For alumna Qynn Nguyen, VEMBA ’12, the journey from earning her master’s in business administration to now leading strategic initiatives at YouTube has been a story of adaptability, innovation and resilience. As manager of Video on Demand for YouTube TV, Primetime Channels, FAST and NFL Sunday Ticket, Nguyen’s career showcases how core business skills and a passion for learning can propel success in dynamic industries.

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Shidler College of Business’ School of Travel Industry Management (TIMSchool) held its 23rd annual Celebrate a Legacy in Tourism gala on April 2, at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. As the largest fundraiser in support of TIM School student scholarships, this year’s event raised more than $300,000 thanks to the generous support of the hospitality and Hawaiʻi business community.

Taylor Ledgerwood, BS ’23, is a driving force behind regenerative tourism in Hawai‘i through her role as manager of the Kahala Initiative for Sustainability, Culture and the Arts (KISCA). Her work seamlessly integrates what regenerative aims to do– drawing on environmental sustainability, cultural preservation and community engagement to create experiences for guests and residents alike.

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Shidler College of Business Alumni Association held its annual Executive Vineyards fundraiser on March 7, at The Royal Hawaiian. This signature event successfully raised $68,500 to elevate Shidler College through alumni outreach efforts, student academic activities, scholarships and more.

Hisae Uki, MBA ’12, has worn multiple hats at Sun Noodle, where craft noodles are produced for restaurants and retail in Honolulu, New Jersey, California and The Netherlands. Since beginning her journey at the family business, founded by her father, Hidehito, and mother, Keiko, she’s held management roles in human resources, food safety, quality assurance, marketing and operations. It’s safe to say Uki’s days are never boring.

First Insurance Company Distinguished Professor Jing Ai wears many hats at Shidler College. In addition to teaching several undergraduate and graduate level classes, she’s also a researcher, director of Shidler College’s Ph.D. program and a faculty advisor to insurance and risk management track students.

Since graduating from Shidler College, Martin Nguyen, BBA ’15, has been on an exciting journey of bold risks and transformative experiences. The young professional has already enjoyed an illustrious career full of big changes, starting when he boarded a one-way flight to Los Angeles the same week he graduated. He didn’t have a job lined up but he had the knowledge and persistence he gained while in college and as a student in the college’s inaugural Direct Admit Program.

The Shidler College of Business hosted a milestone event on Feb. 11 for the Master of Science in Finance Program (MSF). Professor of Finance and Risk Management and MSF Faculty Director Hua Chen organized the “Mastering Finance: Bridging Talent and Industry” mixer event at the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center. Chen collaborated with multiple teams, including the Career Services and Professional Development Office, the Graduate Office of Student Academic Services and the External Relations Office to design a networking opportunity for current students and an informational session for prospective students. There were about 60 attendees, including students, alumni and finance professionals, who spent the evening fostering connections and sharing insights into Hawaii’s finance industry.

Jarenn Murakami, a Nordstrom Company senior program manager, credits her ability to build and maintain relationships to her time at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Shidler College of Business. She earned a bachelors of business administration focusing in human resources in 2013.

The state of Hawaiʻi and the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa became the epicenter of global innovation, hosting two high-profile conferences that drew over 1,500 researchers from around the world.

For Jillian Marc Jefry Felipe, the path to success at Ernst & Young (EY) began well before graduation from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Shidler College of Business. Felipe, who graduated in spring 2024 with a bachelor of business administration in accounting and finance, now works as an assurance staff member in EY‘s Financial Services Office. He credits the college’s comprehensive approach to career development for his seamless transition into the workforce.

Susan Yamada, chair of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship(PACE) Board of Directors and Shidler College of Business alumna, has been named the 2025 Women Who Mean Business Career Achievement honoree by Pacific Business News (PBN).

A team of three University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Shidler College of Business graduate students won the 2024 Association of Government Accountants (AGA) Government Finance Case Challenge, earning each team member a $1,500 scholarship award.

While a senior at Baldwin High School on Maui, Sally Citrawireja knew she wanted to pursue a college degree that matched her interests: travel and business. Her college counselor introduced her to the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa School of Travel Industry Management (TIM) and the Hawaiʻi Tourism Hoʻoilina Scholarship. Citrawireja was accepted into the TIM School, earned the scholarship and is now thriving.

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship (PACE) has been recognized as one of the world’s top university entrepreneurship programs, winning an award for outstanding student engagement and leadership.

The popular Vietnam Executive MBA (VEMBA) program is back in full swing thanks to the leadership of Tung Bui, VEMBA program director and Chi Diep, VEMBA program manager. The highly successful program was first established in 2001 in Hanoi, the nation’s capital and government center; and then expanded to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s center of commerce, in 2007. After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Shidler College of Business has relaunched the program, welcoming cohort 32 during residence weekend on Oct. 18, which provided orientation, team building and the first course on organizational behavior for students.

Nearly 300 donors and students gathered at The Royal Hawaiian Resort on November 4, as the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Shidler College of Business hosted its annual Scholarship Luncheon. This event is cherished by donors, as they meet with their student recipients and learn about the impact their gifts have on their lives.

A completed makeover to the A Tower auditorium at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Shidler College of Business was celebrated with a blessing ceremony on October 21. Enhancements were made possible by a $1-million gift from the late distinguished alumna and 1972 accounting graduate Carolyn L. Ching. After her 2018 gift, the auditorium was renamed the Carolyn L. Ching Auditorium in her honor.

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Shidler College of Business hosted its 31st Hall of Honor Awards on October 10, at the Sheraton Waikiki. The 2024 event was also a special commemoration gala in recognition of Shidler College’s 75th anniversary.

The Shidler College of Business at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa announced the revitalization of two spaces frequently used by students: the Eddie and Elaine Flores, Jr. Courtyard and the Sunset Reference Center (SRC) within the School of Travel Industry Management(TIM School). These newly refreshed areas were redesigned to enhance student experiences and create collaborative environments.

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Shidler College of Business Emeritus Professor K.K. Seo, a beloved and distinguished academic, and dedicated and esteemed professor, has recently died.

In honor of Seo’s memory and in support of future generations of students, the Seo family, along with the McQuiston and Hong families, have established the Endowed Emeritus Professor K.K. Seo Asian Field Study Scholarship Fund with a generous $50,000 donation.

The Shidler College of Business (Shidler College) recently hosted its inaugural Innovations in Financial Intermediation Symposium (IFIS), a finance conference marking a significant milestone for the college. This gathering was held on June 27 and was strategically timed to coincide with the Western Finance Association (WFA) Conference, one of the most elite conferences in academic finance, which occurred in Honolulu from June 28-30, 2024.

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa alumni Walter Dods, Jr. and Jay H. Shidler have gifted a sculpture by the late Bumpei Akaji to their alma mater. The sculpture, “RISE,” was installed outside the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center, and dedicated in a special ceremony prior to the official grand opening of the center on June 15.

The City and County of Honolulu has formally entered into a sister city agreement between Honolulu and Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan with a signing ceremony on May 31. Ahead of the signing, a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa tourism expert provided guidance to a Shibuya city delegation, including Mayor Ken Hasebe.

Reese Kisaba is a Hawaiʻi kid at heart. He grew up in Mānoa Valley, graduated from Roosevelt High School and will soon graduate from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Following his graduation this spring, Kisaba plans to stay and work in the islands to give back to the community that helped raise him to who he is today.