  {"id":234400,"date":"2026-05-15T15:15:53","date_gmt":"2026-05-16T01:15:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=234400"},"modified":"2026-05-15T15:15:53","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T01:15:53","slug":"mr-everybody-knows-me-griffith","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2026\/05\/15\/mr-everybody-knows-me-griffith\/","title":{"rendered":"How Asher Griffith became &lsquo;Mr. Everybody Knows Me&rsquo; at Kaua&#699;i <abbr>CC<\/abbr>"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 2<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><figure id=\"attachment_234403\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-234403\" style=\"width: 676px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/kauai-commencement-griffith-asher-1.jpg\" alt=\"Asher Griffith\" width=\"676\" height=\"381\" class=\"size-full wp-image-234403\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/kauai-commencement-griffith-asher-1.jpg 676w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/kauai-commencement-griffith-asher-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/kauai-commencement-griffith-asher-1-130x73.jpg 130w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-234403\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Asher Griffith<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>When Asher Griffith walks across the stage in May to receive his associate\u2019s degree in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kauai.hawaii.edu\/electronics-technology\">electronics technology<\/a> from <span lang=\"haw\">Kaua&#699;i<\/span> Community College, he\u2019ll be carrying much more than technical skills into his future.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_234406\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-234406\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/kauai-commencement-griffith-asher-4-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"group shot\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-234406\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/kauai-commencement-griffith-asher-4-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/kauai-commencement-griffith-asher-4-130x73.jpg 130w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/kauai-commencement-griffith-asher-4.jpg 676w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-234406\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Griffith pictured with other contestants and judges in the <span lang=\"haw\">Kaua&#699;i<\/span> <abbr>CC<\/abbr> Talent Show this year.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Griffith said his true passion lies in voice acting. This fall, he plans to transfer to the University of <span lang=\"haw\">Âé¶¹´«Ã½<\/span>&#8211;West <span lang=\"haw\">O&#699;ahu<\/span> to pursue a bachelor\u2019s degree in general <a href=\"https:\/\/westoahu.hawaii.edu\/academics\/degrees\/creative-media\/\">creative media<\/a> while continuing to explore creative opportunities in performance and entertainment.<\/p>\n<p>His artistic interests grew through seven years in the <span lang=\"haw\">Kaua&#699;i<\/span> <abbr title=\"Community College\">CC<\/abbr> Jazz and Symphony Band and through involvement in theatre. But Griffith\u2019s impact on campus extended far beyond the stage.<\/p>\n<h2>Leadership roles<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_234404\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-234404\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/kauai-commencement-griffith-asher-2-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"group photo\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-234404\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/kauai-commencement-griffith-asher-2-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/kauai-commencement-griffith-asher-2-130x73.jpg 130w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/kauai-commencement-griffith-asher-2.jpg 676w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-234404\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Griffith pictured with the current student government body.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>He served in multiple leadership roles within the Student Government Association, including treasurer, president and, most recently, human resources director. As student body president, Griffith focused on rebuilding communication between students and the administration, and revitalizing student life following the pandemic.<\/p>\n<p>Student activities regained momentum, and campus engagement grew once again. Some of the events that were reestablished include the Halloween Bash, Ping Pong Tournament, Valentine\u2019s Day event, and International Education Week. Griffith also worked to help student clubs become active again across campus.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;My motto when I was president was and is to keep growing,&rdquo; Griffith said. &ldquo;t\u2019s what I tried to do for <span lang=\"haw\">Kaua&#699;i<\/span> <abbr>CC<\/abbr>&#8212;to try to make it better and better&#8212;and I also tried to grow myself as well.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<h2>Encouraging others<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_234405\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-234405\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/kauai-commencement-griffith-asher-3-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"people talking at event booth\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-234405\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/kauai-commencement-griffith-asher-3-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/kauai-commencement-griffith-asher-3-130x73.jpg 130w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/kauai-commencement-griffith-asher-3.jpg 676w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-234405\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Griffith chatting with students who attended the career fair this year about student government.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Griffith immersed himself in campus life, working as a student ambassador in the Student Life Center and serving as president of the gaming club. Through the club, he helped organize participation in an e-sports tournament on <span lang=\"haw\">O&#699;ahu<\/span> and encouraged students to get involved outside the classroom.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;A big highlight for me during my time here was all the friends I made, whether reconnected or new,&rdquo; Griffith said. &ldquo;Being able to be in a big community and to be able to develop my social skills was very impactful. I was really awkward in high school, and now I\u2019m &lsquo;Mr. Everybody Knows Me.&rsquo;&rdquo;<\/p>\n<h2>Other <span lang=\"haw\">Kaua&#699;i<\/span> opportunities<\/h2>\n<p>Although Griffith plans to move to <span lang=\"haw\">O&#699;ahu<\/span> to continue his education and pursue voice acting, he said the skills he learned in the electronics technology program will always provide opportunities should he return home to <span lang=\"haw\">Kaua&#699;i<\/span>. The program\u2019s partnership with the Pacific Missile Range Facility provides internship opportunities.<\/p>\n<p>He also recently began working with former <span lang=\"haw\">Kaua&#699;i<\/span> <abbr>CC<\/abbr> professor Jameyia Shamia to help build customized light-up signs for a startup business and is working on sound and lighting at the <span lang=\"haw\">Kaua&#699;i<\/span> <abbr>CC<\/abbr> Performing Arts Center. <\/p>\n<p>Griffith is grateful for the opportunities, friendships and lessons that shaped him into a more confident version of himself.<\/p>\n<p>He said, &ldquo;Everything that happens in your life can be used as a growing experience, something you can learn from.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;By Caitlin B. Fowlkes<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How an electronics student grew into a confident, community-focused leader.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":234403,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[234,549,415,64,71,59],"class_list":["post-234400","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people","tag-commencement","tag-creative-media","tag-electronics-technology","tag-kauai-community-college","tag-uh-community-colleges","tag-uh-west-oahu","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/kauai-commencement-griffith-asher-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/234400","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=234400"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/234400\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":234415,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/234400\/revisions\/234415"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/234403"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=234400"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=234400"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=234400"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}