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UH Hilo Chancellor's Blog Posts

Chancellor’s Monthly Column, April 2026: Student support at UH Hilo comes in many forms

Published April 2, 2026 by admin

Portrait of Bonnie Irwin.
Bonnie D. Irwin

In addition to creating and updating degree programs, the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo continually improves how we support students on their academic and personal journeys.

One of the pillars of that support is our Kilohana Academic Success Center that provides peer tutoring in biology, chemistry, math, physics, astronomy, computer science, and writing. The center is centrally located on the first floor of Mookini Library and offers study space to students even if they are not working with a tutor. While the benefits for those seeking tutoring are clear, tutoring is also of great benefit to the peer tutors themselves; not only do they get paid for their work, but their comprehension and academic development improve as they teach skills to others.

In addition to academic support, we have two major ways of checking in with students regularly.

One way is our new student-success chatbot, part of a program launched last year throughout the entire 10-campus UH System with each campus having their own chatbot.

Our AI chatbot named Lehua is designed to check in with students, connect them to resources and provide valuable insights into student needs. It’s been a huge success with over 90% of students across the UH System accessing this support. Last fall, the chatbots identified 1,905 students feeling nervous or overwhelmed, flagged 251 learners struggling with a sense of belonging, and assisted 389 students who reported they were not enjoying their classes; all these students were connected to the support they needed. The initiative is part of UH’s broader student success strategy to create a “common standard of care” for all students, regardless of campus.

Another way we stay in close contact with students is through peer mentoring programs.

One program for new students called Ka Pouhana Mentoring Program is community-based with both faculty and peer mentoring for students from Hawaiʻi. Students appreciate the option to connect with someone closer to their own age and experience, which often creates a strong sense of belonging, notably through forming meaningful relationships. And the mentors themselves tend to stay at UH Hilo in greater numbers than their peers, perhaps because of this additional kuleana they have taken on.

Life can also present personal challenges for our students, and many have real economic needs that we help address through Hale Lako, a space on campus where students can find non-perishable food, school supplies, clothes, and personal hygiene items at no cost. Hale Lako is a community-based supply line, with donations coming from UH Hilo faculty, staff, students, and the surrounding community, all with the goal to help students focus on succeeding in school and life.

In addition, there are easily accessible pop-up food pantries located centrally in our advising offices and at Kilohana Academic Success Center.

For unexpected emergencies, we have a student crisis fund which is used to help students who face a personal financial emergency. The annual UH Giving Day will be held this year on Wednesday, April 8, and a gift of any size to this fund or others will make a big difference in the lives of those in need. Click here for more information on how to donate.

Mahalo for everyone’s support of our students.

Bonnie D. Irwin

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Message from the Chancellor: UH Giving Day is on April 8, 2026, “Gifts of all sizes are key to our success”

Published April 1, 2026 by admin

Giving Day for UH April 8 2026. Rainbow design.This message from Chancellor Bonnie D. Irwin was shared with the UH Hilo ʻohana via eblast on April 1, 2026.

Aloha kākou,

Portrait of Bonnie Irwin, outdoor setting.
Bonnie D. Irwin

On April 8, our entire University of Hawaiʻi ʻohana will come together for UH Giving Day. For UH Hilo, this 24-hour online fundraising event is a powerful opportunity to celebrate our unique community and invest in the people and programs that make our campus so special.

Giving Day directly supports the future of our university. It provides critical resources that empower our students to succeed, advance our academic and innovative programs, and allow us to respond to urgent needs within our community.

I want to emphasize that the true spirit of Giving Day is about participation. Gifts of all sizes are key to our success. Whether you can give $5 or $500, your contribution matters. When we all pitch in, those individual gifts add up to create an incredible, lasting impact for our students and faculty. Even if you cannot contribute, please promote the opportunity among your social networks so that we can engage our greater community.

This year, we are proud to highlight several UH Hilo featured funds that represent some of our most vital initiatives. I encourage you to explore these funds and find a cause that resonates with your own values: Athletic Programs, ʻImiloa Enrichment Fund, Student Basic Needs Fund, The Bonner Program Student Leadership and many more. If you wish to give early, here are the UH Hilo pages:

As an extra incentive, I have created a challenge gift in addition to my regular gifts: I will give an additional $5,000 (to be divided between Basic Needs and Kuleana & Community) if we get 100 donations across all funds. We also have several other generous donors who are offering matching gifts to make your contributions go further!

  • Dean Rae Matsumoto will match the first $5,000 that comes in for the Daniel K Inouye College of Pharmacy
  • Athletic Director Pat Guillen will match $100/sport for Athletics
  • Director Todd Inouye will match the first $1,000 that comes in for the College of Business and Economics
  • Interim Vice Chancellor Lei Kapono will match the first $1,000 for Student Basic Needs
  • Anonymous donors are providing additional matching funds for Pacific Internship Programs for Exploring Science and the Kuleana and Community program.

Giving Day is also about connection and campus pride! We will be hosting a tabling activity on campus to celebrate. I warmly invite you to stop by, learn more about the impact of giving and join the fun!

Where: Edwin Mookini Library lānai

When: 10a.m. – 2 p.m.

What: Visit our table and write a mahalo postcard to donors and grab a treat.

Mahalo for your dedication, your generosity and for everything you do to make UH Hilo an extraordinary place to learn and grow.

With gratitude,

Bonnie D. Irwin
Chancellor

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Chancellor Irwin attends “AASCU on the Hill” in Washington, DC, speaks with Hawaiʻi lawmakers on lost funding impacts

Published March 27, 2026 by admin

Missing from photos is Chancellor Irwin’s meeting with US Representative Ed Case.

University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Chancellor Bonnie D. Irwin attended “AASCU on the Hill” on March 25, an annual American Association of State Colleges and Universities event where members and leaders of regional public universities throughout the country meet with members of the U.S. Congress in Washington, DC. The purpose of the event is to promote the successes of each regional university and share positive social and economic impacts on surrounding communities.

AASCU represents over 500 regional public colleges, universities, and systems with a shared goal to expand student access, success, and opportunity.

“AASCU on the Hill was a wonderful opportunity to engage with colleagues across the country and raise awareness among our federal legislators about the issues we’re having in higher education,” says Chancellor Irwin.

This year’s discussions included impacts due to the loss of federal funding. The one-on-one discussions Chancellor Irwin had with Senator Mazie Hirono, Senator Brian Schatz, Representative Ed Case, and Representative Jill Tokuda helped the lawmakers better understand specific impacts happening at UH Hilo from the loss of federal investments, notably on student success and university goals that directly affect regional social and economic prosperity.

According to the AASCU website, the association is “accentuating this call to protect federal institutional and student support programs, including Pell Grants, Postsecondary Student Success Grants, Minority-Serving Institutions Grants, TRIO and GEAR-UP, and the Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence Grants.”

Special attention was paid to federal policy issues including preservation of federal funding for student financial aid and institutional assistance, development and implementation of accountability provisions in H.R. 1 (“One Big Beautiful Bill Act”), preserving the authority to fund Minority-Serving Institutions, and showing lawmakers the crucial role of regional public universities.

“I was also there to thank our delegation for their support of UH and UH Hilo,” says Chancellor Irwin. “We are indeed fortunate to have their kōkua.”

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Hawaiʻi Island Chamber of Commerce hosts conservation researchers at community event

Published March 13, 2026 by admin

Composite of images taken at the event, people listening to speakers, and posing. Composite includes flyer.
The Hawaiʻi Island Chamber of Commerce featured UH Hilo conservation researchers Steve Doo and Patrick Hart and the College of Natural and Health Sciences Dean Simon Kattenhorn at a “Business After Hours” event held on campus March 5, 2026. (Composite courtesy of the Hawaiʻi Island Chamber of Commerce.)

The Hawaiʻi Island Chamber of Commerce featured two University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo conservation researchers and a college dean at a “Business After Hours” event held on campus March 5th. The event, “Listening to Animals: Mauka to Makai,” celebrated community-based collaborative work made possible through educational partnerships between the university and local organizations.

“I was delighted that UH Hilo was able to host another Chamber after hours event,” says UH Hilo Chancellor Bonnie Irwin who attended the event. “Our faculty do such important work in and with our community, and it is wonderful to have an opportunity to share it beyond those directly involved.”

Special guest presenters were Assistant Professor of Marine Science Steve Doo and Professor of Biology Patrick Hart, both based at the College of Natural and Health Sciences. The dean of the college, Simon Kattenhorn, also gave a presentation about the college.

Helping host the event was Julie Mowrer, acting director for UH Hilo’s Center for Community Engagement.

“Our UH Hilo faculty, staff and students are doing amazing work with community partners to build thriving communities and address problems,” says Mowrer. “But it’s not enough to do the work, it needs to be shared with others to build trust in and understanding of UH Hilo’s commitment to our community.”

“We aren’t just educating students, but working alongside our community members to address complex issues with research and teach students to become engaged citizens who have the skill set and mindset to create positive change,” she adds.

Last year, for the chamber’s ongoing “Business After Hours” series of events, the community-engaged work happening at UH Hilo’s College of Business and Economics was featured. The chamber plans to feature a different UH Hilo college each year.

Read full story at UH Hilo Stories.

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Vulcans host Chuo University baseball team for exhibition games, cultural exchange

Published March 12, 2026 by admin

Chancellor and VIP pose with small banner Chuo University Junko Baseball 2nd Hawaii Expedition.
Chuo University Junko (semi-hardball) baseball head coach Koji Ikeda presents a commemorative scroll to Chancellor Bonnie Irwin commemorating the Chuo University Junko Baseball 2nd Hawaiʻi Expedition, Feb. 26, 2026. (Photo: Spencer Honda/Athletics Dept/UH Hilo)

Chuo University’s junko (semi-hardball) baseball team arrived on Hawaiʻi Island Feb. 26 from Tokyo, Japan, for a pair of exhibition games hosted by the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. This was a return trip for the Chuo team after previously visiting in 2017. A planned 2020 visit was canceled due to the pandemic.

Chancellor Bonnie Irwin along with Director of Athletics Patrick Guillen, joined Mayor Kimo Alameda, Honorary Consul General of Japan in Hilo Art Taniguchi, Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Hawai’i 1st vice president Mitchell Dodo, and Japanese Community Association of Hawai’i president Burt Tsuchiya to welcome the team with a special dinner at the Hawaiʻi Japanese Center.

“The young men from the Chuo baseball team are wonderful ambassadors for their university!” says Chancellor Irwin. “I was honored to welcome them and their coaches to Hilo.”

The players also toured museum exhibits highlighting the history and cultural contributions of Japanese immigrants and Japanese Americans in Hawaiʻi and Hawaiʻi Island.

Photos of team at museum exhibits by Spencer Honda/Athletics Dept/UH Hilo (click/tap for full size)

“Baseball has served as a bridge between our cultures,” says Garett Yukumoto, UH Hilo baseball interim head coach. “These exhibition games are more than just competition, they’re an opportunity for international friendship and a celebration of the game we all love.”

In a statement from Vulcan Athletics, this second Hawaiʻi expedition is the Chuo team “traveling for a friendly series against the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, framed by director Shigenori Yanagawa as a student-first international exchange focused on growth, new perspectives and deeper cross-border friendship — made possible through the support of families and Hawai’i’s baseball community with a stated commitment to transparent, responsible planning centered on what benefits students’ futures.”

Team, in the rain, bows on the field.
Chuo University players bow to the fans at Francis Wong Stadium ahead of first pitch on Feb. 28, 2026. (Photo: Spencer Honda/Athletics Dept/UH Hilo)

Read more about the visit and games on the Vulcan website.

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