On Friday, October 18, 2019, the Title III Fellows and peer mentors gathered to host a talk story session, Creating a Sense of Place for Native Hawaiian Students. Talk Story panelists discussed how to create a sense of place for students in today’s higher education landscape. Panelists include Title III Fellows along with current Kapiʻolani CC students.
The event commenced with reading Hō‘oia ‘Āina, the Kapi‘olani Community College Land Acknowledgement Statement. Title III Fellows Keisha Nakamura and Keauhou Mitchell-Aldan recited the statement in ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i, followed by an English translation by Title III Fellows Carin Tamayo and Mark Kunimune. Angela Colloretti McGough reflected on the role of student affairs in fulfilling the land acknowledgement, particularly, “I ask all those present to reflect on and honor the indigenous people, the traditional stewards of this land, who have lived and worked on this land for generations upon generations.”
The Symposium reconvened the Title III Fellows, a cohort of scholars completing graduate programs focused on promoting Native Hawaiian student success while working full-time for the College. The Fellows shared initiatives they are leading across the campus to create a sense of place for Native Hawaiian students.
Keisha Nakamura recently completed a masters degree in Global & International Education at Drexel University while working full-time as the Native Hawaiian Academic Advancement Coordinator. Keisha recapped her experience completing an online graduate degree as a foreign experience that encouraged her to grow professionally.
Keauhou Mitchell-Aldan, the Career Explorations Facilitator and M.A. candidate in Indigenous Education, Arizona State University, shared the concept of “pilina” as a process of Native Hawaiian students navigating foreign environments to find their “fit” within the classroom.
Carin Tamayo, the project coordinator for Scholarships in STEM and M.A. candidate in Curriculum Studies STEM2 at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, highlighted the importance of acknowledging students to facilitate a collaborative environment. She recognizes the powerful impact instructors can have on students by actively engaging in the learning process, rather than strictly lecturing to pass on knowledge in a one-way exchange.
Mark Kunimune (Clinical Coordinator) completed the NAPALI Leadership program as a Title III Fellow, bringing leadership lessons back to the campus Emergency Medical Technician Program. Mark integrated Hawaiian culture in the paramedic program through field trips to the taro patch as a healing place for paramedics to find a healthy means of stress relief.
Skye Kaupiko, the student support specialist in the Kapoʻoloku Program for Native Hawaiian Student Success is completing a masters degree in Counseling Psychology – Marriage Family Therapy at Chaminade University. Skye examined the importance of mental health, and stepping out of your own way, in How to Combat Chronic Stress.
The peer mentor panelists represented a diverse range of programs across the campus serving Native Hawaiian students. Student panelists shared their perspectives regarding creating a sense of place and offered advice for the audience on how to contextualize the academic setting to be less foreign for Native Hawaiian students.
Kautious Latham, a Liberal Arts major, spoke of her strategy of putting herself “out there” in school and allowing things to unravel to reveal her path. When asked how instructional faculty can create a sense of place in the classroom, Latham suggested that her professors create opportunities “to experience more group interactions to better understand people’s perspectives and gain a sense of place.”
Makani Mahiʻai (Hawaiian Studies) shared his insights of finding a community to create a sense of belonging through social interactions. He emphasized the importance for counselors, instructors, and staff to create an environment conducive to safe interactions.
Brandon Bernaldes (double major, Academy for Creative Media and Hawaiian Studies, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa), originally a California resident who grew up in communities with large Hawaiian populations, recalled a smooth transition to Kapiʻolani Community College. He feels empowered as a student with the ability to create a sense of place with fellow like-minded students.
Laʻake Aliʻifua (Pre-Engineering) spoke prior to the event about his decision to take pre-engineering courses in pursuit of his dream of transferring to San Jose State University, where he discovered a picture of his uncle hanging from the walls. He opened up about financial concerns as one of the determining factors in deciding on a four-year institution.
Kū Kā Kū Kā or Talk Story event regarding Creating a Sense of Place for Native Hawaiian Students. Friday, October 18, 2019, 11:00 a.m.-1:00p.m., Lama Library 1st floor Alcove
The panelists will be publishing their original scholarly contributions in a forthcoming journal focused on Native Hawaiian student success. The panelists are collaborating with Kelli Nakamura, assistant professor of history, as their professional editor for this exciting new venture.
Special thanks to Shari Tamashiro for the photos of the Symposium event and Russell Sumitomo of the Center for Excellence in Learning, Teaching and Technology for documenting the event.