Author: Lexus Yamashiro

19-year-old Kathleen Samoy is a first-year KCC student majoring in hospitality and tourism. Originally from the Philippines, Samoy said she initially had dreams of becoming a teacher or flight attendant. It was when she chose to be in a hospitality academy at Waipahu High School that she decided she would pursue a career in the hotel industry.

“I would say that my personality would really fit me into that kind of job or work environment because it’s mostly, like, customer service and meeting a lot of people from different countries and also interacting with them,” Samoy said.

Having been on Oʻahu for about nine years, Samoy’s decision to enroll in KCC was based on the positive perspectives she heard from students already studying in hospitality and tourism. Samoy said that she appreciates the views on campus along with how welcomed others made her feel. 

When it comes to meeting new people, Samoy said that it’s the Board of Student Activities’ (BOSA) Ice Cream Socials that she enjoys most. She hopes to become involved with the organization or with Bayanihan Club, also known as the Filipino Club.

From Salt Lake City, Dolan Bradberry transferred from The University of Utah to start his second year of school at KCC. The 27-year-old found his way to Hawaiʻi through the Navy, which he has been in for about seven years.

Sharing that he has been exposed to nuclear power and how it is beneficial as a renewable energy source, Bradberry said it was this information that led him to pursue his studies in Natural Sciences with a focus in Engineering.

” … I’m just trying to get an Engineering degree so I can do some research and development on either new designs [for renewable energy sources] or something similar,” Bradberry said.

Being that he is on a short assignment rather than having to be on a ship for the Navy, Bradberry said that it is a nice change of pace to have that allows him to attend school.