When Chiemi Sasaki first visited Hilo, Hawaiʻi as a high school 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.

When Christine Nguyen crossed the graduation stage at Hawai‘i Community College’s Manono campus last week, it wasn’t just a celebration of academic success—it was a triumph of choice, courage, and self-belief. As the student keynote speaker for Hawaii CC-Hilo’s Class of 2025, Nguyen shared a story that resonated deeply with those who know what it means to start over, to carry the weight of others while daring to invest in yourself.

Hawai‘i Community College proudly releases the names of the following students who have achieved Dean’s List honors for the Spring 2025 semester. The Dean’s List requires students to have completed 12 or more credits for a letter grade achieving a grade point average of at least 3.5 (B+) for the semester. The attached 258 students have attained this distinction. Please join us in congratulating them!

For Drew Camacho, the journey from addiction to academic success has been transformative. A former heroin user, the Hawaiʻi Island native spent more than a decade in a destructive cycle of substance abuse, felony charges and incarceration.

“Looking back, I think I’ve always kind of had issues with substance abuse. No outlets, no real support,” Camacho said. “And as a local boy, like our culture—we don’t talk about these kinds of things. We don’t tell anybody, ‘Hey, I need help.’”