Happy New Year! The Year of the Tiger is upon us!

We welcome all new students, faculty and staff to Hawaii Tokai International College and extend best wishes to the entire faculty, staff, and student body for a most exciting winter term as we move into the second decade of the 21st century.

This term we are joined by 30 students in the SHIP program who are diligently studying English and learning more about Hawaiian and American Culture. Nine of these students will return to become official HTIC students in the spring term.

New staff members this term are Ms. Morna Choi Dexter, the new Director of the Office of Student Services, Mr. Jeffrey Bernhardt, the new IP coordinator; and Mr. Koji “Jet” Nakamura, TES Liaison Officer. New adjunct faculty are Ms. Elizabeth Tuthill in the College Preparatory Program and Ms. Rayoung Kang, who will teach Korean in the Liberal Arts Program.

Here for the winter term to study in the College Preparatory Program are Mr. Shimpei Oooka, a staff member here from TES and Mr. Takumi Inoue, who will be joining TES as a staff member in April.

We welcome new L.A. student Daniel Mercier to HTIC and congratulate the following students who have successfully completed the College Preparatory Program and are beginning their liberal arts studies this term: Yuuichi Ishioka, Haruka Ishiwata, Mariko Minami, Mayumi Mori, Koki Murakami, Ayana Oshima, Yuria Takahashi, Kento Takebayashi, Aine Takeuchi, and Shingo Uematsu.

Graduating student Shoko Nakamura performed over 100 hours of community service during the Fall 2009 term, participating in over 35 volunteer projects with 13 different organizations including the Institute of Human Services, Bishop Museum, KAUPA, and the Special Olympics. Shoko’s activism has resulted in her becoming the first HTIC student to receive the President’s Volunteer Service Award Bronze Medal.

The Presidential Service Award was established in 2003 by then President George W. Bush to encourage individuals and groups to work together in the community. As an award recipient, Shoko received a bronze lapel pin, certificate, and a congratulatory letter signed by President Barack Obama.

Shoko has donated her time and effort to improve the community and serves as an inspirational role model for all of us.

Congratulations Shoko, on your achievement!

Fall term’s Student Presentation day kicked off with a presentation by SP 151 students in the form of a TV news broadcast covering Halloween, sports, and other items of interest. American literature students read and explained poems they had encountered in the course of the term. PSY 100 students were divided into four groups, each presenting a different Learning Theory. Among the topics covered were Classical Conditioning, Pavlov’s experiments, fear of public speaking, John B. Watson and his influence on modern advertising, B. F. Skinner and the idea of reinforcement, and Albert Bandura and his classic Bobo doll experiment. They were followed by Humanities 100 students who presented four important leaders in the struggle for Peace and Freedom: Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., Desmond Tutu, and Nelson Mandela.

Next, the ten students who took the Service Learning class (IS 192) this term spoke about their experiences volunteering. Whether they worked at the Humane Society cleaning cat cages and playing with the cats, assisted at the Contemporary Museum, participated in environmental clean ups, helped serve meals to the homeless, helped with after school programs, or worked as teacher's assistants, they testified to how they had broadened their experience and learned things they would not have learned in a classroom.

The final presentation, “You Cannot Not Communicate,” was offered by the students of COM 201. They shared with the audience what they had learned about the importance of tone of voice and facial expressions in communication. They explained the difference between High and Low Context communication, compared the courtship styles of humans and animals, and explained Interpersonal communication. There was also an entertaining introduction to communication in the subculture of gaming. Last was a look at the power of advertising to influence consumers, with a look specifically at cigarette advertisements.

Nice job, everybody!

On Sunday November 8, 2009, members of the HTIC Running Club ran the Saucony Val Nolasco 1/2 Marathon. HTIC Running Club members Masato Ariga (President) and Kento Takebayashi, as well as HTIC Running Club advisors, Seleena Harkness and Rosalie Paradise, ran 13.1 miles from Kapiolani Park to Hawaii Kai and back.

Masato Ariga won a gold medal and prize for his 1st place finish in the men's category (ages 20 - 25) with a finishing time of 1:33:07. Kento Takebayashi placed 4th in the men's category (ages 15 - 19) with a finishing time of 1:55:23, and HTIC instructor Seleena Harkness won a bronze medal for her finish in the women's category (ages 25 - 29) with a finishing time of 1:41:46. Congratulations to all!

The top finishers' times were published in the sports sections of the Honolulu Advertiser and the Star-Bulletin on Monday, Nov. 9th.

Masato, Kento, and a small group of HTIC Running Club members will next run the Honolulu Marathon on December 13th. We invite the entire HTIC Learning Community to go out and cheer them on!

The HTIC Learning Community celebrated Halloween with two events. First, students participated in the annual costume contest sponsored by Karen’s Katering. Chancellor Naoto Yoshikawa served as the judge for the top three prizes. The grand prize winner with the “most creative” costume was Starlee Datu-on, second place winner was Masato Ariga for the “scariest” costume, and the most “humorous” costume category was won by Ginga Yamamoto.

Eleven students were selected by Karen Yamaoka as “runners-up” and three staff members, Kumiko Yabe-Domingo, Mario Ness, and Mark Greene, were recognized for demonstrating their school spirit by dressing in costumes.

Special highlights of the costume contest were the musical performances by students Haruki Ishiwata, who graciously provided musical background music through the lunch period, Kazuto Okubo, and Kenshi Ichinomori. Pianists Haruki and Kazuto each played a duet with violinist Kenshi. A short impromptu piano interlude was also shared by TJ Guzzik.

The second event of the day was a fun evening activity organized by student government that included a talent show and games.