The purpose of this study was to gather the perspectives of community partners regarding the work experiences for youth with disabilities to provide an understanding of (a) the community's role and (b) how connections in rural communities were formed. This study provided a deeper understanding of the processes that influence the phenomenon of…

Indigenous people are often hesitant to participate in research projects because they lack trust in researcher intentions. In this article, we explore the critical role that Indigenous boundary spanners play in research conducted with Indigenous communities through our research on oceans and human health. Our analysis centers around five…

This research aimed to assess students' perception of the campus climate as it relates to issues of gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation at a community college in Hawai'i. Despite LGBTQ+ individuals' historical acceptance in Hawai'i, little research explores their current experiences within higher education, specifically…

Cultural resilience in disaster management is crucial for Indigenous communities. The Action 15 Resilience Hub Network Project on the Hawaiian Island of O'ahu addresses resilience planning gaps through community-based research led by undergraduate students at Kapi'olani Community College. Though the project initially utilized a Western urban…

Purpose: To share the narratives of six Indigenous Researchers representing the diverse thinking of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders. The narratives describe the impact Decolonizing Methodologies have on our lives within the framework of Tuhiwai Smith's Indigenous Research Agenda. Design/methodology/approach: Linda Tuhwai Smith's Indigenous…

Leeward Community College is committed to supporting Native Hawaiians, the Indigenous people of Hawai?i. It aims to become a "model indigenous-serving" institution (University of Hawai?i, 2012) as part of the University of Hawai?i system's efforts to empower Hawai?i's Indigenous scholars and their communities. This single-site case study…

Place-based Education (PBE) is the process of adapting students' educational experiences to the places and characteristics of their communities to make learning more "practical, relevant, and meaningful", and to help them become creators, not just consumers of knowledge (Ledward, 2013; Fukuda, Ah Sam, and Wong, 2010). PBE curriculum is…

The University of Hawai?i at Manoa's (UHM) most recent Strategic Plan highlights the university's mission to be a Hawaiian Place of Learning (HPoL) while sustaining a commitment to global competitiveness. At the same time, multiple stakeholders at UHM have continued to push for greater recognition and engagement with the university as an…

Retention rates are considerably lower for students attending two-year postsecondary institutions when compared to their counterparts at four-year postsecondary institutions. This disparity may stem from the greater number of nontraditional students at two-year postsecondary institutions, who often struggle to balance their studies and…

Based on Vygotsky's (1978) Sociocultural Theory, this multicase study explored the ways in which engagement in mentored research activities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) influenced the academic and professional aspirations of five Native Hawaiian undergraduate mentees and their persistence in higher education. The…

The concept of Funds of Identity (FOI) comes from a theory of learning that emphasizes the importance of recognizing and using students' cultural, linguistic, and personal backgrounds to enhance their educational experiences. FOI is like a "toolbox" of resources that people gather over time. These resources are shaped by historical,…