This message was shared with the students, faculty and staff of the 10-campus University of Hawaiʻi system on January 6, 2025.
Aloha mai kākou,
I feel privileged and excited to begin my tenure as UH System president. The opportunity to share with and learn so much from this community, as touched on in my first message to the UH ʻohana on January 2. Together all of us—students, faculty, staff and community members—have the opportunity to continue to shape UH as a strong 10-campus system that fulfills its kuleana to Native Hawaiians and Hawaiʻi. Your contributions and dedication are crucial in this journey. What a profound responsibility!
Among the many things shared with me since beginning this journey with you is the concept of pilina. It is fitting that pilina encompasses not only relationships, but also more broadly interdependence, interwovenness, and deep connections that span place, time, and generations. Although recognizing that my pilina with Hawaiʻi and many of you is just beginning, it seems clear that it will be the foundation for the work we can and must do together for the thriving future Hawaiʻi deserves.
Stay connected with President Wendy Hensel by following her on X, Instagram, and LinkedIn
Mahalo for the opportunities thus far to strengthen pilina with each of you. To build upon that beginning with intention, I will be visiting each of our 10 campuses and workforce development sites over the first 90 days of my presidency to talk story with you, experience the land upon which each campus is built, and engage with the communities you come from. While we surely won’t cover all things in one visit, we can start there.
Understanding first-hand how each campus uniquely contributes to the beautiful mosaic that makes up our UH community will be invaluable. With this knowledge, we can build a strong system that is capable of achieving excellence together that is otherwise unreachable alone. I promise to take your lead, listen with an open heart and mind, and learn about who you are, and share who I am as a human being to set the foundation for all the other work that lies ahead. Your perspectives and experiences are critical to our university’s future success, and I want to emphasize my commitment to learning from them.
The strengthening of our pilina will take time, and your presence and participation are deeply appreciated. I look forward to seeing you soon.
With aloha,
Wendy
