Year: 2018

Grace Tang, 18, is in her second semester as an Art History major and hopes to be a part of the art world in the future, whether as an artist or a curator at a museum.

Grace lived in Hawaiʻi until she was about 10 years old, when she moved to California. She moved back to Hawaiʻi with her family about a year ago to start a church. Grace’s father, a pastor, and mother had lived in Hawaiʻi two times prior for the same reason. He gives sermons for small groups on Saturday nights at Kalani High School. Grace has a close relationship with her family and said that they do everything together.

She prefers to draw or make collages when creating.

Aaron Pila is a third-year student attending KCC majoring in Natural Resources. The 22-year-old already graduated from KCC with an Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts in Fall 2017 but is continuing to further his education in preparation for his transfer to UH Mānoa in Fall 2018.

Pila’s decision to attend KCC was influenced by the encouraging comments he heard about KCC’s biology program, specifically giving credit to professors Mackenzie Manning and Brian Deis. Since his time spent on campus, Pila has found the support system and academics to be helpful and motivating.

In the future, Pila yearns to work in a national park after earning his degree.

“I haven’t really decided which one yet, but … I just like the idea of walking around showing people really why they exist and how great just being outside is,” Pila said.