{"id":210238,"date":"2025-02-04T16:21:06","date_gmt":"2025-02-05T02:21:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=210238"},"modified":"2025-02-18T09:52:18","modified_gmt":"2025-02-18T19:52:18","slug":"president-hensel-visits-leeward-cc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2025\/02\/04\/president-hensel-visits-leeward-cc\/","title":{"rendered":"President Hensel visits Leeward Community College"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"HenselUniversity of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> President Wendy Hensel continued her tour of the 10-campus system in her first 90 days as president with a full day at Leeward Community College on February 3, engaging with students, faculty, staff, leadership, alumni, elected officials and community supporters.<\/p>\n

\"Hensel<\/p>\n

Her visit, which began at 8 a.m. and concluded at 6:30 p.m., marked her fourth official campus visit as president.<\/p>\n

Hensel, who officially took office on January 1, participated in a series of events at Leeward CC<\/abbr>, including a campus forum attended by more than 200 people, meetings with student, faculty, staff, and Native Hawaiian governance groups, a campus tour with Chancellor Carlos Peñaloza and a reception with alumni and community leaders.<\/p>\n

\"Leeward<\/p>\n

“I really like how innovative the campus is in thinking about how to meet student needs, both in the workforce space and in the academic arena,” Hensel said. “And I appreciated how community-focused they were in their conversations and their interest in elevating everyone.”<\/p>\n

Hensel was greeted with an oli (chant) at the welcome ceremony. She was then shown Puʻuloa<\/span>: A Sense of Place<\/em>, a video highlighting the area\u2019s rich freshwater resources and cultural significance followed by faculty performing P\u016bp\u016b A ʻO ʻEwa<\/em>, a song celebrating the region.<\/p>\n

Beginning of ongoing engagement<\/h2>\n

At the campus forum, moderated by Peñaloza, Hensel answered a wide range of questions from students, faculty and staff over the course of 90 minutes.<\/p>\n

\"Penaloza<\/p>\n

“We\u2019re very excited to hear her share what we can expect for the future,” said Peñaloza. “She was able to answer all the questions given the challenges we face today, and she was very positive and reassuring for our students and college community.”<\/p>\n

Students who attended the forum shared their thoughts on Hensel\u2019s visit and engagement.<\/p>\n

“I would say that she did a good job answering the questions,” said Leeward CC<\/abbr> student Keshawn Wright. “I liked how she addressed the different aspects of each question.”<\/p>\n

\"Hensel<\/p>\n

Fellow student Kamaka Mendoza agreed, adding that Hensel\u2019s presence and demeanor left a strong impression.<\/p>\n

“I feel like I got to learn a lot about her as a person just by the way she spoke and carried herself,” Mendoza said. “I’m a very visual person, and her body language and expressions showed me how she will represent not only us as students but also the state.”<\/p>\n

Hensel reassured attendees that her visit was just the beginning of ongoing engagement with Leeward and the UH<\/abbr> system as a whole. It was not her first visit to Leeward CC<\/abbr>. Hensel attended the Native Intelligence\/Innate Intelligence<\/em> dance performance at Leeward Theatre in late January.<\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_masonry_media_grid element_width=”3″ css=”” grid_id=”vc_gid:1739414372617-b4dcea73-99b0-7″ include=”210274,210273,210272,210271,210270,210269,210268,210267″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]\n

\nMore images from Hensel’s visit to Leeward CC<\/abbr><\/a><\/p>\n

President Hensel\u2019s campus\/education centers remaining schedule:<\/p>\n

President Hensel campus visit recaps<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n