Trina Nahm-Mijo, professor and department chair of social sciences, is retiring this spring after 43 years at Hawai‘i Community College. Though she’s ready to close the book on her Hawai‘i CC career, she said teaching never got tiresome or repetitive even after more than four decades.

“The students inspire me,” she said. “It was always new every semester even if it was the same classes, because the people are different and my style is to teach to the students’ individual strengths and characteristics, so it was always new for me.”

Carolyn Castaneda enrolled at Hawai'i Community College as an Accounting major. We spoke with her earlier this semester; the interview has been edited for length and clarity. 

Tell us about your background

A Hawai‘i Community College student is the $25,000 grand prize winner of a local business plan competition.

Amanda Gilroy, an entrepreneur behind Mermaid Mushrooms and a Natural Science student at the Hawai‘i CC - Pālamanui campus in Kona, was named the winner of the HIplan Hawai’i Island Business Plan Competition on October 24.

“I still can’t believe it,” Gilroy said after her win.

Nowel Lucas, who graduated from Hawai‘i Community College, has received a $1,000 scholarship to help her transfer and continue her studies at a four-year university this fall.

Lucas received the Pacific Region Transfer Scholarship from Phi Theta Kappa. The scholarship recognizes outstanding academic achievement and rigor, engagement in college and community activities, and leadership. She is one of two students selected to receive this scholarship this year.

Kapua Kaulia was excited. She was worried. Despite those jitters, she pushed forward in the fall of 2017 with her plans to attend Hawai‘i Community College – Pālamanui even though she knew it would be tough attending college as a mother of five juggling both family and academics.

Hawai'i Community College is proud to honor community partners, alumni, faculty and staff who demonstrate exceptional effort and skill in serving our students, our campus and our wider community. The following awardees were announced during the annual All-College Meeting on Friday, May 8, 2020.