Hello Kapiʻolani CC ʻohana!
MAHALO NUI LOA!!! Here’s to another Commencement in the books!
We appreciate everyone who has helped in some way or form — whether you helped set up the day before, picked up food or consulted on what needed to be done to ensure equity, or provided moral support. Thank you for everything. Shari, Julia and Katherine are so grateful for all of you. We have such a good team of staff and faculty that made the process easy and smooth.
We would like to say thank you to our committee and consultants:
- Julia Ward and Katherine Moats (CHECK IN) for making check-in a smooth and organized process!
- Mahalo Shari Tamashiro (STAGE) for keeping everything with stage running smoothly as always.
- Shannon Sakaue (GRAD PREP) and the Marshals for ensuring the excited graduates were prepared, were lined up on time, and made it to the stage and back!
- Amy Shiroma & Sheryl Fuchino-Nishida (HOSPITALITY) for managing all of the hospitality stations, such as the overflow/lei zone, and getting food and snacks for volunteers! Liked the snack spread and enjoyed the food? It was all them!
- Kristy Yoshikawa for managing all of the volunteers coming in and out and training them and getting them to where they needed to be!
- Lisa Yamamoto (ONLINE) for ensuring the Commencement website was updated with the online program booklet, list of student names, messages and live stream, and for printing physical programs.
- Lori Maehara and Alfie Gonzales (SPEAKER SELECTION) for coordinating the Commencement speaker selection process! We had an awesome Commencement speaker, Siarra Clark!
- Our consultants: Michaelyn Nākoa Hall for Hawaiian Protocol and securing the amazing keynote speaker, Kaʻiminaʻauao Kahikina, Wayne Fredericks for security and managing Parking Lot B, Jameson Ramelb & Wanda Mita for all facilities things, and Deneen Kawamoto for Disability Services.
More to thank!
- Nāwaʻa Napoleon, Palakiko Yagodich and Joe Yoshida for the pule, pu, and oli.
- Dave Evans for serving as emcee.
- Erica Dias and Allyson Ota for name reading the candidate names during the Presentation of Candidates and for reading with confidence and conviction!
- Kekaulike – For rolling ALL the scrolls every time! Thanks for making extras too especially with the increase of grads!
- Alfie Gonzales, Colette “Aunty Coco” Andrade-Fujii, Shawn Yacavone, and Ryan Mudd running things behind the scenes backstage.
- Aloha Club for handling hospitality in the Overflow/Lei Zone and very much spreading that aloha to everyone!
- Stacey Oho, Department Chair Emergency Medical Services, for providing First Aid support.
- CELTT crew for producing the live stream so that loved ones could watch it no matter where they were, and to Raphael Lowe for working with Lisa on the Commencement webpage.
- Diamond Head Theatre staff for being great partners and collaborators on this event. It’s easy every time and it’s always a pleasure. Y’all really make things work and it’s great!
- ALL OUR VOLUNTEERS for all your work especially those who consistently volunteer at EVERY SINGLE COMMENCEMENT. We APPRECIATE YOU!!
- Mahalo to Chancellor Misaki Takabayashi, Carrie KS Okinaga, Vice President legal Affairs & University General Counsel, William F. Haning – Board of Regent, Acting Vice Chancellor of Administrative Services Lance Yamamoto, Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs Nāwaʻa Napoleon and Interim Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, Michaelyn Nākoa Hall, Interim Executive Director of Strategy, Roy Yamaguchi, Executive Director, Culinary Institute of the Pacific – thank you for your support in this Fall commencement and congratulating the students on their achievement!
- Mahalo to Veronica Ogata, Dean of Arts and Sciences, Laure Burke, Interim Dean of Business, Legal, Technology, Culinary and Hospitality and Saba Kam, Department Chair of Nursing, for assisting with the Presentation of Candidates.
- Chancellor’s Office – Alison Ohata for inviting VIPs and procuring lei and Jamie Miyashiro for handling the behind-the-scenes paperwork.
- Mahalo to our lei makers for coming together to create an extraordinary lei for the Queen’s Portrait!
- Debralee Goto from the Bookstore for keeping the bookstore open on Commencement day for those last minute purchases!
- Mahalo to Sheila Kitamura for donating the beautiful monstera leaves to decorate the stage!
Thank you again so so much! We appreciate everyone that has helped out! You can find the video and Commencement booklet here. You can see Commencement photos here! Thank you everyone and happy new year!
P.S. If you are interested in participating in making these ceremonies happen then please email kapcomm@hawaii.edu, we would love to have y’all join us! It takes a campus to make Commencement happen!
Mahalo nui loa,
Commencement Team (Shari Tamashiro, Julia Ward, & Katherine Moats)