The newest Vulcans at UH Hilo are exploring their campus and island home this week, preparing for the start of 2025 fall semester on Monday.
The newest Vulcans at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo are exploring their campus and island home this week, preparing for the start of 2025 fall semester on Monday.
Orientation events for incoming students started yesterday when the students were welcomed with a Kīpaepae and Convocation. Today is huakaʻi wahi pana or journey to explore the cultural traditions and storied places of Hawaiʻi Island, and tomorrow are campus tours. See the full schedule of orientation events.
Kīpaepae translates to “stepping stones” and are traditional Native Hawaiian ceremonies of welcome. Here is a video of the entire ceremony held at the UH Hilo Performing Arts Center on Aug. 20.
Following the kīpaepae ceremony, Chancellor Bonnie D. Irwin — along with the vice chancellors and others — delivered welcome remarks to the new students.
As is her tradition, before her remarks Chancellor Irwin took a moment to snap a selfie with the student cohort in the background.
“The welcome that you just participated in is not just a ceremony for the sake of a ceremony. It is very meaningful,” says Chancellor Irwin in her remarks. “We want you, when you’re here, to really become of this place, and respect not only our people but our land and everything it stands for. So, there will be many things to learn, both in and out of the classroom.”
Chancellor Irwin talked about those experiences that UH Hilo students can have out of class and off campus: National Student Exchange, field research, service projects, internships.
“It’s those activities out of class that really help you ground what you are learning in class in real life activities. I encourage you to find places to do that,” she says.
Irwin concluded her convocation remarks by giving some advice about how to succeed in college: manage your time, pay attention to your budget, ask questions, and the number one most important thing to succeed in college, go to class.
“We want you to be successful here,” she says. “We want you to thrive. We want you to have the life you want to build, and this is the place you start.”