{"id":220384,"date":"2025-08-19T10:18:06","date_gmt":"2025-08-19T20:18:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=220384"},"modified":"2025-08-19T10:33:14","modified_gmt":"2025-08-19T20:33:14","slug":"in-memoriam-john-morton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2025\/08\/19\/in-memoriam-john-morton\/","title":{"rendered":"In memoriam: John Morton, visionary leader of <abbr>糖心视频<\/abbr> Community Colleges"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 3<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><figure id=\"attachment_129708\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-129708\" style=\"width: 676px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/community-colleges-john-morton-wide.jpg\" alt=\"John Morton\" width=\"676\" height=\"381\" class=\"size-full wp-image-129708\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/community-colleges-john-morton-wide.jpg 676w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/community-colleges-john-morton-wide-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/community-colleges-john-morton-wide-130x73.jpg 130w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-129708\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">John Morton<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>John Morton, whose innovative and strategic leadership and nearly five decades of service transformed the University of <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span> Community Colleges and left a profound impact on higher education across the islands, died on August 15, 2025. He was 78.<\/p>\n<p>Morton\u2019s career at <abbr title=\"University of Hawaii\">糖心视频<\/abbr> began in 1970, when a chance visit to Leeward Community College led to an unexpected job offer. He started as a faculty member teaching chemistry and political science and quickly found his life\u2019s calling in the mission of community colleges.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_97242\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-97242\" style=\"width: 214px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/system-1979-morton-j-214x300.jpg\" alt=\"John Morton in 1979\" width=\"214\" height=\"300\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-97242\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/system-1979-morton-j-214x300.jpg 214w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/system-1979-morton-j-93x130.jpg 93w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/system-1979-morton-j.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 214px) 100vw, 214px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-97242\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">John Morton in 1979<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Over the next 49 years, Morton rose through the ranks\u2014serving as provost of <span aria-label=\"Kapiolani\">Kapi&#699;olani<\/span> Community College for two decades, leading the planning and construction of the Diamond Head campus, and later becoming vice president for <abbr>糖心视频<\/abbr>\u2019s seven community colleges, serving up to 34,000 students annually. He oversaw major capital projects such as the <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span> <abbr title=\"Community College\">CC<\/abbr> P&#257;lamanui campus and the Culinary Institute of the Pacific, while spearheading initiatives to expand financial aid, increase student success and strengthen workforce development.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Related <em><abbr>糖心视频<\/abbr> News<\/em> story: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2019\/05\/23\/mahalo-john-morton\/\">Mahalo John Morton for almost 50 years of service<\/a>, May 23, 2019<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&ldquo;John was a remarkable thinker, leader and human being,&rdquo; said <abbr>糖心视频<\/abbr> President Emeritus David Lassner. &ldquo;His positive impact on <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\u2019s\">Hawai&#699;i\u2019s<\/span> community colleges, <abbr>糖心视频<\/abbr> System and the entire state is immeasurable. I am incredibly fortunate that this truly wise man was my colleague and my friend.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Morton championed educational access and equity, especially for underrepresented communities. He played a key role in supporting the <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span> Promise scholarship program and the <abbr>HINET<\/abbr> workforce and education support initiative. Native Hawaiian enrollment and graduation rates doubled under his leadership.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_97245\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-97245\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/system-community-colleges-office-morton-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"John Morton with the members of the Office of the Vice President of Community Colleges\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-97245\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/system-community-colleges-office-morton-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/system-community-colleges-office-morton-130x73.jpg 130w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/system-community-colleges-office-morton-630x353.jpg 630w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/system-community-colleges-office-morton.jpg 676w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-97245\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">John Morton with the members of the Office of the Vice President of Community Colleges<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&ldquo;John was not only a brilliant mind, but also a visionary and inspiring leader,&rdquo; said Michael Unebasami, emeritus <abbr>糖心视频<\/abbr> Community Colleges associate vice president for administrative affairs. &ldquo;As the vice president for the <abbr>糖心视频<\/abbr> Community Colleges, his forward-thinking ideas reshaped the way we teach and learn, leaving a legacy that will continue to guide our community colleges for years to come.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Commencement ceremonies were highlights for Morton. When he retired in 2019, he recalled one <span aria-label=\"Molokai\">Moloka&#699;i<\/span> Education Center celebration where three generations of a single family graduated together.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;To have that kind of an impact on a family across multiple generations\u2026really captures what community colleges are about and what they do to contribute to the state and its people,&rdquo; he said.<\/p>\n<h2>Inspirational leader, generous mentor<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_91210\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-91210\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/community-colleges-group-shot-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"group shot of people smiling\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-91210\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/community-colleges-group-shot-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/community-colleges-group-shot-130x73.jpg 130w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/community-colleges-group-shot-630x353.jpg 630w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/community-colleges-group-shot.jpg 676w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-91210\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The <abbr>糖心视频<\/abbr> Community Colleges, with Morton pictured center, were honored by the <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span> State Senate on March 17, 2014 in commemoration of their 50th anniversary.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Morton often described his career as grounded in social justice, committed to the principle that higher education should be available to all.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The idea that the benefits of higher education should accrue to all <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span> citizens was a radical notion when we were created in 1964,&rdquo; he wrote in his retirement message. &ldquo;But we have demonstrated that given the opportunity and the right support our students, who historically had been largely excluded, both desired to attend college and could succeed when given the chance.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<h2>Colleagues across the <abbr>糖心视频<\/abbr> system remembered Morton with admiration and gratitude.<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_91212\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-91212\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/community-colleges-john-willow-morton-300x197.jpg\" alt=\"two people smiling\" width=\"300\" height=\"197\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-91212\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/community-colleges-john-willow-morton-300x197.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/community-colleges-john-willow-morton-130x86.jpg 130w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/community-colleges-john-willow-morton.jpg 676w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-91212\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">John and Willow Morton.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&ldquo;John Morton was a visionary leader for the <abbr>糖心视频<\/abbr> community colleges, relentlessly championing their vital role in providing a college education for all <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span> residents,&rdquo; said Honolulu <abbr>CC<\/abbr> Chancellor Karen Lee. &ldquo;But he was also a brilliant, kind and generous mentor, who will be dearly missed. His passing is not only a loss for <abbr>糖心视频<\/abbr> but also a loss for <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span>.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><abbr>糖心视频<\/abbr> Maui College Chancellor Lui Hokoana said, &ldquo;John was a staunch advocate for the University of <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span> Community Colleges and their open admissions philosophy. I personally witnessed the power of this vision firsthand&#8212;when colleges exist in every community throughout <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span>, they open doors of opportunity for countless people. John also recognized the gap in financial aid access and challenged us to expand opportunities for students. Under his leadership, financial aid access grew exponentially, and barriers for underrepresented populations, including Native Hawaiians, were addressed and remedied. John was a true visionary, and <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span> is a better place because of his work, leadership and service.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span> Community College Chancellor Susan Kazama, who was hired by Morton at <span aria-label=\"Kapiolani\">Kapi&#699;olani<\/span> <abbr>CC<\/abbr> in 2001, said &ldquo;John was an exceptional leader for the community colleges, leaving a lasting legacy through his initiatives to enhance educational programs for all children in <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span>. He truly embodied the spirit of &lsquo;K&#363;lia i ka <span aria-label=\"nuu\">nu&#699;u<\/span>,&rsquo; striving for the highest for the betterment of everyone in our islands. His commitment to education has made a significant impact on our community and will continue to inspire future generations.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Morton is survived by his wife Willow, daughter Kimi, and grandchildren Indiana and Sawyer.<\/p>\n<h2>Mahalo John Morton for almost 50 years of service<\/h2>\n<div class=\"responsive-video-wrap-post\"><figure class=\"wp-block-embed wp-block-embed-youtube is-type-video is-provider-youtube epyt-figure\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"><div class=\"epyt-video-wrapper\"><iframe  id=\"_ytid_84885\"  width=\"676\" height=\"380\"  data-origwidth=\"676\" data-origheight=\"380\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/TUm3sk4KvN4?enablejsapi=1&origin=https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu&rel=0&autoplay=0&cc_load_policy=0&cc_lang_pref=&iv_load_policy=1&loop=0&fs=1&playsinline=0&autohide=2&theme=dark&color=red&controls=1&disablekb=0&\" class=\"__youtube_prefs__  no-lazyload\" title=\"Mahalo John Morton for almost 50 years of service\"  allow=\"fullscreen; accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen data-no-lazy=\"1\" data-skipgform_ajax_framebjll=\"\"><\/iframe><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Morton expanded access, equity and opportunity across <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\u2019s\">Hawai&#699;i\u2019s<\/span> community college system.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[756,71,947,56],"class_list":["post-220384","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people","tag-in-memoriam","tag-uh-community-colleges","tag-uh-system","tag-video-2","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO 5.0.1 - aioseo.com -->\n\t<meta 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