Visiting Japanese Maritime Student to Present on Their Tradition and Culture (3/12 & 3/19)

You are invited to the public presentations by a group of Japanese Maritime College students visiting us for 2 weeks from March 10 - 21st. The students come from a consortium of Japanese national maritime colleges that we have partnered with. At the college, they are studying to become officers, captains, and engineers on large ships, and are here to learn through our Hawaiian Studies program about traditional Polynesian navigation as well as the tradition of voyaging canoes.

Tomorrow, March 12 (Wed), they will give a presentation on unique places and local traditions in Japan at LRC 124B from 12:00 - 1:30. I got to listen to their practice presentation, and it was very interesting! We will provide refreshment, so please come by during your lunch break! Also, please encourage your students to participate, especially, those students who are interested in studying abroad!

Next week Wednesday March 19th from 12:00 - 1:30 at LRC 124B, they will be giving another presentation on Japanese tradition and culture, so if you can not make it to the presentation tomorrow, make sure you don't miss this one!

Thank you once again for all your assistance and support!

Hope to see many of you there tomorrow!

Posted by:
Kyoko IKEDA
International Education Coordinator

Okinawa Nursing Students Express Their Thanks

Students from Okinawa Prefectural College of Nursing end the Kauai leg of their Hawaii Study Tour tonight and head out to Oahu tomorrow morning.

At their farewell dinner last night, they taught everyone how to make origami crane, then they expressed their gratitude through hula taught by KCC's Pua Rossi and accompanied by her father, Mark Rossi. They sang two Japanese songs expressing gratitude for home and family, one a Japanese beloved song entitled "Furusato", the other a song by popular Okinawa group BEGIN that expresses "home" from an islander's perspective entitled "Shimanchu nu Takara". As a special thanks they presented their KCC teachers with personal notes of gratitude, and the following for the staff:

Although their time on Kauai was just a short two-weeks, they studied a lot and also gave back a lot to the community--visiting all three of Kauai's hospitals. Some of their activities were covered in The Garden Island:

Students get hands-on with plants - Thegardenisland.com: Local
East meets West - Thegardenisland.com: Local

Links to additional TGI articles are on our campus facebook.

International Education Within Reach (4/29 - 4/30)

Students, find out how you can see and serve the world through international education!

In March of 2012,  through the Wofford Scholarship and Honda International Travel Fund, Kauai CC student Dylan Wehrly was able to travel to Costa Rica. While in Costa Rica, Dylan volunteered at a local daycare. He will share his stories and experiences about his trip on Monday, April 29, 2013, in the magazine alcove in the Library. His presentation will begin at 12:30 p.m.

Dylan's presentation is part of a two-day event to promote international education and the Wofford Scholarship program. Chancellor Cox will speak about her trip to India on Tuesday, April 30, at 2:00 p.m. in the Library's magazine alcove.

Sponsored by the International Education Committee.

Posted by:

Brian Yamamoto

Chancellor Cox's India Pictures on KCC Facebook Page

Chancellor Helen Cox is visiting in India. Check out some of her pictures on our Facebook page.

Helen captures a flower painting just a little
while after someone walked through it.

We have posted some of the pictures that Chancellor Cox has taken in India on KCC's Facebook page. Please click on the link below and experience her journey while she is still there!

http://www.facebook.com/KauaiCC

Posted by:
Lana Spencer
Secretary to the Chancellor

Chancellor's Corner

A Very Large Mahalo
On this bright and beautiful Friday morning in March, I want to take this opportunity to say a tremendous thank you to several of our campus community members that shepherded our campus through last night’s tsunami warning. My sincere and deep mahalo goes out to Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services Gary Nitta who came to campus about 10 pm and stayed until about 8 am today to make sure evacuees who came
here were safe and secure. Assisting him were Pat Watase and campus security. Pat came in to assist Gary and stayed until morning. I apologize for not knowing who from security was on duty but that makes my thanks no less sincere! Also, Vice Chancellor for Student Services Earl Nishiguchi sent an email to all of our students and posted signs on campus informing them of the campus closure today. Faculty members Brian Yamamoto and Dennis Chun made sure that all of our exchange students from Toyama, Japan were evacuated quickly and effectively. Dennis hosted them in his home until they could return to their hotel rooms this morning.

We were fortunate that this event did not have any dire consequences for us here on Kaua‘i, but it could have, and the way in which our team worked together was outstanding. Interestingly enough, just yesterday we had a tabletalk exercise to practice how we would handle a campus emergency. It was gratifying both then and in the situation last night to see how KCC employees are willing to pull together, remain calm and do what needs to be done. Our response, coupled with the work done at the county and state level was effective.

I look forward to having the campus open again tomorrow, and I encourage us all to keep in our thoughts and prayers all those in Japan whose lives have been impacted.

Chancellor's Corner

This week the College has been involved in two exciting events that speak directly to two areas on which we've chosen to focus.

Internationalization

On October 12, 2009, Toyama National College of Maritime Technology and Kaua'i Community College signed an educational agreement to work together in ways that will be beneficial to both institutions. As the first project in this agreement, Toyama maritime students will come to Kaua'i CC to study Polynesian Navigation, Hawaiian culture, and English. A part of Toyama College's curriculum is studying modern navigation techniques. Intrigued by how Polynesians were able to navigate vast distances throughout the Pacific without the aide of modern navigation equipment, Toyama College students are eager to learn the treasured art of Polynesian navigation and voyaging. Dennis Chun (Instructor, Kaua'i CC) and Tomoki Oku (Associate Professor of Maritime Technology, Toyama College) are developing a program of study.

Sustainability

In partnership with the Kaua'i County Farm Bureau, KCC launched a new Community Market that includes Garden Island-grown fruits and vegetables, plus prepared foods and products made from local ingredients. Beginning this past Saturday, the 10th, the market will run weekly on the campus from 10-1. The market will also feature demonstrations and information about KCC programs. The market is envisioned as a central gathering place where neighbors can shop for food from the garden, enjoy delicious local foods, "talk story," learn more ways to cook and grow local ingredients, and connect directly with farmers from around the island on a regular basis.

Although the market launch was soggy, the turnout was good, and the Culinary students, along with Steve Nakata and Mark Oyama, did a terrific demonstration of cooking with local ingredients! Glenn Hontz and Kelly Ball were also on hand to give KCC garden tours and sell starts and garden produce. Other vendors included Hanalei Taro & Juice Co., fried green tomatoes and foods from the garden from Kaua'i Fruit & Flower Co., and a selection of fresh produce, cut flowers, plant starts, and value-added farm based products such as Moloa'a Bay Coffee and Kunana goat cheese.

We hope this weekend will be drier, but regardless, the market will go on!