Welcome 2026! We greet the new year with our dedicated College of Social Sciences faculty and staff, who are on the front lines of serving students every day. But we also thank the countless others who power CSS with their support, both monetarily and by deed. These heroes range from alumni, to retired and former CSS employees, to generous community members seeking to support the next generation of global game changers.
In this Spring 2026 newsletter, we proudly share stories about some of these supporters:
Lyndon Wester, an emeritus professor of Geography and Environment, whose generosity resulted in not only a gift to the Lyon Arboretum, but a department-wide community service project.
Economics Emeritus Professor Jim Roumasset, who funded a research assistantship in ecological resource economics after the idea came to him in a dream.
Kye Kukahiko, a first-year Journalism student, who is the inaugural recipient of the Robert Kekaula Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Student Scholarship, funded by donations from his family, friends and admirers.
We thank them, and you, for such priceless support in 2026 and beyond.
Denise Eby Konan
Dean, College of Social Sciences
