Month: April 2022

Name: Jualin Sable Guting 
Major: Pharmacy
Where I am from: Waipio, O‘ahu
Role at UH Hilo: 2nd Year Grad Student, Executive Chair for the Board of Media Broadcasting
 
What’s your passion?: 
My passion is being able to give back to my community.

How would you describe your personal journey in life?: 
My personal journey in life has been a rough road, but with every obstacle that comes my way I am able to fight through the hardships. 

What makes the program unique?: 
I am a part of the Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy Program and what makes it unique is that it is the only pharmacy school within the State of Hawai‘i. 

What would you tell someone who is thinking about coming to UH Hilo?: 
If someone from another island is thinking about coming to UH Hilo I would say do because it is a home away from home. Being someone from O‘ahu there was a big difference in the pace of life. Hilo is a laidback city where you can focus more on self care and school. 

What is the most important lessons you’ve learned in life or at UH Hilo?: 
The most important lesson I have learned is that being away at college I had to grow up and do things on my own. Being involved around campus has challenged me to step outside of my comfort zone and become a leader to my fellow colleagues.

Who has been the biggest influence on your life? What lessons did that person teach you?: 
The biggest influence in my life is my mom. She has always been by my side and supported me when no did. The lesson that my mom has instilled in me is that I should always put myself first before anyone else.

What are you most proud of?: 
I am most proud of myself and getting to where I am today in pharmacy school because it has always been my dream to pursue this career. I still did what others thought I couldn’t and that makes me happy to say that I did it.

How would you like to be remembered?: 
I would like to be remembered as the one with a kind heart who is willing to help anyone in any situation. Being a student at UH Hilo I want to be remembered as the student who made a difference in many ways possible.

What’s your passion?
Learning more about cultures and other indigenous communities.

How would you describe your personal journey in life?
Like the ocean, there are calm seas, rough seas, the unknown, peace and chaos. Future? I honestly do not know, just focusing on the now.

Why did you choose to attend UH Hilo?
I wanted to continue my journey in ʻŌlelo Hawai‘i and find a place that is a “home away from home,” and Hilo was it!

Why did you choose your major?
I grew up speaking ʻŌlelo Hawai‘i and graduated from a Hawaiian immersion school. Knowing that, I did not want to lose that connection and part of myself. I knew UH Hilo had a great ʻŌlelo program, so I took it upon myself to strengthen and grow in my native tongue.

What are the most important lessons you’ve learned in life or at UH Hilo?
One main lesson I learned at UH Hilo is to find your hui, a small community of friends, peers and mentors who will support and encourage you in your life journey!

What would be your personal motto?
“Let it go, let it flow” – don’t force things to happen. If it is not meant to be, let it go, and let things flow naturally.

What are some causes that you care about?
Anything with aloha, ʻāina, teaching children, helping people/communities.

What’s your passion?
To make a difference in someone’s life even it may seem insignificant to the world.

How would you describe your personal journey in life?
Well traveled, cultured and respectful to all.

What does your future hold?
A chance to make an impact on the world we live in.

What makes the program unique?
The professors really go out of their way to make it feel like a family and the student body is very close and supportive.

What would you tell someone who is thinking about coming to UH Hilo?
The campus is like a big family and even though you may have to move away from home everyone is very supportive of you on your educational journey.

What campus clubs or activities are you involved in?
American Pharmacist Association Academy of Student Pharmacists, Hawai‘i Student Society of Health Systems Pharmacy and Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy, National Pharmacists Association, Kappa Psi Epsilon Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity, Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy Annual Health Fair, DKICP Student Ambassador.

What are your dreams?
To become a Pharmacist. 

What are some causes that you care about?
Civil rights, sustainability projects, saving animals from cruelty.  

Name a few of your daily habits.
Checking my calendar, walking my dog, exercising, meditating, journaling. 

Aloha Kākou! ʻO Mekaila koʻu inoa. Welcome! My name is Mekaila Pasco, but most of my friends just call me Kaila. I was born and raised here on the Big Island of Hawai‘i in the beautiful town of North Kohala. I am currently an undergraduate student majoring in Psychology at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo. I am also hoping to progress further in my field of interest to obtain a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology.

What’s your passion?
My greatest passion in life is learning how to understand people. I enjoy meeting new people and helping others when I have the opportunity. I often find myself coaching, tutoring, counseling, or just listening to others because knowing people fascinates me. I like knowing how people filter and channel their emotions, why people do certain things, and what motivates them to do wrong or right. My biggest goal in life is to become a school counselor with the intention of guiding and supporting students in every way possible.

How would you describe your personal journey in life?
If I could summarize my entire journey through life with one word, I would use the word “thriving” because that’s all I ever try to do. I enjoy trying new things, being a part of different communities, and networking with different people. All my life I have prospered during the best times, but during the hardest times is when I truly began to thrive. I learned how to open up to the world and how to take the good with the bad as you should with everything you encounter. Although I am proud and humbled by my past experiences, I also know that I still have an entire life ahead of me and I can’t wait to live it.

What does your future hold?
I truly believe that my future holds everything I’ve ever wanted. When I close my eyes and imagine where I will be 5 or 10 years from now, I still see the same enthusiastic, loving, and vibrant person that I see now. I imagine that I’m slowly working my way through Graduate school, pursuing all of my wildest dreams. I see myself stressing over exams and maturing to a higher level, but I also see my relationships getting stronger and my education increasing. The future is never secured, so I always remind myself to live in the moment.

What campus clubs or activities are you involved in?
I am currently an Event Planner on the Student Activities Council (SAC). I applied for this position last year because I did Student Council in high school and absolutely loved it. I often see myself as a leader, but I decided to not take on a leadership position because I wanted to focus more on my school work. Right now, SAC is mostly an extracurricular activity and creative outlet for me than it is a job. The work can be demanding, but you learn so many skills from this program and you get to meet so many wonderful students.

For future UH Hilo students, is there any wisdom you would like to pass on? What would you want them to know?
If I met someone who was debating whether or not they should attend UH Hilo, I would immediately jump up and tell them every single thing there is to love about this university. However, I would be honest when it comes to defining my experience as a college student in general. The piece of advice or wisdom that I would pass on is to never procrastinate and if you ever need assistance, to always ask for it because the staff and faculty will help you. I would want others to know that UH Hilo cultivates student learning in more ways than one. The staff and faculty at UH Hilo do everything they can to encourage their students in all aspects whether it’s cultural, social, recreational, or educational.

What are the most important lessons you’ve learned in life or at UH Hilo?
There are many important lessons I’ve learned from UH Hilo, being a college student, being a first generation college student, and from life in general. The first being that college really does push you to mature and progress as an adult because your educational journey through college will solely depend on your love for learning and why you get out of bed every morning. The second lesson I learned very harshly is that you also have to learn how to take care of yourself, mentally and physically. I got so caught up in my courses and other responsibilities that sometimes I forgot to eat or take breaks, which isn’t how it should be. The biggest lesson I had to learn the hard way was to take care of myself and to learn that it’s ok to say no to extra work sometimes in order to give yourself a well-deserved break.

What would be your personal motto?
My motto for everything I do in life is “when you feel like giving up, remember why you started.” This quote is literally a life saver and comes in real handy when you are close to giving up. Sometimes it was school, family, friendships, work, or even sports that got in the way of me being happy. Managing all of these things could be the most difficult and stressful part of adolescence, but having a safe haven to turn to is always the best outcome. I also like to tell myself that “everything happens for a reason” because I truly believe that it does.

If you could be anywhere other than here, where would you be?
I always wanted to go to New Zealand because of how much fun things they have to offer. I was trying to Study Abroad at the beginning of this year, but after the pandemic hit I knew I couldn’t follow through with my plans. However, if given the chance I would definitely try to find a way to get there whether it be through Study Abroad or a family trip. I always wanted to try the Nevis bungy jump, the Waitomo glowworm caves, and the ZORB Rotorua hamster balls course. Not to mention the beautiful beaches and waterfalls that I know I would absolutely fall in love with.

What are you happiest doing?
I am happiest when I am around other people, whether it be strangers, family, friends, or even animals. I enjoy riding horses, playing volleyball, and adventuring with my friends. When I ride a horse, I feel free and as if the entire weight of the world is lifted off my shoulders. When I’m playing volleyball, I get lost in the moment and satisfy my competitive genes. I also love to adventure with my friends because we’re always finding new, cool places to lounge around or explore.