�鶹��ý continues to make progress toward its goal of having 55 percent of working age adults (ages 25-64) with a two-or four-year college degree by the year 2025 to meet the state’s workforce needs of the future. The current percent of college degree holders in �鶹��ý is 46.3 percent, up 1.4 percent from 2017.

The was set in 2008 by the , an advisory council representing leaders from education, business, labor, government and the community.

With six years remaining to reach 55 by ’25 recently launched , supported by the , to highlight leading indicators of success that are contributing to the state’s educational goal. Metrics are evidence-based, updated annually and predictive of a student’s future success in �鶹��ý.

“We chose metrics that clearly communicate that meeting this end goal (55 by ’25) is not possible without the various stakeholders doing their part to achieve our interim measures,” says Stephen Schatz, �鶹��ý P–20 executive director. “While we have a ways to go, this dashboard demonstrates real progress in �鶹��ý.”

Progress is being made in multiple areas. Along with increases in high school graduation, college enrollment rates and degrees earned, more students graduating high school are enrolling directly into postsecondary education without the need for remediation. An increased number of freshmen are persisting from their first year in college to the next, and more underrepresented students, particularly Native Hawaiians, are enrolling in college and earning degrees.

“We’re moving in the right direction,” says University of �鶹��ý President David Lassner. “Our 10 campuses are graduating more students faster and awarding more degrees than ever before. And our retention rates continue to improve. We see more opportunities in increasing the number of first-time freshmen who attend a UH campus and encouraging adults who have earned some college credits to return and complete their degrees. This doesn’t just happen by itself; these positive outcomes are a credit to people at the UH System and across our campuses deploying and using analytics to implement programs that make a difference for students.”

“Our progress in raising graduation rates and college enrollment over the last 10 years shows the great achievements possible through our partnerships with higher education,” said Superintendent Christina Kishimoto. “We’ve expanded this effort to include public and private sectors to increase access to education opportunities for both traditional students and adults in need of retraining to meet changing marketplace demands. This statewide commitment from all sectors will be crucial to ensuring �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s future economic growth and that of our citizen workforce.”

In order to increase economic opportunity and social mobility within the state, �鶹��ý will not only have to maintain current rates of attainment, but also significantly increase the number of residents who enroll in postsecondary programs and earn all types of credentials beyond high school.

“Building the educational capital of the state is a critical need to meet our growing workforce demands,” says Sherry Menor-McNamara, president and CEO of the . “We’re calling on our local businesses to get more involved in providing students with more quality work-based learning opportunities such as internships and apprenticeships and creating incentives for their employees to further their education as well.”

The �鶹��ý P–20 Council has identified three areas of focus to help reach the 55 by ’25 goal including providing more internship opportunities for students, increasing the number of returning adults going back to college and gaining additional funding for UH’s �鶹��ý Promise Program.

The �鶹��ý P–20 dashboard can be viewed at .

Students at made a commitment to their future at 55 by ’25 pledge day. The event, spearheaded by students, included college booths, games and other activities designed to motivate classmates to sign pledge sheets and banners to commit to attending college.

The pledge days are part of �鶹��ý ��–20’s which aims to have 55 percent of �鶹��ý’s working age adults hold a two- or four-year college degree by the year 2025. The initiative hopes to build college aspirations starting as early as middle school by mobilizing students to create a college-going culture on their campuses.

“It’s great when we help our middle school students to think about college,” says Stephen Schatz, executive director, �鶹��ý P–20. “To reach our state’s 55 by ’25 goal, we need our students to see that college leads to a brighter future, including higher pay, more job opportunities and more independence.”

As part of this effort, middle school students are developing innovative ways to spread the message about the importance of college and encouraging their classmates to make the pledge.

At Waipahu Intermediate, students created college boards to showcase to their classmates, organized a college fair featuring University of �鶹��ý campuses and planned college themed games including a college spelling bee. Teachers also posted their college name plates in their classrooms and shared their experiences with students.

It’s important to go to college because it is the first step to achieving all your goals in life and pursuing your career.
—Waipahu Intermediate 8th grader Maureen Albano

“The 55 by ’25 campaign at Waipahu Intermediate School is a way for our students to get excited about college,” says Randell Dunn, principal at Waipahu Intermediate. “Currently we are getting more and more students signing up for early college before they enter high school. This is a way for our students to prepare themselves for their future. It fits with our vision that “We Inspire Success…Everytime…Everywhere…Everyone.”

Students are getting the message.

“It’s important to go to college because it is the first step to achieving all your goals in life and pursuing your career,” said Waipahu Intermediate 8th grader Maureen Albano, who was also one of the student organizers.

In addition to Waipahu Intermediate, five additional schools held 55 by ‘25 pledge events on their campuses this year including ʻEwa Makai Middle, Kalākaua Middle, Kealakehe Intermediate, Waimea Canyon Middle and Waiʻanae Intermediate. More than 3,500 students have been involved in 55 by ’25 campus events this year.

The 55 by ’25 campaign’s middle school pledge program is a grassroots effort that began in 2016. To date, 15 middle schools statewide have participated in this student-led initiative.

Leaders representing all 10 campuses of the kicked off a two-day planning session to craft a strategy to encourage thousands of former UH students to return to school to earn their degree.

According to the 2016 �鶹��ý State Data Book, about 95,000 25–44 year olds in �鶹��ý have some college credits but not a degree. UH is planning a statewide campaign to help more of those former students complete their post-secondary degree or certificate.

“From national and �鶹��ý data, we know that higher education matters in providing choices, more secure employment, higher wages, better health and more civic engagement,” said UH President . “We have the responsibility and opportunity to provide higher educational opportunity and develop the workforce and community solutions for �鶹��ý.”

The Lumina Foundation reported that today’s students are less likely to get a job that pays livable wages or reach their full potential. The report estimated that high school graduates would miss out on $500,000 in earnings by not getting an associate’s degree and $1 million over a lifetime by not earning a bachelor’s degree.

Ensuring economic competitiveness

Lassner opened the January 18 session acknowledging existing campus efforts and the workforce needs of the community in the not-so-distant future. He said planning was key to encouraging adults who already have college credits to return to school. First target is students who attended UH for an undergraduate degree within the last five years but left school, or stopped out, without a degree or a certificate. UH is initially targeting 34,031 of these former students, in a multi-year, multifaceted effort to return and complete their degrees.

“So we want to invite these students back to pursue their dreams. Obviously it helps us but more importantly it helps them, it helps their families and it helps their communities,” Lassner said.

Helping working age adults earn degrees will help the state to meet its that 55 percent of working-age adults should have a two-or-four-year degree by 2025 to ensure international economic competitiveness. The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce projected that by 2020, 70 percent of the job openings in �鶹��ý will require a postsecondary credential.

Re-engaging returning adults

During the last decade, significant efforts and progress have been made in improving �鶹��ý’s educational pipeline. UH’s has increased on-time completion and focused on achieving equitable outcomes for underrepresented students. In 2017, the �鶹��ý State Legislature funded �鶹��ý Promise to support college affordability at community colleges, and UH has actively participated in national networks to improve educational outcomes, such as Achieving the Dream and Complete College America.

“Re-engaging “stopped out” students, who previously invested time and resources into earning a degree, is critical to reach the state’s educational goal,” said Tammi Chun, .

The session included a presentation by Sean Tierney, Indiana associate commissioner for higher education, about Indiana’s “You Can. Go Back” campaign, which targeted 750,000 former students who have some college credits but no degree. Indiana’s program reached out directly to prospective returning adults with a variety of programs and incentives including $1,000 state-funded scholarships, flexible class schedules, online courses, debt-forgiveness programs and other support for working adults. Indiana credits its campaign for 9,000 students returning to complete their degrees in the last two years. Similar efforts have been launched by universities and states nationwide.

Another presentation focused on how to improve the college experience for returning adults. A training team from the Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa, where day one of the workshop was held, provided details on the resort’s intentional design and customer service for a world class guest experience.

Lassner said it is important to understand how to reach the former students, their goals and the support they need to finish school. “What mode of classes, what programs will be most effective for them and how do we make the experience inviting.”

UH is using the lessons learned from the workshop as well as the prior campus efforts to develop programs and a statewide campaign to re-engage and support stopped out students.

The session was sponsored by the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation, Lumina Foundation, �鶹��ý Business Roundtable, UH Office of the President and the UH Office of the Vice President for Community Colleges.

2014 marked the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the .

What started out as four technical schools in 1964 has grown to seven community colleges—, , , , , and . There is at least one campus in each county and community outreach education centers across the state.

“Even on Niʻihau, they have access to Kauaʻi Community College,” said Sharon Narimatsu, a former Leeward Community College provost. “How fabulous is that?”

For decades now, UH community colleges have educated tens of thousands of people in trade programs like culinary and auto mechanics while also offering associate degrees and preparing students for four-year colleges and beyond. Students like �鶹��ý County Mayor Billy Kenoi, who went to �鶹��ý Community College.

“My life is what it is because of the community college system,” said Kenoi. “You know, I wasn’t prepared for a university degree when I got out of high school. I had some challenges but the community college was there for me. And without that door being open, I never would have been able to accomplish and achieve my high education dreams.”

Since its inception, UH Community Colleges has made higher education available to the masses because it’s affordable and anyone with a high school diploma or GED is accepted. To commemorate the anniversary, the UH Community Colleges held a 50th anniversary celebration and honored the 50 Finest—administrators and faculty—who built the system. The honorees were quick to point out that they represent everyone who contributed.

“It took a whole community of faculty and staff to bring the kind of training and education and commitment to make sure that �鶹��ý’s next generation got the skills that they needed to succeed,” said 50 Finest honoree Narimatsu.

With an eye to the future, the UH Community Colleges also recognized its rising stars.

“There is so much need our students continue to have,” said Rising Star honoree Grace Funai, a �鶹��ý Community College counselor. “Just thinking about how we can continue to innovate and to lead the state of �鶹��ý in providing that education to our students.”

One of UH’s goals is to ensure that 55 percent of working adults in �鶹��ý have a college degree by 2025.

• Find out more about UH’s �鶹��ý Graduation Intiative and the

To that end, the University of �鶹��ý Community Colleges will continue to improve and adapt to meet the workforce demands of the future.

“We think we have done a great job in opening higher education but it’s not over,” said John Morton, the vice president for the UH Community Colleges. “And so, we have much, much more to do for the people of the state of �鶹��ý and that’s our commitment.”

Performance of “That’s Life” at the 50th anniversary gala celebration

Kristian Lei, Broadway vocalist and Christian music recording artist and Billie Lueder, Honolulu CC executive assistant to the chancellor and marketing director

More than 2,500 high school seniors statewide will receive assistance in applying to a campus as part of . An initiative of , CAES encourages high school seniors, particularly prospective first-generation college students from low-income families, to apply to at least one college before they graduate from high school, giving every student the option to continue their education and attain a college degree.

“In order to reach the state’s goal of , it is essential that our young people pursue postsecondary education, whether that means a four-year university, a community college or other additional training beyond receiving their high school diploma,” says Karen Lee, executive director, �鶹��ý P–20 Partnerships for Education. “We must encourage our students to pursue education beyond high school, or as a state, we won’t be positioned for competitiveness in the 21st century. Helping students with their college applications is a key component.”

CAES is part of the , a national initiative to increase the number of first-generation and low-income college students pursuing a college degree. As of 2014, all 50 states and the District of Columbia are participating in this effort.

During CAES application events, local volunteers and staff from the University of �鶹��ý campuses, other �鶹��ý colleges and community organizations will work with 14 high schools statewide over the next few months to plan activities that encourage their seniors to complete a college application. The schools participating this year include: Castle High School, Farrington High School, Kahuku High School, Kailua High School, Kaimuki High School, Kalaheo High School, Ke Kula ʻo Ehunuikaimalino, Kohala High School, McKinley High School, Nānākuli Intermediate and High School, Roosevelt High School, Waialua Intermediate and High School, Waipahu High School and Waiʻanae High School.

For a list of dates for upcoming events happening statewide, please go to the .

—

Gino Paulino emigrated from the Philippines with his family when he was two years old. He is a Navy veteran who always dreamed of going to college.

“For me, going to college was a way to kind of put my foot in the door in terms of what I wanted to do as a career,” said Paulino.

He went to school under the GI Bill, studying at and the , where he earned a bachelor’s degree in social sciences in the spring of 2013. He wants to be naval aviator.

Paulino’s hard earned degree was one of 11,278 degrees and certificates awarded by the UH System in the 2013–14 academic year, a 13 percent increase over the previous year. It is also the highest number of diplomas and certificates ever awarded by UH in an academic year. awarded nearly 5,000 degrees and certificates, while the awarded 5,200. UH West Oʻahu and awarded nearly 1,200 degrees total.

• UH news release:

UH President David Lassner credits the dedication of the university’s 10 campuses. “It’s the result of their hard work across the state,” said Lassner. “We have a variety of techniques that we’ve used, such as . We’ve created pathways for all of our degree programs, we’ve focused on advising services and altogether, what that’s done is helped all of our campuses focus on helping more students succeed and helping them succeed faster.”

“Universities and colleges, we were very much focused on access. Everyone should have the opportunity to get into college,” added , UH System interim executive vice president for academic affairs. “The focus now has changed to completion. We need to get them out of college.”

The university’s aims to grow �鶹��ý’s highly skilled workforce to maintain the economic vitality of the state and the nation. The initiative’s program is working to increase to 55 percent, the number of working age adults who have two- or four-year degrees by 2025.

“As we graduate more students, we also have to make sure that we’re increasing our enrollment on the front end by paying attention to recruitment and bringing in new students and reaching out to the communities that have been underserved for many years,” said Lassner.

“Coming from �鶹��ý, especially on the west side of the island, having a college degree here means everything,” said Paulino. “Kids on this side of the island are growing up with this campus in their backyard and the idea that an education is not only accessible to them now, but realistic. It kind of plants the seed in the heads of the people that are over here, to kind of show them that it’s possible to have a dream.”

The of higher education has been selected by the to join a nationwide group of 12 higher education systems exploring higher education transformation at a large scale and solving common issues encountered during implementation.

UH aims to create innovative tools that provide real-time information on academic progress to students, academic advisors and administrators. These tools will enhance UH’s ability to respond quickly and more effectively to the needs of students, and aid students’ progress toward timely degree completion, which is one of UH’s systemwide goals.

�鶹��ý needs more citizens with postsecondary degrees and training to ensure its future competitiveness in a global knowledge based economy. “Today, only 42 percent of �鶹��ý’s citizens hold a two or four-year degree and our younger generation (25–34 year-olds) are not as well educated as their parents or grandparents,” said Interim UH President David Lassner. He continued, “Increasing the educational capital of the State of �鶹��ý is essential because it is estimated that, by 2018, 65 percent of jobs in �鶹��ý will require some college education. We are the sole public higher education system in �鶹��ý, and support for innovative approaches from strategic and forward-looking partners like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will be essential to help us achieve our statewide goal,” Lassner concluded.

The 55 by ’25 Campaign, sponsored by the , establishes the state’s education goal to have 55 percent of working age adults hold a college degree by 2025. Since 2008, when the �鶹��ý Graduation Initiative was launched, UH has increased the number of graduates with two- and four-year degrees by 27 percent and the number of students transferring from UH community colleges to four-year campuses has increased by 30 percent.

Other partner higher education systems selected for the initiative are , , , , the , , , , , and the .

An important education goal has been set for the state of �鶹��ý—, to increase the number of �鶹��ý’s working age adults with a two- or four-year college degree to 55 percent by the year 2025.

“We need families, business leaders, community groups and the general public to pledge their support to help �鶹��ý’s keiki and students to strive higher, and to earn a two- or four-year college degree, so that they are prepared for the best careers and a family sustaining wage,” said Karen Lee, the executive director of , which is spearheading the campaign.

Only 42 percent of �鶹��ý’s adults hold a college degree according to the latest U.S. Census information, and a recent study by Georgetown University found that by 2018, 65 percent of the jobs in �鶹��ý will require some college—an alarming 23 percent gap.

“This is a national imperative, this is an imperative for the state of �鶹��ý, therefore, it is an imperative for the University of �鶹��ý System,” said Interim President David Lassner. “We take this extremely seriously. ”

Governor and leaders in education, business and government spoke at a news conference at in January 2014 about the importance of strengthening the state’s workforce through education, from preschool to college.

“This is based on solid evidence of what works, how to do it. We know where we want to go, we know how to get there—the 55 by ’25 campaign is it,” said Governor Abercrombie.

• PHOTOS:

The campaign is calling on parents to get more involved, government to expand and invest in more academic programs and initiatives and businesses to provide more internships and incentives for employees to complete college.

• TIPS: | |

Local businesses have also joined the 55 by ’25 initiative including , , and , the largest private employer in the state that operates four hospitals including Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women and Children and Straub Medical Center.

“These hospitals could not function without an educated workforce,” said John La Forgia, the senior vice president and chief marketing officer for �鶹��ý Pacific Health. “We need doctors, nurses, lab technologists, x-ray technicians, a whole host of people, all of whom need to have specialized training, advanced training, advanced education to get what really are wonderful jobs.”

Efforts are already underway on all fronts. In recent years, enrollment is up 25 percent across the UH System and graduation rates are up 27 percent, thanks in part to efforts like the .

“That is, we are getting more students through more quickly than we are enrolling and that’s going to be essential for increasing degree output for the state,” said Lassner.

55 by ’25 is an initiative by �鶹��ý P–20 Partnerships for Education, a statewide partnership led by the , the and the . Go to for more information.

The , a statewide partnership of �鶹��ý’s educational leaders, has set a goal of having 55 percent of working-age adults hold a two- or four-year college degree by the year 2025 or the state won’t be positioned for competitiveness for the 21st century.

Only 41 percent of �鶹��ý’s working-age adults currently have a two- or four-year degree, according to a recent study.

�鶹��ý P–20 Partnerships for Education—led by the , the and the —believes that by working together across various community sectors, �鶹��ý can achieve this aggressive 55 by ’25 goal through a collective effort of supporting student success.

As part of the campaign, the has been launched with specific ideas to help parents from the birth of their children through college, for the students themselves, as well as for businesses and community organizations to participate in. An aggressive radio campaign is also running throughout the spring to heighten awareness of this issue and encourage action to increase �鶹��ý’s educational capital.

Read the for more about the program.