J H.
Yelp
Barely, just baaarely graduated from high school across da street, took da SAT exams just once (barely scored a cumulative 800 in both Math & English), and with a high school GPA barely fluttering above academic probation.
Choke of my fellow upper-echelon akamai, middle-class upbringing classmates would be attending the "prestigious" UH-Manoa or, even bettah, going to the mainland for their higher education. I wasn't even thinking about it, but was "forced" into doing it by a positive adult female mentor who was in my life at the time.
I was a lost cause. Thank Buddha HawCC was in my life.
This was my introduction to the world of higher education coming from piss-poor public education standards. Always thought I was too dumb, too piss-poor, too inferior to make it .... but my professors here proved me wrong.
First off, the quality of education you receive at a community college in Hawai'i far exceeds what you'll get at the university level at UH-Hilo or UH-Manoa. I'm extremely proud to say that I had the opportunity to attend 2 community colleges. I saved thousands of dollars in tuition money, was the recipient of a generously intimate professor-to-student ratio (20 - 25 students per class, 1 instructor), and was taught by some of the most well-qualified (many had more than their Masters degrees & had gotten them from mainland universities), endearing & compassionate professors around.
Being one of 25 in a class versus beats being 1 out of 200 in a large lecture Psychology class at UH-Manoa; I've been a both ends. My most memorable, competent, and lively professors were found at the community college level.
Secondly, a smaller population of student and faculty supported an oddly intimate, but positive and encouraging learning atmosphere that pushed you to succeed further. Professors here took attendance in their classes; it was part of the grading system. You were made accountable to be in class, be doing the work, and participating as much as anyone else who enrolled in that course.
If you didn't show up for a day or 2, the professors would get concerned. Yes, they were involved in your academic success on a professional and personal level! Sooo unlike the majority of my UHM professors.
You got to talk stories and learn about your classmates, their backgrounds, reasons why they were returning to school ... I had choke single moms and older adults returning to school after their keiki had grown, people who'd just come out of the military, other folks who were trying to straighten their lives after whatever else they lived through ... I miss wala'au-ing (talking) & truly forming some personal relationships with my fellow academics.
You learned that dey had da same fears as you did and propped each other up when things were bad, called each other if you had a problem doing question #24, formed study groups to prepare for quizzes, midterm & final exams, etc.
Lastly, it was the majority of the faculty and staff wanting you to succeed. Not all of them, but a significant majority. I can't even remember all of my professors ... Charlene Marlowe, John Marlow, Professor Bader who I heard was one of the best math professors to take, Professor Linus Chao & Professor Lee in the Art Department (ghetto portables on the lower campus).
I never forgot all of them.
Eventually, I did make it out of higher education with my Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, but I don't thank UH-Manoa so much as the folks who decided to take a chance on this one ghetto Asian wahine from the public housing and believe that she was intelligent, was worthy & could excel in their world.
