Empowering Generations of Learners

50 Years of Impact

For half a century, from humble beginnings to its standing as a premier, indigenous-serving institution in Kapolei, University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu has transformed the lives of generations of learners. This milestone is more than just a look back at five decades of academic excellence, commitment to access, and transformative impact.

The roots of our institution trace back to January 1976, when we first opened our doors as West Oʻahu College. Originally an upper-division institution serving juniors and seniors at various temporary locations — including Pearl City and ʻAiea — the college was established to bring accessible higher education to the growing population of West Oʻahu. Over the decades, we evolved alongside our community: officially becoming the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu in 1989, expanding into a full four-year university in 2007, and moving to our permanent Kapolei campus in 2012.

Pueo Voices

Celebrating the last 50 years of serving the west and central O‘ahu community, 11 UH West Oʻahu alumni share their stories, memories, and thoughts about their time on campus and how it impacted their lives after graduation.

50th Celebration Week

View the week’s schedule here.

Monday, Oct. 5
Opening ceremony to kick off UH West O‘ahu 50th Anniversary Celebration Week, premiere screening of “Pueo Voices: 50 Years of UH West Oʻahu” and grand opening of “In Flight: 50 Years of UH West Oʻahu” library exhibit

Tuesday, Oct. 6
Start of Facebook and Instagram photo/video scavenger hunt, a chance for UH West Oʻahu students, faculty and staff to win exclusive #UHWO50 swag daily through Friday, Oct. 9

Wednesday, Oct. 7
Planting of five wiliwili trees on campus (one for each decade)

Thursday, Oct. 8
50th birthday celebration and cake for students, faculty and staff; Pueo Pilina student event; time capsule dedication; Pau Hana on the Green: 50 Years of UH West O‘ahu for alumni and friends

Friday, Oct. 9
End of Facebook and Instagram photo/video scavenger hunt, last chance for UH West Oʻahu students, faculty and staff to win exclusive #UHWO50 swag

A Week to Celebrate 50

Please join us as we celebrate 50 years of UH West Oʻahu — from the early days of evening classes in office buildings to our award-winning campus, the heart of UH West Oʻahu remains its people, passion for place and purpose, and perseverance. Mark your calendars for week-long festivities, Oct. 5-9, as we honor our past and envision our next 50 years.

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50 Acts of Pueo Pride

This milestone series showcases 50 signature experiences that define our essence, from cherished celebrations and student-led initiatives to events that welcome the wider community. Each act reflects our commitment to academic excellence and student success. We invite you to join us in celebrating these 50 moments of Pueo Pride.

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Ka Puna O Kaloʻi

Examples of Pueo Pride on our news site

Spotlight

In Flight: UH West Oʻahu kicks off golden anniversary, opens exhibit

State leaders, lawmakers, university executives, students and alumni gathered on Oct. 5 to officially kick off the University of Hawai‘i–West O‘ahu’s 50th Anniversary...

West Oʻahu Happenings

Find stress relief at pup-ular event

Make time to unwind with a furry friend and a comforting cup of coffee at the aptly named event, Paws for Coffee, from 9 to 11 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 8, at the James & Abigail Campbell Library lobby at the...

West Oʻahu Happenings

Weeklong festivities celebrate UH West Oʻahu’s 50th anniversary

The University of Hawai‘i–West O‘ahu celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, 2026, with activities to honor UH West O‘ahu’s past and envision the next 50 years and...

Experience West O‘ahu

Congratulations to staffer Kirk Ishida and students Lorna and Nat! They posed with a “pueo” on campus, winning the third day of our #UHWO50 scavenger hunt!

Here’s the fourth and final challenge, and your last chance to win limited edition 50th anniversary swag items! (Once they’re gone, they’re gone!) It’s easy: Take a picture of yourself wearing UH West Oʻahu gear or holding UH West Oʻahu swag.

DM your photo or video entry (one per person) by 3 p.m. today. The winning entries will be posted on Monday. See contest rules below. Have fun!

***

Official contest rules and guidelines:

1. Open to current students, faculty and staff at the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu (UH West Oʻahu).

2. The contest will be from Tuesday, Oct. 6, until Friday, Oct. 9. Entries for each daily challenge will be accepted between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m.

3. To enter: Submit photo/video entry by directly messaging (DM) UH West O‘ahu’s Facebook (FB) or Instagram (IG) accounts. One entry per person for each challenge.

4. All submissions must be original content created by the participant. AI generated content won’t be accepted.

5. Entries must adhere to the UH West Oʻahu Code of Conduct. Submissions featuring unsafe behavior, trespassing into restricted areas, property damage, alcohol/substance use or offensive content will be disqualified immediately.

6. Each day, up to 3 winners will be randomly selected. Winners will be contacted via Direct Message (DM) by/before 4 p.m. on the day of the challenge.

7. The winning entries (name/social media handle and winning photo/video) will be posted on UH West O‘ahu’s FB and IG accounts the following morning, when the next challenge is revealed by 8 a.m.

8. Prizes must be claimed within 14 days of notification. Prizes are non-transferable and cannot be redeemed for cash.

9. By participating, participants grant UH West Oʻahu a royalty-free, perpetual license to repost, share and edit submitted photos and videos for promotional, marketing and archival purposes across digital and print media.

10. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook or Instagram. Participants release Meta from any liability.

Pueo Pilina Fall 2026 is in the books! Mahalo to all the supporters, clubs, faculty, staff and students who made this special 50th anniversary event a success - even when it was raining! #UHWO50 #alohaunitedwayhawaii #GoPueo

Congratulations to the winners of the second day of our #UHWO50 scavenger hunt! Financial aid specialist Jesslyn Wheeler (pictured on the right) met the challenge of taking a selfie on campus with a faculty or staff member who has been with #UHWestOahu for 10+ years. Here she is with enrollment operations coordinator Kay Nagata, who has been with us for 18 years!

Today’s challenge: Pose with a “pueo” — not a person 😉 — on campus!

DM your photo or video entry (one per person) by 3 p.m. today. See contest rules below. Have fun!

***

Official contest rules and guidelines:

1. Open to current students, faculty and staff at the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu (UH West Oʻahu).

2. The contest will be from Tuesday, Oct. 6, until Friday, Oct. 9. Entries for each daily challenge will be accepted between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m.

3. To enter: Submit photo/video entry by directly messaging (DM) UH West O‘ahu’s Facebook (FB) or Instagram (IG) accounts. One entry per person for each challenge.

4. All submissions must be original content created by the participant. AI generated content won’t be accepted.

5. Entries must adhere to the UH West Oʻahu Code of Conduct. Submissions featuring unsafe behavior, trespassing into restricted areas, property damage, alcohol/substance use or offensive content will be disqualified immediately.

6. Each day, up to 3 winners will be randomly selected. Winners will be contacted via Direct Message (DM) by/before 4 p.m. on the day of the challenge.

7. The winning entries (name/social media handle and winning photo/video) will be posted on UH West O‘ahu’s FB and IG accounts the following morning, when the next challenge is revealed by 8 a.m.

8. Prizes must be claimed within 14 days of notification. Prizes are non-transferable and cannot be redeemed for cash.

9. By participating, participants grant UH West Oʻahu a royalty-free, perpetual license to repost, share and edit submitted photos and videos for promotional, marketing and archival purposes across digital and print media.

10. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook or Instagram. Participants release Meta from any liability.

Congratulations, Katie and Tanner, winners of the first day of our #UHWO50 scavenger hunt! Katie (pictured with her prize!) and Tanner shared photos of themselves with the number “50” on campus. 😊 Today’s challenge: Take a selfie on campus with a faculty or staff member who has been with #UHWestOahu for 10+ years! (Pssst … that faculty or staff member could win a bag full of swag, too!!) DM your photo or video entry (one per person) by 3 p.m. today. The winning entries will be posted tomorrow morning. See contest rules below. Have fun! *** Official contest rules and guidelines: 1. Open to current students, faculty and staff at the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu (UH West Oʻahu). 2. The contest will be from Tuesday, Oct. 6, until Friday, Oct. 9. Entries for each daily challenge will be accepted between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. 3. To enter: Submit photo/video entry by directly messaging (DM) UH West O‘ahu’s Facebook (FB) or Instagram (IG) accounts. One entry per person for each challenge. 4. All submissions must be original content created by the participant. AI generated content won’t be accepted. 5. Entries must adhere to the UH West Oʻahu Code of Conduct. Submissions featuring unsafe behavior, trespassing into restricted areas, property damage, alcohol/substance use or offensive content will be disqualified immediately. 6. Each day, up to 3 winners will be randomly selected. Winners will be contacted via Direct Message (DM) by/before 4 p.m. on the day of the challenge. 7. The winning entries (name/social media handle and winning photo/video) will be posted on UH West O‘ahu’s FB and IG accounts the following morning, when the next challenge is revealed by 8 a.m. 8. Prizes must be claimed within 14 days of notification. Prizes are non-transferable and cannot be redeemed for cash. 9. By participating, participants grant UH West Oʻahu a royalty-free, perpetual license to repost, share and edit submitted photos and videos for promotional, marketing and archival purposes across digital and print media. 10. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook or Instagram. Participants release Meta from any liability.

We were honored to receive two special guests visiting the “In Flight: 50 Years of UH West O‘ahu” exhibit today. Dr. Dan Boylan and Dr. Ned Shultz, two of UH West O‘ahu’s original faculty, stopped by to view the images, videos and media clippings displayed – but also share stories of how we were and how far we have come! ❤️ #UHWO50

This #UHWO50 swag could be yours! #UHWestOahu students, faculty and staff are welcome to play our photo/video scavenger hunt daily until Friday, Oct. 9! It’s simple: Just DM your photo/video entries (one entry per person) by 3 p.m. today. Up to 3 winners will be randomly selected! Here’s the first challenge of the week: Spot the number "50" anywhere on campus and take a selfie with it! The winning entries (name/handle and photo/video) will be posted tomorrow morning, when the next challenge is revealed by 8 a.m. Please see official contest rules below. Have fun! *** Official contest rules and guidelines: 1. Open to current students, faculty and staff at the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu (UH West Oʻahu). 2. The contest will be from Tuesday, Oct. 6, until Friday, Oct. 9. Entries for each daily challenge will be accepted between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. 3. To enter: Submit photo/video entry by directly messaging (DM) UH West O‘ahu’s Facebook (FB) or Instagram (IG) accounts. One entry per person for each challenge. 4. All submissions must be original content created by the participant. AI generated content won’t be accepted. 5. Entries must adhere to the UH West Oʻahu Code of Conduct. Submissions featuring unsafe behavior, trespassing into restricted areas, property damage, alcohol/substance use or offensive content will be disqualified immediately. 6. Each day, up to 3 winners will be randomly selected. Winners will be contacted via Direct Message (DM) by/before 4 p.m. on the day of the challenge. 7. The winning entries (name/social media handle and winning photo/video) will be posted on UH West O‘ahu’s FB and IG accounts the following morning, when the next challenge is revealed by 8 a.m. 8. Prizes must be claimed within 14 days of notification. Prizes are non-transferable and cannot be redeemed for cash. 9. By participating, participants grant UH West Oʻahu a royalty-free, perpetual license to repost, share and edit submitted photos and videos for promotional, marketing and archival purposes across digital and print media. 10. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook or Instagram. Participants release

“Pueo Voices: 50 Years of UH West Oʻahu” features reflections from alumni and faculty whose stories embody the spirit of this institution. The video premieres Oct. 5, part of kick-off festivities for UH West O‘ahu 50th Anniversary Celebration Week: https://westoahu.hawaii.edu/50-years/ #UHWO50