Ka‘ana Mana‘o: Year In Review

This year the University of Hawai‘i Maui College launched its new name with the goal to add even more value to the Maui County community. We've been busy with a number of projects that might surprise you, and here are just a few of this year's highlights.

* Expansion: The college began the fall semester with 4,530 enrolled students, the highest enrollment of any UH Neighbor Island college. Seventeen new faculty members were hired, including seven with doctorate degrees.

* New Degree Programs: The college now offers three baccalaureate degrees in Applied Business and Information Technology; Engineering Technology; and Sustainable Science Management. Through the UH Center on the campus, students can also pursue 14 other bachelor's degrees and 12 master's degree programs from UH colleges at Manoa, West O‘ahu and Hilo.

* New Buildings: In August, the college dedicated the new 2,000-square-foot Kaiao Student Success Center, a facility that will assist in the educational success of Native Hawaiians and other students. Construction continues on a $26 million Science Building that will be certifiable by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and house its own telescope. It will have classes for students embarking on science-based careers in astronomy; optics; physics; chemistry; anatomy and physiology; biology; microbiology; and marine sciences.

* CareerLink: We have a new CareerLink program at the college that prepares students for the challenges of an increasingly competitive job market, connects them to the business community through internships and helps place them after graduation.

* New Education Opportunities: In 2011, the Educational Opportunity Center was refunded with $2 million for the next five years to help traditionally underserved populations such as military personnel and those facing economic barriers and educational challenges. The center can assist with everything from filling out college applications nationwide to applying for financial aid and navigating college entrance requirements. In August, U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye announced that the National Science Foundation approved a $20 million mitigation grant to the college aligned with the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope for the education of Native Hawaiian students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Under the grant, the National Science Foundation will provide $2 million a year for 10 years for programs and scholarships at the college.

* Green Initiatives: In June, the college signed an $8 million contract with Johnson Controls Inc. for energy conservation and renewable energy initiatives. A $300,000 Clean Cities Initiative grant from the U.S. Department of Energy was awarded to the college - in partnership with the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism - to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles. Only 16 projects were awarded this grant, and the college was the only college or university to receive an award in this country.

* New Institute of Hawaiian Music: Students from all over the world vied for just 25 spots at the Institute of Hawaiian Music. This spring, they'll begin their training under the guidance of Grammy award-winning slack-key guitarist George Kahumoku Jr., who was just nominated for another Grammy last month.

* New Wellness Center: The Wellness Center is open to the public and offers hands-on, interactive classes, including Zumba, yoga, freestyle core training, Muay Thai and Pilates. Members can take all the classes they want, and membership fees for the semester (more than four months) are $35 for students, $50 for faculty and staff, and just $65 for members of the general public.

Learn more about this year's initiatives online at maui.hawaii.edu/news.

* Clyde Sakamoto is chancellor of the University of Hawai‘i Maui College. Ka‘ana Mana‘o, which means "sharing thoughts," is scheduled to appear on the fourth Sunday of each month. It is prepared with assistance from UH-Maui College staff and is intended to provide information about opportunities available through the college at its Kahului campus and its education centers.