Incarcerated individuals on Kauaʻi have a transformative pathway toward workforce readiness and higher education, through a new partnership between Kauaʻi Community College and the Kauaʻi Community Correctional Center (KCCC).

This summer, Kauaʻi CC Carpentry Instructor Duke Lang led a cohort of 16 students at KCCC through a carpentry microcredential offered by the college’s Office of Continuing Education and Training (OCET). Participants gained practical experience by constructing a new classroom and office space, a project designed to resolve the shortage of secure instructional areas at the facility.

For student Stephen Spigner, who is nearing his release, the program served as a critical turning point.

“It seems sort of like a miracle,” Spigner said. “It’s really divine timing that this program is being offered while I’m here.”

Laying the foundation

Upon completing the microcredential, students earn credit for foundational coursework. This allows them to bypass introductory classes if they enroll in the college’s associate in applied science in carpentry program after their release.

“We’re hoping to give them a different opportunity when they get out from doing their time here,” Lang said. “The feedback they’re giving me is, ‘Wow, I can really see how this can be useful. When I get out, I think I’m going to come see you.’”

Kauaʻi CC Chancellor Margaret Sanchez said the lack of a secure space for classes at KCCC has been a hurdle, but with the completion of the classroom, the partnership can continue to grow.

“The students are learning hands-on to provide a classroom space to increase future educational opportunities at KCCC,” Sanchez said.

‘Knowledge is power’

The initiative is building bridges to long-term stability.

“The students are engaged,” said KCCC Educational Specialist Darcy Yamamoto. “They’re asking questions. They are diligent about coming to class. We’re hoping they will have an idea of what they want to do or the path that they need to be on.”

OCET Education Specialist Pomai Burkart added, “There’s a sense of dignity these students are going to have when they leave KCCC,” she said. “Knowledge is power, and you can’t take knowledge away from someone.”

.

—By Caitlin B. Fowlkes

In an effort to help the estimated 93,000 people exposed to jet-fuel-contaminated drinking water, the , facilitated by the University of �鶹��ý, held a training event for healthcare professionals with guidance on caring for patients using findings from recent research.

In July 2026, and partnering with the Center for Occupational and Environmental Health at University of California, Berkeley, the registry provided nearly 200 healthcare professionals with the most up-to-date guidance when caring for patients who were exposed to jet fuel in November 2021, including emerging recommendations for clinical evaluation, monitoring, treatment considerations and patient support. .

Drawing from a recent National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report, “Clinical Follow-up and Care for Those Impacted by the JP-5 Releases at Red Hill,” the registry’s webinar reached a national audience of participants.

“Broadly sharing the registry as the best method for collecting long-term health information is critical given the global dispersion of exposed military families that have relocated since the crisis occurred,” said Rosana “Sanie” Weldon, director of the Red Hill Registry.

Advancing care through provider education

The registry offers educational opportunities for both healthcare professionals and community members. In March, Seiji Yamada, a family medicine physician, director of medical student education, and faculty member at the , presented the registry’s first continuing education session for healthcare professionals during “Grand Rounds,” hosted virtually by Pali Momi Medical Center.

“Our website houses resources, such as fact sheets and reports, that Red Hill community members can utilize for their own health advocacy, including a letter to clinicians documenting the exposure,” said Weldon.

One of those resources is a examining the health effects of exposure to unburned kerosene-based jet fuels and other kerosene-based products in Environmental Health. Led by Veronica Carvajal, junior specialist at the and scientific coordinator for the Thompson School Registry Hub, the review is the first to focus on exposure to unburned jet fuel specifically and continues to inform the ongoing work of the registry.

“The Red Hill Registry offers an important opportunity for both community members and researchers to help close this gap, an increasingly urgent issue given the multitude of jet fuel contamination events that have occurred,” said Carvajal.

Since the 2021 fuel spill at Red Hill, additional spills have occurred across the country, underscoring the need to better understand the long-term health effects of pre-combustion jet fuel.

The registry’s next continuing education opportunity will be at the Western Occupational Health Conference hosted at the ʻAlohilani Resort in September, where registry staff will be keynote speakers.

University of �鶹��ý librarian Bronwen “Bron” Solyom spent more than 37 years preserving �鶹��ý’s cultural heritage, strengthening internationally recognized collections, and mentoring generations of librarians, students and scholars. She died in Honolulu on May 23, 2026, at the age of 81.

Related: Bronwen Solyom: Passionate curator of Jean Charlot collection

Solyom’s colleagues, friends, family and researchers gathered in Hamilton Library’s Hawaiian & Pacific Collection Reading Room on July 17 to celebrate a life defined by curiosity, generosity and scholarship. Guests included Solyom’s husband, Garrett Solyom, friend Maya Soetoro-Ng, and Jean Charlot Foundation President Allison Wong.

Many colleagues and friends also shared memories of Solyom’s impact at UH ����ԴDz�.

A lasting legacy at Hamilton Library

Solyom was best known for her work as curator of the , an internationally recognized archive documenting religious art, Mexican art, �鶹��ý artists and other unique cultural materials. From 2003 to 2016, she organized and preserved the collection, created finding aids, mentored interns and assisted researchers from around the world.

“Bron’s lasting and most excellent contribution not only to the university, but to the scholarly world, will be what she did as curator of the Charlot Collection,” said Russian Collection Librarian Patricia Polansky. “Scholars from around the world visit to use these materials. Bron has mentored countless numbers of interns from the library school and the museum studies program.”

Solyom also helped establish Hamilton Library’s , writing a white paper that encouraged former members of Congress to donate their papers and helped build a resource that now includes the papers of most of �鶹��ý’s former members of Congress since statehood.

Solyom’s Hamilton Library colleagues recognized her contributions with the Nina D.P. Horio Award for Excellence in Librarianship upon her retirement in 2016. Through the collections she preserved, the librarians she mentored and the scholars she inspired, her legacy will continue to shape Hamilton Library and UH for generations.

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Marine mammal research has attained new heights as scientists at the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa are deploying noninvasive suction-cup tags onto humpback whales using drones. Traditionally, researchers from the (MMRP) in the approached animals closely via boats, deploying tags using a seven-meter carbon fiber pole. Now, technological advances are allowing the team to tag whales from the sky, dramatically shifting how marine data is collected.

During their February 2026 field season off the coast of Maui, the MMRP team successfully utilized drones to deploy Customized Animal Tracking Solution (CATS) accelerometer tags. This innovative method provides a safer, less invasive tag deployment system for both the marine mammals and the human researchers. The team can deploy tags from several hundred meters away from their research vessel—greatly minimizing human intrusion.

“We do not need to get close to the whales to tag them, so we don’t disturb them,” said Lars Bejder, MMRP researcher. “Additionally, we are able to tag whales that we previously were not able to approach and get close to. This opens up many new opportunities for low-impact research on whales and dolphins to inform on their conservation and management.”

A prime example of this success occurred when the team successfully drone-tagged a skittish, singing male humpback whale during its final surfacing bout—a feat that would have been impossible using traditional pole-tagging methods.

Critical data collection

In total, the expedition deployed 22 tags on lactating females, a calf and adult males.

The high-resolution data collected—including fine-scale movements and energy expenditures—is critical for wildlife management. It allows researchers to quantify the biological consequences of disturbances, such as changing climatic events, vessel traffic or military activities, ultimately helping forecast population trajectories and establish vital evidence-based mitigation strategies to protect these marine species.

The fieldwork was supported by the Office of Naval Research, the U.S. Navy’s Living Marine Resources program, Dolphin Quest and philanthropic donations.

Read more at.

—Name, term, title.

More ʻŌlelo of the Week

Check back for more ʻōlelo �鶹��ý.

—Moanikeʻala Nabarro, Office of Communications, Ke Kulanui o �鶹��ý ma Mānoa (University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa)

For more information on other elements of the definition and usage, go to the UH Hilo .

The University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa 19th annual Medical Diagnosis and Treatment (MDT) program gave high school students the opportunity to experience life as a medical student.

Throughout the week-long program from July 6 to 10, 84 students worked through medical scenarios they might encounter as physicians.

This year, students experienced a new addition to the program.

Bryan Brown, assistant professor of medicine, introduced a Dungeons & Dragons-inspired learning activity that transformed cardiovascular disease into an interactive adventure. Students worked together to battle characters representing diabetes, smoking, high cholesterol and heart disease. Brown’s goal was to make complex medical concepts memorable by combining storytelling with active learning.

Donor support made it possible for 12 neighbor island students from Kauaʻi, Molokaʻi, ����Բ�ʻ��, Maui and �鶹��ý Island to participate this year.

Charlotte Jo, a student at Waiākea High School, hopes to take what she’s learning back to �鶹��ý Island.

“I’m hoping to learn more so I can come back, serve my community, and really help out our healthcare system,” she said. “We really need it, especially here on the Big Island.”

Nineteen years after the MDT program began, many of its participants have gone on to become medical students. The hope for the program is to leave high-school students inspired to volunteer in hospitals, seek out shadowing opportunities, and continue exploring healthcare.

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—Paddle (As a canoe).

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“E kaupē aku nō i ka hoe a kō mai (Put forward the paddle and draw it back).”

—Lanakila Grosse, he haumāna ʻōlelo �鶹��ý (Hawaiian language student), Ke Kulanui Kaiāulu o Honolulu (Honolulu Community College)

For more information on other elements of the definition and usage, go to the UH Hilo .

University of �鶹��ý President Wendy Hensel presented a comprehensive artificial intelligence (AI) strategy to the (BOR) on July 16 at UH Mānoa, detailing a bold vision to accelerate AI training and adoption across the university system and serve the needs of �鶹��ý.

Likening the technology to “the new electricity,” the presentation emphasized the urgency to prepare �鶹��ý’s workforce for a rapidly shifting landscape. Hensel highlighted industry statistics, noting that one-third of entry-level jobs now require AI skills, and 80% of hiring managers consider AI competency a priority when evaluating candidates.

“Because this is here, it is going to radically transform what we do, and the failure to talk about it as an institution of higher education means that we will constantly be reacting rather than setting the course for our students, our faculty, staff and the state,” said Hensel during her presentation at the BOR meeting.

To meet this demand, the university has adopted a holistic approach to AI that spans governance, curriculum, workforce development, research and operations. A cornerstone of this approach is the newly adopted UH AI Policy, which establishes guidelines for the “responsible and ethical use of AI technologies,” promoting transparency, accountability and fairness across the university community. To implement this vision, UH has formed a dedicated AI Task Force focused on Hawaiian culture and values, ethics and governance, and curriculum and pedagogy.

More than 100 AI-infused courses

The university currently boasts more than 100 new or AI-infused courses and has launched new AI certificates, concentrations and programs at UH Hilo, UH Mānoa, UH Maui College, UH West Oʻahu and Honolulu Community College. Furthermore, nearly 100 instructors from across the system have been supported in developing and incorporating AI-related assignments into their classes.

The university is also prioritizing hands-on experiential learning. Initiatives such as EL3vate provide intense faculty professional development to weave AI and design thinking into course curricula, while AI Innovation@RISE offers students systemwide opportunities to work directly with industry partners on real-world tech needs in �鶹��ý.

Beyond the 10 campus system, UH is providing resources to the public. The is a free, open-access, 12-chapter foundational course offering training and applied learning for communities across the islands. UH is collaborating with tech companies such as Google and Microsoft, and is proposed as a regional anchor to adapt AI curriculum co-created with MIT. All of these tools, community practices and resources are centralized on the .

“It’s going to happen whether we embrace it or not, and the important thing is that we decide how we deploy it and use it through a position of information and knowledge, and not reacting to the winds of change,” said Hensel during her presentation.

University of �鶹��ý President Wendy Hensel provided an update to the UH Board of Regents (BOR) on recent leadership transitions in her report at the July 16 monthly meeting.

The updates included changes at �鶹��ý Community College, UH Mānoa and the VP of Academic Strategy. Hensel discussed next steps for the University Laboratory School partnership, the interim adoption of the Time, Place and Manner policy, and the modernization of student housing, and highlighted several bright spots across the UH campuses, including the demolition of Hale Noelani to make way for modern student housing, massive research milestones at the UH Cancer Center, and a $5-million investment in UH Athletics.

She also recognized UH recipients of the 2026 Governor’s Awards for Distinguished State Service, including the Employee of the Year, Manager of the Year, and Team of the Year.

• �鶹��ý CC chancellor transition ()
• UH Mānoa leadership and VP of Academic Strategy updates ()
• University Lab School agreement ()
• Time, Place and Manner policy update ()
• Hale Noelani demolition ()
• Hoʻōla Early Phase Clinical Research Center and NIH funding ()
• NIL funding commitments for UH Athletics ()
• Governor’s Awards ()

—Wild ginger.

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“Nui nā ʻawapuhi i koʻu māla (There is plenty of ginger in my garden).”

—Haʻaheo, he haumāna ʻōlelo �鶹��ý (Hawaiian language student), Ke Kulanui Kaiāulu o Honolulu (Honolulu Community College)

For more information on other elements of the definition and usage, go to the UH Hilo .

Join our University of �鶹��ý ʻohana to shop local and celebrate UH alumni small businesses at the 5th annual UH Alumni Makers’ Market at The Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Waikīkī on July 29, 6–9 p.m.

The signature event showcases food, drinks and products from alumni-owned and led small businesses.

and include unlimited access to food and drink stations, and the opportunity to purchase merchandise.

Presented by the UH Office of Alumni Relations, in partnership with the UH Alumni Association, a portion of proceeds will go toward benefiting student needs across the 10-campus UH system.

More information can be found at the .

Participating food and beverage vendors include:

• BeerLab Hawaii
• Bite Logic
• KCCAKESS
• Kai Vodka
• Kapa Hale
• Kapiʻolani Community College Culinary/Jason Peel
• Little Plum/Uncle Paul’s Corner Store
• Makanai
• PILI Group
• Pono Potions
• Pop Culture Artisan Pops
• Rainbow Drive-In
• Summer Club
• The Lei Stand
• The Pau Hana Co.

Participating marketplace vendors include:

• Arii Jewelry
• Art by Sachiko
• Aunty Kendra’s
• Choco Leʻa
• Churro’s Fish Market
• David Shepard �鶹��ý
• Hawaii Confectionery
• Hawaiian Pie Co.
• Huff n Puff
• Kailua Honey
• Kaululani Florals
• Mari’s Garden
• Okonokai
• Old Queen Street Stadium
• Ports + Paws
• Premier Barbershop
• Red Thread Artistry
• Sweet Enemy Clothing
• Ten Tomorrow
• Touch A Heart
• Urban Cowboy
• Wailana �鶹��ý Art
• Welo Creations

In a major step toward expanding educational access and affordability, Gov. Josh Green signed into law HB 2338 CD1 as Act 235, providing critical updates to the University of �鶹��ý Community Colleges’ . The new law removes the program’s “last-dollar” restriction, allowing students to keep more of their additional scholarship resources while the state continues to cover up to 95% of tuition. As a result, students can use federal Pell Grants and private scholarships to help pay for essential living expenses and basic needs costs such as housing, food, transportation and other education-related costs.

The program’s impact is reflected in the experiences of students such as Kapiʻolani CC student Kanako Horner. “The �鶹��ý Promise Program has lifted the majority of the financial burden associated with my education, allowing me the opportunity to explore my career goals and further my education.”

While �鶹��ý Promise is one of 38 statewide Promise programs nationwide, it was previously the only one that required outside grants and scholarships to be deducted from a student’s state award.

“This legislation is a vital change that will directly support more residents across our islands,” said Lui Hokoana, interim vice president for the UH Community Colleges. “By restructuring the award to maximize a student’s total financial aid, they can now use additional scholarship resources for essential costs like housing, food and transportation—making a college education more affordable for local families.”

Act 235 builds upon the �鶹��ý Promise Program’s proven track record of helping local residents pursue higher education despite �鶹��ý high cost of living.

Proven impact and academic excellence

In academic year 2024–25, the �鶹��ý Promise Program demonstrated its impact:

• Distributed $5.69 million to 1,941 recipients, with an average award of $2,933.
• Served the 22% of recipients who demonstrated financial need but did not qualify for federal Pell Grants.
• Recipients earned more credits on average (17.9 vs. 13.0) and maintained higher GPAs (2.89 vs. 2.73) than their non-recipient peers.

Long-term outcomes

Since 2017, the �鶹��ý Promise Program has served 11,921 recipients, achieving a 70% overall success rate—defined as earning a degree or certificate, transferring to a four-year institution or remaining actively enrolled. Just 30% of recipients have stopped out, meaning they are no longer enrolled and have not yet completed a credential, a rate well below the national average of 45%.

�鶹��ý is strengthening one of its most effective college affordability initiatives, ensuring the �鶹��ý Promise Program can help even more residents complete their education while supporting the state’s workforce and economic future.

The University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa has begun demolishing two buildings at the five-building, three-story Hale Noelani student housing complex, marking another step in the university’s long-term effort to modernize campus housing and enhance the student residential experience.

Demolition of Buildings C and D began on July 6 and is expected to be completed by mid-August, before the start of the fall 2026 semester. The project is overseen by the UH Mānoa Office of Campus Operations and Facilities (COPF) and the UH Office of Project of Delivery, and includes demolition of the structures, removal of debris and preparation of the site for future use.

The university continues to evaluate options for the remaining three buildings (A, B and E), including renovation or demolition, as it works to realize the highest and best use of the Hale Noelani site in support of its long-term student housing strategy.

“Providing high-quality housing is an important part of the student experience and one of my highest priorities as chancellor,” UH Mānoa Chancellor Vassilis L. Syrmos said. “The university has made good progress over the past four years modernizing our residential communities, and this project allows us to continue building on that momentum. Clearing this site creates new opportunities to better serve our students for generations to come.”

Constructed in 1977, the Hale Noelani complex once provided approximately 530 apartment-style beds for students. Demolition of Buildings C and D permanently removes 174 of those beds. The complex has been vacant since 2017 after university officials determined that returning it to service would have required extensive infrastructure upgrades, including replacement of the aging plumbing system, at a time when student enrollment was declining.

Expanding housing

During that period, the student housing inventory has been increased by the UH Foundation through innovative public-private partnerships (P3s) that did not rely on state funding. The Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center opened in 2023 as one of �鶹��ý‘s first successful P3 projects, adding 325 student housing beds along with innovation and entrepreneurship spaces. In 2025, Hale Haukani became the university’s second P3 housing community, adding 558 apartment-style beds, study rooms, retail space, a childcare center and community gathering areas.

Together, the two projects increased UH Mānoa’s housing inventory to more than 4,000 beds, the largest residential capacity in university history.

Investing in the future of campus housing

While expanding housing capacity, UH Mānoa has also made significant investments in the long-term planning of its existing residence halls. Beginning in 2023, the UH Office of the Vice President for Administration led a comprehensive effort to modernize and strengthen the university’s student housing program, including the development of a seven-year capital improvement plan for residence halls. The plan aims to bring 95% of residence halls into fair or better condition by fiscal year 2028 and extend the useful life of existing housing facilities by an additional 20–30 years.

The university is also contracting with a planning consultant to develop a comprehensive Student Housing Plan that aligns with the university’s mission and strategic goals.

“We’re taking a broader look at the future of student housing that will address current challenges and anticipate future student housing needs,“ said David Akana, interim director of Student Housing Services. “This comprehensive Student Housing plan will help guide long-term decisions while ensuring our residence halls continue to foster community, support academic success and enhance the overall student experience for future generations of students.”

The university also partnered with an independent financial consultant to develop a long-term financial model that aligns housing rates with the costs of operating, maintaining and renewing residence halls, helping ensure the program’s long-term financial sustainability.

Improving the student experience

Student Housing Services and COPF also made significant investments to enhance students’ day-to-day living experience, from modernizing common spaces to upgrading residence hall rooms and infrastructure.

One of the most visible projects was the 2024 renovation of the lobbies and common areas in the four 13-story Hale Aloha Towers, home to 1,040 first-year students each year, about one-fourth of the approximately 4,000 students living in UH Mānoa housing.

More than 1,400 new energy-efficient MicroFridges—combination microwave and refrigerator units—were installed in student rooms and suite areas across nearly all residence halls, except Hale Wainani Apartments. Every student room has also received a new mattress, while more than 300 wireless access points have improved Wi-Fi coverage and reliability throughout the residence halls.

Behind the scenes, crews repaired or replaced more than 300 windows, bed frames, plumbing fixtures and air-conditioning units while expanding preventive maintenance and security upgrades throughout the residence halls. The university also replaced more than 1,300 smoke detectors and installed new water bottle filling stations across campus housing.

Additional improvements include new community furniture, eco-friendly dining initiatives, updated laundry equipment, improved move-in experiences, and the addition of a Starbucks at Gateway Café, creating additional spaces for students to gather, study, and build community. Feedback from residents has informed many of these improvements and will continue to be solicited to ensure investments align with students’ needs and expectations.

The ʻohana came together to chart the path forward during a special campus forum on July 9 addressing the upcoming chancellor transition. Held in the campus cafeteria and virtually via Zoom, the event drew about 80 attendees in person and 100 online. UH President Wendy Hensel and Interim Vice President for Community Colleges Lui Hokoana led the listening session, aiming to gather feedback to inform decisions regarding interim leadership.

With Chancellor Susan Kazama set to retire on July 31, the forum focused on protecting the college’s strong momentum. Three options were presented for community feedback: having the vice president for community colleges temporarily step in, appointing a dedicated interim chancellor focused solely on �鶹��ý CC, or exploring a temporary, unified islandwide leadership structure with UH Hilo Chancellor Bonnie Irwin.

Guided by student success

Hensel emphasized that the ultimate choice will be guided by shared voices, stability and student success.

Hensel said. “Our priority today is to listen. We want to ensure that whatever path we choose for our interim leadership honors your kuleana (responsibility) to place and keeps our students first.”

Engagement was high, with participants submitting dozens of questions both in advance and during the live event. Topics covered institutional autonomy, transparent communication and the selection timeline.

The forum marks the beginning of an open conversation. UH leadership will now use the community’s feedback to appoint an interim leader, ensuring continuous support for the campus before launching a full search for �鶹��ý CC‘s permanent chancellor.

This year’s University of �鶹��ý foodbank drive raised $53,810 in monetary donations and 6,146 pounds of food for 2026. According to �鶹��ý Foodbank, the university’s contribution equals more than 120,800 meals.

This year’s donations of 517,177 meals across the City, State and UH exceeded �鶹��ý Foodbank’s goal of 510,000 meals, marking an outstanding accomplishment.

“The UH ʻohana showcased incredible compassion and generosity that will make a major impact on the community and those in need,” said UH President Wendy Hensel. “I would like to thank everyone who helped to make this happen.”

The issue of hunger continues to be a major challenge facing the community, affecting those most vulnerable. The contributions will provide vital support to those who need it most.

Whether you recognize his voice from Spectrum Sports broadcasts, his face from local television newscasts, or his name from the award-winning production company RKT Media, Ryan Kalei Tsuji seems to be everywhere. But before he was an Emmy-winning CEO, a protocol officer for the governor, or the owner of a booming cocktail bar, Tsuji’s dynamic journey began at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�.

Growing up as a sports fan in Hilo, Tsuji wanted to be a TV reporter and always dreamed of attending UH. Driven by this passion, he earned bachelor’s degrees in communications and political science in 2007, followed by a master’s degree in public administration in 2009. During his time at UH Mānoa, he also worked his way up from a manager to an assistant coach for the nationally ranked Rainbow Wahine volleyball team under legendary coach Dave Shoji.

“I was like Van Wilder, I was at UH for eight years getting all these different degrees because UH was paying for it,” said Tsuji. “It was an opportunity for me to just really be a part of the University of �鶹��ý system and I just loved my experience and time there.”

Tsuji parlayed his education into a multi-faceted career. He launched the video production company RKT Media in 2016, co-hosts the interactive program Spotlight Now, and has been recognized with multiple honors, including being named to Pacific Business News’ 40 Under 40. In 2022, he opened The Lei Stand, a bar and lounge, in Chinatown. Now located in Waikīkī, The Lei Stand will be expanding to the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.

Celebrating alumni entrepreneurship

The Lei Stand is one of nearly 40 vendors confirmed for the 5th Annual UH Alumni Makers’ Market on Wednesday, July 29, at The Royal Hawaiian Hotel. The event is dedicated to showcasing food, drinks and products from alumni-led businesses. .

“It’s a great way to reconnect with former alumni, but also an opportunity to just really be proud of where we came from and all the talent that stayed here in �鶹��ý and is giving back to the community,” Tsuji said.

Presented by the UH Office of Alumni Relations in partnership with the UH Alumni Association, a portion of the proceeds will go toward addressing current UH student needs statewide. For more information on sponsorship opportunities, email .

A traditional oli ceremony welcomed Vassilis L. Syrmos as the new chancellor of the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa. Members of the campus community chanted Welina Mānoa to greet and welcome him into the role.

Syrmos began his tenure as UH Mānoa chancellor after being unanimously approved by the UH Board of Regents on June 4 following a nationwide search. UH President Wendy Hensel recommended him for the position.

“It is the pinnacle of the journey both professionally and personally. My family, my kids grew up here. The state has been my home for 35 years,” Syrmos said. “I want to give a big thanks to President Hensel for entrusting me to do this job. This is a really important job within the UH System and the 10 campuses. It is an honor.”

As chancellor, Syrmos serves as chief executive officer of UH Mānoa, overseeing academic affairs, research, student success, enrollment and administrative operations for the university’s flagship campus. He reports to the UH president and serves on the president’s senior leadership team.

Syrmos emphasized UH Mānoa’s role as a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning, underscoring the university’s responsibility to ground research and education in �鶹��ý’s values and communities. His priorities include strengthening student success, supporting faculty and staff, and advancing UH Mānoa’s research and innovation efforts.

He plans to spend his early months in the role visiting schools, colleges and units across campus to listen and learn directly from students, faculty and staff. Syrmos has described UH Mānoa’s long-term trajectory as becoming a global public flagship university rooted in academic excellence, talent retention and world-class research, with a focus on creating an environment where faculty and students can thrive and innovate.

Syrmos joined UH Mānoa more than 35 years ago as a faculty member in the College of Engineering and has since held multiple leadership roles across the university. Most recently, he served as interim provost beginning in July 2025.

Prior to that, he served 12 years as vice president for research and innovation and eight years as associate vice chancellor for research at UH Mānoa. In those roles, he helped guide long-range research strategy, contributed to record extramural funding growth and supported initiatives to strengthen research infrastructure and partnerships.

Read more about Chancellor Syrmos at these UH News stories:

• Meet Vassilis L. Syrmos: A life shaped by innovation, mentors and a passion for UH Mānoa
• Leading UH Mānoa forward: Chancellor Vassilis L. Syrmos
• A New Chapter: Defining Our Future

Stay connected with Chancellor Syrmos by visiting and following him on , and .

Four years after launching an effort to address �鶹��ý’s rural healthcare needs, the first Kauaʻi Medical Training Track (KMTT) cohort has officially graduated from the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa (JABSOM).

The graduation marks a historic milestone for Kauaʻi and the state. Funded by a $10 million commitment from Dr. Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg, the multi-pronged program was established in 2022 to combat neighbor island physician shortages and improve the health and wellness of Kauaʻi’s families.

KMTT graduates will complete their residency programs before returning to Kauaʻi to practice medicine.

The trailblazing class of 2026

The 2026 graduating cohort includes five newly minted doctors who have deep ties to the neighbor islands and a dedicated focus on community health: Kirra Borrello (internal medicine, UCLA), (pediatrics, UC Irvine), Erin Evangelista (OBGYN, Loma Linda University), Brent Fujimoto (orthopedic surgery, UH) and Ivana Yoon (primary care, UH).

Through Chan and Zuckerberg’s gift, the program fully covered the cohort’s tuition, fees, transportation and lodging for all four years of medical school in exchange for a commitment to return to Kauaʻi after residency and serve the community as physicians for at least four years. This comprehensive support allowed the students to focus entirely on their rigorous training and hands-on clinical rotations at Kauaʻi’s local healthcare centers.

“When we started this journey in 2022, I was incredibly excited to learn medicine from the very people who inspired me—including my childhood pediatrician, who became my preceptor,” said Emoto, who was raised on Kauaʻi. “Today, that excitement has evolved into a deep sense of responsibility and gratitude. We have built strong relationships with our community clinics and patients, and we are ready to give back to the communities that shaped us.”

Related �鶹��ýNews story: Medical training track have prolonged, impactful presence on Garden Isle

A focus on rural medicine

The program was designed to immerse these new doctors in the nuances of rural medicine. Over the past four years, the students worked alongside Kauaʻi‘s medical community, transforming from eager first-year students into confident, community-focused physicians.

Travis Hong, director of rural training at JABSOM, oversaw the cohort’s progression from their welcome reception at Gaylords in 2022 to their graduation stage today.

“It was wonderful to see our cohort start off as brand-new medical students, grow throughout the years, gain clinical skills. and integrate into the community,” said Hong. “To see them really get to know their preceptors, work alongside them and finally graduate as physicians has been an incredible thing to witness. This is exactly how we build a sustainable, compassionate healthcare workforce for �鶹��ý.”

“The success of the Kauaʻi Medical Training Track serves as a powerful proof-of-concept for the rest of the state,” said Sam Shomaker, dean of JABSOM. “As �鶹��ý‘s only medical school, JABSOM plays a vital and unique role in solving our statewide physician shortage. By proving we can successfully train and retain doctors directly within a rural setting, we now have a replicable model that we hope to expand to Maui, �鶹��ý Island and Molokaʻi. This is how we ensure that all communities across our state have access to exceptional, locally rooted care.”

With subsequent cohorts already training behind them, the pipeline of locally tied, rural-focused doctors is officially flowing, promising a healthier future for Kauaʻi and all of �鶹��ý.