UH Hilo English major Xailea Anderson-Iopa receives 2026 Matthew Somchai Therrien Memorial Award
Already a published author of short stories, Xailea Anderson-Iopa has a special interest in folktales about selkies (seal folk), narratives of place, and the legends and moʻolelo of Hawaiʻi, especially the moʻo and menehune of Kauaʻi where she was born and raised.
By Susan Enright/UH Hilo Stories.
Xailea Anderson-Iopa is the recipient of the $1,000 2026 Matthew Somchai Therrien Memorial Award, given annually to an outstanding English major at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo.
Anderson-Iopa is double-majoring in English and administration of justice with a certificate in creative writing. She will graduate this semester and intends to go to graduate school for a master of fine arts in creative writing. She has a special interest in folktales about selkies (seal folk), narratives of place, and the legends and moʻolelo of Hawaiʻi, especially the moʻo and menehune of Kauaʻi where she was born and raised.
“I think it’s really exciting to witness her enthusiasm and critical thinking about the way the kaʻao storytelling framework shapes cultural imaginaries and makes our connections to storied places meaningful,” says Kirsten Møllegaard, professor of English. “Within the broader context of English Studies, Xailea’s dual ability to both create and analyze literary works puts her on a promising career trajectory within the profession.”
Anderson-Iopa is already a published author of short stories in Kanilehua, UH Hilo’s student-run art and literary magazine. Adding to her experience in other aspects of the English profession, she has also practiced leadership and professional skills as as editor-in-chief of Kanilehua from 2024-2025 and again in 2025-2026. In June 2025, she gave a conference presentation at the New Directions in the Humanities event held at UH Hilo, where she also volunteered as a conference panel moderator and usher, helping the delegates setting up their presentations and assisting with practical chores in running the conference.
This coming March, Anderson-Iopa will be presenting a research paper at the 5th annual Hawaiʻi-International Conference on English Language and Literature Studies (HICELLS), hosted by UH Hilo’s English department.
The Matthew Somchai Therrien Memorial Award
Matthew S. Therrien was an aspiring English major at UH Hilo at the time of his tragic death in a car accident in 2014. He was a gifted poet and writer with a dream of becoming an English professor.
The Matthew Somchai Therrien Memorial Award began with a generous donation by Stephen and Gloria Gainsley, longtime friends of the Therrien family. The annual award recognizes an outstanding UH Hilo student majoring in English.
The recipient of the award must be an English major and have demonstrated academic merit with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher. The awardee must also have demonstrated course-work excellence in writing (fiction and/or non-fiction). Preference is given to students who have demonstrated community service past or present, and to students who have published fiction or non-fiction, for example in the UH Hilo publications Hohonu: Journal of Academic Writing or Kanilehua: Art and Literary Magazine.
Story by Susan Enright, 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.
