Chris Ibarra’s journey from student to teacher is one fueled by perseverance, passion and a commitment to his community. The Hawaiʻi Island native graduated from Konawaena High School in 2000 and completed the two-year automotive program at Hawaiʻi Community College in Hilo in 2002, under instructors Ken Shimizu and Harold Fujii.

Today, Ibarra is giving back by teaching the next generation of mechanics through a partnership that he helped to establish between the Hawaiʻi Department of Education (DOE) and Hawaiʻi CC–Pālamanui.

Hawai‘i Community College’s Auto Body Repair and Painting Program—the only auto body program in the University of Hawai‘i Community College system—carries on a proud legacy of craftsmanship, innovation and career readiness that began in 1966.

The program, which has graduated almost 1,000 technicians, is helping to sustain Hawaii Island’s transportation trades community.

Hilo, Hawai'i – Hawai‘i Community College saw one of the largest enrollment increases in the University of Hawai‘i System this fall, rising 8.7% to 2,489 students—its highest headcount in years and a strong sign of renewed momentum across Hawai‘i Island and the UH Community Colleges.

The University of Hawaiʻi and the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education (HIDOE) today launched Direct2UH, a new initiative that simplifies the college admissions process and removes barriers to higher education for Hawaiʻi’s public high school seniors. The program was officially introduced on October 13 at a morning pep rally at Kauaʻi High School followed by a news conference at Farrington High School.

Six students from three UH campuses — Hawai‘i Community College (Hawai‘i CC), UH Hilo, and UH Mānoa — are the most recent graduates of Hawaii CC’s six-week butchery program, a pioneering initiative in sustainable, local food production that’s redefining agricultural education in Hawai‘i.

The course, offered at Hawai‘i CC’s Kō Education Center in Honoka‘a, combines technical expertise and hands-on learning with an understanding of Hawaii’s food systems, preparing graduates to support sustainable, community-based agriculture.

When Chiemi Sasaki first visited Hilo, Hawaiʻi as a high school freshman on a short study trip from Japan, she never imagined it would shape her future. A single hula class at St. Joseph High School lit a spark in her—a passion for Hawaiian culture that would inspire her to return to Hilo and study abroad.

When Christine Nguyen crossed the graduation stage at Hawai‘i Community College’s Manono campus last week, it wasn’t just a celebration of academic success—it was a triumph of choice, courage, and self-belief. As the student keynote speaker for Hawaii CC-Hilo’s Class of 2025, Nguyen shared a story that resonated deeply with those who know what it means to start over, to carry the weight of others while daring to invest in yourself.

Hawai‘i Community College proudly releases the names of the following students who have achieved Dean’s List honors for the Spring 2025 semester. The Dean’s List requires students to have completed 12 or more credits for a letter grade achieving a grade point average of at least 3.5 (B+) for the semester. The attached 258 students have attained this distinction. Please join us in congratulating them!

For Drew Camacho, the journey from addiction to academic success has been transformative. A former heroin user, the Hawaiʻi Island native spent more than a decade in a destructive cycle of substance abuse, felony charges and incarceration.

“Looking back, I think I’ve always kind of had issues with substance abuse. No outlets, no real support,” Camacho said. “And as a local boy, like our culture—we don’t talk about these kinds of things. We don’t tell anybody, ‘Hey, I need help.’”

HILO, Hawai‘i — Hawai‘i Community College is celebrating a successful first year of its Marine Option Program (MOP), where students gained extraordinary hands-on experience through real-world research, primarily with endangered sea turtle health and population studies on Hawai‘i Island’s shores.