ALA Committee on Accreditation in August 2023 addressing systemic planning, curriculum, faculty, students, and administration, finances and resources.
• An External Review Panel (ERP) composed of library professionals from the U.S. and Canada visited the LIS program in October 2023.
• The team assessed internal documents, observed classes and interviewed various stakeholders, including faculty, staff, alumni, current students, community librarians and 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 administration.

The ERP reported unanimous praise from students and alumni for the program’s administrative policies and consistent support.

“We are very grateful that our community helped us tell our story, and demonstrated to the review team how we address the accreditation standards in our own unique ways,” said LIS Program Director Rich Gazan.

An inaugural open house for the School of Communication and Information is scheduled for April 5, 2024.