{"id":228838,"date":"2026-01-29T15:56:03","date_gmt":"2026-01-30T01:56:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=228838"},"modified":"2026-01-29T16:28:36","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T02:28:36","slug":"fion-lau-alumna","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2026\/01\/29\/fion-lau-alumna\/","title":{"rendered":"Life lessons at home inspire UH<\/abbr> alumna\u2019s new children\u2019s books"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

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Fion Lau, a 2005 University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at Mānoa School of Travel Industry Management<\/a> (TIM<\/abbr> School) graduate, is turning her experiences as a mother into a children\u2019s book series that explores sibling relationships, growth and family life. The series, The Courageous Forrest Brothers<\/em>, was inspired by a quiet period in Lau\u2019s life after transitioning from a corporate job.<\/p>\n

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Fion Lau<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“That night, I started thinking: why don\u2019t I create something about [my children]? Something that captures the sibling moments, the emotions, the conflicts and the growth I was witnessing every day,” Lau said. “Writing became a way for me to process that transition in my own life, and those first ideas gradually grew into The Courageous Forrest Brothers<\/em>. What began as a personal project has since become a series I hope resonates with other families navigating similar moments.”<\/p>\n

The series currently includes three titles, with three additional books planned for release in the coming months. The books are available online<\/a> and on Amazon<\/a>. Lau is also developing a children\u2019s activity-book series, Safe and Smart<\/em>.<\/p>\n

UH<\/abbr> experience shapes Lau\u2019s path<\/h2>\n

Lau credits much of her professional and personal development to her time at UH<\/abbr> Mānoa’s TIM<\/abbr> School, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year<\/a>.<\/p>\n

“My fondest memories of studying at the TIM<\/abbr> School are the sense of openness and global perspective,” she said. “Coming from Hong Kong, I was surrounded by people from different cultures and backgrounds, which challenged me to think more broadly and communicate more thoughtfully. Beyond the classroom, the relationships and conversations I had during that time left a lasting impression and shaped how I approach both work and life today.”<\/p>\n

She said the school\u2019s focus on experiential learning prepared her for her career and life beyond the classroom.<\/p>\n

“What I appreciated most about the TIM<\/abbr> School\/Shidler College of Business<\/a> was how much emphasis it placed on learning by doing,” Lau said. “While we were still students, we had opportunities to meet and learn from industry professionals, which made everything feel much more real and tangible, not just theoretical.”<\/p>\n

Lau encourages current students to embrace the community and cultural experiences in Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>.<\/p>\n

“The people are genuinely friendly and welcoming, and because Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> is such a diverse community, you don\u2019t really feel like an outsider—even if you didn\u2019t grow up there,” Lau said. “My advice to students would be to lean into that experience. Be open, build relationships, and allow yourself to learn not just academically, but culturally and personally as well. The connections you make and the perspectives you gain in Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> will stay with you long after you leave, and they often shape you in ways you only realize later.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Lau credits much of her professional and personal development to her time at UH<\/abbr> Mānoa’s TIM<\/abbr> School.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":228839,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[90,498,1466,103,146,9],"class_list":["post-228838","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people","tag-alumni","tag-business","tag-manoa-enhancing-student-success","tag-school-of-travel-industry-management","tag-shidler-college-of-business","tag-uh-manoa","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