UH Hilo College of Business and Economics closes out academic year with second annual awards and networking event

Posted on by

Students and local community leaders learn from each other at UH Hilo Business Night event; annual student award and scholarship recipients are honored. 

Five students stand for photo, each holding their certificate.
Five of the eight students who have entered into Beta Gamma Sigma honor society are (from left) Alfred Evangelista Jr, Jared Mobley-Hall, Konatsu Taira, Jayson Torbeck, and Chenbo Shi. Missing: Tyra Kaimuloa Bates, Suzanne Joseph, and Bryan Schraier. (Photo: CoBe/UH Hilo)

The College of Business and Economics at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo held its second annual Business Night event earlier this month where local community leaders networked with the college’s best and brightest students.

Todd Inouye
Todd Inouye (File photo)

“An equal number of businesses, faculty, and administrators were brought in to network with an equal amount of students,” says Todd Inouye, director of the college.

Having just been granted accreditation renewal earlier this month from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB), UH Hilo remains part of a network of 6% of business schools that have achieved AACSB accreditation.

In addition to those students who have earned a 3.5 cumulative or higher grade point average, the Business Night event also included recognition of college scholarship recipients and students who have entered into Beta Gamma Sigma honor society which is open only to students who hail from AACSB-accredited schools.

“Along with networking and celebrating awardees as major parts of the program, we also put on a four-student panel for our guests,” says Inouye. “These students were asked questions about their impressions of the workplace and how things will be for them as they begin their careers.”

Students on the panel were A-J Care (a junior majoring in accounting), Kennedy Moniz (a sophomore majoring in business administration with a focus on management), Hayate Moro (a senior majoring in business administration with a focus on supplied economics), and Leiya Torrano (a senior majoring in business administration with a focus on healthcare management).

Four students sit on panel, one holds a mic. Director of the college stands to the left.
A four-student panel took place during Business Night. From left, Director of the College of Business and Economics Todd Inouye who served as moderator, and students A-J Care, Kennedy Moniz, Leiya Torrano, and Hayate Moro. (Photo: CoBE/UH Hilo)

Local businesses and government partners participating in the May 2 event, which was held at facilities of the nonprofit organization Arc of Hilo, were the Alzheimer’s Association, CMU & Associates, Community First, County of Hawaiʻi Department of Public Works, County of Hawaiʻi Department of Research and Development, CU Hawaiʻi Federal Credit Union, First Hawaiian Bank, Hawaiʻi Island Chamber of Commerce, Hawaiʻi Small Business Development Center, Hilo Fish Company, HPM Building Supply, and Kamehameha Schools.

Also attending were UH Hilo administrators Chancellor Bonnie Irwin, Vice Chancellor for Administrative Affairs Kalei Rapoza, Interim Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Keiki Kawaiʻaeʻa, Interim Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Lei Kapono, and Director of Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani College of Hawaiian Language Kaʻiu Kimura.

Wide view of the event venue, lots of tables full of guests and people talking with each other.
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)

The following students received recognition at the College of Business and Economics’ Business Night award and networking event on May 2.

Academic Excellence

Names of CoBE students with 3.5 GPA or better.

Scholarships

CoBE Merit Scholarship

  • Kiera Fritz
  • Caleb Miyake-Matsubayashi
  • Rachael Rush
  • Caitlin Siegfried
  • Kanata Taira
  • Gen Takahashi
  • Lexie Tilton
  • Makaila Untalan
  • Selene Valdovinos

James P. D. Thropp Scholarship

Six students stand for photo, each holding their certificate.
Six of the 31 recipients of the James P. D. Thropp Scholarship are, from left, Ace Castillo, Kali Peterson, Rachael Rush, Sanjay William, Bethlyanne William, and Shudai Ito. (Photo: CoBE/UH Hilo)
  • Makita Arelong
  • Hunter Beaudet
  • Kimiyo Bird
  • Ace Castillo
  • Kaylin Cosma
  • Michael De Coito
  • Cayla Domnick
  • Feagaiga Fatu
  • Annabelle Filelmar
  • Summer Germano
  • Lilyana Haina
  • Tuiteavaika Ickes
  • Shudai Ito
  • Cobe Kawakami
  • Rinton Kios
  • Janet Koreta
  • Waylane Lazarus
  • Breeann Leong
  • Ronan Mcfarland
  • Caleb Miyake-Matsubayashi
  • Jeydon Lee Moises
  • Kealohi Napuelua
  • Elijah Paras
  • Banyan Pensa
  • Kali Peterson
  • Kaike Ramos
  • Rachael Rush
  • Xaiden Sotelo-Cadirao
  • Tatum Tavares
  • Selene Valdovinos
  • Bethlyanne William

Fujimoto Family Endowed Scholarship

  • Owen Fragas-Van Blarcom
  • Salote Teisina
  • Jade Yamada

Hawaiʻi Island Chamber of Commerce Scholarship

  • Mailelauliʻiolaka Brown
  • Iori Furuhata
  • Koki Hamada
  • Pall Ingvason
  • Shudai Ito
  • Noah Otani
  • Isabella Ranches
  • Mila Srebo
  • Aaron Trepte

Aoyagi Family Scholarship

  • Sean Serville

Masami & Mae M. Aito Endowed Excellence Scholarship

  • Nia Foronda

Taketa, Iwata, Hara & Associates, LLC, Endowed Excellence Scholarship

  • Jacelyn Lau

James & Grace Arakaki Endowed Excellence Scholarship

  • Waiʻolukea Publico

Enterprise Mobility Scholarship

  • Iliana Keawe-Olivera

Richard Taniguchi Endowed Scholarship

  • Caleb Busque
  • Jessie Shimizu

Hilo Rotary Club Foundation Scholarship

  • Kennedy Moniz

Herbert Segawa Scholarship

  • Kennedy Moniz
  • Caleb Busque
  • Nia Foronda
  • Iliana Keawe-Oliveira
  • Jacelyn Lau
  • Khyren Luuloa
  • Noah Nakaoka
  • Sean Serville
  • Lexie Tilton

Beta Gamma Sigma Honorees

  • Tyra Kaimuloa Bates
  • Alfred Evangelista Jr
  • Suzanne Joseph
  • Jared Mobley-Hall
  • Bryan Schraier
  • Chenbo Shi
  • Konatsu Taira
  • Jayson Torbeck
Share this story