HPU United Nations Club Attends National Model United Nations Conference in Canada

On Friday, Nov. 17 through Saturday, Nov. 25, 2017, HPU United Nations (UN) Club members participated in the 2017 National Model United Nations (NMUN) Conference in Banff, Canada. Eleven HPU students (pictured above from left to right): Essi Korhonen, Isabelle Klewstigh, Hunter Burrows, Gabriela (Victoria) Ristikangas, Kristine Kivle, Sharon MacAllan, Ashley Ubben, Lesly Valdez, Emily Macri, Cherie Soria and Nicole Masulit, along with the UN Club faculty advisor, Serge Marek, Ph.D., participated in the conference. 

At the NMUN Conference, university students from around the world represented various countries in committees to discuss international issues relevant today. The HPU delegation represented two countries in various committees. The Uruguay team consisted of six HPU students in the General Assembly (GA), Security Council (SC) and UN Environment Assembly (UNEA). The Vietnam team consisted of five students in the GA, UNEA and Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) committees. The Uruguay UNEA team won the award for Outstanding Position Paper, making this the first HPU delegation to win the position paper award. HPU was also recognized as an Honorable Mention during the closing ceremony. 

The NMUN Canada Conference was a success, as each student did their utmost to represent HPU, the UN Club and their respective countries in the best way possible.

Applications are currently available for the next Model United Nations Conference, to be held in New York in March 2018. For more information on the HPU UN Club, please contact the Secretary General/Club President, Haven McKay, at hmckay@my.hpu.edu or the UN Club faculty advisor Serge Marek, at smarek@hpu.edu.

Conference Team:

Hunter Burrows, Freshman, Marine Biology major from New Jersey
Kristine Kivle, Head Delegate/Secretary General, Senior, Diplomacy and Military Studies major from Norway

Essi Korhonen, Senior, International Studies major from Finland

Isabelle Klewstigh, Junior, International Studies major from Sweden
Sharon MacAllan, Junior, Marine Biology major from Germany/U.S.A.
Emily Macri, pursuing a master's in Global Leadership and Sustainable Development, from New York
Nicole Masulit, Sophomore, International Business major from Kauai
Lesly Pamatz, International Business major from California

Viktoria Ristikangas, Junior, International Studies major from Finland

Cherie Soria, Sophomore, Nursing major from Oahu
Ashley Ubben, Freshman, International Studies major from Texas  

News submitted by Nicole Masulit, UN Club PR Officer

Social Work ‘Ohana Participates in Overdose Awareness Event

From left to right: David Shaku, MSW student; 
Heather Lusk, Executive Director of CHOW, MSW alumna;
Raquel Curtis, MSW student;
Leilani Maxera, Program Manager at CHOW, MSW student;
Nicole Beineman, Outreach Worker, BSW alumna;
Sean Quigley, Hepatitis C Care Coordinator at CHOW, MSW student

HPU Social Work faculty, students, and alumni participated with the Community Health Outreach Work to Prevent AIDS (CHOW) Project for their Overdose Awareness Day Teach-In and Memorial, which was held on August 31 at Harris United Methodist Church.

In honor of international Overdose Awareness Day, over 70 people came together at the CHOW-hosted event to learn how to prevent an opioid overdose and how to reverse an overdose with Naloxone. Thirty-five individuals were trained by CHOW staff on how to use Naloxone and were given overdose prevention kits to take home with them.

Attendees also heard personal stories from those affected by opioid addiction and overdose and were given a space to honor lives lost to it. September 12 marked the one-year anniversary of CHOW providing Naloxone to the community. In that time, 46 overdose reversals have been reported — that's 46 lives saved by their Naloxone program.

Assistant Professor of Social Work Michaela Rinkel, Ph.D., serves on the board of CHOW, and CHOW's Executive Director is Heather Lusk, an MSW graduate. CHOW also employs two MSW students, a BSW graduate, and three MSW students are interning with the organization.

 

Honda Foundation Supports HPU Students

Hawai‘i Pacific University is pleased to announce a new partnership with the Honda Foundation, a family foundation based in Honolulu. The Foundation is focusing on HPU’s Nursing Program through the establishment of scholarships for students pursuing a degree in Nursing and assisting with costs of their certification.

“We are very proud of serving Hawai‘i as the primary educator of nurses (BSN) for decades, and have made significant advances in recent years at the graduate level as the professional education needed for quality nursing care has increased. Our graduate nursing programs have been nationally ranked for the last decade, and we introduced our Doctorate of Nursing Practice this fall. We appreciate the Honda Foundation’s continued support of our nursing education programs and the health of our community,” said Matthew Liao-Troth, Ph.D., Provost and Senior Vice President of HPU.

The spokesperson of the Honda Foundation, James A. Honda, Esquire, commented that he experienced the expertise of HPU Nursing first-hand: "During the hospitalization of our foundation’s founder, Paul S. Honda, we met a number of HPU graduates at local hospitals who evinced a high level of skill and compassion for which our entire family is eternally grateful. Our recent conversations with the university leadership inspired us to do more and we anticipate a long-term or perpetual partnership with HPU."

Conor Devine, a sophomore who is the inaugural recipient of the Honda Study Abroad Scholarship this year and will spend the year in Japan stated, “It means a great deal to me to have such an opportunity to study in a country I have always dreamed of since I was a child. I have been fortunate that my parents have allowed me to pursue my dreams and come to school out here to Hawai‘i, and  more so that I have been able to pursue my dream to study abroad.”

HPU Welcomes Its First Doctor of Nursing Practice Class

This month, five nursing professionals embarked on their educational journey as HPU’s inaugural Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) class. The DNP program, which is approved by the WASC Senior College and University Commission is a practice-based doctoral program that prepares expert clinicians to develop, implement, and evaluate nursing practice using research knowledge and methods to improve patient and population-based care. Students will learn from faculty reflecting an interdisciplinary approach and team focus of health care delivery.

The DNP is HPU’s first doctoral degree program. It is an online program in which the first course of the program is delivered during a one-week mandatory face-to-face intensive on the HPU campus. All other courses are completed online in eight-week sessions, which allows nurse practitioners to continue working while earning their doctoral degree.

Members of the inaugural DNP class hail from Oahu and the west coast.    

Pictured- third row Aneesha Remani Ravi (Oahu), Dr. Howard He (HPU Faculty), Dr. Jayne Smitten (Acting Dean, CHS), Dr. Michelle Higgins-Mahe (HPU faculty)

Second row- Seiichi Nakamura (Oahu), Sandra Kakiuchi (Oahu), Erlinda Bhat (Las Vegas), Dr. Michelle Johnson (Chief Nurse Administrator), Dr. Jamie Pagels (DNP Coordinator), President John Gotanda

Center Sean Plank (Southern California).

For more information on the DNP Program, click here or contact Dr. Jamie Pagels, DNP Coordinator, jpagels@hpu.edu

HPU ‘English for Nurses’ Program Held July 3-28

By Barbara Hannum, Director, International Education Programs

When it comes to helping others and possibly saving lives, some human qualities appear to be universal: empathy, compassion, willingness to assist, and the ability to respond in a medical emergency with appropriate skills and knowledge. But could you do this in a language other than your own?!

Twenty-seven courageous young nursing students from four different Korean universities were willing to try! For one month this summer, from July 3-28, these 26 women and one man participated in a customized, content-based “English for Nurses” short-term group program designed to increase knowledge in areas of nursing and, at the same time, build fluency in English language skills.

The program consisted of classes taught by HPU TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) faculty in medical vocabulary, nurse-patient interaction, and special topics in health and nursing. TESOL student assistants and Center for Academic Success tutors provided support and encouragement in afternoon fluency-building workshops and conversation sessions all related to topics of health, wellness, and the nursing profession.

Several HPU Nursing faculty shared presentations on topics such as Ethnicities in Hawai‘i and the Impact on Health, Transcultural Nursing, and Nursing Education in the U.S. and at HPU. The students also observed an advanced HPU Nursing course where they had the opportunity to experience what it might be like to be a nursing student here. They also enjoyed interacting over a pizza lunch with members of the HPU Student Nurses Association. A highlight of their immersion experience was the chance to work in the Simulation Lab with HPU faculty and staff; for most of them, this was their first exposure to such simulation technology and the various medical scenarios such as respiratory distress, childbirth, tracheotomy, heart defibrillation, and even the urgency of a “code blue”! HPU Head Athletics Trainer, Kelly Wescott, also provided a presentation about sports medicine with hands-on exposure to various athletics training tools and rehab equipment.

In addition to their classes and special events on campus, they enjoyed experiential learning and memorable off-campus site visits to Kuakini Medical Center, Castle Medical Wellness Center, Pearl Harbor, and Hawaii State Hospital where they participated in a day-long certification course in CPR, AED, and Basic Life Skills (BLS). They also enjoyed cultural activities like a hula workshop and ukulele lesson as part of their exposure to Hawaiian language and culture.

This is the third annual summer program for participants from Seoul Women’s College of Nursing, and the first for students from Kwangyang Health College, U1 University, and JEI University.

The program is offered through the Dept. of English and Applied Linguistics in the College of Liberal Arts under the direction of Barbara Hannum. Please contact Barbara at bhannum@hpu.edu for more details about this or other short-term group programs at HPU.

Congratulations, Spring 2017 HPU Graduates!

Hawai‘i Pacific University held its Spring 2017 Commencement ceremony on Thursday, May 11. The University proudly and warmly welcomes its newest graduates into its global network of alumni, comprising more than 45,000 individuals.

Mahalo to the valedictory speakers, Wesley Chai (BS Criminal Justice) and Louis C. Hare III (MA in Communication), for representing the graduating class with their thoughtful remarks. (Pictured left Hare and right Chai with HPU's mascot Sharky)

HPU Board of Trustee and alumnus Ray Vara (BSBA ’93), who delivered the Commencement keynote speech, was presented with an honorary doctorate degree in recognition of his professional accomplishments, commitment to community causes, and the advancement of higher education.

Alumna Naomi Hazelton (MA in Communication ’05), publisher of Pacific Edge magazine, Green magazine, and Las Vegas Bound magazine, lead the graduates in the recitation of the HPU Alumni Pledge. The pledge signifies the official welcome of the Spring 2017 graduates to the HPU alumni community.

Professor Horgen Named Teacher of the Year

2016 Teacher of the Year Margo Bare presents David Horgen, Ph.D.,
the 2017 Teacher of the Year award

Annually in the spring, HPU graduating students are asked to nominate candidates for the Teacher of the Year award. Professor of Chemistry David Horgen, Ph.D., was named the 2017 HPU Teacher of the Year. He was presented the award by 2016 HPU Teacher of the Year Margo Bare, retired professor of social work.

Horgen, who is the chair of the chemistry and biochemistry program, joined HPU in 2000. His major research interest is in marine natural products chemistry. He is the head of HPU’s Shared Instrumentation Facility, which has been funded by the National Institute of Health since 2002. One of the research team’s accomplishments is the discovery of new biological activity for a naturally occurring marine compound, waixenicin A, which is produced by a soft coral that grows only in Hawai‘i. It may be a resource for finding new therapies for cancer and stroke.

Additionally, these biomedical research laboratories — known as INBRE — support instructional lab courses and increase undergraduate and graduate student research opportunities. Under the mentorship of this year’s teacher of the year and his biomedical faculty colleagues, nearly 100 students have participated in INBRE research projects and 40 undergraduates have coauthored scholarly presentations and manuscripts.

One of the participants in the student instrumentation-mentoring program that Horgen organizes said, “Programs like this have given students like myself not only a remarkable opportunity to get involved in what the Chemistry department has to offer, but the ability to make ourselves marketable in our field, with experience many other schools cannot offer their students.” This graduating senior has been accepted to a competitive summer research experience program at a graduate school of biomedical sciences, and she thanks Horgen for his support. This student is one of the many students he has impacted.

  

Faculty and Staff: Join the Hānai Program

Beginning in Fall 2017, the Office of First Year Experience, in partnership with the Office of Human Resources, is rolling out a new way to engage first-time freshmen with HPU faculty and staff!

Currently, first-time, full-time freshmen are placed into groups with a Peer Mentor (previously Peer Academic Coach), who provides support and guidance during the student’s first year at HPU. Faculty and staff are now invited to support a group of new students through the Hānai Program.

The Hānai Program and the Peer Mentor Program will work in tandem to formulate for each first year student their HPU 'Ohana (1 Peer Mentor, 1 Faculty/Staff, 15-20 students). This new volunteer position is designed to help bridge the divide students often feel when engaging with professionals, by making faculty and staff more accessible in a casual setting.

So, what will you do? Great question!

We are looking for between 30-35 volunteers who will volunteer about 6-8 hours of their time per semester. This will include:

·         Having lunch with their assigned group during Orientation week

·         Emailing the group a few times during the semester to check in

·         Being willing to have a holiday meal with students who stay in town during holiday periods like Thanksgiving and the winter break (either by hosting them at your home or eating with them near campus)

However, volunteers are welcome to do more. Engaging with your HPU 'Ohana can also include things like:

·         Attending events the group is doing together (like bowling, a hike or snorkeling trip, typically organized by the Peer Mentor)

·         Inviting students to sit as a group at an athletic event

·         Participating in a community service project together

·         Encouraging the group to attend a Hawaii Spotlight service learning trip

The ideas are only limited by your imagination.

The Office of First Year Experience wants to create an environment for first-year students that shows them that we are a small community where engaging regularly with faculty and staff in a casual way is natural and encouraged. Please join us in making that vision a reality for new freshmen attending HPU in Fall 2017.

Sound like your kind of deal? Sign up at http://bit.ly/HPUHanai.

The Office of First Year Experience will be in touch shortly after that date with additional information.

Source: Office of First Year Experience (readysetgo@hpu.edu) and Office of Human Resources (hr@hpu.edu)

Teacher of the Year Nominations Due Wednesday April 12

Calling All Spring and Summer 2017 Graduating Students!

Each year, HPU recognizes one full-time faculty member for excellence in teaching. The teacher who is chosen for this honor is recognized at graduation and receives a monetary award. 

While you were a student at HPU, who was your most outstanding teacher? Submit your nomination by sending an email to tyaward@hpu.edu no later than 5 p.m., Wednesday, April 12, 2017. 

Consider the following details as you compose your nomination:

·         Teacher’s First and Last Name:

·         How did the faculty member stand out in one or more of these areas?

·         Communicating effectively with students

·         Motivating and inspiring students

·         Demonstrating excellence in the classroom

·         Demonstrating excellence in course content

If you have any questions, you may send an email to tyaward@hpu.edu or contact Dr. Valentina Abordonado at vabordonado@hpu.edu or (808) 544-1143.

Congratulations on your many accomplishments! We are so proud of you!

The Teacher of the Year Award Selections Committee

Pictured above: 2015 Teacher of the Year Regina Ostergaard-Klem, Ph.D., (left) presenting the 2016 Teacher of the Year award to Margo Bare 

Penny War Event: April 10-24

The Student Alumni Council is preparing for a “Penny War” event that will take place from Monday, April 10-Monday, April 24. The purpose of the event is to promote participation between the colleges and to engage students through fundraising. During this event, jars representing each college will be placed at Sharky’s Cove downtown, and Atherton Library on the Hawaii Loa campus. Students, as well as the HPU faculty and staff, are encouraged to participate by donating pennies into their specific college’s jar. Twenty students from the winning college will be receiving gift card prize giveaways.

Rules for the Penny War are as follows:

·         Pennies are worth one point toward the respective college

·         Silver coins deduct points based on amount of coin (ex. Nickel is minus 5 points)

·         Silver coins are encouraged to be placed in other jars to provide competition

·         Dollar bills will also deduct points according to amount ( $1.00 minus 100 points)

·         A mid war point check will be announced on Monday, April  17 via social media and pipeline

·         Winners will be announced on Monday, April 24 

·         Prize Giveaway winners can collect their prizes at the University Relations office located at Aloha Tower Suite 3100

Please help us promote this event within your college. 

Yours might come out on top! 

For any questions or concerns, please contact Daryn Vorderbruegge in University Relations at dvorderbruegge@hpu.edu

First-Year Writing Anthology Released

The eight issue of Fresh Perspectives, HPU’s online anthology of first-year writing, is released. It includes essays by student contributors Carlo Paez, Jon Davis, Nakoa Gabriel, Joleen Paul, Damon Niesen, Jhumar Ray Domingo, Hajar Tazi, Austin Zmolek, Kula Kukonu, Emma Ferguson, Rachel Gonzales, Sage Bennett, Mackenzie Otto, and Lina Bengtsson. 

Outstanding essays written for Spring 2016 first-year writing courses were nominated by instructors and selected and edited by the team of student editorial interns, Marian Gentile and Jun Dennis Sadang, under the direction of Associate Professor of English and Interim Assistant Dean of Liberal Arts Kathleen Cassity, Ph.D.      

The writing in Fresh Perspectives represents a diversity of voices, topics and perspectives. The anthology has become a regular and integral feature of HPU’s First-Year Writing Program, and it is something that both students and faculty look forward to reading and that students can be proud to share with their families and friends.

Read the Editors’ Welcome by Marian Gentile, Jun Dennis Mata Sadang and Kathleen Cassity, Ph.D., on page 3.

Meet the Writers!

Lina Bengtsson is originally from Sweden and is majoring in Marine Biology. Her goal is to become a shark specialist, and her favorite thing about living in Hawai`i is the sunsets.

Sage Bennett grew up in the Metro D.C. area—Silver Spring, Maryland, to be exact. An International Business major, Sage hopes to someday own a business or work for an international corporation that allows her to travel as well as tap into her creative side through digital marketing. Her favorite thing about HPU is how diverse our student population is: “Coming from a very diverse area, moving to Hawai`i and attending HPU was such a relief. There are so many students and staff from all over the world, and it is so refreshing.”

Jon Davis is originally from Dothan, Alabama, where he was born and raised until leaving for the military in 2009. His major is Business Management, and his career plans are to work at the S.E.R.E, (Survival Evasion Resistance Escape) school in Alabama, to train soldiers in these tactics while preparing to open his own business in the construction industry. His favorite thing about attending HPU is the small class sizes that allow students to be directly engaged with their professors: “This provides an exceptional learning experience in an ideal environment.”

Jhumar Ray Domingo is from Dumaguete Negros Oriental, Philippines. He is majoring in Criminal Justice, with the goal of working for the Department of Homeland Security. His favorite thing about living in Hawai`i is that it is like “home away from home,” with good food and friendly people.

Emma Ferguson is from Bremerton, Washington, but has lived in Belfair, Washington, for the majority of her life. She is majoring in Biology with a minor in Psychology, with the goal of becoming a zookeeper specializing in large cats. Her favorite thing about living in Hawai`i is the extraordinary opportunity to meet so many amazing and inspiring people that she never would have had the pleasure of meeting had she not come to such a culturally and ethnically diverse location: “It has changed my life.”

Nakoa Gabriel was born and raised in Waipahu, Hawai`i, where he still lives. When not working at the pet hospital in Waipahu, he is pursuing his major in Criminal Justice with a minor in Writing. Upon graduation he plans either to work with the FBI or pursue a degree in law and start his own firm. His favorite thing about living in Hawai`i is its natural beauty: “I’ve lived here for 19 years and have never gotten tired of seeing the ocean. It is important to know your roots and where you come from.”

Rachel Gonzales is from Guam and is majoring in Public Health. Her intended career plans are to align herself with a global health community to promote understanding based on public health principles. Her favorite thing about living in Hawai`i and attending Hawai`i Pacific University is “feeling the aloha spirit everywhere I go.”

Kula Kukonu is originally from Honolulu and is a Communication Studies major who intends to work for the federal government. Her favorite thing about attending HPU is being surrounded by diverse cultures and peoples: “We live in a world of mixed cultures and it's amazing to have a small part of that within the HPU community.”


[Not pictured] Damon Niesen is originally from Round Valley Indian Reservation in Northern California. His major is Nursing and he plans to work in the E.R at Frank R. Howard Memorial Hospital in Willis, to help his people. His favorite part of Hawai`i is “getting away from the reservation and not seeing poverty everywhere you look.”

Mackenzie Otto is originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A Public Health major, she hopes to join the Peace Corps. Her favorite thing about living in Hawai`i and attending HPU is the diversity: “I get the chance to have classes with and meet people from so many parts of the world. It is fascinating to hear about what other cultures are like. I hope to get some opportunities to travel, and hearing about all these wonderful places motivates me to work hard to be able to experience some of them firsthand.”

Carlo Paez is originally from the Philippines and moved to Hawai‘i when he was three years old. He is currently majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Management Information Systems. He intends to pursue a career within the realm of information technologies, and plans to someday become the CIO or CTO of a major corporation. His favorite thing about living in Hawai‘i is the different types of people he gets to meet each day: “Hawai‘i is indeed a unique place, and there really is no other place like it in the world.”

Joleen Paul is originally from Maui and is majoring in Pre-Nursing. She plans to move back home to Maui to work at the local hospital or clinics. She has also considered moving to the mainland. Her favorite thing about Hawai`i is that “it is always going to be home,” and her favorite thing about attending HPU is meeting people from all over.

Hajar Tazi is originally from Casablanca, Morocco. She is double majoring in Humanities with a concentration in Philosophy, and in International Studies with a concentration in Peace and Security. She would like to work with an intergovernmental organization or do research in ethnography. Her favorite thing about living in Hawai`i is that she can surf whenever she wants: “The waves are perfect!”

Austin Zmolek is originally from Syracuse, New York. His major is Biology – Human Health and Psychology. He changes his mind about the future every day: “Part of me wants to be a gender reconstruction surgeon, part of me wants to move to the forest and live in a tree, part of me wants to get another degree in fashion, and part of me wants to be a Cross Fit instructor; I'll figure that out later.” His favorite thing about living in Hawai`i is “when I hear people cheee-hoo.” His favorite thing about HPU would be the Kaneohe campus.

For archived issues of Fresh Perspectives and more information on literary life at HPU, click here. 

Employer Perspective: Advice for Student Interns

Mike Murray (pictured far right) CMM, CMP, CASE, is the Senior Vice President & Director of Events for Peerless Host Hawaii, Waikiki Beach Activities, Port Waikiki Cruises. Since 2014, Murray has been working with the HPU Career Services Center staff to place students in hospitality, marketing, and management internships at Waikiki Beach Activities (WBA). WBA provides in-house entertainment services for the Hilton Hawaiian Village. They primarily focus on guest/concierge services, staffing and event planning for guests and travelers.

Q&A with HPU Career Services Advisor Ryan Tin Loy, M.A., CWDP, and Murray

What areas of engagement with HPU have proven to be most beneficial for Waikiki Beach Activities? The interns who have completed their internships and some who’re still finishing up with us have been exemplary and wonderful students!  If anything, the question should be flipped, as we have gained more by the opportunities in working with your students. It’s been very gratifying to mentor our future tourism leaders!  Their passion, knowledge, willingness to learn, quickness to learn — with aloha —  has exceeded our expectations!  Bravo to you and your faculty and curriculum, for preparing them into the workforce.

How can an HPU student stand out when seeking an internship or employment opportunity with your organization? 
They should not be shy, and they should be willing to learn, be honest in terms of who they are and recognize their weaknesses and strengths.

What advice do you have for students seeking a career in the hospitality and tourism field?
Don’t get too caught up with your long term goals…the short term goals and outcomes, often times, change the path you initially seek.  You need to be nimble in our industry, guest oriented, have a vision and go after it!   Of course, try to have fun in the process and share your aloha always!! 

For more information on career services, go to: www.hpu.edu/careerservices

HPU Learning Outcomes Proposal Selected by WASC

Through a competitive application process of the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), HPU was among the universities selected to participate in the March 15, 2017 launch of the free, online Community of Practice (CoP) for Advancing Learning Outcomes Visibility project.

Assistant Dean for General Education Valentina Abordonado, Ph.D., is HPU’s project lead. Joining Abordonado on the HPU project team, are Director of Institutional Research Sara Liao-Troth, Ph.D., Dean of Students and Title IX Coordinator Marites McKee, Director of Study Abroad & International Exchange Programs Melissa Matsubara, Department Chair of Public Service Sheryl Sunia, and Director of the Career Services Center Michael Van Lear.

HPU’s project goal is to develop a page on the HPU website that will showcase student achievement initiatives at HPU. It will contain information about student learning to include institutional learning outcomes and evidence of student learning. It will also contain information about student engagement, including high impact practices, such as first year experiences, general education, undergraduate research, community service, internships, and study abroad opportunities. Finally, it will contain information about program review processes, retention and graduation rates, and career outcomes.

The CoP project is anticipated to run through August 2019. During this time, the HPU team will have access to significant opportunities. As noted on the WSCUC site:

•Implementing student learning assessment projects to meet institutional needs that are informed by national and regional thought leadership, knowledge generation, capacity building, and resource sharing within the Community of Practice (CoP).

• Engaging with expert consultants to help guide their institutional projects and highlight best practices. Regional and national content and/or assessment experts who can provide advice, guidance, and resources are paid for as part of the grant.

• Building networks and support among participants in the CoP, with the intention of broad-based engagement across the region over time.

• Receiving WSCUC support, guidance, and input from a dedicated facilitator of the CoP.

• Building and implementing sustainable assessment practices to support student learning and accreditation requirements.

HPU Social Work Students Collaborate with Kula No Na Po’e Hawai’i

The 3rd annual "Taste of Papakolea" is a collaborative event being organized by HPU Social Work students and community leaders at Papakolea Community Center under Kula No Na Po’e Hawai’i.

At the event, families from the Papakolea community are able to cook meals and sell small plates and keep the profits. Community members are invited to enjoy the food for sale, spend time together, listen to live entertainment and watch a family movie. People attending the event also have the option to bring a new, unused toy in exchange for entrance into a prize drawing. The toys will be donated to Kula's December event, "Breakfast with Santa."

This event is free and open to the public and plates are capped at $7 each. The HPU Social Work students enthusiastically invite the HPU students, faculty and staff to check out the event: Saturday, Nov. 12, 3 p.m.-8 p.m., Lincoln School. 

College of Health and Society Participates in Children and Youth Day

The HPU College of Health and Society (CHS) participated in the 23rd Annual Hawaii Children and Youth Day event held on Sunday, Oct. 2, at the Hawaii State Capitol and the surrounding Capitol District. The event’s purpose was to honor and celebrate the children and youth in Hawaii and included interactive, educational activities and entertainment for children and families to enjoy.

 Among the many different organizational booths at the event, there were four in which the CHS students led. The Nursing and Public Health students talked with the children about healthy eating. The children measured salt, sugar, and fat while guessing how much of each was in commonly eaten foods and snacks, and they also learned about portion size through a design your own meal game. While waiting to take part in the nutrition activities, children were encouraged by Social Work students to see how long they could hula hoop. Additionally, a group of Nursing students manned a first aid tent, tending to people with minor injuries.

HPU's Fourth Annual White Coat Ceremony

The fourth annual HPU White Coat ceremony was held on Monday Sept. 19, to acknowledge the incoming nursing class of Fall 2016. The class consists of 72 students who were accepted into the program.

The ceremony is an ongoing tradition at HPU and the College of Health and Society that accepts new students into the major and ingrains within them the significance of the art and science of the nursing program. The introduction and welcoming the new students into the program exemplifies the nature of nursing.

Audrey Torres, Ph.D., Sr. VP of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer of the Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific was the guest speaker at the event. She described to the students her early experiences as a nurse and how learning to deliver compassionate care to patients shaped her current practice of nursing.

Provost Matthew Liao-Troth, Ph.D., Dean of the College of Health and Society Lynette Landry, Ph.D., BSN Department Chair Jayne Smitten, and HPU Student Nurse President Laura Meyer also shared remarks with the new nursing students.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, students recited a pledge promising to give compassionate care to patients. Following the pledge, they officially donned their white coats for the first time and were given pins to commemorate the ceremony. The event was held in front of Lanai of the Hawaii Loa campus and was followed by a small reception that honored the new nursing students.

First annual Opitz Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Writing announced

From left to right: Jennifer McAllister, 

Ashley Gouveia and Audra Miller

HPU’s College of Liberal Arts is proud to announce the winners of the first annual Opitz Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Writing. Ashley Gouveia (senior) won first place ($300) for her essay, “Social Construction and the Formative Years: Examining Gender Role Stereotyping in Else Holmelund Minarik's Little Bear Series.” Audra Miller (senior) won second place ($200) for “Marxist and Deconstructive Readings of Jane Eyre,” and Jennifer McAllister (senior) won third place for “Analysis of White Privilege II.” In addition, Miles Varana (junior) won Honorable Mention for his essay, “Why, Rough Beast? Historicism, Hierarchy, and the Attribution of Blame in Yeats’ ‘Second Coming.’” Congratulations to all the winners! 

The Opitz Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Writing at HPU was recently established in memory of Dr. Andrew Opitz, Assistant Professor of English at HPU, who died in March 2015.  Promising student essays for the 2015-16 academic year were nominated by their instructors, and a panel of HPU faculty read and ranked all submissions in a blind-review process.

The next Call for Nominations will take place in April 2016, and faculty from all disciplines will be welcome to nominate excellent student essays written during the 2016-17 academic year. Contributions to the Opitz Fund for Excellence in Undergraduate Writing are also welcome, so that this award can be made available for HPU students well into the future.  If you are interested in contributing, please contact HPU’s University Relations Office at ur@hpu.edu or find more information at http://www.hpu.edu/CHSS/.  

Sharing the HPU experience with new students

Senior Peer Mentor Kelly Wapenski at the Aug. 23
New Student Orientation Kick-off event, which was held
at Aloha Tower Marketplace

Hawai‘i Pacific University Senior Peer Mentor Kelly Wapenski said the first couple of weeks of school — filled with campus events — is a good time for incoming students to meet people and make friends.

“That’s how I met some of my friends at HPU,” she said.

During her freshman year, Wapenski, who is in her senior year, said she — like many first-year college students — was homesick at times.

“I missed the food, and I missed seeing my family,” she said. “Of course I can relate to any student going through that.”

As she starts her final undergraduate year in the psychology program, Wapenski said the HPU experience went beyond her expectations.

“If you look at the psychology program in particular, there are seminars and symposiums, where you can learn about topics in psychology and meet professors and make connections,” she said. “(The professors) have all been amazing influences and they will help you out beyond belief.” 

Wanting to share her positive HPU experiences with new students, Wapenski stepped forward three years ago, expressing interest in the university’s Peer Mentor Program.

“That’s what influenced me in choosing this position (peer mentor),” she said. “(I want) to help give more people an even better (HPU) experience and help them to acclimate better.” 

Kelly Wapenski (right) and Student Government 

Association President Christopher Morrow 

at the Aug. 23 New Student Orientation 

Candle Lighting ceremony   

As a peer mentor, Wapenski works with 10 to 12 first-time, full-time freshmen. It is a paid part-time position. Her role is to provide academic support, motivation, and mentorship throughout the new students’ first year at HPU.

“I contact my mentees at least once a week, and I try to meet up with them every week or every two weeks,” she said. “I see how their week is going and if they have any issues.”

Depending on the mentor and mentee’s schedules and interests, activities done together may include hiking excursions, getting food or coffee, attending HPU events, or simply having a friendly chat, Wapenski said.

Wapenski is also a senior peer mentor. She has additional duties of running Peer Mentor Program meetings and trainings and planning for them.

One of Wapenski’s fellow mentors in the program is her brother, Don Wapenski. He is a sophomore, majoring in applied mathematics and minoring in computer science, and is a first-year peer mentor.

“(My brother) decided to be a peer mentor, because he did have a peer mentor of his own and he liked that experience,” Wapenski said. “He thought he had some good advice to give the mentees.”

Wapenski said incoming students should take advantage of the Peer Mentor Program.

“(The Peer Mentor Program) is something that can really help incoming students with making friends and discovering Hawai‘i and the culture here at HPU,” she said.