Community Engagement and Public Service Activities

It took teamwork to produce the 2020 Transcultural Nursing Symposium at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo. Collaboration with Performing Arts Department students under the guidance of Assistant Professor Justina Mattos was key to the success of the symposium and despite cancellations of events at UH Hilo due to the coronavirus, the School of Nursing‘s 16th Annual Transcultural Nursing Symposium continued as scheduled on March 24th, 2020.  Support and flexibility of faculty and students in switching to an online format was necessary to continue the symposium virtually. Symposium speakers Dr. Katharyn Daub, professor of nursing, and Dr. Randy Hirokawa, director of the UH Hilo Health Professions Student Center, along with senior nursing students Gregory Zukeran and Shantel Bolosan guided by their course instructor Dr. Patricia Hensley, assistant professor of nursing, quickly switched the symposium to a virtual format with access for those who wanted to participate. 

Beginning acting students perform Scary Scenarios at Nani Mau Gardens, as part of the Mai Tai Masquerade charity fundraiser for Friends of the Children's Justice Center.

Consulted with Prince Kuhio Plaza on marketing plan and social media straetgy. Included background research in lease and current applicable Hawaii law.

After relocating for the remainder of the Spring 2020 semester, each student interviewed five local community members to evaluate issues, solutions, and the allocation of financial, land, social, and individual assets in their communities. 

The annual Lā Honua / Earth Day Celebration by University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo in collaboration with Hawai'i Community College provides a non-commercial forum to focus on environmental education from federal, state, and local county agencies, nonprofit groups, and private organizations. Approximately 1000 children from K-12 schools on the eastern half of Hawai'i Island come to the University of Hawai'i at Hilo campus to engage with over 50 different exhibitors.