March is Women鈥檚 History Month. But for Lisa M. Vallin, every month is Women鈥檚 History Month. That鈥檚 because the full-time instructor and academic advisor in the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa 鈥� (WGSS) teaches one of the most in-demand courses at 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa, regularly drawing more than 700 registrants every semester.

Vallin leads WGSS 350 Sex Differences in the Life Cycle, which is cross-listed as BIOL 350. She credits a small but effective army of learning assistants, dedicated guest speakers, multiple internships and volunteer opportunities, and the ability to study sexuality in evidence-based, nuanced conversations that move beyond myths and binaries.

The course鈥檚 popularity is partly because it fulfills a general education requirement; is listed as a DB (diversification of biological sciences) course for aspiring doctors and science majors; and has earned an E (ethics) focus. But that鈥檚 not the only reason seats are snapped up as soon as registration opens. WGSS Chair Lani Teves said one of the department鈥檚 oldest courses is among its most popular because of the teaching ability, energy and enthusiasm of Vallin herself.

“Lisa is an invaluable member of our WGSS faculty and community. Students—both in person and online—regularly note that she is the best professor they鈥檝e ever had, describing her as open minded, knowledgeable and inspiring,” said Teves.

Global perspectives, human geography

Vallin was born and raised in Sweden and, as a youngster, dreamed of working for the United Nations. Driven by a deep interest in global cultures and social justice, she pursued higher education in the U.S., earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree in geography with an emphasis on the human environment.

After earning a master鈥檚 in the field at San Francisco State University and with the intent of earning a PhD, Vallin moved to Hawaiʻi to study with Michael Salzman, a 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa educational psychology professor whose specialty was cultural trauma. She became particularly interested in how cultural trauma and structural inequality helped shape sexual identities and lived experiences.

Then Vallin learned about a lecturer opening in WGSS, and successfully applied in 2011. Her first course, WGSS/BIOL 350, enrolled 45 students in a standard-size classroom. Over the years, student demand grew dramatically. In spring 2026, she is teaching two sections that meet twice a week, serving 533 students online and 201 students in person. Vallin estimates that, over the past 15 years, she has taught more than 10,000 students in a single course.

“I鈥檓 incredibly proud of that large number,” said Vallin. “The fact that so many students have shown a shared interest in learning about the body and its diversity is deeply encouraging. It reminds me that these conversations matter.”

For the entire story, visit the .

Forty years ago was a very different time for the proverbial “women in the workplace,” even in a progressive state like Hawaiʻi. In 1984, Ruth Dawson was an associate professor in the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 women鈥檚 studies program, when she happily learned that she was expecting. Dawson went to the dean鈥檚 office to apply for unpaid maternity leave.

Instead, she was fired.

Since women鈥檚 studies was a program and not an official 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 department, its faculty were not granted tenure, affecting life issues that are highly protected today.

“I was really disappointed that, after working at 惭腻苍辞补 for 10 years and applying for maternity leave without pay, I was terminated,” said Dawson. “The administrators I spoke with said, ‘Don鈥檛 worry about it,’ implying I would be rehired later, but that wasn’t reassuring.”

Dawson and others in the women鈥檚 studies program were eventually granted eligibility for tenure. But, decades ago, certain mindsets were still commonplace in Hawaiʻi and the continent, and Dawson remembers “married women struggling to hold real estate property or to obtain a credit card in their own names.”

That鈥檚 why, in February and March 2025, when the (WGSS) in the (CSS) celebrates its 50th anniversary, there is much to commemorate. There will be two days of events, including a keynote speech, panel discussions and a talk-story gathering.

“We hope to continue impacting students and the community about larger issues of equality and making sure that equality doesn鈥檛 go away,” said Lani Teves, associate professor and chair of WGSS, and a 2002 alumna. “It鈥檚 really asking what kind of world do we want to live in, how do we treat one another, and what do we prioritize as a society?”

In 2012, the 糖心Vlog官方 Board of Regents granted official status to the program as it became the Department of Women鈥檚 Studies. In fall 2021, it was renamed the Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, to expand the subject matter. And in 2022, Teves spearheaded the creation of the , which explores the histories of sexuality and “gender normativity” across various contexts. The and queer studies certificates can be earned online.

Other WGSS milestones and achievements:

• In 2007, there were seven women鈥檚 studies majors. Today there are close to 50 WGSS majors. Alumni enjoy successful careers in various professions and workplaces, ranging from healthcare to nonprofits to higher education.
• In 2019, Meda Chesney-Lind, WGSS professor emerita, former chair and major donor, served as president of the American Society of Criminology, an international organization whose members pursue scholarly, scientific and professional knowledge about crime and delinquency.
• The department is proud of its who have won all three of the most prestigious awards in the 糖心Vlog官方 System for teaching, research and service, and is the recipient of a three-year $250,000 Rockefeller grant on Gender and Globalization in Asia and the Pacific.
• The Hawaiʻi State Legislature honored WGSS in recognition of its significant impact on students and community.

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Approximately 75 University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 undergraduate students showcased their projects at the 2023 (SURE) Symposium on August 4. Hosted annually by the (UROP), the nine-week summer research and creative work program culminated with hybrid oral presentations in Kuykendall Hall and over Zoom, and poster presentations at the Campus Center Ballroom.

Culturally responsive education system

Sarah Rice and Tristan Fleming-Nazara鈥檚 research project, “Creating A Culturally Responsive Education System and Equitable Outcomes through Hawaiʻi-Based Learning Opportunities,” is based on the idea that to sustain the academic growth of K–12 students in Hawaiʻi, there must be an effort to consider the historical contexts and persistent inequities throughout the islands and within Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities through practices, projects, programs and policies. They showcased their project during the symposium鈥檚 oral presentation session.

Under the mentorship of Professor Kealiʻi Kukahiko, Rice and Fleming-Nazara worked with the Hawaiʻi Department of Education (HIDOE) focusing on schools that engaged in the Office of Hawaiian Education鈥檚 ʻ膧颈苍补 Aloha program in 2022–23. They examined the schools’ implementation of a more culturally responsive education system through the assessment of written narratives, competency surveys and focus group findings.

Their findings explored the extent to which engaging in experiential academic and civic opportunities connected students to place, community, culture and language with a measurable impact on the outlined goals in the DOE Strategic Plan. Rice and Fleming-Nazara discovered that the ʻ膧颈苍补 Aloha program created opportunities for students to experience place-based learning and emphasized engaging, participatory lessons that are accessible to students regardless of background or circumstance.

“We recognize that Indigenous practices and ancestral knowledge hold value that can promote progress toward the stated goals of Hawaiʻi‘s schools,” Rice said. “All those receiving an education, pre–K through PhD, on this ʻ腻颈苍补 can benefit from connection to ʻ艑濒别濒辞 Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language), Kuanaʻike (Hawaiian perspective) and Pilina Honua (Relationship to ʻ腻颈苍补).”

Rice is a senior and presidential scholar, majoring in with a certificate in . Fleming-Nazara is a senior double majoring in and .

Creating art from cultural stories

Adam Joseph Parrilla鈥檚 creative work project, “Weaving Cultural Narratives into Art: Character Design Inspired by Hawaiian Moʻolelo (stories),” revolves around the cultural significance of preserving Native Hawaiian moʻolelo through the art of character design. Parrilla presented his project in the symposium鈥檚 poster session.

Mentored by Hawaiian Language Professor Matthew Kainoa Wong, Parrilla chose the story of “Ke Kumu ʻUlu Mua Loa,” which depicts the Hawaiian akua (deity) K奴 coming to Hawaiʻi in human form and raising a family. During a season of drought, he sacrifices his body and is unable to return to his family to grow the ʻulu (breadfruit) tree, which has continued to be not only a staple of Native Hawaiians, but also a symbol of perseverance and kinolau (embodiment) of K奴.

“My main hope for this project was to inspire an appreciation for Hawaiian culture and moʻolelo by connecting it to something you’re interested in,” Parrilla said. “With this project, I wanted to create a good character design from this story I enjoyed. However, if this project could give anyone interested in Hawaiian stories or culture a reason to integrate what they are learning in school, that would be amazing.”

Parrilla is a senior majoring in and , and pursuing a certificate in .

“I would encourage other students to pursue their passions, seek mentorship and look for opportunities like these for growth and learning.”
—Adam Joseph Parrilla

“This experience has been invaluable, improving both my artwork and project management skills,” Parrilla said. “I would encourage other students to pursue their passions, seek mentorship and look for opportunities like these for growth and learning. Find ways to take your knowledge and skills developed in school and apply them through programs such as these.”

UROP funding support

Both projects received UROP project funding. Each year, UROP awards more than $500,000 in merit-based scholarships directly to students to support faculty-mentored undergraduate research and creative work projects and presentations.

The SURE Symposium is one of several regular on-campus venue presentation venues organized/co-organized by UROP. During the fall and spring semesters, UROP co-organizes the Undergraduate Showcase with the Honors Program.

—By Marc Arakaki

Long fascinated by volcanoes, languages and cultures, Kayley Rolph is pursuing those diverse interests, individual identity and community connection at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Rolph, who is nearing completion of an undergraduate degree in in the (SOEST), has completed a certificate in women, gender, and sexuality studies focused on , and will soon begin Khmer language classes.

“Ever since I spent a summer on the Big Island remodeling a house with my family, I planned on returning to Hawaiʻi,” said Rolph. “The extensive research opportunities at 糖心Vlog官方, as well as the beautiful beaches and mountains all drew me here, but it鈥檚 the people who I have found community with here that make me want to stay.”

In SOEST, Rolph has been working as a lab assistant with Earth sciences professor Bruce Houghton. They analyze the density of various rock types, such as scoria and reticulite, from Kīlauea volcano and assist with Caroline Tisdale鈥檚 research by doing imaging work on ultra HD video footage of a Kīlauea vent eruption to determine how the velocities of rock fragments changed over time.

“I’ve enjoyed being in the Earth sciences department,” said Rolph. “With such a small department, it was easier to develop relationships with faculty members as well as my peers. I am thankful to my advisor Sloan Coats for being very supportive of my interests and patiently helping me troubleshoot registration every semester.”

Passion for languages

Another passion of Rolph鈥檚 is learning new languages, a pathway for delving into new cultures. Growing up in California, Rolph attended a dual immersion elementary school from kindergarten to sixth grade where many classmates and teachers spoke Spanish, often as their first language. Through much travel and living in Spain for three months, Rolph鈥檚 curiosity grew and they continued with Spanish language courses in high school and during community college.

“Because of 糖心Vlog官方鈥檚 unique placement between Asia and America, I became very interested in utilizing the multitude of eastern language classes offered here,” Rolph said. “I took two introductory Korean language courses in 2022 and just registered to take Khmer 101 in the fall. My interest in learning Khmer stems from my family, as I am half Cambodian and much of my family speaks Khmer as a first language. I am really excited to be able to talk to my family in Khmer!”

Understanding identity, relationships, the world

In a new program offered at 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa, Rolph completed a that requires students to take courses that apply critical thinking skills to explore topics of sex, sexuality, gender, feminism and queer theory.

“As a mixed race, nonbinary, bisexual human, exploring these topics is very important to my understanding of my identity, my relationships and the world around me,” Rolph shared. “These courses as well as my individual scholarship of queer theory has provided me with the tools I need to remain critical of systems of oppression, yet be able to imagine a future for myself and my community where our needs are met and our intimate relationships with each other and the Earth are healthy and generative.”

In fall 2023, Rolph will be graduating and hopes to find employment as a hydrogeologist or volcanologist at the Oʻahu Board of Water Supply or the Hawaiʻi Volcano Observatory.

“I would also be very happy with a job as an environmental consultant or working in conservation doing the important work of preserving our precious natural resources,” they added. “After a couple years working in the field, I hope to get into graduate school and pursue a master鈥檚 degree.”

–By Marcie Grabowksi

Anarchist letterpress printers and presses from the late 1800s through the 1940s is the focus of a new book by a University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 and faculty member.

Professor Kathy Ferguson鈥檚 work , details the importance of printed materials that galvanized anarchist movements across the U.S. and Great Britain. The book will be released on February 24, and is published by Duke University Press.

Anarchism is a political movement that is skeptical of all justifications for authority and holds all forms of governmental authority to be unnecessary. Ferguson shows how printers arranged text, ink, images, graphic markers and blank space within the design of a page. Their extensive correspondence with fellow anarchists and publishing their radical ideas brought the decentralized anarchist movements together. By diving deeper into the practices of anarchist print culture, Ferguson points to possible methods for cultivating contemporary political resistance.

“The anarchists organized a remarkable political movement largely through their print culture: writing, printing, distributing, reading, and archiving their publications brought them together. Their success suggests that the act of making things together generates political energy,” Ferguson said.

Ferguson is the author of several books, including Emma Goldman: Political Thinking in the Streets, which is about a central figure in the anarchist movement. She is working on another book on women in the anarchist movement whose contributions have been underrated or lost. Ferguson鈥檚 goal when writing these two books is to bring women more fully into anarchism, and at the same time to bring anarchism more fully into feminism. She hopes to bring these radical histories to light to make our understanding of them more robust so that we can use them better today.

The Department of Political Science and Department of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies are housed in the 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 .

Research into the brutal shakedown of the Oʻahu Community Correctional Center in 1981, and the experience and backgrounds of delinquent girls and incarcerated women in Hawaiʻi are highlights of the work of former University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 program director and professor emerita Meda Chesney-Lind, which is now available online. has made Chesney-Lind鈥檚 of research and academic work as a scholar and activist with a focus on women and crime available on ArchivesSpace.

Her extensive contribution to the field of feminist criminology has been recognized nationally, with a large number of publications and prestigious awards.

Chesney-Lind has been with 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 women鈥檚 studies department (renamed to the Department of Women, Gender and Sexualily Studies) since 1986. She also previously taught at as a lecturer.

Spanning from the 1970s to 2010s, the Meda Chesney-Lind papers provides valuable research materials, including material from various courses taught in juvenile delinquency, human sexuality, women鈥檚 studies, criminology, sociology of gender and sex roles; keynote addresses and presentations; and more.

“I have always been on the margins in terms of my work,” said Chesney-Lind. “Living in Hawaiʻi gave me a unique perspective on crime and justice, particularly around issues of race. Of course, being female in a predominantly male field was also influential, directing me to focus on the experiences of girls and women in a largely male oriented criminal justice system.”

Commitment to social activism

Chesney-Lind鈥檚 commitment to social activism began with the anti-Vietnam War movement in 1969 which influenced her becoming a criminologist. That same year, she entered the graduate program in sociology at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补. Born in Woodward, Oklahoma, it was her first trip to Hawaiʻi, though she had grown up hearing stories about where her mother and grandparents were from.

During her master鈥檚 study, she developed an interest in the feminist movement and was involved in the first CR (consciousness raising) group on campus which comprised the majority of faculty wives and female students. In the late 1970s and early 1980s while earning her PhD in sociology at 糖心Vlog官方 Manoa, Chesney-Lind taught courses in the largest co-ed prison in Hawaiʻi as part of her teaching load at Honolulu CC. A decade later, she received an associate professor position in the women’s studies program at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补, moved up to serve as director and then became a tenured professor.

Over the years, she taught many courses that focused on the sociology of gender, women and crime. She also served in multiple leadership roles as the chair at Women and Crime Division of American Society of Criminology, president of American Society of Criminology and president of the Western Society of Criminology.

In addition to her numerous awards, she received the 糖心Vlog官方 Board of Regents鈥� Medal for Excellence in Research and was also identified as an “alumna of merit” by Whitman College. Her recent book on girls鈥� use of violence, Fighting for Girls (co-edited with Nikki Jones), won an award from the National Council on Crime and Delinquency.

Paying it forward

Chesney-Lind and her husband, Ian Lind, a former investigative reporter with the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, established the in 2020, the first endowed scholarship for the department to support students pursuing a degree or certificate in women鈥檚 studies at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补.

In retirement, she continues to support the women鈥檚 studies department working on Hawaiian criminal justice issues with Professor Meripa Godinet of the on representation of Native Hawaiians in the criminal legal system, and also volunteers with the Women鈥檚 Campus Club thrift store.

A made-in-Hawaiʻi short film premiering at the 2022 is produced by two real-life sisters; about two fictional sisters; and is based on two of Hawaiʻi鈥檚 most famous sisters, the deity Pele and her younger sibling, Hiʻiakaikapoliopele or Hiʻiaka.

A Tale of Two Sisters blends narrative and movement-based storytelling to convey how the two main characters, Gigi and Angi, embark on a journey to overcome the tension in their relationship and better understand their cultural identities.

The eight-minute film is choreographed and produced by Brigitte Leilani Axelrode, who is pursuing a graduate certificate in at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 . In 2017, she earned her BFA in Communication Studies and Dance from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.

The film鈥檚 director, writer, editor and producer is Brigitte鈥檚 younger sister, Angelique Kalani Axelrode, who earned her BS from Vanderbilt University in 2021.

“This film was born out of my sister鈥檚 and my distinct yet simultaneous journeys to understand and learn more about Native Hawaiian culture,” said Angelique. “Creating the film together was incredibly cathartic.”

Other 糖心Vlog官方 students involved in the film are producer Iolani Brosio, a PhD student in the at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 who was Brigitte鈥檚 kumu (teacher/instructor) at ; and filmmaker Josiah Castillo, a BFA candidate in digital cinema at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补.

A Tale of Two Sisters will premiere in the “Made in Hawaiʻi Short Program 1” at 6 p.m. on Friday, November 4, at the Consolidated Theatres in Kah膩la, and may be viewed virtually from November 14–27. See the for more information.

A popular exploratory dance course combining artistry forms such as drag, runway, vogue and pageantry is gaining momentum at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补. The recently launched a queer dance class, a three-credit elective course that offers students an opportunity to explore the communicative, physical and artistic aspects of dance as a medium of human expression and interaction.

Queer theory and queer studies are emerging in university curriculums across the nation. 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 is one of the first higher education institutions in the country to offer a full-semester, three-credit performing arts practice based course in queer dance.

“There is a great need to create a space of visibility for queer performing artists,” said Kara Jhalak Miller, an associate professor and associate chair of dance at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补. “The dance faculty advocate for and support BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and LGBTQ+ dance, theater and performance scholars, artists, and artistic practices.”

More on queer dance

The dance genre, which can be traced back to the 1980s, was born out of gay and lesbian dance clubs and ballroom culture and has been widely popularized on stage by pop artists such as Lady Gaga and Madonna. Queer dance also features performing art forms such as impersonation, lip-synching and pantomime. The 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 course incorporates techniques and choreography created by Asian and Pacific Islander m膩h奴 (identity with male and female characteristics) here in Hawaiʻi.

“Self-confidence is key in this. Exploring yourself, who you are, not being afraid to be a little bit sexy, a little bit sassy, discovering new sides of yourself. I think that鈥檚 very much queer dance,” said Hannah Archer, a 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 dance major enrolled in the class this fall.

This classically trained dancer is grateful that 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 created the course last spring and believes that learning diverse dance genres and their history is key to becoming a well-rounded performer.

N膩n膩 i ke kumu (Look to the source)

At the helm of the cutting-edge dance course is renowned Hawaiʻi performer Sami L.A. Akuna, a celebrated drag queen icon who is also known by his stage name, Cocoa Chandelier. Akuna, who earned his BFA in dance, BA in theatre and MFA in Asian theatre directing in the theatre and dance department at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补, brings decades of experience in the performing arts, having entertained on stages across the continent and here in the islands.

The Native Hawaiian instructor presents students with choreography and dance techniques that have graced Hawaiʻi鈥檚 entertainment scene through the decades, dating back to revered onstage revues in the 1960s at The Glades, a popular downtown Honolulu bar that featured female impersonation.

“There is a lot of stored history in those production numbers that I鈥檝e learned by watching or participating in these shows in Waik墨k墨 or in fully mounted drag shows outside of those,” Akuna said. “Most of that choreography has been shared and remembered across generations. I鈥檓 bringing the knowledge and physical history of those movements to the class as well as creating new ones.”

Akuna鈥檚 course fulfills degree electives of both dance and queer studies. The 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 Department of Theatre and Dance and are currently working on cross-listing the course in both disciplines.

“LGBTQ+, m膩h奴 and ally students tell me that Sami L.A. Akuna鈥檚 queer dance is both empowering and life affirming,” said Camaron Miyamoto, director of the . “This is truly powerful and transformative education—exactly what higher education can do when it is at its very best.”

Taking their show on the road

Audiences will have an opportunity to catch Akuna鈥檚 students perform. Students are currently preparing to appear at the Honolulu Pride Festival on October 15 and Hawaiʻi State Art Museum on December 2.

Their onstage debut was showcased at the 37th annual Universal Show Queen Pageant at Hawaiʻi Convention Center in early October.

, and are popular majors students who desire a career in health care choose at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补. They can also add a double major to better understand and help dispel prejudices experienced by women, LGBTQ+ and marginalized groups in society.

In the , the (WGSS), formerly known as Women鈥檚 Studies, offers an interdisciplinary approach to studying women and gender issues, featuring a , and certificates, and a .

“We all deserve full health potential, but disparities exist among specific population groups in the attainment of that,” said Lani Teves, WGSS chair and associate professor. “This is why students have many opportunities across our curriculum to think critically and creatively about solutions to health inequities, and to see themselves as key actors in making health care more accessible and equitable across many communities.”

A WGSS student and two alumni explain why seeking a double major in WGSS made sense to them in pursuit of health care careers.

‘Topics touch so many strands of my identity’

Cassidy Silva came to 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 in 2019 as a Regents Scholar. With the intent of applying to medical school after earning her bachelor鈥檚 degree in cell biology, the Mililani High School graduate plunged headlong into WGSS and found the subject matter fascinating.

“There鈥檚 a synergy that exists between all that I learn in the classroom, my past experiences, and my personal and professional goals,” said Silva. “Like that of no other field of study, WGSS topics touch so many strands of my identity.”

As a research intern at Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women and Children, Silva helped recruit participants for a study on the diet and eating practices of Native Hawaiian mothers and their babies. Silva also ran the social media account of the Hawaiʻi-based organization SafeSex808, which focuses on expanding teen knowledge of safe and consensual sex.

She used her WGSS education while interning at the John A. Burns School of Medicine鈥檚 (JABSOM) Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women鈥檚 Health, which fits into her dream of becoming a doctor specializing in reproductive endocrinology and infertility. Silva is currently a junior hoping to graduate in spring 2023.

‘Working to create a more equitable society’

Cameron Woods, who graduated in spring 2022 with their bachelor’s in public health and WGSS, hopes to be a nurse practitioner. A Kalani High School graduate, Woods enrolled at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 in 2018 and was eager to take all the public health classes that were offered. Yet, as a sophomore, Woods felt something was missing.

“It became clear that my public health education would not be complete without studying and understanding the historical, social and structural issues that have created and perpetuated health disparities,” said the 2018 Regents Scholar.

That鈥檚 when WGSS became Woods鈥� second major. Woods also found fulfilling part-time work at a local health center, where two aspects of the job were making organizational changes to ensure LGBTQ+ patients and employees feel safe and comfortable in the clinic, and meeting with patients seeking guidance on gender-affirming health care.

“Our insurance system makes it very difficult for people to receive gender-affirming care, and it can be quite challenging and even traumatizing to navigate the health system on their own. I tried to take as much of that burden off the patient,” they said. “My advice to students, if you want to challenge yourself to deconstruct and reframe your ideas about society, and have a career working to create a more equitable society, WGSS is a great major to consider.”

‘I am a better person today because of WGSS’

Austin Ajimura, who graduated in 2019 with his bachelor鈥檚 in biology and WGSS, is pursuing a master鈥檚 in public health in social and behavioral health sciences, with the hopes of becoming a public health professional.

From early childhood to serving as Mililani High鈥檚 student body president, Ajimura wanted to pursue a career in medicine. “But what I failed to consider were the forces that affect my patients鈥� lives external to medicine”, said Ajimura. “When someone leaves the clinic, no matter how much you try to help them, they will continue to face their challenges.”

Ajimura is still haunted by the memory of a client while volunteering at JABSOM鈥檚 HOME (Houseless Outreach and Medical Education) Project.

“The client was in the final stages of cancer, a chronically houseless veteran and not receiving needed medical care or social support. We were able to assist to the best of our abilities but I never saw this individual again. I think about that person a lot. The experience further fueled my passion for change, because it was the first time I really saw the direct and devastating impacts of health disparities and poor access to health care.”

Ajimura鈥檚 main duties at Hawaiʻi HOME are assisting patients to obtain health insurance, establish primary care, and identify/overcome insurance and treatment barriers. He also works with city first-responders who have contracted or been exposed to COVID-19 by doing data collection and case investigation, determining appropriate quarantine/isolation timelines, and providing follow-up.

“I am a better person today because of WGSS. It has transformed me in the way that I view the world and society,” he said.

For more, visit the .

This work is an example of 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 goals of (PDF) and (PDF), two of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.