Aloha!

A former IEP student, who is about to graduate with two associate degrees this week, was featured in the University of Hawaiʻi System newsletter last week.
We are one of the 10 campuses in the University of Hawaiʻi System, which publishes a quarterly newsletter highlighting student success stories.
This time, our international student Chiemi was featured as a Hawaiʻi Community College student.
It’s such an honor to see her growth at Hawaiʻi Community College and to witness her academic journey!

HOW HULA INSPIRED A DREAM: CHIEMI SASAKI FINDS SUCCESS AT HAWAI‘I COMMUNITY COLLEGE

When Chiemi Sasaki first visited Hilo, Hawaiʻi as a high school Maui College
freshman on a short study trip from Japan, she never imagined it
would shape her future. A single hula class at St. Joseph High
School lit a spark in her—a passion for Hawaiian culture that
would inspire her to return to Hilo and study abroad.
Years later, Sasaki enrolled in the Intensive English Program at
Hawaiʻi Community College (Hawaiʻi CC), where she not only
improved her English skills but also discovered she could pursue
a degree in Hawaiian Studies with a focus on Hula. “English was
my greatest challenge,” she said, but classes and tutoring
sessions gave her the confidence to chase her goals.
College life brought its own lessons. “In Japan, I didn’t take school
seriously,” Sasaki admitted. But studying subjects she loved
changed her mindset. “I learned to do my best even in the classes
I didn’t love, because they were a step toward what I wanted to
do.”
Sasaki’s dedication paid off. She earned degrees in Hawaiian
Studies, hula and Early Childhood Education at Hawai‘i CC and
will soon transfer to the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo as the first in
her family to attend a four-year university.
Sasaki fondly recalls performing at Hawai‘i CC kīpaepae, creating
parody videos with friends, and learning from mentors like Kumu
Pele Kaio. “I want to mahalo Kumu Pele Kaio for introducing me
to the hula world,” she said. “Through hula classes and working at
I Ola Hāloa, I became a peer mentor and tutor. It helped me stay
grounded, give back to the community, and connect with people
who became friends and colleagues.”
To other international students, Sasaki offers this advice: “Build a
community with people who share your passions. It will carry you
through.”