Leadership skills, professional development, and a family of like-minded peers motivated to build up each other and their university — these are among the benefits students can gain by joining the Associated Students of the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu, which seeks to fill more than a dozen positions this semester.
ASUHWO provides democratic representation for the students of UH West Oʻahu and promotes student participation in educational, cultural, social, and community activities, said ASUHWO President Gabriel “Gabby” Navalta.
Senate members serve as consulted stakeholders in school-wide decisions and continuously work to convey student concerns to the school’s faculty and administration. The Senate supports students and student groups by coordinating student services, organizing school-wide functions, and recognizing funding.
“If you have a desire to serve your college community and peers, and want to advocate for change, I definitely encourage you to apply for ASUHWO Student Government,” Navalta said.
ASUHWO is in search of Academic Division Senators who are majors in the following disciplines: Business Administration, Creative Media, Education, Humanities, Math and Health Sciences, Public Administration, and Social Sciences.
Vacant Class Level Senator positions also need to be filled: Senior, Sophomore, and Freshman class levels. ASUHWO is also looking for an executive Secretary officer, as well as two Caucus Ambassadors who will represent the Senate and UH West Oʻahu at UH Student Caucus meetings.
Lastly, Kauaʻi County and Maui County Distance Education Liaison positions are also available; these are open to DE students who are living on either Kauaʻi or Maui.
The following is a list of the vacant positions:
- Secretary
- Senior Class Senator
- Sophomore Class Senator
- Freshmen Class Senator
- Business Administration Senator
- Creative Media Senator
- Education Senator
- Humanities Senator
- Math and Health Sciences Senator
- Public Administration Senator
- Social Sciences Senator
- Maui County Distance Education Liaison
- Kaua’i Distance Education Liaison
- UHWO Caucus Ambassador (2)
Students who fill the positions will join the following current members of ASUHWO’s 10th Senate of Kapolei: President Navalta, Vice President Shu, Treasurer Aubrey Schmidt, Junior Class Senator Cassie Hardin, Hawaiʻi Island DE Liaison Alan Iwasaki, and Social Media Coordinators Kiana Akana and Daphne Alohikea.
“Not only do you gain leadership skills as well as professional development, time-management, democratic, and public speaking skills, but you also gain an ʻohana of like-minded students who both aspire for a better campus community and inspire the best out of each other,” Navalta said.
Navalta, who is fairly new to Oʻahu and UH West Oʻahu, said he would not have been able to meet all of the friendly staff and faculty members that he has, as well as other student leaders, if he didn’t join ASUHWO.
“In my mere seven months of serving as president, I was able to connect with campus leadership, and staff and faculty, as one beyond a student, and actually work with them towards university goals to attain campus excellence,” Navalta said. “UH West Oʻahu staff and faculty don’t view ASUHWO Senate members as just students, but as colleagues, which I find very inspiring.”
He continued, “As conduits for the student body, ASUHWO hears student concerns and has the power to do something about it. You can be a part of that. Join us!”
Students interested in joining ASUHWO can apply through this Google Form. If students have any questions, they may contact ASUHWO at asuhwo@hawaii.edu. ASUHWO is also active on the following platforms if students would like to connect:
- Pueo Virtual Front Desk: http://westoahu.hawaii.edu/virtualfrontdesk
- ASUHWO Pueo Live Discord: https://discord.gg/tAFxAqppXw
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asuhwo/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASUHWO/
- Official ASUHWO Website: asuhwo.com