Meet the Peer Assistants 2012-2013

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Erik Olter

Hi, My name is Erik Wilson Olter

I’m from Pohnpei, Micronesia

I’m 23 years old on my 4th year of college.

I’m majoring in Computer Science

Basketball is my favorite sport. Once in a while, when I have time, I go out and play a few pickup games. I always want to have a good amount of rest meaning, 6 to 8 hours of sleep a day. I love the challenges in school. I am usually updated with sports news. I love ESPN and sports center. I enjoy helping out people who are in need. Helping is one way of connecting the minds of the people. Helping is a good way of showing respect!

My educational goals are to attain my bachelors degree, and if my finances are ok to pursue a masters degree.

My career goals are to be successful in school, outside of school, at work, and at home with my family. Eventually my main goal is to be at what I do.

As a peer assistant, I will strive to offer the best support for the students. I would be open to the students. As a peer assistant I will aim to not only be a mentor or advisor I will instill in the student’s mind that I am also their friend.

There are many advices out there for college students. If I were to pick one that would benefit the students it would be; College life is when you start to gain control of your life. If you decide to succeed you will act upon that decision, thus leading you to study and pass the courses. However, if you decide on kicking it back with friends over a couple of drinks rather than studying, the consequence is inevitable, you would fail. College life is when you prove to the world that you can now stand up to be on your own.

This is one of my favorite quotes and my words of inspiration to all students. "My favorite animal is the turtle. The reason is that in order for the turtle to move, it has to stick its neck out. There are going to be times in your life when you’re going to have to stick your neck out. There will be challenges and instead of hiding in a shell, you have to go out and meet them!" -Ruth Westheimers

 

Tiana Gillia

Aloha, My name is Tiana Gillia. I am from Honolulu, Oahu.

This will be my fourth year here at UH Hilo, and I am a Business Administration Major.

For fun I enjoy going to the beach, painting, and playing video games!

My career goal is to be my own boss with an event planning business.

My educational goal is to complete my college career with a B.A. in Business Administration.

Advice that I would like to give incoming students is to have fun, ask plenty of questions, and always know that someone is there to offer help if ever needed.

See you all soon!

Keylan Sato

My name is Keylan Sato and I am currently a Junior at UHH as a Kinesiology & Exercise Sciences major hoping to pursue graduate school in Athletic training. I am a full time student that enjoys, working out, hanging out with friends, outdoor activities, and playing soccer. I play for the Vulcan Athletics program and simply enjoy staying active. Feel free to say hi to me outside of the program and ask me any questions or concerns that you may have. Hope to seeya around

 

Megan Araujo

Aloha! Welcome to UH Hilo. My Name is Megan Araujo and I'm from Honolulu, Oahu.

I'm a junior at UH Hilo and I'm majoring in biology with a minor in chemistry. My career goal is to become a doctor and practice here in Hawai'i. I currently want to be an internal medicine physician with a specialization in autoimmune disorders. But I'm keeping an open mind - medicine has many interesting fields.

I have so many things I am passionate about but these are a few of my favorite things. I love sleeping and sleeping in. I love to dance. Ballet, jazz, modern, hip-hop, basically any kind of movement. And of course, I love music. I pretty much like any type of music - my music collection is very eclectic.

Some advice I like to give students is to find a balance in your life. Try to balance school, family, friends, work, extracurricular activities, your health and prioritize. It is very hard to find that balance in your first year but if you can do so you will be incredibly successful. Also, I think it's really helpful to go talk to your professors and ask questions. Most of the professors at UH Hilo are very approachable and willing to answer your questions. They are your best resource (since they assign your homework and make your exams) so be sure to utilize them.

My freshman year, the PALS program helped me have a successful first year of college and now I'm excited to be a peer assistant and help new freshmen and transfer students succeed as well! If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask me. See you around campus and have a great semester!

Topaz Collins

Aloha and welcome to PALS! My name is Topaz Palakika Collins and I was born and raised here on Hawaii Island. I am 25 years old, hold a BA in Marine Science, and am currently working towards a BS in Agriculture (Specialty Aquaculture). I plan to graduate Spring 2013, and continue to the Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Studies graduate program here at UHH. I am very interested in research towards culturing and using microalgae for biofuel, and have an opportunity to use this interest for my graduate studies. Hopefully, my career will be in microalgae biofuel research right here on the Big Island.

I love to laugh, go for walks, read, eat delicious foods, and generally have a good time. I am Hawaiian, Chinese, Russian, Jewish, Mongolian, Irish, Swiss, and Scot and it is my dream to visit the countries of my ethnicity. What is most important to me right now is to live life to the fullest, and to smile and laugh at least once every day.

As a peer mentor, and a previous student participant, I can help new students realize and achieve their educational goals. Or, at least help to put them on the right track. Through time management and great study skills, any one can achieve their goals (something I learned first-hand, the hard way).

The most important thing to remember about college, in my experience, is to only take as many credit hours as you feel you can handle and still get good grades. If wanting to attend graduate school is an educational goal, having a 3.5-4.0 GPA is a must. You can always drop a course and re-take it later; make sure to take core courses when they are offered, since some are only offered certain semesters; and see your advisor every semester to keep you on track.

Kuehu Lee Hong-Mauga

“Never let success get to your head. Never let failure get to your heart.”

My name is Kuehu LeeHong-Mauga. I was born and raised right here in Hilo.
I am a 2011 graduate of Kamehameha Schools Hawai’i.

I am currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Hawaiian Studies in hopes of learning more about my culture.

Fall 2012 marks my first semester as a Peer Assistant with the PALS program.

I was also a part of the program during my first year of college. I enjoyed every moment.
If you need help with registration, scholarships, or even balancing your academic and social life, PALS is the place to be.
This program gives you the chance to meet new people and also helps to make your transition into college more comfortable.
Always remember: We are all here to help you.

My true passion is music. I love to sing.
On my free time you can always find me with friends and family. Sharing quality time is everything to me.
I enjoy inspiring people. I believe in respect, honesty, and truth. I always keep it real.
I’m a social networking addict. You can always find me on Facebook.

Welcome to college!

Shaylyn Fujii

Hey there! My name is Shaylyn Fujii. But you can call me Shay for short.

I was born & raised on the Big Island of Hawaii (Hilo side). My nationalities consist of Japanese, Filipino and Portuguese.

I’m a junior at UH Hilo; majoring in biology with a minor in chemistry. My ultimate career goal is to become a medical doctor; primarily in internal medicine. I would love to care for the local residents of Hawaii and start a practice here in Hilo town.

Besides my educational life, I enjoy hanging with family and friends. Eating and sleeping are by far my most favorite hobbies ever. Yet, I’m always down to read a good fictional book!

Being in college can be tough and stressful. Yet, it’s a new chapter in everyone’s life; so try to make the best of it! Study hard, but know when to have fun as well. Prioritize your duties & find a balance in your time. But most of all; don’t stress out too much. Life is too short to have gray hairs! So don’t be afraid to ask questions and utilize the campus’s resources as much as you can. The other peer assistants as well as myself are always available to help you out! So don’t be shy & have an awesome semester. See you around!

Wesley Ulloa

Hello, my name is Wesley Ulloa. I am currently a senior at the University of Hawaii at Hilo pursuing a B.A. in Cellular and Molecular Biology. I was born and raised on Oahu. I am Guamanian, Chinese, Japanese and Spanish. I played high school football for Punahou and college football at Santa Rosa Junior College.

    I am a very active guy. I enjoy surfing, fishing, spearfishing, camping, hiking or anything that is adventurous. I also enjoy eating food.  

After I graduate, I plan on pursuing a post-graduate degree and becoming a medical research scientist.

  This is my first year as a peer assistant and I will do my best in helping students succeed in school. I am an easy going person and I enjoy talking to everybody.   

I suggest that in order to do well in school, it is important to have the right mindset about college. It is an opportunity to get ahead and pursue your dreams. It is also a time to meet people and build friendships which then can lead to connections down the road. Other important words of advice are to manage your time between classes, family, work or extracurriculars and to utilize as many resources that are available to you.

  I strongly believe that you can still have a very fun and enjoyable collegiate experience while succeeding in your academics. The University has a lot to offer everybody and I hope I can contribute beneficially to that experience

Koa Kubera

Aloha! My name is Koa Kubera.

I was born and raised here on the Big Island in Keauakaha. I am Hawaiian, Chinese, Filipino, and Polish.

I am a sophomore majoring in Business Administration and minoring in Japanese Studies. I enjoy trying new things and exploring new places so I would love to travel the world and experience anything and everything. I believe the best way to learn is through doing and seeing it firsthand.

I like food, swimming, singing, food, dancing, volleyball, food, sleeping, and food. Did I mention I like food? I really like food…

I was part of the PALS program during my freshmen year as a mentee and was given the opportunity to come back as a mentor this year. For me the hardest thing about college was adjusting to the amount of freedom you get. In high school you have a monitored class schedule but in college YOU create your own schedule. At times you get so caught up in how much extra time you have that you actually forget to do the things you need to do. So my advice to you is to always prioritize your schedule. Make sure you are spending enough time on all the things you feel and know are important.

I am looking forward to getting to know each one of you better. I am very eager to work hard and try to make your experience here at UH Hilo one you will never forget.

Jennifer Ramelb

Aloha, my name is Jennifer Ramelb

I was born in the Philippines and came to Hawaii in 1992.  I am of Filipino descent. 

ng active.  I love being outdoors, going on hikes, exercising, and meeting new people.  I would love to go sky diving, but no one that I know of would like to join me.

I graduated with my BA in Sociology in the fall of 2012.  Currently, I am working on my second degree in nursing.  I am graduating with my BSN in spring 2013.  I plan on furthering my education and ultimately becoming a nurse practitioner.

What keeps me motivated and on track is to envision myself working a nurse.  If I picture myself in uniform, teaching patients, distributing medications, then I know it’s attainable. 

“The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision”-Helen Keller.  

Keoni Balido

 

Nicole Nonies

Hey there! J  My name is Nicole Nonies and I am from Honolulu, Oahu. I am a junior here at UH Hilo and I’m majoring in Psychology and currently finishing up my Pre-Nursing. My career goal is to either become a Psychiatric Nurse or Counselor and with that in mind, I hope to make a difference in people’s lives each and everyday. I love to travel and explore, listen to music, go to the beach, enjoy hanging out with my family and friends, and currently a representative for the Cal-Pac and Hawaii UMW Limitless Team.

There is much advice to give students and a few that I would recommend is to always seek help and learn as much as possible. “There is no such thing as a dumb question.” There is lots of knowledge in the world and only those who seek it will obtain it. So with that being said, follow your heart and dreams and never give up. Every day is a new day full of adventure and fun headed your way. Enjoy your semester and see you around!

Mark Bigler

I am from the Marshall Islands.

I am currently a junior at UH Hilo and studying Marine Science. I grew up in Portland, Oregon and went to a 2 years college for almost 2 years before I moved to Hilo. I like to be active as much as I can. In Oregon, I liked to snowboard, dirt bike and wrestled for 5 years.
While back home in the Marshalls and here in Hilo, my favorite things to do are to play basketball, workout, fish and body board. Being a Marine Science major, anything to do with theocean I very much enjoy.

I had joined PALS my first semester in UH to get the help I knew I would need in a University. After a few semesters, I became a peer assistant. Over the years of college, I learned how to manage my time better, and how to balance school work and free times for myself. Mycareer goals are to graduate UH as a Marine Science major and a business minor. I would like togo back home to the Marshall Islands and work in the waters. One thing I can remember as a new college student, was the hardships I had to deal with to adjusting to the workload and being away from home. Luckily, a lot of help came to aid me, such as PALS and tutor centers on campus. Now I can join my colleagues on a one way road to succeeding.