Seated at table, from left, Nick Krueger (faculty, UH Hilo College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management), realtor Mary Begier, Bonnie Irwin, State Representative Matthias Kusch, Jake Rodrique (staff, CAFNRM), Marisa Miyashiro (staff, CAFNRM), and Carrie Mospens (faculty, Hawaiʻi CC). Standing, from left: Kimo Lee (WH Shipman), Lew Nakamura (faculty, Hawaiʻi CC), and community member Rebecca Choi.
Chancellor Bonnie Irwin and several faculty and staff from University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo and Hawaiʻi Community College attended a luncheon focused on agriculture September 25 hosted by the Hawaiʻi Island Chamber of Commerce.
The event, “Seeding Tomorrow: Growing Hawaiʻi’s Future in Agriculture,” featured a panel discussion highlighting the opportunities, challenges, and innovations shaping Hawai‘i’s agricultural future. The event was attended by ag leaders and experts who shared their insights on a sustainable agricultural industry into the future.
“The Hawaiʻi Island Chamber luncheon was a great opportunity for UH Hilo ag faculty and staff to chat with Hawaiʻi Community College colleagues about issues of mutual concern,” says Chancellor Irwin. “The event allowed us to think about UH Hilo’s role in supporting the agriculture sector of our economy.”
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 arrive on campus for Fall Orientation activities, August 20. Here, Chancellor Bonnie Irwin (center right front), vice chancellors and faculty gather with the new students for a photo at the Campus Center Plaza before Kīpaepae and Convocation at the Performing Arts Center. (Photo: UR/UH Hilo)
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.
Chancellor Irwin snaps a selfie with the newest Vulcans on Aug. 20, 2025, at Fall Convocation, Performing Arts Center, UH Hilo.
“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.
Director of the College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management Norman Arancon give a lei lāʻī to new student at welcome event for fall 2025, Aug. 20. (Photo: UR/UH Hilo)
Group of new Vulcans poses for photo at welcome event, Aug. 20, 2025, at the Campus Center Plaza. (Photo: UR/UH Hilo)
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.”
Among the year-end celebrations held at each of UH Hilo’s six colleges, the College of Business and Economics invited local business representatives to their Business Night event on May 2, 2025. Seated at the event are, from left, Chancellor Bonnie Irwin and Vice Chancellor Kalei Rapoza with students Hayate Moro, Mila Srebro, and Britney Isaac. (Photo: CoBE/UH Hilo)
At the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, commencement season is quite busy, but also so gratifying as we see the results of all the hard work of our entire university ʻohana, but especially the students, come to fruition. In addition to our main campus-wide commencement ceremony, all six colleges, along with the nursing and education schools and several departments host smaller celebrations for their graduates. What makes these events even more special is the presence of families, community partners, and supporters.
The College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management held its annual Senior Awards Recognition Night at the college’s Agricultural Farm Laboratory in Panaʻewa. Seniors and their families attended to honor the students for earning baccalaureate degrees and/or subject certificates this spring. Several students received awards for their outstanding academic or service achievements.
Students, faculty and staff gather for photo at the UH Hilo College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resources 2025 Senior Awards Recognition Night on May 16. (Photo: Roberto Rodriguez III/CAFNRM/UH Hilo)
Award recipients and faculty from the language department take a selfie at the College of Arts and Sciences 2025 Student Award Convocation Celebration on May 8. (Photo: Tyler Kramer)
The College of Arts and Sciences held its annual Student Award Convocation Celebration to recognize student achievement and success across all departments and programs. This year, 15 programs presented over 45 awards during the ceremony, and there was a lunch that followed open to all students from the college and any family members attending the event.
The School of Education, which is part of the College of Arts and Sciences, also held its Closing Celebration, a community inclusive event designed to celebrate our master of arts in teaching candidates who completed their licensure year and to welcome them into the teaching profession (if they continue in the program and complete year two, they graduate with a master’s degree). Invited to this year’s event, along with the students and their families, were cooperating teachers who had mentored the candidates in their student teaching semester.
The College of Business and Economics invited local business representatives to their year-end Business Night event and featured a panel of students discussing what they looked for in job opportunities. The students and local community leaders learned from each other as they networked during the event, and everyone celebrated the students for their awards and scholarships.
The College of Business and Economics held their annual networking and award event at the Arc of Hilo facility, May 2. (Photo: CoBE/UH Hilo)
Marine science students and faculty gather for photo at the College of Natural and Health award event on May 2. The college bestowed almost 50 awards among 37 departments. (Photo: Dept. of Geology/UH Hilo)
At the College of Natural and Health Sciences’ Student Awards Celebration, highest achieving students across all departments were honored. Ten students from different departments received Excellence Awards, and 37 other types of departmental awards and acknowledgements were awarded, ranging from academic excellence to exceptional research and competitive internships. Family members joined in the celebration.
The School of Nursing, housed within the College of Natural and Health Sciences, held two ceremonies in May: a White Coat Ceremony to celebrate 10 graduates for their doctor of nursing practice degrees, and a Pinning Ceremony to celebrate 37 graduates who earned their bachelor of science in nursing degrees. The Nursing Class of 2025 included a cohort from UH Hilo and a cohort from Waiʻanae, Oʻahu, where UH Hilo has a longstanding affiliation with Waiʻanae Coast Comprehensive Health.
The 2025 doctor of nursing cohort gathers for photo with their professors and instructors at White Coat Ceremony held on May 15. (Photo: SON/UH Hilo)
The 2025 bachelor of science in nursing cohort after receiving their pins and white stoles on May 16. (Photo: Aonika Russell )
Our Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy celebrated 36 graduates now conferred with doctor of pharmacy degrees and eligible to become licensed as practicing pharmacists. Along with their PharmD degrees, the graduates concurrently earned a bachelor of arts in pharmacy studies. The college also celebrated students receiving specialized graduate certificates: four in healthcare leadership, one in rural health, three in health science research.
Pharmacy Class of 2025 had their doctor of pharmacy degrees conferred at UH Hilo’s commencement ceremonies on May 17. (Photo: Tracey Niimi)
Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani Class of 2025 undergraduates gather for photo with the college’s faculty and staff, May 7, at the graduates’ ʻAha Hoʻomoloa ceremonies. (Photo: KHUOK/UH Hilo)
Ka Haka ʻUla o Keʻelikōlani, our Hawaiian language college, held ʻAha Hoʻomoloa ceremonies for their graduates, where the graduates received their kīhei and were adorned with lei that they or loved ones made. Joining the graduates for the ceremonies held at Haleʻōlelo, where the college is housed, were members of their own ʻohana, UH Hilo leadership, college faculty and staff, and others who supported the student’s journeys as they earned bachelors or minors in Hawaiian studies and also linguistics, and certificates in Hawaiian studies. A separate graduate ʻAha Hoʻomoloa ceremony was also held for those who earned their master of arts in Indigenous language and culture education, and certificates in Kahuawaiola Indigenous teacher education.
This time of year we celebrate with all our graduates, knowing that we are not just the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, but the university of Hilo and for Hilo and Hawaiʻi Island families and communities. We are a university proud of our graduates embarking with an abundance of knowledge that will enrich not only their own lives, but also those of their ‘ohana, island, state, and beyond.
In a celebratory event hosted by Chancellor Bonnie Irwin, honorees include award recipients for extraordinary contributions to campus, last year’s retirees, and those celebrating milestone years of service.
University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Chancellor Bonnie Irwin, on May 6, 2025, hosted the annual Awards and Recognition Celebration. Honorees at the event were faculty and staff who won awards given out annually for extraordinary contributions to the campus, those who retired during the previous year, and those recognized for milestone years of service.
Accepted Student Reception included a lucky scholarship drawing. (Photo: Admissions Office/UH Hilo)Chancellor Irwin delivers remarks at the Accepted Student Reception on April 12, 2025. (Photo: Admissions Office/UH Hilo)
University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Chancellor Bonnie Irwin attended the Accepted Student Reception on April 12. The event welcomes newly admitted students and their families to celebrate their achievements and prepare them for their next chapter of their academic journey.
“It’s always so fun to meet with the accepted students and their families and hear the students’ dreams and plans for the future,” says Chancellor Irwin. “I am always so impressed with their dedication to giving back to their communities through their education.”
The annual reception is hosted by the Admissions Office and “serves as a bridge between high school and university life, in hopes to set the stage for students to thrive at UH Hilo,” according to a statement by the office.
Guests were greeted by UH faculty, staff, and current students, who extended personalized congratulations to each accepted student. This set the stage for a day filled with excitement and connection. Activities included talk story sessions with students and their families about the transition to the university, addressing questions and providing valuable insights. Financial aid staff were also on hand.
A campus resource fair had tabling with info on housing options, student organizations, leadership opportunities and other aspects of campus life that make UH Hilo unique. Faculty and deans highlighted academic programs, giving students an inside look at their prospective majors and the learning experience awaiting them.
Families explored the campus through guided tours. Current students shared their personal experiences and offered advice for navigating university life. There also were scholarship giveaways.
Chancellor Bonnie Irwin and several faculty and staff from University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo and Hawaiʻi Community College attended a luncheon focused on agriculture September 25 hosted by the Hawaiʻi Island Chamber of Commerce.
