The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa buzzed with energy on April 26, as 14 students from Honolulu Community College and Kapiʻolani Community College arrived on campus. The TIDES program, which provides support to students identifying as Filipino or Pacific Islander, hosted its first “Turning the Tides” transfer event. The program’s goal is to help ease the transition from community college to a four-year institution for Asian American, Native American and Pacific Islander (AANAPISI) students.
For Davis Rofino Martin, a UH Mānoa junior and TIDES Fellow who helped organize the event, the importance of the inaugural gathering was personal. He once made the same journey from Honolulu CC to Mānoa.
“As someone who has gone through the transfer experience myself, I know what it’s like to endure the culture shock while trying to adapt to a larger campus environment,” Martin said. “This event was a way to offer these students an opportunity to get their feet wet and get them connected with resources and a community even before their arrival as official UH Mānoa students.”
Cultural weaving, tailored tours
The day’s agenda was rich with activities tailored to the students’ interests and needs. From a weaving workshop to a presentation of the Hamilton Library’s Pacific Collection, the event aimed to provide insight into campus life. Specialized tours focused on the students’ specific academic interests. A panel discussion featured current UH Mānoa students who had transferred from community colleges, sharing their personal experiences and advice.
Participants who attended are primarily from student organizations at Honolulu CC and Kapiʻolani CC; Micronesian Wayfinders, Pasefika club and other programs such as Phi Theta Kappa, TRIO and Hui ʻŌiwi Hawaiian Club.
“Seeing students from Honolulu CC and Kapiʻolani CC engaging with each other and asking about our experiences in transferring to Mānoa was rewarding,” said senior Jeddie May Cabasag, a TIDES student assistant who helped organize the event.
The attendees come from diverse cultural backgrounds and identified as Chuukese, Chamorro, Marshallese, Yapese, Palauan, Kosraean, Samoan, Tongan, Native Hawaiian, Tahitian and Filipino.The event also hosted a resource fair which showcased an array of support services available on campus, from first generation and Filipino/Pacific Islander-serving clubs to information about the Kaʻieʻie degree pathway program for transfer students.
More on TIDES
TIDES, housed under the UH Mānoaʻs Division of Student Success, was established in 2021 through an Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander (AANAPISI) grant. The AANAPISI program, initiated by Congress in 2007, designates UH Mānoa as one of eight federally recognized Minority-Serving Institutions.
To learn more about TIDES contact: tides@hawaii.edu.
