January 2021 signals a fresh slate and the hopeful launch of many good things. It’s a brand-new year, the beginning of the Spring 2021 semester, and an eager reboot to an unforgettable period in history. People were challenged, and I am so proud and grateful that our College of Social Sciences rose to the occasion.
Students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters believe in what we are doing at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa: making a positive impact on academics, research and character-building. As the great civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.”
This high level of achievement is happening in a big way, as evidenced by the stories in this CSS newsletter. In Ethnic Studies, highly motivated undergraduates are saving time and tuition money as they make their way toward master’s degrees. In Economics, the department and UHERO are at the forefront of providing valuable data and guidance to the state’s public and business leaders. And in Anthropology, Professor Pat Kirch and his research/community team are unearthing revelational archaeological discoveries about Hawai‘i, which has resulted in the launch of a generous research fund. After you read their stories, join me in being inspired.
Welcome 2021. We are ready for you.
Denise Eby Konan
Dean, College of Social Sciences, UH Mānoa
