Commencement, a glorious event | News, Sports, Jobs

Thursday, May 11, was a glorious evening in more ways than one. The weather was typical Maui spring beautiful and for the first time since 2019, we were able to hold a commencement ceremony without any health safety restrictions. Our 2023 graduates could invite as many of their friends and family members as they wished. And they invited hundreds of them! More than 560 certificates and degrees were conferred on our own graduates as well as Maui students who earned their degrees from UH-Manoa and UH-West O’ahu, mostly online. Having them be part of our ceremony here allows their friends and families celebrate their achievements without having to travel.

There were so many highlights. Our own Dental Hygiene Program coordinator and faculty member Rosie Vierra received the UH Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Teaching. A fitting tribute to our dear colleague, especially since she is also retiring.

We were thrilled to have on the podium with us many distinguished guests. One of them came a very long way — Dr. Mera Penehira, head of school of Indigenous Graduate Studies Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi. She — and we — acknowledged UH-MC scholars who were recently awarded their Ph.D.s in Aotearoa under her tutelage. They are Dr. Lei Ishikawa, Dr. ‘Ohai Daniels and Dr. Shavonn Matsuda.

Our keynote speaker was Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke who amused the audience by referencing the Oscar award-winning “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” a film, by the way, she said she resisted seeing. “Evelyn Wang, the main character, had to travel through multiple universes to understand who she was and that she was, in fact, exactly where she was supposed to be,” said Luke. Her message resonated — everyone makes mistakes, everyone has regrets, you can’t go back, you can’t change the past, but you can use those lessons to navigate the life you’re living now. Our pasts make us special at this very moment. You may find, as she did, that her years at UH were the best of her life and choosing higher education was the best decision she ever made. “The entire state is suffering a workforce shortage. You can do whatever you want right here in Hawai’i,” Luke said. “This is your market. Make the most of your degree and the opportunities open to you. The possibilities are endless.”

Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen went even further. “I’m here to recruit you,” he said, adding, “I’m not kidding. Your community is not only proud of you but very much in need of you. Determined young leaders are in demand, dedicated professionals can truly make a difference.”

Of course, our graduates are always the stars of commencement ceremonies. The hard work, commitment and dedication they put in to reach their graduation day cannot be underestimated and must be applauded. And they couldn’t do it without the support of their families and friends and the faculty, staff and administration of our college and the entire UH system.

And now it’s time, as Lt. Gov. Luke reminded us, to look to the future. If you or someone in your family is thinking about going to college, we want you to become part of our UH-Maui College ‘ohana. Whether you’re a recent grad or a lifelong learner or someone who wants to embark on a new career or simply a new life chapter, we have something here for you. And we want to remind you that we still have scholarships available for the fall 2023 semester. You can contact the Educational Opportunity Center for assistance in getting enrolled and to find scholarships — maui.hawaii.edu/eoc/. You can also visit either or both of these sites for more scholarship information — maui.hawaii.edu/scholarships/ and scholarships.uhfoundation.org/scholarships/search.aspx.

Apply now for our fall 2023 semester. We’ll be thrilled to celebrate you and your accomplishments on a future graduation day.

For complete information about UH-MC, please visit maui.hawaii.edu/.

You can apply now for fall 2023 classes at maui.hawaii.edu/apply/. You can also get started at enrolluhmc.com/.

If you’d like to watch any or all of our commencement ceremony, please go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1dShxtg8rU. I encourage our Mainland friends and new residents of Maui to watch at least the Hawaiian music, chant and hula at the beginning and the last 20 minutes or so. You’ll see and hear for yourself why Maui Nui and UH-Maui College are so special and why we’re endlessly grateful to live and work here.

* Dr. Lui K. Hokoana is Chancellor of the University of Hawai’i Maui College. Ka’ana Mana’o, which means “sharing thoughts,” is scheduled to appear on the fourth Sunday of each month. It is prepared with assistance from UH-Maui College staff and is intended to provide the community of Maui County information about opportunities available through the college at its Kahului campus and its education centers.

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7rq3UoqWer6NjsLC5jqecsKtfmLyuudSnoK2xXaOyuL%2BOa2dra19lgnCvzqaknqaTmrqmutNmmGafnKS%2FqrvUrGSerpWjwXA%3D