A fellowship program for University of Hawai‘i–West O‘ahu students interested in the student affairs profession has opened up valuable experiences, including a conference they attended in November in San Diego, which they shared all about at a hō‘ike last month on campus.
The NASPA Undergraduate Fellowship Program (NUFP) at UH West O‘ahu accepted nine fellows for the 2024-2025 academic year. NASPA, which stands for the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, is the professional home for the field of student affairs. NUFP aims to increase the number of historically disenfranchised and underrepresented professionals in student affairs and/or higher education through opportunities for scholarships, on-campus mentorship, and professional development events for its fellows.
This year’s cohort of UH West O‘ahu student fellows are Belja-Jaem Aneo, Olivia Chung, Madison Fujitani, Aralen Haiola, Kekahu Hamili, Mathan-Eli Kuhaulua, Georcelle Lozano, Mia Maynard, and Kimberly Murphy.
Olivia “Liv” Chung, 20, of ‘Ewa Beach, said being an NUFP Fellow has furthered her passion to be a student affairs professional and is the start of her journey into the field.
“Within this program we are able to gain a better understanding of student affairs, learn from student affairs professionals of all levels, and develop in our personal and leadership journeys,” Chung said. “For me, this program has changed my mindset and perspective on so many things and in all aspects of my life. It presented me with opportunities to do and be a part of things I never imagined would have been possible.”
NUFP at UH West O‘ahu will provide the current cohort a year-long experience meeting with professionals across the UH West O‘ahu Student Affairs Division, attending professional development workshops, attending other higher education institutions to learn about graduate programs, and attending annual NASPA NUFP conferences.
The nine fellows attended the 2024 NASPA Western Regional Conference Nov. 9-12 in San Diego, Calif. At the conference, themed “Navigating New Horizons and Strengthening Communities with Heart, Healing & Intention,” students participated in the NUFP Institute session, where they were invited to learn about student affairs as a profession, network with student affairs professionals from West Coast higher education institutions, and participate in discourse about higher education policies and concerns and challenges they face as students in their institutions.
“They represented UH West O‘ahu with pride and heart,” said NASPA NUFP Program Team member Shawna-Leigh Camara, who is also the Ke Ala ‘Anu‘u Program Manager at UH West O‘ahu. “They are amazing examples of young leaders of UH West O‘ahu.”
NUFP Fellow Madison “Madi” Fujitani, 20, of Wai‘anae, said her biggest takeaway from the NASPA Western Regional Conference was learning that students can‘t compartmentalize their identities.
“Students are not just students, they are a collective of their life experiences, ethnicities, gender, hometown, and more,” Fujitani said. “It is important for us to understand this when looking at how to help students navigate higher education, especially those who are historically disenfranchised and underrepresented.”
Fujitani continued, “For me, my focus is helping other Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students. We must fully understand that we are in a system that was not built for us, and we must continuously work for our place, and other students’ place, in higher education. The power we hold is in educating ourselves.”
Chung added that what she gained from the conference was a new view on student affairs. As the Student Lead Event Coordinator with the UH West O‘ahu Student Activity Fee Board, she has already began to implement everything she learned at the conference into her work.
“To be a student affairs professional, it means setting students up for success, fostering and uplifting relationships, and treating students as a whole in order for them to thrive,” Chung said. “Being a student affairs professional means going above and beyond to understand students, create safe spaces, and develop a student’s sense of belonging on campus. Whether it’s through creating centers for different cultural identities, planning events on campus, providing advising services, etc. — they are all necessary and together work towards a better system of providing support to all identities that students carry with them.”
Chung and Fujitani — both of whom are pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing — further detailed their takeaways from the NASPA Western Regional Conference at the NUFP Hō‘ike, which took place Dec. 18 at the Nāulu Center on campus.
The nine NUFP Fellows presented at the hō‘ike (see all of their presentations here), sharing what they learned and experienced from attending the conference. Additionally, they shared how, based on what they learned, they can contribute to future programs and initiatives that could be implemented in their student groups or student communities at UH West O‘ahu.
“Each student did a wonderful job showcasing their knowledge and learning experiences,” Camara said. … “As a professional in student affairs, it’s like a breath of fresh air hearing the eagerness and drive to be change makers for our campus community.”
Camara also pointed out that UH West O‘ahu students who were in the first NUFP cohort in 2017 — Aloha Espinosa, Camara, Macie Remular, Jarlyza Mareko, and Leiana Alegado — are now the program team leading the new and current NUFP cohort. The program then was led by Rouel Velasco and Katrina Abes, with the support of Judy Oliveira and Jan Javinar.
“It is a full circle moment where leaders in UH West O‘ahu student affairs have passed the torch to the next set of leaders in hopes to continue this cycle and community for student affairs professionals at UH West O‘ahu,” Camara said.
Students who are interested in the student affairs profession and who would like to apply for a mentorship for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year can email ckee@hawaii.edu.