Student Resources
By Alesi Meyers-Tuimavave
Photos by Alexi Jimeno
Being a college student is about more than just showing up to your classes. There are a multitude of different lifestyles, experiences, and struggles you might face, especially for those who travel away from home to attend college.
That is why at UH Hilo, members of staff, faculty, and students alike must work together in order to grow as a campus community while supporting one another all the while. One way that UH Hilo does this is by providing a multitude of resources on campus as well as through online services, which support students and their specific needs.
Ke Kalahea will cover and highlight some of these useful resources, such as the Student Life Center (SLC), Kilohana Tutoring, and Student Services Center (SSC).
Student Life Center
The SLC provides a multitude of services for UH Hilo and Hawaiʻi Community College students. There are locker rentals available, indoor fitness rooms, dance and aerobics rooms, pool access, an indoor cafe, a weight room, fitness classes, and more.
According to the UH Hilo website, “The Student Life Center strives to provide an open, safe environment for recreation, learning, and social interactions while meeting user demands.”
Physical health and well-being are huge contributors to making or breaking students. To have a healthy mind and be able to focus, learn, and apply yourself, you must ensure that you’re taking care of your body as well; the SLC being the perfect place to do that.
The SLC is free and accessible to UH Hilo students with a validated ID card from Lava Tube and are enrolled in at least one in-person class. UH Hilo students taking only online classes will be charged $78 monthly.
Another helpful feature of the SLC is the ʻOhana pool hours dedicated to students who are parents so they can bring their children or families to swim at the pool.
Find more information on the SLC by searching their name on the UH Hilo website. The Student Life Center is located in the athletics complex, next to the gym. It is building 352.
Kilohana
Kilohana, the Academic Success Center, provides free tutoring services through student tutors. The subjects covered are math, science, writing, and computer science. Kilohana also allows Hawai‘i Community College’s (HCC) students to use their services.
The science tutors working in Kilohana have specific branches of the subject they usually work with, given that it’s broad. Right now, there’s a tutor who covers biology and chemistry, and another tutor who covers marine science.
It is notable to include that these students are able to tutor in other parts of science, but those mentioned are ultimately their strengths.
Kilohana’s main aim is to “support [students] and help you succeed academically” (UH Hilo). In order to fulfill this mission, Kilohana provides in-person and online tutoring through Zoom.
Kilohana has a very straightforward process for students looking to meet with a tutor; students don’t need to make an appointment to meet with tutors.
You can simply check the Kilohana page on UH Hilo’s website, look at the schedule for the specific subject you need tutoring in, then come to Kilohana at that time to meet with a student-tutor.
Besides tutoring, Kilohana can also be a quiet place where you independently study, hang out with friends, or hear talks from professors and visitors to campus alike.
Kilohana also acquired MacBooks in their recent renovations, which students have access to during open hours. There are Windows computers as well and printing services within the center.
Kilohana is located on the first floor of Mookini Library, room library 123.
The computer science tutoring is the only subject that is separate from the others; these tutors can be found at CH 11.
The Kilohana Academic Success Center which assists students with academic resources.
Student Services Center
The Student Services Center is one of the most resourceful spaces on campus at UH Hilo. There are three floors within the SCC; each floor holds different services and programs implemented for the betterment of students.
This is where students can go before they’re officially students and are considering UH Hilo, when they need support as an active student, and in the future when students are alumni and starting their careers.
The first floor of the SCC on the east wing holds the admissions office, financial aid office, new students program, registrar's office, and the UH Hilo foundation office. The west wing holds the cashier’s office.
These services serve new as well as returning students at UH Hilo.
The second floor, east wing, of the SCC holds the most resources for students. This floor has the Office of Advising and Career Development Services, Office of Alumni Relations, Veteran Students Center, Student Health and Wellness programs, Women’s Center, Disability Services, Minority Access and Achievement Program, TRiO Student Support Services Program, and Global and Intercultural Education.
These programs and services can serve new, returning, and alum students at UH Hilo.
Lastly, the third floor, west wing, of the SCC holds the Dean of Students office and the office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs.
The Student Services Center building.