In a historic move led by University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� undergraduate students, the �鶹��ý State Legislature has adopted a resolution declaring climate change a public health emergency—the first U.S. state to do so.

The resolution—formally introduced as concurrent measures in both the House and Senate by State Rep. Nicole Lowen and State Sen. Mike Gabbard—was drafted by students Elijah Warren, Mehana Kapoi and Emily Werner, alongside their mentors James McCallen and Elizabeth Kiefer, as part of their capstone project through the UH ����ԴDz� –sustainability program. McCallen is from the and Kiefer is from the , and both are co-founders of the .

After months of research and collaboration with faculty advisors and lawmakers, the students helped guide the concurrent resolutions to adoption.

“We were mostly inspired by the growing amount of evidence that has come about from climate change,” Werner said. “We’re already seeing this, especially here in �鶹��ý. It’s not something just in the future or happening in other places, it’s happening here, and it’s happening now. We’ve already seen it here in things such as heat waves, water contamination and natural disasters that have been exacerbated by climate change, and then the mental health impacts that have been occurring from those events.”

“My hope is that this resolution will create a sense of urgency to understand and prepare for the health impacts of climate change, and to encourage the cross-sector collaboration that will be needed to deal with this effectively,” Lowen said.

“�鶹��ý continues to lead the charge when it comes to climate change—first with SCR 44, making us the first state in the nation to declare a climate emergency, and now with SCR 111, recognizing the serious health impacts too,” Gabbard said. “The climate crisis isn’t just about sea-level rise—it’s about wildfire risks, air quality, disease and community resilience. Mahalo to �鶹��ý Public Health Institute, Climate Change and Health, James McCallen and Dr. Elizabeth Kiefer for their leadership in expanding our approach to climate action. Together, we’re building a safer, healthier future for us all.”

‘Staying persistent’

The effort was not without resistance. During hearings, students received criticism from some lawmakers and community members.

“We got quite a bit of pushback from some of the representatives within that hearing after we had given our testimony,” Werner said. “We were told that we were stretching the definition of a public health emergency to include climate change, and it waters down the urgency of actual public health emergencies, such as fentanyl or crime. However, climate change will only make these problems worse.

“How we overcame that was just staying persistent—showing up for hearings, continuing to give testimony and staying true to our mission—because all of our research was all based on complete facts.”

McCallen and Kiefer said, “Watching Emily, Mehana and Eli grow into powerful climate-health advocates was the highlight of this session. Their leadership, from pitching the climate health emergency resolution to testifying at the Capitol, played a key role in amplifying this message across �鶹��ý, and we’re incredibly proud of the impact they’ve made.”

Helping �鶹��ý’s people

Students hope the resolution shifts how �鶹��ý discusses and addresses climate issues—both as environmental and public health challenges.

“�鶹��ý’s people are the heart of �鶹��ý,” Kapoi said. “Promoting initiatives within the legislature that emphasize our people and their health was really important to us, and that was an overall inspiration for our resolution.”

All three students will graduate within the year and hope to carry this policy win into their post-graduate plans.

“I totally understand that it can be very intimidating to get involved in this stuff, but I feel like for me, at least throughout the whole process, if you care about something, and something matters to you, then do something about it,” Werner said.

The University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� and Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture are advancing global health solutions through the “, which links human, animal and environmental well-being. Since 2022, this partnership has united experts, students, and institutions from both regions to promote collaborative research, education, and cultural exchanges, aiming to build a more resilient future for �鶹��ý, Fukuoka, and beyond.

Traveling to Fukuoka was a valuable lifetime experience for me to promote One Health to others from another country.
—Jerissa Ching Choe

In October 2024, UH representatives Sandra Chang, professor, and Jerissa Ching Choe, PhD student, traveled to Fukuoka to meet students and officials, exploring new initiatives and preparing for the Youth Development Program in December. This program will bring more Fukuoka students to �鶹��ý, offering an immersive experience to deepen their understanding of health and sustainability in �鶹��ý’s cultural context.

The collaboration was formalized in April 2023 with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed at UH ����ԴDz�’s (JABSOM), underscoring a commitment to bridging education, health and sustainability. Throughout 2023, officials developed joint activities, including a high school exchange program and proposed a One Health curriculum for Fukuoka universities. In December 2023, Fukuoka sponsored select high school students to visit �鶹��ý, where they connected with local peers, met with JABSOM faculty, and explored the Hawaiian healing garden to gain new perspectives on global health.

“Traveling to Fukuoka was a valuable lifetime experience for me to promote One Health to others from another country,” said Ching Choe. “I felt empowered to share my knowledge about One Health from �鶹��ý to communities in Fukuoka. This trip made me not only appreciate the importance of One Health, but it widened my perspective on what the One Health approach looks like around the world. I plan to use this experience to drive my career pathway in One Health.”

UH certificate program offered to Fukuoka students

In June 2024, UH signed a second MOU with Japan’s Tsuzuki Education Group to expand its , enabling pharmacy students in Japan to participate through a blend of virtual and in-person learning. Created by UH faculty across JABSOM, the Office of Public Health Studies, the , and the , this program prepares students to address complex health issues with a holistic perspective. Initial funding was provided by the Provost’s Strategic Investment Initiative in 2019.

To date, JABSOM has sent three medical students and one PhD student to Japan to share their One Health experiences. Together, UH and Fukuoka are creating opportunities for future generations to address shared global challenges and foster interconnected, resilient communities.

The University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa (CALL) is set to pioneer a venture into environmental justice within Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities, thanks to a game-changing $1.25-million grant from the Mellon Foundation. This funding will propel the establishment of a cutting-edge interdisciplinary initiative, complete with two new faculty positions, a humanities lab to develop new teaching materials, and a dynamic forum for professional development and the exchange of ideas.

“We have every expectation that this project will have a transformational and lasting impact on UH Mānoa’s growing capacity to serve as an international leader in advancing the goal of environmental justice across the vast and interconnected regions of Asia, Oceania and America,” said CALL Dean Peter Arnade.

Eco-justice movement

Examples of environmental justice issues can range from unequal access to clean water, air pollution and climate change impacts. Asia and the Pacific Islands are home to more than 60% of the world’s surface area and human population, and are disproportionately affected by the ecological catastrophes of sea-level rise, marine pollution, coastal erosion and biodiversity loss. At the same time, Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders are notably underrepresented in the environmental movement at the national level.

Throughout the next three years, the new initiative, housed in CALL’s (SPAS), aims to chart a new course forward by developing an approach to environmental justice that leans into the long-standing connections— of culture, kinship and shared histories—that link the diverse regions and populations of America, Oceania and Asia. The initiative will lay an educational foundation for a new generation of leaders who will be equipped with grounded and culturally-relevant knowledge, networks, and skills to empower themselves and their communities.

“UH Mānoa will be one of the first universities in the country with this kind of AAPI-based environmental humanities initiative,” said Cathryn Clayton, professor and chair of the . “We hope to spark new conversations, at the local, national and international level, about the intersections of environmental and social justice from AAPI perspectives. We also hope to provide an institutional platform that can help amplify the voices that are already out there in the community doing this vital work.”

Clayton and Alexander Mawyer, an associate professor and director of the UH Mānoa , authored the proposal.

New courses, professional development

New faculty in the Departments of Pacific Islands Studies and Asian Studies will develop and teach innovative interdisciplinary courses that explore how issues of environmental justice connect populations and cultures, pasts and futures, across the Pacific Islands, Asia and the U.S. The grant will also fund a series of activities aimed at establishing UH Mānoa as a hub for AAPI environmental humanities and environmental justice. A new pedagogical lab will invite faculty and students to collaborate with community groups to create multimedia resources such as e-books and videos to strengthen humanistic approaches to environmental justice studies.

UH Mānoa faculty and students will also have the opportunity to participate in an ongoing forum to share emerging research with colleagues, scholars and practitioners from the continental U.S., Asia and the Pacific Islands. The forum will serve as a generative space for new networks of knowledge and professional development that advance AAPI needs, voices and solutions in environmental justice through the humanities.

Internationally recognized chocolatier Dylan Butterbaugh’s passion for chocolate began when he was a student at University of �鶹��ý Mānoa—but it was completely unrelated to his major. The founder of graduated in 2011 with a degree in Spanish and interdisciplinary studies, but spent a lot of his time at UH in a lab with his friend Dan O’Doherty, who was studying cacao as a potentially viable crop for �鶹��ý.

“I’d go into this lab and help him crack pods open, set up micro ferments and make chocolate on a really small scale,” said Butterbaugh, who was helping in a (CTAHR) lab with Emeritus Professor Harry “Skip” Bittenbender. “[Skip] was so receptive to allowing just any student to come in and hang out in the lab and learn about whatever crops he was specialized in.”

This is when Butterbaugh made his first piece of chocolate, all the way from the cacao tree to the finished product. Ironically, he didn’t even like chocolate before volunteering in the lab!

“Until I tried what Dan was making in that lab, and I tasted things like cherries and spices,” Butterbaugh explained. “I thought he’d added or infused these flavors somehow…he said, ‘no, no, that’s genetics, and that’s, like, the environment that it grows in.’ And I just thought that was so neat, because until then, I thought a Hershey bar was a chocolate bar.”

Starting with trees

The experience inspired Butterbaugh to try his hand at producing high-quality chocolate grown and manufactured in �鶹��ý. He feared that growing and selling cacao seeds wasn’t the right place for him to start, as the labor and growing costs were too high. Instead, he dreamt of how he might turn cacao farming into a viable industry for �鶹��ý as whole—namely, by establishing a manufacturing center to turn those crops into finished, value-added products.

“I’d always wanted to grow trees,” he said. “So I kind of wanted to figure out, ‘How do I create a job that can grow trees and still make a living for myself? Where I can stay in the state of �鶹��ý, which is where I was born and raised?’”

“I’ve come to realize there’s two different types of industries here,” Butterbaugh added. “One is making candy and we’re trying to make really, really high-end chocolate. That’s a lot more like food.”

Butterbaugh documented all of his successes and failures through his YouTube channel, with the intention of helping other chocolate makers and entrepreneurs. His videos have gained traction in the chocolate community, and he now has more than 30,000 subscribers from all over the world. In fact, a UH family member traveling through Poland heard about Mānoa Chocolate Factory and Butterbaugh’s YouTube channel from a Polish chocolatier who is very grateful for the insights and expertise that he shares with the world.

Focus on sustainable development

Mānoa Chocolate’s name originated from the Hawaiian word mānoa which means solid, vast and depth. Butterbaugh found this name fitting: it summed up his goal to (1) make chocolate with deep, complex flavor profiles, and (2) create a vast impact on �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s agricultural and manufacturing industries.

Mānoa Chocolate incorporates sustainability through its packaging by using a plant-based cellulose film that is biodegradable. The exterior packaging is made out of paper to help keep more plastic out of the landfill. To further promote sustainability and eliminate waste, Mānoa also uses the shell of the cacao seed (a commonly wasted byproduct of the chocolate-making process) to make a delicious chocolate tea that has become very popular.

“We use (additional) ingredients that everyone in �鶹��ý loves; lilikoi, mango, coconut, banana, etc,” said Butterbaugh. “We also love doing single-origin bars where the cacao comes from different ahupuaʻa in the state. This gives these bars a unique flavor profile.”

Mānoa Chocolate has a production facility located in Kapaʻa Quarry Industrial Park, and a shop in Kailua which offers both in-depth chocolate tastings and pairings with wine. The in-house process of making Mānoa Chocolate includes roasting, tempering and molding the chocolate, with the Kailua shop manufacturing up to 7,000 bars per day. They sell their products across the Hawaiian Islands and the continental United States.

Butterbaugh described his experience at UH Mānoa as a time that “incubated Mānoa Chocolate.” He loved Bittenbender’s willingness to let him participate in lab work and the flexibility he had to craft a degree that fit his interests. Mānoa Chocolate is thriving due to Butterbaugh’s commitment to locally-sourced products. Making �鶹��ý-grown chocolate and spreading aloha—a recipe for a sweet success story.

Kailani Jackson, the student speaker for the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa May 13 ceremony, overcame decades of adversity and unexpected heart-breaking challenges.

“As I receive my degree, it is the dreams fulfilled of a little brown girl, who often felt alone and like an alien in this world. Who desired to make a difference in the lives of hurting, disenfranchised, and those who felt powerless,” said Jackson, a 65-year-old non-traditional student who lives on Maui. “Today, I live fully empowered in who I am.”

Jackson, who will receive, with distinction, a bachelor of arts in and with a concentration in peace and conflict resolution, graduated from high school in 1975 and always had a dream of getting her degree, but life’s obstacles put that dream on hold.

In 2018, Jackson’s husband of 30 years underwent elective surgery, but due to a medical error committed by the medical staff, he was left paralyzed and unable to breath on his own, she said.

“Despite fighting for his life for three months, he had a premonition that he wouldn’t make it,” said Jackson. “It was then that he called me to his bedside and made me promise to come to �鶹��ý and pursue my PhD if he didn’t survive.”

Ten days later her husband died. In their 30 years of marriage, �鶹��ý was a place they had visited frequently and had come to consider it a second home. One year after the tragic event, Jackson fulfilled her promise by enrolling in .

A long journey

Jackson always loved education, reading and writing since she was young. Growing up in Los Angeles, California, she credits her parents’ involvement in the Civil Rights movement for fueling her social consciousness. As a multi-ethnic person, identifying mostly as African American, Jackson gained a deep understanding of collective and cultural trauma. When she graduated high school, her goal was to pursue a PhD in psychology.

UH spring 2023 commencement schedule

“My first semester in college took a challenging turn when I became pregnant and had to drop out, leaving my dream behind,” said Jackson. “Years later, I attempted to return to college (five times) as an adult, but only managed to accumulate around 18 credits. By my mid-thirties, I had given up on the hope of ever achieving my PhD and let go of pursuing it altogether.”

At the age of 60, Jackson moved to �鶹��ý in May 2018, and in fall 2019 enrolled in UH Maui College, where she graduated with an associate’s in liberal arts and then transferred to UH Mānoa.

Jackson credits each individual along her academic journey who has played a vital role in elevating her to new heights. These people include her husband, parents, children, ancestors, family members, friends, peers, advisors, professors, deans, teaching assistants, campus communities, Maui and Honolulu communities, and the ʻāina and waters of �鶹��ý.

“Each has nurtured and inspired me, I couldn’t have done it alone,” she said.

What’s next?

Jackson plans to continue her academic journey by pursuing her master’s and PhD after graduation.

“Until my last breath, I will be striving for empathetic engagement, seeking to establish equity for individuals of all backgrounds and identities,” said Jackson. “With a commitment to redefining what it means to truly belong, I plan to prioritize establishing meaningful connections and encourage disruptive learning, reflection, awareness and understanding.”

Jackson wants to encourage other students, or those who are considering education, to discover their reason “why.” She believes once you understand your “why” and get determined, then you will find the opportunities that are also seeking you.

I want my story to light a fire in you!

“I want my story to light a fire in you! Let it be an example of perseverance in the face of adversity,” said Jackson. “I won’t sugarcoat it—it hasn’t been easy or without its challenges. There have been times I gave up, times I wanted to quit, times I didn’t know how I was going to scrape together the funds, and times I didn’t have the energy to write one more paper! But you know what? I refused to let those obstacles define me or keep me from fulfilling my promise to myself, my husband, and to the world I know I’m here to serve, empower and inspire.”

Jackson has two sons, three grandchildren and a labrador, Hoku, who resides with her in Maui. She is a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, Ethnic Studies Student Association, Black Student Association, Sister Circle Mānoa and a participant in the 7th Annual Alice Ball Memorial Black Graduation.

–By Sarah Hendrix

The University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� is expanding on statewide efforts to promote One Health by launching the . One Health is a proactive approach that considers the health of people as connected to the health of surrounding animals, plants and diversity. The first students are expected to enroll in the program in summer 2023.

Recently approved by UH President David Lassner and UH ����ԴDz� Provost Michael Bruno, the certificate program is based in the , and prepares students with the skills and knowledge to work collaboratively across disciplines to solve real-world problems using the One Health approach.

“This, combined with the (PDF) of January 2023 as �鶹��ý One Health Month, makes this a watershed moment for this initiative!” said Sandra Chang, One Health Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Certificate program director and professor at the (JABSOM).

New program crosses multiple units, areas

The new program is a partnership that includes faculty from JABSOM, the in the , the in the and the . The certificate program received initial support from the Provost’s Strategic Investment Initiative program in 2019.

The curriculum consists of 15 credits in One-Health related coursework, including a research project mentored by UH faculty or practicum capstone project. Both undergraduate and post baccalaureate students are eligible to enroll in the program.

The UH One Health team was among more than 100 students, researchers, faculty and staff at the 2023 ����ԴDz� Research Day at the �鶹��ý State Capitol on February 7.

For more and how to apply, go to the . Read more on the .

Tyler Linmark, one of the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�’s fall 2022 graduates, is a perfect example of how a student can discover their passion within the UH System.

The 2016 McKinley High School alumnus began his higher education journey pursuing a communications degree at Kapiʻolani and Honolulu Community Colleges. He transferred to UH ����ԴDz� in fall 2020 and decided to change his focus to Japanese. Around the same time in his personal life, Linmark felt his calling was to serve God and became an intern at New Hope Oʻahu.

He discovered the program at UH ����ԴDz� and combined all three of his passions to form his personalized degree called international theology. After a few dedicated years, Linmark will graduate with his bachelor’s degree, along with a minor in Japanese, on December 17 at the Stan Sheriff Center.

“I’m very grateful for the interdisciplinary studies program for how flexible they are and how well they work with the students. For me, I felt like I was truly in charge of what I could study and what I could take,” Linmark said. “With international theology, I was able to take a huge umbrella of classes from art, to psychology, to philosophy. It was truly a godsend for me.”

“I felt like I was truly in charge of what I could study and what I could take.”—Linmark

Aside from his studies, Linmark was also involved with the (PACE) and the �鶹��ý Student Entrepreneurs (HSE) program.

“Throughout the pandemic, PACE provided a home for me digitally through Zoom workshops, and physically though sPACE, the co-working environment,” Linmark said. “The �鶹��ý Student Entrepreneurs were also so welcoming. HSE helped me stay serious about my social media company, networking and business mindset. I was even referred to be their marketing director at one point.”

Student speaker finalist

Linmark was one of several fall 2022 UH ����ԴDz� graduates who auditioned to become the commencement speaker. While he was not selected, Linmark was named a finalist. In his audition speech, he talked about growing up in Kalihi and Chinatown. His parents divorced when he was young. He remembers his mom would come home from her job exhausted while still having to take care of him and his two siblings. His older sister, and later, his father, would continue to support him throughout high school.

“I was blessed to discover my dream of making YouTube videos while in high school. I was even more blessed to learn how my dream could be used to inspire thousands around the world,” Linmark said. “I knew that when I first enrolled in college, I was gonna value the unforgettable experiences, I had more than my GPA. I’m extremely grateful to say, I was right.”

Check out photos from UH ����ԴDz�’s commencement ceremony

Linmark also noted the challenges that his fellow graduates faced in pursuing a degree in higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“To my fellow 2022 graduates: We. Did. It. We persevered through isolation, division and fear. We are extremely blessed, don’t forget to be grateful,” Linmark said.

Pursuing a career as a pastor

Linmark is now a content creator and discipleship director for young adults at New Hope Oʻahu. He hopes to continue this work full-time after graduation.

“Regardless of my job title in a church, I believe I’m still a son of God and an influencer for the Gospel. I’ve realized that I don’t just make cool videos or work ‘for’ God, but I do everything I do because of Him. I’m fulfilled in what I do because He still loves me despite my shortcomings, and I get to help others see how loved they are,” Linmark said.

—By Marc Arakaki

• Read more about other UH Mānoa graduates:
  PhD grad goes from directing commencement to walking in same ceremony, December 20, 2022
  Student speaker encourages graduates to embrace challenges, December 13, 2022
  Graduating student’s passion feeds fellow students in need, December 13, 2022
  Public health grads discover passions, strengthen local workforce, December 12, 2022

A 47-year career of a champion for education at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� has come to an end. A fixture in the campus, who was well respected and critical to a variety of successful programs, Ronald Cambra retired from the university in January 2021.

The �鶹��ý Island native served in multiple positions for the university, most recently as assistant vice chancellor for since 2005. In that role, he oversaw operations and resources for undergraduate programs, including campus-wide academic advising, first- and second-year programs, honors program, ROTC, interdisciplinary studies, civic engagement, student success center, student learning center and other academic support services.

“The University owes Ron an enormous debt of gratitude, and we miss him already,” UH ����ԴDz� Provost Michael Bruno said. “Ron taught us all what it means to be truly dedicated to the university and to truly care about the success of our students, from the moment they are recruited through to graduation and success in their careers.”

Under Cambra’s leadership

Cambra helped realize a number of highly successful initiatives, including the STAR degree tracking program, 15 to Finish, mandatory academic advising and a consolidation of program sheets to help with the understanding of degree requirements. These initiatives resulted in UH ����ԴDz� increasing its four-year graduation rate from 16% to 32%, and national recognition for the campus’s degree completion projects.

• Related UH News story: Complete College America honors UH’s STAR and 15 to Finish programs, November 11, 2016

Cambra had three goals, “Number one, to find ways to actively engage students when they get here to ����ԴDz�. Number two was to find ways to form partnerships with students, and number three was to develop a sense of stewardship—that undergraduate students understand that this is their campus, that this is their basic footprint. And I think we’ve held true to those three things and that has tied the work together.”

Cambra added, “A lot of those initiatives were having the right people who are so dedicated and hard working that it was easy working with people who see the same kinds of things that you want to do. Strong leadership in STAR, , , Honors, , ROTC, , , , and Student Success Services all are led by very dedicated student-focused leaders. Our catalog’s work on the four-year academic plans and a new scheduler, have made it easier to transform the undergraduate academic experience for our students. It has been my privilege to have worked with these strong, dedicated leaders.”

Instrumental recruiter

Cambra was also an invaluable recruiter and ambassador for the university, attending accepted student receptions hosted by the .

“For 15+ years, he traveled with us across the state and on the continental U.S. sharing the ‘����ԴDz� Experience’—his signature Dr. Cambra presentation, sharing all the wonderful reasons why ����ԴDz� was one of the best universities in the world,” said Abigail Huliganga Hurgo, UH ����ԴDz� associate director of admissions. “His presence at our events was always a big hit with our prospective and accepted students and wouldn’t be surprised if he was one of the reasons why students chose ����ԴDz�.”

Building an award-winning career in education

Cambra was born and raised on �鶹��ý Island, and transferred from UH Hilo to UH ����ԴDz� in 1968. As a UH Hilo Vulcan, he was student government president and led a campaign to establish the third and fourth years at UH Hilo, which started in 1969.

He earned a BEd in secondary education and a MA in speech from UH ����ԴDz�, and a PhD from the University of Washington. Cambra became a member of UH ����ԴDz�’s faculty in 1974 and was promoted to professor of speech in 1987. He was the chair of the Department of Speech from 1983 to 1992. In 1992, he became the Colleges of Arts and Sciences associate dean of academic affairs and student academic services, before becoming an assistant vice chancellor in 2005.

Among the numerous awards, Cambra was named UH’s manager of the year in 2019 and went on to win the state manager of the year award the same year. In 2017, he won the Michael C. Holen Pacesetter Award for excellence in the field of advising from the National Academic Advising Association and was the co-author of a presentation that won the 2017 Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities degree completion award, a national honor for institutions with outstanding four-year degree completion achievements.

Cambra’s work is a prime example of UH ����ԴDz�’s goal of (PDF), one of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

—By Marc Arakaki

Some University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� student-athletes are gaining a broader perspective and deeper learning experience with a customized approach to their college degrees. The (ISP) allows students to work with several academic departments and develop their own degree and path to graduation. The program’s goal is to provide students with diverse ways of thinking and the knowledge and skills necessary for their future professional endeavors.

Erika Sanchez, UH ����ԴDz� ISP coordinator and MFA candidate, created a series of features highlighting student-athletes in spring 2021 to highlight the accomplishments of the students on and off the field. They explained how ISP was the best choice for them to be able to create their own degree pathway that suited their rigorous training schedules.

Dominique Martinez, softball

A UH ����ԴDz� softball pitcher, Martinez joined ISP in 2019 with the objective of taking control of her education, and handpicking classes that align with her interests in business and healthcare. Martinez was raised in Othello, a small town in Washington state, and her passion for softball first sparked in T-ball. As Martinez’s athletic skill and passion for softball grew to the competitive level, she realized she had the opportunity to play at the collegiate level.

“I made sure to get the best grades I could in high school,” Martinez said. “I enrolled in challenging classes that would stand out when I started to become recruited by college scouts. During the recruitment period college coaches look at your athletic skill level and see if you can play on the team, as well as, they look at your grades to make sure you can balance school work with the sport that you are playing.”

Martinez’s tenacity on the field is indistinguishable with her persistence off the field. She is fearless in managing her educational journey, looking for resources and questioning what fits into her academic pursuit.

Emily Klee, softball

A fourth-year student in ISP and a pitcher on the UH ����ԴDz� softball team, Klee was born and raised in Placentia, California. Klee’s parents immersed her in an array of sports at a young age. She decided to commit to softball as she advanced to a competitive level. The influence of sports, love for an active life and her passion of giving back to others, drove her to pursue an interdisciplinary studies (IS) sport management degree, and coming from a family of big-time UH supporters, she knew she would become a Rainbow Wahine.

Additionally, since Klee’s extended family lives on Oʻahu, she recognized her chance to connect with her family, learn about her Hawaiian culture and simultaneously earn a degree. With help from her academic advisor, Klee’s educational design for her 4-year plan suited her ambitions to bring sports and management together. Klee was named a National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American scholar athlete and continues to secure her spot on the Dean’s List.

“I was most excited about finding a major that fit my interests and allowed me to broaden my future with a degree that covered multiple fields,” Klee said. “Getting my degree in IS allowed me to focus on what I was interested in and gave me connection with people who have helped me with my future.”

Jonah Panoke, football

In his first semester in ISP, Panoke is studying sports-related business management and athletic administration, with hopes for a career as an athletic director or a role in sports business administration. A wide receiver on the football team, Panoke juggles family time with his two sons, football practices and studying for classes.

Panoke sought out ISP for flexibility to reach his degree goals. Through advising and research, he found opportunities that allow him to take courses essential for his potential career and interests. The program has allowed Panoke to plan both online and hybrid courses that align with his football and family schedules.

Panoke was born and raised in Honolulu. The aloha spirit, friendly nature of the community and close family ties of the Hawaiian culture were instilled in him at a young age. His advice for future ISP students is, “Take the leap of faith, do not allow the predetermined degree frameworks confine what you want to be by determining what you want to major in.”

For more, visit the ISP , and pages.

This program is an example of UH ����ԴDz�’s goal of (PDF), one of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.