The college diploma that Kalāwena Kalehuawehe will be receiving soon from the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu represents years of dedication. However, she said its true value lies in the inspiration and role model she has become for her 5-year-old daughter, Lynx.
“This graduation is not just a personal triumph, it is a shared victory,” said Kalehuawehe, 25, of ʻEwa Beach.
Kalehuawehe is among nearly 200 expected participants and one of two student speakers for UH West Oʻahu’s 2023 Mid-Year Commencement on December 9. She will receive, with distinction, a bachelor of applied science with a concentration in health professions, and a certificate in Hawaiian and Indigenous health and healing.
Through her academic career, she has been teaching her daughter the importance of showing up, facing obstacles with courage and persistently working toward goals.
“Moreover, I am instilling in her the belief that dreams are not only worth having, but also worth pursuing with unwavering dedication,” Kalehuawehe said. “As a parent, I am setting a precedent for her to dream big.”
Peer mentor
Kalehuawehe was born and raised on Waiehu, Maui. She is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools Kapālama, and enrolled at UH West Oʻahu in fall 2020.
I am so proud to know she is going out into the world as a UH West Oʻahu graduate, and headed for a career in the medical field.
—Robyn Tasaka, Noʻeau Center director
Throughout her years at UH West Oʻahu, Kalehuawehe has been an active campus contributor, from serving as the current president of the UH West Oʻahu chapter of HOSA—Future Health Professionals, formerly known as Health Occupations Students of America, to working as a peer tutor for writing, chemistry and Hawaiian language at the Noʻeau Center.
“Being able to tutor students across a diverse range of majors, backgrounds, and all with such amazing stories has been a highlight of my time at UH West Oʻahu,” Kalehuawehe said. “I have been there with students when they needed a renewed sense of confidence, and have also been there with students when they have received their acceptances to graduate school.”
“Kalā represents a well-rounded student, skilled in multiple academic subjects, and more importantly, she brings a genuine care to her work as a peer tutor, providing encouragement and understanding to her peers when they may have been stressed out about their classes,” said Robyn Tasaka, Noʻeau Center director and tutor coordinator. “I am so proud to know she is going out into the world as a UH West Oʻahu graduate, and headed for a career in the medical field.”
Biomedical researcher
While at UH West Oʻahu, Kalehuawehe said she was honored to present her biomedical student research at national conferences across the U.S.
This included “The Impact of Academic Courseload and Delivery Methods on the Physical Activity Levels and Mental Well-Being of University Students,” a project she worked on as a research associate through grants from Hawaiʻi IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) and Pūkoʻa Kani ʻĀina (a summer bridge program that provides a foundation in STEM). Kalehuawehe presented at conferences throughout the state, as well as in Virginia and Oregon.
“I was able to showcase the quality work being done at our campus, and serve as an advocate and voice for other students in the sciences as they continue to pursue large opportunities and networks,” she said.
UH West Oʻahu Associate Professor Rebecca Romine is a faculty advisor and INBRE research mentor. Romine described Kalehuawehe as a confident, dedicated, hardworking, respected, and talented student who embraces challenges and applies herself 100% to every single thing she does.
“She serves as a trusted mentor to her fellow students, showing them that it can be done—and by ‘it,’ I mean all of it,” Romine said. “She has proven exemplary in research, academics, extracurricular and volunteer activities, but most importantly, in building relationships.”
Importance of showing up
Kalehuawehe is currently applying to medical schools, and has received several invitations to interview.
“Post graduation, my goal is to continue my education at medical school and eventually work toward successfully matching into a surgical residency program, with dreams of working in sports medicine or plastic/reconstructive surgery,” she said.
During her gap semester (spring 2024), she plans to continue her work as a clinical research associate, aiding with research initiatives, as well as travel and enjoy her time with family and friends before starting medical school in the fall.
Just as she endeavors to share with her young daughter, she also wants to express to her fellow classmates the importance of showing up throughout life.
“In my life, I’ve dealt with a lot of internal conflict and imposter syndrome that was unwarranted, but learned to overcome them by showing up and giving my all,” she said. “Many of the opportunities I have today are a result of me showing up, so I encourage everyone to be proactive in their lives and remain resilient through adversity.”
For more visit Ka Puna O Kaloʻi.
—by Zenaida Serrano Arvman
