A new partnership between the University of �鶹��ý at Hilo and the �鶹��ý Police Department (HPD) is giving law enforcement officers across the state a clear path to earning a bachelor’s degree while continuing to serve their communities.

Launching this fall, the cohort offers online classes through UH Hilo’s College of . Officers can work full-time and study alongside a dedicated group of peers.

“It’s the first of what I hope will be many workforce partnerships here on �鶹��ý Island,” said UH Hilo Chancellor Bonnie D. Irwin while meeting with law enforcement officers who attended the program’s orientation. “We know that you’re ready, and we’re going to give you at UH Hilo all the support you need to be successful students and then soon graduates of this program.”

The inaugural class includes 10 officers from �鶹��ý County Police, Honolulu Police and the Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement or DOCARE division. The program is open to officers statewide. Applications for the fall cohort are due on August 15, while the deadline to join for the spring 2026 program is December 1.

Sharpening skills to serve

HPD officer Ryan Barrett said joining the fall cohort is a step toward answering some of the tough questions that come with his job.

“As a patrol officer right now, sometimes there are questions of, ‘What’s the best way to do this? Or, you know, what does case law say? How can I go about this in the best approach?’ And I think using these next couple of years to get a degree in Administration of Justice will help me better equip myself to better help the community,” Barrett said.

The new degree pathway drew praise from �鶹��ý County Mayor Kimo Alameda, who expressed how the program’s impact stretches far beyond the classroom.

“For every police officer who gets a degree in higher education—that improves their quality of life, their self esteem, and that has ripple effects to their family and ultimately, the community,” said Alameda.

UH Hilo’s Administration of Justice program is the only standalone bachelor’s degree of its kind in the UH system.

“We really want to be there for our law enforcement partners to develop workforce readiness, and we see that as beneficial, not just to our law enforcement partners, but to our administration of justice students and our communities. That educational enrichment is beneficial to everyone involved,” said Professor Katherine Young, department chair for administration of justice.

Application information

To apply or learn more, contact Professor Young at youngkat@hawaii.edu.

When Christine Nguyen crossed the graduation stage at ’s Manono campus on May 16, it wasn’t just a celebration of academic success—it was a triumph of choice, courage and self-belief. Graduating with an associate of science in administration of justice, Nguyen served as the student keynote speaker for �鶹��ý CC’s Class of 2025 and shared a story that resonated deeply with those who know what it means to start over, to carry the weight of others while daring to invest in yourself.

Although the odds were stacked against her—returning to college in her late 40s, managing an autoimmune disease, raising three children as a single mother, and stepping away from a steady accounting job—Nguyen chose herself. And in doing so, she chose a better future for her family.

‘No one can take this feeling away from us’

“I don’t know about you guys, but I feel on top of the world right now,” Nguyen said in her address to her fellow graduates. “Like I can be anything I want to be, I can accomplish anything I set my mind to. I wish we could encapsulate this feeling in a bottle, and when we are in our darkest hour, I wish we could take the bottle out to give ourselves the strength, courage and resilience we need to forge ahead…no one can take this feeling away from us—it is something we earned, with blood, sweat and tears.”

Nguyen’s decision to return to school led to more than a degree. She was named �鶹��ý’s 2025 New Century Transfer Pathway Scholar, a national honor awarded to the top-scoring community college student in each state based on academic excellence, leadership and service. Selected from nearly 2,100 applicants, she received a $2,250 scholarship and was recognized at the national Phi Theta Kappa Presidents Breakfast in Nashville in April.

“There were days I thought I could not pick up the pieces and start over,” said Nguyen. “I had to make a decision and I had to prioritize my life, and I chose to prioritize my life by going back to school.”

While pursuing her degree, Nguyen maintained a 4.0 GPA and took on multiple leadership roles—president of Phi Theta Kappa, treasurer of student government and the AJ Club, and vice president of the Waiākea Elementary PTO.

“Christine strives for personal excellence while also elevating and serving others on campus and in our community,” said �鶹��ý CC counselor and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society Advisor Kenoalani Dela Cruz. “As a student leader and scholar, she has served individuals of all ages, from keiki to kupuna. She’s absolutely amazing and it’s been a privilege to collaborate with her!”

�鶹��ý CC community mentorship, care

She credits the �鶹��ý CC community for providing the mentorship and care that helped her succeed.

“�鶹��ý Community College is a very tightly knit ʻohana,” said Nguyen. “I think that they have a very, very strong commitment not just to see students graduate but to see them succeed. And I think that is so important. �鶹��ý Community College really gave me a chance at a new life, a new career, and a new beginning for me, and for that, I will always be appreciative.”

Nguyen will continue her education at UH Hilo with plans to attend law school—proof that even when the path is hard, it’s never too late to change your story.