The Kekūhaupiʻo Tech Mentorship Program (KTMP) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa completed its spring 2026 program, pairing students from information and computer sciences, management information systems and engineering programs with technology professionals across Hawaiʻi’s tech sector.
The collaboration among the Department of Information and Computer Sciences (ICS), ACM at Mānoa (Association for Computing Machinery) and CIO Council of Hawaiʻi brought together 14 student mentees and 13 industry mentors in structured mentorship relationships focused on career readiness and professional development.
Hands-on opportunities for students
ICS led workshops covering résumé development, networking skills and workplace preparation, helping students build practical tools for internships and early career pathways.
“I had an excellent experience this semester with the Spring 2026 KTMP program,” said UH Mānoa student Isabella Mow. “This was almost entirely because of my mentor (Alan Ito), who helped me meet with people in different industries and guided me through choosing my major. He used his experience in life to give me advice that he would have wanted to hear at my age. He also helped connect me to various people who helped polish my app.”
Ito, UH’s IT workforce development and regulated policy lead, said, “The CIO Council of Hawaiʻi is happy to support the KTMP Mentorship Program and work with our UH students to help prepare them to enter the tech workforce and provide them guidance regarding life skills in general. As a mentor, it’s always exciting to try to view our world today through a mentee’s eyes as they’re embarking on their careers. They represent our future, and it’s really a privilege to have the opportunity to provide some, hopefully meaningful, input. Isabella has been great, and I’m excited to continue to follow her career at UH and beyond.”
ACM at Mānoa and CIO Council of Hawaiʻi coordinated mentor matching and organized three networking mixers throughout the semester for students to engage directly with professionals, build connections and explore career paths in the industry. The program included regular mentor meetings, ongoing communication and monthly progress check-ins.
“It was awesome giving students like me the chance to get their own professional (mentor) to grow in a more personal way,” said ACM at Mānoa operations coordinator Christian Komo. “I feel like building connections is one of the best ways to develop your career, and it’s something they need to emphasize more in computer science classrooms. That’s why it felt great giving back with ACM and bridging the gap between students and the smartest leaders in the tech world.”
The program is expected to continue in future semesters with an emphasis on expanding student participation and strengthening connections between UH Mānoa students and Hawaiʻi’s tech industry.
