VNR: Oli, mele, welcome UH’s 16th President

Link to video (details below): https://go.hawaii.edu/bwQ

***VOSOT script below for consideration***

WHAT: A traditional kīpaepae welina ceremony officially welcomed University of Hawaiʻi President Wendy Hensel to the UH System. The event at UH West Oʻahu marked the start of her tour of all 10 UH campuses and six of the university system’s education centers during her first 90 days on the job. The visits aim to foster connections with students, faculty, staff and campus leadership. 

WHEN: Wednesday, January 14

WHERE: UH West Oʻahu campus

WHY: The campus visits provide President Hensel with opportunities to connect, listen and learn directly from the UH community. Insights from these interactions will help to shape the foundation of her leadership and strengthen the 10-campus system.

MORE INFORMATION:

• UH West Oʻahu faculty, staff and students welcomed President Hensel with oli (chants) during the kīpaepae welina ceremony. 
• A highlight of the ceremony was the chanting of Mele Honouliuli which honors the Honouliuli ahupuaʻa, the area where the nearly 300-acre UH West Oʻahu campus sits.
• President Hensel began her role as the 16th president of the state’s public higher education system on January 1, 2025.
• The tour includes open campus forums at each location, allowing the UH community to share recommendations and observations directly with the president.
• President Hensel expressed her dedication to building meaningful connections through pilina, a Native Hawaiian concept shared with her which embodies the essence of relationships, interdependence and connections across generations and places.

Full schedule of President Hensel’s campus/education center visits

B-ROLL: (1 minute, 39 seconds)

0:00-0:28 - Kīpaepae welina ceremony with chanting 

0:28-0:57 - UH President Hensel meeting with faculty, staff

0:57--1:08 -Touring UH West Oʻahu campus  

1:08-1:25 -UH President Hensel meeting with students 

SOUNDBITES:

Wendy Hensel/President, University of Hawaiʻi   

(17 seconds) 

“There’s so much heart here. There’s so many people who are deeply invested in this university. And coming in, for me to be a champion of this community I need to understand that. I’m beyond excited to make the personal connections to hear the stories, to really understand the place and the ʻāina and the ‘ohana.”

Maenette Benham/Chancellor, UH West Oʻahu 

(16 seconds) about traditional kīpaepae welina ceremony 

“It really is an opportunity for everyone, our visitors, newcomers like the president as well as those people who are indigenous to this place to always recognize the shoulders on which we stand. That’s why it’s so important that we do a kīpaepae of welcome.”

Aralen Hāʻilima Haiola/Student, UH West Oʻahu

(15 seconds)

“One of my big takeaways was probably just knowing that she’s here for our students. She’s not here just to ʻdrop the ship.’ As she said, she’s gonna stay here. She’s gonna continue to see us. She’s going to continue to be a big support of all the students. And we’re her favorites, so I love that part!” 

VO SCRIPT

(SOUND FULL HAWAIIAN CHANTING)

VO

Traditional oli at UH West Oʻahu officially welcomed new UH President Wendy Hensel. The event marked the start of her tour across all 10 UH campuses and six education centers during her first 90 days on the job. Hensel says the visits are about listening, learning and building connections to help shape her leadership at UH. 

SOT (Super: Wendy Hensel/President, University of Hawaiʻi) 

<“There’s so much heart here. There’s so many people who are deeply invested in this university. And coming in, for me to be a champion of this community I need to understand that. I’m beyond excited to make the personal connections to hear the stories, to really understand the place and the ʻāina and the ‘ohana.”>

SOT (Super: Aralen Hāʻilima Haiola/Student, UH West Oʻahu)

<“One of my big takeaways was probably just knowing that she’s here for our students. She’s not here just to ʻdrop the ship’ as she said she said. She’s gonna stay here. She’s gonna continue to see us. She’s going to continue to be a big support of all the students. And we’re her favorites, so I love that part!”>

VO
Hensel began her role as UH President on January 1. Her next campus visit is set for next week at UH Mānoa.