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Student Success Stories

Like Son, Like Father

On Saturday, May 12, hundreds of proud parents will be in the audience as the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa holds its 107th commencement ceremonies at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Dad Ken Sato won’t just be watching as his 26-year-old son, Todd walks up to the stage to accept his bachelor of fine arts degree. Ken Sato, 45, will also be wearing a cap and gown, as he earns his bachelor of arts in political science almost 20 years after leaving UH, just a few credits short of graduating.

He is thankful for Come Back to Mānoa, an Outreach College program initiated in 2014 that actively reaches out to eligible undergraduate seniors who voluntarily departed the Mānoa campus before completing their first bachelor’s degrees.

IT’S NEVER TOO LATE

Helping these students complete their higher education and earn their bachelor’s degrees, sometimes decades after they leave school, are the main goals of Come Back to Mānoa, led by Coordinator Shannon Johnson.

The program serves as an advocate for students, and provides encouragement, guidance and assistance to almost-grads like Sato, who graduated from Waipahu High School in 1991 and immediately enrolled at UH Mānoa.

Then life happened. “It was in my second semester that I found out I was going to be a father. Probably about a semester after that I had to drop out to support my family,” he said. “I wasn’t the best student at the time, so it was a real struggle.”

Sato returned to UH Mānoa for his bachelor’s degree in 1996, but stopped attending again in 1999, although he did earn his television production certificate from Leeward Community College. He was employed in video production for 20 years.

I think it’s going to be a little bit of pride, because I stuck with it.
—Ken Sato

“Just recently, though, I had a turn of events in my career that forced me to try to change direction,” he said. “So that’s when I contacted UH admissions to see what I could do at that point.” Sato was connected with Come Back to Mānoa’s Johnson, who looked at his records, what courses were needed to graduate, how that could be accomplished and which people he needed to contact to earn his degree.

Life happens. But it’s never too late—and Saturday is proof for Ken Sato, who explained how he’ll feel on earning his bachelor’s degree. “I think it’s going to be a little bit of pride, because I stuck with it,” he said. “I actually abandoned it at one point, but then came back. It was my dream and here it is.”

Adds his son, Todd, who has advice for other “almost-grads” like his father: “I would say, give Come Back to Mānoa a call, and inquire about what services are available, because you are a lot closer to graduating than you think.”

This story courtesy of UH News.

A Second Chance

For Amilia “Mimi” Castro, the second time was the charm. In 2015, Castro stopped attending UH Mānoa when her commute from Waianae became a challenge. Castro met Johnson through a knitters group. At Johnson’s recommendation, Castro reached out and by spring 2017, Castro was attending UH Mānoa full-time, and is pursuing her degree in art.
“I think what’s most valuable about this program is that you feel like you have someone specific helping you, it’s not just this anonymous email or like a mailing bot,” said Castro. “So, it just feels like a really personal experience that helped me feel so much more comfortable coming back and it’s almost like a support system within UH helping me.”“We tried to innovate this program so that the students would be very successful at the program and finishing their degrees,” added Outreach College Dean William “Bill” Chismar.
For more information, visit the Come Back to Mānoa website.

A Success Story

Among the 900 graduates who earned a University of Hawaiʻi degree in December 2017 was Miles Nishikawa. Nishikawa is not a traditional student, having left school in 1985 to work full-time. He returned last year through the Outreach College’s Come Back to Mānoa program to finish his studies and earn his degree in psychology.
Come Back to Mānoa reaches out to eligible undergraduate seniors who voluntarily departed UH Mānoa before completing their first bachelor’s degree. Students in this situation most often cited personal reasons, financial concerns and academic issues as a reason for leaving. Others were near completion but unable to finish degree requirements.
Since the program was initiated during summer 2014, more than 1,962 students who left UH Mānoa were identified as in good standing with a significant number of completed credits—but without a degree. Given the statistics that show the value of a college degree, helping these students complete their education is one of the main goals for the Come Back to Mānoa program.
Of the identified students, 384 (more than 19 percent) responded, 168 became active in the program, and 113 students—more than two thirds—graduated, with another 17 on their way toward completing their degree.

A success story

Miles Nishikawa stumbled across the Come Back to Mānoa website in a pursuit of new interests. He found out most of his credits were transferable and he would need only one year of classes.
Designed to fit around participants’ employment and family schedules, Come Back to Mānoa also helped him overcome his fear of returning to school and the experience inspired him to explore different opportunities. Nishikawa supported his knowledge in the classroom by participating in internships at Kalihi-Pālama Health Center and volunteering with at-risk youth at the Kalihi YMCA.
“The Come Back to Mānoa program was encouraging because it provided for me the opportunity to enroll the very next semester,” said Nishikawa. “It was designed according to my schedule and basically it was very non-intimidating.”
“It tells people like myself that they’re not quitters or they’re not giving up on their education,” added Nishikawa.
Come Back to Mānoa coordinator Shannon Johnson sees the program as being most helpful by acting as a single point of contact to help students navigate the final hurdles to graduation in a non-judgmental environment.
“What I do see in Miles that I often times see in other students that I’m working with through this program is the interest, the excitement about learning coming back,” said Johnson. “I’m here to assist them in whatever way they need. I can help them navigate the system. I can review their records with them.”
Johnson provides one-on-one coaching and advocacy to help identify a plan for the student’s quickest path to graduation. She provides individualized support to discuss course programs, financial status, and semester registration to help students overcome barriers to completion.Add block

This story courtesy of UH News.