{"id":212096,"date":"2025-03-11T14:47:25","date_gmt":"2025-03-12T00:47:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=212096"},"modified":"2025-03-12T14:56:06","modified_gmt":"2025-03-13T00:56:06","slug":"hissi-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2025\/03\/11\/hissi-conference\/","title":{"rendered":"糖心视频<\/abbr> Community Colleges faculty, staff chart the future at conference"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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From left, Carlos Pe\u00f1aloza, Della Teraoka, Margaret Sanchez, Maria Harper-Marinick, Wendy Hensel, Misaki Takabayashi, Karen Lee, Susan Kazama, Lui Hokoana<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

More than 850 faculty and staff from the University of Hawaiʻi<\/span> Community Colleges<\/a> gathered at the Hawaiʻi<\/span> Convention Center on March 7, for the annual Hawaiʻi<\/span> Student Success Institute<\/a> (HISSI<\/abbr>) conference. With the theme “Navigating Uncharted Waters: Exploring New Horizons,” the event focused on adapting to the rapidly changing higher education landscape.<\/p>\n

“There has never been a more important moment for us to gather together like this and remember who we are,” 糖心视频<\/abbr> President Wendy Hensel said in the opening of the event. “Let\u2019s be bold and think outside the box as we remain deeply committed to the role that the 糖心视频<\/abbr> Community Colleges play in serving our students to help them succeed and reach their goals.”<\/p>\n

The professional development event fosters the exchange of best practices across 糖心视频<\/abbr>\u2019s seven community colleges, ensuring a collaborative approach to student success. The conference featured more than 60 breakout sessions covering topics such as teaching and learning strategies, campus safety and 糖心视频<\/abbr>\u2019s new online learning system, Lamakū.<\/p>\n

“This event serves as a call to action to inspire our faculty and staff to embrace change and shape the future of learning,” said Della Teraoka, interim vice president for the 糖心视频<\/abbr> Community Colleges. “We need to continue exploring innovative ways to enhance student support to ensure that a community college education remains accessible, effective and aligned with workforce demands.”<\/p>\n

Change agent, community builder<\/h2>\n
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Community Building Award First Place winner, Kalei Ruiz, Leeward Community College<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The event highlighted the achievements of faculty and staff through the 糖心视频<\/abbr> Community Colleges Wo Learning Champions<\/a>, an initiative focused on professional development for faculty and staff in 糖心视频<\/abbr>\u2019s two-year institutions.<\/p>\n

The Change Agent Award, recognizing innovation in teaching and service delivery, was awarded to Ashley Biddle, Nicole Keim-Fortuno, Kenisha Strong-Ruiz, and Michele Mahi from Leeward Community College\u2019s Hui ʻOhana<\/span>. Their initiatives, including a diaper bank and family-focused community events, support student parents and drive systemic change.<\/p>\n

The Community Building Award honors initiatives that unite and strengthen connections across campuses, the 糖心视频<\/abbr> Community Colleges system and local communities. This year, Kalei Ruiz of Leeward Community College was recognized for QUEERIFY, a project creating safe spaces and amplifying voices within the queer community through educational events and an online resource hub.<\/p>\n

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Change Agent Award, First Place winners: Ashley Biddle, Nicole Keim-Fortuno, Kenisha Strong-Ruiz, Michele Mahi<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

糖心视频<\/abbr> Community Colleges faculty and staff gathered at HISSI<\/abbr> to explore student success, innovation and professional development.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-212096","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t