On a morning celebrating academic achievement and personal perseverance, student speaker Robert Tsuyoshi Matsumura took the spotlight at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa‘s Mid-year Commencement Exercise on Saturday, December 15, 2018, at the Stan Sheriff Center. Keynote speaker Janet Mock, author, advocate and television host addressed the graduates. An estimated 800 students participated in the commencement ceremony.
Robert Matsumura
Matsumura earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration in human resource management from the Shidler College of Business. He appreciated his time at UH Mānoa that provided him with opportunities to meet people from an array of backgrounds and cultures, explore different majors, study abroad all while allowing him to stay close to his family and friends.
Janet Mock
A nationally recognized author and television host, Mock is a native of Honolulu who attended UH Mānoa. She is a sought-after speaker and advocate who addressed millions on stage at the Women’s March in Washington, D.C. She encouraged the graduates to keep telling their stories, “this is what our stories do. They let us know that no matter how different, how unique, how invisibilized, misunderstood and marginalized that we are worthy.”
