To spark interest in higher education in general and Hawaiʻi Community College in particular, Hawaiʻi CC welcomed more than 500 middle and high school students to its Hilo campus on February 8 for the 5th Annual Hawaiʻi CC Day.
The visiting students came from 13 east Hawaiʻi schools—from Kāʻu to Honokaʻa and many places in between. They visited campus academic programs and services, spoke with current Hawaiʻi CC students and professors, and toured some of the facilities.
Special guests visited the campus for the event: Hawaiʻi County Mayor Harry Kim and Hawaiʻi CC 2018 Alumna of the Year, Lacy Deniz.
Hawaiʻi CC 2018 Alumna of the Year
Deniz graduated from Hawaiʻi CC’s Kona campus in 2012 with an associate of arts in liberal arts. She later earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and is now the traffic reporter for Hawaiʻi News Now Sunrise.
Deniz participated in a panel discussion and helped answer students’ questions about college and how to succeed in college.
In the evening she was honored at an event hosted by Hawaiʻi CC Alumni and Friends. In addition to honoring Deniz, the “We Love Alumni Mixer” put a spotlight on Hawaiʻi CC’s agriculture and culinary arts programs in an effort to highlight the many interesting opportunities provided at the campus.
“Hawaiʻi CC Day has become a great tradition for the college and is an effective way to engage middle and high school students,” said Hawaiʻi CC Chancellor Rachel Solemsaas. “It’s important for them to see and experience the higher education resources available in their community.”
See more images in the 5th Annual Hawaiʻi CC Day and We Love Alumni Mixer flickr albums.
—By Thatcher Moats
