{"id":227386,"date":"2025-12-22T12:20:23","date_gmt":"2025-12-22T22:20:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=227386"},"modified":"2025-12-23T07:57:35","modified_gmt":"2025-12-23T17:57:35","slug":"over-1k-grads-fall-2025-graduation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2025\/12\/22\/over-1k-grads-fall-2025-graduation\/","title":{"rendered":"Nearly 1,000 graduates celebrated at UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa December commencement"},"content":{"rendered":"
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UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa graduate celebrates after receiving her diploma.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was surreal. It was amazing. It felt like all the hard work had finally paid off.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Chloe Garcia, who earned a master\u2019s degree in developmental and reproductive biology, those words captured the emotion felt by nearly 1,000 graduates celebrated at the University of Hawai\u02bbi<\/span> at M\u0101noa<\/a>\u2019s 2025 Mid-Year Commencement Ceremony on December 20, at the Stan Sheriff Center.<\/p>\n

Graduates crossed the stage to mark the completion of undergraduate and advanced degrees and the beginning of new chapters\u2014entering the workforce, continuing their education and giving back to their communities. Family members and friends filled the arena, cheering on graduates as they reached a milestone years in the making.<\/p>\n

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UH<\/abbr> Manoa graduate Chloe Garcia with her son Atlas and partner Marc Leonor.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThere is no day that I enjoy more than graduation day,\u201d said UH<\/abbr> President Wendy Hensel. \u201cYou can feel the joy in the room, people are excited, they\u2019ve reached their goals and their accomplishments, and we get the privilege of celebrating with them. It\u2019s just a wonderful, wonderful day.\u201d<\/p>\n

The ceremony\u2019s student speaker was Cooper Salomon, a candidate for a bachelor of science in natural resources and environmental management. The keynote speaker was Amy Hill, a celebrated actress with strong ties to Hawai\u02bbi<\/span> and whose daughter graduated from UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa in 2022.<\/p>\n

She reminded the graduates that the most important word in life is a simple \u201cyes,\u201d saying \u201cyes\u201d to opportunity, to growth and to new beginnings. After the ceremony, students were lining up to thank and take pictures with her.<\/p>\n

UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa is the flagship campus of the state\u02bbs 10-campus public higher education system and is consistently ranked in the top 2% nationally and internationally. Interim Provost Vassilis Syrmos was beaming with pride after his first commencement in the role.<\/p>\n

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UH<\/abbr> President Wendy Hensel and UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa Interim Provost Vassilis Syrmos with Rainbow Warrior Kicker\/UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa graduate Kansei (center) Matsuzawa after the commencement ceremony.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cOh, it was wonderful,\u201d said Syrmos, who has been at UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa for more than three decades. \u201cThe vibe, the excitement the students feel, it was unbelievable. Our graduates are the future of the state. They\u2019re going to have good jobs, and we do a really good job educating the future youth of Hawai\u02bbi<\/span>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Among the graduates was Kansei Matsuzawa, the record-breaking Rainbow Warrior football kicker, who became the program\u2019s first consensus All-American after being named to three of the NCAA<\/abbr>\u2019s five official All-America teams, earning a bachelor\u2019s degree in interdisciplinary science.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been amazing,\u201d Matsuzawa said. \u201cHawai\u02bbi<\/span> and UH<\/abbr> gave me everything, opportunity and joy. I really enjoyed my time in Hawai\u02bbi<\/span>. I want to appreciate my family for supporting me throughout my journey. I\u2019m so proud of myself and my family.\u201d<\/p>\n