Articles for the 'blog' Category

Maui high-tech experts will gather for the inaugural Engineering Innovation Day at the University of Hawaii Maui College (UHMC) campus on Thursday, April 18.

Students in the college’s engineering program will be showcasing technical innovations they have been working on throughout the year. Maui experts in engineering and electronics will then have the opportunity to view and provide comments and feedback to students on their projects.

Students from the Electronics and Computer Engineering Technology (ECET), an associate’s degree program, and Engineering Technology (ET), a 4-year bachelor of applied science degree program, will demonstrate their engineering projects from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the foyer of ʻIke Leʻa, the new science facility.

“We have worked hard to bring this event together,” said Spencer Eldred, a senior in the Engineering Technology program and chair of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) student group on Maui that is hosting the event.

“We have many innovative engineering projects being presented during the [EI] day.”

“By participating in out-of-classroom activities such as EID, students learn teamwork and project management — important skills for success in the workforce,” said Dr. Jung Won Park, UHMC faculty member, who is also the program coordinator for the ET program, in a media statement from the college.

“It is a delight to see students gain critical entrepreneurial and networking skills. When we host a conference we bring people from various backgrounds in one place, and the outcomes from such interactions are phenomenal. Jobs for students, collaborations [between academia and industry] are all possibilities,” added Dr. Anil Mehta, a UHMC faculty member in the ET program.

The EID is a free and open event for all members of the community. Following the student demonstrations, there will be a panel discussion from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and a social hour for participants to network with each other. Refreshments will be served.

The Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui presented the first annual Tylun Pang Aspiring Chef Scholarship to Maui Culinary Academy (MCA) student, Peamsook Park on Thursday, March 14. The scholarship was awarded at the academy’s First Year Graduation Celebration Ceremony at University of Hawaii, Maui College. As the selected recipient,  Park will complete an 8-week paid work experience at The Fairmont Kea Lani that will include mentorship with resort chefs, orientation to hotel departments, kitchen experience at Kō restaurant and the chance to develop a dish that will be included on Kō’s menu. At the completion of the program, a $2500 cash scholarship will also be awarded. The work experience and cash award will total $5,000.

The Tylun Pang Aspiring Chef Scholarship is available to full-time students majoring in either culinary or pastry arts with a 3.0 grade point average or higher. Students are required to submit a scholarship application, as well as a resume and cover letter for consideration. To be selected, Park demonstrated personal, professional, and leadership growth through participation and contribution to MCA’s culinary and pastry arts programs. Her eagerness to gain a deeper understanding in the food & beverage sector of the hospitality industry also contributed to her selection.

“This 8-week work experience will provide Peamsook with industry experience and the chance to work alongside the culinary team at The Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui,” says Executive Chef Tylun Pang. “We have many graduates of Maui Culinary Academy working in our kitchen that are sure to be strong mentors in her development. She will be a wonderful addition to the team this summer.”

The Tylun Pang Aspiring Chef Scholarship was developed in honor of the hotel’s Executive Chef, Tylun Pang who is a member of Maui Culinary Academy’s advisory board and a long-term supporter of the program, both personally and professionally. The Fairmont Kea Lani and MCA have a strong, long-term partnership and collaborated closely on the details of the scholarship.

The HMSA Foundation has awarded a $100,000 grant to support the UH Maui College “Improving Oral Health for Native Hawaiian Prenatal Mothers and Children” demonstration project.  The program will provide educational sessions and oral health screenings for the 3^rd and 7^th grade students, and women who are pregnant or plan to become pregnant at Maui schools, churches, and health fairs, while providing an opportunity for UH Maui College students to have hands-on service-learning experience.

Through this outreach, women and children will receive oral health and blood pressure screenings and recommended preventative dental care including dental cleanings, sealants, fluoride varnish, and referral for further treatment when necessary.

Allied Health Department Chair at UH Maui College Nancy Johnson stated, “ We aregrateful to HMSA Foundation for supporting the collaboration between UHMC, Hui No Ke Ola Pono and Maui school to document and address oral health needs in Maui children and prenatal women,” Johnson continued, “It is well documented that early identification and treatment of oral health disease is a cost effective way to reduce school absences, emergency room visits, diseases like diabetes and hypertension, and the tragedy of preterm births. This program will screen hundreds of children and approximately 50 prenatal women.  The vast majority of individuals do not realize they have dental disease and the potential consequences. When dental needs are identified during the screening, the women and children will be referred for care.”

The program uses Healthy People 2020 Oral Health goals and is a collaborative effort involving UH Maui College Oral Health Center, Dental Assisting and Dental Hygiene faculty and students, Native Hawaiian students and faculty members, and the Hui No Ke Ola Pono, Inc. Native Hawaiian Health Care System.

“Developing a healthy, dental routine starts at an early age and that’s why it’s so important to reach out to young mothers and their children,” says Mark Forman, executive administrator of the HMSA Foundation. “Through this program, students from the UH Maui College will be providing a service while helping our keiki develop good habits to last a lifetime.”

Quick facts about Hawai‘i’s dental health:

• The PEW Center on the States graded Hawai‘i with an F, making it one of the worst overall performers among the 50 states and the district of Columbia for children’s dental health. http://www.pewstates.org/uploadedFiles/PCS_Assets/2011/The_State_of_Childrens_Dental_health.pdf

• Statistics from Healthy Smiles Hawaii, a local dental health program indicate the rate of tooth decay among children living in Hawai‘i is two times as high as that among children on the continent. Mainland children have an average of two decayed teeth, Hawai‘i children ages five through nine have an average of four decayed teeth.  The situation is even more serious with certain ethnic groups.

• Factors that impact oral health in Hawai‘i include no fluoridated water (except on military bases), no organized school sealant program in the schools, lack of funding for preventative dental care.

Failure to provide adequate preventative dental care for adults in Hawai‘i is leading to health problems which are significantly more expensive to treat.

To learn how you can support UH Maui College programs and students, please contact Director of Institutional Advancement for UH Maui College Ray Tsuchiyama at (808) 984-3471 or Ray.Tsuchiyama@UHFoundation.org

You can also make a secure gift online at www.uhfoundation.org/GiveToMCC

For the first time since the program’s launch, the Institute of Hawaiian Music at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College is accepting new students starting in fall 2013.

An information session is scheduled for Friday, March 8, at the UH Maui College campus in Kaʻaʻike 105BCD. Attendees will learn more about the history of the program, entry and graduation requirements, and availability of financial aid. The first auditions are scheduled for Saturday, April 27, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Priority for the auditions will be given to those who attend the information session.

To receive additional information about the program and to reserve a spot in the informational session and audition, email ihm@hawaii.edu or call (808) 984-3622.

Musical mentorship program preserves Hawaiian music
The Institute of Hawaiian Music is a one-of-a-kind musical mentorship program dedicated to the perpetuation and preservation of Hawaiian music. Formal university classes are supplemented with direct mentorship sessions led by professional Hawaiian musicians. Students selected for the program will receive exclusive opportunities for personal training, guidance and knowledge through these mentor-mentee relationships with performers, composers and other industry professionals.

“Starting a career in Hawaiian music can be a challenge,” said Institute of Hawaiian Music Program Coordinator Keola Donaghy. “Aspiring musicians are often left to their own devices to locate willing mentors and performance partners, receive personal training, find gigs, gain performance experience, produce a recording, and learn the steps necessary to break into the industry. Many don’t reach their true potential because they don’t receive career guidance from experienced, professional musicians.”

The program offers classes in music theory, repertoire development, composition, music industry business and marketing, and recording. Students will be given training on their instruments, voice, and harmony. They will be directed in repertoire growth, stage presence, and recording techniques. Students will also complete courses in Hawaiian culture, hula, and Hawaiian language to understand the cultural roots of their art.

Students who successfully complete the two-year program will receive an academic subject certificate in Hawaiian music.

The Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts’ Corporate Social Responsibility and Community Engagement program recently presented the Institute of Hawaiian Music (IHM) at University of Hawai´i Maui College with a $10,000 grant for new musical equipment. Funds were gifted from Fairmont Community Assistance and Responsibility to the Environment (CAREs), a corporate grant program that focuses on the environmental, social and community wellbeing of the communities where Fairmont does business.

The Institute of Hawaiian Music is a one-of-a-kind musical program dedicated to the perpetuation and preservation of Hawaiian music through establishing mentor relationships with professional Hawaiian musicians. The curriculum takes students from the beginning of their musical training to their career debut, offering classes in guitar, ukulele, singing, keyboard, composition, music theory, repertoire development, dance, music industry business and marketing, and recording. Funds from the Fairmont CAREs grant will be allocated to new mobile audio performance and recording equipment, as well as an acoustic upright bass, allowing students to perform and produce professional quality recordings at the Wailea resort and across Maui.

Chancellor Clyde Sakamoto of University of Hawai´i Maui College shares: “When Maui’s business community partners with our programs, it adds an important dimension to learning by letting students get hands-on in the ultimate classroom – the real world.  The Fairmont Kea Lani has been tremendously supportive of both our IHM and culinary programs, and the experience students take away is invaluable.”

The $10,000 award is part of an ongoing partnership between The IHM and The Fairmont Kea Lani that, in the past, has included hotel concerts and fundraising efforts.

“We so appreciate The Fairmont Kea Lani’s dedication to Hawaiian music and our program,” said IHM Program Coordinator Dr. Keola Donaghy. “This past summer they opened the doors for our students to play live in front of their guests during the free Aloha Summer Concert Series, and now they’ve increased their commitment with this generous grant.  It’s music to our ears.”

Along with frequent Hawaiian music concerts, guests of The Fairmont Kea Lani enjoy complimentary Hawaiian cultural activities conducted by the hotel’s full time Cultural Coach, Jonelle Kamai. Activities such as outrigger canoe paddling, ‘Olelo Hawai‘i (Hawaiian Language) Sessions, a Cultural Education Tour and monthly celebrations of Hawaiian holidays/history are ongoing.

“We are committed to celebrating Hawaiian culture by offering our guests authentic and educational experiences,” says General Manager of The Fairmont Kea Lani, Charles Head. “Our partnership with The Institute of Hawaiian Music is a natural fit. We are proud to support the current students – and the future musicians – of Maui with the Fairmont CAREs grant.”

For more information or to donate to The Institute of Hawaiian Music, visit uhfoundation.org/ihmscholarships. To learn more about The Fairmont Kea Lani’s commitment to Hawaiian culture, Fairmont.com/Kealani and click on Hawaiian Culture.