The University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 was honored with the Community Connector Award at the 2025 EdSights PERSIST Summit in October. The award recognized 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补’s commitment to student success and innovation in leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and student voice data while fostering a culture of change and innovation, as well as the 糖心Vlog官方 厂测蝉迟别尘鈥檚 continuing efforts to support students.

“We鈥檙e proud that this recognition highlights not just technology, but transformation,” said Kap膩 Oliveira, 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 interim vice provost for student success. “The EdSights partnership empowers us to use AI tools to understand and support students in real time, helping us create a more connected, responsive and student-centered campus.”

The 糖心Vlog官方 System has a five-year contract with EdSights to provide each campus with a proactive AI chatbot designed to check in with students, connect them to resources and provide valuable insights into student needs.

“Working closely with Kim [Siegenthaler, senior advisor to the 糖心Vlog官方 president], Dr. Kap膩 Oliveira and Wiliama Sanchez [director of student conduct and concern] has been nothing short of rewarding for our team,” said Carolina Recchi, EdSights founder and CEO, in a congratulatory message to 糖心Vlog官方 President Wendy Hensel. “Your team鈥檚 leadership truly exemplifies what鈥檚 possible when institutions put students at the center of their strategy,” said Recchi. “We鈥檙e proud to partner with The University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 and now with the entire system and to continue supporting your important work.”

Support for all 10 糖心Vlog官方 campuses

As of fall 2025, all 10 糖心Vlog官方 campuses feature chatbots to assist both students and human support staff.

糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 ‘Bow, introduced in 2023, was the first 糖心Vlog官方 AI chatbot buddy to assist students 24/7 by answering questions, connecting them to campus resources and proactively alerting human staff if it detects the student requires additional support.

In August 2025, 糖心Vlog官方 Hilo (Lehua), Honolulu Community College (Niu), Kapiʻolani CC (Manu) and 糖心Vlog官方 Maui College (Ulu) launched their chatbots. 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu (Pueo), Leeward CC (Ulu), Windward CC (Moa), Hawaiʻi CC (ʻIolana) and Kauaʻi CC followed during the semester with their chatbots.

Since ‘Bow launched at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补:

• 51% of undergraduate students actively engage with ‘Bow.
• He has received more than 150,000 texts, with 31% of questions around academics.
• 43 proactive retention campaigns connecting 8,687 students to specific 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 resources during the 2024–25 academic year.
• ‘Bow驶s human helpers connected with 1,229 students for additional staff support.

“Bringing chatbots to all 10 of our campuses marks a major milestone in our commitment to deliver a common standard of care for every 糖心Vlog官方 student,” said Siegenthaler. “Since 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 introduced ‘Bow in 2023, we鈥檝e seen how powerful these tools can be. Now, with chatbots at every campus, we are extending that same level of proactive, compassionate support systemwide. This initiative strengthens not only our student success efforts, but also the ability of our staff to focus on the deeper, relationship-based work that truly transforms students鈥� lives.”

EdSights is an education technology company that centers student voice, driving innovation and success for all learners. The annual EdSights PERSIST Summit brings together partner institutions to discuss the latest trends in student success, and how each organization approaches student-centered higher education.

The University of Hawaiʻi Community College System and 糖心Vlog官方 Maui College have earned a significant collection of awards from Region 6 of the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR), in recognition of outstanding work in branding and community engagement.

The 糖心Vlog官方 Community Colleges received two awards for its “Native HI” video series, broadcast during the widely watched Merrie Monarch festival. Produced in partnership with Hyperspective Studios, the system office earned a gold Medallion Award for the paid television series featuring Kapiʻolani CC, Kauaʻi CC and 糖心Vlog官方 Maui College, and a silver Medallion Award for a video short series highlighting Kapiʻolani CC, Leeward CC and 糖心Vlog官方 Maui College.

“These regional Medallion Awards affirm the outstanding quality of our marketing and public relations work across the 糖心Vlog官方 Community College System,” said 糖心Vlog官方 Interim Vice President for Community Colleges Della Teraoka. “The ‘Native HI’ video series is a powerful tool for showcasing the transformational journeys of Native Hawaiian students across our campuses and how higher education became a catalyst for hope, success and personal growth.”

Maui Gold

In further recognition of 糖心Vlog官方 excellence, the in-house marketing and communications team at 糖心Vlog官方 Maui College won gold and silver awards for their exceptional creativity and expertise.

The gold award was presented for the design of the college鈥檚 printed recruitment brochure, which was created to reflect the high quality and diverse offerings available at 糖心Vlog官方 Maui College.

Chancellor Lui Hokoana said, “This award-winning brochure significantly supports our outreach, not just to degree-seeking students, but to every member of our community seeking learning opportunities and support.”

The silver award recognized a shirt design for strengthening the college鈥檚 brand through the powerful integration of sense of place. The design utilized the visual patterns from monument signs at the main campus, connecting the campus, its outreach centers on Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi, and the 糖心Vlog官方 System as a whole.

“Getting these awards is a huge honor, but the real credit goes to the amazing faculty, staff and leadership here at 糖心Vlog官方 Maui College who make my job easy,” said Marc Antosch, who leads the design and marketing team. “Our main focus is to make sure everyone knows about the awesome opportunities we have right here on Maui and at our outreach centers.”

National competition ahead

NCMPR is the only organization of its kind dedicated exclusively to representing marketing and public relations professionals at community and technical colleges across the nation. The organization鈥檚 2025 Paragon Awards will be announced in January.

In March, the 糖心Vlog官方 Community Colleges marketing campaign highlighting exciting career and technical education programs received top national honors: a gold 2024 Paragon Award from the NCMPR for Best TV/Video Advertisement (Series).

The Human Studies Program (HSP) at the University of Hawaiʻi was again recognized by the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs, Inc. (AAHRPP) as a “gold standard” research institution, meeting high standards of quality and protection for participants, and offering assurances of excellence to the Hawaiʻi research community.

On March 25, 糖心Vlog官方 was awarded full reaccreditation by AAHRPP for a period of five years. Previously, 糖心Vlog官方 received an initial three-year accreditation in 2017 followed by a reaccreditation 2020. In addition to strengthening protections for research participants, the accreditation helps build confidence in research through a commitment of promoting and adhering to high-quality standards and practices.

“This full reaccreditation by AAHRPP continues to show the University of Hawaiʻi鈥檚 commitment to protecting the rights and welfare of research participants,” said Diana Blanco, director for the Office of Research Compliance. “We are very fortunate to have three dedicated 糖心Vlog官方 Institutional Review Boards, consisting of community members and 糖心Vlog官方 faculty/staff, who volunteered their time and expertise, as well as a highly experienced administrative team, led by Manager Kristin Bacon, to meet this challenge.”

AAHRPP has accredited organizations across the U.S. and around the world. All major U.S. independent institutional review boards have earned AAHRPP accreditation. In addition, more than 65% of U.S. medical colleges and 60% of research universities are either AAHRPP accredited or have begun the accreditation process.

The University of Hawaiʻi 10-campus system has been awarded a five-star rating and was recognized as one of the nation鈥檚 top 400 companies across 78 industries, according to Newsweek鈥檚 second annual ranking of America鈥檚 Greatest Workplaces for LGBTQ+ 2024.

Five stars is the highest rating in the rankings that were based on a five-part evaluation with interviews and research from more than 29,000 LGBTQ+ employees who provided more than 205,000 company reviews. Desk research and analysis from social media were also conducted to assess the performance of the company鈥檚 commitment to and inclusivity for the LGBTQ+ community.

The only other Hawaiʻi entity that made the list was L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, which received four stars. For the full list of rankings, visit

The is one of the best employers in Hawaiʻi, according to the list released August 22. The 10-campus 糖心Vlog官方 System placed No. 5 overall, up four spots from the 2022 Forbes ranking. 糖心Vlog官方 was also No. 3 among local employers in Hawaiʻi and No. 1 in the education sector.

“We take pride in providing an inclusive and supportive workplace environment where our employees can thrive,” 糖心Vlog官方 President David Lassner said. “Our amazing faculty and staff provide students across our islands with transformational education opportunities as they engage in research and scholarship that advances Hawaiʻi and our planet.”

Forbes partnered with a market research firm to survey 70,000 workers at companies (minimum of 500 employees) in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Participants were asked if they would recommend their employer to others, and to evaluate their employer based on working conditions, diversity, compensation packages, potential for development, company image and more. All surveys were anonymous.

糖心Vlog官方 also made the list of Forbes 2023 America鈥檚 Best Employers for Women, ranking No. 17 in the U.S. education industry and No. 90 overall.

The 10-campus University of Hawaiʻi System is ranked No. 17 in the U.S. education industry and No. 90 overall on the list of , released July 25. According to Forbes, the ranking was created to help women identify companies that serve their needs and for companies to evaluate their own treatment of women in their workforce.

“This recognition reflects our commitment to an inclusive work environment for all of our employees and to recognizing excellence in leadership,” said 糖心Vlog官方 President David Lassner. “糖心Vlog官方 is bucking every national trend with seven women among the 13 officers of the university and seven of our 10 accredited campuses led by women.”

糖心Vlog官方 ranked ahead of institutions such as the University of Michigan, Duke University and New York University, and just behind institutions such as Northwestern University and the University of Washington.

The list is primarily based on surveys of more than 60,000 workers with at least 1,000 employees. , according to Statista. Approximately 40,000 women were asked to rate their company in areas such as working environment, salary and employee diversity, and then whether they would recommend their company to a friend or family member. According to Forbes, their answers were compared to those of 20,000 men to assess any significant differences in workplace perception.

Women were also asked to rate their employer based on factors such as pay equity, parental-leave policies, leadership training programs for women, representation of women in upper management and employer response to incidents of discrimination. Additional research was conducted into the presence of women in executive management or board positions. The 400 companies with the highest scores made the list.

糖心Vlog官方 also made the list of by Forbes, ranking No. 9 in Hawaiʻi and No. 1 in the education sector.

—By Marc Arakaki

The overwhelming majority of alumni from the , and say their degrees were worth the investment and that 糖心Vlog官方 helped them achieve their goals. That鈥檚 according to a survey by the , a non-profit organization focused on post-secondary education success.

Strada surveyed 1,112 alumni who graduated with a bachelor驶s degree from one of Hawaiʻi鈥檚 public universities in the past 20 years. The key findings include:

• 74%—糖心Vlog官方 education was worth the cost (national average: 65%)
• 76%—糖心Vlog官方 helped achieve their goals (national average: 72%)
• 79%—糖心Vlog官方 helped prepare for their career (national average: 75%)
• 78%—糖心Vlog官方 prepared them for a better quality of life (national average: 75%)

Complete results of the Strada Hawaiʻi survey data (PDF)and national survey data (PDF)are available online.

“These objective survey results reaffirm what I hear throughout the community from our alumni, that 糖心Vlog官方 played a key role in their personal success and that they value their time at 糖心Vlog官方,” said 糖心Vlog官方 President David Lassner. “It is clear that we are on the right track as we continue to improve the student experience at 糖心Vlog官方 and meet the needs of our state.”

In addition to the survey findings, a (PDF) (糖心Vlog官方ERO) found that the rate of return on investment for a 糖心Vlog官方 degree is about 11%. 糖心Vlog官方 graduates earn between $300,000 to $2.9 million more in lifetime earnings, compared to high school graduates, depending on the type of degree earned (associate, bachelor, post graduate).

In order to help shape 糖心Vlog官方鈥檚 new strategic plan, the Strada survey also asked alumni to state what they think 糖心Vlog官方驶s number one priority should be over the next six years. The top four recommendations were:

1. Prepare more Hawaiʻi residents to fill the jobs Hawaiʻi needs (40%)
2. Seeding new economic sectors (23%)
3. Engaging more Hawaiʻi residents in post-secondary education and training (17%)
4. Strengthening 糖心Vlog官方 research enterprise as a major economic and intellectual driver (13%)

“Mahalo to Strada for inviting us to participate in this survey, which provides important and useful data,” said Lassner. “Strada has been an amazing partner over the past years and this is yet another example of how they are helping us advance post-secondary student success in Hawaiʻi.”

The survey data is one of the many sources of broad input being used to develop the new 糖心Vlog官方 Strategic Plan 2023–2029. The university is asking for feedback on the first draft of the plan, specifically on the plan鈥檚 four imperatives. Comments can be submitted directly through the web pages below:

• Successful Students for a Better Future
• Meet Hawaiʻi Workforce Needs of Today and Tomorrow
• Embrace Kuleana to Hawaiians and Hawaiʻi
• Diversify Hawaiʻi鈥檚 Economy through 糖心Vlog官方 Innovation and Research

Other data and information being used to develop the plan include results of surveys of the general public and 糖心Vlog官方 students, faculty and staff; virtual town hall meetings; the 糖心Vlog官方 Third Decade Report (PDF); the and 糖心Vlog官方 post-pandemic plans.

The is ranked as the by WalletHub. The 糖心Vlog官方 community college system consists of seven community colleges statewide—Hawaiʻi CC, Honolulu CC, Kapiʻolani CC, Kauaʻi CC, Leeward CC, 糖心Vlog官方 Maui College and Windward CC.

The personal finance website said the ranking was based on an analysis of the , a sample of 677 institutions and 19 key metrics including tuition cost, transfer rates, student loan defaults and the presence of free community college education.

Connecticut, Maryland, New Mexico and Washington ranked No. 1–4, respectively out of the 41 states ranked. Nine state do not have community college systems.

Four-year schools cost three times as much as community colleges, according to WalletHub, which stated, “ Community colleges are an especially attractive option this year as many families deal with financial struggles caused by rising inflation and the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

糖心Vlog官方 offers the , which provides free in-state tuition for qualified 糖心Vlog官方 Community College students with financial needs. Hawaiʻi Promise provides the “ last dollar” to cover direct education costs—such as tuition, fees and books—that are not met by other forms of financial aid.

• Read more about the Hawaiʻi Promise Scholarship in 糖心Vlog官方News.

For the 2020–21 academic year, 1,800 students from seven 糖心Vlog官方 Community Colleges statewide benefitted from almost $3 million in Hawaiʻi Promise scholarships.

WalletHub has once again confirmed that Hawaiʻi college graduates are among the least likely to leave school with debt. And for those who do graduate with debt, they owe among the least in the country.

Among the states and territories, Hawaiʻi enjoys the 2nd lowest percentage of college graduates with any debt and is the 3rd lowest when it comes to student debt as a percentage share of income, according to a report by WalletHub. The personal-finance website released its report on August 25.

“A big reason we are among the very best when it comes to student debt is the affordability of the 10-campus University of Hawaiʻi public higher education system,” said 糖心Vlog官方 President David Lassner. “Our regents and administration have committed to tough choices as we have frozen and even decreased tuition over these past challenging years. Coupled with our high quality education, 糖心Vlog官方 provides an outstanding return on investment for our students and Hawaiʻi.”

According to , about two-thirds of Hawaiʻi high school graduates attend a University of Hawaiʻi campus.

The total outstanding college-loan balances in the United States was at at the end of the second quarter of 2021, according to the U.S. Department of Education. That鈥檚 an average of $37,000 for each of the 42.9 million borrowers.

It was not all positive news for Hawaiʻi. The state rose to first in the nation for the highest percentage of student loan balances past due or in default. This was likely due to the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Hawaiʻi鈥檚 economy, among the hardest hit in the nation, which WalletHub noted has pushed Hawaiʻi to the third highest average unemployment rate for those aged 25 to 34. In addition, Hawaiʻi ranked last in state grants and student work opportunities.

The University of Hawaiʻi System was recognized as one of the best employers in Hawaiʻi in a new nationwide ranking by Forbes. In its “” list released on August 24, 糖心Vlog官方 placed seventh overall and fifth among local employers in Hawaiʻi.

Forbes partnered with market research company Statista to survey 80,000 Americans working for businesses with at least 500 employees (an estimated 65 companies in Hawaiʻi and more than 40,000 nationally). Surveys were conducted on a rolling basis from October 2020 to June 2021. The final list ranks the 1,328 employers that received the most recommendations.

The rankings are based on a variety of criteria, including competitiveness of compensation, opportunities for advancement and others related to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as safety of the work environment and openness to telecommuting. Respondents were also asked how likely they would be to recommend their employer to others and to nominate organizations in industries outside their own.

“This has been one of the most challenging years in recent memory, so I’m incredibly proud of the resilience, passion and commitment of all our employees pulling together to serve Hawaiʻi when our state needs us most,” 糖心Vlog官方 President David Lassner said. “It is an incredible honor for 糖心Vlog官方 to be recognized for providing an environment in which our faculty, staff and administrators have been able to support students and communities across the islands.”

The topped $400 million in extramural funding for the third consecutive year with a near-record total of $485.5 million to close fiscal year 2021 (FY2021). This year鈥檚 number represents a $35.1 million or 7.8% increase over FY2020 and is just $3.1 million shy of 糖心Vlog官方鈥檚 best extramural funding year total of $488.6 million in FY2011.

, the flagship campus of 糖心Vlog官方鈥檚 10-campus system, topped the extramural award amounts this year with $352.6 million, while the 糖心Vlog官方 System brought in $85.6 million, totaled $28.35 million, and received $15.97 million.

“Despite having almost every aspect of our personal and work lives disrupted by the virus, our dedicated and hard-working faculty, staff and graduate students have remained focused and resilient to the task at hand,” said 糖心Vlog官方 Vice President for Research and Innovation Vassilis L. Syrmos. “Their tireless efforts have kept the University of Hawaiʻi research enterprise moving full speed ahead and on the right trajectory—positively contributing to the well-being of our institution, state, nation and beyond.”

Extramural funding is defined as external investments from governmental agencies such as the federal government, industry and non-profit organizations that support research and training activities conducted by university faculty and staff that are directed toward research and innovation that helps to increase knowledge and provide solutions to improve quality of life.

“Once again, I would like to congratulate the 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 research ʻohana for their outstanding and innovative contributions that have led to this year鈥檚 near-record extramural funding tally for 糖心Vlog官方 in less-than-ideal circumstances,” said 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 Interim Vice Chancellor for Research Velma A. Kameoka. “As our top-notch faculty continue to inspire our students with their research and creativity, I would also like to recognize the unsung efforts of our hard-working postdocs, student research assistants and staff for their dedication to help keep the 糖心Vlog官方 research enterprise strong and resilient.”

Several examples of 糖心Vlog官方 programs that attracted the attention of funders:

• The was awarded $13.37 million from the U.S. Department of Education for a three-year project to help train 3,560 displaced, new and underemployed workers for in-demand living-wage jobs in the healthcare, skilled trades and technology sectors.
• The awarded $6.6 million to the 鈥檚 IDeA Networks for Biomedical Research Excellence IV-Hawaiʻi Statewide Research and Education Partnership (INBRE IV-HISREP). HISREP serves as a catalyst for the advancement of the research scientist pipeline to help elevate the biomedical research community to make new and important health discoveries in the state.
• The awarded $4.5 million to the (SOEST) to extend its venerable Hawaiʻi Ocean Time-series into its fourth decade of sustained observations of ocean ecosystem variability.
• SOEST was awarded $4.0 million by the to establish the Climate Resilience Initiative at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补, with the first phase focusing on sea-level rise monitoring and partnership building among key stakeholders.
• The National Institutes of Health awarded $3.8 million to the to continue its important Multiethnic Cohort Study.
• SOEST鈥檚 was awarded $2.14 million by the to fund an aquaculture extension agent for four years to build the state鈥檚 capacity in the field.

Increasing diversity and gender equity across the is the focus of a $1-million grant from the awarded to 糖心Vlog官方 in 2017, to conduct an institutional assessment and implement a mentorship and peer-to-peer coaching program at the 糖心Vlog官方 Community Colleges.

“We are the first ADVANCE grant awarded to study STEM careers at community colleges. Community colleges are important. More than 45% of students enrolled in public higher education are located in community colleges, and community college faculty deserve supportive working environments. It is especially important to increase diversity and expand the representation of women faculty in STEM,” Principal Investigator and 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 Professor Marina Karides said. “Not only does diversity make for a richer a scientific community and better science, but students are inspired to pursue careers by faculty who look like them.”

(BRIDGE), the 糖心Vlog官方 ADVANCE program, launched the first mentorship and peer-to-peer coaching training in January 2020. Faculty volunteers participated in a three-pronged training on the nuts and bolts of mentorship or coaching; intersectionality; 糖心Vlog官方 policies regarding bias, bullying and discrimination; and the correct offices to which address these concerns. After training for one semester, the cohort implemented its training in the following semester. A second cohort of 糖心Vlog官方 Community Colleges volunteers launched this month. With online platforms to support cross island and campus communication as one of the original goals of the grant, the current COVID-19 context fast-forwarded this need which has become especially important given the growing evidence that women faculty are faring worse than other groups.

“Based on the feedback from our mentors and coaches, the training has been a success. Several faculty who have participated are seeking to take a leadership role to institutionalize the training on their campuses. Registration for a second cohort was filled to capacity within an hour of our call for participants!” said BRIDGE Program Director Karen Harper.

In 2020, the BRIDGE team was awarded a supplemental grant of $150,322 from NSF after requesting to extend the study to 糖心Vlog官方 Hilo and 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu. BRIDGE will be recruiting for cohort 3, from these campuses over the summer, with training to begin in the fall. The grant researchers are also collecting survey data across all departments at the 糖心Vlog官方 Community Colleges and the two four-year college campuses. The research team, led by Nathalie Rita, a PhD candidate in sociology, have received almost 500 completed surveys and are in the midst of conducting 30 interviews. That report is expected in summer 2021.

• Related 糖心Vlog官方 News story: New film features women scientists revolutionizing STEM, November 24, 2020

Hawaiʻi recognized for low student debt thanks to 糖心Vlog官方 System

The State of Hawaiʻi ranked No. 2 in the nation for , thanks to the affordability of the University of Hawaiʻi 10 campus system and programs that keep costs down, such as the . That鈥檚 according to the rankings by data analysis company Stacker that are based on 2020 WalletHub data on student loan indebtedness and grant and student work options.

Hawaiʻi comes in second behind Utah. The state with the highest student debt is South Dakota followed by Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

• Read more 糖心Vlog官方 News stories about Hawaiʻi Promise.

糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 financial aid recognition

was nationally recognized as one of the in 2020 by . 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 placed No. 133 out of 312 eligible four-year universities and colleges that submitted their 2018–19 financial aid data. There are a total of 2,700 four-year universities and colleges in the U.S.

LendEDU ranked eligible institutions based on three areas: need-based financial aid, non-need-based financial aid and financial aid for international students.

Need-based financial aid is the likelihood of students with financial need receiving need-based scholarships and grants and the percentage of need met for students with financial need who received need-based aid. Non-need-based financial aid is measured by the average amount of non-need-based scholarships and grants given to each student normalized by the cost of attendance. Financial aid for international students is the average amount of financial aid given to each international student normalized by the cost of attendance.

LendEDU is a private company, which provides information on private student loans and loan refinancing.

More about Financial Aid Services

launched a new tool in February 2020, which helps to verify student information, preventing delays in receiving financial aid through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). offers 24-hour support and collects tax data directly from the Internal Revenue Service with 100% accuracy. In 2018–19, 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 Financial Aid Services received more than 27,940 FAFSA applications and disbursed $161,273,169 in aid.

The 2021–22 FAFSA application opened on October 1 and the priority deadline is February 1, 2021.

For more information, visit the .

The received $456.6 million in extramural funding in fiscal year 2020, which ended on June 30, topping $400 million for the second consecutive year. It is a 7.1 percent increase from last year鈥檚 total of $426.2 million and the second highest total since 2011鈥檚 $488 million. Extramural funding is external investments from governmental agencies, industry and non-profit organizations that support research and training activities conducted by university faculty and staff.

“This is not only amazing work by our faculty who are developing new insights on every aspect of the world around us,” said 糖心Vlog官方 President David Lassner, “These extramural funds directly create thousands of living wage jobs with economic ripples that help the economy across the islands.”

糖心Vlog官方 extramural funding employs more than 10,000 people annually, which is even more critical now as the state驶s number one industry, tourism, has been seriously impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Read more 糖心Vlog官方 News stories about the 糖心Vlog官方-DOH Contact Tracing Training Program

“In addition to competing with other research institutions around the country in a very tight extramural funding arena, our people also grappled with the disruptions of the pandemic at work and in their personal lives,” said 糖心Vlog官方 Vice President for Research and Innovation Vassilis L. Syrmos. “I鈥檓 so grateful to our faculty, support staff and graduate students for their resolve in these unprecedented times to keep the 糖心Vlog官方 research enterprise on course. The outstanding performance of our flagship 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 campus was especially gratifying.”

糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 accounted for $343.1 million followed by the 糖心Vlog官方 System with $57.2 million, an 8 percent and 16.1 percent increase over last year, respectively.

“I’d like to congratulate the entire 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 research ʻohana for the phenomenal success in securing extramural funding throughout the year and during this extremely challenging period,” said 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 Interim Vice Chancellor for Research Velma A. Kameoka. “It鈥檚 inspiring to see our collaborative efforts with faculty, deans, directors and the 糖心Vlog官方 Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation focused on strategic research development and initiatives result in tremendous success at 糖心Vlog官方鈥檚 flagship campus, especially as we deal with the current pandemic and its effects.”

Some of the programs that attracted the attention of funders include:

• The 糖心Vlog官方 厂测蝉迟别尘鈥檚 Hawaiʻi P–20 Office was awarded $8 million from the U.S. Department of Education to fund a sub-grant program that will allow community-level early childhood programs to apply for up to $300,000 per year to implement an early literacy program.
• The 糖心Vlog官方 Cancer Center received $6.5 million from the National Institutes of Health for its Hoʻōla project that involves the creation of the state鈥檚 only Early Phase Clinical Research Center—that will provide access to clinical research for patients across multiple disciplines and expand the research capabilities of 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补.
• The 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 College of Engineering received $5.9 million from the Hawaiʻi State Department of Transportation for the deployment and evaluation of an innovative traffic control system to improve safety and traffic flow on Nimitz Highway and Ala Moana Boulevard.



• The Simons Foundation funded three separate awards totaling $5.7 million for 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology for on-going research at its open ocean time-series station, known as Station ALOHA that has produced essential ocean scientific data鈥攊ncluding ocean acidification.
• The 糖心Vlog官方ealthy Initiative under the 糖心Vlog官方 System received $2.5 million from the Hawaiʻi State Department of Health (DOH) to fund the DOH-糖心Vlog官方 Contact Tracing Training Program in response to the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the state.
• The Office of Naval Research awarded $1.9 million to the 糖心Vlog官方 System to research various methods to improve inspections, repair protocols and early warning systems of the U.S. Navy鈥檚 Red Hill Underground Fuel Storage Facility.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded $1.4 million to the 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work, Office of Public Health Studies via the DOH on a joint project to address preventive measures in the state鈥檚 drug overdose epidemic.

Thanks to the affordability of the 10-campus University of Hawaiʻi System, Hawaiʻi is ranked ninth in the nation when it comes to low student debt, according to the latest annual report by . The report looked at debt carried by students at public and nonprofit colleges and universities. Hawaiʻi was among the lowest in the country for the amount of debt students carry, and the percentage of students who graduate with a bachelor鈥檚 degree with debt.

The average debt for a Hawaiʻi student after graduating with a bachelor鈥檚 degree is $25,125, $3,500 below the $28,650 national average. Connecticut had the highest student debt at $38,510 and Utah the lowest at $18,838. About 65 percent of college students nationally graduate with debt. Hawaiʻi is tied for 6th lowest in the country at 49 percent. Utah is the lowest at 38 percent, followed by Alaska and the District of Columbia at 46 percent.

The Hawaiʻi Promise scholarship program is one example of how 糖心Vlog官方 and state leaders are working to keep the cost of higher education affordable. The program provides assistance to qualified community college students for any financial needs not met by financial aid, federal grants, benefits and scholarships. Those costs can include tuition, fees, books, supplies and transportation.

“We are extremely grateful for the warm reception and strong support we received in establishing the Hawaiʻi Promise program for our community college students,” said 糖心Vlog官方 President . “Extending the Hawaiʻi Promise program to 糖心Vlog官方 Hilo, 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa and 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu is one of the best ways we can move forward together to reduce the college debt burden for 贬补飞补颈ʻ颈鈥檚 university students as well.”

• Read more about Hawaiʻi Promise on 糖心Vlog官方 News

Even before the Hawaiʻi Promise program, 糖心Vlog官方鈥檚 seven community colleges were ranked the most affordable in the nation in 2016.

The in-state tuition at all three of 糖心Vlog官方鈥檚 four-year campuses including the system鈥檚 flagship campus, 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa, is below the national average for public institutions. 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa is one of 115 research universities in the country classified R1 and is consistently ranked in the top two percent nationally and internationally.

The Institute for College Access and Success is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to make higher education more available and affordable for people of all backgrounds. Student Debt and the Class of 2017 is the instituteʻs 13th annual report on debt at graduation.

(AUW) honored the (糖心Vlog官方FCU) and 糖心Vlog官方 System for their 2017 campaigns at the AUW Spirit of Community Awards ceremony on May 10.

糖心Vlog官方FCU earned the Laulima award, which recognizes exceptional leadership of an individual/group in coordinating a workplace giving campaign in small, medium and large companies. 糖心Vlog官方FCU employees were also presented with the award for Best Singer for their music video to the song “Let鈥檚 Talk Story” by the Hawaiian Style Band.

“The University of Hawaiʻi Credit Union is honored to support such an important and worthwhile community-focused organization like Aloha United Way,” said 糖心Vlog官方FCU President and CEO Travis Bow. “We are extremely proud of our employees, who continue to demonstrate our commitment to supporting AUW‘s mission in the local community. We are thrilled to be recognized once again for the outstanding efforts of our employees and to help support such vital and valuable social services throughout the Islands.”

糖心Vlog官方 System earned the learning institution award. Mel Colquitt, director of AUW workplace campaigns, nominated the 糖心Vlog官方 System based on the energy and efforts the system offices put forward in support of AUW.

The AUW Spirit of Community Awards recognize individuals and companies whose extraordinary level of commitment helps to raise millions of dollars each year to support local charities who impact hundreds of thousands of lives.

and the University of Hawaiʻi’s 5th Annual Sustainability Summit were among the organizations recognized by Governor David Ige at this year’s Hawaiʻi Green Business Program Awards. The awards, hosted by the , highlight innovative solutions to going green.

“The recipients of the Hawaiʻi Green Business Program awards have demonstrated that becoming greener and more sustainable not only benefits our environment, it makes good business sense,” Governor David Ige said. “And by working to reduce Hawaiʻi’s reliance on imported fossil fuels, they are also helping us reach our clean energy goals,” he said.

The Hawaiʻi Green Business Program said the following about the 糖心Vlog官方 awardees:

• Windward Community College developed a sustainability plan around five areas: operations, curriculum, research, cultural connections and community outreach. This plan, implemented by a Campus Sustainability Committee composed of faculty, staff, and student members, supported retrofitting and energy management projects that allowed the campus to realize a 24 percent reduction in overall power consumption, a 25 percent reduction in HECO power usage, and the implementation of PV panels generating 0.5 percent of the total power usage since 2008.
• University of Hawaiʻi’s 5th Annual Sustainability Summit created an opportunity for delegates from all 10 campuses of the University of Hawaiʻi to gather and celebrate successes, learn from each other, and advance progress on strategic sustainability efforts from year to year. The event strived to achieve zero waste and minimize its environmental impact by, locally sourcing more than 90 percent of its food, distributing reusable bamboo sporks to eliminate single-use utensils, composting food waste, livestreaming sessions to minimize travel-related emissions and much more.

“We are inspired by the efforts of Windward CC and the event organizers of the 5th Annual Sustainability in Higher Education Summit to hold themselves to a higher standard of environmental performance and sustainability by pursuing DBEDT‘s Green Business and Green Events Awards,” said Matthew K. Lynch, 糖心Vlog官方 System sustainability coordinator. “These exemplary efforts provide models for other campuses and events to adapt and apply so that we can collectively maximize our positive impact on our natural environments and the communities we serve.”

“The Green Business Program provides a great set of practical guidelines and practices to make Windward Community College more sustainable. In order to achieve the award we worked on everything from labeling storm drains, improving our recycling efforts, and printing double-sided paper,” said Christian Palmer, Windward CC Sustainability Committee chair. “In addition, Windward had already been working on a long-term strategy to reduce energy consumption, so everything came together really well.”

A total of 26 businesses, organizations and events were recognized for undertaking energy efficiency and sustainable business practices that will help their bottom line while advancing Hawaiʻi’s clean energy goals.

Read the for more about the awards and awardees.

The University of Hawaiʻi, nationally recognized for its graduation initiatives, was one of six state entities that presented at the (CCA) 2017 Annual Convening, the preeminent gathering of nationally-renowned architects of college completion efforts. More than 700 higher education leaders and advocates from around the country attended the three-day November conference in New Orleans, the organization鈥檚 largest convening to date.

The 糖心Vlog官方 session—Hawaiʻi: Going All In On Game Changers in the Island State—focused on the Hawaiʻi Graduation Initiative, , , Math Pathways, Corequisite Remediation and Early College. CCA President Tom Sugar says 糖心Vlog官方 has shown a true commitment to student success.

“Everybody is doing pathways these days in higher education but Hawaiʻi is doing it the right way.”

“We consider Hawaiʻi to be one of the leading states, one of the first to implement, what we are calling now Momentum Pathways,” said Sugar during an interview between sessions at the conference.

“Everybody is doing pathways these days in higher education but Hawaiʻi is doing it the right way with built-in components that ensure that students have the momentum they need to succeed. And they are only one of handful states in this first group to do it, again, demonstrating their unique level of commitment,” said Sugar.

CCA challenged its members to commit to Momentum Pathways at the 2017 conference, citing research that shows that the best design for a pathway is one that ensures that first year students have momentum in multiple areas. 糖心Vlog官方 also was part of one of the featured panels on Momentum Pathways.

“Hawaiʻi鈥檚 been doing reform of the remediation system, Hawaiʻi鈥檚 been doing alignment of mathematics to programs of study, because not every student needs college algebra or should be in college algebra,” said Sugar.

“Momentum also depends on accomplishing nine credits in your program of study so that what you are experiencing in your first year feels relevant and connected to your dreams. It also contains completing 30 credits over the course of a calendar year and of course, Hawaiʻi was already there with 15 to Finish and so that surges students forward,” Sugar said.

Recognizing innovative contributions to national efforts

CCA honored 糖心Vlog官方 in 2016 with its President鈥檚 Award for 15 to Finish, a 糖心Vlog官方-created campaign that encourages students to take 15 credits per semester to ensure on-time graduation, and the STAR system, technology developed at 糖心Vlog官方 that provides students a clear pathway to graduation. The President鈥檚 Award recognizes innovation and outstanding contributions to national college completion efforts.

“The 15 to Finish campaign, that we took nationally, which is changing this country, originated in Hawaiʻi,” said Sugar. “You guys developed the highly respected STAR system, which allows students to, using technology, monitor their progress on their customized degree map, so they know where they are, they know what they have to accomplish, they know the courses they need will be there for them. That is truly remarkable as well, again proving that Hawaiʻi is a national exemplar.”

Established in 2009, CCA is a national nonprofit with a single mission: to work with states and consortia to significantly increase the number of Americans with quality career certificates or college degrees and to close attainment gaps for traditionally underrepresented populations. 糖心Vlog官方 has been a member since 2010.

The University of Hawaiʻi鈥檚 award-winning startup accelerator, , was named one of only 20 national winners of the . This marks the third year in a row that the University of Hawaiʻi accelerator has won the competition, which includes a $50,000 cash award.

XLR8糖心Vlog官方 was the only winner from Hawaiʻi in this year鈥檚 SBA鈥檚 Growth Accelerator Fund competition, which is designed to draw attention and funding to parts of the country with gaps in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Winners were selected by experts in entrepreneurship, investing and business plans from both inside and out of the federal government and based on applications and pitch videos submitted by the finalists.

“We are pleased to have our XLR8糖心Vlog官方 program take home this prestigious SBA national award once again,” said 糖心Vlog官方 Vice President for Research and Innovation . “It further validates our continuing efforts under the to diversify the state鈥檚 economy by creating a third economic leg based on the commercialization of 糖心Vlog官方 research.”

Building on XLR8糖心Vlog官方鈥檚 national recognition

This award builds upon the national recognition garnered by XLR8糖心Vlog官方 in 2017, which also includes being named one of the top 30 accelerators in the country by Forbes. XLR8糖心Vlog官方 is one of the first public university investment programs in the nation, revolutionizing the way innovation and research is commercialized.

“We are honored, once again, to have won this award and be counted among the top accelerator programs in the country,” said Omar Sultan, co-founder and managing partner of XLR8糖心Vlog官方 and . “The SBA鈥檚 recognition over the past three years has helped shine a national spotlight on the strong and growing entrepreneurial ecosystem here in Hawaiʻi and on the innovations generated by 糖心Vlog官方 research.

In accepting the SBA award, the winning accelerators will be committing to bi-annual reporting of metrics on jobs created, funds raised, startups launched, corporate sponsors obtained and more. These metrics will allow the SBA to better understand accelerators and their impact, and to develop long-term relationships with the startups and constituents in these innovative and entrepreneurial communities.

Launched in 2014 as a public-private partnership between 糖心Vlog官方 and Sultan Ventures, XLR8糖心Vlog官方 has mentored and trained five cohorts consisting of 24 companies. In total, these companies have created more than 100 jobs and generated over $5 million in revenue, nearly all of which remains in Hawaiʻi.

“With only 20 awards available this year, the two tiered selection process made the competition even more difficult,” said Jane Sawyer, director of the SBA鈥檚 Hawaiʻi District Office. “Our team is extremely pleased that XLR8糖心Vlog官方 once again was recognized as one of the nation鈥檚 top accelerators.”

The was honored today for two of its graduation initiatives that are national models. Before an audience of 600 higher education leaders and advocates from around the country, announced that 糖心Vlog官方 is the inaugural recipient of two President’s Awards at the national nonprofit’s 2016 annual meeting in San Francisco, California.

Complete College America is dedicated to increasing the number of Americans with college degrees and established the President’s Award to recognize innovation and outstanding contributions to national college completion efforts, especially as it relates to the organization’s five Game Changer strategies. The honors come as the university increased its four-year graduation rate at its flagship campus, , by 83 percent, from 17.5 percent in 2010 to an all-time high of 32.1 percent in 2016.

“The University of Hawaiʻi System understands that for far too many students, college takes too long, costs too much and graduates too few,” said Stan Jones, president of Complete College America. “糖心Vlog官方 President and his team have charged forward to address these challenges head on, choosing to lead, not to follow.”

The university was recognized by Complete College America for its STAR program—technology developed at 糖心Vlog官方 that provides students a clear pathway to graduation by allowing them to track their progress, review requirements, and explore the impact of scheduling (and changes in major) on the time it will take them to graduate.

“This honor really recognizes the work of many people across 糖心Vlog官方 for more than 15 years,” said Lassner. “It has taken persistent vision and focus by administrators, IT specialists, advisors, faculty and students to put us in this national leadership position. Every day we are advancing our homegrown Graduation Pathway System, , in new ways to help more 糖心Vlog官方 students across our statewide system complete college in a timely manner, also saving money for them and their families.”

The university received a second President’s Award for the campaign that encourages students to take 15 credits per semester to ensure on-time graduation. The campaign was conceived and launched at 糖心Vlog官方 and has since been implemented by seven states and 120 institutions nationwide. An additional seven states have committed to launching campaigns in 2017.

“Complete College America has recognized 15 to Finish as one of their five game changers,” said Lassner. “Another one of their game changes is our STAR initiatives, and once again, we are being recognized as a national model. Pretty good for one university in a small state.”

“The 15 to Finish and STAR initiatives are a powerful combination, providing students not only with the information, but also the structure necessary to graduate on time,” said Jones. “We are grateful for the leadership Hawaiʻi has shown and look forward to the work we will continue to do together.”

Jones says the Complete College America President’s Award honors “those who demonstrate uncommon leadership and courage—the innovators who have been unwilling to tolerate the shortcomings of the current higher education system and instead endeavor every day to ensure many more students are able to graduate.”