In an effort to mālama ʻāina (care for the land) the Hale Wainani Courtyard, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s resident advisors, student residents and members of Office of the Vice Provost for Student Success gathered on September 8, for “Bloom & Mingle,” a special event dedicated to beautifying their shared community space through gardening.
Volunteers worked side by side to weed and refresh the courtyard’s landscape. The primary task involved cleaning the grounds and preparing a large planter for new lauaʻe (a native Hawaiian fern), with the goal of turning a common area into a flourishing green space. Joining them in the effort was UH Mānoa Provost Vassilis Syrmos, who helped weed the planters.
“This project was a great example of student-led initiative and the spirit of mālama ʻāina here at the university,” said Syrmos. “It was a privilege to join the Hale Wainani community, get my hands dirty, and support their work in creating a space that is not only beautiful but also culturally significant.”
Marisol Dennis, a third-year botany student and a resident advisor at Hale Wainani, explained that the garden was created to solve a campus-wide issue. She noted that around graduation, high demand for lei materials often led to improper harvesting from campus plants.
“We want to make sure that residents within student housing, and [all] students at UH, can understand the importance of harvesting in the best way and a responsible way,” said Dennis. “And so we’re going to do educational programs throughout the year, but we’re also going to work on signage.”
The event demonstrated how collaborative action can cultivate not only a garden but also a stronger sense of campus ʻohana, directly contributing to the event’s overarching theme of “Growing Student Success.”
