Personal Journey & Education
Can you share a bit about your background and what led you to pursue a career in education?
Initially, I didn’t want a career in education; from an early age, I wanted to be an attorney. Then my junior year of college, I took an Intro to Education course, and it changed my life. I switched to a double major (Criminal Justice & Education) and went all in on education. The intro course had me reflect on my own educational journey. I grew up in a school district that had a 46% graduation rate when I graduated and is slightly above 60% now. I also saw the outdated materials being used in the schools and knew there was an impact on how students were matriculating through the district. Seeing the impact that I can have led me to wanting to pursue education full-time and striving to make a difference.
What inspired you to take on a leadership role as a Manager of Student Accounts at LAPU?
My desire to help students inspired me to take on the leadership role. For several years, I have taken an holistic approach toward education and I found that what a student learns outside of a classroom is just as important as what they learn in the classroom. I believe that part of my role and the role of my department is helping students be successful beyond the academics, being prepared financially for life outside of the textbooks.
Passion for Education & Impact
What do you love most about working in education, and what keeps you motivated?
What I love most about working in education is that we are the baseline. We are the foundation for the success of every other industry. Without a strong educational background, we don’t have successful doctors, we don’t have as many successful CEOs. Much of what these leaders know was learned from someone else. That’s what education is: a cycle of knowledge sharing. In the Hawaiian language, “A’o” is the same word for teach and learn. It’s this reciprocated approach that I feel is important. This cycle is also what keeps me motivated, knowing that the words of Octavia Butler still ring true. ” All that you touch, you change. All that you change, changes you. The only lasting truth is change.” We don’t make it through this life alone, and everything that I have to share, I will share, and I love being able to be a recipient of what others have to share.
What’s one piece of advice you would give to students who are striving for success in their academic and professional journeys?
Celebrate the little things. Life is not as long as we think, but to make it a good one, you have to celebrate the little things. Each morning, I wake up with breath in my body, and I celebrate. Maybe you didn’t get the promotion, but you got a pay raise anyway. Celebrate that. Perhaps you didn’t get the “A” on the assignment, but you got a “B”. Celebrate that! We often wait for the big moments to come, and we ignore the little moments in front of us. Now is your moment, take advantage.
Culture & Heritage
How has your identity and heritage influenced your approach to leadership and education?
I love this question! My identity and heritage have influenced my approach, but they have not defined my approach. I reflect back on a time when people who looked like me weren’t in leadership positions and weren’t allowed in or blocked within the halls of academia. I take that knowledge and let it fuel my passion to make what I touch, better for those that come after me. If I can influence my team and more students to pursue their passions and walk in their callings, then I feel like I am doing myself and my ancestors proud. What does the next generation face, and what can I do to make it easier for them?
What does Black History Month mean to you personally and professionally?
Black History Month means so much to me on a personal and professional level, especially in the area of education. We often talk about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Mary McLeod Bethune, and even the Brown v. Board of Education decision. Not often do we talk about Dr. Kenneth Clark and his wife, Dr. Mamie Clark, whose theory experiment on the psychological effects of segregation helped in the Brown decision. We don’t often tell the story of my great aunt and the other 93 students who engaged in a dramatic and tense demonstration at Wisconsin State University at Oshkosh in 1968 to combat the segregation and discrimination at the university and the Sundown Town it existed in. Although I love engaging in cultural conversations, Black History Month is huge for me because I can help educate. I can discuss things that were left out of the history books, I can relay stories of those who have come before me, and ultimately, I can play a role in making the world a better, inclusive place for everyone.