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������Ƶ West Oʻahu kicks off 50th anniversary celebration

VIDEO NEWS RELEASE

"In Flight: 50 Years of ������Ƶ West Oʻahu”

"In Flight: 50 Years of ������Ƶ West Oʻahu”

Legislators presented a proclamation to ������Ƶ West Oʻahu.

Tawny Tynanes, President, Associated Students of the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu (AS������ƵWO)

Link to video and sound (details below):

**suggested VO/SOT script below**

WHAT: Ceremony and grand opening of "In Flight: 50 Years of ������Ƶ West Oʻahu” exhibit —historical archive featuring rare Center for Labor Education and Research and 'Uluʻulu artifacts on October 5.

WHY: Kickoff event to mark the 50th anniversary of the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu

WHERE: James & Abigail Campbell Library

WHO: State leaders, ������Ƶ leaders, students, faculty staff and alumni

From its humble beginnings in 1976 as West Oʻahu College—serving just 75 students in temporary portable classrooms in Pearl City and ʻAiea—������Ƶ West Oʻahu has transformed into a premier, four-year Indigenous-serving institution and an economic anchor for the region.

This October, the campus marks its 50th anniversary, celebrating a half-century of empowering local learners and fueling social mobility.

Today, ������Ƶ West Oʻahu serves nearly 2,900 students through its permanent campus in Kapolei, which opened in 2012. It stands as a vital engine of opportunity: 96.7% of enrolled students are Hawaiʻi residents, more than 44% are first-generation college students, and nearly 39% receive Federal Pell Grants. The campus has earned high national marks, tying for No. 2 among U.S. News & World Report’s Top Public Colleges in the West and placing No. 3 nationally in the Spring 2026 Cyber Power Rankings.

VIDEO:

BROLL: (1 minute, 44 seconds)

0:00-0:27 - ������Ƶ West Oʻahu 50th anniversary exhibit

0:27-1:44 - 50th Anniversary kick off ceremony

SOUND:

Tawny Tynanes, ������Ƶ West Oʻahu student (President, Associated Students of the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu) (13 seconds)

“The opportunities I've been able to get here is amazing. I wish, since we are growing, we are getting more opportunities coming in. So hopefully as we grow, we'll get more people interested into our school.”

Wendy Hensel, President, University of Hawaiʻi (13 seconds)

“You know, we have 50 years of growth here serving the community and building access to higher education for the West Side, and the next 50 years are going to be at least as exciting as we continue to build on what we have and really serve this community.”

Carlos Peñaloza, ������Ƶ West Oʻahu, Interim Chancellor (15 seconds)

“The University of Hawaiʻi at West Oʻahu is an anchor that contributes to the social mobility of our communities—celebrating being a Hawaiian place of learning and ensuring that we serve our local workforce and our families here and everywhere else.”

****SUGGESTED VOSOT***

INTRO

THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAIʻI AT WEST OʻAHU IS KICKING OFF ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION WITH A NEW EXHIBIT HIGHLIGHTING ITS HISTORY AND IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY.

VO

STATE AND UNIVERSITY LEADERS, STUDENTS, FACULTY AND ALUMNI GATHERED AT THE JAMES & ABIGAIL CAMPBELL LIBRARY FOR THE OPENING OF "IN FLIGHT: 50 YEARS OF ������Ƶ WEST OʻAHU." THE EXHIBIT FEATURES RARE ARTIFACTS SHOWCASING THE CAMPUS'S JOURNEY FROM ITS HUMBLE BEGINNINGS IN 1976 WITH JUST 75 STUDENTS TO A PREMIER  INSTITUTION NOW SERVING NEARLY 2,900 STUDENTS IN KAPOLEI.

SOT

Tawny Tynanes, ������Ƶ West Oʻahu student 

“The opportunities I've been able to get here is amazing. I wish, since we are growing, we are getting more opportunities coming in. So hopefully as we grow, we'll get more people interested into our school.”

VO

OFFICIALS SAY THE CELEBRATION MARKS A HALF-CENTURY OF EMPOWERING LOCAL LEARNERS AND PROVIDING HIGHER EDUCATION ACCESS TO THE WEST SIDE AND THE STATE.

SOT: 

Wendy Hensel, President, University of Hawaiʻi

"You know, we have 50 years of growth here serving the community and building access to higher education for the West Side, and the next 50 years are going to be at least as exciting as we continue to build on what we have and really serve this community."

ANCHOR TAG:

THE EXHIBIT IS NOW OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AT THE JAMES & ABIGAIL CAMPBELL LIBRARY ON THE ������Ƶ WEST OʻAHU CAMPUS THROUGH NOVEMBER 6TH.

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