The University of Hawai‘i–West O‘ahu’s upcoming commencement ceremony will be a time to celebrate success and achievement, but senior Jared Kā‘eo McCann wants everyone in attendance to know that it’s also OK to fail. Learn from your failures, use them to grow, and don’t dwell on them, McCann noted.
“Most often we are the only ones who ever get to see or know our own failures,” said the Kapolei resident, 23. “Everyone around us just sees our successes and accomplishments. So, learn to embrace the praise you receive from others and don’t worry so much about the past and how long it took to get here or how many failures or mistakes you made along the way. Be proud of yourself and your achievements.”
This is the message McCann wants to share as one of the two selected student speakers at UH West O‘ahu’s 2024 Mid-Year Commencement, taking place 9 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14, at the UH West O‘ahu Courtyard. Summer and fall graduates are invited to the Mid-Year Ceremony. Ticketed guests are welcome to the ceremony on a first-come, first-seated basis, and non-ticketed guests are invited to give lei to graduates following the ceremony at the Great Lawn.
About 250 students are candidates for graduation, and of these students, nearly 150 will be participating in the commencement ceremony, which will celebrate Applied Science, Business Administration, Creative Media, Cybersecurity, Education, Humanities, Natural Science, Public Administration, and Social Sciences candidates.
McCann, who will receive a Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity with a concentration in Cyber Operations, said this graduation means everything to him.
“I’ve struggled with so many different things since I started school in 2019, and I’ve wanted to quit and just give up more times than I could possibly count,” McCann said. “To be able to look back at everything I’ve been through and see how far I’ve come, and to really have something to show for all of it, it truly feels special.
“For me, it validates every choice I’ve made and every time I chose not to throw in the towel,” he said. “Giving up would’ve definitely been easier than this, but pushing through will forever be worth it.”
‘One of the best choices I’ve made’
McCann’s college career began at Saint Martin’s University in Lacey, Wash., from 2019 to 2020, followed by UH Mānoa from 2020 to 2022. He transferred to UH West O‘ahu in fall 2022.
McCann said his biggest challenge as a student happened right before he transferred to UH West O‘ahu.
“Going into the 2021 to 2022 school year, I was really struggling with imposter syndrome (doubting one’s own skills and successes), motivation, and being able to focus in my classes,” he said. “I ended up failing that entire year and I had to reevaluate my entire plan going forward.”
McCann continued, “I remember sitting and thinking about what I should do and if I could even finish my degree, and my mom told me to look at UH West O‘ahu since they had the program I originally wanted to be in (cybersecurity). After looking at the classes, I determined no matter what choice I made, staying at UH Mānoa or transferring to UH West O‘ahu, I’d still have two more years before I could graduate.”
McCann decided to transfer to UH West O‘ahu and said he was uncertain for a while if he had made the right choice.
“But, I stuck with it and I worked hard to turn things around, and it’s been one of the best choices I’ve made,” he said.
In spring 2024, McCann received his first degree from UH West O‘ahu — a Bachelor of Applied Science with a concentration in Information Security and Assurance. After graduating in May, he got a job at Hawaiian Electric, where he works as an Information Assurance Analyst.
Throughout his two years at UH West O‘ahu, McCann has worked for the IT Help Desk and was also a member of the Health, Transportation, and Technology (HTT) Committee. He was also assistant director of the Cyber Security Coordination Center in spring 2024, and assistant director of the Cyber Security Research Lab in fall 2024 — both on-campus internship programs.
‘Exceptional leadership qualities’
After earning his second degree from UH West O‘ahu, McCann intends to go to graduate school while continuing to work in cybersecurity.
“In the long term, I would like to come back to UH West O‘ahu to teach as a lecturer to be able to share my knowledge and experiences with the next generation,” he said.
McCann is grateful that UH West O‘ahu has readied him for his post-graduation goals.
“The support I’ve received from my professors and peers has really been the biggest preparation I’ve received,” he said. “Since coming to UH West O‘ahu, they’ve been incredibly supportive and encouraging, and have really given me the confidence and determination I’ve needed to accomplish what I have so far.”
Among those who supported McCann was Dr. Burrell with UH West O‘ahu’s Cybersecurity Program.
“Jared consistently demonstrates the highest level of determination and achievement in his academic courses and research,” Burrell said. “He also demonstrates exceptional leadership qualities that inspire and empower other students, which are representative of a next-generation cybersecurity professional.”
Dr. Veny Liu, associate professor of Mathematics at UH West O‘ahu, was McCann’s MATH 301: Introduction to Discrete Mathematics instructor in spring 2024.
“Jared is an exemplary student not because he is smart, but he puts more importance on the learning — such as understanding the problems, solving them with his best ability, and allowing help along the way — instead of a grade,” Liu said.
She continued, “While he was working on his senior project with Dr. Burrell (associate professor of Information and Computer Science), Jared humbly invited me to discuss his work where I learned a small part about cybersecurity. This invitation made an impact and opened up a hopeful long-term collaboration between math and cybersecurity at UH West O‘ahu.”
McCann said, “The support and assistance I’ve received from Dr. Burrell and Dr. Liu in my research and academics has allowed me to be best prepared for grad school, and they’ve really given me a vision of what I hope to be like as an educator in the future.”
Click here to read more about Travis Antonacci, who was also selected to be a 2024 Mid-Year Commencement student speaker. Commencement student speakers were chosen on criteria including academic achievement and a record of meaningful university or community service.