UH Hilo Spring 2022 Commencement Celebration Personal Messages

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” - Maya Angelou
— Kaʻiulani Leialoha Carvalho Matsumoto

"E lawe i ke aʻo a mālama, a e ʻoi mau ka naʻauao"

He who takes his teachings and applies them increases knowledge

-Mary Kawena Pukui, ʻŌlelo Noʻeau No. 328
— Jason K Tanaka

Me he honu lā, e ʻau kākou ma nā ʻale o ke ola. ʻAʻohe hope e hoʻi ai.
— Aiko Lepeka AhYee English

“No matter what happens, no one can ever take away your education” - Ralph Miwa.
— Lauren N. Miho

"E ʻohiʻohi i nā pono! He kā, he iwi, he makau, he lupe. Ua lako ka ipu a ka hoʻokele."

He leo mahalo kēia i oʻu mau kumu i kahukahu mai a hoʻolako mai iaʻu i ka ʻike e lako nei nei ipu oʻu. E nā hoapapa oʻu, he mahalo iā ʻoukou ka paʻu like ʻana me aʻu i ka lanakila ʻana ma luna o nā ʻālaina i ʻike ʻia i ia mau makahiki he ʻelua. E nā ʻohana Kawaikini mahalo iā ʻoukou ka paipai mau ʻana iaʻu!

He leo aloha kēia i koʻu ʻohana, keu hoʻi koʻu makuahine a me koʻu kaikunāne i ke koʻo mau iaʻu e hoʻokō i koʻu mau pahuhopu a me ke aloha ʻana mai iaʻu. E Pāpā, nou ia lei hanohano o ka naʻauao no nā kau a kau.

E ʻole ke aloha o ka ʻohana, e ʻole koʻu puka lanakila ʻana.
— Monique Ka'iulani Kaleikaumaka Carvalho

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams" -Eleanor Roosevelt
— Paige Kagimoto

Be the change you wish to see in the world.
— Angelina Rose Prewitt

“With my mommy & grandma as my guardian angels, my brothers & sisters as my motivation, and my GOD as my teacher, counselor and protector, I am able.”
— Griza S. Perez

There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.
- Anais Nin
— Samantha Rae Bailo

“Después de todo podemos aguantar mucho mas de lo que pensamos”
— Emmanuel E González

“Sé que está orgulloso de mí y me esta mirando me lograr mis objetivos.”
— Emmanuel E González

“él nunca recibió una educación, así que fui y le conseguí una”
— Emmanuel E González

"The purpose of Anthropology is to make the world safe for human differences" - Ruth Benedict
— Katrina Taylor

Fear God is the beginning of knowledge
— Kion John

Proverbs 4:13 “Take hold of instruction, do not let go. Guard her, for she is your life.”
— Kion John

Shout out to everyone who helped make this happen, especially GOD
— Kion John

Congrats to everyone here today! To all my friends, family members, and my teachers, I want to say thank you so much for believing in me.

You’re off to great places! Today is your Day! Your mountain is waiting so get on your way. – Dr. Seuss
— Yuki Miyawaki

One day, all you’ll have is memories. Make some good ones.
— Sophia Michelle Dent

Thank you to UH Hilo for a wonderful college experience! I have made many great memories here on the Big Island and Hilo will always have a special place in my heart. This was a second home to me and I want to thank my friends, family, teammates, professors, and coaches for always supporting me and making my time in Hawaii one to remember! I am also glad to be able to have been an athlete here at Hilo and be a part of the start of something special in our basketball program. My time here on the island has come to an end, but now on to the next chapter! Imua Vulcans!

“Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.” -Miyamoto Musashi
— Anthony Lazaro Cabreira Haskett

I would like to thank my family, friends, and girlfriend for helping me graduate college. I would also like to thank the baseball coaches and my team. A wise man once said no sked um go get um! And Eddie would go so Like went.
— Kekaulike Lanikuakaʻa Tiave Kalua

“Beginnings are usually scary, and endings are usually sad, but it is everything in between that makes it all worth living. “ - Bob Marley
— Jaidyn Carpenter

To God be the glory!
— Jaisele Ann Paguirigan

First, I would like to thank God. Without him, I wouldn't be where I am today. To my parents, thank you for guiding and helping me along this journey. To my sisters, thank you for being there when I needed you the most and making me laugh when times were tough. If it's one thing I'll miss about UH Hilo, it's the supportive community. From the professors, to my classmates, to the amazing staff who work hard to make so much happen. I'll miss the community that has made Hilo feel like home. As for words of wisdom, take it all in while you can. Living in the moment has made me more appreciative of the opportunities and offers that were given at UH Hilo, and life overall. You really don't know what's good until it's gone. Congrats Class of 2022! See ya!

"SET YOUR HEART ABLAZE!" - Rengoku
— Jorjah Kainoa Haliaka Losalio-Watson

"Shoot for the stars, so if you fall you land on a cloud." -Ye
— Kathy Zitlaly Perez

"I would say my determination is way higher than my smartness." -Ye
— Kathy Zitlaly Perez

ʻAʻohe loaʻa i ka noho wale. Nothing is gained by idleness. Mahalo nui loa to my friends, family, kumu, and fellow haumāna who have supported me throughout this journey. It is because of you all that I stand here today, one step closer to my dreams. Here's to the next degree!
— Amylia-Rae Makana Lani Gandolf

“Every spirit builds itself a house;
and beyond its house, a world;
and beyond its world a heaven.
Know then, that the world exists for you:
build, therefore, your own world.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
— Darien Lee Matlock

"Wonder is the beginning of all wisdom"-Socrates. There is no hatred or love when wisdom is involved so continue to wonder for you never know what you may find.
— Alyssa-Jade M Riglos

ʻAʻole o kana mai koʻu mililani no ʻoukou e kuʻu hālau ʻohana, kumu, a me nā hoa oʻu. ʻEʻole ʻoukou, makepono kēia ala hoʻonaʻauao. He wahi hoʻomanaʻo kēia iā ʻoukou, e hoʻomanawanui a e ʻimi mau i ko ʻoukou pono. Ke aloha nō.

Naʻu me ke kākoʻo,
Kolokea Kauaula
— Zyshana Kolokea Selepa Kauaula

Tough times don't last, but tough people do

- Dr. Robert Schuller
— Hannah Lee Highsmith

ʻŌlelo Noʻeau 319:
E kaupē aku nō i ka hoe a kō mai

Put forward the paddle and draw it back. // Go on with the task that is started and finish it.
— Danika Denise Hi'ilani Viluan

Mahalo wau i ka nui poʻe i kākoʻo mai i nā makahiki ʻehā i hala iho nei. ʻEʻole ʻoukou, koʻu ʻohana, eo ai iaʻu ka lei o ka lanakila ma kaʻu huakaʻi ʻimi naʻauao.
— Danika Denise Hi'ilani Viluan

"You get a strange feeling when you are about to leave a place. You will not only miss the people you love, but you will miss the person you are now, at this time and this place, because you will never be this way ever again. But you are excited for the person you are swimming towards and look forward to the new you that awaits in the distance." - Azar Nafisi

Thank you to my family, friends, teammates, roommates, and roommate's cats for being my support system throughout my time at UH Hilo! I could not have made the memories that I have without you <3. To the graduating class, congratulations on this huge feat! I wish you all the best and I hope to hear about your future accomplishments. Once a Vulcan, always a Vulcan!
— Lino Yoshikawa

In life, things never get easier; you just get stronger.
— Ammina-Josie M.P. Galdones

"Once you know what failure feels like, determination chases success" - Kobe Bryant
— Michael B. Nozares

"If you do not believe in yourself no one will do it for you" - Kobe Bryant
— Michael B. Nozares

"Set your heart ablaze" - Kyojuro Rengoku
— Michael B. Nozares

Favorite Memory:

The memory that I cherish the most during my joyous and knowledge-filled years spent at UH Hilo was reading my poem, “Embracing the Rainbow of Diversity” at the Diversity Festival in order teach the importance of creating a more accepting, all-loving, and harmonious world. We are one ‘ohana.

Words of Wisdom

“Let your passion be the purpose of this existence, and your achievements the product of your persistence.”

“The seed of compassion will grow if it is planted in fertile soil with a consciousness moistened with kindness.”

“Graduation is not the end; it is the beginning of a beautiful journey.”
— Jacinda Lee Angelsberg

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.

Proverbs 3:5-6
— Joie Keala Agard

Thank you to my family and friends who have been by my side throughout my whole college career! Although nursing school was tough, I know I wouldn't have made it this far without all of the support from my fellow classmates who have made such a positive impact on who I am today.

"Forget the mistake, remember the lesson"
— Brooke Sakuma

“If a window of opportunity appears, don’t turn away from it. Go get that ahhction.”
— Jojo C Balagot

ʻEʻole koʻu ʻohana a pēlā pū ʻo koʻu mau hoa, puka ai au me ka lei o ka lanakila ma kēia ala oʻu. Iaʻu ma ke kulanui, ua pōmaikaʻi lua ʻole au i nā hāliʻa aloha lehulehu a manomano i hua mai me koʻu mau hoa. Lana ka manaʻo, he hua mai koe o nā hāliʻa aloha hou aku i kēia mua aku me nā kānaka aʻu e aloha a mahalo nui ai. E ʻimi mau kākou e hoʻōla mau i ka ʻōlelo a moʻomeheu Hawaiʻi i mea e ō mau ai ia pīkoʻu o kākou.
— Kekailiko Medeiros

When the task at hand is a mountain in front of you it may seem too hard to climb. But you donʻt have to climb it all at once - just one step at a time. Take one small step… And one small step… then another… And you’ll find… the task at hand that was a mountain in front of you…
…is a mountain you have climbed.
- Ashley Rice
— Cheyenne Keiko Fuertes

“Time is money but you can’t buy time with money”
— Christian Alba Lopez

“You live and you learn”
— Christian Alba Lopez

Thank you to all my family for supporting me throughout my years at UH - Hilo. To my friends I've made, good luck with your future endeavors. To my coaches, thank you for all that you have provided me with and for taking care of me. To Hilo, you will always be my second home and I have enjoyed every second of it here.

"ʻAʻohe puʻu kiʻekiʻe ke hoʻaʻo ia e piʻi"
"No cliff is so tall it cannot be climbed"
— John Julian Kekūpono'okanakanui Kea

“In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.”
- Albert Einstein
— Kristine Villanueva Muerong

"Study hard. Education first good girl." - Papa Oka
— Averi Gabriela Quintero

"Aloha kekahi i kekahi"- To love and care for one another: a motto I try to live my life by everyday and the driving force behind a lot of my goals for this life.

My journey is far from over and I have big plans for this small town. Stay tuned Hawaii!

- Aloha
— Ariel Ku'umomimakamae Halemano

“I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” - Jimmy Dean

Much mahalo to ALL of my family, friends, Campus Center co-workers, and Professors for supporting me during my time as a student at UH Hilo. I am eternally grateful for each and every one of you!

Chelsea Dumo
— Chelsea Marie Dumo

やった !
— Daniel Hoshino

Here are a few messages that have inspired me and I hope that it may encourage you as well:

"It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect" - Psalms 18:32

"It's healthy to admit that you are not okay. It's okay not be okay; it's brave. But don't let it win. Be sad, have your moment, your day or week. Then, do something about it and be happy. For yourself" - Jessie J

"Life is a journey to be experienced, not a problem to be solved" - Winnie the Pooh

"When you take risks, you learn that there will be times when you succeed, and there will be times when you fail, and both are equally important"
— Chrisann Nalani Kalama Rabanes

Work hard in silence, your success will ring out.
— Shumin "Rebecca" Wu

Reflect on how those close to you made you happy so you can make others even happier.
— Christian V. Meier

E nā hele mua, nā hele hope, nā ʻumeke kāʻeo hoʻi mai o kikilo mai a i o kikilo aku, me ke aloha laupaʻi e ʻauhea aku nei au iā ʻoukou!

Wahi a kūpuna, “E lawe i ke aʻo a mālama, a e ʻoi mau ka naʻauao.” E nā hoa, ma o ka hoʻohana ʻana i ka ʻike i loaʻa iā kākou, pēlā nō e mālama ai i ia ʻike. He makehewa ke mālama ʻia ia ʻike o kākou ma kahi ʻē aku, he makepono nō naʻe ke hoʻohana kākou i nā mea a pau a kākou i aʻo ai ma ko kākou ola ponoʻī iho. Ke waiho a mālama ʻia ka ʻike ma kahi ʻē, pēlā nō e pau ai kona ola ʻana. Ke hoʻohana ʻia naʻe ke aʻo ma nā pōʻaiapili a pau o ko kākou ola, pēlā nō e ola maoli ai ia ʻike iā kākou, a e ola ai hoʻi nā iwi o ko kākou poʻe kūpuna. A no laila, e nā hoa, e ʻimi kākou i ko k
— Zena Filomina Ka`awaloa Fekei Kauaula

I have spent the last 7 years attending classes at UH Hilo. First getting my BA in Marine Science and now a Master of Arts in Teaching. I made wonderful life long friends and met so may amazing people over the years, participating in dance club and the National Student Exchange program.

I would like to thank my family, and friends old and new for helping me along my journey to get to where I am today. I could not have done everything I did without their support. I would like to also thank all my professors, mentors, and bosses that I had during my time at UH Hilo. I am forever grateful for everything everyone did for me.

I will leave you with one final message. Take risks and be open to trying new things. Look for every opportunity to explore, you never know where it might lead you.
— Alicia Nelda Halkett Hicks

言葉忘ねー國忘ゆん
E ola nā ʻōlelo ʻōiwi!!
— Koutaro Yuuji

My English professor once told me, “Your future does not define where you came from”, which I still carry within me until today. Thank you Dr. Seri Luangphinith for your words of wisdom! - Micheal Angelo Sagun
— Micheal Angelo Sagun