UHWO The Hoot Issue #63

Inside: Food Vault • New Year’s Resolutions • Food Reviews

UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI‘I–WEST O‘AHU JANUARY 2024

University of Hawai‘i–West O‘ahu

Student Newspaper

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EDITOR’S NOTE Aloha all,

91-1001 Farrington Hwy Kapolei, HI 96707

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Carley Matsumura MANAGING EDITOR Leviticus Kaopuiki LAYOUT EDITOR Tre Zamora STAFF WRITERS Lindsey Millerd Grace Sapolu Moises Alhambra Jr. Nyle Manzano PHOTOGRAPHER John Kamakana SMB ADVISORS Sharla Hanaoka Rouel Velasco ON THE COVER Food Vault, James & Abigail Campbell Library, Cafe 831 pictures by The Hoot FEEDBACK, SUBMISSIONS, ADVERTISING INQUIRIES thehoot@hawaii.edu

Carley Matsumura Editor-In-Chief

Our aim with this issue was to share stories featuring the student experience at UH West O‘ahu and highlight helpful resources available for new and returning students. We tried mochiko chicken at Da Spot and caramel macchiato drinks at Cafe 831, stopped by the No‘eau Center back within the Library, and learned about the Food Vault in the Nāulu Center. Our writers wrote about the Westbound program for first years, the option of distance-learning and its impact on student success, and asked advisors the best advice they’ve received.

The start of the year is a time for reflection and change. With this being my first issue as editor, I’m grateful for my staff: Levi, Tre, Lindsey, Grace, John, Moises, and Nyle.

The transition from managing editor to editor was made smoother thanks to their help. We’ve been working together for four issues now and our production process improves with each iteration.

To all the people who make The Hoot possible, we appreciate you. Our advisors, Rouel and Sharla, thank you for your support and experience. Thank you to Mika, our previous editor who graduated this past Fall! We wouldn’t be here without you.

Lastly, to the wonderful UHWO faculty and our students, thank you for inspiring us.

We look forward to continuing to share your voices and hope you enjoy this issue.

Let’s start the new semester off strong, Pueos!

QUESTIONS FOR THE STUDENT MEDIA BOARD smbwo@hawaii.edu

For any inquiries, follow us on Instagram @thehootnews and email us at thehoot@hawaii.edu. We’d love to hear what topics you want us to focus on!

SPECIAL THANKS TO UHWO Communications

We want to showcase student work! Artwork (paintings, drawings, digital art), creative writing (poetry, short stories, essays), photography, comic strips, and more are welcome to be included. Fill out and submit our Creative Submission Form through the QR code (on last page) for the chance to have your creative work be published in one of our issues!

COVER PHOTO CREDIT John Kamakana Leviticus Kaopuiki University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu makes no warranties, either expressed or implied, concerning the accuracy, completeness, reliability, or suitability of the information. Nor does the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu warrant the use of the works is free of any claims of copyright infringement. All views expressed are those of the page author and not of the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu and/or the University of Hawaiʻi system, and any concerns or comments about these pages should be directed to the page author, and not to University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu. © January 2024 The Hoot

Table of Contents

Welcome Back West ........................................................................ page 3 What is Your New Year’s Resolution? ............................................ page 3 No‘eau Center Update .................................................................... page 4 Da Spot Review ............................................................................... page 4 Westbound and Beyond.................................................................. page 5 Student ID Verification .................................................................... page 6 Cafe 831 Review ............................................................................. page 6 Student Food Insecurity Finally Being Addressed ....................... page 7 Education Through Time ................................................................ page 8 Library Column ................................................................................ page 9 Getting To Know Advisors .............................................................. page 10 “New” - January 2024 ..................................................................... page 12

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Welcome Back West Jan. 8 and 9 in the OLS

BY GRACE SAPOLU Welcome to a new semester at the University of Hawai‘i–West O‘ahu, Pueos!

We are so excited to meet the first-year and transfer students and welcome back everyone returning for the semester. Welcome Back West is an exciting event to get the semester started. It’s the time to meet new people and make

friends, as well as join clubs and student organizations. The event will be held on Jan. 8 and 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Outdoor Learning Space (OLS). The Student Activity Fee Board (SAFB) will be running the event and hosting a booth with breakfast and a “make your own survival kit” with

important essentials like sunscreen, lint rollers, and more! There will also be a board to share New Year’s Resolutions on. All the Chartered Student Organizations (CSOs) were invited, so come to Welcome Week and experience a warm UHWO welcome! We hope to see you there!

What is Your New Year’s Resolution?

2024 goals of UHWO students

BY LINDSEY MILLERD “Adventure out to film and take photos and make more YouTube content. I also want to get into some sort of martial arts.”

Ryan-Dave Rivera, General Creative Media, Freshman

Photo by Lindsey Millerd

“Read at least 24 books throughout the year and do more outdoor activities like going on hikes or to the beach.”

Ilikea Gould, Public Administration in Healthcare, Junior

Photo by Lindsey Millerd

“Put my happiness first and not say yes to things that don’t make me happy or that I don’t want to do.”

Jeanee Zavlin, Anthropology, Senior

“Start taking working out seriously, like taking pilates classes, travel at least once outside of the country, and start to build up my credit score.”

Alexandra Nicole Bumanglag, Psychology and Health Professions, Junior

Photo by Lindsey Millerd

“Stay healthy and do well in school.”

Nathan Chan, Sustainable Community Food Systems, Senior

Photo by Lindsey Millerd

Photo by Lindsey Millerd

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Noʻeau Center Update Return to the library

BY ROBYN TASAKA The No‘eau Center is happy to be back home in B203 where we have both our main space and conference room available for students to study, hang out with friends, and meet with tutors.

Just like in A Building, we still have our student-accessible microwave, so stop by to heat up your lunch. Keep an eye out for more information on our Spring Kick-off, which will take place on Jan 24 and 25 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.!

Photo by Leviticus Kaopuiki

Da Spot Review A tasteful experience of Mochiko Chicken

BY NYLE MANZANO Looking for some ono grindz on campus? UH West O‘ahu’s very own Da Spot is located at the dining hall on the first floor of C Building, right next to the bookstore. There, you will find a large eating area open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday where students congregate for meals, enjoy their lunch, or study quietly.

I went on a Monday, just around lunch time and with the exception of a few others littered around the hall, it was not too busy. I had come once before and ordered the Hamburger Steak. I was impressed by the food, service, and the dining hall itself then, so I was quite excited to come back. I was quickly helped by the cashier and I remember as I left a small tip behind, something I shamefully do very sparingly in this iPad cash-register era, he took notice and was appreciative of the gesture. The food came out fast so I grabbed a drink and easily found myself comfortable at a table.

chiko Chicken was delicious, just like what my grandma used to make. I prefer a larger portion of rice and the two scoops were perfect for me. While I do prefer the option for a mac salad side with my plate lunches, I did find the only option of toss salad very good. As quite a big eater, I finished the entire plate and was so full from it I thought I was going to have a kanak attack in class.

With such a wide variety of plates, sandwiches, snacks, and smoothies, Da Spot has something for everyone to enjoy. Da Spot is another small part of the UHWO family and provides not just ono food for students but also a great place for social gathering. I highly recommend making it a place to hang out, study, and grab a bite. Check out Da Spot sometime!

This would be my first time trying one of Da Spot’s staple dishes, the Mochiko Chicken. I ordered the regular-size plate and at $10, it’s an absolute bargain for what Da Spot provides. (A mini-size is also available for about $7.) My verdict: the MoPhoto by Nyle Manzano

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Westbound and Beyond Impact of the Heading Westbound Program

BY LEVITICUS KAOPUIKI

Photo by Leviticus Kaopuiki Kekahu Hamili

Photo by Leviticus Kaopuiki Aubrey Smith

The summer of 2023 marked the start of the Heading Westbound program at UH West O‘ahu. The first day took place on June 5 at the grassy lawn of the Ko‘olina lagoon. For those who don’t know, Heading Westbound (HWB) was a new grant program that spanned over 8 weeks taking place here on campus.

The program focused on preparing and immersing incoming freshmen into the vibrant life and community we know as UHWO. These freshmen were selected from the RISE, GEAR UP, and Ke Ala Kiakahi scholarship programs. All programs which are tailored to helping first-year students integrate into the college world.

“Hōkū [the Director of Student Equity and Access] had this idea,” said Leiala Okuda, Student Services Specialist, “and it was to create this mother program amongst all our grant-funded programs. Mainly because all of us in Nāulu do summer programming, it’s just separate from each other. We don’t really have something that can be combined, and it’s mainly just school and not an actual experience. That was the start of it, the different program teams had a meeting and contributed what

Photo by Leviticus Kaopuiki Lei‘ala Okuda

Photo by Leviticus Kaopuiki Macie Remular

we thought this program would look like. Then we got funding and made it happen.”

Being the first of its kind, the HWB program wasn’t an easy task. The short amount of preparation, as well as coming out of a hiatus due to Covid are only some of the challenges faced by the team.

Samuel Wela Wahilani, Project Director of NHEP He Paepae Aloha, shares some of what makes HWB unique from others in the past. “Before HWB it was just the grant programs who would plan this, we would have to figure everything out ourselves. But we started to include other people from the campus community, like Student Life. We reached out to Rouel [Director of Student Life], Career Services, faculty, and staff, all of which helped us a lot.”

But there is so much more to it than just the games and activities, or even the free lunches. To many of the participants, it was a valuable experience that set them on a strong path for their college journey.

Photo by Leviticus Kaopuiki Samuel Wela Wahilani

Kekahu Hamili, HWB participant, now student employee in the Nāulu Center talks about how the program helped him find community within the school: “Meeting the staff that run the program, especially working in the Nāulu Center now, and seeing how they all work together, kind of like a family, maybe not blood related but definitely in the sense that they work together and they care for each other when something needs to get done.”

For some the program offered hope in pursuing further education. Nāulu Center student employee Aubrey Smith says: “If I wasn’t in the HWB program I would have dropped out of college during the first week. I didn’t know how to register for classes, I didn’t know how to do my financial aid, or even get in contact with an advisor. West O‘ahu has a lot of resources but I feel the HWB program gave me a lot more access to them.” For the staff who made it all possible, the program symbolizes the strength these programs have on student success.

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Student ID Validation Don’t forget to validate your ID for the Spring Semester

BY JOHN KAMAKANA V Welcome to the Spring Semester! Students are encouraged to validate their ID at the start of every semester. Don’t know how to validate your ID? No problem, we’ll fill you in on the details here!

Students can validate their ID online through UH West O‘ahu’s website. Under the Admissions tab, go to “Accepted Students” and click on “Complete a Request for an ID Card.” Follow the directions on the new webpage to submit a request form with a valid photo ID (such as a Driver’s License or govern-

ment-issued ID) and a current photo.

After verification, your new Student ID will be mailed to you. Alternatively, you can validate your ID in person at the Admissions office, located at the end of C Building on the first floor. Fill out the form available at the front desk and take a photo there.

Students with valid IDs receive benefits with it! The U-Pass for Spring semester is 50% off with a validated ID, bringing the price from $225 down to $112.50! Take advantage of this great

discount and get a HOLO Card to use on the bus and rail all Spring Semester! This is a one-time purchase that non-refundable.

Valid student IDs are also required to attend on-campus events to verify you are a student eligible to be there, and having a valid student ID for these events gives the chance to win prizes!

If you have any further questions about validating your Student ID, visit the Admissions office in C Building.

Cafe 831 Review Caramel macchiato and chocolate waffle combination

BY LEVITICUS KAOPUIKI Photo by Leviticus Kaopuiki

Cafe 831 first opened in 2016 as a small shop located in the Pearl Hotel Waikīkī.

Founded by owner Natsuko Takeda, the cafe offers a variety of different hot and cold drinks, as well as sandwiches, pastries, and other local snacks.

With their latest installment in the Academy for Creative Media building, Cafe 831 shares its local flavors and recipes with the UHWO community. Students now have an easy and accessible on-campus option to fill their morning craving for coffee and other snacks.

During my first visit to the cafe, I was greeted by warm smiles from the workers and the strong fragrance of caffeine goodness. While not fully up and running, the cafe still provides a choice selection of hot and cold beverages brewed to perfection.

For this review, I tried a hot caramel macchiato, a classic that most espresso and coffee lovers alike can enjoy.

The light texture of the steamed milk and rich espresso blended in a smooth and buttery texture. Topped off with

a light drizzle and foam, the caramel flavor adds the perfect touch of subtle sweetness and a toasty aroma.

The cafe also offers a few pastry options made fresh and served warm. A highly anticipated one being the chocolate waffles, Cafe 831 style. This lightly toasted confection has a doughy, almost mochi-like texture with a light brown crust. Overall, the cafe offers a unique and flavorful outlet for coffee and snacks. More is yet to come from them!

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Student Food Insecurity Finally Being Addressed Food Vault pilot program proves need for permanent basic needs hub on campus

BY LINDSEY MILLERD In October of 2023, UH West O‘ahu opened up the Food Vault, providing free food to students on Mondays and Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The weekly Food Vault is in Nāulu Center’s Ho‘onanea Room – C132. The pantry is doing good for both student health and the environment, providing free produce to those struggling with food insecurity and minimizing local food waste.

food pantry is scheduled to run at least until August of 2024, continuing in the Nāulu Center. Jan Javinar, Faculty Director of Student Engagement and member of the Food Vault Hawai‘i– West Planning Hui has submitted a request for funding to the Health, Technology & Transportation (HTT) Committee, which operates off of student fees, to help with the continuation and expansion of the program in the current fiscal year.

The program is part of a pilot with UH Mānoa’s Food Vault Hawai‘i, a food distribution space at Mānoa’s campus that opened in 2018. They work with Aloha Harvest, a food rescue organization that collects excess food from sites like grocery stores and hotels and brings them to homeless shelters and food pantries.

Javinar proposed a budget to purchase non-perishable foods and toiletries to expand the inventory, plus advertising and staffing to help with operations. He quoted the responsibility of the committee from the system-wide policy for health fees, “to provide a level of campus health services which contribute to students’ physical, and emotional well-being,” where food is a basic part of that.

UHWO sources food from the Mililani Farmers’ Market on Sundays. Staff volunteers have been picking up leftover fruits, vegetables and bread from vendors, often weighing a total of around 200 lbs per haul. Back at campus, the foods are filtered through and packaged up for distribution.

October 2023 served as a trial period, and its success since has proven the need for a permanent service on our campus. The

While the Food Vault so far has been a great start to address food insecurity, the campus is still lacking a permanent space and funding plan going forward. ASUHWO had written a resolution in Spring 2023 urging for the creation of a food pantry on campus and over half a year later, the school is still in the investigation phase. In November 2023, Chancellor Maenette Benham said that a formal Basic Needs Committee was finally

Photo by John Kamakana

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Student Food Insecurity Finally Being Addressed Continued from page 7

Scan QR Code to learn more about Food Vault Hawai‘i West

being established, where a food pantry will be one of their top priorities.

How you can get involved The Food Vault needs volunteers to help pick up, clean, and package produce. Scan the QR code to the right to read through volunteer duties and dates. Contact ronayogi@hawaii.edu with the dates you are available. For other inquiries about the Food Vault, email javinar@hawaii.edu.

Education Through Time Challenges of educational attainment

BY MOISES ALHAMBRA JR. The college instruction from 1997 was very different to what it is now. The change for me was gradual as I have always pursued higher education. I earned two Associate of Arts degrees and completed all my general education courses and several certifications.

After my military retirement, I decided to finish my Computer Science major and pursue a complementary degree in Cybersecurity. By the time I completed both degrees, I would have been the first college graduate in my family. Yet, I foresaw the execution to be rough because in the most realistic sense, my math skills were not as sharp as they were back in 1997. Not to mention that many of the courses in Cybersecurity were just in the recent decade–I might have been biting off something more than I could chew. I decided to attend in-person courses at UH West O‘ahu in the Spring of 2023 to increase my chances.

Maybe because this was where I started my journey to pursue college education, but I always had a sense of melancholy each time I traveled back to Hawai‘i. The time difference was four hours. Not only would I have to deal with the time change, but I also had rent, acquiring a vehicle, and getting a part-time

job to think about. My plans included scheduling my coursework to the hour and prepping for my job interviews. There was plenty of research to be done about each job interview regarding the role, company, people, and what questions to ask.

The first few weeks were exciting. I got my first job after leaving the military as a peer tutor. I was keeping up with the coursework. It was also the time when I was around more people than I normally felt comfortable with. My daughter was proud that I was more social than I had ever been. I told her it was more the circumstance of the job position than social practice.

The second month, I was presenting a quadcopter project as part of the Hawai‘i Space Grant Consortium, which I was lucky to be a part of. I used the same project in my IT Project Management class, and even wrote a study about it in my Introduction to Digital Forensics Class. I learned amateur rocketry, dabbled with electronic circuits, used my python knowledge in programming an Arduino, “an open-source electronics platform based on easy-to-use hardware and software,” and even operated a 3D printer.

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Education Through Time

Continued from page 8

I enjoyed the experience; I pursued many interests in one semester. Most considered it a successful, productive, and inspiring moment in college life. However, while I kept up with my four other courses, I failed to pass my Physics class and another course in my major. It was a very disappointing outcome, but one I anticipated. In my goals, I factored an 80% completion rate with a B or higher. As terrible as it was, mulling over my bad grades quickly turned into an act of resolve.

I reflected upon why I failed to secure good grades and came to two conclusions. The first one was that I did not understand

the concepts and the second was the impact of being away from my family.

I found that my motivation was the most important part in my goals. This term, I signed up mostly for online classes. I also earned back my GPA over the summer. Working at my interests and college education was fun, but I remained a better version of myself when I was with my family.

Works Cited: What is Arduino. Arduino, https://www.arduino.cc/en/Guide/Introduction

Library Column End of Semester Updates

BY CARINA CHERNISKY | PUBLIC SERVICE LIBRARIAN The Library’s Second Floor Has Reopened Group study rooms can now be booked by groups of 2-6 students. To learn more about the various spaces in the library, please go to: https://go.hawaii. edu/Huy. Upcoming ‘Onipa‘a Series The ‘Onipa‘a speaker series will be coming back for the Spring 2024 semester.

Starting in January, the monthly series will feature scholars, practitioners, and community members who are steadfast and actively engaging with knowledge, practice, and community. This speaker series is a collaboration between the UHWO Library, UHWO Hawaiian-Pacific Studies, UHWO Political Science, UHWO History, and the Nālimakui Native Ha-

Photo by Leviticus Kaopuiki

waiian Council. E ‘onipa‘a kākou!

Himeyuri Exhibit Closes Jan. 31 If you haven’t had a chance to visit it, do so before it leaves! As a culminating event, we have arranged for a special performance featuring Yukie Shiroma.

The event is called Performing Arts of Okinawa: Music & Dance Embodying Classic and Folk Music and Expression and it will be on Jan. 25 from 11 a.m. to noon. Please join us in the library’s second floor event area.

Library Synchronous Zoom Workshops Have you registered to attend the library workshops slated for the Spring 2024 semester? Topics range from de-

veloping research skills, to preparing for presentations, to using Zotero as a citation management system. Check them out and register now. More information: https://go.hawaii.edu/yut.

Scanning Made Easy...Have You Used Our KIC Scanner?

Incredibly self-explanatory and user-friendly, the KIC scanner is capable of scanning using both the flatbed and the document feeder to the left of the machine. Scans can be saved to a USB or emailed to yourself. Drop by any of the service desks if you need help with the machine. For more information on how to use this device that is located on the library’s first floor, go here: https:// go.hawaii.edu/yuY.

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Getting to Know Advisors Student success advice from our advisors

BY CARLEY MATSUMURA & LEVITICUS KAOPUIKI 1. What is the best piece of advice you’ve received?

“In the end, it’ll be all good. If it’s not all good, it’s not the end.”

Photo by Leviticus Kaopuiki Joe Mareko Email: josephlm@hawaii.edu

2. What values best contribute to a student’s success?

Adaptable, forward-thinking, self-driven, and always willing to ask for help.

Like an aunty from Wai‘anae told me, “No Be Shame… shame is when you steal… just ask for help.”

1. What is the best piece of advice you’ve received?

Don‘t borrow trouble from tomorrow.

It is a reminder to stay in the present.

Photo by Leviticus Kaopuiki Kealohi Perry Email: kperry34@hawaii.edu

2. What values best contribute to a student’s success?

Grit and resilience. It is the day-in and day-out effort to work towards your dreams and goals.

1. What is the best piece of advice you’ve received?

In one of my first jobs, someone told me to make sure you do a good job the first time so you don’t have to redo it again. They would refer to this as a double job. So as I went through future jobs, I always kept this in my mind and tried to do my best in any task the first time.

Photo by Leviticus Kaopuiki Kekoa Simpson Email: simpsonk@hawaii.edu

2. What values best contribute to a student’s success?

Preparation, focus, and planning ahead.

Photo by Christielove Espinosa Christielove Espinosa Email: ckee@hawaii.edu

1. What is the best piece of advice you’ve received?

Your purpose matters more than your passion. You have a gift that is something you do exceptionally well and can contribute either to your friends, family, or community. Your passions might change over time but your purpose is essentially what makes you, you. Use that to keep you grounded and to navigate life.

2. What values best contribute to a student’s success?

Understanding your motivation and “why” is what will keep you going. You do not have to be the smartest or most talented, you just have to be persistent and keep going!

“WORK OUT LIKE A UHWO JOURNALIST, RUN WITH A STORY”

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Photo by Leviticus Kaopuiki Rebecca Carino-Agustin Email: rtcarino@hawaii.edu

Photo by Leviticus Kaopuiki Carrie Larger, Director of Advising Services Email: larger@hawaii.edu

Photo by Dr. Loea Akiona Dr. Loea Akiona, Director of Career Services Email: loea@hawaii.edu

CONTACT CARLEY MATSUMURA EDITOR INCHIEF THEHOOT@HAWAII.EDU

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1. What is the best piece of advice you’ve received?

Before starting college, I was fixated on pursuing a major my parents wanted to lead to a career in health. However, I was told that at the end of the day I am the one who lives with the choices I make. So I made the bold decision to pursue working in higher education. At first, I didn’t know how I was going to get there, but I knew what resources and peers to draw on to forge my path.

2. What values best contribute to a student’s success?

College can be hard, and that is one piece of the many kuleana students carry, so grit and a growth mindset are values I believe contribute to a student’s success. If you believe that you can improve through your own efforts and that mistakes are just part of your journey to success, you are more likely to overcome any challenges that may come up while on your college journey.

1. What is the best piece of advice you’ve received?

View feedback as an opportunity to grow and to continue those things that you do well.

Good Work Ethic - take ownership of completing assignments on time and attending classes regularly Time Management - balancing academic, personal, and social responsibilities Self-care - prioritize your physical and mental well-being

2. What values best contribute to a student’s success?

There are many but I‘ll list a few: Adaptability - the ability to adapt to new situations, people, and challenges

1. What is the best piece of advice you’ve received?

To say “yes.” As much as it is frowned upon and people tend to say “do what you can” and “don’t spread yourself too thin” or “don’t be taken advantage of,” I have said yes to things I have been uncomfortable with, and it turned out well, and those opportunities might not come around again.

When people you trust give you an opportunity, say yes and take it. It also goes with the career development theory around happenstance, which is getting yourself in the right position and with the right people to help you develop in terms of your career.

2. What values best contribute to a student’s success?

I like the idea of delayed gratification and waiting on important opportunities such as career prospects. It’s also about the little wins along the way, like getting a good report from your professor or a scholarship for your hard work.

But the ultimate goal is getting your degree and hopefully that translates to an opportunity for a career that is fulfilling and that sustains you.

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“New” - January 2024

By Nyle Manzano | Sophomore | Major: Creative Media Follow him on Instagram @thenylemanzano

The Hoot’s calling you!

We want to showcase student work! Artwork (paintings, drawings, digital art), creative writing (poetry, short stories, essays), photography, comic strips, and more are welcome to be included. Fill out and submit our Creative Submission Form through the QR code for the chance to have your creative work be published in one of our issues!

UNLEASH YOUR CREATIVITY SHOWCASE YOUR CREATIVE WORK, STEP INTO THE SPOTLIGHT, SHARE YOUR PASSION!