The (ACM) at the awarded two students the inaugural Roy and Hilda Takeyama Foundation Scholarship.

Mavric Agustin-Carino and Mikaela Briones are recipients of this first-ever full scholarship in the ACM program. They will receive multi-year assistance and an additional $1,000 annually to support their studies and enhance their experiences at UH West Oʻahu.

The scholarship is part of a made in 2015 by the Roy and Hilda Takeyama Foundation to support and advance the mission and priorities of the ACM program through tuition, books, internships and state-of-the-art equipment for the , which is set to hold classes starting this fall.

Roy and Hilda Takeyama’s children, son and foundation trustee David Takeyama, and daughter and UH Regent Jan Sullivan, said their late father would have been overjoyed with the news of the two scholarship recipients.

“Our father, Roy Takeyama, who started the foundation, was an early donor of the ACM program and its vision to broaden and diversify �鶹��ý’s economy,” David Takeyama said. “As we work through this pandemic, the importance of those early insights are highlighted today and if he were still alive today, he would be overwhelmed with joy to see that these promising two students have the opportunity to make a real change in �鶹��ý’s future.”

Agustin-Carino’s motivation

Agustin-Carino, resident of ʻEwa Beach, is a second-career student who went from working in the construction trade to pursuing media and design in ACM.

“This is the first scholarship I have ever received and I consider this to be one of my greatest personal achievements,” said Agustin-Carino, who transferred from Leeward Community College where he received an AS in digital media.

Agustin-Carino said earning a bachelor’s degree in the creative media program will give him more opportunities in the video game industry. He ultimately wants to create art in an effort to design a wonderful gaming experience for all ages.

“I am motivated, now more than ever, to excel in my work and make my family and loved ones proud,” Agustin-Carino said.

Endless possibilities for Briones

Briones said that the significance this scholarship has for her is “huge.”

“It’s honestly everything to me because I’m not in such a fortunate position that I’d be able to pay for college out of pocket without any financial assistance,” she said. “But this scholarship really opens up more doors for me as I know that my hard work pays off.”

Briones, who is a 2020 graduate of Waiʻanae High School where she was part of the school’s Searider Productions, added that she gained a love of graphic design and creative media as a whole from her high school experience.

“Once I get my degree, I hope to maybe return to my alma mater and teach or even start my own design firm,” Briones said. “The possibilities from here are endless as long as I stay on this track.”

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

The is installing a new 96-kilowatt photovoltaic (PV) system for the Administration and Health Science building, taking a step toward UH System’s goal to be “net-zero”—produce as much renewable energy as it consumes—across its 10 campuses by 2035.

The new PV system also supports the goal of achieving a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold (or higher) certification for the building.

Installation of UH West Oʻahu’s new PV system began on May 26 and is expected to be complete on July 7, with HECO validation from July 21 to September 3 to install the new meter and get the system energized, monitored and commissioned.

While power usage upon the reopening of the campus for the fall 2020 semester is uncertain at this time, it is expected to be less than prior to the COVID-19 impact due to anticipated reduction of building users in compliance with social distancing guidelines, such as fewer students per classroom and increased online classes.

The system cost is $437,909, which includes onsite project team coordination and supervision, revisions to the existing structure for electrical pathways and coordination with HECO for system validation. The PV system is funded by a combination of general obligation bonds and EB-5 immigrant investor funds.

Those on campus during the installation are advised to use caution and be cognizant of work and loading areas, machinery, equipment, signs and crew involved in the project.

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

The at the is one of 60 providers from 29 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to receive new accreditation for their educator preparation programs, the (CAEP) recently announced. CAEP is the sole accrediting body for educator preparation nationally recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

The spring 2020 review by the CAEP resulted in a total of 341 education preparation providers approved under the CAEP —nationally recognized standards that were developed to ensure excellence in educator preparation programs.

“Basically, external reviewers agreed that the evidence and outcomes show that we meet rigorous standards,” Jeffrey A.S. Moniz, UH West Oʻahu vice chancellor for academic affairs, said. “This is a testament to the excellence of our faculty, students and school partners.”

Moniz added, “National accreditation presents this powerful assurance [that] UH West Oʻahu provides the high-quality education needed to prepare effective teachers for the learners in our communities.”

Mary F. Heller, UH West Oʻahu education division chair, said she is extremely appreciative to the division’s faculty for their commitment to preparing excellent teachers for �鶹��ý’s K–12 students.

“We are grateful for our partnership with the �鶹��ý Department of Education, as faculty work closely with mentor teachers and principals to provide field-based experiences that bring to life the real-world challenges and joys of teaching,” Heller said.

“The CAEP accreditation team found ‘no areas for improvement’ across all programs,” Heller added. “We nevertheless will stand by our Continuous Improvement Model, using qualitative and quantitative data to inform practice as we move forward together over the next seven year accreditation cycle.”

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

The has proven to be one of the most significant stepping stones for two graduating seniors.

LeianaMarie Alejado and Anthony Amos were among more than 370 students who received their college degrees from UH West Oʻahu this spring semester. While Alejado and Amos traveled different paths to graduation, both were similarly led to life-changing self-discovery they say they owe to the university.

“This campus, and �鶹��ý itself, is filled with a rich culture and many opportunities to push yourself to not just success, but enlightenment,” Amos said. “I discovered who I am and who I want to be during my years here.”

“I believe it is my purpose in life to inspire and educate those around me,” Alejado said. “I would have never come to this conclusion if I went to another institution.”

Alejado’s gratitude

Alejado, who graduated with a bachelor of arts in humanities with a concentration of , was accepted into UH ����ԴDz�’s program.

Her greatest post-college goal is to dive further into her senior project which aimed to provide a space for indigenous students on campus to ensure their success and complete their educational journeys through the power of intentional community building.

Rouel Velasco, director of student life at UH West Oʻahu, described Alejado as “a driven student leader” who is passionate about social justice work, specifically focusing on Hawaiian affairs while uplifting others.

“She is studious, committed to a vibrant student experience, and exudes so much aloha in all her interactions with peers, staff and faculty,” Velasco said.

Alejado noted that she owes everything that she is to UH West Oʻahu’s faculty and staff, who not only educated her, but helped raise her.

“Graduating is so important to me because it is as if I am being inducted into a legacy of intelligent, culturally aware, and inspiring people who took me under their wings and showed me the power of being part of a beloved community,” Alejado said.

Amos says ‘Mahalo!’

Amos, who came from Germany, is a self-described “military brat” who embraced the Hawaiian culture and all that UH West Oʻahu has to offer. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in , with concentrations in sociology and political science.

He plans to move to Washington D.C., where he hopes to get an internship at the U.S. Capitol and become more involved in political processes.

“Once I have more experience, I will strive to expand upon my political career,” said Amos, “and, as bold as this is, push to become president one day—or at least change how that process works.”

Christy Mello, assistant professor of anthropology, said she is grateful to have had Amos as a student, mentee and research assistant.

“He is a serious scholar, brilliant, a leader, exudes positive energy and will make a difference in this world with his drive and passion for social justice,” Mello said.

What Amos gained was something that he could find only at UH West Oʻahu.

“Mahalo to all those who contributed to my growth and for everyone’s hard work during such trying times,” Amos said. “You all made �鶹��ý feel like home and provided me with my understanding of my kuleana.”

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

Leadership from the visited the University of �鶹��ý–West Oʻahu (CSCC) in February bolstering the partnership between the university and intelligence organization.

NSA �鶹��ý officials were invited to CSCC to attend a weekly update, featuring presentations by the center’s five student interns: Global Cyber Analyst Jarren Buendia, Cyber Vulnerabilities Analyst Warren Domingo, Cybersecurity Best Practices Analyst Guy Nguyen-Phuoc, Digital Forensics Analyst Brandon Chun and Cybersecurity of Industrial Control Systems Analyst Edgar Namoca.

“The cybersecurity program within the business division at the University of �鶹��ý—West Oʻahu has built a strong relationship with NSA �鶹��ý since the program earned designation by the National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education in 2016,” said Matthew A. Chapman, UH West Oʻahu professor of computer science and cybersecurity and head of the campusʻ cybersecurity program. UH West Oʻahu was the first four-year university in the state to achieve this.

Both NSA �鶹��ý and have a shared goal to grow the cyber workforce in �鶹��ý to protect our state and national interests, specifically the protection of our critical infrastructure, Chapman said.

“This partnership benefits our students with summer internships, our graduates with jobs, and our state with a local, highly technical, cybersecurity workforce that best understands our unique culture and the unique cybersecurity challenges in �鶹��ý,” said Chapman, adding that these students twice won the National Championship (2016 and 2018) in the National Cyber League against both undergraduate and graduate students across the United States.

“Our partnership also benefits both military and civilian employees of NSA �鶹��ý who enroll in our cybersecurity programs to complete their bachelor’s degree or complete individual courses to increase their technical and cyber skills,” he said.

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

Students and faculty at the and the UH ����ԴDz� (JABSOM) met the U.S. Surgeon General during his recent visit to the state. Dr. Jerome Adams was in �鶹��ý to address the National Medical Association conference.

The surgeon general is known as the “nation’s doctor” and oversees the commissioned corps of the U.S. Public Health Service, which is made up of more than 6,000 uniformed public health officers. Adams was appointed surgeon general in 2017 and his motto is “better health through better partnerships.”

UH West Oʻahu

Adams was welcomed to UH West Oʻahu with a Native Hawaiian protocol and the singing of Mele Honouliuli by summer bridge students. He thanked them for their greeting and took a selfie with the students from schools on �鶹��ý Island and along the Waiʻanae Coast.

“You guys are the right-now,” Adams said, explaining that he had attended a summer bridge program once and that they have the power to change the trajectory of healthcare.

During Adams’ visit, the campus highlighted its health science programs, which address community and workforce needs. UH West Oʻahu will inaugurate new concentrations focusing on health careers in fall 2019, including Hawaiian and indigenous health and healing, health information management, long-term care and health professions. The campus has concentrations in respiratory care, healthcare administration and community health.

“We are not trying to get a seat at the table,” said Ric Custodio, a long-time pediatrician and health science program chairman. “We are building the table. We believe that if we create new, innovative, health science bachelor-level degrees of the future, we can transition our first generation, low-income students into marketable and sustainable healthcare careers.”

Kauʻi Baumhofer, UH West Oʻahu assistant professor of indigenous health science, also gave a presentation.

For more go to .

John A. Burns School of Medicine

At JABSOM Adams spoke to �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s future doctors as though he was addressing his colleagues, instead of medical students. “Use your voice,” he urged them, emphasizing that doctors are among the most trusted people in America.

He zeroed in on a rising local trend—the dangerous spike in the use of e-cigarettes by high schoolers. “�鶹��ý is the second-highest state in the country for youth using e-cigarettes. One pod contains as much nicotine as a pack of cigarettes. We have a new generation of youth becoming slaves to nicotine,” said Adams.

He voiced concern about the normalization of marijuana: “CBD oil is not regulated. You might think you’re getting this, but maybe you’re getting a little of the oil and the rest is, I don’t know what.”

Adams addressed national issues as well. “Our poor health isn’t just a matter of diabetes, cancer and heart disease. We’re literally a less safe country now because we’re not healthy. Oral health is one of the reasons soldiers get sent home from deployment.”

He asked those in the JABSOM auditorium to look at themselves, saying, “People don’t prioritize health. How many times have you skipped a workout or skipped a meal for work? Then we turn around and look at patients and say, ‘What’s wrong with you? Why aren’t you prioritizing your health?’”

Adams is a strong advocate for preventive care. He also knows the vicious toll substance abuse takes on individual health and families, citing his own brother’s struggle with addiction. He said that, just by walking around Waikīkī during his brief �鶹��ý stay, he could see signs of opioid addiction, and he urged everyone in healthcare to have the overdose antidote Naloxone handy.

After his talk, Adams listened to community health advocates in a round table discussion involving JABSOM and other UH faculty who are active in health locally and throughout the Pacific region, including members of the Pacific Islands Primary Care Association, Pacific Island Health Officers Association, Kokua Kalihi Valley Community Health Center and We Are Oceania.

For more go to .

During any given semester upward of 300 students, representing about 10 percent of the enrollment, list their permanent home addresses as being on Maui, �鶹��ý Island, Kauaʻi, Molokaʻi or Lānaʻi. The students take courses through online classes or via Interactive Television, where classes are live streamed, allowing them to to in Kapolei.

UH West Oʻahu has the highest percentage of distance and online courses and programs among UH campuses, according to a . It is an area of focus as the campus seeks to increase its enrollment. In 2018, the percentage of UH West Oʻahu students enrolled in at least one distance education class was 79.1 percent. The percentage of UH West Oʻahu students enrolled in all distance education classes was 37.7 percent.

At the end of the spring 2019 semester, 55 graduates earned degrees from UH West Oʻahu, but took their classes while residing on the neighbor islands. This included 31 graduates on Maui, 12 on Kauaʻi, 7 on �鶹��ý Island, 3 on Molokaʻi and 2 on Lānaʻi.

On Kauaʻi

Rheif Callahan, a Kauaʻi resident who earned a bachelor of business administration with a concentration in accounting, was among four UH West Oʻahu students accepting their degrees during May 10 commencement ceremony. Under an agreement, distance learning students can participate in the college’s ceremonies and receive their degree from a UH West Oʻahu representative.

“All in all, it was a great experience,” Callahan wrote in an email. “I had a lot of great instructors, even though I never met them, and despite being on another island they were quick to respond to my questions, and I even felt I got to know them a little bit. Thank you Katie Landgraf, Leslie Rush and Edward Keaunui for helping me get my BA and making a positive impact on my life.”

For neighbor island students, UH West ��ʻ�����’s distance learning program (and those from other UH campuses) are a way to pursue a four-year degree without having to leave home or uproot families to move to Oʻahu. Callahan, a 2008 graduate of Waimea High School, was able to study accounting without having to give up a career he’d established on Kauaʻi.

“I play music for income and through it, I was able to pay for my education while still having ample free time to study,” wrote Callahan, a bass and guitar player in several groups on the Garden Island. He was able to keep the regular gigs that would have been lost if he had moved.

University Centers

Callahan took mostly online courses and when required, visited for advising. According to Gloria Niles, UH West Oʻahu director of distance education, university centers serve as “brokers” with UH campuses that offer baccalaureate or higher degrees. That allows neighbor island residents to , including and .

Besides Kauaʻi, UH West Oʻahu partners with university centers at and the for local support services such as proctoring of exams and facilitating communication among campuses. Callahan, who earned an associate degree in liberal arts from Kauaʻi CC, said he liked the freedom, convenience and cost of getting a UH West Oʻahu degree through distance learning.

He was also happy to complete his college career in front of family and friends at Vidinha Stadium in Līhuʻe.

Callahan wrote, “The best part about the commencement ceremonies was that I got to congratulate all of my friends that were graduating from KCC and to meet new friends who were also graduating distance students.”

The University of �鶹��ý–West ��ʻ�����’s is ranked 30 among 1,290 colleges, according to the testing of students’ cyber aptitude by a leading organization focused on internet security.

The performance of students in Cyber FastTrack challenges ranked the school in the top tier of colleges with students participating in the program. UH West Oʻahu also was the best program in �鶹��ý in the ranking by SANS Institute, a research and education organization focused on information security training and certification.

Five other UH campuses were also highly ranked. They included (48), (132) and (167). and were tied at 268.

“Something is going very right for cybersecurity in �鶹��ý,” said Alan Paller, SANS Institute director of research, commenting on the 118 students from the state that participated in the CyberStart Assess phase of the Cyber FastTrack program. The online program is free for students, who compete for a chance to win scholarships for advanced cybersecurity training.

“What is most impressive is that 30 students demonstrated sufficient aptitude to be selected as quarterfinalists and to move on to the next round toward national recognition and the $2.5 million in scholarships.”

UH West Oʻahu accounted for 14 of the 30 students from �鶹��ý who are moving on to the next round of the competition. The other five UH campuses with students in that round are UH Mānoa with 9 students, Leeward CC 3, UH Hilo 2, and Kapiʻolani CC and UH Maui College with one each. Paller said 10 percent of students from �鶹��ý solved the most difficult challenges, putting them in the “Highly Adept” category of participants. The CyberStart Game began on May 20 and features more than 200 challenges. Students taking part in this phase learn how to identify security flaws, in-depth code cracking and dissecting a digital trail. This phase ends June 28.

“Our cyber students never cease to amaze me,” said Matthew Chapman, UH West Oʻahu associate professor of information technology and cyber security and head of the campus’ cybersecurity program. “Their technical abilities, professionalism and motivation to be the best are inspiring. Also, they are just a really fun group of people to be around.”

SANS Institute has partnered with state governors on the Cyber FastTrack program, which is an effort to encourage students to pursue cybersecurity careers and reduce the United States’ digital skills gap with other countries. The program consists of three levels of challenges; students who complete the Assess phase are invited to compete in the CyberStart Game.

For more information, go to .

—By Greg Wiles

Sheila Estanique’s path to a college degree wasn’t smooth by any stretch of the imagination. Many experience potholes and bumps along the way, and Estanique’s rough years as a teen and young adult almost shut the door on her journey before it could even start.

She dropped out of high school in what would have been her sophomore year. She battled an affinity for drugs that began at age 15. She had the first of her six children at age 19. She ran away from home. She experienced domestic abuse with past boyfriends. The list goes on.

“It was a very horrifying and dark time for me,” notes Estanique, who is about to celebrate her 44th birthday. She doesn’t sugarcoat her past history, and her agonizing tale doesn’t obscure her story of redemption in the classroom.

On Saturday, May 4, Estanique will walk with other graduates, having earned a bachelor of arts in social sciences with a concentration in psychology. She plans to pursue a master’s degree and sees herself working in an educational setting in the future.

“There were times when I wanted to give up (on pursuing a degree) when life, marriage, parenting and college became overwhelming,” said Estanique, who has children ages 9, 12 and 16 at home. “I would remind myself that my kids are watching me, that I am setting an example of what hard work, determination, and perseverance looks like.”

Getting her start at Windward CC

At age 38, unsure of whether she could do the work, Estanique enrolled in two classes at .

“School is not easy for me,” said Estanique, explaining writing papers might take her a week, where other people might finish in a day. “I struggle to get my work done.”

Even so, it appears Estanique has found her groove in higher education, and there’s little in her demeanor to suggest her past. Despite self-doubts about her ability as a scholar, Estanique graduated magna cum laude from Windward CC as a member of , the largest and most prestigious honor society for two-year college students. “I really, really progressed there,” said Estanique, who also is the recipient of numerous scholarships.

Continuing her journey at UH West Oʻahu

At UH West Oʻahu she continued to do well. Konstantinos Zougris, a UH West Oʻahu assistant professor of sociology, said Estanique was an exemplary student, delivering challenging assignments in a timely manner, working well and adapting to others in groups, while demonstrating leadership skills.

“I was really impressed by her diligence and academic work,” Zougris said. “She was one of my top students.”

Estanique chose to attend UH West Oʻahu for a variety of reasons and speaks highly of the faculty. She is thankful for her husband, who she says was a partner in her education by helping out with their three children. She has three older children ages 21, 22 and 24 as well as two granddaughters.

Estanique’s already setting her sights on her next educational goal and plans to apply to the College of Education at UH Mānoa to enter the in the fall 2020 semester.

To read the full article, go to .

The world’s first and only handcrafted oboe made of Hawaiian kauila wood makes its debut next month in an oboe concerto composed by nationally known composer and University of �鶹��ý–West Oʻahu Associate Professor Jon Magnussen. The set of performances features UH ����ԴDz� music lecturer and oboist J. Scott Janusch.

“I feel privileged and honored to finally be able to share the culmination of two years’ effort to bring this project to life,” said Janusch.

Magnussen was commissioned to compose Nā Kau ʻElua | The Two Seasons for Janusch and the (HOLP), which involved the crafting of an oboe out of kauila wood thought to be 200- to 300-years old. Kauila wood is rare and culturally significant.

Magnussen also helped in researching the historic importance of the wood, which is one of �鶹��ý’s hardest native woods and was used for the making of everyday objects including farming tools, kapa beaters and weapons.

HOLP was envisioned by Janusch as a gift to the islands where he has spent the majority of his professional life as a celebrated oboist, teacher and supporter of local arts. The kauila wood used is from Kauaʻi and was harvested more than 25 years ago by Konohiki Ed Kaiwi in a rural area near Waimea Canyon. Kaiwi’s longtime friend, noted luthier Michael Sussman, was given a portion of this wood. Once he learned of Janusch’s idea, he agreed to gift the remaining wood to HOLP and milled two billets from the tree trunk. These billets were taken to the Worthing factory of Howarth of London—a world-renowned oboe maker—where the Hawaiian oboe was completed in about two years.

Nā Kau ʻElua reflects the lunar moons of the Hawaiian year

The concerto is a 12-movement work for string quartet, piano, Hawaiian and western percussion instruments and a solo oboe. Magnussen paid heed to the kauila wood’s age by composing Nā Kau ʻElua | The Two Seasons using harmonies and melodies from Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons (1721), a concerto written roughly around the same time as when the oboe’s wood began to grow.

The 12-movement design also reflects the 12 lunar moons of the Hawaiian year, which is divided into two seasons: wet (kau hoʻoilo) and dry (kau wela). Each of the movements features a concept or object traditionally made of kauila wood. Plans for the instrument call for , the fiscal sponsor of HOLP, to care for the oboe and make it available for generations to come.

The premiere performance of Nā Kau ʻElua | The Two Seasons and the debut of HOLP will be part of during a pair of performances in May. Janusch, who is the principal oboist for the �鶹��ý Symphony Orchestra, will perform with the , UH ����ԴDz� Professor of Music and , UH ����ԴDz� lecturer and �鶹��ý Symphony Orchestra percussionist.

The performances are scheduled for:

• : Magnussen’s composition and the Mozart Oboe Quartet will be performed at 7:30 p.m. at the Palikū Theatre at Windward Community College.
• : The program repeats. 7:30 p.m., Doris Duke Theatre at the Honolulu Museum of Art.

General admission tickets are $35, but students can attend free with valid ID. For ticket information, see .

To read the full story, go to UH West Oʻahu’s .

To see a promotional video about the Hawaiian Oboe Legacy Project, click .The post Unique instrument of rare Hawaiʻi wood debuts at concert first appeared on University of Hawaiʻi System News.]]> 94799