{"id":228747,"date":"2026-01-27T13:03:27","date_gmt":"2026-01-27T23:03:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=228747"},"modified":"2026-01-27T13:34:26","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T23:34:26","slug":"nyc-uhfar-pau-hana-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2026\/01\/27\/nyc-uhfar-pau-hana-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"UH<\/abbr> ʻohana brings warmth to chilly evening in New York City"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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President Wendy Hensel at the 2026 New York UHFAR<\/abbr> Pau Hana.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> alumni and friends braved the winter weather to gather in New York City to meet UH<\/abbr> President Wendy Hensel and celebrate Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> ties in January at the first UH<\/abbr> Foundation Office of Alumni Relations<\/a> (UHFAR<\/abbr>) Pau Hana of 2026.<\/p>\n

The gathering of about 50 was part of UHFAR<\/abbr>\u2019s ongoing effort to strengthen bonds between UH<\/abbr> alumni and the university. Hensel spoke about the challenges facing the UH<\/abbr> system, achievements across campuses, and the powerful role alumni play in supporting students.<\/p>\n

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From left, Travont\u00e9 Taylor, Colonel Rance Lee, Gina Baurile and Aaron Friedman.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“The accomplishments of our alumni demonstrate the power of a UH<\/abbr> education,” Hensel said. “When alumni share their stories, support our students, and champion the value of higher education, they amplify our mission in ways no one else can.”<\/p>\n

Her message struck a chord with those in the room, inspiring attendees to reflect on how their UH<\/abbr> experiences continue to impact their lives.<\/p>\n

“Staying connected to the UH<\/abbr> ʻohana<\/span> in New York means carrying Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> with me\u2014its values, its community and its spirit\u2014no matter how far I roam,” said 2006 UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa graduate Colonel Rance Lee. “President Hensel\u2019s speech reminded me that our shared roots aren\u2019t just memories; they\u2019re a living bond that continues to guide and unite us.”<\/p>\n

Staying connected<\/h2>\n

The event took place at Arader Galleries, a renowned art and rare book gallery on Madison Avenue. The evening was lively and warm, with alumni from a wide range of industries filling the gallery with conversation and photo-worthy moments.<\/p>\n

“As a proud UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa alumni, connecting with fellow alumni in New York always feels grounding. It brings us back to our time in Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>, reminds us to slow down, stay present and appreciate the people around us, while living in NYC<\/abbr>,” said 2011 UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa graduate Travont\u00e9 Taylor.<\/p>\n

Stay connected with President Wendy Hensel by following her on X<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, and LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

UH<\/abbr> alumni, president find cozy connection in freezing New York City.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":228751,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[90,1638,394,271,319,1664],"class_list":["post-228747","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","tag-alumni","tag-president","tag-presidents-office","tag-uh-alumni-association","tag-uh-foundation","tag-hensel","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\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