ASDP/ARC Profile - University of Hawaii Kapiolani

ASDP/ARC PROFILE

UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII KAPIOLANI

Institution Name:
University of Hawaii Kapiolani (formerly Kapiolani Community College)
4303 Diamond Head Road
Honolulu, Hawaii 96816

Contact:
Joseph L. Overton
Department of Social Sciences

808-734-9832, overton@hawaii.edu

Brief Institutional Description:

The University of Hawaii Kapiolani (UHK) is one of seven community colleges in the University of Hawaii system. It has a student body of more than 7,200 which makes it the largest community college in the University of Hawaii system. Over 73% of the students can be ethnically classified as Asian/Pacific Islander. UHK offers comprehensive programs in the liberal arts and vocational education. The college looks to its Hawaiian roots as well as to the shores of Asia, the Pacific Islands and America in visioning its future.

Asian/International Stage of Development:

The University of Hawaii Kapiolani is the leading institution among the seven community colleges in the area of Asian/International Studies. It often refers to itself as "An Island College with a Global Reach."

One of the major focuses has been on the Hawaiian and Asian/Pacific Emphasis, often referred to as KAPE (Kapiolani's Asian/Pacific Emphasis). UHK offers 6 Asian/Pacific languages: Hawaiian, Samoan, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Tagalog, as well as Spanish and French.

Each year one of the major activities at the college is the Asian-Pacific Festival Week which serves to celebrate the community's Hawaiian, Pacific and Asian past, present, and future.

The University of Hawaii Kapiolani was designated as one of the Regional Centers of the Asian Studies Development Program of the East-West Center.

Exchange Programs:

The college currently offers 22 student and faculty exchange programs with a number of institutions in Asia and the Pacific. A number of grants are provided to students to study at various institutions in Asia.

Grants:

Since 1989 UHK has been the recipient of a number of grants and awards relating to Asia and the Pacific:

1989 Title VI grant to establish KAPE (Kapiolani's Asia/Pacific Emphasis)

1994-96 Named by NEH/American Association of Community Colleges to serve as a mentor college to help other community colleges develop Asian/Pacific Island curriculum.

1995-97 Funding from the Japanese Ministry of Education and Kansai University for a project entitled "Social and Environmental Change in the Contemporary Pacific".

1996 Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminar Abroad Grant to take 14 community college faculty to Japan.

1997-98 NEH funding to help develop Pacific Island Studies.

1998-2000 U.S. AID/AACC funding to link Kapiolani's Culinary Institute of the Pacific with institutions of higher education in Sri Lanka.

2001-03 S.H.I.N.E grant as part of the college's service learning program to have students train elderly Chinese, Laotian, and Vietnamese immigrants to pass their naturalization test for citizenship.

1989	Title VI grant to establish KAPE (Kapiolani's Asia/Pacific Emphasis)
1994-96	Named by NEH/American Association of Community Colleges to serve as a mentor college to help other community colleges develop Asian/Pacific Island curriculum.
1995-97	Funding from the Japanese Ministry of Education and Kansai University for a project entitled "Social and Environmental Change in the Contemporary Pacific".
1996	Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminar Abroad Grant to take 14 community college faculty to Japan.
1997-98	NEH funding to help develop Pacific Island Studies.
1998-2000	U.S. AID/AACC funding to link Kapiolani's Culinary Institute of the Pacific with institutions of higher education in Sri Lanka.
2001-03	S.H.I.N.E grant as part of the college's service learning program to have students train elderly Chinese, Laotian, and Vietnamese immigrants to pass their naturalization test for citizenship.