Teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic has inspired many faculty members to get even more creative. For one University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Shidler College of Business instructor, overcoming challenges was paramount to provide marketing graduate students with a valuable global education and enhanced student learning experience.

A new partnership aims to enhance collaborative opportunities centered on human resource development through innovation for University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa students. The Shidler College of Business and Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. (JAL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding during a ceremony at UH Mānoa on Tuesday, July 20.

Did you know that UH Mānoa will be getting a new live, learn, work studio in summer 2023?

Shidler College alumni, friends and donors joined a virtual discussion on June 18 about this new project, as well as current Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship (PACE) initiatives. Guest speakers Monica Umeda, co-founder of Akabotics and Susan Yamada, BBA ’82, director of UH Ventures, provided exciting updates to attendees. 

We recently got to know Courtney Choy, BBA ’18, a little better after her busy weekend of being crowned Miss Hawaii 2021 and graduating with her J.D. degree from UH’s William S. Richardson School of Law. Here’s what she had to say about competing in pageants, her time as a Marketing, Management and International Business and Freshman Direct Admit Program student at the Shidler College of Business, her favorite sweet treat and her future plans.

The 19^th annual Celebrate a Legacy in Tourism event took place on April 29 and was held virtually for the first time in its history. The event raised more than $180,000 thanks to the tireless efforts of the sponsorship committee, led by Co-chairs Vicky Cayetano and Larry Rodriguez; and the generosity of sponsors and individual supporters. All proceeds raised will be exclusively used for School of Travel Industry Management (TIM School) student scholarships. A special recognition unique to this year’s event is a commemorative plaque acknowledging sponsors at the bronze level and above, which will be displayed at the TIM School. 

For Kelli Chinen, a finance and international business student studying at Shidler College, her college internship was not only thousands of miles from home but it was also during a pandemic that could have derailed her plans to learn about finance abroad.Chinen left for her internship in January 2020 and with the help of alumnus Wee Loke Tang, BBA ’73, Hall of Honor ’18, who is the independent non-executive director of UOB Kay Hian, a global investment bank headquartered in Singapore, Chinen was able to stay until the end of her internship in July. 

Back in January, Alaska Airlines was operating 30 daily flights between four Hawaiian islands and eight West Coast cities, as usual in a typical month, providing passenger service to thousands of kama‘āina and visitors to Hawai‘i. By early April, COVID-19 brought worldwide travel to a screeching halt, disrupting the lives of travelers and Alaska Airlines employees as the company suspended all its flights to the neighbor islands. These days, the airline has a significantly reduced schedule into O‘ahu and Maui to allow for essential travel and the movement of cargo.

COVID-19 dashed the summer internship hopes for many students who saw their plans evaporate with the deteriorating economic conditions. Stepping up to fill the void, a group of 17 Shidler College alumni rallied with their time and resources to provide 19 students – six of whom were Shidler College students - with an unforgettable and meaningful summer. They engaged the Jordan & Cara Odo Scholarship Foundation to create a five-week Virtual Summer Internship Program to give students opportunities to obtain practical experience, expand their networks, and build on their service leadership in the community.

Hawaiian Airlines, like many other companies throughout the islands, is experiencing a difficult time in its history because of the COVID-19 crisis. With uncertain times ahead, the company continues to adjust its operations to keep employees and the public safe and since earlier this year, the airline has continued its flights to provide transportation for essential workers.