Ēwe Hānau o Ka Āina Exhibition
Sat. April 18, 2026 - Sat. June 20, 2026
8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Location: Hō‘ikeākea Gallery, Leeward CC
Empowering West and Central Oʻahu
From Conversation to Collaboration
A Reflection on our Spring 2026 Convocation
Aloha Leeward CC and UH West Oʻahu ʻOhana,
A few months ago, we gathered to discuss a vision for an integrated education pipeline in West Oʻahu. My goal in this exploration is to strengthen the positions of both institutions, ensuring that future directions are well-informed and provide a clear benefit to our students and the State of Hawaiʻi.
While we are not “counting down,” we have spent these last 60 days on several initiatives, including engaging stakeholders and forming a Joint Advisory Group to curate strategies for our collective future. To be clear, the primary drivers behind this effort are enrollment, funding, and institutional alignment. Our collective enrollment is not what it once was, and the student experience is paramount. We cannot afford to let students leave our system because we haven’t provided a clear path or told our story well.
At Convocation, I asked you to describe your feelings regarding this transition. The most frequent response across both campuses was “Hopeful.” However, we also acknowledge the presence of “Uncertainty,” “Anxiety,” and “Apprehension.” These feelings are valid, and this transparency will guide our pace.
While both campuses prioritize student success, your feedback highlighted unique institutional needs:
| Leeward CC Priorities | UH West Oʻahu Priorities |
|---|---|
| Seamless Transfer: Removing “friction” from the student journey. | Operational Hygiene: Ensuring staff are paid on time and HR processes are streamlined. |
| Staff Well-being: Protecting workloads and job security. | Resource Equity: Ensuring “fair share” treatment of programs and budget. |
| Basic Needs: Immediate calls for childcare and library access. | The “Front Door”: Strengthening Early College and joint outreach. |
We asked specifically where you see the biggest barriers for our students. The feedback was strikingly consistent:
- Transferring credits was cited as the #1 barrier by 38% of Leeward respondents and 46% of UH West Oʻahu respondents. There is a strong desire to eliminate the need for a separate UHWO application for Leeward students.
- Clear Career Advising remains a secondary but significant opportunity (32% Leeward; 29% UHWO).
This is our opportunity to redefine our institutions. We are looking at:
- Accelerated pathways and credit for prior learning.
- Place-based curriculum unique to our region.
- Shared services and AI investments to support daily operations.
Exploring Possibilities for the Future
How can we best serve our students and the families of West and Central Oʻahu?
The University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu and Leeward Community College share a history and deep ties to the ʻEwa Region. Now, we are entering a period of thoughtful exploration — working together to consider what the future could look like and whether new forms of collaboration might better serve our communities, where our charge is to co-create a vision for a dynamic regional comprehensive educational ecosystem.
We have the potential to build something unique here, a seamless environment where high-tech skills, ancestral wisdom, and community-based solutions coexist. This exploration will prioritize innovation, efficiency, and student success, with key areas including:
- Optimizing curriculum and course pathways to ensure seamless credit transfer for students moving between Leeward CC and UH West Oʻahu.
- Exploring academic innovation and new pathways, such as three-year degree programs, to accelerate graduation and meet critical workforce needs.
- Expanding the use of unique facilities, such as the Academy for Creative Media, Waiʻanae Moku and the Wahiawā Value Added Product Development Center for greater access for students across both campuses.
- Strengthening community impact through programs and partnerships that directly reflect the needs of West and Central Oʻahu.
One Vision, Two Campuses
Carlos Peñaloza, Ph.D. Interim Chancellor, University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu and Chancellor, Leeward Community College
Dr. Carlos Peñaloza serves as the dual Chancellor for Leeward Community College and the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu. He was appointed Chancellor of Leeward CC on July 1, 2019, and assumed the additional role of Interim Chancellor for UH West Oʻahu on January 1, 2026. In this unique capacity, he leads a strategic exploration to co-create a dynamic “West Oʻahu Educational Ecosystem,” aiming to bridge the strengths of both institutions to better serve the region’s students and workforce.
During his tenure at Leeward CC, Dr. Peñaloza has prioritized innovation and equity, overseeing the expansion of the Waiʻanae Moku Education Center, the opening of the Wahiawā Value-Added Product Development Center, and the launch of the Hō‘ikeākea Gallery. Under his leadership, the college has garnered national recognition for its professional development programs and made significant strides in closing achievement gaps for Native Hawaiian and underserved students.
A biologist by training, Dr. Peñaloza has over a decade of biomedical research experience and more than 20 years of teaching and administrative experience. Prior to Hawaiʻi, he served as Provost at Saint Luke’s College of Health Sciences and Vice Chancellor at Metropolitan Community College in Kansas City. A native of Venezuela, he is a proud product of the community college system, holding an A.S. in Liberal Arts and a B.A., M.Phil., and Ph.D. in Biology from the City University of New York (CUNY).
View message sent to University of Hawaiʻi community on January 5, 2026.
Related UH News Stories
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Spring 2026 Convocation Archive
The Joint Advisory Group
The purpose of the Joint Advisory Group is to be the engine of exploration, not a new layer of governance. Responsibilities of the group will include:
- Explore opportunities for synergy
- Engage with various groups and units across both colleges
- Synthesize data, surveys, and feedback
- Provide recommendations for consideration through existing governance channels
The composition of the group will be broad and inclusive, with balanced representation from UH West Oʻahu and Leeward Community College faculty, staff and students.
Next meeting: Thursday, May 21, 2026 at UH West O‘ahu in Naulu Center (C-131) from 2-4 p.m.
