Hawaii Tribune-Herald Sunday, March 11, 2018 3
UNIVERSITY TOWN
Putting students first key to success
The University of Hawaii
at Hilo has developed an
integrated, strategic and
holistic strategy to supporting
the success of its students.
This “students first”
approach focuses on programs
and practices that research has
shown have a good, predictable
and positive influence
on student performance by
providing them greater academic
and personal support.
‘Opihi is UH-Hilo’s new
brand for efforts to increase
student retention and graduation
rates with its focus on
communication across campus
on matters related to student
success. This limpet and prized
delicacy found along Hawaii’s
shorelines was chosen for this
branding effort due to its resilience
and tenacity to remain
stuck to rocks despite crashing
waves and rising tides.
‘Opihi encourages faculty,
staff and students to
“Stick with It” and serves
as the shell (or umbrella)
under which many of
UH-Hilo’s student success
initiatives are coordinated.
One of the most critical
keys to success in higher education
is preparing students
for their transition from high
school to college. The earlier
that effort begins, the better.
And thanks to a new program,
incoming students are getting
an important head start.
In fall 2018, UH-Hilo
welcomes the first group of
students from a micro-scholarship
program developed
with RaiseMe, a platform
that helps students beginning
in the ninth grade prepare
for college by earning
scholarships through their
achievements in high school.
Students create a portfolio
and select colleges they are
interested in attending, then
earn funds for their academics,
participation in college
readiness activities or extracurricular
involvement. The
university assigns a potential
dollar amount for certain
achievements, which shows
the students how much they
are guaranteed in scholarship
awards on a per-year
basis upon enrollment at
UH-Hilo. Up to 80 students
are expected to make up
this first cycle of earners.
To help ease new students’
transition as they
acclimate to UH-Hilo, a peer
monitoring program called
the Mentor Collective was
launched this semester by
New Student Programs. More
than 75 students were welcomed
into the program that
pairs freshmen and transfer
students with junior- and
senior-level students based
upon common interests, life
experiences and academics.
Peer mentors undergo
extensive training prior to and
while working with the mentees.
Structured contact meetings
also are required for both
mentors and mentees throughout
the year to help ensure
the program’s effectiveness.
Participation in the Mentor
Collective benefits the mentor,
mentee and university by
developing leadership and
communication skills in mentors,
helping new students
feel welcomed, providing
them an additional support
system, promoting campus
engagement, and impacting
overall student retention.
Another factor impacting
student success is the availability
of campus employment
opportunities. A campus job
can often make the difference
between a student graduating
and dropping out due to financial
considerations. In addition
to the monetary benefit,
campus employment provides
students with future employment
skills and a work schedule
that allows them to meet
their classroom obligations.
To address this need, the
university has increased funding
by $200,000 to hire more
students for jobs on campus.
By utilizing performance-based
funding, a casual employee
has been hired to provide
training for student employees
and their supervisors.
Just under 20 percent of
students enrolled at UH-Hilo
live in one of the on-campus
residence halls. Freshmen
are given the opportunity
to participate in one of six
Living Learning Communities:
Business Entrepreneurship,
Creative Arts, Natural
Sciences, Sustainability,
Hawaiian Studies, and
Health and Wellness.
Students in each LLC are
enrolled in a “University 101:
Paths to Success” course
together. The courses are
linked with co-curricular
components that provide
students with opportunities
to apply concepts learned in
the classroom. Many of the
off-campus trips LLC students
take focus on cultural
practices, community engagement
and service learning.
Finally, it is important to
provide a safe and supportive
living environment for
those students who reside
on campus and are typically
separated from their families.
Despite declining enrollment,
University Housing
has managed to increase
occupancy in the fall 2017
and spring 2018 semesters.
Fall 2017 occupancy
reached an all-time high
of 738 students and residence
halls are housing 640
students this semester.
A number of factors have
contributed to this increase,
including the university’s
dormitory re-pricing plan
approved last year by the
UH Board of Regents that
reduced the annual cost to
live in the Hale ‘Alahonua
suite-style dorm by 18 percent,
which is comparable
to the cost of an off-campus
room in a duplex in Hilo.
Timely repairs and upgrades
were another factor with last
summer’s enhancement of
Wi-Fi service in the Hale
‘Alahonua and Hale ‘Ikena
units, along with last fall’s
addition of new refrigerators
in each unit in Hale ‘Ikena.
And credit must be given
to the Housing staff, which
manages operations 24/7
while organizing and offering
more than 100 programs each
semester to engage students,
enhance their residential experience
and provide them with
a home away from home.
Supporting student success
helps the university enroll
more students, increase persistence
and retention, and
continue to meet ever-growing
graduation performance
targets while producing
the leaders of tomorrow.
By UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII
AT HILO MEDIA RELATIONS
HOLLYN JOHNSON/Tribune-Herald
Sophomore Madori Rumpungworn, center, and junior Emily Risley, right, laugh with
academic counselor Joan Nakano on Feb. 28 during Student Appreciation Day.