I grew up on a dairy farm in Pennsylvania. Upon going away to college, I was very excited to explore the world – and to change the world. I spent my first summer in Haiti at the home of a dear friend, and was truly stunned by the stark differences, from dire poverty to opulent wealth, and not much in between.
At the same time, I was trying to decide: Should I become a doctor or social worker? Ultimately, Economics pulled me toward a career dedicated to real change.
2022 marks my tenth year as dean of the College of Social Sciences, and I am grateful every day for this honor and opportunity. To understand why, just look at this issue of the CSS newsletter – led by the announcement that the College is launching the Health Policy Initiative to facilitate research into health analytics with a $10 million multi-year commitment from the state’s Med-QUEST Division.
We also share a profile on alumnus Justin Nguyen, who is among the first graduates of a just-launched mentoring program in the career field of Intelligence, and stories on outstanding CSS faculty members Philip Garboden, who won a highly competitive, year-long fellowship to research and write a book about those who rent to low-income tenants, and Camilo Mora, who is leading the effort to literally plant a million trees in Hawai‘i through the Carbon Neutrality Challenge.
All are shining examples of why the social sciences are changing lives. They remind me that, in order to make a positive difference, I truly chose the right path.
Denise Eby Konan
Dean, College of Social Sciences
