Workplan | Chronology| Kick-off | State Celebrations

Hawaii's 50th Anniversary Celebration

WICHE held its 50th anniversary celebration with Hawai‘i on September 11, 2003, at the Queen Lili‘uokalani Center for Student Services of the University of Hawai‘i. David Iha, WICHE’s certifying officer, made opening remarks, and WICHE Commissioner Clyde Kodani welcomed the guests to the afternoon reception. Speakers, in addition to WICHE Executive Director David Longanecker, included former WICHE Chair Richard Kosaki, state senators Norman Sakamoto and Brian Taniguichi, and WICHE Commissioner Doris Ching. Charles Taba, D.D.S., a graduate of WICHE’s Professional Student Exchange Program, also spoke. (Michael Dang, M.D., one of the state’s foremost surgeons and a PSEP grad, was scheduled to speak but was called to surgery.) Guests included administrators from the University of Hawai‘i and the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, as well as regents, former commissioners and PSEP grads. Earlier this year, on April 3, the Hawai‘i State Legislature adopted HR148, a resolution honoring WICHE’s 50th, introduced by Committee on Higher Education members K. Mark Takai (chair), Tulsi Gabbard Tamayo (vice chair), and Roy M. Takumi.