Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 28, Number 8, 1 August 2011 — Hoʻomaikaʻi! [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hoʻomaikaʻi!

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and we cannot get very far in life if we do not grow," says Dr. Lui Hokoana, for whom these past few months have brought about a lot of changes. In May J 2011, he was appointed Associate Vice President of Student Affairs for the University of Hawai'i system. In his new capacity Dr. Hokoana will lead the Office of Student Affairs and be

responsible for systemwide student affairs policies and student life, including community service activities and collaborations with the 10 campuses of the UH system and other educational institutions. Dr. Hokoana has served as the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs at Windward Community College. Under his leadership, the college received $12.5 million to increase its capacity to serve Native Hawaiian students. When asked what project he is most proud of he replies: "The work that the college has done in Waimānalo. ... After making a few missteps we learned how to work in that community and address their needs and they helped us be a better community college. Today, we have classes being delivered at Waimānalo Elementary, we have a One-Stop at the Waimānalo quarry. ... The culmination was a community graduation that honored Waimānalo residents who recently graduated from college." Dr. Hokoana believes in being an example for his students, so while working at Windward Community College he took courses for his doctoral degree on the weekends from the University of Southern California. He successfully defended his dissertation and is now a Doctor of Education.

For his good work Dr. Hokoana was honored as the Manager of the Year for the entire University of Hawai'i system. He will be the University of

Hawai'i's representative for the Govemor's State Manager of the Year Award. His success is credited to his parents, LeRoy and Juanita Hokoana, who sacrificed and provided for their children's education. His father experienced discrimination while pursuing educational opportunities and was denied advancement in

education because of his ethnicity. Mr. LeRoy Hokoana understood the importance of education and the opportunities it provides and did not want his children to face the same discrimination he experienced. He insisted his children attend private high school and go to college. Mrs. Hokoana was also supportive and strongly committed to the education of her children. For Dr. Hokoana, the foundation laid by his parents led him to pursue and receive a bachelor of arts degree in political science from the University of Hawai'i at Hilo and a master of arts degree in communications from the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa. It was his father's desire for Lui to receive a doctoral degree and that dream was fulfilled in December 2010 when he received a doctoral degree in education. Today, Dr. Hokoana is building on that foundation for Native Hawaiians to pursue higher education. He seeks to increase Native Hawaiian leadership within the UH system, desires to implement systemic change and empower Native Hawaiian students. He is an example and inspiration to us all. Ho'omaika'i, Dr. Lui Kealii Hokoana! ■

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