Simply the best
Kawaiolaʻakealiʻi Kili Kapuni has been named the College of Social Sciencesʻ Outstanding Graduating Senior (OGS) for 2026. She is a triple major in Political Science; Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies; and Hawaiian language. The OGS award recognizes excellence in scholarship, leadership and service.
Representing CSS as student marshals at UH Mānoa Commencement Ceremonies on Saturday, May 16, will be undergraduates Ryuto Sakai, who is majoring in Psychology, Economics and Japanese, and Dipshay Krishnan Reddy, who is majoring in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, and Ethnic Studies; and graduate student Sabrina Gill, who will receive her master’s in Communication.
Diego Haʻaheo Ortiz has been selected as Commencement student speaker for the morning ceremony. Ortiz is earning his bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and Sociology.
Celebrating social innovation
Kathleen Juica, a Geography and Environment student pursuing her masterʻs degree, is co-leader of Qʻochas Resilientes, which recently won one of the inaugural $15,000 MIT Climate Project Student Innovator Awards at the 25th IDEAS Social Innovation Challenge. Qʻochas Resilientes seeks to address the looming water shortages created by climate change faced by Andean agricultural communities.
Championship ballroom dancers
CSS students are among the members of a national championship team of ballroom dancers. They are ʻAulani Wagner, Library and Information Science and American Studies; Amanda Kanthack, Psychology and Japanese; Kanaru Ebi, Psychology; Lyndsey Moku, Political Science; Maya Ito, Psychology; Tessa Heidkamp, Journalism and Political Science; and Matthew Rummel, Political Science and business alumnus. The UH Mānoa winning team secured its third consecutive title at the National Collegiate DanceSport Championships in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in March 2026.
