When Jonavan Gonzalez walks across the Stan Sheriff Center stage on May 17, it will mark the culmination of a six-year journey—one that began at Nānākuli High and Intermediate School and led to two degrees from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. After earning his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering in 2023, Gonzalez is now graduating with a master’s in finance, a rare academic combination that reflects his drive to blend technical innovation with business strategy.
“It’s just an exciting time,” Gonzalez said. “I’m looking forward to seeing where everything I’ve learned takes me next—ideally at Disney, NASA or SpaceX.”
A journey shaped by inspiration, family
Born and raised in Nānākuli, Gonzalez said his early aspirations were shaped by both his aspirations and his imagination.
“Tony Stark, Iron Man, is like my idol and he’s also a mechanical engineer,” he said. “That was my main motivation for mechanical engineering. I knew I always wanted a higher education degree after high school, but I know it’s rare for Nānākuli graduates to get their bachelor’s in engineering.”
That perception shifted when Gonzalez’s older brother pursued a civil engineering degree at UH Mānoa.
“Watching him do it showed me that it was possible and that as long as I follow his footsteps, I’ll be good,” Gonzalez said. “The degree is what I want, so why not go for it?”
Bridging the gap: Engineering meets finance
He enrolled at UH Mānoa in 2019 and dove headfirst into mechanical engineering.
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“I earned my undergrad degree in mechanical engineering because I’ve loved solving complex problems and coming up with innovative solutions,” he explained. “But I realized I was also passionate about finance and business. I didn’t want to quit engineering, and it was too late to get a minor in business, so I decided to get my master’s in finance.”
Gonzalez sees his combined degrees as the perfect foundation for a future that blends technical expertise with business acumen.
“With my double degrees, I’m hoping to start in the workforce, whether at Disney, NASA or SpaceX as a mechanical engineer, or at Disney, they call themselves ‘imagineers,’” he said. “And from there, I’ll work my way up the corporate ladder to more business-related roles, elevating from product manager to executive roles in either finance or operations.”
Mentoring the next generation
At UH, Gonzalez served as a PACE Leader at the Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship in the Shidler College of Business, mentoring fellow students on prototype design, product development and pitching. In 2024, he received the Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation Scholarship for RISE, and in 2025, Gonzalez was a semifinalist in the UH Venture Competition for his work on COCO, an AI-powered app designed to reduce food waste.
“I’ve been with the program for about two years now. As a PACE leader, I’ve had the opportunity to mentor and support other students interested in entrepreneurship and innovation,” he said. “But most importantly, it’s just the networking aspect of it all, especially as someone like me in my position living here at the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center. It’s just so convenient and perfect.”
Inspiration for the future
Despite his technical expertise and accomplishments, Gonzalez stays grounded in where he came from and offers advice for others in his community.
“Especially for Nānākuli or similar schools, it’s not where you start. It doesn’t define where you go, especially in your career,” he said. “If you put in the work, believe in yourself, you can achieve pretty much anything, and that includes higher education.”
“UH means so much to me. It’s my local college. It’s where I grew up here personally and grew here professionally. My time at UH Manoa gave me the foundation to chase my passions in engineering, finance, and leadership. Beyond academics, UH gave me the community, lifelong connections and the confidence to take on bigger goals. It’s truly been a place that shaped who I am today.”
—By Marc Arakaki
