UH West Oʻahu commencement ceremony Saturday, Dec. 13

Senator Will Espero to deliver keynote address

University of Hawaiʻi-West Oʻahu
Contact:
Julie Funasaki Yuen, (808) 689-2604
Public Info Officer, University of Hawaii - West Oahu
Posted: Dec 8, 2014

UH West O'ahu graduates greeting friends and family after the commencement ceremony.
UH West O'ahu graduates greeting friends and family after the commencement ceremony.

The holidays will be extra special this year for graduates, family, and friends who are celebrating fall commencement exercises at the University of Hawai‘i - West O‘ahu. On Saturday, Dec. 13, more than 250 graduates will earn bachelor’s degrees and certificates during a 9 a.m. ceremony at the UH West Oʻahu Lower Courtyard. Hawaiʻi State Senator Will Espero will deliver the keynote address.

“We are so proud of our UH West Oʻahu graduates on the completion of their studies,” said UH West O‘ahu Chancellor, Rockne Freitas. “Through hard work and perseverance, they have accomplished their academic goals at the University and we wish them the best of luck as they go on to pursue careers and future studies.”

Chancellor Freitas will preside over the ceremony and confer degrees. University of Hawai‘i System President David Lassner and University of Hawai‘i Board of Regents’ Randolph Moore and Lee Putnam will address and congratulate the graduates. The UH West Oʻahu band will perform at the commencement ceremony, and UHWO student PUEO Leaders will offer the welcoming Oli Aloha.

Donna Soriano, one of this year’s outstanding UH West O‘ahu graduates, will speak on behalf of the graduating class. Soriano is the first member of her family to graduate from college. She has made the Dean’s List every semester and will graduate with a degree in Elementary Education. In addition to maintaining an impressive academic record, Soriano was elected and served as the Associated Students of UH West Oʻahu Education Division Senator, a PUEO Leadership mentor for incoming freshmen, as well as honorary liaison officer for the Golden Key International Honour Society. She co-chaired the West Oʻahu Chapter of the Student National Education Association, the UHWO Education Club. Soriano also served as the director and president of the Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association Student Program and is an active member of the National Education Association Student Program. A resident of Pearl City, Soriano will pursue a career in teaching following graduation.

UH West O‘ahu graduates will receive their baccalaureate in Applied Sciences, Business Administration, Education, Humanities, Public Administration and Social Sciences during the commencement ceremony. Graduates will also receive certificates in various programs including Applied Forensic Anthropology, Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, Health Care Administration, Risk Management and Insurance, Substance Abuse and Addictions Studies, and Democratic Principles and Social Justice.

The commencement ceremony will be streamed live on the UH West O‘ahu website at http://www.uhwo.hawaii.edu.

UH West O‘ahu Fall 2014 Commencement details:

  • All are welcome to attend commencement in the UH West O‘ahu Lower Courtyard. No tickets will be issued. Guests may arrive at 8 a.m. The seating area will be closed off once it reaches maximum capacity.
  • On-campus parking is free and open to the public. Carpooling is highly encouraged as there will be considerable congestion along the Farrington Highway entrance to the campus.
  • Lei vendors will sell lei on the grassy area at the campus entrance near the Dining Commons. Balloons and strollers are not allowed in the commencement seating area for safety reasons.
  • The UH West O‘ahu on-campus restaurant, Da Spot, will be open for beverages only from 8-11 a.m.
  • A first-aid station will be available in the UHWO Library.
  • Graduates may greet guests following the ceremony at approximately 10:30 a.m. at the UH West O‘ahu Great Lawn near alphabetical signs.

UH West O‘ahu became a four-year, regional comprehensive university when it served its first class of freshmen in fall 2007. The University offers quality education, small classes and personalized attention at convenient locations. UH West O‘ahu serves approximately 2,700 students at its brand new, state-of-the-art campus that opened in the City of Kapolei in 2012. For more information, visit www.uhwo.hawaii.edu, call (808) 689-2800 or toll-free (866) 299-8656. Find us on Facebook and Twitter.