National Honey Month: UH Hilo student beekeepers and Vulcan athletes team up for sweet game giveaways

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Vulcan fans who attended the UH Hilo women’s volleyball game Sept. 21 were treated to free giveaways of honey products courtesy of the university’s beekeeping program.  

Two students holding bear containers filled with honey. Volleyball court in the background.
From left, UH Hilo beekeeping students Beija Ramos Phair-Lang and Macy Iliahi Tancayo with honey bears given to attendees at UH Hilo vs. Concordia University Irvine volleyball game, Sept. 21, Vulcan gym. (Photo courtesy College of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resource Management/UH Hilo)

By Susan Enright.

It’s National Honey Month and Vulcan fans who attended the UH Hilo women’s volleyball game Sept. 21 were treated to free giveaways of honey products courtesy of the university’s beekeeping program.

Lorna Tsutsumi with bees
Lorna Tsutsumi

“It’s time to cheer on your UH Hilo volleyball team!” says Lorna Tsutsumi, professor of entomology who heads the Adopt-A-Beehive with Alan Wong program at the College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management, at  University of Hawai‘i at Hilo. “The program is grateful to Athletics for allowing us the opportunity to celebrate National Honey Month at their game. It provided us the venue to share the importance of bees and share some of the bounty that comes from them.”

The collaboration is 100 percent community-minded.

Pat Guillen
Patrick Guillen

“Numerous community members complimented the evening and appreciated the honey from the farm,” says Pat Guillen, director of Hawai‘i-Hilo Athletics. “It was fantastic to have a nice crowd on hand to not only witness a highly entertaining game but experience the great things that our students are learning at UH Hilo.”

There were 637 fans in attendance at the UH Hilo vs. Concordia University Irvine volleyball game, enjoying the action while also getting a taste of the popular beekeeping program.

Students from the introductory beekeeping class (Entomology 262) gave away honey bears, fans, pretzels, and honey mustard made with honey from the UH Hilo beehives located on the university’s agricultural farm laboratory in Pana‘ewa. Special lucky number gift bags filled with honey and other bee promotional items were given away during intermission. Fun bee facts were also announced throughout the games.

“It was nice to see the beekeeping students share their curricular knowledge with the community and their fellow students,” says Tsutsumi. “The best part was that UH Hilo won!” Vulcans won the game 25-19, 23-25, 22-25, 25-15, 15-11.

Women's volleyball team on the court.
UH Hilo vs. Concordia University Irvine, Sept. 21, Vulcan gym, Hilo. Vulcans won the game 25-19, 23-25, 22-25, 25-15, 15-11. (Photo: UH Hilo Athletics)

Guillen says the night was a huge success, adding a mahalo to Tsutsumi and her students.

“Thank you for your willingness to collaborate and create awareness for the great Adopt-A-Beehive program by Alan Wong,” says Guillen.

Four students stand next to an informational poster board about the "Alan Wong Adopt-a-Beehive" program.
Students in this fall’s introductory course on beekeeping, from left, Beija Ramos Phair-Langi (English major), Adam Vasquez (Natural Science), Macy Iliahi Tancayo (Hawaiian Studies), and Pieter Colson (Psychology) at the Sept. 21 UH Hilo women’s volleyball game to celebrate National Honey Month. (Photo courtesy College of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resource Management/UH Hilo)

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Story by Susan Enright, a public information specialist for the Office of the Chancellor and editor of UH Hilo Stories. She received her bachelor of arts in English and certificate in women’s studies from UH Hilo.

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