4 Sunday, March 11, 2018 Hawaii Tribune-Herald
CUSTOM METAL ROOFING
WINDOWS & DOORS
CABINETS & COUNTERTOPS
INTERIOR & EXTERIOR PAINT
FROM YOUR FOUNDA TION
TO YOUR ROOF &
EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN,
WE’LL HELP YOU BUILD BETTER
HILO sKONA sWAIMEA s KEA`AU 966-5466
KAUA`I s O`AHU & MAUI s ONLINE HPMHAWAII.COM
UNIVERSITY TOWN
Celebrating milestones
The University of Hawaii at Hilo
began in 1947 as the Hilo Program,
a UH Extension Division program
where courses were taught at
the old Hilo Boarding School.
In 1951, the University of
Hawaii-Hilo Branch was formed
with 100 students enrolled.
The four-year Hilo College began
in 1969. By the following year it
had merged with Hawaii Community
College, becoming UH-Hilo. UH-Hilo
and HCC separated in 1991 but
still share many resources today.
In 2018, several UH-Hilo buildings
are celebrating milestones:
• Both Mookini Library and the
Edith Kanaka‘ole Hall are celebrating
their 35th anniversary.
The library is named after former
Chancellor Edwin H. Mookini,
who served from 1976 to 1979.
Kanaka‘ole was a
“beloved Hawaiian practitioner,
kumu hula, composer
while they are in school — to get
them over the finish line — we
are strengthening and expanding
support services from recruitment
to retention to graduation.
We are increasing enrollment of
first-time students, especially on
Hawaii Island, and increasing enrollment
of transfer students, especially
from UH community colleges.
We are refining our financial
aid strategy and have started a
new micro-scholarship program
where high school students, starting
from their freshman year, can
earn funds toward a scholarship
redeemable only through enrolling
at UH-Hilo after graduation.
In new programs to assist with
the retention of students in their first
year at UH-Hilo, transfer students
are provided with access to better
coordinated transfer services and
first-year students are eligible to
receive the support of a peer mentor.
Living Learning Communities
continue to be a big success story at
our residence halls, where currently
more than 100 freshmen with a
chosen field of interest are enrolled
in courses together and go off-campus
to experience cultural practices,
community engagement and service
learning. These bonded groups
of students are much more able to
remain as a cohort and reach graduation
as lifelong friends and peers.
UH-Hilo is a university made possible
by the dedication and support of
the surrounding community. We are,
in turn, dedicated to giving Hawaii
high school, transfer and non-traditional
students the options they need
to earn baccalaureate and advanced
degrees here on Hawaii Island.
Mahalo nui loa.
IMPACT From page 2
and founder of the (campus)
Hawaiian studies program.”
• The Ka Haka ‘Ula O
Ke‘elikolani College of
Hawaiian Language is celebrating
its 30th anniversary.
The college is named in honor
of Ruth Ke‘elikolani Keanolani
Kanahoahoa, the “19th-century
high chiefess known for her
strong advocacy of Hawaiian
language and culture.”
• The University Classroom
Building is turning 15.
It was the first major building
construction at UH-Hilo in more than
20 years. It’s now the “signature
building at the entrance of campus,
housing classrooms, offices and
gathering places for our university
community and the general public.”
• Five years ago, Hale
‘Alahonua residence hall opened.
It was the first new student
housing project since 1989.