When Tanya Patricia Tanuvasa Pio walks across the stage as a student speaker at the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu’s 2025 commencement on May 10, she won’t be alone—she will be thinking of her loved ones who are no longer here.
“A majority of the people who raised me, who made me who I am today, they’re ‘upstairs,’” said Pio, 29, who is from Mulivai, Safata, Western Samoa. “So for me to be at that podium and (the reason) why I donʻt feel this sense of nervousness is because when I speak, it’s like I’ll get to deliver their message.”
She paused, wiping away tears. “The way that they impacted my life, the things that they’ve done for me, I get to say that I did it in honor of you. So it means the world.”
Pio transferred from Honolulu Community College to UH West Oʻahu in 2022. She didnʻt have enough credits at that time to earn a degree from Honolulu CC. However, now she does, and will receive her associate’s degree in liberal arts from Honolulu CC next week, a few days after receiving her bachelor’s degree.
Her journey to commencement has been anything but easy. From family responsibilities, such as caring for siblings, and cultural obligations to recovering from a torn knee and twice fractured ankle and maintaining her mental health, she has carried heavy burdens.
In addition to being a determined student, Pio was also a dedicated educator, working as a substitute teacher at Dole Middle School in Kalihi and as a senior residential advisor at Hawaiʻi Job Corps in Waimānalo.
Learning leadership
At UH West Oʻahu she found meaning and community through the National Society of Leadership and Success.
“I learned even more in-depth what leadership looks like—that leadership has more to do with your service and the work that you put in, rather than you being the front of the line,” Pio said.
“She is inclusive, generous, reflective, and a leader,” said Rouel Velasco, director of student life. “She offered her wisdom from her life’s experiences with the utmost humility and generosity. With her wealth of life’s experiences and being seen as a seasoned leader among her peers, she has fostered an inclusive environment for them to grow in their leadership capacity.”
‘Source of aloha’
Manu Aluli Meyer, Kūlana o Kapolei, got to know Pio after she took one of revered kumu Aunty Lynette Paglinawan’s Hoʻoponopono classes that Meyer was part of.
“Tanya Pio is that kind of rare student who lifts up ʻike kupuna (ancestral experiences, insights, and knowledge) from a wider ocean understanding,” Meyer said. “She is a steady and beloved source of aloha for both her family and for the future of Hawaiʻi.”
Pio’s post-graduation plans include earning certificates in project management and advanced degrees, all with a goal to advocate for quality education in the South Pacific.
“All the things that I struggled with, all the challenges that I faced, they were worth it because I get to deliver a message that could impact the life of someone, who then could impact another,” Pio said. “We get to make this ripple effect of change.”
For more visit Ka Puna O Kaloʻi.
—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman
