Kūkala Nūhou Outstanding Graduates 2026

Outstanding Spring 2026 Graduate: Melissa Mayo

Melissa Mayo’s path from foster care to pre-law graduate at UH Hilo.

Outstanding Spring 2026 Graduate: Jaydee Ah Sing

Jaydee Ah Sing’s path to teaching and historical preservation.

From South Dakota to the deep sea: Meet Hayden Niles

Hayden Niles grew up 1,500 miles from any ocean. See how he landed a deep-sea internship that only 2% of applicants get into.

A homerun for local housing: Meet Lexie Tilton

She went from PacWest Co-Defender of the Year to a real estate license to law school. Read how Lexie Tilton plans to help tackle Hawaiʻi’s housing crisis.

Bridging tradition and technology: Meet Tori Kiliʻohu Valdez

Aerial imagery, LIDAR, and ʻike Hawaiʻi — see how Tori Kiliʻohu Valdez is using all three to protect Hawaiʻi's land and cultural sites.

Striving for the highest: Leiya Torrano, UH Hilo 2026

Honokaʻa's Leiya Torrano became her family's first college graduate this May — then built a program so future first-gen students could follow. Read her story →