The EL3vate Program, a year-long professional development initiative, is fostering innovation and entrepreneurship across the University of Hawaiʻi system. After a successful inaugural cohort in 2024, the program is now recruiting faculty for its 2025 cohort.
Developed in collaboration with the UH Online Innovation Center, Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship (PACE) and Maui Economic Development Board, the program assists faculty with integrating experiential learning, entrepreneurial frameworks and engineering design thinking into their course curricula.
“The EL3vate Program is equipping UH faculty with the tools, industry connections, and hands-on learning strategies needed to inspire the next generation of innovators,” said PACE Executive Director Sandra Fujiyama. “We’re not only transforming education at UH but also driving real-world impact across Hawaiʻi’s communities and industries.”
Apply for the 2025 cohort
Applications for the 2025 EL3vate cohort are open. UH faculty looking to enhance their teaching and provide students with hands-on learning experiences are encouraged to learn more and apply by March 28.
Inaugural cohort success
The first cohort has sparked exciting results:
- PACE competitions: EL3vate participants Instructor Kacie Ho (UH Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience), Assistant Professor Yasushi Ishida (UH Mānoa School of Architecture) and Assistant Professor Xiaodan Mao-Clark (UH Mānoa School of Travel Industry Management in the Shidler College of Business) introduced their students to PACE business and innovation competitions encouraging entrepreneurial thinking and real-world problem-solving. Ho and Ishida’s students were among the awardees in the Innovate 808 competition with their kimchee and marinara flavor chip seasonings and an architectural storefront makeover, respectively.
- Cross-disciplinary collaborations and community engagement: Ishida partnered with Gary Albitz (UH Maui College business and hospitality) on a Lahaina-focused course initiative, blending design and business perspectives. As part of the project, Ishida utilized the maker spaces at the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center to 3D print first terrain models of Lahaina, with support from student PACE Leaders in the Maker program. In a separate collaboration, Kimberly Russell (UH Hilo College of Arts and Sciences) and Mao-Clark worked together on an initiative where their students engaged with the community, strengthening their learning experience through real-world connections.
- Business and esports: UH Esports students are gaining invaluable entrepreneurial skills and industry connections through a dynamic collaboration between Nyle Sky Kauweloa (UH Esports director and UH Mānoa specialist faculty for interdisciplinary studies) and PACE. This ongoing partnership, known as PACE X UH Esports, has recently provided students with two impactful LevelUp workshops and an engaging panel discussion co-hosted with the UH College of Engineering. Industry leaders from top gaming companies shared their expertise, illuminating exciting career opportunities in esports and gaming management. As a testament to the program’s success, three of Kauweloa’s students are now participating in the PACE Entrepreneurs program, where they are developing an innovative pop-up PC cafe concept.
- Course redesign: With guidance and support from the EL3vate program, faculty were able to integrate the 4Cs: Creativity, Critical Thinking, Collaboration, and Communication in addition to the other EL3vate program learning outcomes into their course learning objectives.
