Communication Program at UH Mānoa

Aloha🌺

COMgradulations Class of 2026!🎓🎉

We are SO proud of you and cannot wait to see all of the incredible ways you will change the world for the better. 🌎🌱

We wish you all the best in your future endeavors 🌟

Have a fun, safe, and restful summer break! We look forward to seeing our returning students and some new faces at the start of the Fall 2026 Semester!🍎📚✏️

Head over to our Instagram, X, and LinkedIn page to congratulate our graduates!

We will miss our BA and MA graduates! It has been a delight to have such wonderful, bright, and talented students in our program.💙

Cheers to the Class of 2026!🎉


https://www.instagram.com/p/DY7vxLqFKX1/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Aloha🌺

It's Master Defense Friday🎓📃...

And we have a big congratulations in order for Erin Fujitani🎉

Erin Fujitani successfully defended her MA thesis: "Instagram Branding Strategies of University Programs: Exploration of Western Union Exchange Schools for the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa's Digital Studios."👏

Erin's Committee consisted of: Dr. Hanae Kramer, chair; Dr. Ji Young Kim and Sherrie White.

Mahalo Erin💚

Congratulations! We are SO proud of you and all of your hard work. We can't wait to see all of the wonderful ways you will change this world for the better. 🌱🌏🌟

Head over to our Instagram, LinkedIn, and X to congratulate Erin!

It's that time of the week again...

✨️Midweek Magic ✨️

We are back with our next student star, and this week's spotlight is on Asia Nunez!

Asia was awarded the 2026 Graduate Dean’s Scholarship Award!🎖📄 🏆

Let's get to know our student star from Oahu🌊

🔹️Asia shares how she feels about receiving the award:
"I’m really grateful to be a recipient of this award! It was an honor to receive it and have my hard work be acknowledged."

🔹️What inspired Asia to study communication?
"As an undergraduate at the Shidler College of Business, I was a Presidential Scholar in the Honors program at UH Manoa. As part of my commitment to the Honors program, I wrote an undergraduate thesis on the relationship between gaming and personal development. My mentors for this project were Sky Kauweloa, the UH Esports Director, and Dr. Winter, an esteemed professor in the Communication program. I was interested in doing a Masters but I was unsure on what program to choose. Sky and Dr. Winter both encouraged me to look into the Communication Masters program, and here I am!

I also reflected on my experience as a student director at the Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship (PACE), where I hosted, emceed, and interviewed gaming industry executives and professionals. Working with Sky and Sandra Fujiyama, the PACE Executive Director, I formed events to connect Esports and Entrepreneurship together and draw in students from across all majors. I saw the importance of being able to speak in front of large groups, make presentations, and communicate with people of different backgrounds.

I believe that it’s important to learn about communication in a world that is becoming increasingly AI-centric. I have tailored my research in the Communication program towards the gaming industry, which is my passion and a fast-growing, multi-billion dollar industry."

🔹️What brings Asia joy? ☀️
"I love to learn new skills and teach myself how to do things. I’ve been learning how to code and develop games, as well as a bit of 3D modeling, recently. As a creative, I’ve been doing art for many years and spend hours drawing. I feel happy when I can bring things that I imagine to life. I also enjoy playing a wide variety of video games, from competitive to casual or strategic ones!"

Mahalo Asia🧡 Congratulations, we are SO proud of you!🎉

Check out our Instagram, X, and LinkedIn pages to learn more about Asia!

Aloha🌺

The Communication BA student, Cameron Holt (pictured on the right) and Entrepreneurship major Jaidon Matthews won second place at the UH Venture Competition on Saturday, May 9!🏆

Information on the venture competition:https://pace.shidler.hawaii.edu/uhvc/

Their company's name is Paniolo. Its description is on the page as well:

Paniolo is a natural skincare brand focused on promoting health and wellness through thoughtfully sourced ingredients and formulations inspired by island living.💄🌊☀️

Congratulations Cameron and Jaidon! We are SO proud of you and all of your hard work! We are excited to support Paniolo🎉

Head to our Instagram, X, and LinkedIn page to congratulate these two rockstars!

Aloha🌺

It's Graduation Time!🎓

Dr. Hanae Kramer's COM478 BA class took a grad photo to commemorate their exciting achievement!🎉

Congratulations! We are SO proud of you and all of your hard work. We can't wait to see all of the wonderful ways you will change this world for the better. 🌱🌏🌟

Fun fact: There is more than one Communication in Communities Capstones!📚

Head to our Instagram, X, and LinkedIn to congratulate our undergraduates!

Aloha🌺

It's Master Defense Thursday🎓📃...

And we have a big congratulations in order for Sabrina Gill🎉

Sabrina Gill successfully defended her MA practicum project titled "Achieving Inclusive Public Relations and Communication: Communication Access for All"👏

Sabrina's Committee consisted of: Dr. Ji Young Kim, chair; Dr. Hanae Kramer and Jonathan Reynolds.

Mahalo Sabrina💚

Congratulations! We are SO proud of you and all of your hard work. We can't wait to see all of the wonderful ways you will change this world for the better. 🌱🌏🌟

Head over to our Instagram, LinkedIn, and X to congratulate Sabrina!

✨️It's Midweek Magic✨️

Here to add some shine to your week are these graduates!🎓

Dr. Rachel Neo's COM478 BA class took a grad photo to commemorate their exciting achievement!🎉

Fun fact: COM478 is a Capstone class titled, "Communication in Communities." 🌐

Congratulations! We are SO proud of you and all of your hard work. We can't wait to see all of the wonderful ways you will change this world for the better. 🌱🌏🌟

Head to our Instagram, X, and LinkedIn to congratulate our undergraduates!

Aloha🌺

The Communication Program (COM) wishes to thank this year’s colloquium speaker, Dr. Quillon Arkenstone!

Professor Arkenstone is a visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures (EALL), for presenting ‘“Reading” Japanese Video Games’ to an audience of students, faculty, and community members. The colloquium was well attended and much appreciated.

Professor Arkenstone’s research, which cuts across the domains of literary studies, theory, history, and political science, is focused on the phenomenon of how the transnational exchange of ideas, manifested in literary and other artistic genres, is mediated broadly by specific societies in their own historical moment.📖💡🌐

This event gave the Communication Program the opportunity to showcase its exploratory course Global Gaming and Society (COM459), as well as the bespoke tools built to aid that course and further our multi-year technology initiative.📚🎮🕹

Professor Arkenstone lent his expertise to COM for improving both: the exploratory course and the educational tools. COM is grateful to the Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures (EALL) and the Center for Japanese Studies (CJS) for cosponsoring this year’s colloquium. 👏

COM is also grateful to those who attended the presentation and stayed to explore our equipment. Again, many thanks to Professor Arkenstone for a job well done.🎉

Mahalo Professor Arkenstone!☀️

Head to our Instagram, X, and LinkedIn page to read more about Professor Arkenstone!

Aloha🌺

It's Master Defense Monday🎓📃...

And we have a big congratulations in order for Elza Terseglav 🎉

Elza Terseglav successfully defended her MA thesis: "Preserving Culture Through Social Media: A Qualitative Study of Migrants Preserving Culture Through a Facebook Group"👏

Elza's Committee consisted of: Dr. Hanae Kramer, chair; Dr. Rachel Neo and Dr. Wayne Buente.

Mahalo Elza💚

Congratulations! We are SO proud of you and all of your hard work. We can't wait to see all of the wonderful ways you will change this world for the better. 🌱🌏🌟

Head over to our Instagram, LinkedIn, and X to congratulate Elza!

Aloha🌺

It's Graduation Time!🎓

Dr. Jenifer Sunrise Winter's ICT and Policy COM BA class took a grad photo to commemorate their exciting achievement!🎉

Congratulations! We are SO proud of you and all of your hard work. We can't wait to see all of the wonderful ways you will change this world for the better. 🌱🌏🌟

Fun fact: Cami Yokota is the class TA! Our 2024 recipient of the Dan J. Wedemeyer Award for Excellence in Teaching!📚🍎🏆

Head to our Instagram, X, and LinkedIn to congratulate our undergraduates!