The University of Hawaiʻi at 惭ā苍辞补’s is celebrating 10 years of bringing social work, public health and aging together to advance health equity, social justice and community well-being across Hawaiʻi and the Pacific.
Named in 2008 for Native Hawaiian leader Myron B. Thompson, the school united the , , and in 2016, adopting its present name in 2020.
“Each of the units was strong in its own right, but coming together, we’ve seen that they are stronger together than they were apart. Their impact and reach have been magnified,” said Thompson school Dean Alex Ortega. “I see the Thompson school in a much stronger and visible place than it was even three years ago.”
A decade of growth and innovation
Over the past decade, the school has expanded academic opportunities, strengthened workforce development and launched initiatives addressing the needs of Hawaiʻi communities. In the past three years alone, it has hired approximately 20 faculty members across disciplines including environmental health, social and behavioral health and gerontology.
The school has also established workforce development hubs in social work, public health and aging, while expanding access to education through online bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in social work and a master’s degree program in public health.
More milestones
- Workforce development: Expanded paid fieldwork and launched public health pathways via Kauaʻi Community College.
- Community-centered learning: Added courses in trauma-informed care and psychedelic-assisted therapy, alongside the traditional .
- Healthy aging: Launched the Age-Friendly University Initiative and built a campus dementia-friendly garden.
- Overall enrollment growth: Applications to the school have increased over the past several years, with enrollment growing by 46.9%, from 501 students in 2021 – 2022 to 736 students in 2026–2027. This year’s social work cohort is also among the largest in the past five years.
The school’s graduate programs also earned national recognition. In the 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools rankings, social work ranked No. 51 nationally, while public health ranked No. 89 (tied).
Celebrating 10 years
To mark the milestone, the school hosted its annual dean’s speaker series featuring social work alumnus Jorge Delva, who serves as dean of the Boston University School of Social Work. The talk was followed by a community celebration at Aloha Beer Co. on October 16 with more than 100 students, faculty, staff and community guests in attendance.