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UH Hilo Chancellor's Blog Posts

Chancellor’s Monthly Column, May 2023: Honoring Aunty Edith

Bonnie Irwin pictured in her office.
Bonnie D. Irwin

This month there is a celebration planned to honor Kumu Hula Edith Kanaka‘ole. Save the date, Saturday, May 6, 2023, 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. at the Performing Arts Center, and then 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Edith Kanaka‘ole Hall, on the campus of University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, when the community will come together to celebrate Aunty Edith’s life and legacy.

It is a local event with co-hosts being the Kanaka‘ole ‘ohana, the Edith Kanaka‘ole Foundation, UH Hilo, and Hawai‘i Community College, but it also is sparked and supported through the national recognition of Aunty Edith by the United States Mint, the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum, and the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian.

Edith Kanaka‘ole (1913–1979) was a renowned Native Hawaiian composer and educator, teaching at both Hawai‘i Community College (1971-74) and UH Hilo (1974-79). She created curriculum and public lectures on Hawaiian language, ethnobotany, Polynesian history, genealogy, and Hawaiian chant and mythology that without a doubt helped lay the foundation for the coming decades of Hawaiian language and culture revitalization within higher education in Hawai‘i.

Edith Kanaka‘ole pictured with head lei.
Edith Kekuhikuhipu‘uoneonāali‘iōkohala Kenao Kanaka‘ole
Edith Kanaka‘ole Hall pictured, a long, 2-building complex with palms lining one side and a large lawn quad on the left side.
Edith Kanaka‘ole Hall on the UH Hilo campus. (Courtesy photo Hyungwon Jeon via UH System News)

To honor Aunty Edith’s groundbreaking contributions to the UH Hilo campus and community, the humanities building at UH Hilo, which houses subjects such as languages, English, philosophy, and kinesiology, is named in her honor, Edith Kanaka‘ole Hall. For a long time, most people referred to the building as “EKH,” a habit that many in our university community are trying to break, replacing with the respectful Kanaka‘ole Hall or even the simple Kanaka‘ole, rather than reducing a kumu’s honor to an acronym.

This attention to learning and practicing respect toward not only kumu among us today but also toward those who came before—those who blazed a clear path toward Hawaiian language and culture revitalization within the too often stodgy and stubborn world of academia—is part of who we are at UH Hilo. We are a Native Hawaiian grounded institution working every day to revitalize the language and the culture, weaving Native Hawaiian protocols, wisdom, ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i, and cultural awareness into all life on campus.

It was an honor to be included in the Merrie Monarch parade, walking alongside students, educators, and cultural practitioners from UH Hilo’s Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani College of Hawaiian Language, our laboratory public charter school Ke Kula ʻO Nāwahīokalaniʻōpuʻu Iki, and the non-profit Aha Pūnana Leo. Experiences like that, of being immersed in a sea of dedicated and unwavering scholars and educators whose work on Hawaiian language and cultural revitalization is an inspiration to dying cultures around the world, is humbling to the core. An experience like that fills me with the energy to focus on the work ahead, doing everything I can to help keep UH Hilo blazing up that path toward the future Aunty Edith envisioned for Native Hawaiians.

Large group walking in parade on Hilo street, one person is pulling a green wagon, most people have on red shirts and hats, city buildings are in the background.
It was an honor to be included in the Merrie Monarch parade, walking alongside students, educators, and cultural practitioners from UH Hilo’s Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani College of Hawaiian Language, our laboratory public charter school Ke Kula ʻO Nāwahīokalaniʻōpuʻu Iki, and the non-profit Aha Pūnana Leo. (April 15, 2023)

In March, a commemorative quarter honoring Edith Kanaka‘ole was released into circulation by the United States Mint, one of five American women to be minted on new quarters as part of the 2023 honorees for the American Women Quarters™ Program. In addition, last month, Aunty Edith was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by the UH Board of Regents in recognition of her contributions toward the preservation and revitalization of the Hawaiian language and culture.

I invite you to come celebrate these milestones of Aunty Edith’s honorable and inspirational legacy at the May 6 events.

With aloha,

Bonnie D. Irwin

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Go Vulcans! 5th Annual Student-Athlete Academic Honors Reception: More than 100 receive academic honors

Large group of about 100 students standing on a flight of steps for the photo. Each is holding a certificate showing their Academic Honors status.
Student-athletes gather for a photo during the 5th Annual Student-Athlete Academic Honors Reception on April 24, 2023, where a total of 105 Vulcans across 12 varsity sports were recognized for their stellar academic achievements. (Spencer Honda/UH Hilo Athletics)

Chancellor Bonnie Irwin attended the 5th Annual Student-Athlete Academic Honors Reception on Monday evening where a total of 105 University of Hawai‘i at Hilo Vulcans across 12 varsity sports were recognized for their outstanding academic achievements. The student-athletes have each earned a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.30 over the 2022-23 academic year.

“Our scholar athletes are great role models for their fellow students,” says Chancellor Irwin. “They have mastered time management and persistence in the face of challenges. I am so pleased to see more and more students being honored every year as our Vulcan athletes’ GPAs continue to rise. I am grateful for the flexibility of their faculty and the mentoring of their coaches in support of their academic success.”

Chancellor Irwin at front of group with mic in hand, delivering remarks.
Chancellor Irwin at the 5th Annual Student-Athlete Academic Honors Reception, April 24, 2023. (Spencer Honda/UH Hilo Athletics)
Olivia Jarvis pictured with flower behind one ear.
Olivia Jarvis

Graduate student Olivia Jarvis from the women’s cross country team was scholar-athlete speaker at the event. In her remarks, she paid tribute to “all the teachers in the classroom and the professors and faculty who support us in our academic journeys.”

“I’d like to thank you for teaching us with passion and love for your subjects, providing helpful resources for all students, responding to our emails, working with us while we are away competing, being patient with our chaotic lives and our brains, being our mentors and offering wisdom, and providing us with many opportunities we could not have earned without you.”

Jarvis earned a bachelor of science in environmental science at UH Hilo in spring 2022 and is currently working toward a master of science in tropical conservation biology and environmental science.

Also delivering remarks at the event were Director of Athletics Patrick Guillen and Director of the College of Business and Economics Todd Inouye who serves as assistant coach for the men’s soccer team.

Full story at UH Hilo Stories, and media release at Vulcan Athletics News.

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Bonnie and the Bees: Chancellor Irwin spends day at UH Hilo’s ag farm for community event “Bee-coming Sustainable”

At the event, Chancellor Irwin participated in the awarding of scholarships and recognizing upcoming graduates and other students who are earning beekeeping certificates.

A line of about 9 stacks of behive boxes, each with a small metal roof held down with a heavy cinder block.
Above, a section of the apiary at UH Hilo’s agricultural farm laboratory in Pana‘ewa. In the background is the pavilion where the “Bee-coming Sustainable” event was held on April 22, 2023. (Cheryl Yara/UH Hilo College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management)

Chancellor Irwin stands at mic delivering remarks. In the foreground are planters with baby plants.
Chancellor Bonnie Irwin delivers remarks at the “Bee-coming Sustainable” event on April 22, 2023, held at UH Hilo’s agricultural farm laboratory.

Chancellor Bonnie Irwin and her husband Ned Huston spent Saturday at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo’s agricultural farm laboratory in Pana‘ewa to help celebrate “Bee-coming Sustainable,” a special event to honor students, community donors, local farmers, island chefs, and others who are part of the university’s collaborative bee program.

Also at the event were representatives from the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture and Department of Health (some of whom are alumni of UH Hilo’s agricultural college); university staff from Sodexo’s campus dining services; community college instructors and students; and high school students from O‘ahu’s top academic schools.

A large component of UH Hilo’s bee program is a community-based partnership between Professor of Entomology Lorna Tsutsumi from UH Hilo’s College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management and coordinator of the apiary program at the farm, and renowned island Chef Alan Wong, co-founder of the university’s “Adopt-A-Beehive with Alan Wong” program, both of whom organized and participated in Saturday’s event.

In addition to Chef Wong, there were several other well-known local chefs and culinary educators preparing food and hosting festivities at the event. Needless to say, with this outstanding culinary group, the food at the event was ono-licious!

Pictured are UH Hilo Professor of Entomology Lorna Tsutsumi (with head lei), Chef Brian Hirata (with lei), Kapi‘olani Community College Instructor of Culinary Arts Lauren Tamamoto (with lei), Chef Alan Wong, and Chef Allen Hess posing for the photo.
A few of the organizers and participants of the ”Bee-coming Sustainable” celebratory event held on April 22, 2023, at the UH Hilo Agricultural Farm Laboratory are (from left) UH Hilo Professor of Entomology Lorna Tsutsumi, Chef Brian Hirata, Kapi‘olani Community College Instructor of Culinary Arts Lauren Tamamoto, Chef Alan Wong, and Chef Allen Hess. (Sharyl Kasarskis/UH Hilo College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management)

At the event, Chancellor Irwin participated in the awarding of scholarships and recognizing upcoming graduates and other students who are earning beekeeping certificates.

Valerie Zbesinski, an agriculture major, won the $1,000 Ben and Fusae Fujise Scholarship.  Since the Adopt-a-Beehive Program was launched at UH Hilo in 2011, Alison and Vincent Shigekuni have supported a beehive named in honor of Alison’s parents, Ben and Fusae Fujise.

Elizabeth Schmitz, an agriculture major, was awarded the $1,000 “Adopt-A-Beehive with Alan Wong Scholarship” for spring 2023.

The beekeeping certificates are officially awarded at commencement, but there was a small ceremony at the bee event to honor the students who will be graduating in May. Advanced beekeeping students Lael BukoskiKamalani Aetonu, and Chad Souza will graduate in agriculture and Brendan Bogue will graduate in communication. Other advanced beekeeping students Abby Obryant and Teresa Mondoy-Jack were also acknowledged at the event.

A group of students stands for photo holding their beekeeping certificates.
Above, students (from left) Chad Souza Jr., Lael Bukoski, and Kamalani Aetonu have just received their beekeeping certificates from Bruce Mathews (at back left), dean of the College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management. At right are Chancellor Bonnie Irwin and Chef Alan Wong. At the mic is Professor Lorna Tsutsumi. In the lower foreground of the photo are bee planters made by students with recycled bottles, each planted with bee-friendly plant. (Teri Kubo/UH Hilo Business Office)

Read the full story about the “Bee-coming Sustainable” event at UH Hilo Stories.

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Chancellor hosts receptions for recently tenured and promoted faculty

Large group of faculty pose for photo with Chancellor Irwin.
Above, Chancellor Bonnie Irwin (at right in red) hosts a reception at the Hilo Yacht Club on April 19, 2023, in honor of a group of faculty who received tenure and/or promotion in 2021-22. (Another reception was held the evening before for the 2019-20 recipients.) From left, Michael Bitter (Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences), Clem Kawai‘ae‘a (guest), Keiki Kawai‘ae‘a (Director of Ka Haka ‘Ula O Ke‘elikōlani College of Hawaiian Language), Margaret Bitter (guest), Celia Bardwell-Jones (recipient), Ian Bardwell-Jones (guest), Su-Mi Lee (recipient), Bruce Mathews (Dean of the College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management), Sara Murasek (guest), Shawon Rahman (recipient), Sunyoung Kim (recipient), Julie Mowrer (recipient), Bonnie Irwin, Ned Huston (guest), Kathy Cooksey (recipient), and Zinat Rahman (guest).

University of Hawai‘i at Hilo Chancellor Bonnie Irwin held two receptions last week at the Hilo Yacht Club honoring faculty who have recently received tenure and/or promotion.

Because this type of in-person event was not done during the pandemic, the first reception was held on April 18, 2023 for the 2019-20 recipients, and the second was held the next evening, April 19, 2023, for the 2021-22 recipients.

“Tenure and promotion are important milestones for our faculty,” says Chancellor Irwin. “They signify substantial accomplishments in teaching, research, and service. Faculty who earn this recognition take on leadership roles on campus and pave the way for students and future generations of faculty to thrive. I am proud of our faculty and grateful for all the contributions they have made and continue to make to the success of our students and our university.”

Those honorees who could not attend the April receptions will be invited to join the upcoming recipients at a gathering tentatively planned for this fall with plans for this type of gathering for tenure and promotion recipients to continue annually.

Congratulations to all!

UH Hilo 2019-2022 Tenure and/or Promotion Recipients Julie Ann Luiz Adrian, Professor Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy Promotion, 2021 Norman Arancon, Professor College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management Promotion, 2020 Ozan Atalag, Associate Professor College of Natural and Health Sciences Tenure and Promotion, 2021 Jeanette Ayers-Kawakami, Associate Professor College of Natural and Health Sciences Tenure and Promotion, 2020 Celia Bardwell-Jones, Professor College of Arts and Sciences Promotion, 2020 John Burns, Associate Professor College of Natural and Health Sciences Tenure and Promotion, 2022 Shugeng Cao, Professor Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy Promotion, 2021; Tenure, 2019 Leng Chee Chang, Professor Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy Promotion, 2021 Cherie Chu, Associate Professor Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy Tenure and Promotion, 2020 Kathy Cooksey, Associate Professor College of Natural and Health Sciences Tenure, 2019 Maria Haws, Professor College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management Promotion, 2019 Patricia Kay Hensley, Associate Professor College of Natural and Health Sciences Tenure and Promotion, 2021 Lindy Hern, Associate Professor College of Arts and Sciences Tenure and Promotion, 2019 Todd Inouye, Associate Professor College of Business and Economics Tenure, 2022; Promotion, 2021 Tobias Irish, Associate Professor College of Arts and Sciences Tenure and Promotion, 2020 Patsy Iwasaki, Assistant Professor College of Arts and Sciences Delegated Promotion, 2022 Sunyoung Kim, Professor College of Arts and Sciences Promotion, 2019 Matthew L Knope, Associate Professor College of Natural and Health Sciences Tenure and Promotion, 2021 Chun Fang Kuo, Associate Specialist Student Affairs Tenure, 2022 Christopher T Lauer, Professor College of Arts and Sciences Promotion, 2021 Su-Mi Lee, Associate Professor College of Arts and Sciences Tenure and Promotion, 2019 Yiqing Li, Professor College of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resource Management Promotion, 2021 Travis Mandel, Associate Professor College of Natural and Health Sciences Tenure and Promotion, 2022 Margary Martin, Associate Professor College of Arts and Sciences Tenure, 2021; Promotion, 2020
Above, Reception Program page 1.
[Tenure and Promotion page 2] Camlyn Kimie Masuda, Associate Specialist Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy Tenure and Promotion, 2021 Justina Mattos, Associate Professor College of Arts and Sciences Tenure, 2022; Promotion, 2021 Julie Mowrer, Assistant Specialist Academic Affairs Delegated Promotion, 2019 Alexander Nagurney, Associate Professor College of Arts and Sciences Tenure, 2022; Promotion, 2021 Stan Nakanishi, Associate Professor College of Natural and Health Sciences Tenure and Promotion, 2020 Keisuke Nakao, Professor College of Business and Economics Promotion, 2021 Donna Ohora, Librarian III Library Tenure, 2022 Misty Pacheco, Associate Professor College of Natural and Health Sciences Tenure, 2019 Ryan Perroy, Professor College of Arts and Sciences Promotion, 2022 Jonathan Price, Professor College of Arts and Sciences Promotion, 2019 Jarred B M Prudencio, Associate Professor Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy Tenure and Promotion, 2021 Yu Cheng Qin, Professor College of Arts and Sciences Promotion, 2021 Shawon Rahman, Professor College of Natural and Health Sciences Promotion, 2020 Scott Saft, Professor Ka Haka ‘Ula O Ke‘elikōlani College of Hawaiian Language Promotion, 2019 Andrey Simonov, Associate Professor College of Business and Economics Promotion, 2022 Jeffrey Smith, Professor College of Arts and Sciences Promotion, 2022 Wesley Sumida, Associate Professor Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy Tenure, 2020 Dianqing Sun, Professor Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy Promotion, 2019 Ghee Tan, Professor Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy Promotion, 2020 Li Tao, Associate Professor College of Natural and Health Sciences Tenure and Promotion, 2019 Grady Weyenberg, Associate Professor College of Natural and Health Sciences Tenure and Promotion, 2022 Brian Wissman, Professor College of Natural and Health Sciences Promotion, 2020 Katherine Young, Professor College of Arts and Sciences Promotion, 2022 Nicole Young, Associate Professor Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy Tenure and Promotion, 2022
Above, Reception Program page 2.
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