Sociology students from the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo proved they can hold their own against some of the nation’s top universities, earning high marks in a national problem-solving competition. One team placed third, standing out for a solution rooted in Indigenous values from Hawaiʻi.
The students competed in the Client Problem Competition, held in mid-October at the annual conference of the Association for Applied and Clinical Sociology in St. Louis, Missouri. UH Hilo students participated remotely while other teams presented in person.
Team 1, which earned the third-place finish, included Johry Graceta, Evan Merz, Danielle Murphy, Tavan Nakamura and Haukea Valdez. Team 2 included Kassidie Hayashida, Starlye Koehler, Ella Munroe, Lilika Talamai and Erika Torres.
“Having the chance to work on an applied project was a good experience to use what we learn in classes,” Valdez said.
Real-world challenge
Each year, student teams receive a real-world challenge from a community organization. Their task is to analyze the issue and present a solution using sociological skills and methods. This year’s client was Healthcare NOW, a national group advocating for a single-payer healthcare system. Their question: how to better connect with local organizations that may not already support their mission.
The UH Hilo team responded with “Ke Hoʻoikaika Nei iā Healthcare–NOW” (Strengthening Healthcare NOW), a plan centered on Indigenous values. Hern said that focus helped set their work apart.
“They only had a few days to develop their solutions, so it’s excellence under pressure for sure,” said Lindy Hern, associate professor and department chair of UH Hilo’s sociology department who organized the conference as president of the Association for Applied and Clinical Sociology.
Faculty from UH Hilo’s sociology department supported both teams: Assistant Professor Ellen Meiser advised, and Associate Professor Alton Okina funded their participation.
For more go to UH Hilo Stories.
—By Susan Enright
