By Shawna Takaki | Staff Writer
Word on the Street: What does Commencement mean to you?
Michi Kamada
Age: 21
Hometown: Kyoto, Japan
Major: Hawaiian Studies
“This is my middle step. … I’m going to go to UH next semester, so this is the first step to achieve my goals.”
![IMG_2666](https://kapionews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_2666.jpg)
![IMG_2665](https://kapionews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_2665.jpg)
Shelley Chang-Purdy
Age: 43
Hometown: Makiki, Hawaiʻi
Major: Education
“This day made me feel a relief. … It was hard. It took me like 8 years to get a 2-year degree, because I work full-time and have 3 kids.”
Cullen Takushi
Age: 21
Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
Major: Information Technology
“Patting yourself on the back. … Congratulating yourself for the stuff that you’ve been through in college, especially during the pandemic.”
![IMG_2664](https://kapionews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_2664.jpg)
![IMG_2663](https://kapionews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_2663.jpg)
Keana Garrett
Age: 22
Hometown: Kaneohe, Hawaiʻi
Major: Hospitality & Tourism
“The way I see it, it could be both a mix of the end and a beginning. … For me, it’s really meaningful because I’m the first in my immediate family to graduate from college, so this is like a really great step forward. I’m really bringing my family members forward with me.”
Tiare Chun
Age: 22
Hometown: Aiea, Hawaiʻi
Major: Liberal Arts
“A rite of passage. … You’re moving from one era of your life to the next.”
![IMG_2583 2](https://kapionews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_2583-2.jpg)