{"id":198077,"date":"2024-05-21T14:19:28","date_gmt":"2024-05-22T00:19:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=198077"},"modified":"2024-05-21T16:51:59","modified_gmt":"2024-05-22T02:51:59","slug":"uh-west-oahu-grads-earn-degrees-on-kauai","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2024\/05\/21\/uh-west-oahu-grads-earn-degrees-on-kauai\/","title":{"rendered":"Dozens of UH<\/abbr> West O\u02bbahu grads earn degrees on Kaua\u02bbi"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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Kauaʻi students who participated in UH<\/abbr> West Oʻahu\u2019s 2024 Annual Commencement Ceremony on May 4 on the UH<\/abbr> Mānoa campus.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The University of Â鶹´«Ã½–West<\/span> Oʻahu<\/span><\/a> had 29 graduates based on Kauaʻi<\/span> this academic year—the most in at least five years.<\/p>\n

Among those graduates was Athena Manipon-Hamada, 26, of Līhuʻe<\/span>. Manipon-Hamada, who works as an office assistant for Kauaʻi<\/span> Community College<\/a>\u2019s Department of Operations and Maintenance, earned a bachelor of arts in social sciences with a concentration in psychology.<\/p>\n

“Through my degree, I have learned to deal with people and understand people better, not just on the analysis level, but on personal levels and cognitive levels,” Manipon-Hamada said. “UH<\/abbr> West Oʻahu<\/span> has also given me all the tools I need in order (to pursue) my next degree, whatever that may be, because they have set me on a path to success.”<\/p>\n

Federal grant helps bridge islands<\/h2>\n

UH<\/abbr> West Oʻahu<\/span> and Kauaʻi<\/span> CC<\/abbr> are part of a grant from the U.S. Department of Education called Kelekaʻa<\/span> Hoʻo<\/span> Naʻauao<\/span><\/a>\/Education Delivered Through Distance Education. As part of that grant, Â鶹´«Ã½West Oʻahu<\/span> distance education academic support specialist Anuhea Piliere is based on Kauaʻi<\/span> to help UH<\/abbr> West Oʻahu<\/span> students in a role that aims to bolster transfer and retention, and offer holistic cultural support.<\/p>\n

\"3
This edited photo features UH<\/abbr> West Oʻahu<\/span> Kauaʻi<\/span> students who participated in the May 10 graduation ceremony at Kauaʻi<\/span> Community College.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Piliere said the grant has evolved through COVID-19 times, starting with offering group Zoom sessions and creating cultural videos, to flying students to visit campus for a day and providing graduates with travel cash awards. Seven students received awards to attend the 2024 UH<\/abbr> West Oʻahu<\/span> Annual Commencement on May 4, at the SimpliFi Arena in the Stan Sheriff Center at UH<\/abbr> Mānoa.<\/p>\n

“Most of all, this opportunity has allowed me to build relationships with Kauaʻi<\/span> CC<\/abbr>\u2019s programs, counselors, staff and students,” she said. “But I think the biggest impact on the (high graduate) numbers is the community knows an actual person is on island who knows their actual needs and can respond quickly.”<\/p>\n

Piliere said she is grateful to be part of two amazing communities at both Kauaʻi<\/span> CC<\/abbr> and UH<\/abbr> West Oʻahu<\/span>.<\/p>\n

“I am just happy that Kauaʻi<\/span> residents are taking advantage of the opportunity to earn a higher degree,” Piliere said. “Their higher educational attainment will positively impact our workforce and communities.”<\/p>\n

Read more at Ka Puna o Kaloʻi<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

—by Zenaida Serrano Arvman<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Twenty-nine Kauaʻi-based students graduated from UH<\/abbr> West Oʻahu<\/span> this academic year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[234,1224,64,71,59],"class_list":["post-198077","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-news","tag-commencement","tag-distance-education","tag-kauai-community-college","tag-uh-community-colleges","tag-uh-west-oahu","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t